Donatas Motiejunas - X Factor

So Dmo is a flopper! :grin:

 

Malakas - your name suits you.

DD

 

That's mean.
All I want is proof to what most people here are hyping him up to be, and what I dont' see on the court. No elite or even great, rim protection or stopping players from attacking, not elite post defence (that's about average) not amazing positional defence . I see an average defender and I want to know where's the proof that's he's a great defender.

People here : DMO is the great player in the post today, who is also great/elite defender and a stretch 4. Well guess what? If he was all that, he would be a star.
But he's not an elite/great defender, and he is not a stretch 4. When he starts shooting 3-4 3s a game and starts actually STRETCHING the defence then he will be that. (he's in a good path to achieve that.).

So instead of calling me names, please provide proof to your claims. I will gladly accept them. But CHARGES? LMAO.

 

Again, you're not taking the stat for what it is, but instead looking at other names. You make your assumptions based on that, instead of using your own head. You lack critical thinking. Don't be a sheep.

 

It'll never cease to amaze me how some people simply can't see things that should be fairly obvious. If you can watch Rockets games and not see that DMo is a plus defender....well, I'm not sure there is a point in trying to sway you.

I mean, the guy took over for Dwight Howard last season and the team didn't see much of a fall off on defense despite him playing out of position and trying to fill the shoes of one of the best defensive centers in the game.

Maybe some people just need flashy blocks, perhaps that's what defense is for some people.

 

What further proof you need than the eye test? Look at his position defense and quick rotations.

 

So I am a sheep if I step in the DMO love fest thread and actually ask for proof that he is what many fanboys here say?

Charges dont' mean almost nothing. Most of the players in the list take charges because of theis inabillity to actually defend their positiion, nice to see how many blocking fouls they also got no?

Not really. But maybe because you only watch Rockets games you have low standards of what a GREAT defender is?
LOL at telling ME that I need fancy blocks to know who is a great big defender.

 

If he gets max money, it won't be with the Rockets.

He has never been better than 12/6 in the NBA and has never played a full season.

 

Yes...slightly above average level. It wouldn't stick out so much if the rest of the team were more average instead of simply horrible.

Maybe you think that I am claiming that DMO is Kanter? NO. But I want to see what makes you think that DMO is a great defender that separates him from many other above average defenders to the territory of great defender (or elite as many here have said).

And please take into account that for a combo Big, like Dmo, RIM protection is extremely vital.

 

You seem to equate "rim protection" with blocked shots, that shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the game....I think that has a lot to do with why you can't seem to wrap your head around DMo as a plus defender. Also, it's odd that you go to such extremes when that's not really being done.

If DMo were as "average" as you seem to think, wouldn't the Rockets have fallen off a cliff last year defensively when DMo took over for Howard? I mean if you lose one of the best rim protecting bigs in the game and replace them with an "average" defender playing out of position, that should really kill your team, no?

 

Please tell me what in my history of posting in this forum made you think that I equate Rim protection with Blocked shots? Is it from telling that Henson and Whiteside are **** defenders? Or that Jordan isn't any kind of NEAR DPOY caliber either? What exactly made you think that I have that rookie understanding of what rim protection and defence is?

No they wouldn't have fallen last year, because in contrast with last year, the perimeter defence, the communication and the rotations were pretty good. And I said that he was above average.

 

And actually to illustrate more the reason I ask such question.
In CONTRAST with perimeter players the defence of BIGS can be quantified by stats in a pretty big degree and even more when we talk about RIM protection.

 

Lol at using the rim protection stat when DMo challenges such a limited number of shots.

He's not a bad defender, but far from great

 

Unfortunately not challenging shots at the rim or near the rim is also a shownn in the stats, and a sign of a not great defender esp for someone who is a combo big. Rim protection stats exist for multiple positions even for guards, but the importance of them gets more the closer the players plays in the rim. Guard<Wing<<<<<PF<Combo big<C. Being a combo big, rim protection stats are of big importance to DMO general defence. BUT not all, there are other parts of defence for a big too. Just nothing that is any kind of elite, or special.
I agree. He's not bad, but also not great.

I say to those who say he is a great or elite defender, instead of personal attacking just to prove their claim.

 

Fair enough, the tone sounds like you were trying to say that he was a lot closer to average than above average. He has issues with lateral quickness which will likely prevent him from ever being a "great" defender, but he's a damn good one due to BBIQ and positional defense along with his height. Also this year he's been pretty aggressive when it comes to banging with big men, he's picked up a few fouls that way but it was pretty clear even in the last game that it got into Blake Griffin's head. A lot of big men are going to struggle with having to deal with Howard, Capela, and DMo all night long.

 

As I have been saying to everyone here DON'T JUDGE DMO yet. It's too early. Maybe from New Year or near ASW.
However he has one year of proof to show how good his defence is. I have full confidence that the problems with fouls will go away soon.

In my opinion his problem is this when it comes to defence : First of all Rebounding. Secondly slow feet. Unable to challenge shots in the rim well or make players think twice about attacking the rim (as Dwight does). - and that's the reason he tries to compensate for it by taking charges. He's not the only one who tries this strategy.
Now as for his positional defence it's not elite either, however it can get better because he doesn't have great experience compared to other bigs. He misses rotations too, but who knows. This team communication SUCKS anyway and that can affect every player.
However when he plays C he should be the strategists and the one who gives most orders and directing the defence. Not convinced he is elite or great there either, but I don't think he's bad either. That can also be improved.

I am also not convinced that he is elite post defender, just above average, but anyway because of the low number of post ups even if he was, that would have lower significance right now in this time and age.

He would be unable to play in a more aggresive defensive sheme as a pf that has pfs hedging high. And that is important for his versatility (one of his greatest advantages in the modern NBA) and for his market value (good for us).

 

Anything that DMO does well is rated 3 or 4 times greater than most of the other members of this team by some agenda driven posters in here. I love DMOs game and how his presence finally adds depth to a frontline that started the season extremely thin, but if he score 8-10 points in a game some of the agenda guys act as if he's the next coming of Dream. This last game for the entire frontline was the best that I've seen so far, DMO, Capela, Howard and Jones all played a very good game IMO and hopefully they can build from it. Lets pray Bickerstaff will call DMOs # in posting up LaMarcus Aldridge when they play the Spurs and go right at LMA, I'm looking forward in seeing DMO get him into foul trouble.

 

You keep throwing out "elite" and "GREAT"....I don't think anyone is really suggesting that he's any of that. He's just a really good defensive PF, not elite, not great.

He's a guy that has an elite post game, a good 3 point shot, and plays really good defense. For a 7 footer, that's plenty enough to justify a max contract.

 

I mean...in just two pages ago DD said that he is a GREAT defender. And if I was in the mood I could spend some time just quoting all the posts in this thread that call him an elite or great defender.
And really good defence? So basically great. As I said if you think he plays that good defence just convince me all I'm asking. Give an argument that shows it.

OH btw...YES! It justifies a near max contract, no doubt about it. But the reasons aren't only on Dmo. It's on having tons of money, and nowhere to spend it on too. It is on the importance right now of bigs who can shoot and VERSATILITY.

 

I honestly don't care to convince you. I think the play speaks for itself and I think in time you'll come to that conclusion on your own.