From what I recall, we had a pretty strong defense last year and the changes in personnel do not seem to account for this lack of production.
We lost Robin Lopez, but Joakim Noah is arguably a better defender if not around the same level.
Melo has done a complete 180. Despite coming off what I thought was one of his better defensive seasons, he seems to be following up with one of his worst...
Lee was recruited in part for his defensive prowess and is for sure a step up from Affalo.
Lance Thomas has been a huge disappointment this season, once an impactful defensive player now a shell of his former self (likely due to injury). But we have gotten some unexpected production out of Holiday defensively.
DRose can't be worse than Calderon defensively.
I really don't think the personnel seems to be the issue. What has changed dramatically is the offense. We are running the floor and pushing the ball on a lot of the plays. This style expends much more energy than the slow paced, half court sets of the triangle. I can easily see this style of play gassing older players like Melo. I honestly feel Melo doesn't have the same energy and is struggling to adapt his game to these new limitations. While we were all frustrated with the lack of production offensively from the triangle, the style of play resulted in more defensive energy. This is why it might seem like there is a lack of effort, but might have to deal with the conditioning of the personnel. Anyone else got another take?
Our top two guys are iso players... in my experience when you play with guys who hold the ball a lot and don't bust their asses on defense, no one busts their ass on defense
This team doesn't do enough good things on defense to make teams uncomfortable and take them out of what they want to do. We also don't run the same level of PnR Offense that other teams do and it seems like they practice against their own offense and aren't prepared to defend Spread, PnR, 3pt attacks!!!
We don't have enough players willing to give the effort needed to close off drives and keep rotating out to shooters behind the 3pt line! Melo doesn't do it. Noah doesn't do it. KP wants to protect the rim and so he's slow to get out to shooters but really that should be for other guys to do that. LT being hurt has an impact as well.
Both Noah and Melo were guilty of not closing out to shooters and I don't think they have the stamina or maybe the will to do it.
I think we need younger and quicker guys. The more we play those younger Knicks the better their defensive chemistry and know how should get. Why not play Plumlee and Baker etc?
Because we replaced RLopez with Noah
Caseloads wrote:Because we replaced RLopez with Noah
I think Phil thought it would be somewhat of a wash! Noah isn't the rim protector RoLo is but he figured his defense would be close enough. I thought Noah would be fine filling in on D. What I don't understand is WHY no Plumlee??? Dude is the most active big we have. WTF JEFF?
nixluva wrote:Caseloads wrote:Because we replaced RLopez with Noah
I think Phil thought it would be somewhat of a wash! Noah isn't the rim protector RoLo is but he figured his defense would be close enough. I thought Noah would be fine filling in on D. What I don't understand is WHY no Plumlee??? Dude is the most active big we have. WTF JEFF?
Plumlee is the most enthusiastic rebounder on our team, and considering Noah is yet to take a jump shot this season, I really don't see why Plumlee wouldn't play more mins. Plumlee is not a passer out of the paint though...low IQ there I think.
Cartman718 wrote:nixluva wrote:Caseloads wrote:Because we replaced RLopez with Noah
I think Phil thought it would be somewhat of a wash! Noah isn't the rim protector RoLo is but he figured his defense would be close enough. I thought Noah would be fine filling in on D. What I don't understand is WHY no Plumlee??? Dude is the most active big we have. WTF JEFF?
Plumlee is the most enthusiastic rebounder on our team, and considering Noah is yet to take a jump shot this season, I really don't see why Plumlee wouldn't play more mins. Plumlee is not a passer out of the paint though...low IQ there I think.
I can live with the lack of passing as we did with RoLo. I just want to see someone fight for rebounds and hustle on D!!! I want to know why Jeff has not gone back to Plumlee considering he showed the most effort of anyone on D.
The scouting report for the knicks defense is that they don't defend the 3, or sink so far into the paint that it's almost impossible to recover.
They go under screens almost every time in order to protect the drive/paint, they never trap, have low IQ defenders, and the communication comes every 8 plays.
I understand Rambis Philospohy, and it's not a bad one if you had the talent. Melo does not communicate on defense at all, he rushes to help someone and leaves his man wide open. Rose, Lee and Holiday, they are going under the screen 8 out of 10 times (fear of contact).
IMO once you go under the screen your in trouble if the ball handler doesn't penetrate, jennings tries more than anyone on the team, but he's not strong or quick enough, and his man penetrates enough to suck in in the defense and 3 guy become wide open for a 3.
Like i said in the game thread, the knicks prepare for game like they look at a stat sheet.If it's a low% 3 point team, there's no emphasis on perimeter defense, if't the other way around, then it becomes lay-up-city. The coaching staff has to take ownership as well as the players.
One of the reason woodson/mda was like switch on everything was because it's easier that way, but that also requires players who can guard multiple position.
Another thing is the unfamiliarity when you open up your rotation, thats where communication comes in. These guys have not played together long enough to know what your teammates likely going to do, or capable of doing, thats why the blank stairs come after they give up another wide open 3.
Good defense leads to good offense, bad offense leads to bad defense.
If Melo, Rose, or KP failed to score in ISO it is almost instantaneous fats break opportunity.
Players who are not involved in the action are standing looking and not on the run to get back.
On top of this both Rose and Melo are bad in defending their positions.
Melo is slow to defend 3th and small to defend 4th.
Both are afraid to get injured fighting over the screens with the history of alignments they had.
Noah and Lance are not even close to being physically capable to defend. They need to get their body right first.
Our bench is trying hard but it is young bench and learn defense and especially team defense in NBA takes time.
Just effort and talent is not good enough. Both teams on the court will be loaded with both on every given night.
Team need smart, experienced, well coached players to adequately defend on NBA level.
