BradyManny
Pro Bowl Player
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2006
- Messages
- 11,103
- Reaction score
- 1,520
I see a lot of people alluding to PP's defense having gone downhill in the last few years. This is something we've heard a bunch recently.
I'd like to see someone tell me why they think this is. Is it just something that they heard, or have they witnessed it? B/c I watch every C's game, and I can tell you, I still think PP is a very good defensive player.
Paul certainly takes defense seriously and has the physical ability to defend well and has been a good defensive player his whole career.
Is it really likely that all of a sudden goes away...or does it have something to do with the fact that Boston has moved to a team defense which requires constant rotation and decision making, and that Paul was surrounding by rookies who were incapable of making the right decisions when it comes to rotating. Jefferson, Perkins and other youngsters have had trouble in this team defense, and Wally S. was a disaster due to slow knees. You can either blame those players or the defense that Doc implements (I'm not a fan of it), but to say Pierce has slowed defensively - there's absolutely zero evidence for it.
Anyone who is claiming Pierce has slipped defensively better have some pretty good evidence, because all I'm seeing is a good defender stuck in a terrible team defense.
I think removing Wally S. and putting in a quicker, longer guy (Ray Allen) - who likewise has been stuck in crappy Ds and has gotten a bad rap - and who causes more turnovers and steals than Wally did, and simply playing Rondo more, a naturally gifted defensive player, that our defense will be much better next season. Jefferson and Perk may continue to struggle, but they do have the ability to block shots, it's only a matter of time before they gain the experience and start making the right calls defensively.
(Personally, I'd rather just scrap this team defense bordering on zone stuff altogether and just play man...but that's a separate issue).
I'd like to see someone tell me why they think this is. Is it just something that they heard, or have they witnessed it? B/c I watch every C's game, and I can tell you, I still think PP is a very good defensive player.
Paul certainly takes defense seriously and has the physical ability to defend well and has been a good defensive player his whole career.
Is it really likely that all of a sudden goes away...or does it have something to do with the fact that Boston has moved to a team defense which requires constant rotation and decision making, and that Paul was surrounding by rookies who were incapable of making the right decisions when it comes to rotating. Jefferson, Perkins and other youngsters have had trouble in this team defense, and Wally S. was a disaster due to slow knees. You can either blame those players or the defense that Doc implements (I'm not a fan of it), but to say Pierce has slowed defensively - there's absolutely zero evidence for it.
Anyone who is claiming Pierce has slipped defensively better have some pretty good evidence, because all I'm seeing is a good defender stuck in a terrible team defense.
I think removing Wally S. and putting in a quicker, longer guy (Ray Allen) - who likewise has been stuck in crappy Ds and has gotten a bad rap - and who causes more turnovers and steals than Wally did, and simply playing Rondo more, a naturally gifted defensive player, that our defense will be much better next season. Jefferson and Perk may continue to struggle, but they do have the ability to block shots, it's only a matter of time before they gain the experience and start making the right calls defensively.
(Personally, I'd rather just scrap this team defense bordering on zone stuff altogether and just play man...but that's a separate issue).