I have been extremely disappointed with the way the Clippers have been defending the perimeter. Overall the Clippers allow 43.9% from the field, which is in the top 12. But the problem lies in their defense of the 3 ball. Case and point, the Clippers currently allow opponents to shoot 37.5% from 3, which is second last in the league, only the Nets allow a higher percentage at 38.5%. So why is there such a disparity between their ranking in their opponent’s 3pt% and fg%? It can be summed up in one word. Collapsing.
Through the entire Nets game, the Spurs game, the Suns game and basically every game this season, the Clippers have dared teams to beat them for 3point land, and they have. Our guards are having a tough time keeping their defensive duties in front of them. Because of this, you have other defenders collapse onto the guy. Sometimes it is the big men, other times the wing players. This is where the problem is. The wing players should NEVER leave a 3 point shooter open. Every time it has happened, the shooter has made the Clippers pay. It is not a strategy that has worked and makes no sense as to why coach Vinny Del Negro has not fixed or changed it. The players have not rotated on defense when wing defenders have collapsed, and I would never suggest collapsing off of a shooter, especially on a team filled with shooters. The ball can travel faster than the player. Once you fall behind on a rotation, you are in trouble. It is Del Negro’s job to fix this defensive problem. If I can spot out where the issues lies, then as a coach he should already know this and be working to fix it, but it just seems to be getting worse as the season goes on. Besides just being worth more point wise, the 3 ball is a great way for teams to gain momentum, get the crowd involved, and get their players riled up. With the athletic big men the Clippers have, Kenyon Martin, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, I would rather just have them collapse and give up a contested shot in the lane, rather than giving up an open 3.
The last play of the game against the Nets last night was one of the worst, if not THE worst, final play defense I have ever seen in my life. Apparently it was supposed to be a double team on Deron Williams. But when Williams got the ball in the center of the court, doubling teaming him makes NO sense what so ever. In the center of the court he has full court vision, and can easily make a pass to teammate on the left or on the right, both of which are great 3 point shooters. Why would you leave a great 3 point shooter open to beat you? I can live with a pull up, contested, 3 pointer by Williams to win it. Or even a tough shot by him in the lane to tie it. I can even live with the big men in the paint collapsing onto him and leaving their guy in the lane open, because they can only tie with a 2. Giving an NBA player an open 3 pointer is basically a death sentence.
If Vinny Del Negro, does not fix this defensive problem, the Clippers are going to be in for a hell of a season. They will continue to get beat from behind the arc, and it will lead to an early playoff exit. Either Vinny needs to fix the rotation problem, change the defensive strategy, or he needs to be fired. But we all know Donald Sterling is stingy on his money, so let’s hope that Vinny fixes the problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment