What is our style of play or identity?

[GLF]

S.R. And Team Ed took the words right out of my mouth. You guys described our Defense and Offense perfectly.

[psrs1]

I'm sure I'll take some flack for this, but offensively, I've really enjoyed the much more team-oriented approach with active engagement of the full 5-man lineup in DeRozan's absence. It's been great to see other guys stepping up - JV, Ross, Patterson, Lou, JJ and even Fields before his injury.

Defensively they can be fantastic, but I just wish their commitment/focus could be more consistent throughout the entire 48 minutes of a game. They can turn it on when needed, but their early intensity needs to be there to really get that championship mentality (aka: come out strong and step on their throats).

This really showed in the loss at Chicago , a game they really could have won. I hope they remember and learn that 48 min consistent play in the playoffs is what is needed to win.

[jimmyhunter]

Our offensive identity is a perimeter oriented hot-spot attack that puts constant pressure on opposing defences because when fully healthy we have 6 backcourt players capable of scoring in a hurry.

Lou Williams has re-energized our bench and is an unbelievable isolation scorer in his own right.

Defensively we have lost our way. This could be in part because our smouldering hot offence has been spoiling us and not forcing us to man up in order to stay in games. We will be an elite defensive team when we have a completely healthy Amir, Jonas understands how to anticipate defensive rotations, and Ross decides to fight through screens like a grown up.

Overall we a supremely balanced team which is mostly due to guys like Vasquez,Williams, JJ, and 2Pats playing great basketball.

A healthy Amir and the return of DeRozan would catapult us a good 6 or 7 spots up in Defensive ratings.

[Eric Akshinthala]

What noticeably stands out is that the Raps. either lead or keep pace for 2/3rd's of the game and then pick it up afterwards. Something like a marathon runner who plans his race well. Seldom do they trail until that point. While they play average to above average offence and defence until that point, they tighten things up and rarely slack afterwards. Their ability to finish strongly is their strength. While DeRozan is important, it's Lowry who makes this possible consistently. This is Lowry's team.

[Hurricane_Herm]

This topic needs to be readdressed.

The snapshot of opinions when we were on our 'hot streak' and how we are playing now are so very much different. I don't even have an answer for what our current identity is.

If Casey believes we are a defense first team than why isn't James Johnson starting or getting the bulk of our SF minutes? He is our best all-round defender. How does Lowry get allowed to chuck up 3 pointers so early in the shot clock

If Casey believes we are an offense first team then why does Val get such limited minutes when he does an above average job when he allowed to get multiple touches every quarter.

We have a huge identity issues... maybe a bigger coaching issue..

[Jangles]

we've got a deep team of guys who can all contribute and we get them the ball where theyre comfortable and when theyre comfortable

Lol I liked this as I thought you were being sarcastic about our play over the last 2.5 months. Just noticed that this post was in 2014.

[peanutwoozle]

I think I know what sums it up, Egoball.

[Hurricane_Herm]

Lol I liked this as I thought you were being sarcastic about our play over the last 2.5 months. Just noticed that this post was in 2014.

This is exactly what im talking about. So much has changed from the start of the season... I am not sure if the players even realize what they are doing or how there roles should have changed

[Jangles]

This is exactly what im talking about. So much has changed from the start of the season... I am not sure if the players even realize what they are doing or how there roles should have changed

All goes back to the coach. If the players are aware of how they are playing, Casey isn't doing anything to discourage bad habits. If the players are unaware, Casey is clueless and/or not telling his guys about it.

Bottom line, Casey is shitting the bed.

[Zainab]

All goes back to the coach. If the players are aware of how they are playing, Casey isn't doing anything to discourage bad habits. If the players are unaware, Casey is clueless and/or not telling his guys about it.

Bottom line, Casey is shitting the bed.

Time to #FreeCasey - free him from this job!

[Axel]

I would call our current style as lazy. Too lazy to put in the work for a good shot, and too lazy to defend.

[Hurricane_Herm]

I would call our current style as lazy. Too lazy to put in the work for a good shot, and too lazy to defend.

This is fair and represents why Lowry is okay with the long 26 footer with 17 seconds left on the shot clock. It also is apparent in the lack of attempts to feed the low post: be it Val, Amir, J. Johnson

[Jangles]

I don't know about lazy. Everything these guys do is difficult. Putting up 20+ shots is difficult. Why would they be working hard on the ineffective things while not working hard on things like cuts, defence, transition, etc. They are just following the system thats in place.

[tDotted]

What IS our style of play? Slow paced team jacking up transition threes and the only one to grab those bricks plays less than half the game. I don't think anyone actually knows what the hell we're doing.

[golden]

I don't know about lazy. Everything these guys do is difficult. Putting up 20+ shots is difficult. Why would they be working hard on the ineffective things while not working hard on things like cuts, defence, transition, etc. They are just following the system thats in place.

I think both things could be true: (1) Casey's systems (on both O & D) require a tremendous amount of energy to execute properly, (2) guys are being selective about how much energy they want to put out at this time of year, with a playoff spot already locked up (i.e. lazy), and some guys banged up (e.g. Lowry).