Question: D'Antoni's teams > at defense than Porter's?

Post #1 » by **rsavaj** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:40 pm

Using basketballreference.com, in the past four years PHX has always been in the top 16 in defensive efficiency(16th in 07/08, 13th in 06/07, 15th in 05/06, 16th in 04/05)

Porter's teams were 27th in 04/05, 25th in 03/04. So where's this "Porter stresses defense" stuff coming from?

Mike's teams were always near or at the top in offensive efficiency, and just about average in defensive efficiency, while Porter's teams were in the upper half in offensive efficiency and towards the very bottom in defensive efficiency....so how is this an improvement?

Edit: I understand I'm not taking into account the actual rosters that each coach had to work with, and I'll admit I'm actually not sure whether or not defensive efficiency is an indicator of good defense...perhaps someone(tsherkin!) could clear that up for me?

Post #2 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:16 am

I'll stick my nose in here in a bit, but the sum of it is that there is a considerable difference in team personnel. The best defender on Porter's Milwaukee squads (Desmond Mason) doesn't compare to (variously) Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas, Shaq, Raja Bell, etc. And his crappy non-defenders outweigh Amare and Nash (who is actually a good team defender). Michael Redd, Keith Van Horn, old Toni Kukoc, etc.

Go7enKs · Post #3 » by **Go7enKs** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:01 am

Let's just hope it's the personnel fault because otherwise we just sent to NY the best offensive coach of the NBA and an average defensive to get an average offensive and terrible defensive coach.

Never Fear 33 Is Here · Post #4 » by **Never Fear 33 Is Here** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:14 am

Not only that, but keep in mind he also spent the last few seasons on the bench in Detroit, which seem to have one of the best team defenses in the modern era.

-SDU- · Post #5 » by **-SDU-** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:19 am

Go7enKs wrote:Let's just hope it's the personnel fault because otherwise we just sent to NY the best offensive coach of the NBA and an average defensive to get an average offensive and terrible defensive coach.

we didnt send mike anywhere, he quit

nashill · Post #6 » by **nashill** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:57 am

Never Fear 33 Is Here wrote:Not only that, but keep in mind he also spent the last few seasons on the bench in Detroit, which seem to have one of the best team defenses in the modern era.

+1

nanoclarkology · Post #7 » by **nanoclarkology** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:58 am

+2 to nashill

Post #8 » by **lilfishi22** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:15 am

It's good Porter was with Detroit the last few seasons to learn more about coaching. Detroit has always been one of the top defensive teams in the league, but is also one of the few teams that is able to play a running game if they need to. His experience that he brings in from Detroit will be extremely valuable. Even though Porter took a lottery-bound Bucks to the playoffs I wouldn't look too much into it, the eastern conference was weak as hell at that time and they didn't get far in the playoffs either.

Tsherkin is also right, despite the fact that defense wasn't stressed at all with D'Antoni, our defense cast was still miles ahead of the best defensive guys Porter had with Milwaukee. The addition of guys like Lopez, Dragic and Barnes, our defense gets a lot younger and quicker. If our defensive non-factors, ie. Barbosa and Amare can play even decent man and team defense, we should be an even better defensive team then we were with D'Antoni.

-SDU- · Post #9 » by **-SDU-** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:17 am

Never Fear 33 Is Here wrote:Not only that, but keep in mind he also spent the last few seasons on the bench in Detroit, which seem to have one of the best team defenses in the modern era.

not only that but they used their bench and developed rookies too

you only have to look at stuckey maxiell and aflallo (3 guys who wouldnt have gotten minutes as young guys in dantonis system) to see that

Nash2Stoudemire · Post #10 » by **Nash2Stoudemire** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:04 am

-SDU- wrote:not only that but they used their bench and developed rookies too

you only have to look at stuckey maxiell and aflallo (3 guys who wouldnt have gotten minutes as young guys in dantonis system) to see that

Why they don't give Amir Johnson more of a run i'll never know... :-?

He will be a monster when he eventually gets into the rotation!

phx#7 · Post #11 » by **phx#7** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 7:24 am

-SDU- wrote:not only that but they used their bench and developed rookies too

you only have to look at stuckey maxiell and aflallo (3 guys who wouldnt have gotten minutes as young guys in dantonis system) to see that

D'Antoni would have played Stuckey for sure and Maxiell would have gotten Skinner's minutes if he were on the team last year. It's always curious to me how people complain about D'Antoni not playing the young guys, it's not like he didn't play them because they were young, he didn't play them for the same reasons he didn't play guys like Marks and Pike and it was because they weren't good enough to play. The young players with talent seemed to find their way on the court.