If MEM trades for Timelord they’d easily have the No. 1 defense in the league with 3 DPOY level players in Smart/JJJ/Rob
While boston will have a great defense as always they’ve gotten worse from a personnel standpoint after losing Smart and Timelord. You pair that with the coaching change from a couple years ago and they aren’t nearly as good as they used to be. What hurt Miami and made boston great defensively against us was timelord completely killing our interior scoring.
I think we’ll surprise people of defense this year. Yes, we don’t have a prototypical rim protector, but nearly all of our rotation players are plus defenders. The only guys that are weak links are Jalen and Sengun, but they’ve looked much improved in pre-season already.
Tillman is a good defender and the Grizzlies defense will be different with him in the lineup but not necessarily worse. He’s switchy, he’s physical. But he’s just too small to defend some bigger guys around the league. Grizz defense will take a bit of a step down I think but not much…Marcus Smart is a huge upgrade on that end from Tyus and Ziaire Williams looks healthy…he’s a big addition in the sense he’s someone with true wing size. Grizzlies didn’t have that last season. Their defense should remain elite without Adams. The rebounding will be better not being as undersized this season at guard/wing.
Monty is gonna get more out of the Pistons defense than they should get I think even though their defense will remain subpar. Cade has a very high ceiling defensively and that’s always a great start. Ausar should make a difference even as a rookie. Duren’s instincts and feel has improved defensively. That’s a great nucleus to begin with.
Between this and the NBA.com power rankings, I am appreciating and nodding along to the narrative being established early and clearly that the biggest problem with the Portland Trail Blazers is that Chauncey Billups is a fucking dumbass
Devin Booker is only passable
Someone didn’t watch last year’s playoffs.
Lol. Look, I get the defensive concerns, but NO SHOT are the Suns a bottom 5 defense.
Bulls would like a word.
RemindMe! 6 Months when the Rockets are in top 15.