Is Andre Drummond a Good Defender?

pistontr · Post #1 » by **pistontr** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:50 pm

I think he is below average but some people here thinks that he is DPOY candidate.

What do you think?

wire28 · Post #2 » by **wire28** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:56 pm

I think if you can't stop Dwight Howard without a double team, you're trash. Therefore Drummond is trash.

/realgmlogic

Brapman · Post #3 » by **Brapman** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:08 pm

I love this kid - only silly people don't. I think he's a potential future perennial MVP candidate. But he's 20, and he doesn't have the man-strength or the in-game experience or the developed skill-set - all acquired only after many seasons -- to be close to being DPOY.

Return to this question in 3-5 years for a totally different answer to this question.

nyhuskyfan · Post #4 » by **nyhuskyfan** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:31 pm

He's very good at certain things - lateral quickness defending guards on pick and rolls, timing on blocks, hands in passing lanes. He has to get better at others - positioning, reading plays a split second earlier, one on one defending in post.

Most of the things he needs to work on should come with experience. He seems like he has been a bit more restrained this year (conceding layups, etc.) in order to try to play extended minutes - whereas last year he challenged everything coming off the bench and had more of an impact in limited minutes.

LessCheeks13 · Post #5 » by **LessCheeks13** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:32 pm

I catch him using his hands on defense way too much, reaching in. I mean as opposed to moving or shuffling his feet to get in proper position to contest the shot. Maybe he's been working with Rasheed a little too much....

And like others said, there are other things he must improve on physically that will come with time and exp, but I think Andre would really benefit from doing some homework and watching tape. You can really get a good idea of a player's tendencies and strengths/weaknesses with a couple hours of tape per week.

Brapman · Post #6 » by **Brapman** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:40 pm

Reports are that Drummond goes out of his way to watch tape. He asked in on Cheek's morning film study/teaching sessions that he's having with Jennings.

It's not just his great physical talent that make Drummond such an amazing prospect. He's very smart and coachable and seems to be very serious and confident about his craft. I loved the article on how he appreciated the lessons that Howard taught him last game, while he was being dominated by the big-goof.

Clarity · Post #7 » by **Clarity** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 5:21 pm

wire28 wrote:I think if you can't stop Dwight Howard without a double team, you're trash. Therefore Drummond is trash.

/realgmlogic

MrBigShot · Post #8 » by **MrBigShot** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:17 pm

I'd say he's a good defender. He's not a DPOY-level defender, and that's alright. He has rim-protecting instincts and timing that you just can't teach. He'll only get better from here on out by working with Sheed and learning the tendencies of all of the guys he's going to guard.

need4detroit · Post #9 » by **need4detroit** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 6:36 pm

Great instincts but man-to-man defense suffers from youth and lack_of man strength.

DetroitDon15 · Post #10 » by **DetroitDon15** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:11 pm

need4detroit wrote:Great instincts but man-to-man defense suffers from youth and lack_of man strength.

I agree with you there. I also think he is working on his B-Ball IQ. I think once he learns the game better and is comfortable; he will look better. I also don't think playing with the current crew makes him look good defensively either.

Q00 · Post #11 » by **Q00** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:39 pm

pistontr wrote:I think he is below average but some people here thinks that he is DPOY candidate.

What do you think?

I think you're a troll who is trying to bait posters with these weird threads. You ask a question about a player in a criticizing manner, and then never even respond to the posts that follow. Clearly just trolling, in my opinion.

If you are being serious with this, then I think you just have unrealistic standards for players.

Name me some 20 yr old Centers that were perfect fundamentally sound defenders at that age?

You must have some in mind that you are comparing Drummond to at the same age, to call him below average. If you can come up with some, I might buy what you are selling. If not, you just sound like a troll to me.

Slackstring701 · Post #12 » by **Slackstring701** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:10 pm

insane physical abilities .... incredibly low b-ball IQ

LessCheeks13 · Post #13 » by **LessCheeks13** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:04 pm

This might be implied but Dwight also looked a little extra motivated/angry. He called for the ball even more than usual and got it due to the fact that Harden was a no-go.

And if you noticed how easily Parsons got to the hole on us without Drummond in the game, you would not think he is below average. Drummond's D gets picked on a lot with our swiss cheese perimeter D. He alters so many shots without blocking them just by being in the lane. You are totally taking his presence for granted.

whitehops · Post #14 » by **whitehops** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:19 pm

Drummond isn't the best defender but has a good defensive presence... if that makes sense?

I've felt for most of the year that his man defense could use the most work on that end of the floor. as a PnR defender he has been really good this year, and he has shown flashes of great help D but other times looks like he doesn't even try to contest shots at the rim.

so I guess my answer would be technically he isn't the best defender (despite his good instincts) but he has such a big impact on defense anyways because of his size and mobility. and obviously has a ton of potential.

princeofpalace · Post #15 » by **princeofpalace** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 10:22 pm

He has defensive potential, but he's not that good of a a defender right now, but he is a very good shot blocker.

pistontr · Post #16 » by **pistontr** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:07 pm

whitehops wrote:Drummond isn't the best defender but has a good defensive presence... if that makes sense?

I've felt for most of the year that his man defense could use the most work on that end of the floor. as a PnR defender he has been really good this year, and he has shown flashes of great help D but other times looks like he doesn't even try to contest shots at the rim.

so I guess my answer would be technically he isn't the best defender (despite his good instincts) but he has such a big impact on defense anyways because of his size and mobility. and obviously has a ton of potential.

as a PnR defender he has been terrible this year

whitehops · Post #17 » by **whitehops** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 12:07 am

pistontr wrote:as a PnR defender he has been terrible this year

sorry I probably should've clarified, he started the year really poorly (all of the bigs played atrocious PnR defense to start the year) but has definitely picked it up. the big difference is he's impeding the ball handler a little more, as opposed to before where he would allow them to go around the screen and either pop an open J or have a clear two on one.

dlo62282 · Post #18 » by **dlo62282** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:21 am

Bynum goes 0 for 11 against him today. Yes Drummond is very below average.

Q00 · Post #19 » by **Q00** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 2:23 am

dlo62282 wrote:Bynum goes 0 for 11 against him today. Yes Drummond is very below average.

Maker_84 · Post #20 » by **Maker_84** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 3:42 am

On the Ball- No

Off the Ball- Yes