Does defense even matter?

[RD2191]

In today's NBA? We're seeing the number 1 defense in the league getting obliterated by volume 3 point shooting.

[RD2191]

Same thing with the Jazz, top ranked defense destroyed by a 3 point shooting team.

[ElNono]

it does if you're lebron, tbh

[ElNono]

or if you have the hype of raymond, tbh, you can get away with triping and pushing people around...

[RD2191]

or if you have the hype of raymond, tbh, you can get away with triping and pushing people around...

:lol TBH

[313]

Yeah, but defense looks different these days. Modern defense means having a plethora of 3 & D guys that can chase shooters around the floor and switch PnRs. Usuaully just need one big on the floor, that preferably is mobile enough to switch PnRs as well. Current GS and Cavs are examples of this, 2011-2016 OKC was an example of this, 2012-2014 Spurs, etc etc

[Crazymaddopeyo]

When we played good defense like game 3 they couldn't even get a 3 point off. We looked slow on D last night. I'd say it matters.

[NameLess Scrub]

No. Just chuck around and get some hype so you can foul people with no call.

[coachmac87]

Same thing with the Jazz, top ranked defense destroyed by a 3 point shooting team.

Jazz are actually doing a decent job with the Warriors IMO.. they just can't score and crack 100...

Defense will ALWAYS play a factor in success in basketball. Yeah the Warriors can score but you can argue they're the best defensive team when they're locked in..

This year may be different but Cavs competed/defeated Warriors last two years in Finals because of their defense

[skulls138]

Im pretty sure the series is tied. But yes I believe D matters, same with interior play.

[dabom]

They have a good offense, we have a good defense. Now if we also had a good offense. :lol

[poop]

Matters less and less in todays chuck-from-3 right away league

[DMC]

It doesn't matter. All that matters is having a crafty PG and some rebounding and 3pt shooting. Your crafty PG can get to the line 20 times a night, your rebounders don't need to be able to do anything but rebound and dunk, and your 3pt shooters only need to dribble a couple times to side step Danny Green who's flying by them into the 3rd row.

[TD 21]

It does, it's just impossible to defend the Warriors, Cavaliers or Rockets, unless you have the Warriors personnel.

Those three teams are turning the league into a glorified 3-point contest and because the league is thriving at the moment, they're ignoring the bigger picture, which is, as future generations come up only knowing this style of play and more and more teams inevitably adopt it, casual fan will eventually get sick and tired of watching a league where neither team has a shot in hell at defending the other.

The solution is simple: Move the 3-point line back a few feet and either have the line be straight or only arched to the above the break.

[coachmac87]

It does, it's just impossible to defend the Warriors, Cavaliers or Rockets, unless you have the Warriors personnel.

Those three teams are turning the league into a glorified 3-point contest and because the league is thriving at the moment, they're ignoring the bigger picture, which is, as future generations come up only knowing this style of play and more and more teams inevitably adopt it, casual fan will eventually get sick and tired of watching a league where neither team has a shot in hell at defending the other.

The solution is simple: Move the 3-point line back a few feet and either have the line be straight or only arched to the above the break.


Only arched above the break would eliminate the corner 3 right?? Cause I think that change makes the most sense tbh and I have actually heard Bill Simmons mention it on his podcasts

[GSH]

The league could change it in the blink of an eye. Start calling the push-offs and carrying, and they wouldn't have the constant threat of easy points in the paint. The Spurs could control the 3P shooting enough to sweep, if not for that.

The fact that they aren't calling those things says they don't want defense to matter.

[skin27]

That's what I told y'all before that offense>defense..

[KDKSpurs24]

Not really. If you keep chucking up 3s some are gonna go in even if they are contested or deep.

[Russ]

Defense wins championships.

Still.

[SPURt]

http://reactiongifs.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/no-hell-no.gif

[Nathan89]

The problem is with nothing but shooters your elite guard gets to attack the weakest part of the defense(at least matchup wise). If you help you get wide open shots. It doesn't help that offenses get free reign use moving screens to make it even more difficult for guards and wings to defend. Which ultimately puts more pressure on bigs.

Ultimately as stated the three point line is going to have to be moved way the fuck out.

[BillMc]

I'm really bored with how the game has evolved into some sort of carnival arcade game chuck-fest. It'll never happen, but they s hould get rid of the 3 point shot period.

[hater]

I'm really bored with how the game has evolved into some sort of carnival arcade game chuck-fest. It'll never happen, but they s hould get rid of the 3 point shot period.

That would never happen but I wouldnt mind putting the line a foot farther away

[BC3]

I'm really bored with how the game has evolved into some sort of carnival arcade game chuck-fest. It'll never happen, but they s hould get rid of the 3 point shot period.


spurs vs "moreyball" league...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPndEwlzcgk

[Mark Celibate]

:lmao @ some of these butthurt Spurfans getting their panties in a bunch and acting like the league needs to be fixed somehow because they happen to be getting their shit pushed in this series.

