Our defense is very bad. Some things seem to be part of the defensive scheme but I don't see how these plays are good. I collected a few videos, where the guards are going for help, which leaves their man completely open for a 3pt shot, while not actually helping the other defender or the help defense is not needed. Just to make it clear, it is something that you can see independent of the player, apparently a coaching decision. Assuming a professional nba team's coaching staff would know it better than I do, what am I missing here? KPJ helping: https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23hNDp https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23T8N4 KMJ helping: https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23SIn1 Nix helping: https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23YBCK Jalen Green helping: https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23smjy Green and Tari helping: https://the-high-low.com/?ids=23cg1Q
Lionel Hollins was brought in for Defense, looks now like he is just doing nothing and getting paid. DD
Our Guards just don't play defense that well... Looks like AAU ball at best. We don't understand concepts and react super slow on close outs and over closeout many times. KPJ defense is atrocious at best and we just gave him a boatload of money. He has to play better D for us to improve.
The problem been identified; we know the who, what, when, and where. We don’t know the why and if it’s purposely done or by omission. Expectations, team cultural, communication and skills are next step towards figuring it out. Even with all the shuffling of players we have a baseline to work from.
That first play with kpj is a lesson in how the pick/hand off should work. Rockets are never that aggressive once they get the ball. Seems like more often than not, they are pulling the ball back instead of attacking. It's also interesting that the pick/handoff occurred in the paint and not at the 3 point line. I think bc we do it at the 3 point line, teams are not afraid to leave senguin and cover the player with the ball. They would be less inclined to do that closer to the paint
That is a very good point. And in addition to that, we only try to pass to the 3 point shooter when sengun has the ball. Nobody is cutting coming off screens.
So do you think the problem in the videos are the players not the coach? If other players were executing them, that was the correct line of defense?
Name a good defensive team where the average age of the team is under 24 years old. Memphis might be the only one this season. Fan expecation does not seem to want to include context to the grievances they share. Context is key. Help defense in itself isnt some sort of barometer in todays NBA anyway. How well can individual players switch and guard players bigger or smaller on any given play rules the landscape. Would be nice to have a last line of defense while we're hacking on the guards. The only + defenders on this team are Garuba and Tari and even then they make a ton of rookie mistakes themselves. Expecting this team to play like a team in its prime years of professional ball is not realistic. Thats not to say there isnt plenty to complain about as I would agree that the team as a whole sucks at playing defense, but instead of trying to isolate individual players to blame - I understand the youth of the team carries most of the issues. edit: Never mind just checked and Memphis is 19th in team defense.
I talked about Hollins not Silas who isn't the ordinary coach in my eyes. Hollins got enough credentials that he had at least coached a winning team once?! It sounds ironic because veterans take away minutes from rookies but veterans are also what makes the ship not sink as fast.
I wish I knew what the expectations of each player are so I could understand & enjoy the growth of the team more. Being a life long fan makes it okay anyway.