can Melo gaurd LMA and Blake? players that really killed us last year?

I haven't seen anyone suggest he is a good defender against 4's. There are only a few players in the league that are much more than adequate on defense in the first place. A large number of defenses that statistically excellent achieve that status via a team system with one or two above average individual defenders. (Gasol, Noah, George, etc). The idea that a championship team can only be assembled if each main player is a good defender is as silly as it is inaccurate.

 

Suggesting he is anything but a minus defender is silly

 

I agree, and its not just melo, a lot of people are looking at who they would add based on how they would do against certain opponents, but the ones that are the most consistent usually cant be done anything about. Im not completely sold on how melo works out on this team, but he is a large upgrade and we have to do what we can to get him. He largely raises our chances of contending.. Easily would have gotten passed portland, and Harden already knows how to handle spurs. who else would oppose us?

 

It's hard to get stops when you have both Harden and Melo. When we need stops for that position we have Howard the last minute of a game. Let them go for 40. Melo can get 40 on any given night. For Christ's sake he made 160 3s last year at 40% last year. How does Blake or LMA guard him with Howard needing to be double teamed and constantly a threat for an alley oop? Phoenix failed to win with an uptempo offense, but they never had a 3 time defensive player of the year.

Besides, scoring 50 doesn't matter if it's only 3 in the final minutes.

The biggest question is rebounding. Even thoigh Melo is kinda short a 6'8", he's a beefy 235, He's capable of 8 a night. Howard get get back to 15. Remember Beverly and Harden are excellent for their positions.

 

I don't think he is a good defender, but he's not a downgrade from Jones. TBH though if we get Melo we'll basically be admitting we can't beat people with our defense, we will just plan to win by scoring 150.

 

Makes for some fun basketball to watch... :grin:

 

No but he can score more points than them, something Tjones can't.

 

Better question is: Can LOLMA guard LeBron? Cna he guard Melo? Heck no.

 

Watch the possessions when OKC has Ibaka, a real power forward, guarding him last year here:

[youtube]634rB9J6Y8o[/youtube]

Carmelo will likely be used to defend smaller PFs and we'll likely have a bigger power forward to take larger or more traditional ones.

Carmelo is a terror to opposing PF's offensively and can guard smaller ones or others in spurts, we'll have a true PF for bigger ones. It's not all black and white, there will be match-up considerations when he'll be better suited at SF and vice versa.

The idea we're going to bring him here to be a defensive stopper at PF is a strawman argument imo and ignores the full context of what he's bringing to the table at PF or SF.

He's not here to stop LMA or Griffin, we'll need a defensive role-player at PF or a defensive coach for that, which will be easier to acquire than a star player.

Our GM is suited for this role too. Morey made Patrick Beverly appear out of thin air and I'm sure he has the skills to acquire a defensive PF.

Carmelo is an upgrade over Parsons and over T Jones on both sides of the ball and will positively impact the game overall a lot more imo.

 

You make some valid points but I still did not see him defending any PFs in that clip... he was just playing offense.

I guess I will just have to agree to disagree. IMO I don't think he is an upgrade on the defensive end simply because he doesn't give the effort.

Im not doubting that he would be an awesome addition but the way our team is structured right now we need to get a good to great defender, we don't need another ball stopper, and we don't need another 20 point scorer. We need a good wing defender!

 

Except Asik is gone next Year.

And also Parsons is Not Gonna Leave for ****s sake

 

Can they guard Melo?

If it fails we can still trade Parsons for a big and move Melo to the 3.

 

I agree on the wing defender. My ideal priorities would be a third star (LeBron, Love then Melo) tied with a defensive coach/playcaller (or assistant coach), then a 3&D PG/wing and a defensive big (bonus points if he can hit free throws or be a floor spacer).

Thank you for having an open mind. You make good points yourself, I actually wouldn't mind a Lowry/Millsap or quality role player scenario if we couldn't get a third star. But I think Morey can find a cheap defensive wing option.

But really I think the biggest impact on team defense is coaching.

Look at this example, the Charlotte Bobcats were last in the league defensively in opponents PPG and Defensive rating last year:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHA/2013.html

After the got a new head coach in Clifford they went to 4th in Opp PPG and 5th in defensive rating:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHA/2014.html

Here's the thing: With the right coach they had great team defense with almost the same players people wrote off as hopeless defensively. (Think Boozer, Jefferson or Harden)

They acquired Jefferson at center, who has been a defensive liability most of his career. The coach changed the defensive strategy and culture improving their defense as a team. The same examples happen with Thibs in Chicago and Vogel in Indiana who improved on a lesser degree. Detroit might do it next season with SVG.

Charlotte almost literally went from worst to first defensively with the same roster people dismissed defensively. They also improved by 22 wins and made the playoffs. The Rocket have much more defensive potential and talent than Charlotte, we just need the right system and culture with the right coach. An athletic defensive wing and PF would help as well imo.

But I think both of those things are easier to get than a third star. McHale's contract ends next year if he doesn't improve his strategy, a third star may not have us on his list like this year's opportunity. You have to take it and build around them imo.

 

In a mismatch battle,. it usually comes down to which player is more devastating forces the other team to adjust.

But what we had was, we weren't mismatched, we were just being pummelled by them anyway.

 

Man, I can't believe everyone is worried about his defense. If you can get Melo on your team, you do that ASAP. Will be a major upgrade in the PF slot.

 

How the hell will Blake, Zebo, Love and LMA be able to guard Melo? None of those guys are elite defenders and Melo will eat their lunch.