heavyjay wrote:While I agree with what you're saying, I also think saying it's all about hustle is a bit of oversimplification.
Anyone who has ever played organized bball I think would agree with me that playing offense or playing defense requires 2 entirely different skill sets. I've had nights where I've been on fire offensively, but can't stop a guy to save my life. Conversely, other nights it seems I'm reading my opponent's mind of defense and look like Dennis Rodman. Now, magnify that 10,000x to the NBA level, and I can't begin to imagine playing defense on even the worst NBA player. Jeremy Richardson would probably beat me 21-0.
My point is that what look like 'not hustling' my just be 'not really that good' on defense. Turkoglu comes to mind. He's slow and plodding on offense, but makes up for that with great skill and timing. On defense, he's just slow and plodding, period. Is he hustling 100% ? Probably not. No one is. But keep in mind that even if he was, he's still nowhere near all-NBA defensively.
there's a massive difference between being a bad defender who's trying, and just not playing defense.
Hedo will stand around, a lot of the time not even anywhere near his man. it's not because he's waiting to help Dwight defend the post, because when the ball goes inside Hedo doesn't really chase it. sometimes he gets lucky and flails his arms and manages to deflect a few balls, meanwhile his man has been wide open for most of the play and will most likely get an open shot any time the ball goes to him.
even if Hedo couldn't lock him down, simply being near his man would make a difference. it would eliminate the open look and force the offense to look for other options.
