Defense beats Offense?

[MovieMuscle]

It seems like every time hot offensive teams (Rockets, Warriors, Nuggets) meet these pesky defensive teams (Grizzlies, Jazz, even Spurs), they have a tough time winning. So, I guess that answers that question even during the regular season. At the end of the day, hard defense wins out. It's boring to watch, but it's true.

[Catchall]

Offense varies from night to night. Some nights guys don't shoot well. But defense is something teams can do consistently night in and night out. If a good offensive team doesn't have a good shooting night against a good defensive team, they're likely to lose.

[Chinook]

It's because the "good defenses" are often accompanied by efficient offense, while the "good offenses" are accompanied by poor D. Bill Russell said that the game of basketball has always been, and will always be, about buckets. There are multiple ways to go about winning the bucket battle, and being slow but efficient and more stable is far superior than being fast but less efficient and less stable.

[MovieMuscle]

It's because the "good defenses" are often accompanied by efficient offense, while the "good offenses" are accompanied by poor D. Bill Russell said that the game of basketball has always been, and will always be, about buckets. There are multiple ways to go about winning the bucket battle, and being slow but efficient and more stable is far superior than being fast but less efficient and less stable.

Not necessarily. The good offenses can have average defense (which, in my mind, should always lead to victories) but the defensive teams still somehow outscore. It's a wild effect. I keep valuing great offenses with average defense over great defenses with average offense, but I guess I'm wrong...

[Chinook]

It's because the "good defenses" are often accompanied by efficient offense, while the "good offenses" are accompanied by poor D. Bill Russell said that the game of basketball has always been, and will always be, about buckets. There are multiple ways to go about winning the bucket battle, and being slow but efficient and more stable is far superior than being fast but less efficient and less stable.

Not necessarily. The good offenses can have average defense (which, in my mind, should always lead to victories) but the defensive teams still somehow outscore. It's a wild effect. I keep valuing great offenses with average defense over great defenses with average offense, but I guess I'm wrong...

I guess it really depends on what metric you use. Pace is almost completely irrelevant in a game, and a lot of "good offenses" rely on it both for raw points and for rhythm. The Spurs, for example, usually have a pretty good offense (in the top 10 if not top five), when adjusting for pace. A run-and-gun team isn't likely to have any real advantage there, which is why MDA has always lost to Pop.

[MovieMuscle]

It's because the "good defenses" are often accompanied by efficient offense, while the "good offenses" are accompanied by poor D. Bill Russell said that the game of basketball has always been, and will always be, about buckets. There are multiple ways to go about winning the bucket battle, and being slow but efficient and more stable is far superior than being fast but less efficient and less stable.

Not necessarily. The good offenses can have average defense (which, in my mind, should always lead to victories) but the defensive teams still somehow outscore. It's a wild effect. I keep valuing great offenses with average defense over great defenses with average offense, but I guess I'm wrong...

I guess it really depends on what metric you use. Pace is almost completely irrelevant in a game, and a lot of "good offenses" rely on it both for raw points and for rhythm. The Spurs, for example, usually have a pretty good offense (in the top 10 if not top five), when adjusting for pace. A run-and-gun team isn't likely to have any real advantage there, which is why MDA has always lost to Pop.

Yeah, I guess, the Spurs wasn't a good example, but Jazz and Grizzlies don't really have a lot of firepower or offensive credibility on paper, and yet, they just somehow lock down these seemingly unstoppable offenses every time...

[Mylie10]

Sometimes the best defense cannot stop good offense. Shots go in, then you have to just eat it. But I don't think you can win it all without having at least an adequate defense to make stops when you need to.

[KqWIN]

Not this again People still haven't figured out that the team with more points wins...100% of the time.

[Pachinko_]

Not this again People still haven't figured out that the team with more points wins...100% of the time.

so if you reduce the other team's points you win?

[Rockmaninoff]

Not this again People still haven't figured out that the team with more points wins...100% of the time.

so if you reduce the other team's points you win?

Only if you can do that and score more than them.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

I don't think good defenses are boring to watch at all, I freaking love it.

[Pachinko_]

Not this again People still haven't figured out that the team with more points wins...100% of the time.

so if you reduce the other team's points you win?

Only if you can do that and score more than them.

so if I hold them to less points than what I normally score I win

[Lalouie]

Is it that or is it that so few teams play good defense that it's hard to adjust to. And maybe with the majority of teams playing average defense, there's an adjustment to the mean. Defense is a lot of work and most good players are greyhounds and not workhorses. Maybe that's taking the path of least resistance

[Pachinko_]

I don't think good defenses are boring to watch at all, I freaking love it.

Same here
Other people love watching buzzer beaters and dunks, I'm chasing highlights of blocks & steals, like Lebron's chase down block on Iguodala or KD blocking it at the board twice, once with each hand
Or a guard fighting to box out a 7 footer and managing to get the rebound
Or a big switching to a guard and forcing a bad shot, like Love to Curry at the 3 pt line when they won the ring
Or Giannis getting 3 stops singlehandedly the other day to win the game Vs Portland
Or Utah's masterful strategy and rotations

Good D is a thing of beauty.

[Coxy]

I don't think good defenses are boring to watch at all, I freaking love it.

Word.

I am a defence nutter.

[Rust_Cohle]

I don't think good defenses are boring to watch at all, I freaking love it.

Same here which is why I find it sad how we have such few amazing defensive teams and so many teams who wanna chuck 50 threes a night like the Rockets who are brutal to watch sometimes.

[76ciology]

Given both are good offensive team? Yes, the team with better defense should win.

[Lava Rock Kid]

Well golden state was number one in offense and defense last year. I think you need to be elite in both areas.

[stilldropin20]

other worldly defense played by multiple long athletes like that from the mid 90's bulls leads to many fast breaks which in turn leads to elite offense.

whether it be gambling wings like 90's bulls and 2011-2014 miami. or an elite shot blocker/ rebounder like russell also create fast breaks so long as guards and wings leak out.

[SlowPaced]

Great defensive team going up against great offensive team is the most fun thing in basketball. Defensive teams aren't boring at all, 04 Pistons were among the most fun teams to watch in NBA history.