All the Nuggets are doing is getting the ball to the middle of the zone and getting layups off of back cuts. Every possession the Nuggets role players are cutting to the basket and getting great looks as outlets for Murray or Jokic, how else do you think Murray’s assist numbers are so high rn?
It was actually infuriating watching our guys settle for long threes against the zone instead of doing stuff they teach back in high school. Off ball movement needs to be a major emphasis next year. I get Joe is all about analytics and getting up as many threes as possible but that’s just not a winning strategy in the playoffs. It’s so enlightening watching the Nuggets play compared to the dumb stuff we did. They have better three point shooters than us yet are content to shoot way less of them and actually take what the defense is giving them. They have a major size advantage on Miami like we did, except they’re actually using it to dominate them in the paint. We have in my opinion still the most talented roster in the league yet so rarely play to our strengths as a team.
I hope to see some major growth from obviously the players but the coaching staff too. I really don’t want to watch another season of chucking threes
EDIT: So what I’m getting from a lot of these comments is since we don’t have a Jokic, back cuts are off the table? You guys can’t be serious..
Go back and watch the end of G6 vs Miami this year when they went to zone and completely killed our offense for four straight possessions. I didn’t see a single cut as everyone was just playing hot potato with the ball on the perimeter. This was the third series against this Heat team and in the biggest moment our guys looked more clueless than ever on how to attack their zone that they had to have known was coming.
This video breakdown does a great job at showing fundamental mistakes from our offense in G7 that lost us the game. Not enough cutting, too much standing around on the perimeter, and too much contentment jacking up threes even when we’re freezing cold
by TheFirstExecutioner
48 Comments
I think it’s more important that Tatum and Brown are
Note: Have the most efficient 3-level scorer in the NBA who is also the best play-making big man in NBA history
We were outcoached by a considerable margin in every series.
Not shoot horribly from 3 multiple games in a row. Also doesn’t hurt if the other team are suddenly shooting 3s at a historic rate.
This title is so stupid.
You *hOpE hE’s TaKiNg DeTaIlEd NoTeS*?!
The heck you think film sessions are? Also, does NO ONE remember the whole Quizlet thing with Joe? Or how his ’21-’22 scout of Miami was called “legendary”? Dude takes detailed notes, obviously.
Even Steve Kerr expressed how he has a lot of trouble understanding Miami’s defensive scheming.
I know it’s popular to dump on Mazzulla right now, but have some respect for a guy that was put in an exceptionally tough situation, and is only going to improve.
Why would he – he knows everything, just ask him
Oh man another one.
You beat the zone by taking the FT line jumper or making your open 3s.
Boston didn’t do either – and that’s not because they didn’t get open threes. Make your shots and advance, Boston didn’t so they didn’t advance.
Christ, if I see another one of these threads.
This game is about buckets. Boston couldn’t make one when it mattered. Move the fuck on.
Step 1: Have Joker.
Joe Mazzulla had a low basketball IQ.
Joe doesn’t have time to do that when he watches the town for eight hours a week.
It’s simple, have Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent come back down to earth.
I hope Joe and the staff really focuses and emphasizes defense again compared to 3 point shooting
John Beilein played lots of zone at WVU. You would think Mazzulla would be able to apply the knowledge he gained while he was there and draw up some actions to pick it apart. Obviously he did not. And that’s going to be the guy running the show for the foreseeable future, fucking good times.
So glad we have a coach of our championship caliber team that has to learn as much as he has to. Pathetic.
I hope Jaylen is. He has the tools to brutalize weaknesses but he’s got to improve his ability to see and attack them and receive passes on scoring position
The dude had a quizlet and flash cards for specific players. And he’s a product of Brad, of course he’s taking notes.
Very good post. This all comes down to having a coaching clue. Hoisting the most 3’s is analytical bullshit. Getting someone to the high post was the key to winning.
better be on that quizlet
“…have best passing center in history on roster…”
Don’t worry he’s making his Quizlet deck as we speak
This post makes it seem easy…lol. braindead post. They have Nikola. Transcendent player of a generation, that easy guys! Take notes!!
He’s not taking notes, as he already knows everything. He’s too busy preparing his fake tough guy routine to bully Abby and other reporters to mask the fact that he appears to be clueless when it comes to actually making meaningful adjustments. Good thing Wyc and Brad signed him to be our coach for the foreseeable future.
Easy to trash the Celtics on how they performed on that Heat series, but go look at the numbers. They shot way below average on open looks, and the Heat shot out of their mind.
Also, as long as we’re asking Mazzulla to take notes: don’t have your best player sprain his ankle in the first minute of game 7, your 6th man to tear an elbow ligament, your #2 to be battling a wrist injury, and one of your key reserves from last year to need hand surgery.
Also a big difference is the nuggets turning the ball over less. You can’t pass to the secondary levels when your primary ball handlers cough it up.
He’s watching the town
He’s not, he’s watching the town
So you’ve summed up how to beat Miami in a couple paragraphs, yet Joe couldn’t figure it out over the course of a 7 game series.
Maybe you should be out head coach? /s
This isn’t just a BOS thing but 90% of teams it’s sickening they just run a high ball screen and then just play, no actions no movement nothing. Both bos and phi had such stagnant offenses
Good post. I hope he’s taking notes too. He is this team’s biggest weakness.
Joe: note, just have 2 time mvp best passing big man of all time
Joe is just calculating how many threes each team is shooting so he can decide how many is needed to win a game.
I assure you he is still watching the Town
How to beat the zone done shoot 25% from three with a bunch of open looks by good shooters.
Helps to have Jokic, who is probably the best imaginable zone defense destroyer on the planet.
The heat barely played zone D against the C’s in game 7 for anyone wondering….additionally we don’t have a Jokic
100% agree
Key notes :
don’t have your star fuck up his ankle game 7
Don’t let brown dribble
Denver is making them pay every single time they switch and end up with a smaller defender. Something that Boston never did. Forgot how many times Horford passed out of the paint for a three when he had a smaller defender covering him. Denver just have better IQ, better coaching, better teamwork and better players.
We don’t do back cuts, it’s stand around the 3 point line and shoot.
He’s rewatching the town and organizing his mouth tape. We’re screwed.
Mazzula doesnt coach defense he doesnt value robert williams only bc he doesnt shoot threes its sick
This doesn’t even make sense, but I hope Joe realizes you will die by threes more often than living.
Joe doesn’t do notes
Alright Denver has the greatest zone buster of a player to maybe ever exist
Step 1: Have the league MVP on your roster.
I mean it’s pretty basic high school level iq to know to break almost any zone is to get the ball in the middle. It helps that everyone they have can shoot. The difference is Denver is willing to take what the heat give. We have to shooting. I mean when was the last time Al took a mid range shot? He used to shoot them all time. Now he only shoots 3s. We started having success with Tatum and smart flashing middle. White had success in game 7 flashing middle.
1. Nikola
2. Jokic
Until these guys stop playing for 3’s only, nothing else is going to change.