OK, so time and time again the Spurs ran the same play: pick and roll at the top of the key (off to one side). The Knicks can't defend this.

- The pick and roll is happening and mostly the Knicks force to the middle so that the other defender who is on the other side of the high 3point line will dip towards the free throw line to help slow the PG going to the basket... but he sags too much (watch Q or Lee leave his man WIDE freakin open) and HIS man gets the pass. Fin Dog & Bowen were getting easy baskets.

- OR our big will jump out on the PG to slow him down but will hesitate and start to go back to the rim where his man is heading, which leaves the opposing PG 2 options: shoot the open basket or continue to the basket. And that happens because our defending PG is not slowing the opposing big enough or hesitates too much and doesn't get back to his man. Other defenders have to rotate thus leaving THEIR man wide open.

- If there is action along the baseline (opposing guard driving), our defenders at the top of the key sag WAAAAY too much. Notice Lee leaves Fin Dog at the top of the 3 point line and moves to a position below the foul line, almost to the dotted-no-charge line. Kick out happens and 3-pointer. Not to pick on Lee but this has happened consistantly throughout the year and we all wonder why he doesn't get more playing time (I give rookies a slight pass on this).

- How many times do JC and Marbury instinctively go under a pick even before it is even set? This leaves even MORE space for the guards to work with.

- For all of the charges that MoT takes he is slow getting back to his man or not help out at ALL. No foot movement. Now I see why VG hates him. He takes the charges but is otherwise hurtful on D. The old holding-the-ball in the post crap has got to go too.

- Curry and Frye don't know jack about help D.

Good post martin. I agree, our pick and roll D sucks. The guys on the radio talked about that for a good 10 mins in the pregame. They didnt disect as well though. I am going to watch the next few games closely.

Curry is a pretty bad defender. I wonder if he can really pickup on the details of a complicated defense. Frye does have the will and the motivation to learn. I actually liked his help D last night.

it should've been alot easier to defend against the spurs, because normally you have to make the decision of going over the pick and having your big pick up on the cut to the basket. or you can go under the pick and take a chance on the point guard hitting the three. in case you guys have'nt noticed in a high pick and roll parker is inefective until you go over the screen, then he drives. the kid can't hit 4 out of 10 open threes.

Posted by martin:

OK, so time and time again the Spurs ran the same play: pick and roll at the top of the key (off to one side). The Knicks can't defend this.

- The pick and roll is happening and mostly the Knicks force to the middle so that the other defender who is on the other side of the high 3point line will dip towards the free throw line to help slow the PG going to the basket... but he sags too much (watch Q or Lee leave his man WIDE freakin open) and HIS man gets the pass. Fin Dog & Bowen were getting easy baskets.

- OR our big will jump out on the PG to slow him down but will hesitate and start to go back to the rim where his man is heading, which leaves the opposing PG 2 options: shoot the open basket or continue to the basket. And that happens because our defending PG is not slowing the opposing big enough or hesitates too much and doesn't get back to his man. Other defenders have to rotate thus leaving THEIR man wide open.

- If there is action along the baseline (opposing guard driving), our defenders at the top of the key sag WAAAAY too much. Notice Lee leaves Fin Dog at the top of the 3 point line and moves to a position below the foul line, almost to the dotted-no-charge line. Kick out happens and 3-pointer. Not to pick on Lee but this has happened consistantly throughout the year and we all wonder why he doesn't get more playing time (I give rookies a slight pass on this).

- How many times do JC and Marbury instinctively go under a pick even before it is even set? This leaves even MORE space for the guards to work with.

- For all of the charges that MoT takes he is slow getting back to his man or not help out at ALL. No foot movement. Now I see why VG hates him. He takes the charges but is otherwise hurtful on D. The old holding-the-ball in the post crap has got to go too.

- Curry and Frye don't know jack about help D.

Totally on point. Great analysis.

Posted by martin:

OK, so time and time again the Spurs ran the same play: pick and roll at the top of the key (off to one side). The Knicks can't defend this.

- The pick and roll is happening and mostly the Knicks force to the middle so that the other defender who is on the other side of the high 3point line will dip towards the free throw line to help slow the PG going to the basket... but he sags too much (watch Q or Lee leave his man WIDE freakin open) and HIS man gets the pass. Fin Dog & Bowen were getting easy baskets.

- OR our big will jump out on the PG to slow him down but will hesitate and start to go back to the rim where his man is heading, which leaves the opposing PG 2 options: shoot the open basket or continue to the basket. And that happens because our defending PG is not slowing the opposing big enough or hesitates too much and doesn't get back to his man. Other defenders have to rotate thus leaving THEIR man wide open.

- If there is action along the baseline (opposing guard driving), our defenders at the top of the key sag WAAAAY too much. Notice Lee leaves Fin Dog at the top of the 3 point line and moves to a position below the foul line, almost to the dotted-no-charge line. Kick out happens and 3-pointer. Not to pick on Lee but this has happened consistantly throughout the year and we all wonder why he doesn't get more playing time (I give rookies a slight pass on this).

- How many times do JC and Marbury instinctively go under a pick even before it is even set? This leaves even MORE space for the guards to work with.

- For all of the charges that MoT takes he is slow getting back to his man or not help out at ALL. No foot movement. Now I see why VG hates him. He takes the charges but is otherwise hurtful on D. The old holding-the-ball in the post crap has got to go too.

- Curry and Frye don't know jack about help D.

You couldn't be more right Martin. I know everyone wants to blame either Isiah or Larry Brown for the Knicks horrible record but I think the blame really needs to lay on the players. When you are a player in the NBA its not about IF you can play defense it's about TRYING to play defense. When I look at guys like Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Steve Francis, I see guys who do extraordinary athletic things on the offensive side of the ball but when they are on the other side of the court, you would think their feet are glued to the court. You have to WANT to play defense, you have to WANT to put forth the effort. This is what makes guys like Ben Wallace so special, if you have never watched an NBA game and you saw Ben Wallace on offense the first possesion of the game, you would think the guy was a scrub but then when he HUSTLES back on defense and puts forth ALL of his energy on defense you realize the guy might not have the best skills but he gives it his all to play on both ends.

The more I watch this team the more I realize that this group is just a waste of time, they don't want to put forth the effort and if they haven't yet, they never will.