HeatSince88 wrote:It might sound good on paper to use one's C to double the guy with the ball, but how many Cs have the mobility to really do that in any meaningful way against guys like Wade and LeBron? Most people have been most concerned about the teams with the big, physical Cs, such as the Lakers and Celtics. What kind of on-the-move help defense are guys like Shaq, Bynum, Perkins, etc. going to give? Not much. They will cause tons of fouls as they try to get their slow feet set in front of Wade and LeBron and they will quickly exhaust themselves even trying to do it. Wade and LeBron are both very capable of splitting the double team, especially if one of the double teamers is a big, slow center who is not comfortable in space out on the perimeter. And they don't have to split it and go all the way to the hoop -- they just need to get in position to find an open Anthony or Magloire near the hoop.
I think you're confusing doubling someone with guarding someone one-on-one.
A double-team is mostly about positioning and has virtually nothing to do with keeping up with someone laterally. A double-teamer comes over with his hands up and angles himself in such a way to eliminate 50% of the floor. Meanwhile, the defender getting the help similarly angles himself to cut off the other 50% of the floor.
You make it seem like Shaq or someone will be coming out to guard LeBron one-on-one...
As for what centers can handle that, doesn't every team in the league now "show" and "trap" off the pick-and-roll, even if it's with their center? YESSSS. They have for at least 10 years now. It's the same concept man, same amount of effort, etc. No actually, it's LESS effort and lateral movement to show on a double-team than to show and trap a guy on a pick-and-roll like every team does already.
There are defensive stratgeies that can work
Such as?
Apparently Joel Anthony's man shading to help against LeBron isn't one of them, so where does YOUR help come from? You leaving Wade? Bosh? Miller? House? Chalmers?
I am not confusing doubling with guarding one on one. The bigger Cs are not comfortable on D coming out to the perimeter. And yes, it does require some lateral quickness, unless you think Shaq standing like a statue 18 ft. from the hoop is going to really impede Wade's ability to get to the hoop. It is not. Nobody can cut off 50% of the floor by standing still. Or even close. Not even Shaq. And if those guys try to, they will be far from their own man who will be standing a few feet from the basket waiting for the easy catch and dunk.
No, not every team shows and traps much with their centers. And among those that do, not all do it well. How often did Shaq do that when he was here? And that was 4-5 years ago.
My full statement about defensive stratgeies that can work was "There are defensive strategies that can work
if this team is impatient and has bad ball movement." I'm not sure why you cut that last part out. The point was that teams could pack it in the paint and play zone and challenge Wade and LeBron to take 18 footers. If LeBron and Wade are impatient and unwilling to pass the ball (which I said they are not), then they'd just take those 18 footers, which they will make at a 40-45% clip. That is relatively low efficiency, at least as compared to their efficiency when they go to the hoop. Because I think we will be patient and will have good ball movement, I don't worry about that.
I do not think there is a good way to defend this team. That is why I am among the few who think the Van Gundy's actually believe what they have said about how indefensible this team will be. I think they had agendas re: "why" they said it publicly, but I think they do really believe it. On any given possession, a given defensive strategy can work. But over approximately 100 possessions per game, very few teams will be able to stop it even half the time. The spacing will be too good. the penalty for not respecting the pacing too steep (an open 3 by a 40+% 3 pt shooter). And the guys handling the ball are just too quick, too creative and too good passers for any team to be able to stop it consistently. There will be games when the Heat is off shooting wise, but I can't see that happening in 4 out of 7 games.
