blkexec wrote:nixluva wrote:blkexec wrote:MDA taught Amare everything he knows. Since Amare never played college ball, his first few years in the NBA was key to his career development and fundamentals.When you are playing for a coach that doesn't teach defense, and a HOF point guard that puts the ball exactly where you need it, you really don't have to use much skill, other than your natural born athleticism.
Well, now you can see what Amari looks like without his athleticism.
Don't forget another thing....Kenyon Martin was the number1 pick in his draft for a reason. Put both of them at athletic peak, and Martin is still the better athlete.
I've discussed this before, but Amar'e has had MANY good defensive coaches and teammates in his NBA life and absolutely ZERO excuse for his poor defense. This idea that Amar'e plays poor D because of MDA is ludicrous.
Amar'e had Frank Johnson and his staff for 2 training camps 2002-03 and 2003-04
MDA for 2004-05, 2005-06 Amar'e was injured, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2010-11 NY
Terry Porter training camp in 2008-09
Alvin Gentry training camp in 2009-10
Mike Woodson 2011-12, 2012-13
The only one responsible for Amar'e playing poor D is Amar'e.
Improving your defensive IQ doesn't come from training camp. You have to actually play the game and hope you have a head coach that specializes in defense. Otherwise it's just something that comes naturally. When you are in HS, and the biggest kid around, you don't have to try very hard to play defense or offense. But in college, you have guys your size....Being big is not good enough....You have to develop more fundamentals.
I still believe if Amari went to college, he would've been ahead of his current development. Compared to Kenyon Martin who played all 4 yrs and has a natural gift for defensive instincts. So he got a double dose of defensive fundamentals, and actually used those skills against guys his size or bigger.
Training camp is used to build team chemistry, understand coaches philosophy, and improve your conditioning. Not to develop defensive instincts or basic fundamentals (you are expected to know that already at the NBA level).
Regardless of what you learn in training camp, as a rookie, you will lean on your strengths, not your weaknesses. That comes later in your career! Sometimes it comes too late, as in Amari's case, since he's now battling injuries and cant stay healthy enough to use his new offensive weapons, or Woody's defensive strategies....
I hate to say this but you dont' know what you're talking about!!! Teams do in fact go over basics in Training Camp. Both Condition and skills drills for offense and defense. It's also when they put in the defensive scheme and how they plan on attacking teams defensively and offensively. I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Amar'e has had enough different coaches who have all had to explain to the team what the defensive rotations are and how they want to actually deal with different types of sets, PnR, Post ups etc. Teams go over just about every scenario and how they would defend it.
