When is the last time you saw an NBA team play defense?

[Utilit99 4,099]

2 hours ago, cyclone24 said:

The problem the NBA has is the product is actually very good. You have guys that can make shots now that are pretty much unreal. Their problem is there is no more rivalries. Nobody gets after it anymore, nobody fights. But the idea that they don’t play defense is stupid. These guys play a lot of defense and if you’ve ever seen a game up close you could tell they do. Guys are just elite shot makers now. What doesn’t look like it’s contested actually is. 
Are there varying degrees of good defense? Of course like anything there is. But offenses are really good now as well. 

No chance I watch it. Ever.

 

 

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

21 hours ago, posty said:

They play defense when they need to do so...  The players would rather have it wide-open though to showcase their "skills" and score...

This is why I can't watch. I'm supposed to watch 82 games of regular season, another 30 of playoffs, and they only actually try once in a while?

[vuduchile 1,941]

11 hours ago, cyclone24 said:

The problem the NBA has is the product is actually very good. You have guys that can make shots now that are pretty much unreal. Their problem is there is no more rivalries. Nobody gets after it anymore, nobody fights. But the idea that they don’t play defense is stupid. These guys play a lot of defense and if you’ve ever seen a game up close you could tell they do. Guys are just elite shot makers now. What doesn’t look like it’s contested actually is. 
Are there varying degrees of good defense? Of course like anything there is. But offenses are really good now as well. 

Denver/Portland was a solid game the other night.  Lillard was insane, even in a loss.  And the Hawks/Knicks series had a little heat to it thanks to all the azzholes at the Garden.  

[Mungwater 588]

The last defense was lebron getting a bigger headband to cover his hairline 

[JustinCharge 2,397]

Lakers fans are upset at head coach Frank Vogel because he keeps playing Andre Drummond over defending 6th man of the year winner Montrezl Harrell.  The Lakers spent to sign Harrell as a free agent last offseason.   Harrell is the better offensive player, but Vogel is a defensive coach and Drummond plays better defense.  The Lakers when they are on, they are defensive team holding opponents under 100 points.

[cyclone24 1,814]

13 hours ago, titans&bucs&bearsohmy! said:

This is why I can't watch. I'm supposed to watch 82 games of regular season, another 30 of playoffs, and they only actually try once in a while?

I think people underestimate how hard it is to stop these guys and offenses from scoring…that then gets taken as “no defense” 

[IGotWorms 3,315]

14 minutes ago, cyclone24 said:

I think people underestimate how hard it is to stop these guys and offenses from scoring…that then gets taken as “no defense” 

Did something change? I’m pretty sure players could score pretty competently too back in the 80s, 90s and early 00s.

[cyclone24 1,814]

9 minutes ago, IGotWorms said:

Did something change? I’m pretty sure players could score pretty competently too back in the 80s, 90s and early 00s.

 Nothing like today. Like Bird was an elite shooter..hes not doing what Lillard does, Curry does, Trae etc etc as far as shot creation and guys guard but they are definitely limited by todays officiating comparatively for sure. 

[Bier Meister 1,514]

The increase in use of three pointers has really changed the game. Shooters are much better than the 80s and 90s (bird’s highest 3pt % was .427; curry’s career average is .433).  This has spread the offense out more and is forcing defenders to cover more space/ground. It is not a grinding in the key type of game any longer. Pace is also generally quicker.. team’s generally not working the clock to set up shots in the low post, etc. 

 

a positive is that I am seeing more/better ball movement than 2000-2015

[JustinCharge 2,397]

...

[IGotWorms 3,315]

37 minutes ago, cyclone24 said:

 Nothing like today. Like Bird was an elite shooter..hes not doing what Lillard does, Curry does, Trae etc etc as far as shot creation and guys guard but they are definitely limited by todays officiating comparatively for sure. 

Officiating and rule changes. That’s 90% of it IMO 

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

2 hours ago, cyclone24 said:

 Nothing like today. Like Bird was an elite shooter..hes not doing what Lillard does, Curry does, Trae etc etc as far as shot creation and guys guard but they are definitely limited by todays officiating comparatively for sure. 

Sure. But the defenders, by and large, are bigger, stronger, and faster now too.

And there are many instances in any NBA game where you can easily see guys giving no effort on the defensive end.

[cyclone24 1,814]

7 minutes ago, titans&bucs&bearsohmy! said:

Sure. But the defenders, by and large, are bigger, stronger, and faster now too.

And there are many instances in any NBA game where you can easily see guys giving no effort on the defensive end.

When? I mean you’re talking a lot of possessions so yeah I mean guys are going to get tricked or go the wrong way or fall asleep or what have you from time to time. But I don’t see any instances where a guy is just saying oh screw it and the guy just walks by him a few times in a row for a layup.

I mean I’m not trying to talk anybody into liking the NBA. I don’t watch much of it anymore just because there’s no juice in it. It’s glorified friends playing basketball against each other. But these guys most certainly played defense. Just offensively everything is in their favor. 

[KSB2424 3,083]

I've quit the NBA.  Half woke stuff, half just don't care anymore / bad product. 

[vuduchile 1,941]

Phoenix has played pretty good D the past 2 games.  The Lakers were without AD, but still.  

[Herbivore 905]

17 hours ago, IGotWorms said:

Officiating and rule changes. That’s 90% of it IMO 

I think the main issue are uneven star player calls, ticky tack stuff.  Bier is right, ball movement is very good over the last handful of years, less iso overall.  Titans and others citing the lack of actual rivalries is a good point, something is lost there.  The D is very good.

[Mungwater 588]

3 hours ago, Herbivore said:

I think the main issue are uneven star player calls, ticky tack stuff.  Bier is right, ball movement is very good over the last handful of years, less iso overall.  Titans and others citing the lack of actual rivalries is a good point, something is lost there.  The D is very good.

Whew, I just thought the product sucked and that the reason their rating have absolutely tanked

[JustinCharge 2,397]

I LOVE the all-star game format with the Elam Ending.  Turning the game clock off in the 4th quarter and setting a target score to win the game, with the target score being 24 points more than the point total of the leader after 3 quarters.  This should be the standard in all games, not just the all-star game.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basketball_Tournament#Elam_Ending

[cyclone24 1,814]

1 hour ago, JustinCharge said:

I LOVE the all-star game format with the Elam Ending.  Turning the game clock off in the 4th quarter and setting a target score to win the game, with the target score being 24 points more than the point total of the leader after 3 quarters.  This should be the standard in all games, not just the all-star game.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Basketball_Tournament#Elam_Ending

Yeah Ive put a team in to the tournament the last few years as a GM and that ending is pretty great. Wish the NBA we just adopt it. Doesn’t really change the outcome of games much but really cuts down to time.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

Didn’t somebody say the Bucks?

F’in 115 points they gave up, and that’s without Harden playing!

Pathetic.

[IGotWorms 3,315]

Falcons have 53–53!!!—points with NINE MINUTES left to go in the second quarter. In a playoff game!

This league is trash.