Great analysis!

My qualm is that franchise players aren’t niche players where their success is predicated around other people making plays. In many respects, that’s exactly what KG has been.

And I agree about the post up situation. Attacking from the post does so much more to an opponent than shooting jump shots.

For one thing, being closer to the basket is fundamentally better than being farther away. The shots are closer.

Second attacking from the low post with a player of Garnett’s stature is an automatic double team because players of that stature routinely convert layups or get fouled in the post. This forces defenses to double and rotate perfectly (putting pressure on rotations) which may result in layups, or at worst, wide open jump shots.

Also, dominating in the post sends a message that you will defeat an opponent with physicality instead of finesse. While finesse isn’t always a bad thing, opponents will shut themselves out of games if they are dominated physically.

These are reasons why nearly every NBA championship team has been led by a powerful post player, and are reasons why I believe Garnett is a terrific (maybe an all-time) second-option, but nowhere near the claims of legendary, or all-time best power forward that I’ve heard in the past.

Duncan’s play isn’t the issue in that series. Ginobili is hobbled by injury and the Spurs haven’t received anything from their bench.

Also, Duncan’s offense down low has given San Antonio’s shooters PLENTY of open looks, they just haven’t been connecting.

That could change very quickly tonight.

KG is shooting well from midrange. That’s not entirely the issue. As I alluded to within the blog, low post play opens up the game for perimeter play.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Ray Allen shot well last night.

Garnett and Perkins did a fantastic job of getting the Celtics off to a good start by making high percentage shots.

An early lead built upon shots close to the basket gives a team confidence and relieves the pressure off of outside marksmen.

KG played great last night. Not that it matters, but I wrote this blog yesterday…before Game 5.

And why do you care about getting good looks and having proper spacing? Because it leads to high percentage shots. Why do you care about getting to the free throw line? Because free throws are high percentage shots. Offense is ALL about getting the highest percentage shot you can, whether that’s a post-up or a jumper.

I know it’s ‘achilles heel’, not achilles heal.

KG has played well but I haven’t liked his shot selection in this series.

The Pistons haven’t been a good defensive team on the interior since Ben Wallace left for the Bulls.

Comparing Kobe’s free throw attempts to KG’s is “ridiculous.” The Spurs committed the second fewest fouls in the league during the regular season. Kobe is a shooting guard.

KG is a power forward and before tonight, had gotten to the line as many times as Ray Allen had.

My stating that low post basketball is more beneficial to a team than getting high percentage shots isn’t ridiculous. Low post basketball doesn’t always result in the ‘highest’ percentage shot since the highest percentage shots are close to the basket. What it does result in is good looks and proper spacing.

It puts the pressure on the defense and often times results in foul trouble for the opposing team.

Thanks.

KG had a monster night (33 points) but once again, failed to establish himself down low.

Thankfully, Ray Allen did his part.

I appreciate your words of support Erick!

“Low post basketball is more beneficial to a team than getting high percentage shots.”

That’s a ridiculous statement. The entire goal of any type of offense is to get high percentage shots. Post play is important only because it typically does end in high percentage shots.

The Pistons are a good interior defensive team. You would much rather have KG shooting wide-open 15 footers (which he’s getting all day on pick and pops) than to have him shooting 10-foot turnaround jumpers with Sheed contesting them.

KG is getting wide open looks in the flow of the offense and he’s knocking them down. There have been times in his career where you could really point at his failure to exploit people on offense, this hasn’t been one of those times. He’s playing a fantastic series.