Roster full of

[drzachary]

This morning, when I went to prepare my morning cereal, I discovered that my milk was bad. I blame JT!!!

Seriously though, the problem to me seemed to be that there was no movement away from the ball. Can Stotts yell out a playcall? Does JT psychically control his teammates' feet somehow? That and SJax needs to cut the TOs. That's it, AFAIK.

[RLHawk]

Since I did not see the whole game, I am only speculating (and using last year as an example) but it appears to me that we do not make very good adjustments during the game. What I mean is that if we ar playing a very good "quick" game then we should keep it up until it stops working. It sounds like that was the third period.

When the opposing team changes the game (with pressure and slowing the game down) we should change our set and win that game too. Since we know we have limitations with a slower set game (namely JT/Dion backcourt does not do well against it) we should modify our lineup immediately and capitilize on what strengths we do have. A lineup of Diaw/JT/SJax/SAR/Theo can beat the pressure and play a decent set game. If Diaw has as good of court vision and ball handling skills as he appears to have. In these cases, let him push the ball up the court and JT swing over the the SG position. The best players we have at moving without the ball are JT and SJax. Let Diaw set up the offense, get it to a moving JT for the quick 15 footer. JT can create in this situation as well as SJax. This should force the defense back into a regular defense where they can put bodies on JT and SJax and force Diaw to make mistakes.

Then we switch back....

[LastDon]

I watch the entire game and I seen him turn it over at least 4 times from using that weak as spin move in the post.

[swolehawk2]

JT gets the blame because thats who you want to blame....everybody played poorly in some fashion except maybe Dion...so to point the finger at one guy, PG or not is ridiculus. You don't turn the ball over 27 times and blame it all on the PG.

[Playmaker0017]

LastDon,

I counted two TOs myself. But, he only had one.

Sorry.

Check the stat line.

Play.

[Playmaker0017]

Swole,

But, you can blame the PG when he can't change the tempo of his team. You can blame him when he does the SAME things wrong that he has ALWAYS done wrong.

There has been no improvement in his game. He still can't run an offense. He still defers to other players to take control.

Play.

[codyatl]

JT Fan,

I would ahve been saying the same thing even if we had of won last night. I just don't think SAR is a go to guy. Period. he is a great 2nd option guy but you would have to be blind to see that when he is double teamed he can't do anything. Now i realize that the other players have to move, but when reef is double it looks like he panics and really doesn't know what to do. I can't remember how many times last yr i saw reef dribble the ball of his foot. My only pt was that we have got to get a real go-to guy to ever win w/ this roster.

[MoonKnight]

I am surprised that Diaw has not been getting alot of attention in posts from his performance last night. I was very impressed with him. He showed great court vision and very good ballhandling (Lynch tried to pressure him bringing the ball up court to no avail). His D is also very good. With our current starting lineup, we simply have no 2nd ballhandler. Diaw could easily fit this description. With either SJ or Dion starting beside Diaw we easliy have enough O to make up for Diaw's offensive scoring reluctance or inability. Unless the turnovers improve soon, I would give Diaw a chance to start over either Dion or SJ.

[drzachary]

I agree that Reef isn't really a go-to guy. It's not a judgement based at all on his abilities, but rather a gut feeling that he doesn't seem like he wants it.

He's kind of like the majority of the Braves players: too cool to get emotional, but that "ice in the veins" translates into a lack of grit and hustle. Reef is kind of a Sheffield?

[emeans]

Some of these forum posters kill me with the blame game. Who are YOU going to blame next? We have the same problems without Glenn Robinson!!!

Some of you misinformed people are going to sit up here and try to put all the blame on him. The problem is and was always BIGGER than Glenn!!! This team has no coach and still has no idenity!!

You have to start thinking maybe its the coaching and not the players.

Yesterday was a combination of bad coaching and the players. Some of you are truly humorous to me!!!

I personally don't think Stotts is going to be a good coach. I see too many fundamental mistakes (spacing, passing, offensive structure, and on and on......), which leads to too many turnovers. THAT IS COACHING!!!

[Diesel]

If JT was the milkman that fixed your refrigerator, you were right.

How long will we watch JT play out of position. Make horrid passes. Mess up Breaks. Hold the ball with his dribbling display. Hold up the 2 sorry fingers that he always hold up that no one knows the meaning of..

And say.."thataboy"....

Come on man. NO Dog... Same problems.

[Lascar78]

I agree. I didn't post much because he just showed me what I already knew. As long as you don't expect him to score yet, his game is NBA ready. I thought we played much better as a team when he was in. His passing got everyone else passing and moving too. I was pissed that Stotts took him out for what seemed like the whole 2nd half, then set him up to fail by putting him in by putting him in cold for the last play of OT.

It was also dumb to put JT in cold for the last play of the 1st half, which led toa TO. I really think the biggest problem in game 1 was Stotts. Either he's horrible or the players aren't listening. Anyhow, it was just game 1 and I won't judge the team for about a month because that's how long it takes to see true trends for the season and give everyone used to playing together.

But again, I would love to see Diaw play an increasing role.