Suggestions to fix the second unit

[CitySushi]

I know people around here are harping on AI being a major problem with the second unit, but to me the blame does not fall squarely on his shoulders. I don't believe his adjustment to a 6th man has affected him, but more so the system. AI is a guy who operates best with the ball in his hands. He's never been a weakside movement player nor a spot up shooter. His value comes from being able to drive and help create for others. He's being under utilized on the second team because of the system that is being run.

Likewise the second unit is not operating a high functioning level because the team is a polar opposite of the first unit. Until we get Lee back, the backup bigs are not guys who should be trusted to run a high post offense. Speights and Ezeli are not Bogut and Green. The guards are the same with Livingston and Barbosa (to a lesser degree) are not the shooters or play makers that the first unit is. That's not to compare the two, but just to illustrate the difference in the nature of their games.

What's my fix for this? Simple. Revert the second unit back to more of a pick and roll offense. Let Livingston and AI take turns running the pick and roll with Speights (and later on likely David Lee who would be much more suited in this role). Keep Ezeli on the block where he holds the most value. Let Barbosa roam on the weakside for kick outs. We've seen he can both knockdown the open 3 and drive to the hoop and finish. The more chances we get to give him the ball with a defender running at him, the better he'll be as well.

The pick and roll offense would be much more suited to the personnel that we have. The P&R would create either mismatches with bigs switching on to our guards or big hedges from the opposition with a pick and pop to Lee or Speights. It would also help in getting movement north and south versus east and west on the offensive end. When you don't have shooters, you have maximize edges and lanes to the hoop.

That's my 2 cents.

 

[JustOneDennisBergkamp]

I know people around here are harping on AI being a major problem with the second unit, but to me the blame does not fall squarely on his shoulders. I don't believe his adjustment to a 6th man has affected him, but more so the system. AI is a guy who operates best with the ball in his hands. He's never been a weakside movement player nor a spot up shooter. His value comes from being able to drive and help create for others. He's being under utilized on the second team because of the system that is being run.

Likewise the second unit is not operating a high functioning level because the team is a polar opposite of the first unit. Until we get Lee back, the backup bigs are not guys who should be trusted to run a high post offense. Speights and Ezeli are not Bogut and Green. The guards are the same with Livingston and Barbosa (to a lesser degree) are not the shooters or play makers that the first unit is. That's not to compare the two, but just to illustrate the difference in the nature of their games.

What's my fix for this? Simple. Revert the second unit back to more of a pick and roll offense. Let Livingston and AI take turns running the pick and roll with Speights (and later on likely David Lee who would be much more suited in this role). Keep Ezeli on the block where he holds the most value. Let Barbosa roam on the weakside for kick outs. We've seen he can both knockdown the open 3 and drive to the hoop and finish. The more chances we get to give him the ball with a defender running at him, the better he'll be as well.

The pick and roll offense would be much more suited to the personnel that we have. The P&R would create either mismatches with bigs switching on to our guards or big hedges from the opposition with a pick and pop to Lee or Speights. It would also help in getting movement north and south versus east and west on the offensive end. When you don't have shooters, you have maximize edges and lanes to the hoop.

That's my 2 cents.

Thanks for getting the thought process going here. I hope that Coach is viewing this forum on a regular basis, cuz I think I' have the solution.

First and foremost, a free throw coach needs to be brought in for Iguodala. His pathetic 50% shooting has him kicking out when he ahould be finishing, and since the only "shooters" in the second unit as currently comprised are Barbosa and Speights (Livingston's game was lost somewhere in transit), production is limited.

But then, I have to rethink my initial enthusiasm for Iggy and Barnes switching roles. HB shoots way better than Andre, and now that he has some confidence in his shot and his game, he is ready to tear it up against opposition second-teamers. AI back to the first unit giving us the following second team:

Barbosa
Livingston (the real Sean Livingston, please)
Festus
Barnes
Lee/Speights

I also think that since Iggy and Livingston both want to work with the ball, their separation and improved outside shooting should make this a much better bench.

PS - Not in this or any lifetime should Lee start in front of Draymond. That's my two cents.

 

[NBKLee]

Thanks for getting the thought process going here. I hope that Coach is viewing this forum on a regular basis, cuz I think I' have the solution.

PS - Not in this or any lifetime should Lee start in front of Draymond. That's my two cents.

There in lies the problem right there. We all drank the koolaid and thought this team was deep and talented. Starting out 5-0 we had high hopes, and should still have high hopes for the year.

But if Lee doesn't get back , and AI9 doesn't return to form, we have 20+ mil of dead weight sitting on the bench.

 

[Reefer]

I thought part of bringing Livingston in was because the 2nd unit needed a ball handler. Bringing Iguodala off the bench make Livingston's game redundant. Start Iguodala and when Lee is healthy you have Livinston/Barbosa/Barnes/Lee/Festus or Speights. Plenty of offense talent and Livingston can actually run the point.

 

[GregWarriorsfan]

Thus far the Dubs have been staggering Steph and Klay. I think that Thompson will go out before Curry, but then come back with the second unit. It ensures that one of our top 2 scorers will be in for much of the game. But, I think that the regular second teamers are deferring to whichever starter is still in the game, if there is still one in. All of the second team players need to realize that they are necessary for the second unit to work. Spread the ball around and if you're open, take the shot confidently. The second team just has not developed any cohesion/chemistry. They don't really have many (or any?) players who beat their man off of the dribble which could set up anyone else for good looks. They don't have the Aaron Brooks/Nick Collison type of backup point guard, not that everyone does.

If Lee comes back and starts, then the second team automatically gets better with Green and his all-around game and especially passing skills gets into the mix. I don't think that Green needs to be a starter to be productive. His minutes, though, should still remain high, for obvious reasons. And, I'm not disagreeing on whether he should start over Lee.

One problem on the second unit is that they're posting up their point guard (Livingston) against the shorter guys who are guarding him. If Livingston was going to break anyone down to set up another player (does he do that?), he is much of the time not in position to do so. I'm not sure what type of player he was on Brooklyn, but I don't see him blowing by a defender and dropping it off to an open man for a lay-up.

I'm worried about HB going back to the bench/second team too soon. I think he's playing as well as he is because he is with the first team. He's not the focus of the defense and he gets great passes from Curry and Co.

 

[CitySushi]

There in lies the problem right there. We all drank the koolaid and thought this team was deep and talented. Starting out 5-0 we had high hopes, and should still have high hopes for the year.

But if Lee doesn't get back , and AI9 doesn't return to form, we have 20+ mil of dead weight sitting on the bench.

The team is deep and talented. The problem isn't the personnel but maximizing the efficiency. Kerr has done that with the first unit. I'm inclined to believe he'll do the same with the second unit.

We weren't going to go undefeated. We're going to lose some games. There are a lot of tough teams out there and we're going to lose some.

The Warriors just need to find a way to find some consistency on the bench. And imo, that starts with scheme.