Ok Vince Lombardi, feel free to totally look past my posts that show the fact that the Clippers are, for all intents and purposes, better on defense under Doc than they were under VDN.
I would also submit to you that the very best defenses in the NBA *that does not include the Clippers* have historically forced the other team to bend to their defensive principles, rather than the other way around.
Also, feel free to elucidate to me on exactly what the right way to be a fan is, I'm clearly missing something if I enjoy sports aesthetically.
Wanna bet me a hundred bucks I can't roll out a bunch of stats that show the Clippers were a better defensive team last season? We'll just end up arguing that this stat is better than that stat, which makes the whole thing so subjective that it's almost pointless.
I would very much like to see those numbers, actually. I contend that Doc implemented a better system than VDN, BBallTim offered a statement, I went in depth with some nuance because, on the face of it, you could say the Clippers were a better defensive team last year.
The truth, though, is somewhere in between. As far as I can tell, the Clippers have played better defense most of the time this year. I'm quite happy to be proven wrong.
Do you have a problem with using team Defensive Rating?
Team defensive rating works, and it clearly shows that the 2013 team was a little better defensively than the 2014 team. Over the course of 82 games the 2013 gave up fewer ppp than the 2014 team. You can claim that the difference is due to personnel changes but you can't really say that the team was better defensively this year.
If you don't consider talent when calibrating your expectations of a team and a coach then I think you're missing a lot.
The Clippers lost a major defensive talent and replaced him with two below average team/individual defenders. Of course they also don't trot out the zombie of Chauncey Billups to stand completely stationary on both ends either so there is that going the other way.
No matter how you spin it they've put up a nearly identical defensive rating, while the style of defense has changed I don't think there is a significant difference in results. Things like Pheonix being the 8th offense instead of the 29th offense will impact a teams rating, schedule, or just randomness will show changes at the level the past two years differences.
14
95.9 Pace
104.8 DRTG
9th in the league
-1.9 better than league average
13
91.1 Pace
103.6 DRTG
8th in the league
-2.3 better than league average
Last year's team relied on forcing turnovers, fouled a ton, and was average in eFG% defense. They also played a very slow game for a team that has a reputation for being nasty in transition.
This year's team is better at eFG%, forces fewer turnovers, and fouls a whole lot less. This was accomplished while also playing a much more open court up tempo game.