Post by greeme on Jun 10, 2012 11:22:41 GMT -5
Greeme and Jordan on the Eastern Conference playoff series
Bulls vs Hawks –
Bulls are decimated by injuries. What dc would you use if you were the Bulls? Would you take days off Kauffmann or would you use the 5 days off on Webster or Brown before next series?
J- Play is ultimately concerned with winning a championship. Using his 5 days on Kauffman will help that effort, but it will not make the same impact of bringing Brown back early in Round 2. Since Kauffman will be back after 3 games, I think Play will wait and see where his team stands after round 1 part 1. If he thinks he needs an additional boost for the first round, he will use this on Webster to have him for games 6 and 7. I’d say this goes to Brown though.
G - Play is a gm who likes to win so I see him gambling on getting through the first round without using his 5 days on Kauffman and saving them for Brown in the second round.
The dc I would use until kaufmann returns is c-dickey/silas/dickey pf- boerwinkle/silas/boerwinkle sf- glen/Ollie/glen sg- Erickson/Dunleavy/Erickson pg – gus/mike/gus. Either Glen or Keith will have to become a third option until Kaufmann comes back.
Does Glock still have it? Is Jay just using him wrong?
J - When Mengelt was healthy, Jay ran an outside focus for most of the season . This is probably necessary for Mengelt to reach his maximum production. However, it huts Glock and doesn’t help anyone else on his team. It is an example of acquiring good players that do not match each other. With the amount of teams tanking in the East, Jay could have experimented with DCs enough to get a better idea of what worked instead of mostly sticking to an outside focus. To answer the question, Glock is certainly on the downside of his career and not a guy who can carry a team anymore. He is better than his production this year, but Jay’s DCs haven’t give him a real chance to produce to his max.
G - I don't know why Jay doesn't try Glock at pg and move mengelt to sg. Glock won't shoot enough as a sg so there is no reason to see if Mengelt will. What does Jay really have to lose? Glock is an average sg and a great pg. Might as well see what Mengelt can do at sg.
Key series matchup?
J - I think this series will be determined in the frontcout. Both PGs will have a big series. I think this comes down to whether or not Jay can slow down Dickey enough to win the series. With the lineup he has been running, I do not think that will happen. I’m not sure if he has the players to do it.
G - Gus vs Mengelt. The Hawks need Mengelt to totally outplay Gus in order to have a shot. The Bulls will need offense from Gus, especially until Kaufmann returns, but even more so they need him to keep Mengelt in check..
Prediction?
J - Bulls in 6. Play is a better GM and despite the injuries has the depth to match up with the Hawks.
G - Bulls in 7. Dickey will be the difference in the end.
Nets vs Bobcats
If you are Nanz, do you take days off Hardy's injury?
J - I’ve always thought Nanz could be a real contender by upgrading his PF from Hardy. He has never done so. At this point in time, Hardy is probably necessary to his success. Nanz got an unfortunate first round draw with the Bobcats. The Bobcats would have been at least the 4 seed if it wasn’t for injuries this season. As a result, he needs the best roster he can put on the court so taking days off Hardy is necessary.
G - Yeah, if I am Nanz I put my best foot forward. This is a very losable series, especially if Nate and Elvin dominate the inside. If nanz goes down 2-1 before Hardy comes back that could be the series.
The Nets handled the Cats pretty well in the regular season. What do you differently if you are the Cats?
J - Although I’m sure I would change anything, one of the first things I think I would consider is creating a more favorable matchup for Issel. He should be able to dominate Barnett at SG and avoid the possibility of getting in foul trouble with Carr at SF. I think Steele could help slow down Carr as well.
G - I would try starting Rowe at sf and issel at sg. That should help the cats out on the boards. Rowe also shoots very good %s
Key series matchup?
J - Nate Thurmond v. Cowens. Thurmond has been a nonfactor in all four matchups this year. He has to be more productive for the Bobcats to win the series.
