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Our Defense Is Awful
« on: December 18, 2012, 11:17:44 PM »

Offline lrybrd

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Watching our defense (our lack thereof) against the Bulls tonight was alarming.  I can't count how many easy layups the Bulls got as a result of lazy defense.  We could not stop Belinelli from getting to the rim.  We need to either change our defensive philosophy or get a big man that will actually protect the rim.  Guards attack the basket against us and dish the ball for easy layups.  It needs to stop.  Maybe it is time to ditch the trapping defense.  Or maybe it is time to clean some house.   The lack of effort on some of he players' part is astounding.  I mean at one point during the game Gibson just walk across the lane for a layup with Green on him and Green neither saw the ball or made a move.  I am thoroughly disgusted.  I can deal with us not scoring (which is a subject for a later date) but the lack of defensive effort and intensity is very troubling to me as this team's success has been built on being strong defensively.  We don't need to import offensive players but some defensive help.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2012, 01:19:48 AM »

Offline PhoSita

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No KG = No defense.
You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2012, 01:54:59 AM »

Offline Galeto

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Belinelli waltzing into the lane with three or four dribbles and nobody stepping up to the protect the basket really bothered me.  This team used to have guys who would step in and take charges.  They have none now, which is a pretty big deficiency when you don't have shotblockers to make up for it.  I couldn't believe how many times Bass and Wilcox just stared at the open space a Bulls player was moving into and did nothing.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2012, 04:13:04 AM »

Offline makaveli

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no one seams to mention Rondo's free roam defense he plays just to get 5 freaking rebounds per game
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2012, 04:40:35 AM »

Offline Galeto

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I re-watched the game and it was mindbogglingly how terrible a defensive tandem Bass and Wilcox are.  They don't communicate at all.  On one possession, the Bulls ran a stagger screen and Bass, Rondo and Wilcox ended up triple teaming Nate on the wing. Triple Teaming!  Who does that.  Well, Bass, Wilcox and Rondo, that's who.  By the time Bass realized his own man was nowhere to be found, Nate passed the ball to a wide open Boozer who put in an easy layup. 

On the next possession, the Bulls of course ran the same play again and this time, there was better communication.  The only problem was Bass sunk himself into an unintentional quadruple screen and Boozer simply got loose for an open jumper.  Boozer didn't smile but he had to be smirking inside, toying with Bass as he was.  On the next possession, the Bulls again ran the same play and being the professionals they are, the Celtics finally defended it well.  Boozer again tried to trick Bass into another quadruple screen but no, Bass wasn't having any of it.  They would not be tricked three times, the defensive monsters.


The new guys, Lee, Barbosa and Terry are big culprits in the poor defense.  One time Barbosa needlessly sunk in from the corner far too deep and left Butler wide open for a three which he hit.  It was so sloppy.  Doc called for Lee immediately after it happened.  After seeing Lee's team defense, the substitution wouldn't have improved things. I'm most disappointed in Lee frankly because he at least came in with a good defensive rep.  Individually, I think he's a good defender but boy does he make some curious choices on team defense.  On one play, while marking Butler, he anticipated a pass going to Noah and shot in for a steal, straying about 15 feet from Butler.  When no pass came, instead of going back to Butler, he doubled down on his gamble and started trying to double team Deng out beyond the three point line.  This all resulted in Butler being left wide open for an offensive putback.  With no other defensive switches to be found, Lee was near the three point line while Butler tipped in an errant shot.  I couldn't believe what I saw. 

A huge defensive problem is how long the Celtics trap on defense the pick and roll.  Bass and Wilcox will trap and stay for seemingly forever.  Then it seems like a light goes on, why yes, they were guarding someone else, someone much taller, which sets off a mad scramble to get back to their man.  It's a frantic scrambling borne of bad timing and inattentiveness and the defense can't recover.

KG had some defensive slip ups but it's amazing how much better he is at anticipating the offensive sequence and deterring passes from even being attempted.   

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2012, 06:23:05 AM »

Offline mctyson

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Please believe me when I say this:  Avery Bradley is going to change all of this.  He is going to change this team.  Mark my words.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2012, 08:30:46 AM »

Offline pearljammer10

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Please believe me when I say this:  Avery Bradley is going to change all of this.  He is going to change this team.  Mark my words.

I sure hope your right but you have much more faith in the kid than I do. For me AB is our best asset to get the big we need. Lee can play the Bradley role just fine for this team.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2012, 08:34:32 AM »

Offline celticinorlando

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defense is nonexistent. down right pathetic

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2012, 09:06:39 AM »

Offline mctyson

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Please believe me when I say this:  Avery Bradley is going to change all of this.  He is going to change this team.  Mark my words.

I sure hope your right but you have much more faith in the kid than I do. For me AB is our best asset to get the big we need. Lee can play the Bradley role just fine for this team.

Avery Bradley is a First Team All-NBA defensive talent.  He is why we almost traded Ray for OJ Mayo.  Danny and Doc both know this.

He is going to change this team dramatically.  I wouldn't trade him for anything less than an All-Star.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2012, 09:12:50 AM »

Offline Chris

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No KG = No defense.

Even when KG is in there, the defense has been porous.  I think the whole rim protection this has become a major excuse (and even the team might be using it), but the problem is, everyone is missing assignments constantly. 

