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Hail to the Chief: How Brad Stevens Has Stopped the Sixers![[image loading]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S23DOsakD9LAqOG7cEGHLXOS5t0=/0x0:3000x2000/920x613/filters:focal(1780x319:2260x799)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59649565/BradStevens_Getty_Ringer.0.jpg)
Stevens works his magic in a large number of ways, but in Game 3 on Saturday, it was his play-calling that stole the show. Knowing the Sixers would switch all screens, Stevens called a play near the end of regulation that pulled Embiid out of the paint to open it up for a pass to Jaylen Brown, who hit the game-tying layup.
Then, with a chance to win the game in overtime, Stevens structured a play that looked like it was designed to get the ball to Tatum off a Horford screen. But the Sixers were denying the perimeter, so the inbounder, Marcus Morris, would’ve been forced into a tough pass. Stevens called a timeout and redesigned the play to take advantage of Philadelphia’s willingness to switch Robert Covington onto Horford.
All season, Simmons looked like a cyborg trained to execute basketball plays at the highest level. But Simmons has been exposed against the Celtics. Here’s how Boston defends Simmons when the rookie brings the ball up the floor:
Aron Baynes stands at the free throw line with arms wide open, which clogs the lane, deters Simmons from attacking, and thus hurts the rest of the Sixers’ half-court offense. As Ben Falk outlined on Cleaning the Glass, the Heat tried a similar strategy with Hassan Whiteside. But Whiteside was often out of position. Baynes has been better this season since he plays smart, hard, and consistently.
Stevens uses this technique on Simmons for three reasons:
1. The inbounder usually jogs slowly up the floor, so his defender—Baynes or someone else—can sit back and contain Simmons.
2. Simmons shoots with the wrong hand and is deathly afraid to launch from outside 18 feet. Until he proves he can hit a jumper, there’s no reason to defend him from outside.
3. The inbounder is often Embiid, who isn’t a real threat from 3-point range. The Celtics just aren’t worried about him from behind the arc.
TheRinger
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On May 07 2018 21:57 JimmiC wrote:Show nested quote +On May 07 2018 21:18 Twinkle Toes wrote:On May 07 2018 21:03 JimmiC wrote:
The thing with Lebron is just not height, there is others as tall as him. It is his strength, height, speed, and explosiveness all wrapped into one. Then on top of that he is skilled as Chris Paul. It is amazing when you are watching the game and he stands beside JV or Ibaka or any PF or Center and he looks as big or bigger. Where do you place Casey in all of this? All season he's been hyped as COTY, but I don't see anything coach-y thing going the Raptors' way in this. I mean as a point of comparison look at Stevens. I think he is in the top 5 coaches in the league. Clearly his player development is on point, everyone there improves every year. I'm not sure on his in game adjustments. But his willingness to change his philosophy on offense was impressive. It is a regular season award (COTY) and I don't think anyone had Raps winning the east so they over preformed. I think he would be a fine vote and should finish at worst top 3. I think in the playoffs, with the injuries Bos has dealt with and how they have adjusted their approach depending on who they are playing, Stevens is a slam dunk.
I mean yeah regular season is the basis, but you'd think some of the coaching stuff that people hyped about in the regular season wouldn't just disappear in the playoffs, especially that they only have one team to focus on and I am sure they have a lot of scouting on almost everything. I watched all three games, on replay, but I don't see any coaching adjustment at all. I could even make an argument that it's getting worse, as in the fourth quarter, DD and Lowry revert to iso ball and the team seems to just be winging it, while Lebron was pummeling them with the most basic drive and kick out strategy.
Do you think it will be 4-0?
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That's the worst thing, Raps had 2 games that was lost at the final seconds.
I really think a better coach could lead the Raptors to win against this obviously weaker Cavs team (compared to 2016-7 Cavs).
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Seeker
Where dat snitch at?37099 Posts
How did OKC lose so badly to Utah? From a quick look at each team's rosters, it seems pretty clear to me that OKC has the superior superstar power.
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Well, previous iterations of the Raptors played an anachronistic iso-heavy style without proper spacing that was easily defended in the playoffs. The Cavs aren't exactly winning with defense the past few years but they have no trouble slowing the Raps down in the playoffs.
This year was supposed to be different. They won 59 games moving the ball around more, shooting 3s and lightening the load on Lowry and DeRozan. Seems like they revert to bad habits when the stakes get high.
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On May 08 2018 00:16 Seeker wrote:
How did OKC lose so badly to Utah? From a quick look at each team's rosters, it seems pretty clear to me that OKC has the superior superstar power.
1. Superstars who don't function as a team
2. Westbrook
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On May 07 2018 23:16 JimmiC wrote:
In Europe especially for for soccer what we call the regular season is their championship and then they have cu play which is more like our playoffs. I do think winning the regular season should be seen as more of an accomplishment over here odd that we don't value it basically at all (See GSW last year).
well we care less cause u dont get anything for "winning" the regular season here. i think hockey u get the presidents cup for the most points, but no one cares about that either. if football had playoffs after their regular season, i think they'd stop caring about it too.
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Casey isn't the problem. DeRozan and Ibaka shrinking ha e hurt the Raptors badly
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On May 07 2018 07:10 BlackJack wrote:
This thread really is quite sad for what I'm presuming is a group of adults and not adolescents.
One of the reasons I stopped posting here.
I feel I'm too mature for these discussions 😏
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^You guys are so kewl.
What did you think about that Windhorst Lebron rest article?
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On May 08 2018 03:49 Jerubaal wrote:
^You guys are so kewl.
What did you think about that Windhorst Lebron rest article?
Link?
Isn't Windhorst antiLBJ?
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On May 08 2018 08:36 Twinkle Toes wrote:Show nested quote +On May 08 2018 03:49 Jerubaal wrote:
^You guys are so kewl.
What did you think about that Windhorst Lebron rest article? Link? Isn't Windhorst antiLBJ?
Lolwut?
By the way, how does ESPN.com not have the feature where you can click a writer's name and see their archive?
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not quite sure who they'd hire if they did let him go, i dont think there's any super great candidates out there. and the roster is pretty set for the next 3 years unless something unexpected happens
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Lowry, Ibaka and Derozan all have 2 years left on their contracts not including this year... which is almost over.
is there any one on the Raptors roster who is a top 5 draft pick? i don't think so. Casey has done a nice job with a lot of hard working, low ceiling players.
regarding tonight's game: i don't get why Casey didn't keep on using his Game 1 starting line up. it worked. they lost by 1 point in OT.
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And what a performance by the Cavs starters!
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EPT
