Thinking out loud - Getting better defense, return to last year's offense and...

Cleveland isn't a good example as I don't really like their offense, well, besides that LeBron James guy. Without him they struggle to make the playoffs in the EAST. Orlando and the Blazers were pretty similar teams last year, as they attempted the same amount of "inside shots" according to 82games, just the difference being the Magic attempted a ton more 3pt shots, which they hit at a pretty good clip.

When it came to attempting "inside shots" last year, the Blazers were tied for 17th in the NBA. Combine that with being close to last in fastbreak pts and it's just not very good.

 

First, there is a big difference between a rookie and his first year as the #1 option than where he is now - but I agree with you - some of it is on Roy.

But, and this is where the discussion is going - let's say that by Dec. 15 Roy has not figured it out. Do you continue on being a mid-pack offensive team and an elite defensive team - or try to figure out if there is a way to re-construct the roster to remain an elite defensive team, while becoming a better offensive team?

That's why I am thinking out loud.

 

But we are #3 this season in win margin, and better than last season by almost 2 points per game.

 

I know Andre Miller isn't a great man defender. But if we're going to look at numbers and say he and he alone has hurt our offense, that has regressed to middle of the pack, how much of an effect is he on our defense, and funneling guys mroe than Blake would? Or Sergio, or whoeevr we had last season? If we are winning with the type of team we have now, middle of the road offense, but top defense, is it worth trading away your starting PG, hoping that one of those stays the same, and the other will just increase? Do you know, or do they, that affecting one will not affect the other?

 

Because our defense is elite.

Saying that we did not have a good offense last year is disproved by the stats. This year, we are an elite defensive team, and that's great. I noted in the original post that Miller's move to the starting unit started our defensive improvement. I also said why I think it happens - because he is good at directing the defense and understands team defense a lot better than Webster.

Last year, we were an OK defensive team - but our win-margin was great. It would not have happened if we were only an OK offensive team. We were, stats wise - 1st or 2nd in the league. Even if these stats are a little tilted because of offensive rebounding - we were a damn good offensive team last year.

This year, we are mid-pack.

The entire exercise, for me, is to notice that I think that Capt. Kirk will do just as good a job on defense (he is a much better individual defender and a vet that played on several very good defensive teams) - while helping restore our offense to last year's levels (or close to it) by being a better fit. If we can piggyback Salmons on that - we also get a replacement for Travis's scoring punch.

There is a good chance that this suggestion fails, I am not saying that it is a great way of solving it - but it seems to me like a somewhat reasonable way of going about it - while also presenting a "reasonable" trade - because it addresses a need for the trade partner.

 

Sorry, I read your post that I quoted, but clearly didn't follow along well. I agree with you about our offense last season to this season, and our defense.

The thing with our defense this year I have notied is playing people into lanes, as opposed to, normally, just allowing to penetrate at will. I thought Blake did a great job on defense the first 3 quarters last night on Gordon. Likewise, Miller did a decent job. Where I think Miller is a better defender than Blake is in the funneling his man. Blake seems to either be in front of his man playing good defense, or behind his man, chasing him to the basket. My concern is, this is the same as Hinrich. I haven't watched TONS of him, the little I have, he seems to have these same, or similar issues. He is good man to man on slightly slower players. He's going to give you good D on SGs, like Blake will. But his overall positioning, because of his tight man D sometimes seems poor. And that leads to easier dribble presentation with a full head of steam.

Miller seems to have a better handle on where to place himself to better get his man into the position he wants him in, and the position, ultimately, we want him in, with his shot getting blocked. He seems to position himself to the point where the PG or his man isn't charging full speed into the lane, but is going tentatively, which si easier for Greg to adjust to. A full speed guard flusters Greg, and results in a foul often times.

I think given the choice, I would take a slower, or worse man to man deefnder who is better at overall team defense and positioning over a superior man dfender. At the PG position specifically.

 

In the past Hinrich was an elite defender (2nd team all-NBA defense, if memory serves).

I agree that Miller does a better job of team defense than anyone else we have on the perimeter - but Blake is a better player at running in front of quick guards - which is more damning of Miller than it is a good thing about Blake. Miller seems to be slower of speed.

 

I just think with quicker guards, generally, they're going to beat you regardless. It's tough to stay in front of a fast offensive player. Especially with the handchecking rules. So in that regard, if ultimately, they're both going to get beat, I'd take the one who is smarter about team defense, and knows where to funnel players.I think the amount of times more that Miller is beat is made up for in the amount of times he will funnel a player to the position on the floor that benefits us mroe.

As for 2nd team all defense, and his being an elite defender, again, I think that has mroe to do with his defense on bigger guards, not the elite quicker PGs. I don't put much stock in the voting for all defensive teams after looking at some of the voting last year(didn't Travis get a vote?). He started alongside one of Gordon or Duhon for that entire season. And I know neither of them are covering SGs primarily.