Overrated Backcourt Defense?

[chenaren]

So far, Harden, Lowry, Ellis, Jackson and Morrow all have gone off against us. I thought the backcourt defense was supposed to be this team's strength?

[pearljammer10]

Bradley is overrated. Notice how Stevens pulled him out at the end to put Turner on Morrow who was torching him.

[ctrey]

It is not the backcourt. Because you can not hand check when guys get by there is no one in the paint. Jackson shot everything inside of 12 feet tonight. The fact we wanted to draft him but the Thunder got him killed me all night.

[Who]

I think the expectations are too high for how much the Celtics perimeter defense can accomplish without any sort of competent interior defense to back them up.

The rules today make is so easy for an offensive player to beat his defender on the perimeter. Without the team defense + interior defense to protect your perimeter guys, your guards are often screwed before they have even started.

Ainge acquiring a quality defensive anchor would do wonders for Celtics guards.

[TheFlex]

No rim protector (and for Jackson/Morrow, no Smart)?

[KeepRondo]

I think the expectations are too high for how much the Celtics perimeter defense can accomplish without any sort of competent interior defense to back them up.

The rules today make is so easy for an offensive player to beat his defender on the perimeter. Without the team defense + interior defense to protect your perimeter guys, your guards are often screwed before they have even started.

Ainge acquiring a quality defensive anchor would do wonders for Celtics guards.

exactly. Bradley and other guards have zero help behind them. That's a terrible combination with aggressive guard defense. Also, besides Smart and Bradley is there even an average defender on this team? This is going to be a very bad defensive team. Funny how the only good defensive player gets so much blame.

[SCeltic34]

We were spoiled by KG.

We're icing almost all of the PnRs, so we're actually inviting the team's opposing players to get into the mid-range area for a 2-point shot.  If played incorrectly, we're particularly vulnerable in giving up free lanes to the basket or kick-outs to teammates if someone needs to leave their man to help.  Neither Sully nor KO have the lateral quickness or length to appropriately contest jumpshots and layups on a consistent basis.  Zeller's D leaves something to be desired as well.

Our poor D is a team issue.

[Eddie20]

Bradley is overrated. Notice how Stevens pulled him out at the end to put Turner on Morrow who was torching him.

That kind of stuff happens when a shooter gets hot. Hell, Rex Chapman lit up MJ back in the day.

[Snakehead]

I think the expectations are too high for how much the Celtics perimeter defense can accomplish without any sort of competent interior defense to back them up.

The rules today make is so easy for an offensive player to beat his defender on the perimeter. Without the team defense + interior defense to protect your perimeter guys, your guards are often screwed before they have even started.

Ainge acquiring a quality defensive anchor would do wonders for Celtics guards.

This 100%.

Containing a guard with offensive skill without a handcheck is not a one man job.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Bradley is overrated. Notice how Stevens pulled him out at the end to put Turner on Morrow who was torching him.

That kind of stuff happens when a shooter gets hot. Hell, Rex Chapman lit up MJ back in the day.

I would be willing to bet good money he put Turner in for offense and not his defense. If Morrow scored more than 3 of his 11 buckets on AB I would be shocked! Morrow got hot with TURNER ON HIM! He also lit RR up.

I mean, if you say it was AB, I guess that makes it right.

When you look back it, you are going to see that RJ got hot (first with the 3 on RR) with Pressey on him. If not for fouls on AB, RJ was struggling.

I can't take anyone serious who blames how Morrow played, on AB when AB was RARELY ON HIM or even in the vicinity!

[Snakehead]

I can't take anyone serious who blames how Morrow played, on AB when AB was RARELY ON HIM or even in the vicinity!

I believe it was Rondo that ended up on him quite a bit.   Trying to forget that second half already.

[cons]

The entire concept of backcourt defense is somewhat overrated. It's an offensive game. Superstars score tons of points and that's the NBA. You're never truly going to shut down s great offensive player once they have it going. There's only so much you can do defensively. The point about no interior D is probably valid. With no presence inside quick scoring guards are nearly impossible to really stop one on one. The idea that our guards are going to really shut down opposing scorers consistently is probably false. This is the NBA. The guards are almost all really good. You're not going to pressure them or stop them. You just hope to derail their rhythm a bit. Tonight was great example. Even backup NBA guards can get hot and once that happens there's really not much an individual defender can do.
We shouldn't be relying on the idea that our backcourt defense is going to win any games for us. That'd be silly.

[Rondo9]

I can't take anyone serious who blames how Morrow played, on AB when AB was RARELY ON HIM or even in the vicinity!

I believe it was Rondo that ended up on him quite a bit.   Trying to forget that second half already.

Hey! At least people aren't blaming Rondo for this loss! 

[PickNRoll]

Joey Crawford makes Scottie Pippen look like Brian Scalabrine.

[PickNRoll]

The entire concept of backcourt defense is somewhat overrated. It's an offensive game. Superstars score tons of points and that's the NBA. You're never truly going to shut down s great offensive player once they have it going. There's only so much you can do defensively. The point about no interior D is probably valid. With no presence inside quick scoring guards are nearly impossible to really stop one on one. The idea that our guards are going to really shut down opposing scorers consistently is probably false. This is the NBA. The guards are almost all really good. You're not going to pressure them or stop them. You just hope to derail their rhythm a bit. Tonight was great example. Even backup NBA guards can get hot and once that happens there's really not much an individual defender can do.
We shouldn't be relying on the idea that our backcourt defense is going to win any games for us. That'd be silly.

The game is won from 15' out.  The rules of engagement on the interior are established.  If you allow extreme handchecking and contact, you favor the defense.  See: Jordan rules, 1980's Detroit Pistons.  If you blow the whistle every time somebody breathes on a wing player, you get the opposite.  AND1 basketball.  See: Celtics vs. Thunder.  This game, played at this elite level is very fickle.  Minor adjustments in officiating result in major differences in outcome.  Every NBA official can very easily impact the game in subtle ways to achieve a given outcome.  We've already seen one convicted IN A COURT OF LAW.  Do we STILL have to pretend it's not a problem?