Defense

[Kingster]

The individuals on this team may not be the best defenders, but I can tell you right now that most of the the layups that other teams are getting are NOT because of players not be able to defend, it's because they are blowing their assignments, missing switches, playing the pick and roll terribly, not seeing ball and man. Heck, the first (or second) play of the Indiana game Garcia has his back TOTALLY turned to the ball. He had no idea the Indiana pg was directly behind him making a layup. That's ridiculously bad defense. If they cut down on just half of the brain dead stuff they do on defense, they could have won the Indiana game. It's attention to detail, and it's brain-dead lazy defense, much more so mentally than physically from what I can tell.

 

[FakeInjury]

Um, Apprecciate the overview, but right now we want the kings to do that. This team couldn't win a champ with LeBron on the roster. Lets focus on covering the spreads while loosing the game.

 

[VF21]

The individuals on this team may not be the best defenders, but I can tell you right now that most of the the layups that other teams are getting are NOT because of players not be able to defend, it's because they are blowing their assignments, missing switches, playing the pick and roll terribly, not seeing ball and man. Heck, the first (or second) play of the Indiana game Garcia has his back TOTALLY turned to the ball. He had no idea the Indiana pg was directly behind him making a layup. That's ridiculously bad defense. If they cut down on just half of the brain dead stuff they do on defense, they could have won the Indiana game. It's attention to detail, and it's brain-dead lazy defense, much more so mentally than physically from what I can tell.

Very nice assessment. I think the one thing that is the most frustrating to the coaching staff is blown assignments and an obvious lack of concentration/focus on defense. It's not that they don't know how to defend; it's more that they're convinced it's not important OR not going to make a difference.

Regardless of what the previous poster might think, I feel very strongly that we have to start addressing this problem now - and doing so consistently. If we don't, the bad habits will be so ingrained we won't be able to get the players out of them when it does matter.

 

[bajaden]

The individuals on this team may not be the best defenders, but I can tell you right now that most of the the layups that other teams are getting are NOT because of players not be able to defend, it's because they are blowing their assignments, missing switches, playing the pick and roll terribly, not seeing ball and man. Heck, the first (or second) play of the Indiana game Garcia has his back TOTALLY turned to the ball. He had no idea the Indiana pg was directly behind him making a layup. That's ridiculously bad defense. If they cut down on just half of the brain dead stuff they do on defense, they could have won the Indiana game. It's attention to detail, and it's brain-dead lazy defense, much more so mentally than physically from what I can tell.

I've been arguing that team defense is what creates a good defensive team. And your right, there's a lot of blown assignments. Beno sometimes defends the pick and roll like he's never seen it before. I'm not sure whats wrong with Cisco, but he's been getting lost in traffic lately and he's usually one of our better defenders.

On the bright side, I've been impressed with the progress of Thompson. He's come a long way from the beginning of the season. He got burned by Hibbert by playing too far off of him, not realizing that there was no way in hell that Hibbert was going to be able to go around him. But thats how you learn.

It also appears that there's not enough talking on defense. When you see Bobby Brown run right into a pick and get knocked on his keister, that usually means no one let him know there was a pick being set. Its doing the little things that make for a good defensive team.

 

[Bricklayer]

This is not news -- lack of focus/attention to detail/intensity is about half of why anybody is a bad defender anyway. Now actual good defenders have a gift every bit as legit as the "skill" of chucking a ball at a basket, but so many of the bad ones are simply weak and sloppy mentally, do not focus, do not clamp down and learn. As an aside, a true defnsive captain can help there. See Boston for an example of a team with several guys who flat out have the defensive gift, and then abunch of guys who have never been great onthat end until they got their captain barking at them, inspiring them, demanding it from them. Meanwhile we've only got one good defender, and he doesn't say a word to anybody and is more concerend with getting his numbers on offense.

 

[VF21]

Unless my memory is failing me - and that's a real possibility - I could have sworn Udrih used to play defense. In fact, I actually remember commenting on it in a couple of PBP threads and remarking something about it must be a carryover from his days with Pop...

I don't expect to see us turn into a defensive juggernaut, but it sure would be nice to see at least one game where all our players at least acknowledge there is something called "defense"... I see glimmers of it so I know it's there.

I long for the days of Doug Christie, who made it look so easy we didn't realize he was doing it...

Of course, I also long for the days of 45 records and 19 cent hamburgers.

 

[TheFifthMookie]

Meanwhile we've only got one good defender, and he doesn't say a word to anybody and is more concerend with getting his numbers on offense.

Who is this? Ron is already gone!

 

[VF21]

Who is this? Ron is already gone!

Um, I know it's considered "in" right now to dump on John Salmons, but I don't fault his defense - especially against Kobe Bryant. He deserves credit for what he does...

And just to make a point? Salmons has actually done a better job dending the brave little soldier than good ol' Ron-Ron.

 

[kingsnation]

I could have sworn Udrih used to play defense. In fact, I actually remember commenting on it in a couple of PBP threads and remarking something about it must be a carryover from his days with Pop...

I guess this is just a testament to the kind of coach Pop is and the system he has in place. Of course, for whatever the reason, Beno didn't make it in SA...Idk if that insinuates anything or not.

