tamaraw08 wrote:Kilroy wrote:ScHoolBoy B wrote:Even the guys at TNT are saying we need a rim protector, but according to some here we got Gasol doing a good job protecting...lol
The problem with your logic is that the fact that we need a rim protector (we do) is Marc's fault... he plays like 15min a game...
He was never supposed to be our primary defensive big... That was I think, supposed to be Harrell... Marc was supposed to be a big body we could throw in against the Jokic's and embiids of the world and to help facilitate from time to time...
But our Paint Defense is abysmal. And that's not just on Gasol... LeBron and Trez are terrible too... And Kuz isn't effective in the paint.
In any case, this game is basically over... Sit LeBron, Caruso, Marc and let the rest of the guys go...
BTW... Is KCP good at anything this season? For a while there he was hitting 3s but over the last 10 or so games, he's been the guy taking up minutes from a better guy...
Lakers currently ranks 21st in the league for points allowed in the paint and combine that with eye test and not investigating further then a casual fan would just proclaim that yes, the Lakers need RIM PROTECTION.
But let's examine other defensive numbers.
Lakers RANKS FIRST IN DRTG at 105.6 followed Utah at 106.9
Lakers TIES FIRST IN BLOCKS with the Pacers at 6.1 blocks/game!!! So what the hell is going on, why so many points allowed and yet RANKS FIRST in DRTG?
well they ranked FIRST IN FEWEST Free throw attempts allowed at 18.4/game. So while they allow layups/points in the paint, they also DO NOT FOUL A TON and SEND OPPONENTS TO SHOOT FTs.
Here's another FUN STAT. Cleveland have 3 GREAT RIM PROTECTORS IN Drummond, Jarret and JMG are ALSO BAD ON POINTS IN THE PAINT ALLOWED ranks 20th and ranks 23rd IN DRTG!!!!
btw, Lakers last year with JMG AND Howard ranked 3rd in DRTG (106.3) AND ALLOWED 23 FTs/game which ranked 14th in the league.
It's 3 things really... It's that 'everyone' is just wrong about our need for Rim protection because the problem isn't keeping people from converting layups, it's keeping them from scoring in the paint in any way... Also, our blocks are mostly on jumpers beyond the paint... And it's the fact that our Defense is designed to funnel players into the paint, where AD or another big keep them from scoring, but this season, AD has been disengaging in the paint, and for multiple reasons, Marc has been chasing guys around outside the paint, rather than just staying home inside to protect the paint.
AD has looked almost loopy all season so far. Maybe being sidelined for a few weeks will get his fire back, but the only real way this issue is going away is if AD gets back in 2020 mode and starts taking defense down low seriously...
Aside from that, Trez has been a pretty big disappointment defensively... He never had a rep for D, but even so... He doesn't have as much to do on this team and still seems to let people blow by him regularly...
LeBron is not even thinking about Defense right now... Which is as it should be really, but come playoff time, he's going to need to be a much bigger factor.
Also, our perimeter guys aren't staying in front of their assignments... Kuz is great when he can lock in 1:1 on a guy about his size, who isn't quicker, but he's pretty terrible on switches, Schroder is good in the open court, but does weird things on screens. KCP looks about as good as he did this time last year, when everyone was begging for him to be gone... THT has the talent and instincts but he's young and making stupid mistakes...
So it's a bit naive to try to dump this all on Marc... A guy who plays like 16min a game and who is doing exactly what we should have expected of him... Only I think the defensive scheme, with all it's activity is putting a lot of our guys at a disadvantage... No practicing doesn't help either.
Never have rice at Hanzo's house...
