Defensive trends

[jbnewyork162]

We all can right a book of what ails our defense the most.

But besides just not blatantly putting a hand or an attempt to jump straight up to make a block , there are two things that might bother me more defensively than not blocking.

First we NEVER ever see a defensive assignment consistently seeing our team consistently take a charge and cause offensive fouls. Instead what happens is midgets and D-leaguers always look like all-stars when they drive against us and our players are that OTHER guy on the poster. This is definitely a Charles Oakley and a John Starks attribute in giving their bodies to make you earn it.

The second thing that bothers me most is what Charles Oakley did best which was OFFENSIVE rebounds. We all notice when the Knicks shoot a jump shot there a four opposing jerseys under the rim and ALL Knicks already on the other side. What is the logic in coaching players to do this? Isiah did it, Herb did it, Lenny did it and Mike D is doing and as bad as it is to say the Knicks had better offensive rebounding numbers under thee one Larry Brown year.

Why are we so one and done and predictable with this system? How can Alvin Gentry run the system better than one of the architects of it in D'antoni, aside from the personnel of course?

Back to our defense, no dives to save basketballs or even earns an honest steal without being predictable and lifeless not attacking and trapping and cutting and pressing. Never a full court press or a half court trap EVER and I hate to act like Mike isn't the right coach us BUT...............I'm losing my patience for this offense and more importantly defense to come to a respectable head in this system.

We as fans have endured alot these last 10 and did it in the 80's and before my time in most of the early 60's. We pretty much suck in the even decades but anyway, maybe we cant even win with Lebron win D'antoni as our coach. We have given up on more coaches in a ten years span than most probably but really who's system is the best for us, even with the right players?

I would hate for us to be just as exposed on defense when Lebron is here as well.

Care to add your two cents gents?


-Jason

[ironman95]

D'Antoni is saying the defense sucks because the offense sucks. I think that is backwards thinking. This game starts with defense, period. They've got to belly up, get their arms up, cut off the passing lanes and box out. It should be second nature to do that, but they don't. I think the only defensive improvement has been that the help defense is a little bit better. This is a coaching problem more than anything else, because they are not learning or using the fundamentals. This is a low IQ team, because they have to think too much on defense, when they should be on automatic. They need to bring in a defensive assistant coach in the worst way, and get rid of Herb Williams pronto. Bring in Oak, or Byron Scott as an assistant, do something. Isiah had no plan, and D'Antoni has a bad plan. Even he admits 7 seconds is out the window, because the team is thinking too much to do it. It has to be instant reaction and this team is far away from that. They are not running downcourt, on the edge of control, which is what is supposed to happen. Too much thinking and not enough playing with total abandon. On both ends of the court. I hated Crawford's game, and he played absolutely no defense, but on offense he was fearless. Misguided sometimes, but these guys need to be more like that, just shoot and make shot selection a little better than he did. He knew how to feed Eddy too. I hope someone takes on that role, if and when Eddy comes back.

[ironman95]

Read Alan Hahn's latest view off of his Twitter site. He is in agreement with me in a number of areas, and right on target about the Knicks. The two I would like to point out are that Harrington is all wrong for this offense, and Azubuike should be on the short list of players the Knicks should try and acquire. Also according to him, I didn't get to actually see the game due to a blackout down here, they froze Gallinari from the ball again tonight. He also says he started Hill in the 2nd half because he had "Zombies" out there. My new radical starting lineup is Douglas, Nate, Gallinari, Lee and Hill(maybe Curry or Darko). With Landry first off the bench. Could they do any worse?

[irish2u2]

D'Antoni is right. His philosophy, disagree or not, is to score as much as possible and wear down opponents with constant offensive pressure. His game is one of attrition and of a quick shot offense that runs opponents into the ground. For this offense to work you have to hit shots. If your style is to flood the floor with jump shooters and none of those guys can hit a shot you give up your advantage on one end and play into an opponent's strength at the other.

Our bad shooting and insistence on hoisting up 30 treys a game even though we hit less than 30% of them leads to lots of long rebounds and fast break opportunities for other teams. We are a very poor rebounding team. We are absolutely grammar school when it comes to communicating and help defense.

Offensively one thing that hurts a lot is Duhon shooting so poorly. A D'Antoni PG doesn't have to be the team's leading scorer but his offensive ability and perimeter game are create opportunities to create. As a team we are not passing well. D'Antoni wants a shot to go up in 7 seconds or less but he wants the guy who is open and has the best shot to take that shot. Too often we freelance it and go one on one. That won't work for this team.

I'm with everyone here that we should bring in Oak, Starks or Ewing. I doubt we get Byron Scott though. He will collect easy paychecks from New Orleans for awhile and take it easy.

This is in another thread but while we had a better chance to win games with Jamal and Zach I like having cap room and at least a shot at an elite player better. I just get this Shaq-like vibe from LeBron. Shaq was all love and kisses with Orlando right up to the time he signed with Los Angeles. ; )

[whensly]

I guess we've learned (not D ant) that we're not going to wear anybody down and beat them with the run like gazelle's game,
at least not until 2/3rds into the season when other teams tire and also don't care.

I am flabberghasted that D Ant can't adapt a system to his players. This run and shoot stuff for our squad is like having a pig roast
at a party of Vegans.

Back in the 80's-90's Mike Fratello coached untalented teams with a D-first approach and slowing the game down, playing full court d where they
out hustled and exhausted opponents by not letting them dictate the game. I wasn't pretty but it worked, and his teams went to the playoffs.

if Curry comes back and has some kinda groove on., I'd try a half court game with Curry-Darko starting upfront with Lee, Chandler or Hill when he's ready,
and go with Gallo at the 2, Pg by proxy. Play the inside out game with Curry and Gallo, like Ewing and Houston for primary offense, have Darko out there for D , blocks, put backs and to take up space, which he does, and see if we can get something going that way.

This is not fun and with our luck we will have the # lotto pick next year, which of course the Jazz own from the Marbury deal.

Oh the humanity..we can't wait for Eddie Curry to be our savior...it's that bad.