2013 CB Draft : Draft Thread : VOTING ENDS 8:00PM EST TONIGHT

[rondoallaturca]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

[fairweatherfan]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

Omer Asik, George Hill, MWP, and Kobe think so too.

[Kane3387]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

Yeah Golden State

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I can name one. Denver Nuggets.

(don't hate the player, hate the game.  )

Well, I do like your team and I have it making the playoffs, but defense isn't a driving reason. Your best two defenders play the same position (and are legitimate injury risks), and Webster/Lee are the only two other guys who are a clear plus on that end of the court. Lowry/Chandler are way too inconsistent, Lillard is still learning the ropes, and Monroe is meh - he uses his body well but doesn't have much else going for him defensively. The potential to put Lee/Webster/Varejao/Bogut out on the court on the same time as a defensive-minded unit is a nice commodity to have though. I think you have a competent defensive team, but I wouldn't say it's better than the Lakers 

Don't forget Lowry. If anything else, he's known as a tough defender against PG's.

And Monroe, I agree in a sense of, he is slow, but not for lack of effort. He knows where to position and is still tough to just out muscles down low. But he's just darn slow footed. 

[rondoallaturca]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

Omer Asik, George Hill, MWP, and Kobe think so too.

Aha! There we go. Orlando was the team I was forgetting about.

[fairweatherfan]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

Omer Asik, George Hill, MWP, and Kobe think so too.

Aha! There we go. Orlando was the team I was forgetting about.

No worries - in looking for support I learned that Kobe has exactly as many 1st and 2nd team All-Defense awards as KG.  Seems very wrong somehow.

[rondoallaturca]

No worries - in looking for support I learned that Kobe has exactly as many 1st and 2nd team All-Defense awards as KG.  Seems very wrong somehow.

I suppose it wouldn't be as fun giving it to Raja Bell 

[nickagneta]

Don't get me wrong, I find Nash to be one of the three best floor generals and passers in the game and when he will be on the floor(my projection is probably about 60-65 regular season games and all the playoffs because he is a tough dude) the offense in Dallas will be excellent.

But I don't think his defense will improve and its been poor for years. And I don't like the fact that Jefferson will be the guy holding down the last line of defense from oncoming PGs getting into the paint past Nash.

I still think Dallas a good team. Just not the West's best.

The defensive criticism, I totally understand.  I don't see how it makes sense to project that Nash misses a quarter of the season, though, when that's happened once in more than a decade.

If you do that, I think you need to make similarly negative projections about Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, Emeka Okafor, Nene, Wade, etc., etc.  Pretty much the only star player you can guarantee will stay healthy is Lebron.

Roy he isn't 29-36 anymore. He will be 40. His health from a decade ago isn't relevant. His health from 5 years ago isn't relevant. Once you hit the age he is at, you are in rare air when it comes to expectations of being able to play, never mind being able to play at a high level and not miss games. I don't think it unreasonable at all for people to assume he is going to miss a bunch of games especially after doing so last year at the age of 38-39 and having to be receiving epidural shots for a portion of this summer.

Like I said, if you do it with Nash (who has a remarkably clean health history), I think you need to do it with everyone.  Declining to do so makes an arbitrary exercise even more so.

I don't believe I said I wouldn't do it with everyone. I have always taken expected rookie contributions, injuries, game decline due to age and other possible effects into consideration in this game. Just ask The Walker Wiggle or IP who's teams I have discounted because of either injuries or expected rookie contributions in the past, as well as a certain CB Draft winning Crotornat team from a few years back. I think I have been pretty consistent in that.

[KGs Knee]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

TP to someone for recognizing just how good the Bucks can be on defense.

I have two elite defenders at rather important positions (PG/SF), and another very solid defender at C.  My 6th man (Ariza) is also a very good wing defender.  PF is somewhat of a weakness on D, but Reggie Evans can fill in when stops are needed.  He's not sexy, or elite,  but physical and competent.  Evans also rebounds like nobodies business, minute for minute there really aren't any better rebounders.

Conley, Ariza, George, Evans and Okafor would make a nasty defensive lineup (while somewhat deficient on offense).  Obviously that is a situational lineup lineup, but still very good for end of game situations, where Conley and George are both good in the clutch, and Ariza is a threat from 3pt range.

[rondoallaturca]

With your team's defense, I think a lot boils down to what people think about Okafor. He's only 6'10 and not the flashiest name around, but he gets the job done. His advanced metrics are excellent, and I think he's more than capable of anchoring a playoff team's defense. Others might not feel the same way.

[Fafnir]

With your team's defense, I think a lot boils down to what people think about Okafor. He's only 6'10 and not the flashiest name around, but he gets the job done. His advanced metrics are excellent, and I think he's more than capable of anchoring a playoff team's defense. Others might not feel the same way.

I think Okafor is a solid defense C, though he takes away offensively much of what he brings on D.

[KGs Knee]

Also, Emeka Okafor as an injury concern, hogwash.  In 9 seasons he had two seasons where he had an injury which caused him to miss time.  One other season he missed almost 20 games.  There's really no pattern to be found there.  In 6 of his nine seasosn he has played at least 72 games and and in 7 of nine played at least 2000 minutes.

Not in my house!

[rondoallaturca]

I think Okafor is a solid defense C, though he takes away offensively much of what he brings on D.

Agreed; fortunately Milwaukee won't have to rely on their center for offensive production.

[KGs Knee]

I think Okafor is a solid defense C, though he takes away offensively much of what he brings on D.

Agreed; fortunately Milwaukee won't have to rely on their center for offensive production.

I should have hired you for my PR firm.   

[KGs Knee]

FWIW, here are the teams who I think have better defense than the Lakers:

Minnesota (#1 defense in the league IMO)
Cleveland (but only as long as G-Wall is a fixture in their rotation; otherwise we're about even)
Oklahoma City
Milwaukee

Washington has a case because of their very solid starting lineup, but their bench is completely devoid of defense.

I do have a feeling I missed a team...

Omer Asik, George Hill, MWP, and Kobe think so too.

Also a team I think is going under the radar for its defense.  Kobe isn't lockdown anymore, but is still savvy in guarding passing lanes.