Where did our defense go?

[ozgod]

Small sample size, but in the past 4 games we have conceded 117, 104, 120 and 120 points. We are:

20th in opponent eFG% at 54.3%
22nd in opponent 3FG% at 38.3%
17th in opponent FG% from 5-9ft at 41.4%
28th in opponent FG% from 10-14ft at 52.6%

We are 24th in defensive rating at 117. The only teams worse are Detroit, Indiana, Houston, Denver, Memphis and Brooklyn.

All info from https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?CF=MIN*GE*15&dir=A&sort=DEF_RATING

I looked at the defensive ratings for some of our heavily used lineups from last year:

Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Timelord with DR 94.2
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Theis with DR 95.2
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/White with DR 102.1

This year (again small sample size and the data is possibly skewed by the blowout, but you have to start somewhere)

Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/White with DR 109.9
Vonleh/Smart/Brown/Tatum/White with DR 120.6
Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Brodgon with DR 126.7
GWill/Smart/Brown/Tatum/Brodgon with DR 104.7

https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/advanced?CF=MIN*GE*20&Season=2021-22&TeamID=1610612738&dir=A&slug=advanced&sort=DEF_RATING

The Horford/Smart/Brown/Tatum/White lineup is 7.8pts worse this year than last. The lineup with Vonleh as the first big off the bench hasn't been good. Neither has been the lineup with Brogdon in it. I know Brogdon is a great individual defender so I suppose this is just them getting familiar with the defense, when to switch and maybe the communication and the awareness of what the other player will do isn't quite ingrained yet.

I also noticed something (and Scal also pointed it out) over the past few games, they are not switching Al and Vonleh on pick and roll coverage, instead they are running a drop coverage. I didn't go down to the actual shots taken but I suspect the opponent FG% in the 5-9ft and 10-14ft are in large part pick and rolls where they shot floaters or those dinky little shots closer to the rim. We got away with it the first 3 games because we scored more than the opposition but we got found out against Chicago, they killed us in the pick and roll, that was their main half court set with Vuc and DeRozan and Lavine.

This has got to be Joe Mazz's highest priority - get our defense tightened up. We are a terrible team to rely just on our shooting because we are streaky and when we start missing and we can't stop them scoring, they start to get frustrated, complain about refereeing, and it goes downhill from there.

[radiohead]

The defense has been the biggest let down so far. Given that there’s no TL and Al may be a step slow, still the overall defense has regressed badly. Is it a case of the players’ complacency? They got away with bad D the first 3 games, but this time the Bulls made them pay for all those lapses. Can Joe fix this? The players need to buy in on the defensive schemes again. Perhaps this can be the silver lining to the disappointing loss.

[Moranis]

They are too small.  They need Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, and another big guy starting,  they just don't have anyone because the bench is very shallow and not good in the big department

[jambr380]

They are too small.  They need Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, and another big guy starting,  they just don't have anyone because the bench is very shallow and not good in the big department

I wonder who they could get for Derrick White. No, this isn't a White hate post - he has actually been playing the way I want to see him play - but we desperately need another productive big and we have another guard in Pritchard just sitting there.

As for the OP, I don't get it all. I was sitting there when we were up 35-19 last night thinking our offense was so good and I guess it didn't matter if we weren't going to take D seriously. Boy, was I wrong. I get it, one game and all, but the D was everything to this team last year and now all of a sudden we look terrible. Did Ime make that much of a difference?

[slamtheking]

They are too small.  They need Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, and another big guy starting,  they just don't have anyone because the bench is very shallow and not good in the big department

I wonder who they could get for Derrick White. No, this isn't a White hate post - he has actually been playing the way I want to see him play - but we desperately need another productive big and we have another guard in Pritchard just sitting there.

As for the OP, I don't get it all. I was sitting there when we were up 35-19 last night thinking our offense was so good and I guess it didn't matter if we weren't going to take D seriously. Boy, was I wrong. I get it, one game and all, but the D was everything to this team last year and now all of a sudden we look terrible. Did Ime make that much of a difference?

I think Ime made a definite difference in terms of cutting the complaining.  He needed a half season to get the team in the right direction.  hoping Mazz doesn't need nearly that long to get them back to playing D

[Roy H.]

Some of this may be a coaching philosophy:

“I think last year we thought defense first, and obviously you have to do that. But now, with our skill, we can kind of think offensively as well. So, just a bit more balance and what gives our team the best opportunity to win,” Mazzulla said.

Now, is that Mazzulla actually changing things because he wants to, or him spinning a bad situation out of necessity?  Management hasn't given him the proper tools to have an elite defensive unit, particularly when Horford isn't on the floor.

This isn't really a surprise to me.  I've been shocked by management, and many fans, thinking we'd be just fine without a legitimate big man to step in for Timelord and Horford.

[Moranis]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league. 

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

[boscel33]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

How they rounded out the bench?  The bench is completely different with RWill and Dano in there.  This team was constructed great and suddenly injuries to two of the key players makes everyone have to move up from their roles.

[Roy H.]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

If that’s fair, how many teams are poorly constructed? Every team besides GS and Milwaukee? I can find major faults with 95% of the rosters.

No, we’re not GS.

[Roy H.]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

How they rounded out the bench?  The bench is completely different with RWill and Dano in there.  This team was constructed great and suddenly injuries to two of the key players makes everyone have to move up from their roles.

Timelord's injury has been known about for several months, and Gallinari got hurt in August.  What has Brad done to adjust the roster?  It's apparent that our big man depth isn't good enough right now. 

[Roy H.]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

If that’s fair, how many teams are poorly constructed? Every team besides GS and Milwaukee? I can find major faults with 95% of the rosters.

No, we’re not GS.

How many contenders have a guy as bad as Vonleh as a primary rotation player?

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

If that’s fair, how many teams are poorly constructed? Every team besides GS and Milwaukee? I can find major faults with 95% of the rosters.

No, we’re not GS.

How many contenders have a guy as bad as Vonleh as a primary rotation player?

Instead of following you down this rabbit hole, I’m stating that contenders usually don’t have poor roster construction. I love the combo of Smart/Brogdon/White on defense, for example. I also like how switchable Tatum and Brown are.

I have issue with the idea that this is a poorly constructed team. It’s hyperbole.

[Roy H.]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

If that’s fair, how many teams are poorly constructed? Every team besides GS and Milwaukee? I can find major faults with 95% of the rosters.

No, we’re not GS.

How many contenders have a guy as bad as Vonleh as a primary rotation player?

Instead of following you down this rabbit hole, I’m stating that contenders usually don’t have poor roster construction. I love the combo of Smart/Brogdon/White on defense, for example. I also like how switchable Tatum and Brown are.

I have issue with the idea that this is a poorly constructed team. It’s hyperbole.

Ok.  Our big man rotation is poorly constructed.  Negligently so.