I'm always a little perplexed when I read about guys either in the league or entering the league w/ defensive liability issues. Let's focus on guys entering the league.

I understand that certain guys will be exploited b/c of physical limitations (i.e. Quincy Douby will have a height/strength disadvantage if he plays the 2, Redick will have a quickness disadvantage, Frye currently has difficulty keeping guys from anchoring their post position close to the hoop).

Those things aside, what are the main issues guys struggle with? Are rotation schemes difficult mentally (like football for example)?

I guess what I am getting at is that my perception of defense has always been a combo of physical attributes & effort. For example, perhaps the worst athlete for his position on the Knick roster, Q Rich, put forth the best defensive performance last year(not saying much).

Take a guy like Marbury, a putrid defender, especially last year. Is this pure laziness? I mean, why else, would such a great athlete not be at least a solid defender?

And for the guys "in the know"...pls talk about the learning curve re: defense in the NBA?

Am I off base here? Am I trivializing what it takes to make the jump defensively from bad to at least adequate?

For man defense to a facing-up handler (one of our major holes), a major factor is how quickly the defender anticipates and reacts to the offensive player's move (something that some people are just better at). Another factor is how well the player can move laterally to prevent the handler from getting an angle and turning the corner.