First let's note:
- when DeAndre Jordan is on the court we can do no right, but we are actually winning when he's off the court.
http://espn.go.com/b...ets-game-doesnt
With Jordan on, we're losing by a staggering 118-89 per hundred possessions; otherwise, we're up 109-103
- our transition D is getting murdered by their transition O
- ditto our perimeter D
- overall on paper, in a fair fight we will lose to them, hence asymmetric tactics are needed
Given this, here's how we can employ hack-a-shaq to tip the odds:
- Priority #1 is to get Jordan in foul trouble. Attack, attack, keep attacking. It all starts with this on offense. It's almost like our players are too afraid to get facialed on national TV or something. Who cares? It's the playoffs...way better than looking like a pansy on national tv, at least you've shown the courage to go in there. Morey should give a $100 bonus for each shot you get blocked inside ( half-kidding )
Assuming Jordan's in foul trouble, now Hack-a-shaq provides some huge benefits.
- transition/perimeter defense is not an issue; while hack-a-shaqing we can fill the lineup with our best set offense. When he's off the court, then we can revert back to a second lineup that factors in defense over their second unit to maximize point gain.
- when he's in the game, they will produce at about ~85 eff; we may produce slightly less against their set d, but that's ok.
- when he's not in the game, we should be at +6 eff, hopefully more with optimal lineup selection
- If he's in foul trouble, hack-a-shaq increases the % of possessions that he's not in the game by increasing the # of total possessions, which is good because when he's off the court we are actually the better team.
So basically: When he's off the court, keep up the intensity and pace ( and substitutions ) to maximize the # of possessions and point gain; when he's on the court, attack him at all costs and hack, try to fight to a draw. On paper this would turn a sure loss into a slight advantage for us.
Now of course they could do the same to us but at this point I would take that. Also in game 4 some would say we tried this and failed, largely because our offense got so stagnant. But 1) we didn't get him into foul trouble 2) we didn't attack when we had the ball ( ever really ). And as for the psychological factors causing us to feel stagnant, we need to get over it. Go in with the new mindset + the players' buy-in beforehand that this is part of a collective strategy, and it could jumpstart us...
Edited by isaacjunk, 11 May 2015 - 09:29 PM.
