I have had my issues with the scheme as well (mainly the help off the strongside corner this year and the staunch reliance on deep drop in pnr previously). Also don't think Terry does much to elevate his defensive personnel (I think D is 80/20 personnel vs coach fwiw), but I think it was optimistic to think Nurk was going to be the same defensively coming off a broken leg and dealing with his family issues. He was slowly getting back to previous levels before the injury unfortunately. But above all, bringing Melo, Kanter, Ant, post achilles Hood and Harry Giles (who has been awful on D imo) is so unbelievably limiting to your team's defensive ceiling and versatility and the biggest reason why we aren't closer to defending to the level of the 17-18, 18-19 teams.
I like Kanter a lot, but the decision to bring him back considering the defensive scheme they wanted to run made zero sense. He’s a terrible fit in it. Olshey shouldve known better.
I think most agree our defense stinks and that Kanter's defense stinks. I hadn't heard anyone come to the conclusion he's a terrible fit in our defensive scheme though. It seems like he's played better defense in Portland than any other location. Maybe that's because he's around so many other bad defenders he doesn't stand out so much, I don't know.
The team went into the season with a defensive scheme that favored their bigs switching/being more aggressive on the perimeter. I can’t think of a worse scheme for Kanter. Someone like Noel would’ve been a much better fit. The scheme they run now has Kanter dropping back more, but that wasn’t what they had intended to play like this year. Shit planning, and totally preventable. It’s not even Kanters fault.
I agree with this totally. There is no way you can tell me whoever assembled this roster/coaching staff was trying to build a top 10 defensive team, in any scheme.
This is a very well written article with good points. It's funny how when a coach gets snippy with a journalist, they turn around and take a shot back at them. Doesn't make Jason's opinion any more/less correct, but the timing seems a little personal coming off their exchanges.
I don't think anyone had any visions of this team being Top 10 defensively, but expecting a middle of the pack (15-18ish) defense? That shouldn't have been out of the question, imo.
That's fair. In the 7 seasons prior to last year (excluding last year due to all the injuries), we have averaged finishing 15th in the league on defense. So are we 29th this year because the new scheme is worse than the old scheme? Because Stotts can't adapt to a changing NBA? Because the roster is missing their 2 best defensive bigs and one of thier top defensive wings? Because the roster is full of players who are not above average one on one defenders? Possibly a little bit of all of the above?
So I just did something that I never do. I just changed my answer on the survey. I think everyone should do the same. I guarantee massive changes.
Have we established yet if there would be a single person upset if Stotts was fired? Wonder if we did, if we would finally see the end of the "Boo you are a Stotts apologist" anger
The second question really needs to be focused more on NO than Stotts. NO's seat needs to be red hot right about now....
The bolded statement is my theory. We'll see how the team looks in the second-half of the season if all players are healthy, but anything worse than a Top 20 defense should raise a lot of red flags.
I think the reality of the situation is clear to Dame from reading those quotes. But really what can you do about it at this point in the year? Try to get in the top 25!!! Smh
