I just don't agree with running a base scheme that protects our worst defenders, but doesn't maximize our best. I'm totally with being more flexible in the regular season to better help get ready for the elite teams in the playoffs, but this team isn't good / constructed well enough to sacrifice regular season wins in the process. We need good seeding and injury luck (and another move imo) to have a chance to really contend. Still hold out hope that we see more of an aggressive drop--Nurk up at the level of the screen in a backpedal--where we don't have to completely sell out to stop the pnr. But if hard hedging really is what we are going with, get prepared to see more high percentage looks at the rim and a barrage of corner / assisted / open threes. Cool with the amount of nail help we've been giving when we are in a drop btw. CJ or whoever is in that position just needs to do a better job of being their early so that can recover on the flight of pass with the outside hand out and active to disrupt the pass. Corner guy should also be up and stunting to the wing to make that decision a little tougher.
They'll make up the couple of games they drop early with a couple of games they win late. And they have no chance at winning a championship only running one scheme. I'd rather be the 5 or 6 seed with a chance at beating the Lakers than the 3 seed without a chance at beating them. You know hard hedge schemes, if ran correctly, don't automatically give up layups or open 3s. Two things have been the issue: 1.) The big not hedging close enough (or hard enough) at times, allowing a passing window to the rolling big. 2.) Poor backside rotations (this would be a problem running any scheme). I also don't see how a more aggressive base scheme fails to maximize our best defenders.
Is just a matter of degree. I agree that we need to be more aggressive / flexible. If it's hedging and recovering though as the base coverage, you're limiting the impact Nurk has around the rim. Also don't love Cov as a help and recover athlete over large spaces. He's a little creaky there. Much rather have him stunting / digging and recovering than pulling completely over to stop a roll then have to close to the wing. We've also seen Dame and CJ matched up in the corner and having to be the one to make that last rotation with mixed results. For as much the drop forced the two of them to work harder in the pnr, that work now has just shifted to off the ball, which I think is more damaging on the whole. Way too early for all this though, I understand. We'll see when the real games start.
I'd rather play Nurkic more minutes by reducing his fouls, which dropping the big exacerbates for him, IMO. Nurkic looks great at hedging too, IMO. And as far as rotations go, I'm hopeful they'll improve this year, if they're truly dedicated to improving defensively.
Ok. Think I figured out the changes Stotts made to the defense. Stotts is thinking out of the box. He has borrowed game plans from another sport. His changes even have a secret new name. The dodgeball defense and rebounding scheme. The plan is: When the opposing player is getting ready to throw the ball, the Blazer players need to get as far away from him as possible. Hiding behind your own player is allowed. If the thrown ball does not go into the basket. The Blazer players are not allowed to touch the ball until it hits the floor. However, the dodgeball scheme does not apply when the Blazers have the ball. The 10 second stalling rule does not apply. The Blazer player with the ball can hold on to it as long as he wants, put must throw the ball towards the basket before the clock runs out. Dodgeball basketball
Pretty funny. The idea about defenders hiding behind each other made me laugh after watching tonight’s game. Looks like a team meeting in the paint while Nuggets were getting warm up looks on the three point line? Yeah I’ll give ya the rotation was out of sync with players out but if I would add anything to the rest of the observations is POSITIONING. I wish they would play their position on defense and stop trying to over-help out a teammate. All it does is leave your matchup wide open. Is there a stat for who allows the most uncontested three pointers??
My biggest concern going into the season was CJ, Melo and Stotts. All three are making me pull my hair out.
Until Stotts and Dame put an end to it, those two are going to follow their instincts and unfortunately their instincts are to ball hog constantly.
Every year I'm happy to bet money he does, but nobody will take me up on the offer. Please tell me you'll be the first.
Can we do what the Celtics do? I watched all the Celtics playoff games. Their defense is a thing of beauty. Don’t know the X’a and O’s to know what they do but I know what their basic philosophy is in simplest terms. KEEP UR DAMN GUY IN FRONT OF YOU KUDGIFOY If that means you give up a three then that’s what it means. What’s the point of pretending to take away the three of all they do is break you down and dunk the ball (yay we took away the three) or they kick it out and there, you gave up the three anyway, plus two more threes cuz you can’t board after ur D is in shambles. Better to give up a three with ur D still in cohesive formation. You’ll get the board. So can we just copy the Celtics? I know they have better defenders but c’mon man, their PG is tiny, it’s mostly their style. Or can we just make a swap straight up for Ainge and Buttigieg or whatever his name is?
The even bigger problem is, the Blazers are currently giving up BOTH open '3's and open looks at the rim. Yes, there is a period of adjustment, but this is pathetic. And when a player like Butler, AD, Rodman, Camby, Buck Williams, changes teams, the result was almost instantaniously noticebly better. This looks like it is getting worse.
Yeah I don’t get it. I just looked up some stats. Boston gave up the lowest 3 point fg% last year. But if you watch them it’s not IMO because they are all way out on the 3 point shooters taking away the 3. I believe it’s because they refuse to get broken down with penetration which leads to even higher % kick out three point shots (and layups). In fact here’s a list of teams in order of most three point shots allowed per game: 1. Milwaukee 2. Toronto 3. Miami 4. LA Clippers 7. Boston That’s five top-level defenses giving up the most threes per game. So good D is not about stopping teams from shooting threes. Portland is right in there too at #6 but my thought is we give them up in a different way, after getting broken down.