Re: The Boston Celtics Mailing List Digest V9 #191

[Kim Malo <kimmalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 01:34 AM 6/30/02 -0400, Tammo29@AOL.com wrote:
> "And good lord, if you think Pierce is a better defender, I have to wonder
> what you were watching. Paul tries to play the Larry Bird 'rover' position on
> defense and it WAY too often was his man that was the one left open with a
> too late recovery, while he got too many fouls diving too late at someone.
> Maybe it's the blocked shots that make you think that? I'll grant you those,
> but he's still FAR too often out of position/rubbed off too easily by picks,
> etc."- Kim
>                           ****************************************
>   I think you're confusing team defense with individual defense.  The 
> Celtics
> team defense is predicated on keeping the opposition out of the paint.  They
> would much rather give up the outside shot than let opponents get to the rim.
>  Why?  Because they have no interior defense and they know it.
>   For that reason the perimeter players are supposed to play off their man
> and sag in so they can be ready to help stop penetration and be ready to
> rotate.
> Also, many times the coaching staff will identify a player they want to cheat
> off of in order to pay extra attention to the opponents strength position.
> For instance, Pierce was asked to cheat off of Snow in order to help on
> Iverson during the Philly series.
> They cheated off Fisher to help with Shaq against LA. etc.
>     So, you can't look at open three pointers or players lunging at three
> point shooters and say that's poor defense.  In actuality the players are
> doing what they've been told.  The better test would be how many times that
> player was beat off the dribble or allowed the player they were guarding to
> get into the paint.
> In that regard Pierce comes out extremely well.  Add the blocks and the
> steals and the drawn charges and the excellent one-on-one defense he showed
> in late game situations when he was allowed to concentrate on guarding one
> player, and it could be argued he was our best perimeter defender.
>
>    All of this may not be your idea of good defense, but it's hard to argue
> against the Celtics defensive game plan this season.  It worked more often
> than not, covered up a weakness in the interior, and it helped get them to
> the Eastern Conference finals.
Fair enough. Although for the record, I didn't say anything about it's 
being just open 3 pointers.
Your point about individual vs team defense is good, particularly with the 
Bird comparison I set up myself. I still believe Pierce was rubbed off on 
picks too easily, went for too many weak fakes, and was too slow to respond 
on the rotations, causing some of the stupid fouls that put him on the 
bench too often, and all of which contributed to leaving guys open. While 
given how often the guy left open was someone banging 'em down with 
regularlity, I'm not sure how far I'll buy the only acting on instructions, 
but I do agree that that's part of Paul's being apparently out of position 
some of the time.

Good argument.
Kim