 

[bajaden]

This is not news -- lack of focus/attention to detail/intensity is about half of why anybody is a bad defender anyway. Now actual good defenders have a gift every bit as legit as the "skill" of chucking a ball at a basket, but so many of the bad ones are simply weak and sloppy mentally, do not focus, do not clamp down and learn. As an aside, a true defnsive captain can help there. See Boston for an example of a team with several guys who flat out have the defensive gift, and then abunch of guys who have never been great onthat end until they got their captain barking at them, inspiring them, demanding it from them. Meanwhile we've only got one good defender, and he doesn't say a word to anybody and is more concerend with getting his numbers on offense.

I can't argue with any of what you said. It certainly doesn't hurt to have great athlete's on your team who have the desire to play defense. Unfortunately, just being a great athlete doesn't always equate into being a good defender. Not to pick on Martin, who is certainly a good athlete, but, in my opinon he's just an average defender.

Good defenders are more than just good athletes. They study film of the player their going to defend. They know where he likes to shoot from on the floor. The know whether he likes to go left or right to the basket, etc.
In other words, they do their homework. If you put in the proper amount of effort on and off the floor, you don't have to be a great athlete. You just have to be smart.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Defense wins championships and just flat out wins games at all levels. Look the four NFL wild card teams moving on after this playoff weekend. Baltimore Ravens - terrifying D to say the least. San Diego Chargers, solid as ever on D. Philadelphia Eagles - Smothering D, peaking at right time. Okay, Arizona is the exception - and will likely fall next week to superior Carolina with their much better D. (BTW, no need to comment on this football stuff here since we have a thread going in "General" all about it).

Back to the Kings D - or lack of it. One of the worst parts of the Kings D is failure to adequately guard the three point line. What I've noticed is regardless of man-to-man or zone, Kings just are not quick enough to get out there with at least a closing hand-up consistently. Their D rotations are horribly slow to react. Often, when they do get to a spot up shooter they're just taken off the dribble with no shot blockers inside to intimidate or on a screen left with a bad mismatch. It's really all just signs of a mediocre team at best. Out hustled on D, playing soft, not passing enough to make opposition work hard on D, not being able to close out games available for the taking - and a host of other CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS.

Unfortunately, unless there's a trade coming in the next few weeks none of this can get much better this season. It won't be solved by inserting tiny Bobby Brown in at PG, as the be all end all solution. I'm all for playing him around 10-15 mins a night - but that's it. Why not more? Because 35-year-old Bjax is simply better and should get his minutes if the Kings want to win another game this season

 

[Kingster]

This is not news -- lack of focus/attention to detail/intensity is about half of why anybody is a bad defender anyway. Now actual good defenders have a gift every bit as legit as the "skill" of chucking a ball at a basket, but so many of the bad ones are simply weak and sloppy mentally, do not focus, do not clamp down and learn. As an aside, a true defnsive captain can help there. See Boston for an example of a team with several guys who flat out have the defensive gift, and then abunch of guys who have never been great onthat end until they got their captain barking at them, inspiring them, demanding it from them. Meanwhile we've only got one good defender, and he doesn't say a word to anybody and is more concerend with getting his numbers on offense.

Even Salmons can get better at D. When is the last time you can recall he ever helped out on D? He doesn't, at least not to the point where it's worth mentioning. He just stands there and watches when somebody else gets beaten, not helping out when he's close enough to take a charge or at least get close enough to the opponent to make him uncomfortable in getting his shot.

I think the subject is worth mentioning because there seems to be a feeling on this board by many that this team is congenitally handicapped when it comes to defense, that because of the lack of innate ability they can't be good at it. I don't buy into that thinking.

 

[ESP47]

So what does this all come down to? Bad coaching or bad playing? Sounds like we need a hard *** for a coach, someone like Jeff Van Gundy.

 

[tyrant]

this team is bad because there are no good defenders. not even 1. coaching stinks. nothing to see here guys, lets move it along

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

this team is bad because there are no good defenders. not even 1. coaching stinks. nothing to see here guys, lets move it along

This post contains three statements. Two of them are actually true.

 

[Kingster]

this team is bad because there are no good defenders. not even 1. coaching stinks. nothing to see here guys, lets move it along

That begs the question; it doesn't answer it.

 

[Larry89]

Defense?? We talkin about defense!??

 

[Showtime]

The individuals on this team may not be the best defenders, but I can tell you right now that most of the the layups that other teams are getting are NOT because of players not be able to defend, it's because they are blowing their assignments, missing switches, playing the pick and roll terribly, not seeing ball and man. Heck, the first (or second) play of the Indiana game Garcia has his back TOTALLY turned to the ball. He had no idea the Indiana pg was directly behind him making a layup. That's ridiculously bad defense. If they cut down on just half of the brain dead stuff they do on defense, they could have won the Indiana game. It's attention to detail, and it's brain-dead lazy defense, much more so mentally than physically from what I can tell.

Wait, so you are saying there's a difference between bad defenders, and players that play bad defense? If they can't play defense, they are bad defenders.