G - Elvin vs Cowens. A superstar against a not quite there. If Cowens can play Elvin even or close to that then the Cats will have little or no chance to win. The Nets brought in Cowens for just such a series. Will he be up to it? Stay tuned.
Prediction?
J - Bobcats in 6. I think this team still has a run left in it. I think John can make the right DC changes and win the series.
G - Nets in 7. Kind of a shame that the Cats peaked during the Bingo years and can't take advantage now.
Bucks vs Pacers
Call me crazy but I think this could be an upset. The pacers split the season series mostly by getting Bingo in foul trouble. If Bingo gets in foul trouble will anyone step up for the Bucks?
J - I do not see an upset here and I do not see Bingo getting in foul trouble. If he does, the Bucks have the players to step it up. They may lose the game, but it should still be a close game with the players they do have. McAdoo could be a #1 option on a lot of teams. Mix and Buse can score enough as well.
G - The Bucks have a bunch of guys who can score but they are used to playing second fiddle so when Bingo goes out they have trouble stepping up. Mcadoo and Mix are the most likely to get more shots if Bingo gets in trouble but Mcadoo has been underwhelming this year. If you want to see just how vulnerable the Bucks are without Bingo then just look at their last 4 games, 4 losses 3 of which saw Bingo on the bench for extended periods bc of foul trouble.
If you are Biggie do you take games off Joe Ellis' injury? What kind of a difference will he make in the playoffs? Does he guard Bingo ?
J - Since Ellis would only play in game 3, you have to wait till after round 1 part 1. I think biggie is probably better off playing this series with what he has because Ellis isn’t anything special.
G - I would wait until after the first part to decide. I wouldn't put him on Bingo anyway. The 2 Pacers wins came when Bingo got into foul trouble . I would go balanced or inside and put English on Bingo and try to get Bingo in foul trouble. If Ellis comes back I put him at sf to get a rebounding advantage.
Key series matchup?
J - English v. Mix. English has to have a huge series for the Pacers to stand a chance. I think he would have a better chance of doing this at SG against McMillan.
G - Bingo vs???. This is really the only matchup that matters. If Bingo stays out of foul trouble then the Bucks win. Sounds simple but the question is if it is simple
Prediction?
J - Bucks in 5. I don’t see the Pacers winning this year.
G - Bucks in 5.
Cavs vs sixers
Which stats will decide this series?
J - Wouldn’t it be points? Other than scoring, shot blocking and turnovers are probably the next important things in the playoffs. These two teams are evenly matched here. The one area where the Cavs have a big advantage is rebounding and that will be the determining factor.
G - Sixers tos and cavs 3pt shooting. The Cavs are a well balanced team and when they are shooting well from downtown they are next to impossible to stop. The sixers tend to turn the ball over a lot against the better defensive teams and giving away possessions might just turn into giving away the series.
The teams seem to be headed in opposite directions; the Cavs are on fire and the Sixers are struggling. What changes will the sixers have to make in order to win this series ?
J - Part of the 76ers struggles can probably be linked to the lack of DC changes the team has made during the season. Most teams get better by figuring out what the best general DC for their team is throughout the season. There has to be a better option for the 76ers against any team, particularly the Cavs. Since the Cavs run an outside focus, I would trap more. With the lack of frontcourt depth the 76ers have, I would also press less. I also don’t see how playing Goodrich at backup PG is smart. You never want a guy who can come in and turn it over 5 times in 20 minutes at PG.
G - I don't think there is much that they can do besides hope for the best. The sixers seem to be outclassed. I would use Love to back up the 3/4/5 just to get some more offense. I would also go outside and make Goodrich my third option. Don't think that it will help but I would try.
Key series matchup?
J - Foots v. Webb. I agree with greeme on this one. Webb has been one of the main reasons the Raptors have been so good for so long. He wins come the playoffs.
G - Foots vs. Webb. Webb has been the engine running the Cavs this year and if Foots can slow him down it will be very hard for the Cavs to win.
Prediction?
J - Cavs in 6. The 76ers have the pieces to make this a series, but the current setup has very little chance of success. Without some changes, this could be a 4 or 5 games series.
