AZC: High hopes placed on Hill

[playstation]

alright, the new option rating list:

option 1 - nash
option 2 - hill
option 3 - diaw
option 4 - stoudemire
option 5 - barbosa
option 6 - bell
option 7 - marion

 

[MonkeyMan22]

alright, the new option rating list:

option 1 - nash
option 2 - hill
option 3 - diaw
option 4 - stoudemire
option 5 - barbosa
option 6 - bell
option 7 - marion

I'd agree with this, but I'd swap barbs and bell for now. I think that Bell has been more clutch -- at least for hitting shots -- than barbs although barbs has it all over bell in regards to creating his shot.

MM

 

[azirish]

I'd agree with this, but I'd swap barbs and bell for now. I think that Bell has been more clutch -- at least for hitting shots -- than barbs although barbs has it all over bell in regards to creating his shot.

MM

Don't tell the Bulls that (he hit a huge shot to defeat them at the buzzer) in Chicago.

Back to Hill, if the reports are accurate, he's looking awfully good. More than just crunch time, it looks like he's going to radically change the way the Suns play. D'Antoni said it is like when JJ was with the team.

Last year the Suns were hard to beat but easy to game plan in the half court. The "plan" was always to get the ball out of Nash's hands and guard the shooters. Nobody did that better than the Spurs and the Suns still shot 47.7% for that series dispite Barbosa having an off series due to injury.

The Spurs left Jones alone because they knew his confidence was low and wasn't a huge threat. Their defensive scheme after Game 1 was mostly:

Bowen on Nash
Parker on Bell or Barbosa
Manu on Marion
Oberto/Elson on Stoudemire
Duncan in a zone leaving KT, Jones, or Diaw open.

IMHO, the Spurs won't be able to use that scheme and leave Hill alone. Without someone at least trying to keep Hill out of the paint, Duncan risks getting into quick foul trouble as Hill forces the action. This seems likely to force the Spurs to shift Bowen onto Hill, Parker onto Nash, and Manu gets to try to stay with Barbosa. If the Spurs stay big, it means Duncan gets to deal with Marion.

I think the Suns win most of these matchups just because Hill is on the floor and Bowen is not going to have the same size advantage as he does with Nash.

 

[arwillan]

The Spurs left Jones alone because they knew his confidence was low and wasn't a huge threat. Their defensive scheme after Game 1 was mostly:

Bowen on Nash
Parker on Bell or Barbosa
Manu on Marion
Oberto/Elson on Stoudemire
Duncan in a zone leaving KT, Jones, or Diaw open.

IMHO, the Spurs won't be able to use that scheme and leave Hill alone. Without someone at least trying to keep Hill out of the paint, Duncan risks getting into quick foul trouble as Hill forces the action. This seems likely to force the Spurs to shift Bowen onto Hill, Parker onto Nash, and Manu gets to try to stay with Barbosa. If the Spurs stay big, it means Duncan gets to deal with Marion.

I think the Suns win most of these matchups just because Hill is on the floor and Bowen is not going to have the same size advantage as he does with Nash.

i feel the same way. the spurs got away with hiding parker on marion but now they cant. duncan will be on marion which could keep him out of the lane blocking shots. oberto/elson on amare is a joke, tbh. they would have to go small against us to have a chance now. even then, we have an advantage. hill is such a big improvement for us. bowen will be forced to cover him now. bowen doesnt have any size on grant so grant can still see the floor and pass like nash had trouble doing against the spurs last year. nash will be able to create plays with parker on him, and other than speed parker has little defensive ability (much like nash).

now the question is, who does hill guard? if we want nash hiding on bowen then hill has to guard someone, but who? i'm not familiar with his defensive game so i dont know who he would match up with the best

 

[playstation]

Don't tell the Bulls that (he hit a huge shot to defeat them at the buzzer) in Chicago.

Back to Hill, if the reports are accurate, he's looking awfully good. More than just crunch time, it looks like he's going to radically change the way the Suns play. D'Antoni said it is like when JJ was with the team.

Last year the Suns were hard to beat but easy to game plan in the half court. The "plan" was always to get the ball out of Nash's hands and guard the shooters. Nobody did that better than the Spurs and the Suns still shot 47.7% for that series dispite Barbosa having an off series due to injury.

The Spurs left Jones alone because they knew his confidence was low and wasn't a huge threat. Their defensive scheme after Game 1 was mostly:

Bowen on Nash
Parker on Bell or Barbosa
Manu on Marion
Oberto/Elson on Stoudemire
Duncan in a zone leaving KT, Jones, or Diaw open.

IMHO, the Spurs won't be able to use that scheme and leave Hill alone. Without someone at least trying to keep Hill out of the paint, Duncan risks getting into quick foul trouble as Hill forces the action. This seems likely to force the Spurs to shift Bowen onto Hill, Parker onto Nash, and Manu gets to try to stay with Barbosa. If the Spurs stay big, it means Duncan gets to deal with Marion.

I think the Suns win most of these matchups just because Hill is on the floor and Bowen is not going to have the same size advantage as he does with Nash.

i disagree with playing that lineup because it'll get killed defensively and on the boards...worse than we'd kill them when we're on offense. the only way it's alright is if amare takes 'the leap' in defense/boards, but without that you gotta have 2 big men between amare, diaw, and skinner on the floor when duncan's in the game.

 

[azirish]

i disagree with playing that lineup because it'll get killed defensively and on the boards...worse than we'd kill them when we're on offense. the only way it's alright is if amare takes 'the leap' in defense/boards, but without that you gotta have 2 big men between amare, diaw, and skinner on the floor when duncan's in the game.

The big advantage the Spurs have is when they can use Oberto/Elson on Amare (with Duncan helping from the weak side). Their advantage is far smaller when they have to use Duncan alone to deal with Amare. In 2004-05, Amare had monster games when Duncan had to deal with him on his own.

As for Hill, I don't know how effective he'll be, but I seriously doubt he'll be the defensive liability than Nash is. Last year Hill was the starting SG for the Magic who ranked 3rd in the NBA in opponent's shooting percentage at 44.2%. I certainly don't expect him to be a lock down defender, but I think he may prove to be as good as Jones.