Can players be taught how to defend?

[DeAnna]

Interesting comments on this question from San Antonio (who, as we know, is where good defense lives )

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89175

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Barbosa and Nash could be a lot better defenders, by just extending out their arms in a wingspan type position. The problem is, is that it is hard to do this all game long, your arms get tired. With Barbosa's long arms and speed, he should be a really good defender. With his hands below his waist, it's no wonder his man gets by him so often.

 

[joshstmarie]

im gunna have to disagree with you on that one, neither of those guys can move their feet laterally fast enough to be affective defenders. barbosas foot work on D is simply disgusting but nash just doesnt have the athleticism to be a good defender.

 

[jbeecham]

They've got another thread on there about how butt-hurt they are because Shaq wouldn't let Duncan help him up......

 

[dreamcastrocks]

im gunna have to disagree with you on that one, neither of those guys can move their feet laterally fast enough to be affective defenders. barbosas foot work on D is simply disgusting but nash just doesnt have the athleticism to be a good defender.

If he can move his feet that laterally on offense, he can do the same on defense. He just needs to have instinct, study the players tendencies, etc. Defense can be taught.

We can disagree, no problem.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

They've got another thread on there about how butt-hurt they are because Shaq wouldn't let Duncan help him up......

I loved that.

 

[da_suns_fan]

Yep...lots of crying over there today.

I love it.

 

[Cheesewater]

Players CAN be taught how to defend...in high school then college.

 

[Maligzar]

im gunna have to disagree with you on that one, neither of those guys can move their feet laterally fast enough to be affective defenders. barbosas foot work on D is simply disgusting but nash just doesnt have the athleticism to be a good defender.

Seriously. Barbosa should have been a wide receiver. It's amazing that for a guy who is probobly the fastest up and down the court guy in the NBA; he is just sloooow moving laterally.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Players CAN be taught how to defend...in high school then college.

So are you saying that anyone that is a foreign born player can't play defense, since they didn't go to high school/college? I can come up with some examples that say otherwise.

 

[Cheesewater]

So are you saying that anyone that is a foreign born player can't play defense, since they didn't go to high school/college? I can come up with some examples that say otherwise.

Foreign born players don't go to high school or college (or the equivalent thereof)?

 

[DeAnna]

Foreign born players don't go to high school or college (or the equivalent thereof)?

I think he means that's where you learn the fundamentals.

 

[arwillan]

I think he means that's where you learn the fundamentals.

i think that's what he meant too. usually players coming from high school have a hard time picking up defense, unless they get the right coach beside them. Take Kobe for example....he came up under a great coach, and his defense shows that. Then take a guy like monta ellis....his defense sucks because he came up under a crappy defensive coach.

 

[malooga]

nash just doesnt have the athleticism to be a good defender.

Really? How do you define althleticism? Nash is probably the most well-rounded athlete on the team. He's a world class soccer and rugby player and we know what he can do on the basketball court. As for his defense, if he spent more time working on it, I guarantee you he would get better. But you know, a guy only has so many hours in a day.

 

[dodie53]

i read somewhere that defence is a mental thing,
you have to will yourself to do it.

 

[joshstmarie]

Really? How do you define althleticism? Nash is probably the most well-rounded athlete on the team. He's a world class soccer and rugby player and we know what he can do on the basketball court. As for his defense, if he spent more time working on it, I guarantee you he would get better. But you know, a guy only has so many hours in a day.

I cant really explain to you in words why nash CANT be a better defender. Its something that goes deeper than i really care to try and spit out of my pea sized brain. overall, yes nash is extremely athletic. the best way i can put it is that he doesnt have the lateral quickness to stay in front of people, wether its fast twich fibers or whatever... he cant do it. i dont think he would ever be a good defender even if he "practiced" it.

 

[Kody Rumin]

I think it is something that you have to learn. Of course there is a matter of will power and mindset, but in high school I taught myself to defend better by watching good defensive players, and studying what they did in certain situations.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Barbosa and Nash could be a lot better defenders, by just extending out their arms in a wingspan type position. The problem is, is that it is hard to do this all game long, your arms get tired. With Barbosa's long arms and speed, he should be a really good defender. With his hands below his waist, it's no wonder his man gets by him so often.

barbs also stands flatfooted and tends to overpursue. it looks like he doesn't even KNOW HOW to play defense. i blame that on the lack of coaching. we knew he came in raw. apparently dan dantoni only concentrated on offense due to barbs' fragile ego. he looks like he's never played defense in his life.

 

[French Fries]

barbs also stands flatfooted and tends to overpursue. it looks like he doesn't even KNOW HOW to play defense. i blame that on the lack of coaching. we knew he came in raw. apparently dan dantoni only concentrated on offense due to barbs' fragile ego. he looks like he's never played defense in his life.

that should be the explanation. he just doesn't know how. it's not like he's not trying. a lot of times he ends up in a wrong position to play d, leaving him no choice but to either foul or stay out of the way...

