He's the slowest to rotate. He's sagging way too far off his guy looking to help on defense and giving up tons of open looks. Frye drilled a couple last night and missed a few wide open looks as well.
One on one he's been good and he made some great plays but overall he's been a disaster and after watching the Cle gave for the 2nd time he's the fix right now. Its the NBA... either he or Noah is going to get pulled out the 3 point line and have to play defense there. It almost seems like they are hell bent on defending the paint with two guys but there are not players to defend there.
The good part is they are easy fixes and we all know KP is a fast learned. I am honestly excited to see what adjustments they make. Good early test for the group and the coaches... they got smoked and played poorly on both ends. Like the coach said the effort was there, but the execution stunk.
Noah's D isn't up to speed yet, and KP might be trying to help. As its been pointed out, KP and Lopez were a very good tandem, regardless of the bad coaching last season. Lopez created space for KP to operate, and he usually drew the toughest defensive assignment. Noah could be that guy, but until he gets back into playing shape there are going to be nights like these.
3 coaches in just over 2 seasons, going to take time for KP to figure things out. My main concern is that KP is turned strictly into a spot up shooter, garbage man. Its early, Hornacek might be more comfortable expanding KP's role as the season progresses.
All of our players are guilty of it. I called out Holiday and Thomas... you're calling out KP today... I thought Melo did a horrible job too. I would say Melo was putting KP in those bad situations Cuz alot of times Melo was switching taking the closest person leaving the guy he's guarding out on the perimeter for KP to chase. KP can't protect the rim and guard the 3 at the same time. This is our weak spot. Teams know this already. We gotta get a handle on this.
Agreed, but the entire team was poor defensively, not just KP.
Yeah, last night KP's D wasn't great but no one's was. Probably just a bad game from everyone--good news is that everyone's capable of playing much better on both ends--every guy Hornacek played last night. Reminds me very much of our first preseason game in Houston, how lost we looked that night (except for KP who was rainin' 3s
). We'll get there, at least to a much better level of play than we saw last night. Not too concerned with anything for now. Keep it all as is--same lineup, etc.. Courtney Lee's just gotta get more involved and make himself a threat--that's my main thing in the early going. He's gotta be more assertive.
KP, normally, is a factor on D. When he's right, he's 2 blocks a game around the rim with a good ability to stay up vertical on his man, hands up, without fouling for the most part. He'll be OK..
But point taken about the closing out hard on shooters. That drives me CRAZY. It's been an issue the past few years and it was again last night. Part of me just wants to see guys stay tight on their man, esp. someone like Channing Frye. Yeah, it was baffling how anyone can sag off him. That's what the guy does--he can shoot the ball from out there. Why on earth leave him, rotate off him??? Stupid. Cover that guy tight out there and you take him right outta the game. And if you don't want to have KP that far away from the rim on D like that, someone else should've been checkin' him out there. Gotta be smart. I really hope they tighten up their perimeter close outs.
KP did that last year, too. Have to be selective on who you drop off on...Love is not one to do it to. If you are playing a good stretch 4 you cannot sag as much as he does.
This is a coaching issue, though. In many ways he has a center's mentality on D, and wants to be blocking shots-they have to work on his decision making.
As someone also said, this is more than a KP issue, though.
It is going to take time for the team to get to know each other. 20 games minimum is what I expect.
Regarding the defense going forward, KP is just too skilled defensively to not have him patrolling the paint more times than not.
I'm just extremely happy we have our pick this year.
I hear that KP may have been over compensating for others. That is a 100% possible. Agree he was not the only one who played subpar defense, but boy the ball found his man with nobody around quite a bit. Also covering for others is a mistake as well at this point. If its Noah, Melo, Rose, whoever... you need give them a chance to do their jobs. It was like they were afraid to be late on D so they were early instead constantly overplaying or sagging way off their guys.
None of this is negative.. just observations. Memphis is a nice step down but still a quality foe, and I like that we have a few practice days to sort through some of this. I thought we saw good adjustments after the first preseason blow out. Lets see what we get this time.
without communication on defense, or a system, your going to be a horrible defensive team. You can't defend ball movement, and a face pace offense consistently.
