Bargnani's Defense is Still a Big Problem

[Arsenalist]

Glad to see Jay openly admit it. If his help defense hasn't improved in four years, is it really ever going to get better? He worked with Moses Malone last summer too and if that doesn't help/motivate his rebounding, don't know what can.

Although his man-defense has improved, it doesn't make up for what he gives up on help. With him playing 35-40 minutes a game, our help defense will never be up to par.

Jay Triano wants his 7-foot centre to work on his team defence. His man-to-man or on-the-ball defence was actually quite good this year, according to Triano. It’s the team defence, or off-the-ball defence that Bargnani struggles with.

“This year we sent him home telling him to become a better defensive player,” Triano said. “He’s good on the ball. We switched a lot of things late in the year because we thought our bigs could sometimes keep perimeter guys in front of them better than our perimeter guys did … He doesn’t understand the concept of team defence and getting over on the weak side and helping. That’s the one thing we want him to do. We also want him to become a better rebounder.”

Bargnani has gone home and come back having made an improvement each year, but he’s a little stumped with working on team defence.

“That’s tough because it’s not something you can work on individually,” he said. “I think I can watch video, gain experience. Maybe try to use the national team games, if I’m going to play them to try to learn something. I think that’s the most difficult part to learn because it’s something you can’t work on, like: ‘I’m going to work on this for the next week.’ You can’t because you don’t have the other nine guys.”

Source

[fyahmikes]

"He doesn't understand the concept of team defense," and he was just signed to a $50M deal? The real problem is that Colangelo doesn't seem to understand the importance of defense, and, by the sound of the interviews yesterday, the players don't really recognize it as a problem either.

[maman]

well maybe in Bargnani's case playing with the national team in the summer could actually turn out to be beneficial, don't you think?

[Buddahfan]

Maybe Bargnani should move to Los Angeles for the summer and play in those pick up games at UCLA where guys like Kobe have played. Not that they probably play a lot of team defense in those games but I don't know how much he is going to learn about team defense in Europe.

[insight_tor]

I am so disappointed with Jay to blame his inability to put together a defensive system only on Andrea team defense capabilities. I mean, what in the hell did Jay teach these guys during training camp and regular season training sessions?

To blame the defensive collapse on one guy is just lame. Chris played even worst defense then Andrea, but for obvious reasons Jay won't even mention this. And the same goes for all other players.

My question for Jay is: during the winning period (beginning of December to All Star Game break) Raptors played good team defense. After the All Star Game break, the defense was gone. So, Raptors (Andrea included) could play good defense and then suddenly they forgot? Man up Jay and recognize that you lost the control and players didn't focus anymore. You remember that Raptors started suddenly to play better defense after that meeting held by BC in December. All they needed was a spark from outside, don't you think that it should be the head coach duty to permanently keep the spark alive and get the most of your guys?

Jay, please repeat for yourself: Raptors can play defense when they want, it is up to me to make them want to play defense. Well, maybe you won't have the chance to apply this next season, but you never know.

[mo-sales]

I wouldn't understand the concept of team defense either if everyone else on my team was a defensive liability. No one cared about defense on this team and it was evidenced by thier near all time defensive futility. Its hard to scapegoat a guy for being just inept as everyone else.

I truly believe if the raps get a defensive big man to both protect him/teach him and/or a defensive coach who won't just yell at him when he screws up that Bargs could end up being a very decent defensive player in this league.

[Buddahfan]

I wouldn't understand the concept of team defense either if everyone else on my team was a defensive liability. No one cared about defense on this team and it was evidenced by thier near all time defensive futility. Its hard to scapegoat a guy for being just inept as everyone else.

I truly believe if the raps get a defensive big man to both protect him/teach him and/or a defensive coach who won't just yell at him when he screws up that Bargs could end up being a very decent defensive player in this league.

Camby will be available. Maybe they will bring him back to Toronto where he started his career in the last millennium.