Beardown wrote:
Rose has had 5 or 6 layups this year that have been far more impressive than that Blake Griffin dunk from a few days ago. Most people don't realize this.
Let us assume that each person in the United States recognizes that Rose's layups are better than Griffin's dunks. Even if that were the case, you'd still be right. There are about 2.5 billion Indians and Chinese of which maybe 1% follow the NBA. Add in the Indonesians and Brazilians and we'll call it a round 3 billion. You're looking at about only 10% of people that would realize that Rose's layups are more impressive.
Part of what makes Rose's layups more impressive is the distance between release point and the basket. When you are dunking, you maintain physical contact through to the rim, and while it is possible to miss a dunk, they're relatively high opportunity shots. For Rose, he'll be driving down the lane and end up four or five feet off to one side going 17 miles an hour past the basket, usually in an effort to pick up a foul. Then he has to flip the ball up there, knowing that the ball is already moving the same speed he is, and calculate where the ball needs to bounce off the backboard in order for it to go into the hoop, AND at the same time, compensate for further physical contact from other defenders. It is extremely impressive and makes him almost an unstoppable weapon when he can get going.
Ideally, the defense would setup to take a charge, but his maneuverability is too strong and he's going to be getting (or at least -should- be getting) the foul calls due to his superstar status. You can't bring in multiple guys and have one stand there like a statue because he has great court vision and can find the open guy. I think the best thing to do is just start fouling him hard, like a linebacker lays out a receiver going over the middle. Make him pay for each drive through. You have to do this without getting flagrant calls, and without getting your own stars in foul trouble. He shoots 85% from the charity stripe, so this isn't a hackashaq technique -- you're basically just trying to get him worn out a little bit. But Rose has a strong drive and is young and can take the abuse for now, so I don't even see this really stopping him. And unlike Griffin, he can create his own opportunities to take this shot... Griffin needs to rely on getting the ball fed to him.
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