RealGM

So, I'm watching the Cavs/Raps game and the Cavs have a lineup of Williams/Gibson/Szczerbiak/Lebron and Wallace. That IMO is not a great defensive lineup and also really undersized, especially when playing against a O'Neal, Bosh frontcourt. Still, they're able to play great defense and force the Raps into a ton of bad shots.
I'd like to hear some opinions on how much you guys think that part of our poor defense is due to the coaching staff. We all see the same mistakes over and over again: poor rotation, leaving the 3 open, horrible help defense, etc. Jazz coaching staff seems obsessed with deflections and can't see some stupid mistakes happening over and over again. Should the Jazz hire a defensive specialist as an assistant coach? Would it improve our defense?

What-fense what-egy?

I've always liked Jeff Van Gundy for his defensive mindset and would love to have him coach the Jazz. Wish he knew anything about offense though.

If you look at the Cavs players they for the most part all have a desire to play defense. The "will" or desire to play defense is half the battle. A lot of players on our team just don't have that mindset.

When 2 of the 3 all-stars/highest paid players you have on your team don't give a **** about defense, it's hard to convince the rest of the players that it's worth playing.

The Cav's lineup you listed actually only has one truely poor defender in Wally. Williams/Gibson/Szczerbiak/Lebron and Wallace is an undersized lineup but quick and strong. They are able to give help defense to cut down on passing angles and recover. Ben Wallace and or Lebron provide help to cut off the lane and/or block shots. Gibson, Lebron and Williams are excellent in the passing lanes. Everyone in this lineup is quick enough to pressure the ball handlers except Wally.



Defenses strategies are all about how and were the help comes from. The Jazz are supposed to force people to the center of the floor with help coming over from the 4 or 5. When Millsap, AK or Koufos and maybe even Fess are providing help defense they are quick enough and have enough length to contest/block shots. They also cut off the penetration. Memo and Boozer have difficult contesting the shots or cutting off penetration.

Several other teams including the Spurs try to keep people out of the center of the lane and force opponents towards the baseline. This creates favorable angles for stealing passes and shotblockers.

Batronuj wrote:When 2 of the 3 all-stars/highest paid players you have on your team don't give a **** about defense, it's hard to convince the rest of the players that it's worth playing.

I think that Okur at least gives a s*** about defense. He is just slow. Boozer is quick enough but doesn't give a s****.

hoops4life wrote:
I think that Okur at least gives a s*** about defense. He is just slow. Boozer is quick enough but doesn't give a s****.

Please dont give me that crap. Memo cares about Defense, but is too slow? Wow Memo homers have reached a new level of hilarity. Yup Boozer doesnt care about sh*+, the surgeons were amazed when he wanted surgery for no reason.

The Sheik wrote:

hoops4life wrote:
I think that Okur at least gives a s*** about defense. He is just slow. Boozer is quick enough but doesn't give a s****.

Please dont give me that crap. Memo cares about Defense, but is too slow? Wow Memo homers have reached a new level of hilarity. Yup Boozer doesnt care about sh*+, the surgeons were amazed when he wanted surgery for no reason.

I agree, it is ridiculous for us to assume which player "cares" about defense. I would go with coaching philosophy and strategy as the cause for a few of our defensive woes. It seems like every year its the same story, good offense, bad defense. It doesn't matter the personnel on the court (short of hall of famers malone and stock) the jazz don't play good defense. The only thing that is constant is: Sloan and his defensive strategies. Of course, its not all him, the players we have aren't fantastic defensive players, but at the same time I would argue that Sloan isn't part of the solution either.

I still think that coaching philosophy is probably the biggest part but it doesn't matter how sound the defensive strategy is if a player doesn't give a crap about playing it.

Slowness is both foot speed and brain speed.