Defensive philosophy change

[mook]

Really interesting article from the O: http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...ers_get_defensive_in_week_one_under_coac.html
fta:

The Blazers will not do a lot of gambling. They will rarely switch. Creating steals is not a priority, but protecting the paint, rebounding, contesting every shot and limiting offensive penetration is. And in a drastic change from recent seasons, the Blazers will play a different and more aggressive style when guarding the pick and roll, the most widely used offensive tactic in the NBA.

The Blazers’ big men will “show” on pick and rolls, meaning they will dart out from behind a screen in an effort to slow or frustrate the opposing guard instead of sagging back and reacting. All the while, Blazers guards will fight through screens and climb over top of them rather than drift behind and search for their man in the aftermath.

The tactic seems particularly appropriate for this Blazers team, which features standout perimeter defenders such as Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Ronnie Price, and mobile, athletic big men such as LaMarcus Aldridge, J.J. Hickson and Meyers Leonard. Players have largely praised Stotts’ pick-and-roll philosophy, saying the new approach will help foster a more energetic and hawkish defense.

“It’s more aggressive,” Matthews said. “It’s taking the ball out of people’s hands. It’s not letting them dictate. We are dictating where the ball will go. If you are going to go pick and roll against us, your first three steps are going to be back the other direction, rather than, OK, we are going to absorb you coming at us. You are going to go away from the basket.”

Added Aldridge, on the benefits of the new pick-and-roll approach: “Aggressiveness. Not letting guys get comfortable. The Deron Williams(es), the CP3s, the guys who can put up their shots (will now have to adjust).”

Another defensive change under Stotts: The Blazers will no longer try to funnel a play into a specific spot on the floor and counter with a defensive scheme. In recent seasons, the Blazers’ defense has tried to steer the ball toward the baseline or into a middle trap in an effort to disrupt an offensive play or set up a double team. But Stotts believes in having his defenders guard opponents straight up and countering with weak side or post help should one of his players get beat.

This approach simplifies what can be a complicated scheme and puts the defensive onus on the individual. Be solid. Guard your man. Don’t get beat.

A lot of the switching under McMillan was really due to shitty guard defense. Matthews was fine, but when you had guys like Miller, Felton, Crawford and Blake, you had to live with switches. Batum and Crash were decent on smaller players, so the thinking was you could live with it.

Now, though, we've got potential for good defenders at every position, including PG. Defense was by far the least impressive aspect of Lillard's game this summer, but rather than cater to that I like the idea of starting off by requiring he really work on keeping his man in front of him.

If all that effort makes him half a step slower on the offensive end, well, that's why they're trying to do a lot more passing and a lot less dribbling. I'd rather Lillard be a solid defender and playing in the Rookie game on All Star Weekend than him being ROY with poor defense.

 

[BBert]

This is great news.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I'm going to miss watching our bigs switch/cover the likes of Nash and Westbrook.

 

[HailBlazers]

I'm going to miss watching our bigs switch/cover the likes of Nash and Westbrook.

lol, riight. LMA is a pretty damn good defender.

 

[Mediocre Man]

This is great news.

With a motion offense and a straight up defense, this will be the first year in over a decade that the Blazers will look like a real basketball team. I really hope fans don't get too discouraged by the win/loss record because they are young and have no depth....yet

 

[Mediocre Man]

lol, riight. LMA is a pretty damn good defender.

Are you being serious? You like LMA guarding PG's?

 

[Eastoff]

Are you being serious? You like LMA guarding PG's?

Is he better than Pryzbilla and Camby?

 

[HailBlazers]

Are you being serious? You like LMA guarding PG's?

No, but it was fun to see his versatility as Fez alluded.

Stotts spent countless hours the past four seasons studying opposing defenses as Carlisle’s offensive strategist, and he saw opposing teams try every tactic imaginable to slow down All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki, including an endless array of double teams and various forms of pick and roll coverage. But through all the film review, he realized the best defensive schemes he encountered came inside American Airlines Center at Dallas practices and games.

