12-06-2021, 03:50 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-06-2021, 04:04 PM by KillerLeft.)
It's all going exactly as @"dirkfansince1998" predicted, from my point of view.
Kidd's scheme IS more aggressive on the ball, and that DOES help to prevent penetration. And, when this year's group has played well, their interior defense has benefitted from these tweaks, too.
But there's almost always a shooter open when the opposing team is patient and moves the ball enough. As we go through the season, the frequency of teams executing this (including making the resulting shot) will increase steadily, until we reach the playoffs (should the Mavs qualify), when there's a 100% chance that even their first round opponent will be able to exploit this weakness. Remember, the GOOD teams, right now, WANT to take more 3's than they let you take.
I'm no defensive basketball genius, and I understand that Kidd knows way more than me, but in my view the best way forward is to A) get Porzingis playing interior defense well (mission accomplished, to this point), B) figure out a way for him to do as close to ONLY that as possible and C) trust him to police the paint and have others focus on playing tightly on the perimeter. You want the open shots, if there are some, to be from mid-range, where efficiency goes to die.
Giving up more open 3's than you get on offense is currently the very best way to lose in the NBA.
Kidd's scheme IS more aggressive on the ball, and that DOES help to prevent penetration. And, when this year's group has played well, their interior defense has benefitted from these tweaks, too.
But there's almost always a shooter open when the opposing team is patient and moves the ball enough. As we go through the season, the frequency of teams executing this (including making the resulting shot) will increase steadily, until we reach the playoffs (should the Mavs qualify), when there's a 100% chance that even their first round opponent will be able to exploit this weakness. Remember, the GOOD teams, right now, WANT to take more 3's than they let you take.
I'm no defensive basketball genius, and I understand that Kidd knows way more than me, but in my view the best way forward is to A) get Porzingis playing interior defense well (mission accomplished, to this point), B) figure out a way for him to do as close to ONLY that as possible and C) trust him to police the paint and have others focus on playing tightly on the perimeter. You want the open shots, if there are some, to be from mid-range, where efficiency goes to die.
Giving up more open 3's than you get on offense is currently the very best way to lose in the NBA.
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