What's new
By:

Always go for defense?

Stifle Tower

Stifle Tower

Punch Bowl Re-Filler
We've had our share of players who are all about offense and play little or no defense. And by that, I mean both FA's and draft picks.

I think it's much easier to improve a player's offensive game and skills than it is to instill the attitude it takes to play effective defense. Now there are exceptions...AK could have been a complete player, but he got lazy after signing his contract and never really worked on his shooting or on his body. Brewer was limited by his elbow deformity.

What I'm really hoping to see in this draft is for KOC to select two of the best defenders at their positions. Jazz need some nastiness on the team. Favors is a good defender, but he's not vocal. I want to see attitude from the Jazz this season.

I'm still undecided at 3, but I'm leaning towards Kanter. And as much as I like Fredette, I'm secretly hoping Sacramento takes him. I want KOC to draft Singleton.
 
GlassEater said:
We've had our share of players who are all about offense and play little or no defense. And by that, I mean both FA's and draft picks.

I think it's much easier to improve a player's offensive game and skills than it is to instill the attitude it takes to play effective defense. Now there are exceptions...AK could have been a complete player, but he got lazy after signing his contract and never really worked on his shooting or on his body. Brewer was limited by his elbow deformity.

What I'm really hoping to see in this draft is for KOC to select two of the best defenders at their positions. Jazz need some nastiness on the team. Favors is a good defender, but he's not vocal. I want to see attitude from the Jazz this season.

I'm still undecided at 3, but I'm leaning towards Kanter. And as much as I like Fredette, I'm secretly hoping Sacramento takes him. I want KOC to draft Singleton.
Click to expand...


We have also had guys who couldn't shoot and that also sucks. It's tough to get guys who can do both.
 
Joe Bagadonuts said:
You want defense above all else so you're going for Kanter?
Click to expand...
No, that's why I'm undecided at 3. At least we've heard Kanter supposedly has a good motor and is a good rebounder. His body fat percentage is impressive - means he didn't just sit around despite not being able to play at Kentucky. Maybe KOC will surprise us all and swing some kind of a trade. In the end, I expect him to go with Knight, though.

I just don't see much of an "attitude" on the Jazz. Sure, Millsap works hard, but I don't think he's that vocal. Raja just sucks, so I don't think he commands much respect from the end of the bench. And Jefferson isn't a leader. The "nastiest" player on the team might be the guy who looks like a choirboy. If I were KOC, I'd probably try to trade the #3 in a package for a tough, established veteran who could step in and provide leadership for the youngsters. I know, easier said than done.

I agree, trigg3r, having guys who can't shoot is not good. I'd much rather take a chance on a guy who is already a decent defender, though. The NBADL and Euro leagues are full of scorers who will never make it in the NBA because they can't or won't defend.
 
Hmmm.. good thread, but I don't know if we need to be "selecting two of the best defenders at their positions"

My personal feeling is that defense starts with the coach and having the players buy into the strategy and implement it properly.

I'm not a coach, but in my view defense is a team concept. You only had to look at the Jazz last year where we were up there in terms of block shots, but I don't think we can say that we were very good defensively. The Bulls were able to incorporate Boozer and Korver in their team last year and was very good defensively.

Mike Brown said it best in his Lakers press conference I think when he said:

"Offensively you have to tailor your offense to the personnel (you can't take your offense from team to team)"

"Defensively I think it's the opposite. I think you can take defense from team to team as long as you have effort and want from your group of guys"

3.00min mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF3bQ5JgO_Y

In summary, I think you need to have a coach who is committed to defense and has in place a good defensive strategy. Then you need your players to buy into that strategy and have want and effort to succeed defensively.
 
Knight at 3 and Biyombo at 12 can potentially be a good foundation for good defense. We need the coach to preach defense and have a scheme the whole team buys into.
 
Why don't we just bring back our defensive kings that we use to have that always were clutch for us? ...... Like Brewer? Oh wait, No.
 
