Few people would argue over the last several weeks, that the season is either slipping away or has entirely fallen off the cliff. We could debate all we want to about which one really is the case, but that would be neither fruitful nor fun. The second thing that we can all agree on is that something needs to change with this team, something my good friend from the lower west coast and I discussed over lunch this afternoon. Although we could have another less fruitful but potentially more fun argument over the details of the changes each of us feel need to happen, we can probably agree that bigger picture things need to be addressed.
Where to begin? I could sit here and say something like: we need to take better shots on offense. We have a solid OR%, but we need to do a better job of getting to the charity stripe and not settling for jumpers. On defense we need to force more turnovers, get back on defense better during transition, and not give up so many easy looks.
All of these things are true, and I am sure there a several other changes other people have observed which are equally correct, but that is a lot of changes. Is the answer just a tweak here, an adjustment there and a re-focus over there?
I believe the problems are more systemic than these simple adjustments, not that these are always simple in and of themselves or in combination. I am not insinuating that it is an overall systemic problem with the program or overall coaching and recruiting aspects of our team. I think the real issue at play is an identity crisis.
You can call it what you want, and everyone has their own definition: chemistry, mojo, heart, attitude, gumption, toughness, camaraderie, maturity, ‘it’, killer instinct, leadership, and hundreds of others. I just happen to believe identity encompasses all of those extra characteristics about players and a team that we just don’t have. How many times have you seen someone smile this year? Who is our leader, Fisher? When was the last time you saw him get on anyone for not playing defense? Can you actually see him ever getting on his teammates for not practicing hard? How about Stokes? Maybe, but it seems more like the team follows Fisher’s lead. Are we a defensive team or an offensive team? Is Pena really our 3rd option, or do we just not have anyone else who can step up? Our pace is generally pedestrian, why is that? Can we actually shoot 3's? Why can't we run the 1-2-2 press like we have in past years? When will James Bell end up suffocating Cheek with his pillow case for taking up all his playing time? Better yet, why hasn't Fisher/Stokes/Pena gotten in either Jay's ear or Cheek's face about him taking all these stupid shots while he is on the floor? Too many questions, and the answer are, well, scary.
So here we are, one more regular season game left, and we don’t even know what type of team we are. The question now becomes, is there anything we can do about it? Most of you, myself included, are more or less resigned to the fact that the answer is pretty much, no. But that does not mean we shouldn’t try. And if the answer is that there is no answer really, then we have two options. Keep playing they way we have been, same style, same line ups and pray to God, Jesus, Mohammad, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha, Osiris, and every other God all at the same time hoping something clicks. Or we have option B: let’s try something a little different maybe even crazy.
Why not? The season is pretty much over. It is not like on Saturday, we are going to only take good shots, create a ton of turnovers, and get the FT line on almost every possession. And in order to do any of those things we would need all if not 1 of the following to happen: Yarou to develop a killer jump hook, Cheek to start hitting shots at a 60% clip, Pena to not miss a mid-range jumper the rest of the year, Wayns to develop an extra gear where no one can stay in front of him, and Stokes to start hitting from the opposite foul line. Not going to happen.
So, here is what I propose, and I can’t believe I am actually saying this. I want fewer minutes from Fisher, Stokes, & Pena. I want more minutes from Cheek, Armwood, Sutton & Bell. Hold on it gets better or worse depending on how far from the cliff we are in your opinion. For 5 minutes each half, right around the 10 minute mark (so maybe 12-7), I want a line up of Sutton, Armwood, Bell, Cheek & Wayns. I don’t even want to run the 1-2-2. I want full court 40 minutes of hell style, where we just run all over the floor. Offensively, I want the same thing. Pure reckless abandon. I want Cheek chucking up as many shots as he wants, not like we really have to beg him to do that now do we. I want Bell green lighted once he steps over the half court line, and I want Wayns putting his head down going 1 on 3 in transition. Ok, so I don’t really want all the recklessness. Calm down Todd, but I do want energy and enthusiasm. I want some excitement and good forbid some toughness. I want Stokes, Fisher, and Pena to get some rest and STAND UP AND CHEER for the second unit while they are on the bench.
Or, how about force feeding Yarou the rock down low until he either vomits or passes out. Give him a guaranteed touch in the high to mid post on every single possession he is on the floor. I’m not talking about touches after penetration by Wayns or Fisher, either. Straight up, move your ass into the paint, waive your hands for the pass, and go to work. He can pass back out if he wants or he can start learning how to abuse people down low. I’m totally fine with this approach as well. I just need something different. If I am calling for Cheek to get more minutes, I think we all know that I am clearly camping out inside the panic room with Jodie Foster.
In short, I want to Jay to say ok. We are in trouble right now. We are going to change it up. From now on we are going to be X. You name it, something different but importantly we are going to be at least something other than the overrated team that just never figured it out.
These are pure and total pipe dreams though. Jay will not budge this late in the season from what we have been doing all year. It would take drastic injuries or a suspension for Jay to take a radical approach. But the time for sticking with the game plan and making small adjustments each game and half is long gone. We have been exposed for being a team that really doesn’t understand what it needs to do to win. We have been exposed as fragile in demeanor and a team that lacks energy and toughness.
I came across this quote from someone at work today. (you know the people who put these on the bottom of their email that they send you – why do people do this?) Anyway, it sums up the issue about our team very succinctly for me.
Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. – George Bernard Shaw
