Why isn't our defense better?

[Rastapopoulos]

Some seriously sucky offensive teams have been successful by playing absolutely killer lockdown D. Hello any post-Lakers Pat Riley team, I'm talking about you.

We seem to have the raw materials: Camby, Batum, Wallace and Aldridge are all well above average, and Matthews got his foothold in the league playing defense. But these days teams have a field day against us, except for short stretches. Seems like every time I watch teams go on huge scoring tears. What gives? Why isn't this team hanging its hat on defense?

 

[oldmangrouch]

I'm old school - but I believe the the foundation of good defense is rebounding. If the other team owns the glass, that will negate pretty much anything else you do on D.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I think this is the thing above all things that needs to be fixed about this team. I can stand that we're ugly to watch on offense. I don't like it, but I can live with it. But it absolutely enrages me that we are tissue-soft on D except for very short spurts. And even then, we're dumb on D. I would trade for someone like Anderson Varejao in particular (if Cleveland hadn't already said he was untouchable) but maybe also someone like Ronnie Brewer (I would swap Brewer for Wesley Matthews in an eyeblink - one ex-Jazz member for another - because Wesley's D has pretty much vanished. The Bulls also need more scoring (!) from their 2 position with Rip injured again). Team like Chicago and Memphis made big jumps the minute they really focused on D. Same with the Celtics (Thibodeau again) in their championship year. Again, we SHOULD be good on D. Nate's job for team USA was D. Please, please make it so...

(If I had to guess, I'd say we brought in people who don't talk on D. I'd even go after someone like Raja Bell, because he's smart and he's a total hardass and he'd talk on D.)

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Question: Why isn't our defense better?

Answer: Failton, Crawful.

Anything else you need to know?

 

[blue32]

Um, a lackluster camby. Bad rebounding by aldridge, bad bench, etc.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I have always been a proponent of defense starts on the perimeter. Portland really hasn't had a good defensive PG since... Porter? Batum and Matthews are both good defenders, but without a defensive presence stopping the opposing PG you get into trouble. Another thing teams can do is funnel defense. This is a good defense to help hide defensive inefficiencies of perimeter defenders. Nate's scheme doesn't incorporate the funnel though. Portland should be funneling players to the baseline where players with length and quickness like Batum, Matthews and Williams wait for cross court passes. What Portland seems to play now is more of a switching pop defense, where players pop out on the ball, and sag off towards the middle on other players. This isn't a horrible scheme, but Portland doesn't have the players to make it effective. Back in the day, Utah played this and basically forced guys to go inside where Mark Eaton waited for them

 

[Boise Blazer]

Well thats what we get for hiring Nate who was always known as a offensive juggernaut ... oh, wait a minute ... In all seriousness, even if he is a great defensive coach it isnt working in W/L column and hasnt for awhile so at some point you have to move on if you cant adapt or get the players to adapt.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Communication and lack of awareness.

The only players who looks to be trying on defense is Elliot Williams and Joel Przybilla.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I always thought Camby was overrated as a defender (even when he won DPotY), then I was won over last year, but this year... His rebounding was amazing early in the year, but other than that, he hasn't helped much. I wish we'd give more minutes to Chris Johnson. Just let him foul out every game - you'd get at least 15 minutes out of him.

(I think part of the reason Joel was brought back was to improve D. And it's sad that a RETIRED Joel, who probably didn't touch a ball all the time he was out, is instantly about our best defender.)

I wonder how much of this can be laid at Jamal's door. I know from experience that it's incredibly exasperating to be playing your ass off on D just to have another player on your team allow his guy to waltz right past you. Defense even more than offense has to be a total team effort, and a weak link can suck the life out of it.

I'd do Jamal to Chicago for Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik. I wonder if the Bulls would?

 

[Mediocre Man]

I always thought Camby was overrated as a defender (even when he won DPotY), then I was won over last year, but this year... His rebounding was amazing early in the year, but other than that, he hasn't helped much. I wish we'd give more minutes to Chris Johnson. Just let him foul out every game - you'd get at least 15 minutes out of him.

(I think part of the reason Joel was brought back was to improve D. And it's sad that a RETIRED Joel, who probably didn't touch a ball all the time he was out, is instantly about our best defender.)

