Bucks Diary

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

There's no D in Milwaukee


As the second to last post insinuated, the Bucks offense is cooking this season. So why are they floundering below the .500 mark? Its the defense, Antlerheads, or more succinctly, the lack thereof. Milwaukee's team defense is... what's the opposite of cooking?

The Bucks are giving up the most points per 100 possessions of any team in the Association (112.0). Thus, while they may only rank fourth in Points Allowed per game, it is right to say they are currently sporting the worst defense in professional basketball. And its not really that close, either. No one else is giving up more than 110 points per 100 possessions. The Bucks, in other words, are a total sieve.

Which just shows the ghost in all the clap-trap that was spouted by Bucks coach Terry Stotts at the beginning of the season, about how he was going to put a "new emphasis on defense." What exactly was he emphasizing? How to give up the baseline more readily? How to allow your man even better position in the low post? How to stay as far away from the other team's perimeter shooters as possible?

The bottom line is the Bucks need to start playing some real defense if they are to have a shot at the postseason. Defense is all about effort, thus I think that if they have the will they can get it done. That notion is both inspiring and frustrating at the same time.

Footnote: The Big O has nothing to do with the Bucks lack of defense. I just put that picture up there for nostalgic purposes only.

3 Comments:

At December 13, 2006 at 4:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

semi-weekly reminder: check your email :-D

 
At December 13, 2006 at 6:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Defense is as much about the talent to play defense as it is effort. I love the "you can be a good defensive player, if you just want it bad enough."

Also what has moved the Bucks lower than last year in defensive efificiency is the defensive rebounding. From a last year strength is now a huge weakness. Was Magloir that important?

On the one positive side, the Bucks are doing better in getting turnovers. Now if they can reduce the second chances of the opponents, they can at least limit the FGAs. I doubt if they have the talent to do much about lowering the opposition's efg%. so they need to reduce the FGA by getting turnovers and defensive rebounds.

 
At December 15, 2006 at 7:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

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