G - Cavs in 5.
Bulls vs Hawks –
Bulls are decimated by injuries. What dc would you use if you were the Bulls? Would you take days off Kauffmann or would you use the 5 days off on Webster or Brown before next series?
J- Play is ultimately concerned with winning a championship. Using his 5 days on Kauffman will help that effort, but it will not make the same impact of bringing Brown back early in Round 2. Since Kauffman will be back after 3 games, I think Play will wait and see where his team stands after round 1 part 1. If he thinks he needs an additional boost for the first round, he will use this on Webster to have him for games 6 and 7. I’d say this goes to Brown though.
G - Play is a gm who likes to win so I see him gambling on getting through the first round without using his 5 days on Kauffman and saving them for Brown in the second round.
The dc I would use until kaufmann returns is c-dickey/silas/dickey pf- boerwinkle/silas/boerwinkle sf- glen/Ollie/glen sg- Erickson/Dunleavy/Erickson pg – gus/mike/gus. Either Glen or Keith will have to become a third option until Kaufmann comes back.
Does Glock still have it? Is Jay just using him wrong?
J - When Mengelt was healthy, Jay ran an outside focus for most of the season . This is probably necessary for Mengelt to reach his maximum production. However, it huts Glock and doesn’t help anyone else on his team. It is an example of acquiring good players that do not match each other. With the amount of teams tanking in the East, Jay could have experimented with DCs enough to get a better idea of what worked instead of mostly sticking to an outside focus. To answer the question, Glock is certainly on the downside of his career and not a guy who can carry a team anymore. He is better than his production this year, but Jay’s DCs haven’t give him a real chance to produce to his max.
G - I don't know why Jay doesn't try Glock at pg and move mengelt to sg. Glock won't shoot enough as a sg so there is no reason to see if Mengelt will. What does Jay really have to lose? Glock is an average sg and a great pg. Might as well see what Mengelt can do at sg.
Key series matchup?
J - I think this series will be determined in the frontcout. Both PGs will have a big series. I think this comes down to whether or not Jay can slow down Dickey enough to win the series. With the lineup he has been running, I do not think that will happen. I’m not sure if he has the players to do it.
G - Gus vs Mengelt. The Hawks need Mengelt to totally outplay Gus in order to have a shot. The Bulls will need offense from Gus, especially until Kaufmann returns, but even more so they need him to keep Mengelt in check..
Prediction?
J - Bulls in 6. Play is a better GM and despite the injuries has the depth to match up with the Hawks.
G - Bulls in 7. Dickey will be the difference in the end.
Nets vs Bobcats
If you are Nanz, do you take days off Hardy's injury?
J - I’ve always thought Nanz could be a real contender by upgrading his PF from Hardy. He has never done so. At this point in time, Hardy is probably necessary to his success. Nanz got an unfortunate first round draw with the Bobcats. The Bobcats would have been at least the 4 seed if it wasn’t for injuries this season. As a result, he needs the best roster he can put on the court so taking days off Hardy is necessary.
G - Yeah, if I am Nanz I put my best foot forward. This is a very losable series, especially if Nate and Elvin dominate the inside. If nanz goes down 2-1 before Hardy comes back that could be the series.
The Nets handled the Cats pretty well in the regular season. What do you differently if you are the Cats?
J - Although I’m sure I would change anything, one of the first things I think I would consider is creating a more favorable matchup for Issel. He should be able to dominate Barnett at SG and avoid the possibility of getting in foul trouble with Carr at SF. I think Steele could help slow down Carr as well.
G - I would try starting Rowe at sf and issel at sg. That should help the cats out on the boards. Rowe also shoots very good %s
Key series matchup?
J - Nate Thurmond v. Cowens. Thurmond has been a nonfactor in all four matchups this year. He has to be more productive for the Bobcats to win the series.
G - Elvin vs Cowens. A superstar against a not quite there. If Cowens can play Elvin even or close to that then the Cats will have little or no chance to win. The Nets brought in Cowens for just such a series. Will he be up to it? Stay tuned.