 

[malooga]

I cant really explain to you in words why nash CANT be a better defender. Its something that goes deeper than i really care to try and spit out of my pea sized brain. overall, yes nash is extremely athletic. the best way i can put it is that he doesnt have the lateral quickness to stay in front of people, wether its fast twich fibers or whatever... he cant do it. i dont think he would ever be a good defender even if he "practiced" it.

I guess we'll just have to disagree on this one. I've watched Steve play soccer. Believe me, he is very athletic and can move laterally very quickly.

 

[DeAnna]

Really? How do you define althleticism?

Oh, don't even get me started on that one. One time I took golf lessons and the instructor kept telling us to 'stand in an athletic pose.' What does that even mean?? Apparently it meant to bend at the waist a little and bend your kness. Huh?

In baseball: "so and so is very athletic." Why? Just because he can run and slide a little bit? Isn't that what they are supposed to do?

I just don't get it.

 

[nowagimp]

There are some interesting comments by the players in todays republic on defense. Without a big man in the middle, the suns mostly tried to get the perimeter players to shoot the jumper by backing off and denying the drive. If they would play up too close, the dribble penetrator would blow by them to the hoop, so they played off the shooter and doubled the post. Now with shaq in the middle, the goal is to force the dribble penetrators to the middle, to amare and shaq, and almost no doubling. Now the suns will play up on defense and contest the shot, not fearing the dribble penetration because amare and shaq are back there to contest the penetration. The suns finally have that big presence in the middle that allows defenders to overplay or jam perimeter players. Even Manu said that now the middle is clogged up on the dribble penetration. As the suns adjust to their new strategy, more pressure will be brought to bear on those perimeter shooters, trying to funnel them to the shot blockers, kind of like the spurs have done all these years. I wish shawn marion had the opportunity to play with a dominant big guy behind him, I think his D would be great in that scenario. The fun part will be when shaq and Nash really start clicking on offense, that is going to be a treat. Hopefully there are enough games left to get everything running smoothly.

 

[nowagimp]

I cant really explain to you in words why nash CANT be a better defender. Its something that goes deeper than i really care to try and spit out of my pea sized brain. overall, yes nash is extremely athletic. the best way i can put it is that he doesnt have the lateral quickness to stay in front of people, wether its fast twich fibers or whatever... he cant do it. i dont think he would ever be a good defender even if he "practiced" it.

Steve Nash uses alot of energy to create on offense, meaning that he can be attacked on defense to wear him down(or force him to the bench). He is also not very big or long(arms) for a guard, and he's not very strong to body up with guys like billups or baron davis. Nash is plenty athletic, but he uses so much more energy on offense than a typical point guard and is a bit undersized, so he is targeted on defense. If Nash was a relatively inactive guard on offense, he might be OK on defense, except in the post, where he is undersized.

AI is plenty athletic, but a poor defender(small and lack defensive intensity). AI uses alot of energy on offense.
Chris paul can be abused defensively as he's a small guard. His quickness gets alot of steals, but he is vulnerable in a post up.


Its no accident that some of the best defenders in the NBA dont create on offense, they conserve energy for defense. Creating on offense takes alot of energy. Few players, espeically guards and wings, can play both ends very well.

 

[malooga]

Oh, don't even get me started on that one. One time I took golf lessons and the instructor kept telling us to 'stand in an athletic pose.' What does that even mean?? Apparently it meant to bend at the waist a little and bend your kness. Huh?

In baseball: "so and so is very athletic." Why? Just because he can run and slide a little bit? Isn't that what they are supposed to do?

I just don't get it.

The definition of athletic from the dictionary:

1. physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child.
2. of, like, or befitting an athlete.
3. of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic sports; athletic training.
4. for athletics: an athletic field.
5. Psychology. (of a physical type) having a sturdy build or well-proportioned body structure.

By all of these, Nash is very athletic. He may not be as good at some of the skills that other athletes are good at, e.g. jumping vertically, but he is physically active and strong, good at athletics or sports, agile, has stamina and has a sturdy build.

 

[mojorizen7]

The definition of athletic from the dictionary:

1. physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child.
2. of, like, or befitting an athlete.
3. of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic sports; athletic training.
4. for athletics: an athletic field.
5. Psychology. (of a physical type) having a sturdy build or well-proportioned body structure.

By all of these, Nash is very athletic. He may not be as good at some of the skills that other athletes are good at, e.g. jumping vertically, but he is physically active and strong, good at athletics or sports, agile, has stamina and has a sturdy build.

"sturdy"

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