How do we fix our defense?

[white men can't jump]

Brad Stevens after today's game:



Is it funny or sad that maybe the most complimentary remark in this thread is from an opposing coach?

Yeah, well that's what happens when Powell plays and Carroll doesn't. Joseph also has been back to his old self lately, and Ross has been pretty consistent on that end all year (but somehow Carroll still getting the most wing minutes out of all these guys).

Boston also has some pretty weak scorers with Thomas out. We should be able to pressure them and not get killed, and our guys got their shit together. And yeah, I honestly think Carroll not playing was a help. He's started hitting some shots and getting some steals, but his D has been atrocious on pretty much every level.

[3inthekeon]

Brad Stevens after today's game:

"It was hard for us to break their wall of defense," Stevens said. "They were pushing into us, they were very, very athletic at a number of positions, and they ratcheted it up. And it was hard for us to handle that pressure."

Is it funny or sad that maybe the most complimentary remark in this thread is from an opposing coach?

[lewro]

DeRozan sits the first 6 minutes of the 4th Q most nights. Is he not trusted to close games? It's just the Lowry plus bench time slot and always has been.

The relevant block of time is the final 6 minutes, and JV's been playing those minutes more than any other time in his career, with the exception of last game.

Alright Dan, you win, jv is fine. Enjoy the game!

[DanH]

DeRozan sits the first 6 minutes of the 4th Q most nights. Is he not trusted to close games? It's just the Lowry plus bench time slot and always has been.

The relevant block of time is the final 6 minutes, and JV's been playing those minutes more than any other time in his career, with the exception of last game.

[lewro]

BeBe plays the first 6 minutes of the 4th Q every game (he averages 6.7 minutes in 4th Q's) - almost exclusively in the first half of those quarters, as he has very few clutch minutes on the year. It's the Lowry + bench unit and it's been that way all last year and all this year. It's the same lineup that plays the first 6 minutes of the 2nd quarter without fail - it's one of the fixtures of Casey's rotation.

And against the Cavs that unit only played 4 minutes before reverting to the small lineup. So BeBe actually played less in the 4th Q in this game than he typically does.

JV does get pulled because of matchups. Against the Cavs, both JV AND BeBe got pulled because of the matchup.

Yes, I agree. What I'm saying is that it seems to be trending toward jv becoming a scola starter outside of specific matchups like nurkic.
Bebe is one foot out of the dleague, poeltl was ahead in the rotation, questions if bebe would keep his roster spot, etc. Obviously Casey trusts pat on D but it's not always ideal to have him play center. I can see with more experience bebe get a chance to close games, he's already ushering in the 4th (as you said). That's a huge leap compared to a guy you've called a "foundation" of this team in jv.
I'm not gonna delve into the mins breakdown over a few mins here or there, tho id appreciate to read if you did.
The broad stroke of jv as our highest lottery pick vs a John salmons throw in is what's striking and that he seems to be winning Casey's confidence when he's not getting into foul trouble and staying in his lane.
I don't enjoy bashing on jv. I actually have a lot of respect for him and kinda feel bad except he's a millionaire that plays basketball with a hot wife.

[DanH]

I'm on my phone away from my computer to look things up. Iirc bebe played until 4-6mins left vs cavs? Then we went small with pat at the 5. Demonstrates Casey's preference to me. I feel like if he had a more experienced, dependable version of bebe that is how he'd like to run his team. Small sample and bebe is one foot out of the dleague but seems like Casey is always saying jv gets pulled bc of matchups.

BeBe plays the first 6 minutes of the 4th Q every game (he averages 6.7 minutes in 4th Q's) - almost exclusively in the first half of those quarters, as he has very few clutch minutes on the year. It's the Lowry + bench unit and it's been that way all last year and all this year. It's the same lineup that plays the first 6 minutes of the 2nd quarter without fail - it's one of the fixtures of Casey's rotation.

And against the Cavs that unit only played 4 minutes before reverting to the small lineup. So BeBe actually played less in the 4th Q in this game than he typically does.

JV does get pulled because of matchups. Against the Cavs, both JV AND BeBe got pulled because of the matchup.

[lewro]

BeBe is trending towards closing more games?

