This is a really hard question because we are bad at both at the moment. Had you asked what do I like better - good offense or good defense, I would've said defense but now, I'm not sure, we better pick it up at both ends.
It just seems like the entire board wants us to play our better offensive players more while at the same time are very unhappy about the defense. But those things, unfortunately, are conflicting. Our better offensive player also happen to be our lesser defenders. I think that's the dilemma right now.
Defense. Yesterday with 1 minute left, Udonis Haslem had a WIDE-OPEN 15 footer from the foul line. He is so open that im glad he didnt walk into the paint and dunk it. I cant recall from last year that any opponent was that wide open in crunch time. I think Jeff Van Gundy would immediately put Scola into his dog house for missing the defensive assignment. there is no reason he should collapse on D. Wade when 2 defenders was already on him.
Both could improve but it is more the late game offense that is letting us down. Dallas ran their offense efficiently in the last 2 minutes, we didn't same with Miami... Offense needs to improve the most. DD
I say offense because Rick Adelman has never been a defensive coach. The players on this team for the most part already know how to hustle on defensive when they really want to. So it is a matter of desire and not knowing how to do it. That being said, I think a better offense will produce a better defense by default. Less turnovers, better percentage shooting, more pressure on the other teams defense, all will make the other team less offensively effective. Rick Adelman is an offensive coach, make no mistake about it. As long as he continues to fool himself and play the defensive starters from last year under JVG, he will continue to lose most of his games.
he collapsed because the 2 defenders you were talking BOTH got beat by Wade and he was gonna have an easy layup or a foul called if he didn't help out. it was a choice between giving up a layup or a jumpshot, and of course the logical answer is the jumpshot.. I think it was a good decision by Scola.. but the thing is, we shouldn't even go down to that level of choosing between an open jumpshot or a layup. We shouldn't give up ANY easy baskets. but of course, because of the mediocre perimeter defense (I think it was Head and James or Battier getting beat by Wade), that's where our defense is at right now.. pretty sad..
If the defense doesn't improve, we have no chance to make an impact in the playoffs. We don't have to lead the league in FG% defense, but if the effort and smarts don't improve, our upside is another first round exit. I'm going to go out on a limb and believe the offense will get fixed and function later on. I'm not so sure our defensive intensity will improve enough for us to contend. The slippage is breathtaking.
I am a firm believer that defense cannot be coached. You can, of course, teach basic things like rotating and help defense, weak side defense, double teaming...etc, but there is not "plan" for defense like JVG made it out to be. I think the key for defense right now is energy and heart. now of course, if you have Alston and Head running the point (which is the heart of the team), the players subconsciously lose their energy and excitement because they know down the road that a steal and a fast break will end up getting thrown to the 10th row by a brilliant Luther Head pass. now I know that I am being too general and vague here, but I really think the problem isn't with preparation or strategy, it's with the personnel implementing that strategy. btw, I think a faster pace would definitely improve our defense because players will be looking forward to running the break, which start by a hustle play/steal/rebound. So once we start playing with heart and pushing the ball (and by pushing, I don't mean Alston "skipping" his way down the court or Head showing off his sick between the leg dribble), we will improve defensively and start looking like the contender we were supposed to be... it all starts with the Franchise & Snyder..
I say defense because I think improving our defense, as opposed to shoring up the offense, would result in more wins by itself. The offense has really 3 separate problems as I see: 1. not enough movement without the ball 2. not passing quick enough (esp swinging the ball around the perimeter) 3. shooting Hitting our shots would cover our asses on most the other offensive deficits. The lack of 'motion offense' is attributed entirely to the staff change, to me. It is partially us not fully understanding Adelman's system, and partially due to remnants of the JVG mindset that relied on Tracy creating off the dribble or Yao establishing post down low and forcing the double team, thus leaving the other 3 players to space the perimeter and spot up for jumpers. Time SHOULD help this, and it should go without saying that our team is built to have the opportunities to shoot well and that shooting like we have been will cost you games. Our defense has looked very suspect. It's hard to say it's looked worse than our offense, but having been to the Phoenix game and the Dallas game, I can't help but think that make 5 more stops during the course of the game would greatly improve our chances of winning. I guess I just feel that the offensive problems are mostly due to growing pains under the new regimes, whereas our defensive problems will continue to haunt us into April and June.
I don't agree with that at all. Actually, I think defense, more than offense, depends on coaching. Just look at the remarkable defensive consistency of JVG's teams throughout his career. They've always been very good.
I think it is still offense! We lost because of offense. Most players' fg% are too low. They cann't score during crunch time.
Best Defense is a Good Offense right now .. the other team can loaf on Defense because our offense sucks Rocket River
We need to find a balance in both. Last year, JVG emphasized on defense and failed on offense; this year is completely opposite so far. We can't be a great team without consistency at both ends. If I have to pick, defense still win game because it gives you more opportunities.
We need to find a balance in both. Last year, JVG emphasized on defense and failed on offense; this year is completely opposite so far. We can't be a great team without consistency at both ends. If I have to pick, a consistent defense still win game because it gives you more opportunities and is far more reliable than offense which seldomly on everytime.
I'm not sure about that. If we play respectable defense the last couple of games, we win, bad offense and all. Note: not even great defense, just respectable.
This is wrong. Many souces say that JVG was the most well prepared defensive coach with the most extenive scouting reports in the league. There is ALWAYS a plan for defense when your coach makes it a point to know every opposing team's strenghts and weaknesses (i.e. What players tend to finish with their off hand, what direction they like to drive, what spots on the floor they're most effective shooting from, what sideline out of bounds plays are most effective for the team, etc.) I mean, did you hear the man when he was talking about which direction you was to send Shaq (cutting off the baseline), or how to go under the pick on Tony Parker, or how Dirk likes to finish going left? That's COACHING, man. I mean, if defense isn't coached, then why are some guys like JVG, Riley, and Brown good at it wherever they go, no matter the personell, and guys like Don Nelson are deplorable? I'm with you on Francis and Snyder though.
yeah I guess you're right.. but I really don't consider scouting as being "coaching" per se. I still think we can have similar scouting even without JVG, but if the players don't have the energy to implement that plan, then the plan is pretty much useless.. take Luther Head for example, no matter how extensive the research and scouting report is, Luther WILL get beat by Baron Davis or Tony Parker everyday of the week. that's why I think we need major improvement in personnel (Snyder) to be able to execute correctly on the defensive end..
Close race. In my mind the issue is answered with another question: which part of our game would it be HARDER, take LONGER to improve upon? I think we can play defense if our hearts are in it, but right now that offense is so dysfunctional Yao couldn't take more shots if you pointed a gun at his mom's head.
