Why interior D is so important

[Plainview1981]

Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Hakeem, Shaq. What do they have in common? Atleast one of them have been on the championship teams since 1991.

If we would have had a 15PPG SF instead of sorry long two Corbin, and maybe one more solid bench player there is a chance that Deke would be on that list aswell.

[Diesel]

No..

I said that Rodman was very good.

I said Salley was serviceable.

Out of GA Tech, Salley was a much better offensive player than defensive player. At Detroit, Daly made Salley into a rebounder/defensive player. Salley could have gone anywhere else and still been playing well, but he's the epitome of a role player. Was he a Great one on one defensive player.. NO.

He fit the team scheme.

The thing about those Pistons is that they all fit in the scheme of the defense and they all believed in the defense so they all gave 110% on defense.

However, you take Salley out of the Piston defense. Say the Hawks traded Koncak for Salley. And you put him in the Hawks defense. Salley would not have gotten the same type of credit.

The other thing is that the Pistons were overly physical..

They intimidated everyone from the get go.

The first 5 minutes of every half of play you could expect some Hockey like fouls.. If a guard drove the lane, he would get his head torn off.

Teams don't play that way anymore. That's a big reason why they were successful.

Jordan was used to get 3 pt plays based on touch fouls.. When he played Detroit, I betcha he didn't get 1 3pt play in all the 4 yrs that the Bad Boys were together. Rick Mahorn would hit Jordan so hard sometimes, Jordan would get off the floor Mad because his teammates were just standing around when it happened....

It was funny!

[Final_quest]

You guys are forgetting one more Bad Boy, Rick Mahorn. He was a bruiser too.

[exodus]

You just said their strategy was to let Jordan score his points and shut down everyone else.

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Rick Mahorn would hit Jordan so hard sometimes, Jordan would get off the floor Mad because his teammates were just standing around when it happened....

It was funny!

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Now you say that they funneled him into the middle to beat him up. so which is it?

[Lascar78]

[exodus]

Looks like they are letting Jordan score at will.

[macdaddy]

Is this HawksSquawk Classic or something?

[Diesel]

I told you that they were Physical with MJ. They were physical with Everybody. NO Guard could just waltz down their lane.. Including Jordan.

However, you started this post talking about how Detroit's defense was based on great individual defenders in the post.....

Back to the Point..

Only Joe, Isiah, and Rodman were great individual defenders.

The rest are guys who just bought into the system and they BRUISED everybody that came their way...

[Diesel]

I mean, damn Ex. You are so blind with Al hate that you would do anything to:

1. Devalue Him.

2. Make him seem like the problem in Atlanta.

3. Get people to believe that he needs to be traded for your famous Krispey Kreme Doughnut bag...

I think you have become drunken with Al Hate...

You've even reverted to trying to change HISTORY in your onslaught on Al.

You could have done better.

Why not mention this Piston team. They have good individual defensive players? No. You had to go back into History to a team concept..

That's where you lose. If you surround Al with good defenders.. Al's defense is good enough. If you surround Al with weak defenders...Al's defense looks bad. It's not all Al, it's the scheme and the other personnell too.

Al did well for Indy. He looked pretty good playing with Oneal and Artest. Hell, they want him back.

What's your beef??

[exodus]

First of all Detroit didn't have anyone in their rotation as bad on D as Al or Zaza. Everyone who saw them play could see that.

Secondly I said both Al and Zaza had to go, yet you say my comments are because of my hate for Al. You don't mention of Zaza.

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I think you have become drunken with Al Hate...

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This is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Nobody on this board hates a Hawks player as much as you hate Marvin. Your constant Marvin hate has reached clinical

porportions.

[Traceman]

Ex has "Al hate." It is actually quite comical to hear the two of you say ridiculous things that are clearly products of your hate for them.

[exodus]

So my saying that Zaza can't play D is because of my hate for Al? That is a comment worth of Diesel.

[exodus]

for the name of that center that can cover up for Al and Zaza's weakness on D.

[Packfill]

If they get a real center Zaza is on the bench, so that is a non-issue. If they get a coach who can coach, instill good team defense, then Al is no longer the liability you claim he is now.

Be careful, your "Al hate" is putting you in the same boat as Diesel and KB.

Plus that vaunted detroit team started Mark Aguire at small forward, and he certaintly was no defensive stalwart.

[exodus]

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Plus that vaunted detroit team started Mark Aguire at small forward, and he certaintly was no defensive stalwart.

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Aguire didn't start.

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If they get a real center Zaza is on the bench, so that is a non-issue.

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Like who? You guys throw out this scenario about how the Hawks can get a defensive center to cover for Al and Zaza, but you don't give any names.

That is very convenient, because then you don't have to worry about how much to pay them or how to trade for them or where to draft them.

Basically you, Trace and Diesel are doing nothing more than wishful thinking.

[Packfill]

Check your facts, Acguire did start, along with Lambier and Mahorn, with Thomas and Dumars in the backcourt. Salley, Rodman, Johnson and Edwards were brought off the bench.

I am not saying finding a defensive center is easy, but BK has painted the team into a corner so we need one.

[exodus]

i could be wrong about Aguire, it was a long time ago.

But until you guys come up with a center who can cover for Al and Zaza you really have no argument.

The only guy I can think of who might be able to do it would be Dikembe in his prime, but his prime is gone. i miss Deke.

[Packfill]

First, it is not covering for both Al and Zaza - Zaza would be riding pine. Further, the the utter lack of a coherent defensive scheme or attention to defense by the coaching staff is a huge reason for the teams defensive shortcomings. I strongly believe that even a modicum of direction with the coaching staff would make for great improvements. The Hawks do have great athletes so it shouldn't be that difficult.

Second, historically there are alot of big men who would be perfect: Deke, Mourning, Robinson, Chief, Hakeem, Russell, etc.

I am sure there is no one available to the Hawks that deserves being mentioned in that group - unless you consider Ben Wallace available to the Hawks (which I do not).

Third, it is getting less and less likely that Al will be signed beyond the end of this season - if BK does sign him like he said he would then the Marvin pick is even more of a disaster.

[exodus]

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I strongly believe that even a modicum of direction with the coaching staff would make for great improvements.

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No question. Last game was a perfect example. They started trapping occassionally and it worked. It is working so far in this game too.

Now if they could just play the pick and roll correctly...

[Traceman]

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No it won't.

The Hawks can't afford to have someone who is such a defensive liability on the court as Al.

How is he going to guard Lebron? And if you put him at the four he can't guard anyone.

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Sure sounds like you are talking about Al to me.