Zerol said:
Knight at 3 and Biyombo at 12 can potentially be a good foundation for good defense. We need the coach to preach defense and have a scheme the whole team buys into.
Click to expand...


Forget potentially good - Knight and Singleton providing defense on the perimeter and Favors around the basket sounds darn good defensively to me. Knight and Singleton have shown they can contribute at both ends NOW.
 
There is ONE player in this draft that fits the description of what you're looking for and there are currently 4 or 5 threads where he's being discussed at the moment. I'll let you guess who that is.
 
I laugh that people think that Knight, Singleton, and Bismack are going to be great defenders. They haven't guarded one person in the NBA. I think we saw with Brewer what happens when you get a player that can't play well on offense. I doubt any teams drafts thinking, "man, we can teach that player how to play offense. "
 
GlassEater said:
We've had our share of players who are all about offense and play little or no defense. And by that, I mean both FA's and draft picks.

I think it's much easier to improve a player's offensive game and skills than it is to instill the attitude it takes to play effective defense. Now there are exceptions...AK could have been a complete player, but he got lazy after signing his contract and never really worked on his shooting or on his body. Brewer was limited by his elbow deformity.

What I'm really hoping to see in this draft is for KOC to select two of the best defenders at their positions. Jazz need some nastiness on the team. Favors is a good defender, but he's not vocal. I want to see attitude from the Jazz this season.

I'm still undecided at 3, but I'm leaning towards Kanter. And as much as I like Fredette, I'm secretly hoping Sacramento takes him. I want KOC to draft Singleton.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think that attitude and hustle and mindset it takes to play great d is something that can translate in practices when it comes to developing offensive skills. But the chucker, hopper, me first, lemme get my 20 points isn't translating into strong defense.

This is why I'd love to see Biyombo with the 12th pick (and more if he's already drafted and we have to swap ****) and Knight via trading down from 3 to 4 or 5 or 6. I'd also love to acquire a late pick and get someone like Butler. Marquette produces pros who know how to play a team game and work hard.
 
That said, Biyombo may be even more of a black hole than Jefferson (only 4% of his possessions resulted in an assist) so having those two on the floor at the same time would probably be a bad idea.
 
I agree with the thought that defense comes down to coaching more than the players. Look at Dallas this year. They have never been a great or even good defensive team and look what they can do against Lebron, Wade, and company.

Get athletic shooters and a great defensive coach as an assistant, like Carlisle did. Assuming we are going to stick with Ty.
 
sojodave said:
I laugh that people think that Knight, Singleton, and Bismack are going to be great defenders. They haven't guarded one person in the NBA. I think we saw with Brewer what happens when you get a player that can't play well on offense. I doubt any teams drafts thinking, "man, we can teach that player how to play offense. "
Click to expand...

I laugh that you can't see what Bismack would do for this team. I hope KOC agrees with me and somehow pulls it off because I'll bet I get the last laugh if that happens.
 
If you look at the players that are supposedly good defenders in this draft at their positions are knight, biyombo, singleton. I wonder if we made a trade with Washington if we could get al 3 nah that couldn't happen.
 
Joe Bagadonuts said:
I laugh that you can't see what Bismack would do for this team. I hope KOC agrees with me and somehow pulls it off because I'll bet I get the last laugh if that happens.
Click to expand...

And I laugh that anyone thinks other people necessarily should see things the way they do. It's not that clear cut. Personally, I think you and others are way overselling Biyombo, but I can see why you'd disagree. I'm guessing as well that GMs are not of one mind about this either.

Personally, I see Biyombo as a project who will have about as much impact on the league as, say, DeSagana Diop.

I admit, though, I may very well be wrong.
 
I haven't worked out this whole theory, but my belief is you never take a wing whose only sure ability is defense in the lottery. A defensive center you do take, but you have to be absolutely sure he's legit defensively. And in general, you draft offensive players over defensive players.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top