The Missing Piece: A Defensive All Star

The All NBA Defensive teams aren't something to brag about. Besides the interior people (Howard, Garnett, Duncan types whose presence is felt all throughout the game), the PG, SG, SF position is meaningless.

Yeah, Kobe and LeBron made the 1st team. BFD. They are given to them because of who they are. Sure, they can guard the opposing teams best player for few minutes a game, but there are guys who are in the NBA strictly for defensive reasons need to get acknowledged. Those guys guard the elite for the entire game.

Guys like Ariza, Battier, Bell, and others guard the likes of Kobe, LBJ, Wade for the entire games and they do a pretty damn good job. Yet, they don't get the recognition they deserve by making these All NBA Defensive teams.

 

i agree with all of this.

 

Man even if we landed Lebron and Bosh the way Miami did.. there will still be people on this board saying there is a "missing piece"... I mean do people not see how we did last year with Yao missing and no legit 5.. now we have Yao and Miller...let's see what happens before complaining about missing links and pieces...

 

This makes little to no sense

 

I agree with the OP. We need someone who can consistently pull out stops and make clutch defensive plays that translate to offensive on the other side, not more scorers. We can score with the best of them, but when we have a drought, the other team catches up quick due to our lack of a defensive stopper.

 

My choice is....let's wait for training camp, preseason games, and about a month into the season before we can see what we need. We're pretty good right (with everyone is good health!).

 

Agreed team defense is important one player cant guard a hole team battier,ariza and jefferies are going to hold the other teams best player .

 

Bet, Jefferies won't play much. Hayes will take his minutes.

 

I think Ariza and Battier are good enough as a combo. Even though Yao isn't known for his shot-blocking ability, 7'6" in the paint automatically decreases opponent field percentage by 3%. I bet Trevor has one of the best years of his career. He's had a year to learn from the Master in Battier, he won't have to (thank God) shoot 18 times a night again, and he's free to gamble a little more often. Its just awesome to have Yao back!

 

Well unfortunately, the NBA is first and foremost about money. They use every opportunity to promote possibly the most popular players. BTW I think Lebron might deserve it. He's so quick and strong that most of his matchups are at a disadvantage. He's also a good help defender. Kobe is an above average defender, but I agree, you're never going to see Kobe guarding a team's best offensive guard the entire night.

It was an obvious case on BS during the 07-08 season when Battier didn't make the 1st team, but Bryant did. That was even after Shane guarded the oppositions best player for 22 straight freakin' wins.

 

Long, tall, athletic shot blocker?

Yes please.

 

If we get into the Finals, Battier/ Ariza, or even Yao will be named as 1st defensive team. You understand?

 

We don't need "a" defender. We need the whole team to defense, especially ab and k-mart....

 

in terms of straight up defense, battier, ariza, and hayes are defensive elite defenders. better team defense is needed.


what we really need is a consistent go to guy to close a game. brooks, martin, or yao have to step up.

 

we lack interior and exterior defense
from an offensive point we can be contenders
from a defensive one, we're way too far

 

You and whole bunch of other clutchfans will be changing that tune about ten games into season. This team will come out gunning and hungry and will definitely contend for one of those top four spots in the playoffs. And this team healthy in the playoffs you better bet no one wants to see us.

I'll take twenty five minutes from Yao over Forty minutes from any center in the league not named Dwight Howard. And I'll bench him in any close game in the end. Where as Yao probably getting free throws of course unless you double him in that case we got Ariza, AB, And Martin just waiting to bomb threes on you or create come on man.

Yao on one foot got us a game against the Lakers in the the playoffs. Yao changes games and we got ballers . I don't care who has the hype this team has the juice.