How do we fix our defense?

[JawsGT]

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/articl...bas-holy-grail

nice article on the quest for an all-in-one defensive stat.

The interesting thing here is that it's difficult to measure an individual player's defensive impact, which we all know of course, but they use Avery Bradley as an interesting example. Team defences are all different and it's tough to tease out a particular players impact within the defensive scheme, which may change slightly depending on who's on the floor.

So it makes me wonder about our defensive scheme. What's the difference between this season and last? Didn't we do well last year defending inside the arc but gave up alot of 3's at a lower percentage?

[3inthekeon]

The interesting thing here is that it's difficult to measure an individual player's defensive impact, which we all know of course, but they use Avery Bradley as an interesting example. Team defences are all different and it's tough to tease out a particular players impact within the defensive scheme, which may change slightly depending on who's on the floor.

So it makes me wonder about our defensive scheme. What's the difference between this season and last? Didn't we do well last year defending inside the arc but gave up alot of 3's at a lower percentage?

One further point on Bradley rating so poorly despite his ALL-NBA Defensive reputation. The writer seemed to attribute the entirety of the discrepancy to not having Horford for a number of games earlier this year. That had something to do with his low ranking, but he's not the defensive whiz the eye test would suggest. The following was written prior to this season.

The Celtics' upset win over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on April 1 -- Golden State's first home loss in more than a year -- was a showcase for Bradley's defense. He defended both Warriors guards, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, helping hold the latter to 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting. The performance helped solidify Bradley's first appearance on the NBA's All-Defensive First Team, having previously earned second team honors in 2012-13.


Given that reputation, it's tough to understand Bradley rating as a below-average defender (minus-1.2 points per 100 possessions) by ESPN's real plus-minus last season. In part, Bradley's defensive contributions are tough to quantify in the box score, since he's a poor rebounder and rarely blocks shots. Boston also defended better with Bradley on the bench, which is probably something of a fluke. In past years, he's rated as a good guard defender by RPM though not the elite one his reputation would suggest, which probably relates to the fact that one-on-one defense tends to be overrated vis-à-vis help defense.

[JawsGT]

One further point on Bradley rating so poorly despite his ALL-NBA Defensive reputation. The writer seemed to attribute the entirety of the discrepancy to not having Horford for a number of games earlier this year. That had something to do with his low ranking, but he's not the defensive whiz the eye test would suggest. The following was written prior to this season.

Yeah, I think that's BS regarding Horford. Bradley is a straight up nightmare for opposing guards.

[Chr1s1anL]

What defensive scheme did Boston play last year?

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[golden]

Thats on Casey. We all know hedging doesn't work with JV there, so why the hell would you continue to do it?

And tbh, in that video, even Patterson's hedges on the ball-handlers are pretty half-hearted, so I don't know how effective that really is. It doesn't look like he's slowing them down one bit. It's a bad example because on JV's hedge, he completely stopped the dribble and forced a reversal.

[3inthekeon]

Did this Coach Nick Dec 5th video about our 3pt defence ever get posted?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMomk-BIBoc

He watched our last 99 3's and the 3 players most responsible.

His conclusions - 1 guy too short, 1 guy unlucky, 1 guy not good.

I

[Just Is]

Did this Coach Nick Dec 5th video about our 3pt defence ever get posted?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMomk-BIBoc

He watched our last 99 3's and the 3 players most responsible.

His conclusions - 1 guy too short, 1 guy unlucky, 1 guy not good.

I

I did actually like that he pointed out some of the flaws with hedging but it still seems like he likes to give backhanded compliments to the Raptors a little too much.

I actually do wonder if people who don't watch what he says here are able to guess the players. I know before I watched; the only one I got wrong with the guy who was unlucky.

[Mess]

I started clicking through that vid a while ago, then when I heard that he was using his allegedly vast basketball acumen to criticize Lowery for being too short I closed the tab, never to return. Great fucking analysis.

[3inthekeon]

I started clicking through that vid a while ago, then when I heard that he was using his allegedly vast basketball acumen to criticize Lowery for being too short I closed the tab, never to return. Great fucking analysis.

It's the fucking truth though. Lowry defending the 3 isn't perfect and he did point out a couple of things he could do better, but in the majority of cases, players just shot over him. In other words the majority of the time his man made a 3, there was no fuck up on his part, or the scheme we used or any other explanation. So there is little chance for improvement in that area.

Patterson's was equally simplistic. He contested shots well, but players were lucky and sank them anyway, so expect his numbers to improve by regressing to the mean.

Sometimes simple answers are the correct answers.

[Mess]

It's the fucking truth though. Lowry defending the 3 isn't perfect and he did point out a couple of things he could do better, but in the majority of cases, players just shot over him. In other words the majority of the time his man made a 3, there was no fuck up on his part, or the scheme we used or any other explanation. So there is little chance for improvement in that area.

Patterson's was equally simplistic. He contested shots well, but players were lucky and sank them anyway, so expect his numbers to improve by regressing to the mean.

Sometimes simple answers are the correct answers.

Yeah I know, I saw the clips. I don't disagree with the notion that if Lowry were taller he would bother the shooter more, just the fact that he made a video to point it out made my eyes roll.

[3inthekeon]

Yeah I know, I saw the clips. I don't disagree with the notion that if Lowry were taller he would bother the shooter more, just the fact that he made a video to point it out made my eyes roll.

Plus the fact you don't like Coach Nick. and tbh I don't either on a personal level.

But there is so little at least semi-competent, much less brutally truthful, objective analysis out there on our team at least he did this video about our team, as opposed to ZACH FUCKIN LOWE who I do like a lot, but has written more shit about seemingly every other team than us this year.

YOU HEAR ME ZACH???

[Mess]

Plus the fact you don't like Coach Nick. and tbh I don't either on a personal level.

But there is so little at least semi-competent, much less brutally truthful, objective analysis out there on our team at least he did this video about our team, as opposed to ZACH FUCKIN LOWE who I do like a lot, but has written more shit about seemingly every other team than us this year.

YOU HEAR ME ZACH???

Funny timing...I just posted a link to a bullet he did about Toronto in his latest piece lol

And true, I guess it is something and honest. But as much time as we here spend discussing defensive schemes and lineups, I'd have to imagine that if someone here criticised Lowry for being not tall enough he'd be ridiculed. (and not just by me)

[3inthekeon]

See I didn't take his comment on Lowry's height as a criticism, more in the lines of no matter how well he plays, how hard he tries or how we scheme, opponents will still shoot for a decent % because. In a way, it's anti-criticism.

[Mess]

See I didn't take his comment on Lowry's height as a criticism, more in the lines of no matter how well he plays, how hard he tries or how we scheme, opponents will still shoot for a decent % because. In a way, it's anti-criticism.

I guess yeah. But the video is titled "Why The Raptors Defense Is Becoming Extinct" so I didn't exactly come into it with an open mind. ( Lowry hasn't shrunk this season has he?)

Anyway, maybe I should actually give it a chance and watch the whole thing.


Maybe.

[3inthekeon]

I guess yeah. But the video is titled "Why The Raptors Defense Is Becoming Extinct" so I didn't exactly come into it with an open mind. ( Lowry hasn't shrunk this season has he?)

Anyway, maybe I should actually give it a chance and watch the whole thing.


Maybe.

Shrinkage is more George Costanza.