More important: Man Defense or Help Defense?

[chrice]

If you have good Man Defense you wouldn't need Help Defense in the first place.

[kooldude]

which is it?

[One of Shemps Kids]

If you have good Man Defense you wouldn't need Help Defense in the first place.

Exactly what I came here to say.

[NO-KG-AI]

I'd take an elite help defending big man, over an elite man defender at any position.

[CBS7]

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Exactly what I came here to say.

That is only true if the everyone is a great man defender on the team.

[Farsi Man]

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Exactly what I came here to say.

Yeah but no one has perfect man defense not even Bruce Bowen or anyone. That's why the double team was invented.

I gotta say help defense. I mean look at the cavs none of their man defenders are that great but they're a pretty good defensive team still.

[G35]

I'd take an elite help defending big man, over an elite man defender at any position.

Having a Dikembe or Mourning makes any team look good on defense......

[kooldude]

I'd take an elite help defending big man, over an elite man defender at any position.

what about Amare? He's 6th in the league in blocks.

[chrice]

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Yeah but no one has perfect man defense not even Bruce Bowen or anyone. That's why the double team was invented.

I strongly disagree. If you have solid man to man defense, you have everyone on the floor covered. Whereas relying on traps on double teams will always leave at least one person open who can take advantage of it. Now, if you take a look at the Spurs, they have players that can do both...that's why they're so successful on the defensive end.

[NO-KG-AI]

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what about Amare? He's 6th in the league in blocks.

Blocks=/=help defense

Amare is poor at rotating, and is absolutely putrid against the pick and roll.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

Help defense cause they can make up for others mistakes..plus you spend more tim on pick and rolls, rotating, helping others more so than guarding someone 1 on 1.

[caborn]

Help defense from a big man. If you have bad man defense, you're the Lakers without Bynum.

Both are pretty important...but help defense is always key to defending penetration. Defending the paint is the difference between the old suns and a championship. Then again, if your defense on the perimeter is mediocre, you'll have Camby and the Nuggets.

[Texas Longhorns]

Help defense from a big man.

[B Mac]

Easily help/team defense. Look at the Pistons when they made their runs, the Spurs when they won all their rings, and even the Cavs. Having everyone buy into team defense is far more important than having a few great man defenders. Anyone who has ever played any sport not only basketball will tell you that.

[tmorgan]

Help down low, man on the perimeter... not that help defense on the perimeter really happens much anyway.

Guys who cheat on the perimeter and pick up steals but let their man into the paint easily (I'm talkin' about you, AI) can kill your defense, but if you have a quick big guy that can rotate over (I'm talkin' about you, Camby), that can ameliorate the issue.

Ben Wallace was the ulitmate help defender, but he's lost enough of his quickness (dropping from unreal to just signficantly better than average) to downgrade his status to just "good". Rasheed Wallace is a good help defender, but he's never been that quick; his wingspan and smarts make him an elite man defender down low. Together, back in 04 and 05, those two were ridiculously effective.

[ambiglight]

on the perimeter you want good on the ball defenders, on the inside help defense is essential. the problem is there are very few complete players out there. most good on the ball perimeter defenders, arent all that great on offense. just like most of the great offensive players on the perimeter are pretty mediocre defenders. thus its much easier to hide deficiencies with good help defense. so coaches usually try to emphasize that when they have a liability on defense but a great offensive player (nash for example can't stay in front of anybody but he does talk and his fellow players are quick to switch when he gets in trouble).

[Ming Kong!]

Help defense is pretty underrated. Kirilenko was more a help defender for most of his better years (though my gut tells me he'll pick it up a little more again next season), but he's always been a great man defender when given special assignments like McGrady and Kobe, but unfortunately Sloan doesn't really put Sloan on the best offensive player often enough!

[Red Robot]

I think a good help defender can have a much bigger impact than a good man defender. Floor time stats tend to support this.

[Kobay]

if you can't defend the pick and roll don't even bother entering the playoffs.

[caborn]

if you can't defend the pick and roll don't even bother entering the playoffs.

You mean, like the Lakers?