Defense Still Wins Championships

[KB21]

I didn't believe Miami could pull it off, but they did. They also proved that defense still wins championships. Dallas scored 100+ points only once in this series. Miami defended well and controlled the boards.

If the Hawks are going to take that next step, they MUST get better defensively. In my mind, this changes a previous view that I had and focuses my attention in the draft on Shelden Williams and Randy Foye, the two best defenders in the entire draft in my opinion.

[sick_five]

Don't forget about Rondo if the Hawks trade down... he is one of the best defending guards in the draft, if not the best. However, the Hawks need two more bigs to stop the easy buckets.

[drzachary]

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I didn't believe Miami could pull it off, but they did. They also proved that defense still wins championships. Dallas scored 100+ points only once in this series. Miami defended well and controlled the boards.

If the Hawks are going to take that next step, they MUST get better defensively. In my mind, this changes a previous view that I had and focuses my attention in the draft on Shelden Williams and Randy Foye, the two best defenders in the entire draft in my opinion.

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Defense may win championships, but it also makes them almost intolerable to watch. I can just round up some friends of mine and watch a free throw contest any day of the week.

[KB21]

I'm not even looking at trading down as an option. It rarely happens in the NBA draft, and per Billy at the meeting Lascar talked about last week, he has received no calls about teams wanting to move up to our pick.

On a value basis, the best players that fill the our needs defensively in the paint and on the perimeter at the 5th pick are Shelden Williams and Randy Foye.

[Guest]

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Defense may win championships, but it also makes them almost intolerable to watch. I can just round up some friends of mine and watch a free throw contest any day of the week.

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Hahahaha, I couldn't agree more. These Miami games have been unbearable to watch.

[ATLBob]

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defense still wins championships.

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Actually, defense + offense = championships. You still have to score more points than the other guys.

By the way, has anyone ever seen a player get more crap calls to send them to the line with the game in the balance, while simultaneously getting away with more push-offs and offensive fouls than D. Wade in this series. It wasn't Jordan-esque, it was just ugly.

The way the zebras like to whistle us, he'll foul our whole team out next time we play, while out-attempting us by 4x at the line.

[cyman3]

when MAVS win, its a landslide... clear victory for them. they clearly won the game.

when HEAT win, its a close match. barely won.

i bet the MAVS feel bad about this one.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Referees and unclutch free throws can also win a championship.

[GST]

Like it or not, drawing fouls and getting to the line is a proven strategy for winning. Shooting 75% from the line is always going to be more efficient than shooting 45% from the field. Looking at the bright side, it appears Marvin has a knack for this kind of play.

[KB21]

Exactly! This is also one of the reasons they have Marvin working with a physical therapist on his core strength this offseason. They know he has the ability to put the ball on the floor, drive, and draw the foul. He's now got to get stronger so he can finish off those drives.

[tarco69]

No one even comes close to Phantom calls than Jordan D. Wade was not even close to what special priviledges Mr. Jordan use to get. Stop hating on flash beides he is only gonna get better. Scary Huh.

[chillzatl]

and missing free throws can lose you a championship. Don't use the refs as an excuse. The refs TRIED to give game five to the Mavs and they choked their free throws. It's all a matter of perspective. Which oddly enough, changes minute to minute with some people.

[Johnnybravo4]

Defense is as much about scheme as it is talent. Pat Riley has always had defensive teams going back to his days with the Knicks (and even the Lakers). I thought that Woody would be a defensive coach, but he hasn't proved that to me yet.

[Packfill]

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Defense is as much about scheme as it is talent. Pat Riley has always had defensive teams going back to his days with the Knicks (and even the Lakers). I thought that Woody would be a defensive coach, but he hasn't proved that to me yet.

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Agreed. Riley has the strength of character to force players to play defense. Larry Brown is the same way. Woodson just doesn't have it, or at least if he does, he hides it well.

[KB21]

Larry Brown certainly forced his defensive will upon the New York Knicks.

[Yeti]

Speaking of missing freethrows - remember that when looking at who we draft. If got someone like Rondo, we have to pull him off the court at the end of games because he is a horrible FT shooter. We don't necessarily need another outside shooter but if we need to count on them in crunch time I want a D.Wade shooting FTs, not a Rondo.

[Packfill]

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Larry Brown certainly forced his defensive will upon the New York Knicks.

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True, but in all fairness no coach could have gotten that ill-conceived roster to achieve on the defensive end. Curry, James, Crawford, Marbury, Rose, etc. all have long history's of less then adequate defensive effort (which explains why they have all moved at least once in their career).

[AHF]

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Larry Brown certainly forced his defensive will upon the New York Knicks.

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True, but in all fairness no coach could have gotten that ill-conceived roster to achieve on the defensive end. Curry, James, Crawford, Marbury, Rose, etc. all have long history's of less then adequate defensive effort (which explains why they have all moved at least once in their career).

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That same rationale could excuse Brown who was handed the youngest roster in the entire league given the struggles young players routinely have on the defensive end. Brown does have a more developed track record, though!

[ATLBob]

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The refs TRIED to give game five to the Mavs and they choked their free throws. It's all a matter of perspective.

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Huh? We obviously didn't watch the same game. Sure, perspective, but I was not biased at all, could care less who won, as long as it was a good clean game. Mavs missed some throws that woulda helped. Doesn't make the phantom calls on the other end of the court any better.

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Stop hating on flash beides he is only gonna get better. Scary Huh.

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No one's hatin' on Wade. We're hating on the refs. And yeah, that is scary. He's wikipedia's new definition of clutch.

And no, Jordan never got to go to the line 25 times in a Finals game. How many times was he there?

[BusBoyIsBack]

If you think Jordan got to the line more than Wade did in these past few games you're kidding yourself.

First of all, when Jordan got to the line 20 times, he put up 60 points. It wasn't the overwhelming majority of his points. Also, when Jordan got to the line he actually deserved to get to the line. Teams like the Detroit Pistons made Jordan hit the deck on fouls that would be considered flagrant fouls today. He wasn't just some drama queen that tried to manipulate the refs like DWade.

And he never went to the line as much as a whole team in two straight Finals games. That is by far the worst foul disparity I've ever seen. Not to mention the apalling phantom calls in the closing seconds of both games.