It's all relative, the Western conference is so PG heavy the numbers will always look inflated for that defensive position. There really is no way to stay in front of perimeter players now days. The game is dictated by ball handlers and play makers. Get too physical on the perimeter and you'll foul out in two quarters. Like it's been said, it's about rotations and help defense. We're not doing either of those things.
The question is....has the acquisition of Miller and Martin killed this team's scrappy identity? You are trying to teach calculus to the 2nd grade. DD
Are you arguing that Brooks isn't the worst defender on the team, or at least 2nd worse behind Martin?
You know Martin could actually try to make the basket instead of trying to flop his way to a foul. That is why he he disappears late in games because he is looking to get bailed out.
A FRICKEN MEN !!! I have said that a lot as well, that the difference between Durant and Martin is that KD is actually trying to score the ball, whereas KMart is trying to draw a foul, and the refs see that too, they are not going to call it all game long. It is like playing in Utah, you just can't call every foul. DD
This is what concerns me the most about him. While you want your players to draw fouls, there is a point to where it can become disruptive to the offensive flow, especially in a RA type of offense.
In my opinion, the team is struggling from a lack of leadership. When Kevin first arrived, it appeared to me that he was deferring to Brooks. The rest of the team wasn't sure who the leader was, and since neither Brooks or Martin are vocal leaders, (edge slightly to Aaron), we really didn't know who would demand the ball in crunch time. I thought that after the summer, a leader would emerge and call the play, or facilitate a winning strategy at the end of a game. Kevin hasn't stepped up, neither has Aaron. I think that Kevin is a valuable third player on a team (although he may lead the team in scoring), not a number one or even two. As much as I like Aaron, I think we need a distributor more than a scorer at the PG position. We are still left without a vocal leader and I don't believe that Aaron, Kevin or Yao fit that bill.
Martin is one of the best players on the team. Please. You guys just find things to gripe about because we are all mad about the teams current misfortunes. Let's all focus on the real problems that the team has.
An excellent observation. Last year there was a clear heirarchy, AB was number 1, and everyone else fell in line, it was one of the main reasons that Trevor was jettisoned, he struggled with defering. This year, is it Yao's team, is it AB's team, is it Kmart's team, is it Luis' team? Who is the main guy.....I have said for a while now in situations where you have a lot of players that are essentially equal it is up to the coach to define their roles. Rick Adelman has screwed the pooch in this regard.....there seems to be a lack of definition about anyone's role.... Someone has to be an on the court leader....the only one we have in truth for that role is Aaron Brooks.....and he is hurt.....none of the other guys can control the ball as well and get good shots for everyone. And AB is not a superstar player....but he is our best option as a leader.....for now. DD
Well, you get what you pay for. Or, sometimes, like in this instance, you get what you ask for. I've never been a really big proponent of stat-watching, as a measure of what a player is or isn't, or what he can or cannot do for your team. Stats don't lie, as a matter of course…but more often than not, the truth is stranger than fiction. In this case, Kevin Martin was not supposed to be anything more than a player that could feast off the opportunities created offensively by Yao Ming's presence. I would not go as far as to say that Martin has not come as advertised, since Yao has yet to be a consistent presence, but it is very common to often overvalue what a player may do well, as opposed to seeing if he can do his job on both ends of the court. If anything, Martin's performance thus far this season should have put to rest any assumption that he is the type of player a franchise could build around. He never proved that in Sacramento (injuries or not), and said as much in a recent interview here. Martin is game, I believe. He at least sounds like a guy who wants to win. That goes over big with the masses here. But even if you aren't great on both sides of the ball, you have to be at least decent. Martin (and for that matter, Aaron Brooks) are far too deficient defensively at their positions (individually or in a team setting) to be considered franchise players. But it's unfair to fault either of them for that. Because they were never supposed to have that burden placed on them in the first place. And that would finally be my point. I don't know how you expect a team to compete (much less entertain thoughts of championship contention) when your top four or five players are unreliable. The best players on your roster (however people want to measure that) have to be able to compete with enough savvy, toughness and energy on both ends of the court—POSITION TO POSITION—before you start saying how good they're supposed to be. Right now, I suppose Kevin Martin makes as good a scapegoat as anyone else… ...but if you assume that one guy can make that much of a difference in team chemistry (positively or negatively)…at least on the court…then someone hasn't ever believed their lying eyes. It's not about what a guy does well. It's about how well he does his job. And depending on the job description, that's always a debatable proposition. AT the MINIMUM, any player starting in this league HAS to be at least decent individually as a defender. Nothing else he does or doesn't do can offset poor defense. I don't think you devise a defensive philosophy without defense-minded players (not necessarily one-dimensional defensive players like Shane Battier or Chuck Hayes—then you've got the same problem in reverse, and we've all seen all we need to see of that), but TEAM DEFENSE begins and ends with INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. You can't have a good team with everybody doing their own thing. Which is what stat-chasing will corral you into. We can pick on Kevin Martin. But we need to pick on Aaron Brooks. And Luis Scola. And Kyle Lowry. And Chase Budinger. Winning doesn't happen on the stat sheet. It happens on the court. Just like losing does. The Rockets' curent record says enough about that...
Good post. I've been thinking the same recently. I think it makes a big difference when you're playing 4.5 on 5 on defense. Last year, the defense just went to **** after Martin was acquired. I think they need to hold people accountable. If Martin keeps blowing his assignment, then he needs to sit and let Lee get more of his minutes. Lee makes bone-headed decisions, but at least he plays relatively hard.
I do think they are comparible.....in some ways...I believe the conversation was over who had a starting backcourt with sub par D...well..... You know what, this is what is annoying, people take a contained conversation about something and make innane leaps of logic....amazing. I just think our issues are in chemistry and that we don't have Tim Duncan....down low.. I guess they could easily co-exist with a healthy Yao Ming....but is ANYONE dumb enough to bet on that these days? DD
What would happen if Martin was forced to come off the bench for a few games? I think it would be interesting to start Lee instead of Martin (temporarily). Lee is capable on offense, and much better on defense. Martin could then be a spark off the bench (still getting a lot of minutes). This could motivate Martin to play better defense... agree / disagree?
