I Love Defense But Its Darn Expensive

[rollie mass]

Gritty down and dirty ball denying defence.. Fighting over screens ,ohysical turn and blocks while jumping the lanes for steals ,drawing charges and diving for loose balls.
A  less talented but gritty defensive team will win its share of games regular season but will have a higher number of injuries and also it can effect players offensive production playing hard both ends.
The refs are now also calling tighter games and the league has cracked down giving offense even more of an edge. Face check, hand check and landing space.
But it is a joy watching the players on a string as the offense moves and swings the ball.
The length of defensive players pushing people off their spots and receiving the ball in awkward offensive stance.
The season is too long, playoffs stretched out .Players are longer ,stronger, quicker and  more vertical .

[Surferdad]

I've always felt that players spend much more energy on defense than offense.  Celtics are currently working very hard and it's paying off.

[mr. dee]

This is why depth is important in grueling 82 game season.

[droopdog7]

I've always felt that players spend much more energy on defense than offense.  Celtics are currently working very hard and it's paying off.

Definitely true.  Everything from the required movements (squatting, moving laterally) to having to absorb contact to the fact that all five need to be active is more difficult.

[Fafnir]

Yeah I think the modern style of defense to try and handle the new NBA offensive style is one of the big reasons minutes have gone down so much. Players expend so much more energy now defensively on average. (if they're trying, obviously there are always those teams that don't give a crap especially in the back half of the season)

[Hoopvortex]

This is why depth is important in grueling 82 game season.

This is Boston’s edge. The Celtics might not have a ‘top-20’ player, but the depth is outstanding.

[PhoSita]

You know it's interesting to me that you used the word "expensive." 

You're absolutely right that players who fight hard on defense sustain more injuries and use more energy night to night.


On the flip side, defensive specialists tend to cost far less in terms of cap space.


Just look at this:


Marcus Smart - $12.5 million

Zach Lavine - $19.5 million


Wouldn't you take Marcus Smart on your team every day of the week?


That's not even the most egregious example.

[Fafnir]

Zach Lavine - $19.5 million

KANGZ!

I really dislike watching Lavine, just ugly often lazy basketball. Hopefully someday he figures out the Lou Williams trick to being a fun one way player to watch.