Everything Derozan

[Axel]

Well our offense is one of the tops in the league - and what I don't understand is how anything changes in the playoffs.

It's not like there's NO scouting in the regular season. There's just less. If our offense is so easy to predict, scouts should already be adjusting for us.

And I think we do have lots of options to score - Derozan, Lowry, Lou, Jonas can all take over games, and Patterson, JJ and GV are no slouches either.

Edit:

In my opinion, this argument can almost be twisted against the point that's trying to be made. If our offense is so predictable, it's not like extra scouting is going to make any difference. You watch a few games and you know what to expect. The style that would be more affected by that change in the playoffs (more scouting) is the one that's more complicated.

But in the regular season, teams don't spend too much time developing plans to stop a team cause it's one game and then you're playing a new team. With the limited practice time in season, you mostly focus on your own stuff without much customizing.

Playoffs, 100% focus on one team. Practice and meetings devoted to a single team.

To pretend that there is no difference between regular season and playoffs is crazy. Basically every player and coach for 50+ years has said so and it's pretty obvious when watching the games.

[stooley]

But in the regular season, teams don't spend too much time developing plans to stop a team cause it's one game and then you're playing a new team. With the limited practice time in season, you mostly focus on your own stuff without much customizing.

Playoffs, 100% focus on one team. Practice and meetings devoted to a single team.

To pretend that there is no difference between regular season and playoffs is crazy. Basically every player and coach for 50+ years has said so and it's pretty obvious when watching the games.

Well I'm not at all saying there's no difference between regular season and playoffs, but the bold is a good point. Team's may not make changes during the regular season not because they don't know what to do but because it would hurt the team's rhythm.

I think it was in the Zach Lowe article from December where he quoted Casey saying that the team makes marginal adjustments for regular season games and expects to make more drastic changes come playoffs - like during a regular season game it's about the process and developing a system more than focusing everything on that one win.

I'm still not totally convinced that we'll have any more significant issues come playoffs though. We held about even last year.

My opinion is:

There's a difference between regular season games and playoff ones. But that affects both play styles.

I kinda feel like ball movement might provide more of an advantage over iso ball in the regular season than in the playoffs.

So while our offense slows down, so does everyone elses.

[Axel]

Well I'm not at all saying there's no difference between regular season and playoffs, but the bold is a good point. Team's may not make changes during the regular season not because they don't know what to do but because it would hurt the team's rhythm.

I think it was in the Zach Lowe article from December where he quoted Casey saying that the team makes marginal adjustments for regular season games and expects to make more drastic changes come playoffs - like during a regular season game it's about the process and developing a system more than focusing everything on that one win.

I'm still not totally convinced that we'll have any more significant issues come playoffs though. We held about even last year.

I don't recall the Lowe article but the theory is bang on. With all the travel involved in the regular season, teams don't spend as much time with practice. Basically it's, training camp to lay the foundation of principles. In season, work on those repetitions and maybe make minor adjusts.

I think the Raps playoff offence is greatly symbolized by the Game 7 final play vs the Nets. Come out from a timeout with lots of potential options, go with a 1 man ISO where the D didn't even pretend to cover anyone other than Lowry on the drive.

Simple offences require simple adjustments. Our offence is very simple. When the shots fall and/or we get good calls from the refs, it works. But we don't make it easy on ourselves.

[raptors999]

I don't recall the Lowe article but the theory is bang on. With all the travel involved in the regular season, teams don't spend as much time with practice. Basically it's, training camp to lay the foundation of principles. In season, work on those repetitions and maybe make minor adjusts.

I think the Raps playoff offence is greatly symbolized by the Game 7 final play vs the Nets. Come out from a timeout with lots of potential options, go with a 1 man ISO where the D didn't even pretend to cover anyone other than Lowry on the drive.

Simple offences require simple adjustments. Our offence is very simple. When the shots fall and/or we get good calls from the refs, it works. But we don't make it easy on ourselves.

Also teams run the five best for 48 minutes. Bench differential is meaningless and if the bench is outscoring the starters they should be starting. Only crappy teams + Raptors have a high scoring bench.

[stooley]

Also teams run the five best for 48 minutes. Bench differential is meaningless and if the bench is outscoring the starters they should be starting. Only crappy teams + Raptors have a high scoring bench.

The Spurs say hi.

[raptors999]

The Spurs say hi.

They don't use rotation they switch up starters. Bonner may play heavy minutes one series and see no minutes next. Players have roles not minutes

[Axel]

Also teams run the five best for 48 minutes. Bench differential is meaningless and if the bench is outscoring the starters they should be starting. Only crappy teams + Raptors have a high scoring bench.

The Spurs say hi.

I certainly wouldn't say the bench is meaningless but the impact is typically lessened. No 4 games in 5 nights scheduling and no "saving" players. A good bench is still valuable cause it can give the starters more rest to get their legs under them and to really pressure the opposing starters. That said, usually only 1 bench guy really makes an impact in a given playoff game. Depth gives you options though.

[stooley]

They don't use rotation they switch up starters. Bonner may play heavy minutes one series and see no minutes next. Players have roles not minutes

You're gonna have to expand on that one lol.

[Puffer]

The Raps in the playoffs last year faced KG, PP and JJ, plus others. Those three are legitimate upper tier players with a boatload of experience. They came within one jumpshot of taking the series with two sophomores in their starting five and four guys off the bench that that had three months to get integrated into the rotation.

Sure they were well scouted, but it was only a single jumpshot. It works both ways. You can be well scouted, and you can scout well and plan for the other teams familiarity with your systems. Lots of rest. Lots of time for practice.

The playoffs are different, but let's not make them out to be more than they are.

[stooley]

I certainly wouldn't say the bench is meaningless but the impact is typically lessened. No 4 games in 5 nights scheduling and no "saving" players. A good bench is still valuable cause it can give the starters more rest to get their legs under them and to really pressure the opposing starters. That said, usually only 1 bench guy really makes an impact in a given playoff game. Depth gives you options though.

I think the options are underrated. If someone's having an off night, it's gotta be nice to have the option to play someone else.

[Axel]

The Raps in the playoffs last year faced KG, PP and JJ, plus others. Those three are legitimate upper tier players with a boatload of experience. They came within one jumpshot of taking the series with two sophomores in their starting five and four guys off the bench that that had three months to get integrated into the rotation.

Sure they were well scouted, but it was only a single jumpshot. It works both ways. You can be well scouted, and you can scout well and plan for the other teams familiarity with your systems. Lots of rest. Lots of time for practice.

The playoffs are different, but let's not make them out to be more than they are.

Upper tier? In experience yes, but they were a team of players well past their prime. We had home court and, frankly, the better team; should have won.

[Axel]

I think the options are underrated. If someone's having an off night, it's gotta be nice to have the option to play someone else.

Do we though? If Lou isn't going do you really trust Yolo Vasquez to get it done? Ross? Bruno?

[raptors999]

You're gonna have to expand on that one lol.

Pop will sit Splitter, and replace with Diaw or Bonner. Against Thunder pulling Ibaka out of the paint means no rim protection or a poor post defender. Only Parker, Kawehi and Duncan are set but its the positions they play PG, SF and C.

[stooley]

Pop will sit Splitter, and replace with Diaw or Bonner. Against Thunder pulling Ibaka out of the paint means no rim protection or a poor post defender. Only Parker, Kawehi and Duncan are set but its the positions they play PG, SF and C.

Ok.. yeah, that sounds about right. What's stopping us from doing that though?

[raptors999]

Ok.. yeah, that sounds about right. What's stopping us from doing that though?

Casey