Betrayer

Stew has been so much better than Duren.

That’s not a foul on Ron.

Give me Reed and Stew together. Let’s match their size and physicality. Get Stew on Paulo not Ron.

Ugh. Ausar gets his third. Damnit.

I felt bad taking the under on Duren’s points, but it was such easy money.

Jenkins. Just set up the offense and pass the ball.

Sure JB, just wait for the entire lead to disappear.

Ausar isn’t rested enough yet?

Sit Jenkins. Now.

How many times in a row, Duren? Carter is eating your lunch. Pass it.

Drummond move by Duren there.

Every possession matters and you’ve trotted out a lineup of Jenkins, Lavert, Huerter, Green, and an undersized Center against one of the biggest teams in the league. 4 guards and a 6’7” Center. Moronic.

When you take Cade out, Ausar should be coming back in. All bench guys in the playoffs is terrible.

Thanks for the bailout Bane.

All bench squad. Idiot.

5 turnovers is a problem.

What are we doing with this small lineup. Play Reed and Stew.

I guess flopping techs aren’t actually something they’re ever going to do.

Orlando keeps sending a second guy to poke the ball away. Just need more communication to call that out and more movement in cuts. They’re ripe for backdoor passes.

There’s the defense!

First play flop.

Except all the numbers say the opposite. The team is better on offense when he's on the court and has been all season. The reasons are simple: You get more disruption, allowing you to get layups in transition You get more stops, so you don't have to play against the opponents set half-court defense You get more offensive rebounds which usually result in higher percentage shots at the rim Conversely, when's he's off the floor opponents score more, so you're forced to play in the half-court Unless you're suddenly bringing Vinnie Johnson off the bench to jumpstart the offense, there's no one on this team worthy of sitting down a first team All-Defensive player. And even if you did, a scorer only can only match the opponents scoring. A disruptive defender like Ausar gives you more possessions - that means taking away a bucket from the opponent and getting an easy one for yourself. That's been their identity all season. When you do wind up in half-court sets it's simply poor/lazy coaching to leave him in the corner when team's are sagging off of him. He can be the screen setter or getter in the pick and roll, put in the dunker spot, be the DHO hub (Draymond), used in cuts, or simply play him more minutes with Stew at the 5. It's really not that hard. He's literally the best perimeter defender in the league and a freak athlete. He's also a very good passer and an decent enough ball-handler. If JB had any idea how to run an offense or adopt a strategy mid-game, this wouldn't be a problem. But we're seeing what Cleveland saw. He's great at building a regular season identity, but his in-game rotations, strategy, and decision making leave a lot to be desired. I truly believe it cost us the series against NYK last year and it could very well cost us this year if it continues.

How to Fix the Rotations for Game 2 (alternate title: Things JB Won't Do) PG - Cade 38 min or more (Daniss 10 min - I don't need him on the court with Cade) SG - Duncan 30 min (Huerter 18 min) SF - Ausar 35 min (Green 13 min - corner threes and defensive disruption) PF - Harris 28 min (see Center rotation) C - Duren 28 min (Stew 25 min and Reed 15 min backing up PF and C positions) DNP: LaVert, Holland, Sasser. Backup PF/C Logic: I want to see Stew and/or Reed eat up all the backup PF minutes. They're better equipped to guard Paolo, help us match Orlando's size, get offensive rebounds, and play defense. What about Ron? Their only perimeter threat is Bane and Ausar can match his minutes. After that we just need to match up with their size. Plus, Holland makes a lot of mistakes you can't have in the playoffs and I trust Stew/Reed to space better even as bad as they are at it. Pairings - Typically you have a set of starters come out early and when they come back in, the other set sits. That way you have some starters in at all times. For that strategy I'm pairing up Ausar + Harris to come out earlier and then come back in when Cade + Duren sit. That gives Cade more time with Duren who relies on Cade for offense and more time with Green who can hit all those corner threes Tobias missed last game. It also gives Ausar more time with Stew who doesn't always clog the paint like Duren. And when Daniss comes in he'll have Harris and Ausar with him so he can defer to them and doesn't have to play hero ball. There, rotations are solved. Now someone send this to JB.

As much as you and I agree that paying Duren anywhere near a max would be a huge mistake and would have no problem moving him for the right deal, we also both know the Pistons aren't even considering trading him. He's become the second most recognizable face of this team and is very close friends with their superstar. He's not going anywhere.

*ring* *ring* GM: "Hey Trajan, how's it going?" Trajan: "We want Zion/Harden/McCollum." GM: "What are you trading?" Trajan: "I was thinking we'd give you Ivey." *click* *ring tone* Trajan: "Hello? Hello?" Let's be realistic here. They weren't trading Trae Young or even Darius Garland.