Defense and the draft

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Rastapopoulos, Jun 4, 2019.

  1. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    We need defense. We will always need defense if we have a backcourt of Lillard and McCollum. Perhaps that's why I see people like Matisse Thybulle being mentioned as possible picks. And in the past, I'd've been all for it. In fact, I was ecstatic when we picked Rondae Hollis-Jefferson a few years back (and then livid when we traded him for Mason Plumlee). But I'm re-thinking a bit. I don't think defense is actually something that transfers automatically from college to the pros. For example, Hollis-Jefferson was considered an elite defender, but I don't think he's turned out to be all that in the NBA. And for a more glaring example, Karl Anthony Towns was also considered a great college defender, and he's turned out to be sub-par in the pros. Conversely, was Draymond Green considered especially good in college? If anything he fell in part because it was thought to be too slow to defend SFs and too small to defend 4s. Similar thing for Tyus Jones, who wasn't considered a defensive prospect (as far as I know) but has turned out to have consistently good defensive numbers in the NBA. On the other hand, there are some excellent defenders that have been picked up cheaply from other sources. Look at Patrick Beverly, for example. Or Wesley Matthews.

    Long story short: I'm going to stop worrying so much about defense in our draft prospects. That said, I think we need players who have good defensive potential - mainly by having a high BBall IQ. Better to be someone like Larry Bird, who looked like shit as a one-on-one defender but was able to be part of an elite defensive unit than an amazing one-on-one defender who's dumb as a rock (e.g., Ruben "Kobe Stopper" Patterson).
     
  2. Labinot41

    Labinot41 Well-Known Member

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    This is how Championship Defense looks, Unfortunately our Coach has different ideas, for example giving the greatest shooter of all time enough space to kill us with 3s

     
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  3. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Matisse.

    Thybulle.
     
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  4. dviss1

    dviss1 Emcee Referee

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    Really?

    No one in a championship game has EVER ran a Box-1.

    Ever.
     
  5. dviss1

    dviss1 Emcee Referee

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  6. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Don't forget MKG, who was a lock down defender in college, was supposed to revolutionize defense, and ended up invisible.
     
  7. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    AND I STILL AM - NO NEED TO READ ANY FURTHER

     
  8. RR7

    RR7 Well-Known Member

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    BUT...
    :laugh:
     
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  9. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    Usman.

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