Not offensive strategy.
Not good or bad coaching. It starts with a commitment to playing the defensive end, FIRST, over anything else. Imposing your team will and personality on any opponent is not measured by how many shots you make.
“We did a great job of taking them out of their rhythm. We stopped their tendencies and we threw a lot of different things at them. I thought that helped. I think in the first quarter we just played hard, and that’s when they went individual. They stopped running team plays and started turning to [isolation]."
- Jared Sullinger, who held Andrea Bargnani to two points on 1-of-7 shooting
It is determined by how much energy, and superior skill sets, you bring to guarding every inch of the court like it is your infant daughters bedroom.
“We took them out of what they wanted to do, forced them to take tough, contested 2s and limited the 3-point shot, and were able to keep them from getting any kind of rhythm going."
“We played the way we wanted to play."
The Knicks have a lot of work to do before they can impose their will on any team. Losing by 40 points is inexcusable.
Stick to our game plan, continued to force them into talking contested 2s, don’t let them get going from the 3-point line. They were able to get to the free-throw line, but I think we did a great job and as the lead began to grow, we continued to feel ourselves defensively and say, ‘Hey, let’s turn it up more.’ We started aggressive defensively and were able to do it."
- Gerald Wallace, whose Celtics held the Knicks to 13 assists and 34.2 percent shooting.
Our offense should never determine defensive effort.
Forget the offense.
