Where is Jahlil Okafor?

[76ciology]

Like Cavs game, Jah is doing a good job defending PnR off drives/roll man.

[76ciology]

What in the world are you talking about? I expect this kind of ridiculous reply from some of the other Okafor sycophants, but I know you are better than this.
[/quote

I assume you're referring to me. Good job at labeling me as an Okafor sycophant, while I've been consistently rating Noel higher than Okafor.

Basketball is a team sport, players are not simply defending one man and that man alone. Defending a P&R is also a team responsibility. With Covington behind the ball handler, Okafor should not stick with Lyles since you can't give up an open lane to the rim. What I (and many others here) am trying to say is that Okafor couldn't do much else than covering the space between Johnson and the basket and Covington should have switched to Lyles.

There are numerous examples of Okafor's disastrous defensive mistakes, but this wasn't the best one.

Should switch. I'm confident Mack can't finish over Jah in the paint while Roco has the size to defend Lyles at the post or challenge that 3.

Switch. This possession ends into TO

[76ciology]

Jah has sub-par athleticism and we all know that. So in defending PnR he would sag too low into the paint because if he would go outside and slightly challenge the ball handler, he doesn't have the athleticism to recover and challenge the roll man. Normally, he'd give up open jumpers to the opponent, while our perimeter defender who's a step late in recovery due to the screen, would try to bother the ballhandler/perimeter shooter.

The difference with the Cavs and the Jazz game is when the Cavs run the PnR, Jah can just sag low into the paint because LBJ and Cavs bigs just roll into the paint where Jah would be there to contest the shot. With the Jazz game, Hood, Hayward and company would shoot open jumpers. And quite frankly, most of these shots were semi-challenged by a recovering sixers perimeter defender but they were still able to shoot it efficiently. Guys like Embiid, Whiteside and Gobert can just be in the middle between the roll man & ball handler and still cover enough space to deflect the pass to the roll man or challenge the shot of the ball handler. I don't see Jah being able to play that kind of defense unless he gain a lot of athleticism.

The way I see it Jah has two options in defending the PnR. Sag low into the paint and give up open jumpers (semi-challenge a step late defender due to screen) from the opponent. Or Jah going outside to hedge or challenge the ball handler but he will need to have a wing or a PF who will rotate into the paint whenever the opponent drives/rolls to the basket, and that is something I think he will be more effective with.

Jah doesn't have sup-par athleticism. He doesn't have elite athleticism. Big difference.

Michael JAHrdan? yes.

[TTP]

Sixers PnR defense with trailing perimeter defender bothering PnR ball handler, while big protecting paint.

He moves like a primitive robot.

[76ciology]

Jah (and also Embiid) can be a big plus offensive player by driving a lot more. Easier to create looks for teammates and higher FT rate

[76ciology]

Sixers PnR defense with trailing perimeter defender bothering PnR ball handler, while big protecting paint.

He moves like a primitive robot.

Depends on the possession. On similar possessions, he's positioning himself to defend drive by ball handler similar to these..

[vine]

[/vine]

[TTP]

I'm saying in that exact possession, he looks like C3PO trying to defend.

[CoreyGallagher]

Yeah, Okafor probably could have been beginning to head out to get closer to Turner there and still deterred shot, but it worked out in the end. Besides that he was much more engaged overall last night, moved his feet well for the most part, even heard him call for a switch.

[76ciology]

Yeah, Okafor probably could have been heading out to get closer to Turner and still better deterred shot, but it worked so whatever. He was much more engaged overall last night though, even heard him call for a switch.

Good close out effort


The switch.

Yeah, even BB talked about the growth on Jah's defensive reads. It was a good bounce back game by Jah on D, i enjoyed recording clips of him on D this game compared to the last game against Jazz.

[spikeslovechild]

For those who want to know why the coach is hesitant to play Okafor at PF. Exhibit A:

In second vine can someone tell me what Okafor was supposed to do? If he went to the 3 point shooter too soon then he evacuates the basket and it leads to an easy layup. He stayed in front of the defender and he had to kick it out for a 3. What was Okafor supposed to do differently in that instance?

I thought on both vines Okafor played good defense. On the bank shot got both hands up and contested.

[76ciology]

Biggest issue with jah is this..



He needs to understand that modern C is about leaving behind the individual scoring/defense.

Modern C is about..
-help defense over limiting your man from scoring
-chasing boards over boxing your man out
-less iso offense and about driving to create good looks for teammates,setting screens to create good looks for teammates, finishing around the rim and spacing the floor to create easier scoring opportunity for teammates.

It's about impact.

Watch Noel being bullied by Vuc, D12 or Al J. But who cares? He still gives you A+ defensive impact. Nobody complained about how Al J schooled Holmes this game, everyone was happy about Holmes presence in the paint on D.

