@JayHawkFanToo
I like your post on “all offenses are predictable.”
I think this conversation came about after I mentioned us being predictable. What I was really getting at was how defenses can quickly learn how to play the simplest form of our offense… which is to take 3 guards on the perimeter, and throw it back and forth rapidly to see if the defense bounces back into position. We are looking for a passing lane and a guy to pop open.
There are many variations we run through that offense. Or let me say… we CAN run through it. Where I get frustrated is when we use very little of that offense, and our guys are standing flat-footed for most or all of the shot clock. It doesn’t take a lot of great defense to guard this offense.
I’d like to know how we get in those ruts? If I’m yelling at my TV during a KU game it is usually on our offensive game when guys just stand around.
No matter how much these kids get taught, what really should happen is players learn to create on their own. Maybe they will use specific schemes drawn up by the coaches… but players have to be proactive and create their own opportunities. Even better… players learn to communicate with each other on the court to create as a team.
What I liked about Embiid (when he was healthy) was his ability to create in the low post. Self and staff didn’t teach him those moves.
A big part of all of this relates more to players playing aggressive.
Many of us have been critical of Self pulling players too quickly. Sometimes the focus is too much on structure, when it should focus on creativity. When we play bad it is usually because we play too tightly in a structure, where there is no breathing room. Where guys don’t want to be the one who flubs the play, so no one steps up and we have 3 guys on the perimeter, standing flat-footed, throwing the ball back and forth while our post guys are jammed up in the post. We all know what I’m talking about.
Compare our offense to ISU. Typically, in their periods of bad offense they still have guys making cuts and setting screens. Sometimes they have a sync problem but they still have movement.
It really clicked on me when I was watching the show “The '84 Draft” and they were talking about Jordan breaking loose from all the structure at UNC where he could finally play his game and flourish. Granted, I don’t think we typically recruit Jordan-quality players, but there is some truth to that and the stiffness of our offense.
I have a hard time recalling KU players that were really cut loose to score. I think I would probably go back to Keith Langford. I truly miss Keith Langford and what he brought to Lawrence.
Had BMac stayed, he might have picked up more game to become a real threat like Langford was. Same with Wiggins. But then, Self would have had to let off on some structure. He’d have to push these guys to do some creating on their own.
The NBA is mostly very predictable basketball. Offenses are run off percentages. And the guy that can best score at a rapid clip will be given the ball in his favorite spot with a clear out. It is a team game, but the isolation breaks it down to one-on-one. The game gets pretty boring without some of that play. The game can also get boring without any team offense. It usually works best to mix it up.
Some of the most dynamic offense of all times came from some of those Laker teams with Magic, Kareem and cast. They did manage to create some level of unpredictability because they had so many weapons, and all those weapons liked to score on their unique spot on the floor. For the reason, it was tough for teams to defend against it… especially trying to help out with team defense.