There just is no chemistry out there on the defensive side.  There is no trust, and they aren't giving each other reasons to trust.  They are thinking, rather than reacting, which is getting them caught flatfooted. 

The problem is, I don't think its something tactical at this point.  You can go through film and find the mistakes, but that only goes so far.  The train is just off the rails, and it is so hard to predict what can get them back on them. 

I hope that a spark from someone like Bradley could help put them back on the track, but I am not going to count on it. 

Honestly, what I think they really need, is to get some rhythm offensively.  I think if they can get their rhythm offensively, then the defense will come.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2012, 09:26:34 AM »

Offline kozlodoev

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I re-watched the game and it was mindbogglingly how terrible a defensive tandem Bass and Wilcox are.  They don't communicate at all.  On one possession, the Bulls ran a stagger screen and Bass, Rondo and Wilcox ended up triple teaming Nate on the wing. Triple Teaming!  Who does that.  Well, Bass, Wilcox and Rondo, that's who.  By the time Bass realized his own man was nowhere to be found, Nate passed the ball to a wide open Boozer who put in an easy layup. 

On the next possession, the Bulls of course ran the same play again and this time, there was better communication.  The only problem was Bass sunk himself into an unintentional quadruple screen and Boozer simply got loose for an open jumper.  Boozer didn't smile but he had to be smirking inside, toying with Bass as he was.  On the next possession, the Bulls again ran the same play and being the professionals they are, the Celtics finally defended it well.  Boozer again tried to trick Bass into another quadruple screen but no, Bass wasn't having any of it.  They would not be tricked three times, the defensive monsters.


The new guys, Lee, Barbosa and Terry are big culprits in the poor defense.  One time Barbosa needlessly sunk in from the corner far too deep and left Butler wide open for a three which he hit.  It was so sloppy.  Doc called for Lee immediately after it happened.  After seeing Lee's team defense, the substitution wouldn't have improved things. I'm most disappointed in Lee frankly because he at least came in with a good defensive rep.  Individually, I think he's a good defender but boy does he make some curious choices on team defense.  On one play, while marking Butler, he anticipated a pass going to Noah and shot in for a steal, straying about 15 feet from Butler.  When no pass came, instead of going back to Butler, he doubled down on his gamble and started trying to double team Deng out beyond the three point line.  This all resulted in Butler being left wide open for an offensive putback.  With no other defensive switches to be found, Lee was near the three point line while Butler tipped in an errant shot.  I couldn't believe what I saw. 

A huge defensive problem is how long the Celtics trap on defense the pick and roll.  Bass and Wilcox will trap and stay for seemingly forever.  Then it seems like a light goes on, why yes, they were guarding someone else, someone much taller, which sets off a mad scramble to get back to their man.  It's a frantic scrambling borne of bad timing and inattentiveness and the defense can't recover.

KG had some defensive slip ups but it's amazing how much better he is at anticipating the offensive sequence and deterring passes from even being attempted.
This is all true. The funny part is we were exponentially better last year with pretty much the same personnel (Garnett, Bass, Wilcox), so I can't really explain what's going on.

You could say Garnett has aged a year, but he's clearly not the issue.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2012, 09:31:45 AM »

Offline vinnie

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I think Avery Bradley is a fine player, but I am starting o believe that way too many people are badly overestimating his impact on this team, how many NBA games total has the guy played? H should improve the defense, but h won't make them a contender.

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2012, 09:33:24 AM »

Offline Chris

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I think Avery Bradley is a fine player, but I am starting o believe that way too many people are badly overestimating his impact on this team, how many NBA games total has the guy played? H should improve the defense, but h won't make them a contender.

Its going to get ugly, once he comes back and people realize he isn't the savior. 

I feel bad for the kid, because he can't win in this situation. 

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2012, 09:35:02 AM »

Offline kozlodoev

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I think Avery Bradley is a fine player, but I am starting o believe that way too many people are badly overestimating his impact on this team, how many NBA games total has the guy played? H should improve the defense, but h won't make them a contender.

Its going to get ugly, once he comes back and people realize he isn't the savior. 

I feel bad for the kid, because he can't win in this situation.
I agree. The problem is that the bigs can't give us any sort of consistent defensive effort (bad rotations, poor to non-existent pick-and-roll defense) -- and Bradley is not going to magically change this.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Re: Our Defense Is Awful
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2012, 09:41:12 AM »

Offline Chris

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I think Avery Bradley is a fine player, but I am starting o believe that way too many people are badly overestimating his impact on this team, how many NBA games total has the guy played? H should improve the defense, but h won't make them a contender.

Its going to get ugly, once he comes back and people realize he isn't the savior. 

I feel bad for the kid, because he can't win in this situation.
I agree. The problem is that the bigs can't give us any sort of consistent defensive effort (bad rotations, poor to non-existent pick-and-roll defense) -- and Bradley is not going to magically change this.

Its not just the bigs.  The rotations by the perimeter guys has been horrible as well, and no one other than Lee, and Rondo for a couple stretches (to start the year, and last night, actually), has shown the ability to keep their men in front of them.  So, in that respect, Bradley could help.  But he won't magically get Pierce, Green, Rondo, and Terry to make the correct rotations.  That needs to happen separarely.