The Defensive Twilight Zone

["Trond E. Jacobsen" <trond@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

DanF likes the zone.  I do not, at least not for the games that count 
the most.  The zone is like a drug: makes you feel like you don't have 
to work, and does a pretty convincing job of that...most of the time. 

Then the playoffs come and you are facing better teams with better 
players, better coaches, better schemes, and all of sudden the fact 
your team has become listless and gutless surfaces and you go down in 
flames.  Same type of reason Pitino-ball failed and that the zone looks 
SO effective in college.  The zone only looks good as an alternative 
for otherwise weak defensive teams, or teams with many weak defensive 
players.

Sure, if we had a whole squad of Barry's and other (defensive) losers I 
too would support the zone, but only because we'd have no superior 
alternative. Give me some guys who can play some defense.

It's like saying I don't need a roof over my house because a tarp can 
work nicely in the summer.  Then the gale fore winds and sub-zero temps 
arrive and I am hating life.

Let's look even further back than Bird's Celtics.  Russell was best 
defensive center in game.  Satch was best best defensive PF in the 
game.  KC was best defensive guard in game.  Hondo wasn't too shabby.  
See a pattern?

Trond Jacobsen