"My Fault"

[Karma]

That is Mike Brown on getting Z involved in the offense.

Finally he acknowledged it. Now you found what works, stick with it.

"It got to the point where we said, 'Screw the offense,"

That is from LeBron.

This motion offense may have some perks, but we need to play to our strengths, not just to a certain style.

Drew and Zydrunas are talents inside. Use it!

 

[lebron720]

is it possible to use the motion offence, but at certain times go back to last years where Z was good?

 

[moohead]

If you saw Z's post game interview, he is NOT happy about his minutes "10-15...whatever I get", and stressed how DIFFERENT the offense is.

The offense is great when the players move. When they stand around, it won't work. The spurts where we play well is when we pass briskly and cut. When Snow pounds the ball, or LeBron picks up his dribble and no one moves...it's death.

I know you love Z. But please realize, that it wasn't a change in the offensive concept that helped last night. Z was actually TRYING. This is his problem. You MUST light a fire under his ass. Obviously, if you grant him more touches, he'll actually, jump, dunk and go to the floor.

For the only time this year, Z blocked shots and rebounded and hustled for loose balls. Why? Because he got more offensive touches. Problem is, those touches slow the whole offense down. Z plays one game, and does not want to adapt to a new way. It was clear in his interview.

Nice to see Z can still do things. I guess the REAL problem is motivation (like when he gagged in the playoffs). I have little use for guys who don't bring it every day.

Moo

 

[Jon]

Z just had a terrific game, night and day difference. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come, but we'll see when oppenents are affording him less room to work. Mike Brown is going to deflect blame, but it's definately a combination of Z coming out slow, being defended well, and the new offense not playing to his strengths.

 

[Pioneer10]

Who cares the frontcourt is fine. One day Gooden is on fire, the next day it's Z with a good game, and then if both tend to bomb, AV has been stepping up.

Get some perimeter players to complement the frontline and then you can run whatever offense you want (i.e. bench Wesley, give Jones and Sasha more minutes)

 

[Jon]

Damon is already playing 3rd most MPG on the team, Larry is back on Weds. Voila!

 

[Benny08302]

The offense is great when the players move. When they stand around, it won't work. The spurts where we play well is when we pass briskly and cut. When Snow pounds the ball, or LeBron picks up his dribble and no one moves...it's death.

I know you love Z. But please realize, that it wasn't a change in the offensive concept that helped last night. Z was actually TRYING. This is his problem. You MUST light a fire under his ass. Obviously, if you grant him more touches, he'll actually, jump, dunk and go to the floor.

For the only time this year, Z blocked shots and rebounded and hustled for loose balls. Why? Because he got more offensive touches. Problem is, those touches slow the whole offense down. Z plays one game, and does not want to adapt to a new way. It was clear in his interview.

I couldn't agree more with the first bolded statement. Too often the Cavs offense just bogs down because of LeBron and Snow just holding on to the ball.

I couldn't agree less with the latter statements. Z seems to try the majority of the time. He blocks shots and hustles most games I've seen.

The only game where I had a problem with his effort was the Indiana game. He committed a ton of ticky-tack reach-in fouls and seemed frustrated by Jermaine O'Neal. There was also a game, I forget against who, that Z had an AWFUL offensive game but rebounded well and blocked something like 4 shots.

The change wasn't that Z was trying- the change was actually that the Cavs got him the ball in his comfort zone. Their first basket of the game came off a Z post play where he got the guy on his back right in front of the hoop. A lot of times this year the Cavs take their time getting the ball down low. Versus Philly, they recognized early in the shot clock when Z had his guy pinned down low and got him the ball.

They also stopped trying to get him the ball when his man fronts him (a recipe for disaster) or when he's rolling towards the hoop (I think we all know he's not nearly coordinated enough for that play to work, it's a charge waiting to happen).

 

[cavincali]

No no no, we need to trade Z. morons.

 

[The George]

Z is playing well but lets not pretend to believe he is living up to his 5 year 55 million dollar contract cause he is not

unless he gives games close to what he gave last night for the rest of the year

 

[Jon]

They also stopped trying to get him the ball when his man fronts him (a recipe for disaster)

It didn't used to be. They would just toss the ball up high, Z would grab it and flush.

 

[PIP]

Z is not living up to his contract... However, Z deserves some credit for the last week or so..

He's clearly come to play, and has made the conscious effort to establish himself as a force on the blocks on both ends..

He's getting deep position, and is showing signs of life and energy out there.. He's diving for loose balls, he's boxing out, and he's getting open..

But more than anything, I like the fact that he's showing effort..That's what was the most discouraging part..He looked as if he wasn't putting forth a quality effort early on.. As of late (last 4 or 5 games *Indiana being the exception* ) he's improved drastically in that area..

If we could get this type of effort from him and Damon Jones consistently, we'll be tough to beat... Inside-Outside..

 

[Benny08302]

It didn't used to be. They would just toss the ball up high, Z would grab it and flush.

I'm not sure I remember this. I've been watching more games this season (as I worked nights last year), but he's too slow, the pass itself is extremely telegraphed and the Cavs aren't good enough passers.

It's a nice idea (it works great with Gooden), but right now it's not working.

 

[Jon]

He used to just make some space, and then break to the hoop.

Easy dunk if the pass is there.

 

[NarlCavs]

The motion offense is an upgrade from last season's offense. Any system does require a coaching staff to adapt it to fit the personnel on the roster and the strengths and weaknesses of that personnel. Hopefully last night is a sign of this happening. Some adjustments were made with the defense last season as it went on to fit players better.

It was stupid to ignore Z so many times in the offense. The game at Indiana with only 2 shot attempts and Z being ignored in the 1st half was the low point that appeared to wake everyone up.

It has looked that Z has been working hard enough all season. There really haven't been problems with his rebounding and defense. I do agree that he needs to attack the basket more when he gets it close to the hoop and go for a dunk more often. At least in the early part of the season Z seems to have lost some lift and hasn't gotten off the floor much. Hopefully some of that lift returns--not that he was ever a high riser.

Z is overpaid. Unfortunately C's get overpaid in the NBA. An argument can probably be made that the majority of NBA players aren't living up to their contracts.

It would be nice to see that the positives we saw against the 76ers continue into the coming games. I don't really know what to expect from this team from game to game now though.

 

[Karma]

It would be interesting to do a $ value of centers around the league. Z's 55 million over 5 years might not look so bad.