The defensive end on the court may not be as "sexy" as seeing a high-functioning, free-flowing offense, but I get just as much fun in breaking it. I chose to analyze the Detroit Pistons game against the 76ers and nets for several reasons. First, the 76ers have one of the NBA's most efficient offenses, along with Joel Embiid, a player who has to be caught in the low post. Having a player like Embiid forces the team to do extra defensively against him, putting them in rotation, which is something I like to observe and analyze. Second, the Nets (even without Irving) have two of the most skilled players in the game, thus posing a threat and problem for the defense.
Disclaimer: This should not be seen as a clear view of all areas where defense needs to be improved. Detroit's defense is actually far ahead of the offense. While some fans may wonder why I was so "negative" about defense, that's what the movie brought to me when I watched the game again and focused only on this side of the ball. Maybe my expectations are too high, maybe I'm too picky, but I do think the Pistons' defense will be better than what we've seen.
Frankly, if there's one theme I expected from this crash, it's about the detroit rotation. I know that playing with players like Embiid, James Harden and Kevin Durant brings a lot of offensive opportunities, and I can see how the Pistons' players are packing and rotating defensively. In both games, the situation was mixed. We see everything that the "clinic tape" executes, and then we see the failure of slow rotation and finishing. Frankly, I'm excited about the Pistons' next game, we can see them in more situations and how well they can perform.
Some of the rebounding problems in these two games may be directly related to the rotation of defense, rather than the "last effort" to grab rebounds. The interesting thing about defensive rebounding is... The Pistons' defensive rebounding rate is sixth in the NBA. So, to be fair, I should probably put some more emphasis on some of the teams that successfully completed possession, but I couldn't help but feel that the offensive rebounds we gave up in these games did change the momentum.
It's very simple and straightforward, so I've only provided a few highlights, but I do think it's a "small" thing that can be easily fixed and will be an important improvement. If you think back to my breakdown with Josh Jackson, I would say how touched I was when I saw him play against a player like Zach Lavin and his ability to stay disciplined and in touch with him without the ball.
Like I just praised Josh Jackson's defense, I don't want to say that he's definitely one of the culprits for at least one possession error in a game (as is Cade Cunningham). Again, maybe I'm just picky, but I'd like to see the Pistons eliminate these "fixable" communication, recognition and focusing missteps on the defensive end that can make them better.
When your offense is as bad as the Pistons are now, every possession of the defense is amplified a lot, which has a big impact on the likely outcome of the game. I guess that's why I'm so "tough" or "negative" when I crash. While the defense is good, I think it can be done better, which is what this team needs, and the offense is still working out the problem.