Entitled faggots. You guys weren't complaining like this when you handled D'Antoni's Suns teams who played the exact same way.

[GSH]

:lmao @ some of these butthurt Spurfans getting their panties in a bunch and acting like the league needs to be fixed somehow because they happen to be getting their shit pushed in this series.

Entitled faggots. You guys weren't complaining like this when you handled D'Antoni's Suns teams who played the exact same way.


Totally valid point. Because we all know the game is being played and officiated exactly the same as it was when the Minneapolis Lakers defeated the Syracuse Nationals in the Finals. Just reach back into history at any point and you're still comparing apples to apples.

Fucktard.

[Mark Celibate]

Totally valid point. Because we all know the game is being played and officiated exactly the same as it was when the Minneapolis Lakers defeated the Syracuse Nationals in the Finals. Just reach back into history at any point and you're still comparing apples to apples.

Fucktard.

Care to expand upon your intentionally vague statement?

The bottom line is that you either adapt or bend over and take it in the ass. If Houston is going small and chucking up threes why can't

A) The Spurs beat them at their own game

or

B) punish them inside with their size advantage

It's all about one team imposing their style of play on another, which is how it always is in sports. Are the Rockets too quick or are the Spurs too big? It always comes down to who executes their style of play the best.

In short...go fuck yourself

[cjw]

1. Spurs had the #1 defense. Jazz had a lower scoring average because of pace only.

2. #1 defense is across your performance against all of the teams. You will be better at defending some than others. There are bad matchups - could have a bottom 15 offense that gives a top 5 defense issues.

3. As a corollary, having the best defense doesn't mean it'll work against two historically great offenses in Hou and GS. Spurs do a good job of chasing shooters into worse shots but great shooters will still shoot and make.

[spurtech09]

or if you have the hype of raymond, tbh, you can get away with triping and pushing people around...and kicking players in the nuts..

[tenbeersbold]

Problem is league parity,who the hell wants to sit and watch the same super teams go at it every year?!?

Combine that with the obviously head office influenced officiating and it stinks badly

[BC3]

Care to expand upon your intentionally vague statement?

The bottom line is that you either adapt or bend over and take it in the ass. If Houston is going small and chucking up threes why can't

A) The Spurs beat them at their own game

or

B) punish them inside with their size advantage

It's all about one team imposing their style of play on another, which is how it always is in sports. Are the Rockets too quick or are the Spurs too big? It always comes down to who executes their style of play the best.

In short...go fuck yourself

thats true. and its a good point. however the spurs historically (with timmy) have been traditionally about being diverse. they can run small if you want to run small or punish you with their bigs. they could play your game and beat you with it if they wanted to and had to. or they could beat you with their bigs. they had options.

this current manifestation of the spurs is that their bigs are generally useless in this series and so they havent been able to consistently shut down and slow down a small ball lineup vs the rox. however jury is still out about the spurs being more small ball minded with the rox and beating them i guess... because LMA/Gasol/Lee.

[GSH]

Care to expand upon your intentionally vague statement?

No.

Fucktard.

[RD2191]

No.

Fucktard.

:lol

[Indazone]

Mattters for the Rockets. They came to play.

The Rockets have a 105.8 defensive net rating, third-best in the playoffs, and they are only behind the Golden State Warriors (http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/golden-state-warriors) among the six teams still in action.

http://www.thedreamshake.com/2017/5/8/15584448/nba-playoffs-rockets-spurs-clint-capela

[Indazone]

Greg Popovich says Game 4 Spurs defense was bad enough to get him fired.

The Spurs lost to the Rockets Sunday night, 125-104, and Gregg Popovich blamed the loss on his team's poor transition defense.
"For us, you know, our bible begins with transition defense," Popovich said after the game. "If it's not there, we're just not ready to go. If you'd have seen the clips of our transition defense, you would have traded all the players and fired me by the end of the game. It was that bad. But [the Rockets] were intense, and they were that focused and they were that professional. And we were not."

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-playoffs-2017-spurs-vs-rockets-gregg-popovich/1i5l6edk9hklx1btesvuwlk94z

I expect the Spurs will come ready to play in game 5.

[RD2191]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/nba-playoff-defense-cant-stop-the-rise-of-the-pull-up-3/amp/

[UZER]

Greg Popovich says Game 4 Spurs defense was bad enough to get him fired.

The Spurs lost to the Rockets Sunday night, 125-104, and Gregg Popovich blamed the loss on his team's poor transition defense.
"For us, you know, our bible begins with transition defense," Popovich said after the game. "If it's not there, we're just not ready to go. If you'd have seen the clips of our transition defense, you would have traded all the players and fired me by the end of the game. It was that bad. But [the Rockets] were intense, and they were that focused and they were that professional. And we were not."

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-playoffs-2017-spurs-vs-rockets-gregg-popovich/1i5l6edk9hklx1btesvuwlk94z

I expect the Spurs will come ready to play in game 5.

Yeah Pop. I love watching lamarcus and Pau trying to get back on defense.