minimus wrote:One question. Let me know if my logic is off:
1) MIN is playing well when Conley is both highly efficient 3pt shooter, elite passer WHILE being a low usage player
2) we cant replace him with high volume, high usage offensive minded player because we don't have possessions for such player, we don't have assets and salary cap to acquire and keep such player (offensive minded players cost more). For instance, Clarkson. Unless we trade Towns...
3) we can't replace with Conley with 3&D players like Suggs, Cason Wallace or Caruso, because it will make our 20th offense even worse
4) we can't just add a movement shooter such as Huerter because we have invested in Edwards and McDaniels means usually a movement shooter plays SG/SF position
5) the only viable way to replace Conley is to get a fringe starter level PG such as Tyus Jones or Monte Morris and hope that new owners will keep current roster
Am I correct?
Another question: look at Edwards stats in last 12 games
Aside from turnovers problems is this a near to maxed out version of Edwards? Let me explain why I am asking this. It looks like the main problem now is where MIN can get more offense from.
Based on my previous post it cant be Conley, who basically is already a hyper efficient player in his role. It cant be Edwards who has been playing at highest level (increased FTs attempts and 3PT%). It cant be Naz Reid who has been already hyper efficient in shot selection AND depends on pace, ball movement.
It cant be Gobert. So obvious answers are McDaniels and Towns. I have noticed that Finch at the beginning of couple of last few games want team to run plays for both McDaniels and Towns with purpose to get them going earlier. So it looks like our coaching staff sees and understand problem. I wonder if the biggest positive thing for this group is that during this tough stretch of games against strong team, all players are healthy and can battle through this slump. Because it is not simplest way to transform our offense, it is not so easy to distribute shots, making Edwards, McDaniels and Towns more efficient scorers. I am particularly concerned about turnovers which I think is more a system issue, let me explain, I see some contradictory points here:
- fans and media guys want more structure on offense
- Finch was brought here as free flow offense master
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more structured offense does NOT mean more complex: I think here is the main point where some misunderstood happens. More structured means more actions with purpose, for instance: cut harder, run back in defense to avoid cross match, set good screens. I do think you can play free flow offense with more structure, the biggest question for me is whether it is possible without a great shooter. Look at elite offenses: DEN with MPJ, Murray, look at SAC with Huerter, Fox, Murray, PHO with KD, Booker and Beal, MIL with Dame, MIA with Robinson and Herro. An elite shooter on the floor means one more gravity point on perimeter, one more dimension to offense, more passing, more ball movement. And more importantly: an elite shooter simplifies decision making for others - when a shooter gets the ball he will shoot. Many fans are questioning why Towns is not shooting 8-10 threes per game, but if you watch him playing this season you notice that he is not passing those wide open shots, he usually takes them, the problem is that he is NOT a movement shooter. Towns can shoot some pull up threes, but kind of prefer not to rush his shots. We can run more plays for him as a shooter, for instance: split action with Anderson in post, and Towns getting screen and shooting a three, or little horns action when he pops out. But it looks more as a secondary action.
The obvious paths to improve our offense will be:
1) acquiring a shooter to simplify our offense
2) acquiring a first pass backup PG, who can execute within team flow