FanPost

Let's shake things up

The first quarter of the season is nearly completed and we have learned a few things and more problems to solve. This team is at a crossroad in terms of how the season will play out and I expect is to sail right on through to the playoffs. This means the next 20 games are going to be about tuning the offensive engine to avoid major breakdowns. And I have come here to express my idea what Stevens can do to enliven the offense.

The idea is simple but requires a certain amount of trust behind the reasoning to make this shake-up work. The change is let Brown run the two-man game as the first option. It's a bizarre concept that I cooked up this morning because it puts the ball into our weakest link. A simple hiking trick to make sure the group is all in sync; giving Brown the ball will test the resolve but has the potential to unlock the best from everyone.

The backbone for why such a shift is necessary could be plainly said as: so far the offense running through Irving and Tatum has been unbalanced. This is not to say they are bad for the offense, in fact, I believe it is the opposite. However, Irving and Tatum are being used to pull everyone along and they aren't oxen. Their skills are better adapted as assassins: pulling up the rear and making the kill shot. Brown, on the other hand, should be leading. His attacking and slicing speed should be used to shake up the defense by getting to the paint often. This happens to be where the new trust arrives.

Jaylen Brown is not perfect. He is inexperienced, clumsy and reckless; however, all those things are because he hasn't been given the opportunities to lead. Last year, his pick and roll offense experienced life when Stevens began giving him those plays, and although we haven't seen him do much two-man work as of late, I would say letting Brown grow with the ball in his hand may renew his confidence. Already a handful for opponents to guard, forcing Brown into the paint should result in quicker defensive paint collapses to accommodate for his speed to the rim. This means two things can immediately happen. First, a switch off of Baynes or Horford's man means increasing free throws and assists to the role or pop. If the team rotates properly this means a cutter or corner three is available. We can then put our better shooters (Irving and Tatum) in a position for an easy look or rhythm shot.

Simple shifts in who runs the offense can start to heat up our best players. The major trade-off to this plan is requiring patience because Brown is not perfect. Turnovers will be the biggest concern and missed free throws a smaller one. But the potential to get Brown more involved and get Irving and Tatum easier looks as well as help them pick the right spots so they don't have to use extra energy to get hot. Another big upside to using the off-guard or forward to attack the defense is it can be used on the bench with Hayward. Hayward running a two-man game should get Rozier and Morris open cuts and threes in the same fashion.

The overall goal of this experiment is to improve the offensive balance to keep the scoring throughout the game consistent. The secondary benefits may be numerous. Brown returning to his form and improving on last year's growth. Irving and Tatum getting easy open looks. Tatum improving his percentages and lowering his stress load. Irving attacks becoming more effective because they aren't required to get the offense going. Helping Hayward find his groove and same with Rozier. Taking the offensive pressure off of Morris. Preventing Baynes, Horford, and Smart from taking forced open shots that the defense wants them to take. I see many benefits but it is up to Stevens to trust Brown to make the most an opportunity like this.

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