Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:16 pm Post subject: So...Who on our team can defend?
AD - obvious DPOY level
LBJ - can still defend ok i guess
Bazemore - can guard wings?
THT - can probably guard wings too?
Howard - can body up some bigs.
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: So...Who on our team can defend?
nomoreshaq wrote:
AD - obvious DPOY level
LBJ - can still defend ok i guess
Bazemore - can guard wings?
THT - can probably guard wings too?
Howard - can body up some bigs.
That's all I got. Is everyone else a turnstile?
God the glass is half full all the time. The team has improved from last year…give it up
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: So...Who on our team can defend?
samnizam wrote:
nomoreshaq wrote:
AD - obvious DPOY level
LBJ - can still defend ok i guess
Bazemore - can guard wings?
THT - can probably guard wings too?
Howard - can body up some bigs.
That's all I got. Is everyone else a turnstile?
God the glass is half full all the time. The team has improved from last year…give it up
it has offensively.
kuzma, kcp, caruso were all plus defenders to be replaced by turnstiles. but sure, i'm just a pessimist.
Cranjis (Twitter analytics dude/Laker fan) actually said Ariza still grades out as an elite perimeter defender. Marc is still an underrated team defender, even if he can't move like he used to.
Also, as long as we have AD/Bron, I trust that Vogel can put together a respectable defense. And we have plenty of competition for minutes, so there's some pressure on each individual player to shape up on that end or sit on the bench. Let's not act like Kuz, Schroder, Rondo, etc. were known as strong individual defenders before they got here, either, and they were able to fit in just fine without compromising our #1 defense across the last two seasons.
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 4377 Location: Lake Nacimiento
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:53 pm Post subject:
Halflife wrote:
Monk
Nunn
Ad
Dh
Baze
Tht
Bron
Yup, Monk imo is going to make fans quickly forget all about Caruso. The offense is a huge upgrade and then the defense while it still goes to Caruso I believe Monk is nowhere close to being a "turnstile" and will surprise a lot of Laker fans in the upcoming season when put in a good defensive system.
I think we'll still be a top 10 defense but with an actual lethal offense as well.
My concern the last couple years were that our guys played hard on D while Lebron and AD were forced to carry heavy load on offense. The whole team had to play that much harder every night cuz we sucked on offense.
This year it seems like everyone should be able to keep their legs under them with all the offensive talent we have now.
Playing defense requires a lot of effort anyways but at least the offense should come much easier
Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 8352 Location: Santa Monica
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:22 pm Post subject:
Brawn13 wrote:
My concern the last couple years were that our guys played hard on D while Lebron and AD were forced to carry heavy load on offense. The whole team had to play that much harder every night cuz we sucked on offense.
This year it seems like everyone should be able to keep their legs under them with all the offensive talent we have now.
Playing defense requires a lot of effort anyways but at least the offense should come much easier
The fact that our offense should be much better could make our defense better since we'll be making more shots. Plus Westbrook is a great rebounder, so we should give up less second shots, which would also help our defense.
If the guys we got shoot as well from downtown this upcoming season as they did this past season, we could average at or near 120 points a game.
Cranjis (Twitter analytics dude/Laker fan) actually said Ariza still grades out as an elite perimeter defender. Marc is still an underrated team defender, even if he can't move like he used to.
Also, as long as we have AD/Bron, I trust that Vogel can put together a respectable defense. And we have plenty of competition for minutes, so there's some pressure on each individual player to shape up on that end or sit on the bench. Let's not act like Kuz, Schroder, Rondo, etc. were known as strong individual defenders before they got here, either, and they were able to fit in just fine without compromising our #1 defense across the last two seasons.
Things I read from other places do not really dispute this. However, it should be noted some folks perceptions may have been slanted by how MIA played him v the Bucks - he was their small ball PF, and I read he was up against Giannis and/or Lopez...I mean, really? That's not Ariza's wheelhouse. _________________ "One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z
Nunn, Westbrook, and Bazemore are probably the only above average defenders in the backcourt.
Monk and THT are getting there but still hovering around average.
Ellington is trash on D.
Nunn and Westbrook are average at best. Monk is about as bad as Ellington. Our perimeter defense took a hit for sure. I'd be pleasantly surprised if we remain a top 5 defensive team. _________________ Plan A - Schroder/Hield/Lebron/AD/Gasol
Plan B- Schroder/Powell/Lebron/AD/Gasol
Nunn, Westbrook, and Bazemore are probably the only above average defenders in the backcourt.
Monk and THT are getting there but still hovering around average.
Ellington is trash on D.
Nunn and Westbrook are average at best. Monk is about as bad as Ellington. Our perimeter defense took a hit for sure. I'd be pleasantly surprised if we remain a top 5 defensive team.
I did not look too far back, but of interest, I believe last 10 NBA champs are all at least top 10 defensively in the season they won it all and would not be shocked if it went back much further than that.
Or, in other words, hopefully the drop is not too steep. _________________ "One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z
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