I wonder how much of this can be laid at Jamal's door. I know from experience that it's incredibly exasperating to be playing your ass off on D just to have another player on your team allow his guy to waltz right past you. Defense even more than offense has to be a total team effort, and a weak link can suck the life out of it.

I'd do Jamal to Chicago for Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik. I wonder if the Bulls would?

I wouldn't if I were than Bulls, but I hope the Blazers are asking

 

[magnifier661]

Communication and lack of awareness.

The only players who looks to be trying on defense is Elliot Williams and Joel Przybilla.

BINGO! When our defense was good early this season, I saw a lot of communication. It seems this downfall has our players thinking too much. They are more worried about themselves than the team. Also, Nate is doing a piss poor job prepairing this team for each game defensively. We are playing catch up way too much; which lets the wind out of your sail when it matters most.

Our team is using WAY TOO MUCH ENERGY to make even the simplest plays. The players are winded and look defeated.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I'd extend the deal with Wes Matthews, who would be a great fit next to Rose and their system, for the CHA pick.

 

[magnifier661]

I'd extend the deal with Wes Matthews, who would be a great fit next to Rose and their system, for the CHA pick.

They don't have the cap space to take on Matthew's contract. But I wouldn't mind doing that deal. I think it would free up more time for E Will.

 

[oldmangrouch]

When you don't rebound well, it makes everything else you do on defense harder.

 

[B-Roy]

The defensive schemes suck. Constant switching gives mismatches. Overhelping leaves shooters. Just a mess. Maybe it's the players not communicating, but mostly likely, it's the scheme.

 

[MickZagger]

Nate's always been an overrated defensive coach. I don't understand how he ever got the reputation as a good one.

 

[jlprk]

Our team is using WAY TOO MUCH ENERGY to make even the simplest plays. The players are winded and look defeated.

Effort instead of system. McMillan's caveman defense relies upon expending superior effort, not a system finding efficient shortcuts. After each game, he says the players didn't try hard enough. So you keep saying that the players are mailing it in, and have given up on the season. Wrong, they are working very hard. Now you say the opposite, and you finally got it right.

 

[jlprk]

Another thing teams can do is funnel defense. This is a good defense to help hide defensive inefficiencies of perimeter defenders. Nate's scheme doesn't incorporate the funnel though. Portland should be funneling players to the baseline where players with length and quickness like Batum, Matthews and Williams wait for cross court passes. What Portland seems to play now is more of a switching pop defense, where players pop out on the ball, and sag off towards the middle on other players. This isn't a horrible scheme, but Portland doesn't have the players to make it effective. Back in the day, Utah played this and basically forced guys to go inside where Mark Eaton waited for them

Excellent analysis.

 

[jlprk]

I always thought Camby was overrated as a defender (even when he won DPotY

You were right. He was a top rebounder but an average defender. Compare Przybilla's tough defense. Playing alongside the pussy Aldridge hasn't exactly made Camby any tougher.

 

[HailBlazers]

When you continually suck offensively, it's tough to stay up on defense.

 

[DUB]

Nate's always been an overrated defensive coach. I don't understand how he ever got the reputation as a good one.

People watching box scores, and not games?

Looked at the low scores of our opponents, and thought that we were defending well, but failed to take into account our ultra slow tempo.

 

[jlprk]

It's because he demands continuous tiring energy for 48 minutes of defense, instead of conserving energy for the 4th quarter like all other coaches. But he has no innovative tricks and plays (which would accumulate into being called a "system") and he doesn't demand sharpness in the effort, just endurance.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Nate's always been an overrated defensive coach. I don't understand how he ever got the reputation as a good one.

I think because he was known as a good defensive player, so people just assumed?

 

[jlprk]

I think because he was known as a good defensive player, so people just assumed?

Don't credit Bickerstaff or Karl. Between them his coach was the Auerbach-trained K.C. Jones, who also made Michael Cage, Derrick McKey, and Payton excellent defenders.

 

[MickZagger]

Don't credit Bickerstaff or Karl. Between them his coach was the Auerbach-trained K.C. Jones, who also made Michael Cage, Derrick McKey, and Payton excellent defenders.

Michael Cage's jeri-curl is what made him a good defender.