On the season JV has played in the clutch in twice as many games (8 games to BeBe's 4). BeBe's 4 includes 1 against SAC where he played 12 clutch seconds (a game JV was hurt for) and the OKC game (the other game JV missed). Over the past 10 games, there have been 5 games with "clutch" time at the end. JV has closed 4 of them, the other closed with neither JV nor BeBe on the floor (against the Cavs). So in the past 10 games, BeBe has received zero minutes in close situations at the end of games.

Seems like he's trending pretty far away from closing games with the starters.

I'm on my phone away from my computer to look things up. Iirc bebe played until 4-6mins left vs cavs? Then we went small with pat at the 5. Demonstrates Casey's preference to me. I feel like if he had a more experienced, dependable version of bebe that is how he'd like to run his team. Small sample and bebe is one foot out of the dleague but seems like Casey is always saying jv gets pulled bc of matchups.

[DanH]

Seems like bebe is trending more toward closing games with the starters and jv more toward scola starter.
If we are guard oriented than I don't see a lot of touches for a post up big. That's fine in a kanter role but not as a big 3 imo. Seems like that style lends itself more to a big that doesn't need the ball to have impact. Jv does this in rebounds and screen assists but his best asset is his efficiency in low post scoring.

BeBe is trending towards closing more games?

On the season JV has played in the clutch in twice as many games (8 games to BeBe's 4). BeBe's 4 includes 1 against SAC where he played 12 clutch seconds (a game JV was hurt for) and the OKC game (the other game JV missed). Over the past 10 games, there have been 5 games with "clutch" time at the end. JV has closed 4 of them, the other closed with neither JV nor BeBe on the floor (against the Cavs). So in the past 10 games, BeBe has received zero minutes in close situations at the end of games.

Seems like he's trending pretty far away from closing games with the starters.

[lewro]

For sure, our bench unit is pretty unstoppable with one of our all-stars going against bench opposition, and with the most impactful frontcourt player on the team coming off the bench.

I would never refute that. But they are playing the same style as the starters do - low assist, guard oriented offence.

Seems like bebe is trending more toward closing games with the starters and jv more toward scola starter.
If we are guard oriented than I don't see a lot of touches for a post up big. That's fine in a kanter role but not as a big 3 imo. Seems like that style lends itself more to a big that doesn't need the ball to have impact. Jv does this in rebounds and screen assists but his best asset is his efficiency in low post scoring.

[lewro]

i don't understand your obsession with the idea that our guards are good at throwing lob passes. they aren't.

I made a longer response to this and accidentally deleted. Ill just say that imo Kyle is looking to make lobs to bebe whereas jv is routinely looked off in the post and wide open under the net screaming for the ball.
The guards primarily look for kick out to the wing but in terms of bigs involved (other than pat) seems like lobs and put backs to me. What are you seeing? How are bebe and jv being assisted?

[DanH]

However, team ORTG does go up with Bebe, which is the end result. ORTG skyrockets actually, to 128.6.

For sure, our bench unit is pretty unstoppable with one of our all-stars going against bench opposition, and with the most impactful frontcourt player on the team coming off the bench.

I would never refute that. But they are playing the same style as the starters do - low assist, guard oriented offence.

[golden]

Jeez, guys, I was responding to this.



That's all. I'm not making a point about anyone's passing. I'm saying that even though BeBe's passing is certainly better than JV's, that statement that our assists go up is simply not true.

However, team ORTG does go up with Bebe, which is the end result. ORTG skyrockets actually, to 128.6.

[special1]

when i pointed this out last year it was dismissed as "defending JV because you're a JV 'stan'", whatever the fuck that is.

A "stan" is term used to describe an obsessed fan. It comes from Eminem's song Stan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_(fan)

[KHD]

I'm saying that our guards and our system are more apt to throw lobs out of the pnr and we have many good slashing guards that could benefit from a passing big out of the high post (we haven't seen this yet but bebe is capable of it).
Imo were not an inside out team with a low post big as the focus. We could be but we are not atm

i don't understand your obsession with the idea that our guards are good at throwing lob passes. they aren't.

[lewro]

I agree with Lupe and I worry that jvs value will drop if this trend continues and we continue to lower his usage.