Posted 18 November 2021 - 09:05 AM
Also not very basketball savvy, so maybe I'm talking out my rear here... But it always seemed that Gary's squads had an identity of sorts. Whether you liked it or not, so be it. Whether it worked well or not varied obviously. But they seemed to have a goal and a scheme going in each game, and they'd adjust a little as needed. Whether it was press and fast break, or the more traditional flex offense where he often had wide bodied bigs inside. I always wished he'd focused more on integrating more quality outside shooters, but whatever...
Turgeon's teams I swear it looks to my novice eye like they don't ever have much of an identity, or a coordinated plan. I dunno, maybe that's a bad way to say it, but just too much "winging it" possession to possession. Lots of standing around waiting for someone else to do something on offense, or isolated hero ball. Defenses that routinely allow wide open three looks. Just always looks so disjointed to me.
I recall a game a few years back where they had the ball in the final seconds, I think trailing. They come out of a timeout where I assume they schemed up something to get a quality shot off. Wound up being an inbound to a big man (I forget who) who dribbles around a little bit outside the arc, then winds up needing to heave up a long three at the buzzer. Just not a sign of a well instructed team to me. And it happens all the time. A lot of their occasional late game winning shot possessions seem to be "Melo Trimble" (or pick a guard name of the year) dribbling way outside the arc for a while, running down the clock while the rest of the offense tends to stand around, and then draining a long three at the buzzer. Great and exciting when it happens, but not my idea of executing a clever play / plan.
