This isn't one of those silver lining threads, because this team definitely has problems. It had problems before training camp began and is why Adelman "emphasized" D before the season. Clearly his efforts have failed. This is actually a very high-scoring team with threats from many areas. Credit Morey and Adelman for accomplishing that. And we all know that Brooks and Martin aren't great defensively. They are no Ron Artest - that's for sure. And Battier's D has not slipped despite people's claim. His individual D is fine, it's the team D behind that's killing everything. Battier can't play his man as aggressively without support from behind and he's not getting that. The rotations are slow across the board. It's not just Brooks and Martin. Which brings me to why over the past few games giving up 110+ a game and losing is a good thing. Because to me, it's just clear that Martin, Brooks, Scola, and a few other guys simply do not buy into a team defense philopsophy. And we're never going to be a contender until that happens. So I think it's great that we score 120+ points and still lose giving up 130 points. I'd rather lose now that way then win a few of these games close and our guys think they don't have to play D. Maybe if they just keep losing by giving up a ridiculous amount of points it will begin to sink in that Uncle Shane and Old Man Adelman may have something with this defense thing.
All we need is some more legitimate defensive size. If there needs to be personnel upgrades, it needs to be for a tall, defensive C. Once we have that, we can go back to being a top defensive team. Until then, we have to be a team that engages others in shootouts to win. I think it's as simple as that. What defensive big men options do we have? Not many, which is the part to be worried about I think. Battier's fine. We can work with Martin and Brooks thanks to some defensive improvement on their part, and a lot to do with having Lowry and Lee as decently good defensive players. We now need that guy that changes shots, protects the paint, and could be a monster rebounder. At who's expense? Probably Ish Smith, or Jeffries.
If Scola isn't buying into the defense why not put...oh I don't know...JORDAN HILL AND PATRICK PATTERSON on the court and see how they do? Instead of relying on Chuck Hayes at Center? If the players aren't buying into the system then its up to the coach to make buy into it, not to lose games intentionally to teach the players a lesson.
Scola and Martin will be fine, they aren't good defensive players but when you give me what they do on a consitent basis I'll be good with their issues. Everyone can read in-between lines so I doubt need to be nameing names but playing Hill, Miller and Jeffries would be an upgrade for me when Yao doesn't play.
I thought about this, and here's what really confuses me. You look at the guys on JVG's team....Rafer or Mike James, Juwan Howard, Jon Barry, and even David Wesley. Were any of these players known to be defensive guys? Howard? He was considered a defensive liability before he came to Houston. It's not the players. It's not Scola or Hill or whomever. They all have the disease. It's not about individual defense. The problem simply is guys are not rotating and helping out. All the intensity is being placed on the offensive end of the court, it's lacking in defense. And that's the problem. It's the whole freakin team.
Battier did have some sequences against GS where he'd run to cover an open man, who then would pass off to another open man, who battier then had to run too as well. Happened at least twice and that's just unacceptable. Too many guys are getting caught watching something else.
It's time like this that I miss Rafer. He may not have the best man to man defense and sometimes made bonehead fouls, but he sure was one of the best at team defense.
I just realized we will have a lot of trouble against a team like the Clippers. Brooks will have to go up against Davis, Martin against Gordon, Scola against Griffin and hopefully Yao against Kamen. We will get absolutely crushed on the glass if we don't put in bigger players. I remember last season Kamen was giving us a lot of trouble when Yao was out, and now Griffin (who is an absolute freak rebounder on both ends) is in their line up as well. Unless we get a legitimate big on the court, we will have a lot of problems against bigger teams. We need to work on our defense stat, I don't see any conceivable way we could stop a team like the Clippers.
The key against these guys is to take away what they are comfortable with. That's all you do in defense. It's all about percentages. Getting one stop or another, you can't control. What you can do is force them to do what they are less effective at and that's it. Force them to take shots in their lower percentage areas. Whether it's a spot on the floor or a type of shot. That's the problem with our team right now - the guys aren't working to gether to take certain things away from each guy. It's not just putting a hand up. In the NBA, the offensive players are too good to take everything away. It's how you can bother them and pester them that matters. I think our guards are thinking about offense right now, not D.
I want to see Battier's man constantly missing shots while he's guarding them. It is not happening...so i think his defense is not good anymore. If it ain't good, might as well let LEE start the game since he provide offensive punches and also decent D.
The fact that Battier's man is taking outside shots and not driving is a sign he's playing good D. You can't judge on a few games. Guys will hit tough shots. Pay attention to where on the floor they are taking the shots.
Could this be true? Erick Dampier to the Houston Rockets? http://dimemag.com/2010/10/nba-rumor-erick-dampier-to-the-rockets/