Prediction?
J - Bobcats in 6. I think this team still has a run left in it. I think John can make the right DC changes and win the series.
G - Nets in 7. Kind of a shame that the Cats peaked during the Bingo years and can't take advantage now.
Bucks vs Pacers
Call me crazy but I think this could be an upset. The pacers split the season series mostly by getting Bingo in foul trouble. If Bingo gets in foul trouble will anyone step up for the Bucks?
J - I do not see an upset here and I do not see Bingo getting in foul trouble. If he does, the Bucks have the players to step it up. They may lose the game, but it should still be a close game with the players they do have. McAdoo could be a #1 option on a lot of teams. Mix and Buse can score enough as well.
G - The Bucks have a bunch of guys who can score but they are used to playing second fiddle so when Bingo goes out they have trouble stepping up. Mcadoo and Mix are the most likely to get more shots if Bingo gets in trouble but Mcadoo has been underwhelming this year. If you want to see just how vulnerable the Bucks are without Bingo then just look at their last 4 games, 4 losses 3 of which saw Bingo on the bench for extended periods bc of foul trouble.
If you are Biggie do you take games off Joe Ellis' injury? What kind of a difference will he make in the playoffs? Does he guard Bingo ?
J - Since Ellis would only play in game 3, you have to wait till after round 1 part 1. I think biggie is probably better off playing this series with what he has because Ellis isn’t anything special.
G - I would wait until after the first part to decide. I wouldn't put him on Bingo anyway. The 2 Pacers wins came when Bingo got into foul trouble . I would go balanced or inside and put English on Bingo and try to get Bingo in foul trouble. If Ellis comes back I put him at sf to get a rebounding advantage.
Key series matchup?
J - English v. Mix. English has to have a huge series for the Pacers to stand a chance. I think he would have a better chance of doing this at SG against McMillan.
G - Bingo vs???. This is really the only matchup that matters. If Bingo stays out of foul trouble then the Bucks win. Sounds simple but the question is if it is simple
Prediction?
J - Bucks in 5. I don’t see the Pacers winning this year.
G - Bucks in 5.
Cavs vs sixers
Which stats will decide this series?
J - Wouldn’t it be points? Other than scoring, shot blocking and turnovers are probably the next important things in the playoffs. These two teams are evenly matched here. The one area where the Cavs have a big advantage is rebounding and that will be the determining factor.
G - Sixers tos and cavs 3pt shooting. The Cavs are a well balanced team and when they are shooting well from downtown they are next to impossible to stop. The sixers tend to turn the ball over a lot against the better defensive teams and giving away possessions might just turn into giving away the series.
The teams seem to be headed in opposite directions; the Cavs are on fire and the Sixers are struggling. What changes will the sixers have to make in order to win this series ?
J - Part of the 76ers struggles can probably be linked to the lack of DC changes the team has made during the season. Most teams get better by figuring out what the best general DC for their team is throughout the season. There has to be a better option for the 76ers against any team, particularly the Cavs. Since the Cavs run an outside focus, I would trap more. With the lack of frontcourt depth the 76ers have, I would also press less. I also don’t see how playing Goodrich at backup PG is smart. You never want a guy who can come in and turn it over 5 times in 20 minutes at PG.
G - I don't think there is much that they can do besides hope for the best. The sixers seem to be outclassed. I would use Love to back up the 3/4/5 just to get some more offense. I would also go outside and make Goodrich my third option. Don't think that it will help but I would try.
Key series matchup?
J - Foots v. Webb. I agree with greeme on this one. Webb has been one of the main reasons the Raptors have been so good for so long. He wins come the playoffs.
G - Foots vs. Webb. Webb has been the engine running the Cavs this year and if Foots can slow him down it will be very hard for the Cavs to win.
Prediction?
J - Cavs in 6. The 76ers have the pieces to make this a series, but the current setup has very little chance of success. Without some changes, this could be a 4 or 5 games series.
G - Cavs in 5.
