It's one of the oldest (and dumbest) sayings in all of sports: "Defense wins championships." It is simply not true. Outscoring your opponent is what wins games for you. Defense is simply another tool you can use to keep the opponent from scoring more than you. Obviously a significant tool. But the way people use this phrase, you'd think that there are a plethora of teams who win titles with nothing but defense. Name them. Still waiting. The list probably includes teams in the NFL like Baltimore and the Chicago Bears. In the NBA, if you said the San Antonio Spurs or Detroit Pistons, you need to be slapped. Are those good defensive teams? Of course they are. Is defense a huge part of their game? Of course it is. But guess what? Those are not stagnant offensive teams with two or three offensive plays. It isn't about running up and down the court and scoring 100 a night, it's about having fluid offensive sets that allow easy bucket opportunities for players. Tell Tony Parker that the Spurs aren't about offense. They create plays that allow him to get easy points in the lane. Same for Ginobli, etc. They don't force feed the same plays repeatedly. The same goes for the Pistons and Jazz. Yes, defense is important and I pray that we don't totally throw away all interest in defense under a new coach, but offense is equally important. Teams that have to work their butts off to get every basket are doomed to fail eventually.
But the Spurs have been a perennial top 1 or 2 defensive team for over the past 5 years! The Pistons had a multi defensive player of the year winner. Its common knowledge you need offense. But defensive is clearly the primary cog.
Not disputing that defense is massively important. But the Spurs can hold teams down defensively all they want, but if they struggle themselves nightly to get a bucket it doesn't matter. That's my point. The Rockets were great defensively this year, but they were also easy to defend. If the three pointers are raining you win, if they aren't, you don't. Is that a good strategy? Pray that your shooters are hot enough to win multiple playoff series?
that's easy. the Bad Boy Pistons. if you slap me i'll slap you back. now...name a team that didn't get serious about defense but won an NBA title by merely outscoring other teams. the 2001 lakers are the ONLY argument for that in the past 20 years...but that's only if you use their regular season stats to back up your point. look to the playoffs, and they played defense like a mother...like every other phil jackson team.
You are totally correct in that a team who isn't serious about defense isn't good either. I'm not contesting that point. My point is you can't do it on good defense alone. I just don't buy it in today's NBA. Phil Jackson teams may play good defense, but the triangle creates much more fluid offense than what the Rockets have done the past few years. I am not in anyway saying we should abandon defensive principles, what I'm saying is you have to be able to mix the two. All of one and none of the other isn't sound strategy.
This argument is getting old. Balance wins games - Good offense and good defense. There are some exceptions, but good teams play both well. DD
Thank you justtxyank i've been saying the same things for years about pretty much every sport especially basketball. It's nice to that someone else feels the same way. Offense is more important than defense in my opinion. That doesn't mean that you don't need a good defensive team you do, but the object of the game is to outscore the other team.
Bingo. My point exactly. The Rockets have not been balanced, they have been stagnant. Anyone else notice that in crunch time the Rockets struggle to get points? The reason is obvious. The other team doesn't have to worry about some offensive set to beat them. They just push Yao off the block and the Rockets have to cross their fingers that one of their shooters will make a 3ball. (Miss you Van.)
well of course a team has to play some offense. thats a given. But when talking about offense and defense, whens the last really poor defensive team that won an NBA title? the last 'poor' offensive team that won the title? detroit is most recent and they did it with almost all defense. Not that that is what the rockets should do, but its a point to consider. I also dont think its a coincidence that the better defensive teams are still alive. as for PJs triangle..it helps when you have guys like MJ, pip, shaq and kobe in the mix. and of course there should be a balance. i dont think anyone argues that there shouldnt be
The Spurs wear teams down with there offense. That's one of the major reasons there defensive is so effective. It's much easier to act than it is to react to something.
what? the way yao played in the low post this year...particularly before the injury...was setting up guys around the perimeter for open shots. the difference was...they weren't making them when it counted most.
Also the difference is that teams are able to double before the entry pass, and play zone as well, making it harder to run that system, IMO. DD
and fortunately, since you have tracy, you don't have to play it that exact same way. in theory, at least....assuming tracy will still take it to the hole.
and who is arguing that it can? all i'm saying is, over the course of the past 20 years, defense appears to be a more important variable than offense. and if you're calling for a team that is "phoenix-like" then you're calling for a style of team that hasn't won an NBA title in 20 years...despite many attempts over the course of 20 years by Phoenix!
Don't want a Phoenix like team at all. What I want is a team that plays real offense. I don't want a run and gun offense, I want a team that has offensive plays that create easy buckets for other players. Not just three pointers, but high percentage shots for people other than Yao.
