Much lament from Bears fans about our offensive system and execution this year. It's misplaced.
The truth is that we're more than fine offensively. Generating consistently good looks on offense has not been a problem all year even against top defensive teams. Even skeptical Cal fans are going to embrace our motion offensive in the post season as the best teams live on Isos, Pick and Rolls, Pick and Pops and Transition baskets, all of which are staples of this offense. Unlike the tightly scripted, multiple screen systems run by Montgomery and other coaches which get blown up by more athletic defensive teams in the tourney, our motion will rise to the occasion in the Pac 12 and NCAA tourneys.
Plus, most fans don't realize how flexible our offensive has been all season. Tonight, WSU decided to take away driving lanes off the bounce and Mathews from three. That freed up post entry passes and wide open looks from deep from everyone else. We took what they gave us and ate them up. We've had a slew of games where teams have done all they could do deny post entry and then double the post which has allowed Brown, Bird et al open lanes to the rim. We're a very tough team to guard because we have so many ways we can beat you. Not a perfect or elite offense BUT plenty good enough to win big.
The key to our success from here on out are two simple areas where we have struggled and unrelated to our offensive scheme:
- Unforced turnovers. We HAVE to clean this up. First half tonight we had 8 and that more than anything else allowed WSU back into the game. 2nd half we had ONE and voila you have a 23+ point lead when the scrubs come in the game. This has been an issue all season and we have to tighten it up.
- Free throws. We need to make 70%+ as a team and 75%+ in crunch time. I am more sanguine about tightening up our TOs than I am on this topic. Got to have the mental confidence that every FT is going to go in.
The truth is that we're more than fine offensively. Generating consistently good looks on offense has not been a problem all year even against top defensive teams. Even skeptical Cal fans are going to embrace our motion offensive in the post season as the best teams live on Isos, Pick and Rolls, Pick and Pops and Transition baskets, all of which are staples of this offense. Unlike the tightly scripted, multiple screen systems run by Montgomery and other coaches which get blown up by more athletic defensive teams in the tourney, our motion will rise to the occasion in the Pac 12 and NCAA tourneys.
Plus, most fans don't realize how flexible our offensive has been all season. Tonight, WSU decided to take away driving lanes off the bounce and Mathews from three. That freed up post entry passes and wide open looks from deep from everyone else. We took what they gave us and ate them up. We've had a slew of games where teams have done all they could do deny post entry and then double the post which has allowed Brown, Bird et al open lanes to the rim. We're a very tough team to guard because we have so many ways we can beat you. Not a perfect or elite offense BUT plenty good enough to win big.
The key to our success from here on out are two simple areas where we have struggled and unrelated to our offensive scheme:
- Unforced turnovers. We HAVE to clean this up. First half tonight we had 8 and that more than anything else allowed WSU back into the game. 2nd half we had ONE and voila you have a 23+ point lead when the scrubs come in the game. This has been an issue all season and we have to tighten it up.
- Free throws. We need to make 70%+ as a team and 75%+ in crunch time. I am more sanguine about tightening up our TOs than I am on this topic. Got to have the mental confidence that every FT is going to go in.
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