04-02-2022, 02:52 PM
(04-02-2022, 02:05 PM)mvossman Wrote: I mean the team is top 10 right now with less than that. Din is really not that big of a drop off from Bullock and Turner is a huge upgrade over Powell. Luka has already shown he can play average defense when he cares (and the playoffs will obviously fall into that category) and Din is a roughly average defender. The only truly subpar defender in that group is Brunson, and even he has shown some improvements this year.
I have no problem finishing games with that group, but for most of the game one of those playmaker/creators will be replaced by Bullock or (even better from a defensive standpoint) Green and the defense will be even better. If we still have Maxi playing backup 4/5, that team is probably a top 5 defense.
They are only top 10 because of what they did prior to the KP trade. Their defensive rating has gone from 108.6 pre-trade to 116.1 post. I don't entirely put the blame for that on Dinwiddie, but they were certainly playing better D earlier in the year even when KP was sitting.