yoyoboy wrote:IceColdCubano wrote:yoyoboy wrote:By the end of the season I think we’ll be looking at:
Gobert
Mobley
Wembanyama
Jackson Jr
Adebayo to me is slightly below DPOY-level in the regular season. I actually think come playoffs is really when you see him become more valuable due to his switchiness/versatility.
What are you talking about? BAM is number 1 in Defensive Isolation metrics. I get it he doen'st get the pretty looking blocks, he actually stays grounded and forces a miss and does the work early so he doesn't have to come flying in from the weakside, switches on anyone and forces them to pass because they would rather not go at him in Isolation. It's really disrespectful at this point, nobody in the league can guard 1-5 like he can, there a couple that guard 1-5 except he does it better than them. Miami was one of the more clutch teams this past season even with their crap record, that was because he would clamp anyone that needed to be clamped come the end of games and let Jimmy do his thing and be a closer on the offense side. Bam is literary the same player in the regular season as he is in the playoffs, the fact other fans actually watch him in the playoffs that's another story.
Defense is more than just defending in isolation. I’m not denying that Bam is an elite defender. I just have him a step below some of the other guys. He doesn’t provide the same rim protection and rebounding edges, which hurts his overall value on that end.
And I didn’t say he’s a different player in the playoffs. I said his value goes up in the playoffs. Because with playoff game planning coming into play, defensive versatility and the ability to hold your own against switch hunting offenses become more important.
Funny when I drill through the stats, it stills says that Bam defends the rim better than Gobert, Mobley, Wemb, Jackson Jr. If you filter 100 minutes played, Rim attempts greater than 30%, field goal percentage difference of more than 10% affected at the rim, shows Bam first on the list. Again what I was trying to say was, that Bam isn't just a great Isolation defender, its that he also defends the rim better without having to block shots, his deterrence comes different its done earlier in the shot clock, he forces players into bad shots into bad spots, and makes them uncomfortable, lowering their FG% without having to block their shots, he stays grounded and doesn't commit fouls like the guys you mentioned above. There are multiple ways of defending the rim and like you said when the defenses tighten up in the playoffs he is a known commodity while the others fall through the wayside in obscurity. Defense is also about scheme, its team oriented, in the playoffs team scheme to take you out of your comfort hence players like Gobert get taken out of the game, you can't do that to Bam. Miami has always been about team rebounding, he still finishes the season with 9-10 rebounds, but he is asked to cover the perimeter way more, even in percentile rebounding per minute within 10ft from basket he outdoes most centers on defensive rebounding per minute basis. So its not like he is a bad rebounder he is actually elite, its a Heat system reason why he isn't required to do it.
