tlongII
03-25-2011, 09:44 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/03/trail_blazers_point_defensive.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/blazers_impact/photo/batumholidayjpg-78b5fd2d1d14e94a.jpg
The Blazers' Nicolas Batum pressures Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday as he brings the ball up court.
Deflated and defeated, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ramon Sessions gives up trying to retrieve an in-bound pass, waves to a teammate to provide help under the baseline and sprints toward the other end of the court with Nicolas Batum harassing him every step of the way.
Check. And mate.
"Sometimes, after two or three possessions, he's like 'OK, OK, I'm done,' and he just runs to the corner or down the court," Batum said. "So I win. That's when I know I win."
Meet the Trail Blazers' newest defensive weapon, an old weapon used from time to time the last couple of seasons that has been dusted off and polished for the stretch run. When coach Nate McMillan inserted Gerald Wallace into the starting lineup 10 days ago, he did so in part to stimulate a more aggressive defense that applies pressure through a variety of half-court traps and full-court schemes.
But while Wallace received most of the attention during the lineup shuffle, it turns out that Batum -- specifically his ability to defend point guards full-court -- was one of the biggest facilitators of the move. More than ever, depending on matchups, Batum has been asked to guard opposing point guards, a trend that only will intensify over the final 11 games of the season as the Blazers fight for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.
"It's been good for us," McMillan said. "That's where your defense starts, controlling the ball. And he has been our best guy as far as getting up and working the ball and controlling the ball. It's helps us establish the style of play that we want to play."
Although it was nothing more than a footnote, in two of the Blazers' last three victories Batum's full-court pressure was a difference-maker. He set the tone early during a landslide victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, neutralizing Sessions from the opening tip. And two days later, against Jrue Holiday and the Philadelphia 76ers, Batum did it again.
In the Blazers' small starting lineup -- Wallace replaced center Marcus Camby -- Wallace "shadows" the ball after a made shot, face-guarding the player in-bounding the ball. Batum immediately attaches himself to the point guard and tries to prevent him from catching the ball, or at the very least, from merely walking the ball up the court after he receives the in-bound pass.
The tactic rarely stimulates a steal in the backcourt. But over the course of a game, Batum's pressure can be disruptive to an offense and annoying to an opposing point guard, who is used to casually strolling up the court and setting up the offense. At best, Batum completely eliminates a point guard from initiating the offense, forcing another, less-capable player to bring the ball up the court and set up a play. At worst, the pressure takes a few extra seconds off the clock and delays an offense.
Either way, when done right, a team's flow has been rattled and the number of offensive options has been reduced.
"You eliminate at least one or two more options that you've got to defend," McMillan said. "Now their timing is off a little bit. The more you can do that, the more disruption you can cause. Every day you practice with your point guard starting your offense. Well if all of a sudden your two guard has to start your offense, it's tough. You can adjust, but it's not natural."
Sessions did not record on assist against the Blazers; Holiday made just 3 of 11 shots.
There's also a domino effect of the 6-foot-8 Batum, with his long and athletic frame, chasing smaller, faster players around the court.
"It's contagious," Wesley Matthews said. "When you see somebody stepping up their level of play and pressuring, you feed off that. It's a team and we all function as one and if someone does it, then everyone else tends to do it. And that makes our defense that much better."
Batum does not guard point guards every game as McMillan picks his spots based on matchups and how the Blazers' point guard, Andre Miller, fits into a defensive game plan. But odds are Batum will be counted on more than ever over the next two weeks, when the Blazers face a daunting string of games against Western Conference playoff contenders San Antonio, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and Dallas.
Over the next three games, all on the road, he is likely to spend time guarding three of the NBA's best point guards -- Tony Parker of the Spurs tonight and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder and Chris Paul of the Hornets next week. McMillan first experimented with Batum guarding the point last season against Parker, Batum's friend and fellow countryman from France.
McMillan thinks the scheme is especially effective against teams like the Hornets and the Thunder, who rely heavily on their point guard and do not feature a variety of ball-handlers in the starting lineup.
"If you shadow OKC, you take (the ball) out of Westbrook's hands and you make (Thabo) Sefolosha or (Kevin) Durant bring the ball up," McMillan said. "So now that's not what they want to do. It's just not natural. It's a way of disrupting. It's a way of taking advantage of our speed and extending our defense."
Batum admits that he needs to get in better condition if he will be asked to keep this up and he says he needs to carve time for more rest in between games. He joked that he "hates" guarding "those little, fast guys who are quicker than me." But with his long arms and deceptive speed, he knows he can be a weapon -- maybe even a difference-maker -- down the stretch.
Just ask Sessions.
