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“We’re just not consistent enough,” Rivers said. “Blame whatever you want, but we were up against a very good defensive team. Fortunately, we were good enough offensively to try and win the game but later that’s not going to work. You’re not going to roll it out and be able to outscore everybody. You’re going to have to get stops, you’re going to have to get stops in a row and it has to be consistent. For us to be an elite team, we have to do that. We can be a good team the way we are playing, but if you’re going to be elite, you’re going to have to have something of a standard defensively. We’re working on it.”
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While the Clippers have been knocked for their lack of size and depth in the frontcourt, Rivers scoffs when he hears the Clippers can’t win a championship because of those shortcomings.

He points to the Miami Heat, who have won back-to-back titles and have gone to three straight Finals without much size and depth in the frontcourt. The one thing they have done well, however, over the last three seasons is play solid defense.

Tudalop wrote:DJ isn't the great defender that he could became. Maybe it's because of excesive minutes playing, maybe it's because he is still young (and the first time in his career with +35min), but he needs tu step up in defensive IQ. Klay Thompson slam dunking, Ty Lawson getting easy layups constantly, etc, etc. are things that a rim protector like DJ wants to become can't allow.

But, nevermind, I'm still not worried about it. Doc is working, DJ likes to work as Blake does, and this is only about time. What i'm worried about is that Doc's stubborn. Yeah, the Miami Heat won back-to-back titles. If they're the role model, bring a Chris Andersen here.

LACtdom wrote:I think our worst defender is Crawford. I have never seen him get round a screen. He often gets caught in no man's land.

Angel strike1 wrote:

LACtdom wrote:I think our worst defender is Crawford. I have never seen him get round a screen. He often gets caught in no man's land.

Hence why he is better of the bench then starter

TheNewEra wrote:

Tudalop wrote:DJ isn't the great defender that he could became. Maybe it's because of excesive minutes playing, maybe it's because he is still young (and the first time in his career with +35min), but he needs tu step up in defensive IQ. Klay Thompson slam dunking, Ty Lawson getting easy layups constantly, etc, etc. are things that a rim protector like DJ wants to become can't allow.

But, nevermind, I'm still not worried about it. Doc is working, DJ likes to work as Blake does, and this is only about time. What i'm worried about is that Doc's stubborn. Yeah, the Miami Heat won back-to-back titles. If they're the role model, bring a Chris Andersen here.

No player and I mean no player can protect the rim every single time a player gets beat that is unreal. Add on top of that Jordan sliding over to help when he blocks shots leaves his man open and hardly anyone rotates. How many times did Hickson get open in the last game and DJ rotated and Faried got an open? The team as a whole needs to step up we need Jordan to pace better on the defensive one on one area and pick and roll recovery. This team defensive concept has been poor for a while and Doc needs to get this team refocused for 48 mins.

Several Eastern Conference scouts also have noticed Griffin's improved play on defense. But he can still improve, they said, because Griffin is more athletic and quicker than other power forwards. But Griffin remains foul-prone, averaging 3.4 personal fouls a game, fourth-highest in the league.

"He lets players get into his body instead of bumping them first," one scout said. "He's strong enough to hold his own down low and he can be a better weak-side defender because of his leaping ability."

It’s not only that the Thunder and Spurs have better records, it’s that they are better equipped for the playoffs because of their superior defense. Both teams allow 97.5 points per game, the fewest among the current Western Conference playoff teams. The Trail Blazers allow the most, at 103.7. The Clippers are just over 100, at 100.6.
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Can defending well in spurts get it done in the playoffs?

“I don’t think it can get done what we would like to get done,” Lillard said. “Offense can be fool’s gold. It might carry you. Last year, I think Golden State’s offense carried them. I think if we can find a way to be more consistent on D, we’ll be tough to play against.”