The loss to the Clips really exposed our continued struggles on defense, especially pick and roll defending. Look, Gallinari, Williams and Shamet were very hot from 3 (team shot nearly 50% from 3) and I concede that is as much great shooting as it is failing to cover guys effectively from that range.
What I can't understand, and what really has frustrated me this entire season, is when guys get caught in picks, and don't communicate to determine who is going to cover the guy who is with the ball, suddenly wide open, and going straight to the hoop, or the guy who rolls to the hoop, unattended. It seems like guys are stuck dumbfounded, pointing (in their minds if not with their hands) the proverbial finger at a team-mate. Is this a system problem? A lack of communication problem? A lack of talent problem? A lack of caring problem? Whatever, it continues to be a problem. We are especially vulnerable to guards with good handles, who attack the hoop.
Fox tonight will be a good test case. We had no answer to Williams in Clips game. What happened to our great defenders, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier? Just frustrates the heck out of me.
My other major beef: We are the poorest defensive rebounding team I have ever witnessed. Our boxing out skills are non-existent. Brad should pull any player whose failure to box out causes a hoop. I caught Kyrie with a lack of box out that led to easy Harrell put back. Not to single him out, there were a half dozen examples. Good fundamentals are a starting point to becoming a good team. We are near the end of season and we still are inept in this??