Who was on the court when Sixers need a stop against Pacers? The guy who played good D on Al J or the guy who was bullied by Al J but played good help defense?

Offensively, Jah needs to re-work his offense and accept drive, draw and shoot. And this also goes to Biid, can't compete nowadays vs high octane offense with post offense. Passing lanes to the post is congested, it is heavily contested, low FT rate and also generate fewer open looks compared to driving via PnR or face-up.

[SelfishPlayer]

Biggest issue with jah is this..


He needs to understand that modern C is about leaving behind the individual scoring/defense.

Modern C is about..
-help defense over limiting your man from scoring
-chasing boards over boxing your man out
-less iso offense and about driving to create good looks for teammates,setting screens to create good looks for teammates, finishing around the rim and spacing the floor to create easier scoring opportunity for teammates.

It's about impact.

Watch Noel being bullied by Vuc, D12 or Al J. But who cares? He still gives you A+ defensive impact. Nobody complained about how Al J schooled Holmes this game, everyone was happy about Holmes presence in the paint on D.

Who was on the court when Sixers need a stop against Pacers? The guy who played good D on Al J or the guy who was bullied by Al J but played good help defense?

Offensively, Jah needs to re-work his offense and accept drive, draw and shoot. And this also goes to Biid, can't compete nowadays vs high octane offense with post offense. Passing lanes to the post is congested, it is heavily contested, low FT rate and also generate fewer open looks compared to driving via PnR or face-up.

The game is officiated differently in the playoffs than in the regular season. The modern NBA game is still a big man's game in the playoffs and even more so in the NBA Finals. If the Sixers can ever get to the playoffs Embiid, Jahlil, and Holmes will have their impact magnified.

[dbodner]

Yeah, Okafor probably could have been heading out to get closer to Turner and still better deterred shot, but it worked so whatever. He was much more engaged overall last night though, even heard him call for a switch.

Good close out effort

This is about the opposite of a good close out.

[Mik317]

my question about that is...

who the **** is TJ guarding

[Ericb5]

Yeah, Okafor probably could have been beginning to head out to get closer to Turner there and still deterred shot, but it worked out in the end. Besides that he was much more engaged overall last night, moved his feet well for the most part, even heard him call for a switch.

Good point. I also noticed that he is CLEARLY concentrating on what he should be doing on defense, and is mad at him self when he brain farts, and the brain farts are still happening. The first step is recognizing the problem though, and he recognizes it, and is trying to work through it. He is basically responding to coaching, but hasn't been able to translate it in real time completely.

[Ericb5]

Biggest issue with jah is this..



He needs to understand that modern C is about leaving behind the individual scoring/defense.

Modern C is about..
-help defense over limiting your man from scoring
-chasing boards over boxing your man out
-less iso offense and about driving to create good looks for teammates,setting screens to create good looks for teammates, finishing around the rim and spacing the floor to create easier scoring opportunity for teammates.

It's about impact.

Watch Noel being bullied by Vuc, D12 or Al J. But who cares? He still gives you A+ defensive impact. Nobody complained about how Al J schooled Holmes this game, everyone was happy about Holmes presence in the paint on D.

Who was on the court when Sixers need a stop against Pacers? The guy who played good D on Al J or the guy who was bullied by Al J but played good help defense?

Offensively, Jah needs to re-work his offense and accept drive, draw and shoot. And this also goes to Biid, can't compete nowadays vs high octane offense with post offense. Passing lanes to the post is congested, it is heavily contested, low FT rate and also generate fewer open looks compared to driving via PnR or face-up.

Good observation, and with the first clip I think that he is caught between doing two things that he is bad at, help defense, and boxing out.

I personally feel as if he is a worse rebounder than he is a defender. You could argue that defense is more important, but I think his rebounding skills are worse.

He is concentrating on not losing his man to position himself for the rebound, and by focusing on that he is remaining out of position for help defense. Ideally, he would be concentrating on both, but I think that that is what is going through his head on the first clip.

[Eyeamok]

Not trying to derail this topic. But it's funny in these clips where you see Okafor get the pass and then go up for an easy layup and then when he drives draw defenders and then passes out to the guard at the top of the key for an uncontested 3 these are things that Noel can't do. A quick wrap around pass to him, usually bounces off of his hands. Driving to the middle chances are he will bounce the ball off his foot. And this is not bashing Noel, I like the guy. I just hope when he gets back on the floor he can show some improvement on the offensive end.

Looking forward to seeing Okafor develop more on the defensive end as the season goes on.

[Unbreakable99]

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[76ciology]

Aside from Trump winning, Jah has a better DBPM than both Porzingis and Towns.

[76ciology]

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