nixluva wrote:This often repeated theme that D'Antoni is ignoring defense is just garbage. Show me how you can prove that he's not focusing on D or else stop saying it. All I see is guys fighting hard on D. You can't ignore the fact that we're small and our PG's are old and slow except for TD. We're going to have issues cuz our two best players are not great on D. How is any coach supposed to completely overcome those weaknesses?

When I watch the games I see the Knicks defend, but often they can't get the rebound to finish off the defensive play. The initial defense is often good. Not being strong on the defensive Boards and giving up 2nd chance points is our biggest issue. Once we can add some real rebounding help and upgrade the PG position this team should be OK.

I agree that MDA doesn't de-emphasize defense, but I often see guys not boxing out or putting in effort to grab boards (e.g., all forwards and centers on the roster). Melo has upped his defensive effort lately, and I hope that's a sign of his "playoff" effort levels and improved fitness. But to suggest that guys are bringing it hard on D is a stretch.

Moonangie wrote:

nixluva wrote:This often repeated theme that D'Antoni is ignoring defense is just garbage. Show me how you can prove that he's not focusing on D or else stop saying it. All I see is guys fighting hard on D. You can't ignore the fact that we're small and our PG's are old and slow except for TD. We're going to have issues cuz our two best players are not great on D. How is any coach supposed to completely overcome those weaknesses?

When I watch the games I see the Knicks defend, but often they can't get the rebound to finish off the defensive play. The initial defense is often good. Not being strong on the defensive Boards and giving up 2nd chance points is our biggest issue. Once we can add some real rebounding help and upgrade the PG position this team should be OK.

I agree that MDA doesn't de-emphasize defense, but I often see guys not boxing out or putting in effort to grab boards (e.g., all forwards and centers on the roster). Melo has upped his defensive effort lately, and I hope that's a sign of his "playoff" effort levels and improved fitness. But to suggest that guys are bringing it hard on D is a stretch.

No to me that means something is wrong with the makeup of the players we have. Last year the media was lauding STAT for his improvement on the defensive end and now here he's suddenly forgotten how to play D cuz he's with Mike? To me that seems to be a player not taking his job as seriously as he should. When he forgets to see his man and the ball and allows an easy layup at the basket is that Mike's fault? You think the coach said just stare at your man and never pay attention to anything else on the floor. Don't boxout and go after the rebound. Don't move your feet and close off the lanes. Don't get your hands up on D.

How come TD, Turiaf and AC play hard on D? Is Mike only coaching them? Does he have some special words about effort only for TD, Turiaf and AC? Did he have some special advice for Melo or did Melo just decide to give a greater effort on D? I saw Shawne go from pretty quiet to shutting down Lebron on D. Was it some special pep talk or did he decide that he wasn't gonna let Lebron beat him easily? Personal pride in defense weighs more than defensive coaching.

Nalod wrote:

holfresh wrote:

knickstorrents wrote:

holfresh wrote:I really don't get your point..The fact that we added two guys who can score automatically means we shouldn't play defense?...LeBron and Wade are two of the best scorers in the league and somehow gets it done on the defensive end

Lebron and Wade never needed a coach for them to play all star defense. Completely different players and an invalid comparison.

How do you know this..Mike Brown was all about defense and Spo is a Riley deciple..all defense..And whT does that have to do anything...My point was because we bring in offense players does not mean we cannot or should not expect the team to play defense...

IM thinking the Defense has improved over the last 20 games. Team game and while the offense takes time to get a rhythm so do the Defense. They got stops when needed.

Knicks are always going to score high as will opponents. So their D rating will never be great unless they blow teams out.

MDA says its the diff and he is not happy with ours right now.

IN the real world, teams are trying to win but also entertain and sell seats.

What, no Skiles love this year?

Gotta love the flavor of the month club.

JrZyHuStLa wrote:Just because Melo and the rest of the guys have stepped up their defense for the last 3 weeks doesn't mean D'antoni cares about defense all of a sudden. If anything, its a wake up call for him realizing that his old ways which solely emphasized ball movement and shot making weren't working, which forced him to realize he'll never get anywhere without defense.

dude, let me ask you straight up, since you seem to be dodging the issue: what do you think D'Antoni? can he win in the playoffs? does he emphasize defense enough?

JrZyHuStLa wrote:

fishmike wrote:Mike's been preaching defense all year. A few things are obvious. First its sinking in and the guys that play the best defense will remain in the rotation. Thats how Shawne Williams got his way in and regardless of his shot falling or not remains in. More evidence plain as day is Melo's new found effort and dedication to playing hard on that side of the ball. Its obvious MDA has reached him on this as its not been a big priority for Melo at any point in his career and clearly is now. Good coaching

This Knicks team ranked 27th this regular season in OPP PPG and 26th in OPP FG%. These are the typical numbers you see with all D'antoni teams.

How are you seeing progress?

Winning! DUH!

Playoffs! DUH!

Teams that ranked better are not over.500 or in the playoffs.

WE are NOT championship caliber at any point in the last 10 years.

Sit on that stat and that stat only and your not seeing the games.

NObody said this team was great. Its a start. Somewhere you measure progress.

Winning %. Check
Playoffs. Check

Enjoy the extra games.

JrZyHuStLa wrote:12 of this year's 16 playoff teams all ranked in the top 15 in OPP FG%. I didn't even bother mentioning the OPP PPG stat, since I'll only get that lame "pace" excuse like always.

Actually it proves his point, that you can make the playoffs with lower defensive stats.

JrZyHuStLa wrote:

Nalod wrote:

JrZyHuStLa wrote:12 of this year's 16 playoff teams all ranked in the top 15 in OPP FG%. I didn't even bother mentioning the OPP PPG stat, since I'll only get that lame "pace" excuse like always.

Actually it proves his point, that you can make the playoffs with lower defensive stats.

And it also proves that defense is a staple for 75% of the playoff caliber teams.

ANd for the other 25% its not!

And no team ever came back in the baseball playoffs 0-3 but it eventually happend.

Or an 11 seed makes it to the final 4.

And most likley no team with a low defensive rating ever made it to the finals.......

And most likely the knicks won't either.

But we are not contenders yet.

I'd say of the 16 teams in the playoffs maybe 6 are contending: SA, LA, OK, MIA, BOS, Chi. The rest we can thank for showing up. 66% of those teams won't make the finals. 16% will win. Thats it man.

One thing though, the winning team will have scored more points than the other and the margin don't really mean a thing at this point!!!

martin wrote:

JrZyHuStLa wrote:I didn't even bother mentioning the OPP PPG stat, since I'll only get that lame "pace" excuse like always.

if you think pace is an excuse you don't really understand its importance. it's an underlying fundamental to team efficiency stats, which are pretty much the best barometer for comparing teams.

Juice wrote:

martin wrote:

JrZyHuStLa wrote:I didn't even bother mentioning the OPP PPG stat, since I'll only get that lame "pace" excuse like always.

if you think pace is an excuse you don't really understand its importance. it's an underlying fundamental to team efficiency stats, which are pretty much the best barometer for comparing teams.

Not when he admits that the way we play can actually help a team get on a roll as he did in the interview yesterday...stating the team has to find a way to weather those moments. Look if we're already at a disadvantage for whatever excuse you want to make about the personnel lacking ability to play D then please don't implement a system(with little adjustments) where the margin for error is compounded due to style of play

Wouldn't the same hold true about a defensive team? Slow it down enough both teams are out of synch?

Remember those great defesive match ups with the Heat that were so offensively challenged it was awful to watch? Then Timmy Hardaway would say "Fuckit" and throw a few in and the game was over!