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Heck of a rough and tumble, grind it out win. Really smart move putting OG on Bam and switching the perimeter guys so much, and saving OG switches for the hardest actions to cover (like the Bam/Robinson pick plays that usually lead to open threes). What a game plan.
Fred catching fire from three was obviously much needed. Got to the rim quickly too, which helped him draw some fouls, though over a series teams will smarten up and make him try to hit those layups. His pull up three is probably his best weapon when trying to create in games like this where a good defence clogs up our primary options.
I think TD's struggles are a) overblown and b) completely predictable and c) hopefully don't lead to McCaw because that would be way worse. For some reason they are asking TD to create offence when he plays. And throwing him out there with 3 or 4 other bench players, which is nuts in competitive games against playoff teams (which is every game at this point). RHJ should be situational at this point, but he's getting extended run. Against playoff defences that's not gonna fly. Especially with Norm and Serge reverting to their previous forms at an inopportune time. Same goes for Matt Thomas - we don't need another off ball shooter, we need creators on the floor, and Thomas is not that, and in the playoffs there's nowhere to hide his defence. Situational use for him too.
In any case, the solution to all these problems is to do what we always do in the playoffs, shrink the rotation and stagger the creators - Lowry and Siakam specifically but also getting Marc and FVV sprinkled throughout. Leave TD off the ball where he is a killer shooter, cutter, surprise rebounder (and he's not exactly great defensively but he's a cut above Thomas at this point). He's got a bit of work to put in before he's running offence. But you leave him spotting up and he can help bench units buy one of your creators some rest.
And I understand the hesitation to pull the starters away from each other, as that lineup has been gangbusters, like insanely good so far in the restart and very good on the year overall (on the rare occasion they've all been healthy). But we can't be throwing the bench to the wolves. Gotta see if we can find a better way to rotate through the bench players we need without using them all at once.
Fred catching fire from three was obviously much needed. Got to the rim quickly too, which helped him draw some fouls, though over a series teams will smarten up and make him try to hit those layups. His pull up three is probably his best weapon when trying to create in games like this where a good defence clogs up our primary options.
I think TD's struggles are a) overblown and b) completely predictable and c) hopefully don't lead to McCaw because that would be way worse. For some reason they are asking TD to create offence when he plays. And throwing him out there with 3 or 4 other bench players, which is nuts in competitive games against playoff teams (which is every game at this point). RHJ should be situational at this point, but he's getting extended run. Against playoff defences that's not gonna fly. Especially with Norm and Serge reverting to their previous forms at an inopportune time. Same goes for Matt Thomas - we don't need another off ball shooter, we need creators on the floor, and Thomas is not that, and in the playoffs there's nowhere to hide his defence. Situational use for him too.
In any case, the solution to all these problems is to do what we always do in the playoffs, shrink the rotation and stagger the creators - Lowry and Siakam specifically but also getting Marc and FVV sprinkled throughout. Leave TD off the ball where he is a killer shooter, cutter, surprise rebounder (and he's not exactly great defensively but he's a cut above Thomas at this point). He's got a bit of work to put in before he's running offence. But you leave him spotting up and he can help bench units buy one of your creators some rest.
And I understand the hesitation to pull the starters away from each other, as that lineup has been gangbusters, like insanely good so far in the restart and very good on the year overall (on the rare occasion they've all been healthy). But we can't be throwing the bench to the wolves. Gotta see if we can find a better way to rotate through the bench players we need without using them all at once.
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