It's absolutely the players' fault. The a virtually identical core of the team who played so great last season is now unable to defend the proverbial chair.
And the players all got visited by the "Can't Play Defense Fairy" in the offseason? Let's review.
1. KG. Been here for years.
2. Pierce. Been here for years.
3. Rondo. Been here for years.
4. Bass. With the team all last season.
5. Terry and Lee. Signed in the offseason. Had full training camp. Veteran players who've never been known as a truly atrocious defender before.
6. Green and Wilcox. With the team for the start of last season. Around the team during the year. Had full training camp. Again, never known before for being truly atrocious defenders.
7. Sully. Rookie.
8. Barbosa. Late signing.
There are only two players who should be having any trouble picking up the defense, unless they've been visited by the previously mentioned fairy.
Did the players force Doc to start Sully over Bass, thereby throwing away whatever chemistry they team had at the end of last season?
Are the players forcing Doc to keep calling those baseline screen plays which had become increasingly ineffective with Ray and which neither Terry nor Lee have ever really run before?
Are the other players forcing Doc to call play after play to get Pierce shots when he's shooting the ball worse than he has his entire career?
Are the players responsible for the state of this team? Sure. What the heck is Doc getting paid millions of dollars for, though, if he apparently has little to no influence on how the team performs? Why not just save money and let Ed Lacerte coach?
Mike