Official Game Thread: Pistons at Hawks

[High5]

5 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

The videos were posted for the exact reasons I stated.  And that is sometimes, you simply have to let players "play their game", in order for the team to win.  The NBA is not college, in which the offensive system is the most important element to win games.  The reason why just about everyone around here wants a superstar player, is because superstar players sometimes play out of their minds and take over games offensively.  And the players who are great in this league, exhibit this ability sporadically at first, then do it on a more consistent basis.

We got a team full of journeymen players and guys barely out of college.  Most of these guys wouldn't crack anyone's starting lineup, and would be fringe rotation players.  Yet, when Dennis takes it upon himself to try to help the team win by scoring the basketball, there's an issue with that?  Even if he's forcing the issue, that's actually a POSITIVE, not a negative.  This means that Dennis cares about the outcome of a game, and his ability to affect that outcome.

This should've been the year in which Bud and the organization should've tried to see just how much of a leadership role Dennis could handle. Let him be a leader, and let him be free to play to his strengths as a player.  Don't try to pigeonhole that dude into playing "system" basketball 100% of the time, with a bunch of guys who WILL NOT be on this team ( or in the NBA ) in 2  - 3 years.  

No, this season should be all about Dennis, Prince, and Collins, and their development into high level basketball players.  Challenging them to be better in certain areas is fine.  But Bud only reacts harshly toward one individual on the team when they do something detrimental to the team ( in his eyes ).  Even Bazemore and Delaney gets more of a pass from Bud, than Dennis, and that's absolutely incredible.

Despite Bud being a good ( not great, but good ) coach, he is set in his ways and is stubborn as hell.  Maybe even more stubborn than Woody.

 

Bud does let Dennis play his game 95% of the time. Dennis takes the 18th most shots in the league and all 17 players ahead of him are better. He has basically the same usage% as LeBron. He's not being robbed of the opportunity to grow or be himself. But he shouldn't have a license to play bad basketball at will. That hurts his progression and his teammates'. 

Also, I can't tell you how many times someone has made an awful play and they've been immediately sent to the bench. It's not just Dennis. He's just the one you're looking for. And it's important to note the difference between a good player with the wrong idea and a bad/mediocre player with the right idea. They may both result in a failed possession, but the coach is obviously going to be more critical of the former.