Warriors' Defensive Problem in a Nutshell.....

Frankly, you don't need metrics to see how lousy of a defender Monta is on average. Oh he'll put in a few minutes of "tough" D on Kobe, but what about when JRich goes for 30? Eric Gordon goes for 30 with 20 pts in the paint? Its ridiculous. 40 mins or 8 mins, it doesn't matter, be honest and admit you (Monta) do not try on defense.

You guys want to let guys off because of whatever, like AI did, go ahead root for those guys. I refuse to do so.

As a fan, all I'm asking is for effort and the fundamentals that VG lays out. Anything else is just an excuse, metrics or not.

 

Trading Monta for Igoudala would help this team significantly, IMO. Team defense is about schemes and systems. In order for those schemes/systems to work, each player needs to do their individual role in order for all parts to work together. When one part isn't filling it's role, the rest of the system gets thrown out of wack.

On the perimeter, you have to slow the opposing guards down. Do you have to stay in front of them 100% of the time? Of course not, that's impossible, especially in today's game with no hand-checking.

But Monta is anti-defense. He purposely lets his man get by him so he can try to bait him into a reach-around steal. It's like he's trying to counter punch in boxing... let his man "get off," so to speak, and then try to retaliate if he makes a mistake.

Well, that doesn't really work in basketball. Oh, it works sometimes... he does get some steals, and of course turnovers always help the defense.

But it's your net worth, you total impact over the course of the game, not just one possession here or there,

What is Monta's overall impact on the team by playing the way he does? Well, it's horrible of course. His opposing guard constantly gets by him, creates penetration, and then cause havok.

This, of course, is Monta basically hanging his big men out to dry. They're forced to rotate and help, thus leaving someone else open, thus creating an easy shot, blah blah blah. Any highschool coach (who still teaches fundamentals) will tell you Monta's defensive approach to the game is embarrassing.

Just swapping Monta for Iggy would be a ridiculous coup for this team. Suddenly, everything becomes that much tougher on the opposing guards. Suddenly, passing lanes are clogged. Guards are doing more dribbling. Pick and rolls are being broken up. More time is wearing off the shot clock. Teams are forcing more shots because plays are breaking down.

Iggy for Monta, straight up, would be a huge improvement on defense, all else withstanding.

Even look at how Acie Law changes the game (vs. Monta). Just the fact that he gets up in your shit, and takes it personal... that wears on the opposing guards. It makes their lives more difficult. That's a good thing.

Oh, and P.S. Curry isn't great at this but he's a lot better than Monta.

 

I don't get this statement. Are we in grade school?