The Defense

[GTHC_ GTH!]

trying to figure out the defense and I wonder if there are 2 factors. 1) We switch everything. Why? We don’t have the guys to do so. Our two bigs shouldn’t be on smaller guys. And it leads to missed assignments from freshmen that don’t recognize the switches fast enough. 2) we don’t have that 6’8 or so guy that can guard several positions and just chase the other teams best player all over the court.

So, is there a way to stop switching and leaving guys on their assigned guy? And, is there anyone on the team that will take defense personally and be that one stopper?

 

[nets on nets on nets]

trying to figure out the defense and I wonder if there are 2 factors. 1) We switch everything. Why? We don’t have the guys to do so. Our two bigs shouldn’t be on smaller guys. And it leads to missed assignments from freshmen that don’t recognize the switches fast enough. 2) we don’t have that 6’8 or so guy that can guard several positions and just chase the other teams best player all over the court.

So, is there a way to stop switching and leaving guys on their assigned guy? And, is there anyone on the team that will take defense personally and be that one stopper?

Our "guy that can guard multiple positions" should be Bagley. Now, obviously he hasn't done that so far. He really struggles getting out on bigger guys that can shoot the 3. He has the size, athleticism, lateral quickness. He has the ability to be a NBA-level shutdown defender. Now, the question is, why is he nowhere near that level??
Is it because he should still be a senior in High School and has always been able to defend by just being better than everyone?
Is it because he is our #1 option on offense and also spends A LOT of energy on the glass?

Outside of Bagley, Javin should be able to guard any position, and he has shown flashes. Javin's problem is the other end of the floor though.

We have nobody outside of Bagley and Javin though who resemble anything close to "a versatile defender."

 

[LongTimeDukeFan]

I find that when we switch from man-to-man to zone, the only team more confused then us is the other team. Oddly enough, it seems to work.

 

[LouisiAaron]

It's mostly communication and rotation issues. Eventually they'll learn. Majority of them played zone in high school or didn't have proper defensive fundamentals taught to them. As long as they get stops when it matters. I don't expect them to hold people under 70 with the pace we play at. It's not going to happen

 

[Lavar5150]

trying to figure out the defense and I wonder if there are 2 factors. 1) We switch everything. Why? We don’t have the guys to do so. Our two bigs shouldn’t be on smaller guys. And it leads to missed assignments from freshmen that don’t recognize the switches fast enough. 2) we don’t have that 6’8 or so guy that can guard several positions and just chase the other teams best player all over the court.

So, is there a way to stop switching and leaving guys on their assigned guy? And, is there anyone on the team that will take defense personally and be that one stopper?

The area that is broke is giving up threes. Too many times the close out is weak and a arm barely thrown up.

When they do drive them off the 3 point line, they play bad on-ball defense so help is forced to stop drive opening up kick outs where lackadaisical rotations and close outs kill us.

Grayson seems to be trying to communicate but it needs to come from the back line. Overall communication needs to improve but the sense of urgency and the mentality to have each other’s backs needs to happen