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Wow, where did this come from. Sloan says AK-47 playing inconsistent defense and doesnt stay between his man and the basket. In essence, he takes too many chances. Has Sloan seen Dwill, Memo, and Boozer play defense lately, as they are worst at that but no direct comments made about them. Sloan makes these comments right after he benched him. Is he trying to make AK-47 look bad? Is he trying to justify his benching of him? He does this after Ak-47 has a great game and the team wins, why? Sloan simply hates Ak-47!!!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7053 ... -role.html

He is right. He lost his man way too much. AK is so much in love with himself and his offence, he just doesn't care about his D.

I was thinking about this some more. My friend coaches high school BBall and his son is on the team, and he is the best player. Before each season, he reminds his son that anything the team is not doing well, he will blame his son in front of the other players to get the team's attention. The team is like if he yells at him than clearly we need to step up as well. It is Bobby Knight trick.

So I am hoping that Sloan went to AK-47, and told him I know you are our best defender but if I get on your defense, the other players will try harder on defense and listen.

I hope this is the case, otherwise this criticism make no sense.

Karl Malone said Sloan used to intentionally call out him and Stockton to send a message to the rest of the players. Sloan has been doing this for 20 years. Not a big deal.

It's not like any of the Jazz players care what Sloan has to say to them anyway. They've long since tuned him out.

This is the same guy who looks at the number of fouls you've committed as a measure of how hard you're playing on defense. Remember when he called out Brewer for not having enough fouls while guarding Kobe?

Tabasco wrote:It's not like any of the Jazz players care what Sloan has to say to them anyway. They've long since tuned him out.

Gives this man the blue ribbon.

Doesn't make any sense since the Jazz are way better defensively when AK is on the floor.

He had every right too. AK47 is a vastly overrated defender. He excels as a gambler. Leaving his man to go for a help side block, reaching in and getting into passing lanes for steals. Brewer is not a great man defender either. Now I'm not saying AK doesn't make an impact on D, but its not as a on-ball defender.

The Sheik wrote:He had every right too. AK47 is a vastly overrated defender. He excels as a gambler. Leaving his man to go for a help side block, reaching in and getting into passing lanes for steals. Brewer is not a great man defender either. Now I'm not saying AK doesn't make an impact on D, but its not as a on-ball defender.

Almost no one in the NBA is a great on-ball defender, not with the rules as they are now. Defense is about playing as a team, and I think the +/- stats show that AK is the most valuable team defender the Jazz have.

Jerry is out of his mind on this one. He may have gotten beat or taken a few chances that burned him, but we are far better defensively with him on the court. When he is on the court with Sap, I like our defense much better.

Sloan is right, AK reaches in and does not stay in front of his man. Sloan refers to his man-to-man defense when his player moves with the ball. In big picture AK has positive influence on the defense.

I also hate when he reaches in and lets his man go by him. Sometimes he gets a steal, but most of the time his man gets a layup.

For the amount of $ AK is making, I am for any and all criticism he receives until he plays up to the level that his salary entails. Andrei's man-to-man defense has been suspect for the duration of his career.