"We took it out of Sessions' hands," McMillan said, "and they really didn't have an answer."
http://media.oregonlive.com/blazers_impact/photo/batumholidayjpg-78b5fd2d1d14e94a.jpg
The Blazers' Nicolas Batum pressures Philadelphia's Jrue Holiday as he brings the ball up court.
Deflated and defeated, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ramon Sessions gives up trying to retrieve an in-bound pass, waves to a teammate to provide help under the baseline and sprints toward the other end of the court with Nicolas Batum harassing him every step of the way.
Check. And mate.
"Sometimes, after two or three possessions, he's like 'OK, OK, I'm done,' and he just runs to the corner or down the court," Batum said. "So I win. That's when I know I win."
Meet the Trail Blazers' newest defensive weapon, an old weapon used from time to time the last couple of seasons that has been dusted off and polished for the stretch run. When coach Nate McMillan inserted Gerald Wallace into the starting lineup 10 days ago, he did so in part to stimulate a more aggressive defense that applies pressure through a variety of half-court traps and full-court schemes.
But while Wallace received most of the attention during the lineup shuffle, it turns out that Batum -- specifically his ability to defend point guards full-court -- was one of the biggest facilitators of the move. More than ever, depending on matchups, Batum has been asked to guard opposing point guards, a trend that only will intensify over the final 11 games of the season as the Blazers fight for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.
"It's been good for us," McMillan said. "That's where your defense starts, controlling the ball. And he has been our best guy as far as getting up and working the ball and controlling the ball. It's helps us establish the style of play that we want to play."
Although it was nothing more than a footnote, in two of the Blazers' last three victories Batum's full-court pressure was a difference-maker. He set the tone early during a landslide victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, neutralizing Sessions from the opening tip. And two days later, against Jrue Holiday and the Philadelphia 76ers, Batum did it again.
In the Blazers' small starting lineup -- Wallace replaced center Marcus Camby -- Wallace "shadows" the ball after a made shot, face-guarding the player in-bounding the ball. Batum immediately attaches himself to the point guard and tries to prevent him from catching the ball, or at the very least, from merely walking the ball up the court after he receives the in-bound pass.
The tactic rarely stimulates a steal in the backcourt. But over the course of a game, Batum's pressure can be disruptive to an offense and annoying to an opposing point guard, who is used to casually strolling up the court and setting up the offense. At best, Batum completely eliminates a point guard from initiating the offense, forcing another, less-capable player to bring the ball up the court and set up a play. At worst, the pressure takes a few extra seconds off the clock and delays an offense.
Either way, when done right, a team's flow has been rattled and the number of offensive options has been reduced.
"You eliminate at least one or two more options that you've got to defend," McMillan said. "Now their timing is off a little bit. The more you can do that, the more disruption you can cause. Every day you practice with your point guard starting your offense. Well if all of a sudden your two guard has to start your offense, it's tough. You can adjust, but it's not natural."
Sessions did not record on assist against the Blazers; Holiday made just 3 of 11 shots.
There's also a domino effect of the 6-foot-8 Batum, with his long and athletic frame, chasing smaller, faster players around the court.
"It's contagious," Wesley Matthews said. "When you see somebody stepping up their level of play and pressuring, you feed off that. It's a team and we all function as one and if someone does it, then everyone else tends to do it. And that makes our defense that much better."
Batum does not guard point guards every game as McMillan picks his spots based on matchups and how the Blazers' point guard, Andre Miller, fits into a defensive game plan. But odds are Batum will be counted on more than ever over the next two weeks, when the Blazers face a daunting string of games against Western Conference playoff contenders San Antonio, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and Dallas.
Over the next three games, all on the road, he is likely to spend time guarding three of the NBA's best point guards -- Tony Parker of the Spurs tonight and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder and Chris Paul of the Hornets next week. McMillan first experimented with Batum guarding the point last season against Parker, Batum's friend and fellow countryman from France.
McMillan thinks the scheme is especially effective against teams like the Hornets and the Thunder, who rely heavily on their point guard and do not feature a variety of ball-handlers in the starting lineup.
"If you shadow OKC, you take (the ball) out of Westbrook's hands and you make (Thabo) Sefolosha or (Kevin) Durant bring the ball up," McMillan said. "So now that's not what they want to do. It's just not natural. It's a way of disrupting. It's a way of taking advantage of our speed and extending our defense."
Batum admits that he needs to get in better condition if he will be asked to keep this up and he says he needs to carve time for more rest in between games. He joked that he "hates" guarding "those little, fast guys who are quicker than me." But with his long arms and deceptive speed, he knows he can be a weapon -- maybe even a difference-maker -- down the stretch.
Just ask Sessions.
"We took it out of Sessions' hands," McMillan said, "and they really didn't have an answer."