zimpy27 wrote:Slava wrote:donnieme wrote:Actually noticed he has toned down his touches and rebound lurking but still doesn't dedicate any of that motor to defense. Last game saw Carmelo close out two shooters alone while Westbrook just stood in the paint. This instance was egregiously bad because he should have been the 2nd rotation, he should even have made the pre-rotation because it was obvious from the setup where the extra pass was going. I've never seen a guard so averse to contributing to the perimeter defense and rotations. Can't make threes but loves to give them away.
Westbrook is such a bad fit, especially for his defense, rather than anything on offense or a lack of spacing. Vogel and the Lakers made their bones on being the best defensive team by nailing
every single rotation on
every single possession on defense. When you take an offense out of their plan A, B & C, its suffocating. That kind of defense only works when
every player is committed to it.
Westbrook has been putting together a string of good defense games. I think he will get there consistently eventually.
Lakers losing Caruso, KCP, Gasol in one offseason has hurt the defense a lot.
Good is probably stretching the Bucks performance. His team defense in the 1st half of the Bucks game was atrocious. The reason it didn't stand out very frequently was he was stashed on George Hill who barely moved from the corner and the Bucks are more stagnant, however when he had to move or rotate he was lazy as ever. The possessions from 3:56 - 4:16 show a player who won't rotate even when his teammates are flying around trying to get a stop.
I'd especially highlight the one at 3:56, he and Bradley both gravitate to protect the paint, Bradley goes back to his man in the corner (fundamental help and recover move), Westbrook stays ballwatching and takes himself out of the possession. The result is an open 3 where he barely even makes a closeout. This might only be one possession but it's a microcosm of issues that have plagued the perimeter defense all season. An issue Westbrook compounds immensely. When the games are tight he's so eager to get the ball back he seems to forget about the other end. Part of why he becomes worse in those situations. Sometimes I feel like everyone who coached Westbrook to turn out the way he did need to be jailed.
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