And Carlisle, who gleaned many of his defensive philosophies from longtime former coach Dick Harter — who was an assistant alongside Carlisle in Portland — has made a believer out of many of his proteges over the years. According to Stotts, Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown, Toronto coach Dwane Casey and former Raptors coach Kevin O’Neill also borrowed Carlisle’s principles when they left his bench to become head coaches.

Very interesting indeed.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Not gonna miss LMA on point guards, but I did like that LMA was always game to try.

 

[illmatic99]

Now just get rid of that god-awful zone, and I'm even happier.

 

[Eastoff]

Now just get rid of that god-awful zone, and I'm even happier.

I thought they said they are going to play man and straight up. No leading players to the baseline or mid trap.

 

[Haakzilla]

...Lillard has committed to defense --> check out his fan page --> https://www.facebook.com/TeamLillard

We're focused on defense this season. That's what it takes to win!

 

[Boob-No-More]

The fact that we will actually try to defend the pick and roll and not just let other teams abuse the shit out of us is great news. And, it wasn't just the Nashes, Westbrooks, and Roses of the league. I remember a few years back, J.J. Barea and Brandon Bass just killing the Blazers by running a simple high post pick and roll over and over and over, with the Blazer completely unable to stop them from scoring.

BNM

 

[BlayZa]

it's just nice to see a clear mandate and direction. god knows we've missed it....

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting!

 

[dviss1]

Not gonna miss LMA on point guards, but I did like that LMA was always game to try.

I hated every time he didn't open up and let the PG through. And that IMHO had nothing to do with Nate.
LA's P&R Defense has always been abhorrent.

 

[Rhal]

No switching in picks and we're now fighting over screens instead of going behind? Thank jeebus. IV been yelling at my tv for the last 4 years over those issues.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[dviss1]

No switching in picks and we're now fighting over screens instead of going behind? Thank jeebus. IV been yelling at my tv for the last 4 years over those issues.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

Whether or not our PG fights over the pick or goes underneath, depends on who he's guarding. There are some PGs who cannot hit that jumper off of a screen. I would wager to say that Tony Parker is one who you would want to go underneath the screen than fight over.

 

[blue32]

No switching in picks and we're now fighting over screens instead of going behind? Thank jeebus. IV been yelling at my tv for the last 4 years over those issues.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

If this is all indeed true. I am going to be one happy Blazer fan.

 

[Rhal]

Whether or not our PG fights over the pick or goes underneath, depends on who he's guarding. There are some PGs who cannot hit that jumper off of a screen. I would wager to say that Tony Parker is one who you would want to go underneath the screen than fight over.

Well yea there are times to go underneath but way way way to many times the last few years we have gone under screens and had a wide open 3 hit on us.

 

[THE HCP]

I hope we pressure the ball coming up the court and don't just sag off....... i say full court trap high school style. With the lack of talent, we need to get as many easy buckets as possible.

 

[Rhal]

I hope we pressure the ball coming up the court and don't just sag off....... i say full court trap high school style. With the lack of talent, we need to get as many easy buckets as possible.

Agreed, this team can't rely on talent to win games. Blazers will have to outwork and fight for every point and win.

 

[THE HCP]

Blazers will have to outwork and fight for every point and win.

You mean, show some "scrap"?

 

[Blazer4ever]

No switches? and what if an opponent player sets a pick? you don't switch?
In my opinion, the best, most effective defense is zone.
Saying No switches is unrealistic and if you just ask players to never stop running on defense they may not have energy on offense. I prefer zone anyway and don't see what's so bad about switching. The big guys guard inside and the smaller players guard the perimeter, that's how it is anyway. Guys like Durant or Dirk are difficult to handle anyway.

 

[Eastoff]

You mean, show some "scrap"?

I think scrap is not quitting. This sounds more like... finish the marathon.

 

[dviss1]

Well yea there are times to go underneath but way way way to many times the last few years we have gone under screens and had a wide open 3 hit on us.

I would wager to say that we switched more than go underneath. How many times did we see LA at the top of the key guarding a PG?
Teams tried to do this to us almost all the time. Especially in crunch time. My point is that certain guards we should not fight over.
Certain guards we should not hedge and the big man should open up. Again this depends on which PG we are playing against.
If it's Nash, you have to pick your poison.