RealGM

It will be important for Horst to empower the Bucks analytics department to help bring Doc closer to present day NBA.

ShootingtheJ wrote:It will be important for Horst to empower the Bucks analytics department to help bring Doc closer to present day NBA.

And Doc needs to listen to them and his assistants.

humanrefutation wrote:Doc's always been great with the mic. I just don't think he's a very good coach and his hire is being panned by the media and former players alike. Hearing JJ Redick all but pan the move was especially notable as a former player of his.

Watch on YouTube

But he's here now, so I hope he's the right guy for us.

That may be true, but he is still a step up from Grif. The numbers in JJ's follow up video are crazy considering Grif was a defensive coach.

Doc's Marquette number hangs from the rafters, which at least gives him hey-look-up credibility. It also makes me think about the places that banner has been, starting with the MECCA, which was called the Auditorium Arena before it was the MECCA. The fun stuff was held on the Auditorium side.

Doc's always been a charismatic speaker on camera. You have to hope he is the same way in the practice facility and can get the players to buy into a cohesive system.

humanrefutation wrote:Doc's always been great with the mic. I just don't think he's a very good coach and his hire is being panned by the media and former players alike. Hearing JJ Redick all but pan the move was especially notable as a former player of his.

Watch on YouTube

But he's here now, so I hope he's the right guy for us.

I love JJ, and I think some of his Doc criticism is probably fair, but he also owes a lot of money and longevity to Doc.

I was listening to Raja Bell's podcast today and they claimed that Doc was actually offered the lead assistant job back in December and Griff blocked that move.

I don't know if that's true, but Griff clearly was looking over his shoulder.

I think there's about a 0% chance that Doc would have accepted an assistant coaching job at this stage of his career.

Ron Swanson wrote:I think there's about a 0% chance that Doc would have accepted an assistant coaching job at this stage of his career.

That's probably true, unless he thought it was clear that he'd end up in the big chair sooner or later and that being an assistant would just be a good ramp-it-up opportunity.

But I'm guessing you're right and Raja had his facts wrong.

Not sure if it was mentioned, but I listened to Doc's original Bucks press conference.

He said he was so bored that paraphrasing "I started calling coaches up and saying stuff just to mess with them. I can't really say what I said, but that's how bored I was."

Just wondering if he was calling up the new assistants like Griff for different teams, telling them foolish plans to get them fired so he could take their spot.

Dear Coach Rivers,

Thank you for being here with our team. I feel Infinitely more relaxed and confident with you at the helm. That being said, you and your staff have a puzzle to solve that even Bud could not figure out. I'll lay it out and give a few ideas even though this will likely never find you.

The puzzle: obviously teams build a wall for Giannis daring Giannis to go through for at least the 1st 3 quarters of the game. They use 2 to 4 people to create it and even hide defenders in weird spots anticipating the Eurostep. Teams know that as Giannis repeatedly crashes into these walls he is getting himself either hurt or in foul trouble, both of which help them later in the game or later in the series when Giannis has to play more cautious and timid. At the same time, other players will have light zone coverage and KM will probably light us up and likely the Bucks will have a nice lead at the end, but a foul troubled, hurt, timid Giannis won't be able to close us out.. plus we have all our fouls still because for the wall we just stand still. We can go over the limit and it doesn't matter because we'll send Giannis to the line and make him close the game from the FT line which will frustrate hum and his teammates/crowd. Khris was likely hot all game so he will then call for the ball and we'll blitz him with 2 guys like the NFL does a rookie quarterback and he will lose his dribble or throw a looping pass we might be able to deflect/intercept. So that's the puzzle.. beginning of the game they make Middleton score while beating Giannis and end of the game they make a neutered Giannis close them from the line.

Suggestions:
1. Obviously we have a new piece - Dame - use him to get the ball down and either score, draw fouls, or get the ball to the other stars in non-danger situations. KM should be near the 3 line or closer (if they blitz him there he is in shooting distance and can maybe draw a shooting foul or the person they double off of will have an easy bucket on a pass) - not several feet behind the line when he catches. Giannis needs to catch on a roll or in the post so no wall is available, he can slow down if needed (instead of battering ram) and some of the fouls on him will be and 1s.
2. Speaking of rolls, does anyone on your staff know how to run a pick and roll? If so, teach Giannis. He's still turning away from the ball handler when he goes by instead of turning in, facing his chest to the ball handler so he can see the action develop and get himself into the open spot in lane with proper spacing. He's turning outside, looking at the rest of the D first then trying to see where the ball handler is 2nd and he already might have been open or he ends up to close or missing the angle. Keep your damn eyes and chest on the dribbler Giannis and you'll see where the angles and openings are. That play should be all damn day. If this becomes bread and butter than everyone else will be open too and 2nd action plays should have space to work.

That's all for now. That's your puzzle, I hope you can get another useful piece or 2 but start creating your counter moves for what the other teams are going to do to us. Don't let them do it to us again, please. We're happy you're here! Good luck!