That has always been MDA's philosophy, which is why he could get away with a subpar defensive team. In the 2nd half We looked exactly like we looked the first preseason game against the rockets.
It's not about KP, or and one individual, what about the turnovers and the rebounding, those are keys to winning games, out work mother fckrs and take care of the ball.
In the 54 win season we lead the league in fewest turnovers
knicks1248 wrote:without communication on defense, or a system, your going to be a horrible defensive team. You can't defend ball movement, and a face pace offense consistently. That has always been MDA's philosophy, which is why he could get away with a subpar defensive team. In the 2nd half We looked exactly like we looked the first preseason game against the rockets.
It's not about KP, or and one individual, what about the turnovers and the rebounding, those are keys to winning games, out work mother fckrs and take care of the ball.
In the 54 win season we lead the league in fewest turnovers
that is really step 1 right now
I'm more worried about the group's cohesion on the defensive side than I am on the offensive side... KP has to be better though that is definitely for sure
If there's anything to truly hate about last night's D, it was the inability or desire to do anything but watch Lebron dunk and watch Kyrie hit shots. Is Hornacek preaching squeaky clean D? "Listen guys, if you get in early foul trouble, don't worry, I've got a bunch of hungry yoots on the bench..."
On that one Lebron dunk off an offensive rebound, Jennings was litter-ally standing around guarding nobody.
DRose, who looked as guilty as anyone, was right. They have to start putting people on the line, not looking like a bunch of DLee impersonators.
KP just looked on the perimeter like he didn't know whether to jump, extend or take a dump.
D better get a whole lot better.
fishmike wrote:He's the slowest to rotate. He's sagging way too far off his guy looking to help on defense and giving up tons of open looks. Frye drilled a couple last night and missed a few wide open looks as well.One on one he's been good and he made some great plays but overall he's been a disaster and after watching the Cle gave for the 2nd time he's the fix right now. Its the NBA... either he or Noah is going to get pulled out the 3 point line and have to play defense there. It almost seems like they are hell bent on defending the paint with two guys but there are not players to defend there.
The good part is they are easy fixes and we all know KP is a fast learned. I am honestly excited to see what adjustments they make. Good early test for the group and the coaches... they got smoked and played poorly on both ends. Like the coach said the effort was there, but the execution stunk.
Would Agree he needs to improve as it is a basic strategy to take a shot blocker out of the box by putting stretch players against him. He has had trouble with good outside shooting assignments. A bit more disappointed at his affinity for the long three and the knack to want to put ball on the floor within 20 feet. He needs to work on catch and shoot and post game. Almost like he doesn't realize that no one can block his shot. Don't like him looking like a 7 foot 3 shooting guard.
Looking at the third quarter and really this whole game, it looks like Porzingis is not playing defense very well. But if you look really close, he's actually the only one who is playing defense, but it's impossible to guard five players by yourself
He was also falling for pump fakes. He doesn't need to do that. Him standing there with his arm up is enough most lf the time. If someone drills a jumpshot in his face then tip of the cap to the shooter. It's the NBA. Shooters can do that. Don't screw up your whole defense though by giving them a free lane to the basket. I'd rather them
Hit the 3 in your face then them getting the And-1.
As a 2nd year player these are his faults. His defensive recognition is still relatively slow. You don't get those reads and anticipation skills until a few years into league. Even top notch defenders coming out of a 3 year college program take some time.
Wish KP was in his prime now, because lord knows this team needs a prime star to take them to another level, but he is not there yet. He's going to need a few years before he can consistently be relied on to stay out of foul trouble, to play smarter on defense and offense.
nyknickzingis wrote:As a 2nd year player these are his faults. His defensive recognition is still relatively slow. You don't get those reads and anticipation skills until a few years into league. Even top notch defenders coming out of a 3 year college program take some time.Wish KP was in his prime now, because lord knows this team needs a prime star to take them to another level, but he is not there yet. He's going to need a few years before he can consistently be relied on to stay out of foul trouble, to play smarter on defense and offense.
that's all... this is just part of the natural progression. Its not effort. That being said I expect a much better showing Saturday, and not just from KP, from all of them
