Quote tbihis wrote: View Post
I dont agree. If you get a steal or a block, thats already 2 points that youre preventing the other team from getting. if you get 2, then thats 4pts, so on and so forth. Again, just want to remind you the definition of good defense, preventing the opponent from scoring the basketball or committing a foul. I think consistent high steals and blocks output is definitely parallel to being a good defender. If you check the NBA.com statistical leaders, the leaders in steals categories are Paul, Rondo, Westbrook, Kidd, Allen, Manu among others. Same with blocks, at the top of the heap is Bogut, Howard, McGee, Ibaka, Bynum and Amare. And youve attested to this before, that the players named are good defenders. I cant really comment on Michael Williams leading the league in steals. All i can say is he's in really good company, coz John Stockton, Gary Payton, Michael Jordan have all led the leagues in steals at some point in their careers, and these named are regarded as really good defenders. The situations you mentioned, "gambled far too much and was often out of position on defense. Same goes for a lot of shotblockers. They want to block a shot so badly they will often be out of position, be faked out too easily, etc." Arent those part of the game? i mean even the best defenders gamble on steals, try to chase block....its the same as when a good scorer puts himself in a bad predicament when he tries to go for a circus shot, or a rebounder boxing out the wrong guy....i think its all part of the game. i dont think it consistently happens, just something that comes out in the course of a game, which i think is normal. you cant really be saying that michael williams gambled on every defensive scheme he's in and tried to go for the steal everytime. but i cant say for sure coz i didnt see any of his games.

i dont think thats a fair assessment. scoring is totally different from blocks and steals. you can easily put yourself in a scoring position, but you cant as easily put yourself in a position to steal or block, at least not logically. Anybody can get the ball and try to shoot it every possession, but i dont think any player deemed sane is going to go to each player chasing the ball for a steal or to run to every player who attempts a shot and try to block it. that would just look crazy. And Mike James avg 20pts for the Raps, on 7 of 15 for 47%FG and 44% beyond the arc. nothing wrong with those numbers. 3 of 4 from the line for 84%.

I agree, i am pleased as well with Demar's performance although i was hoping his numbers would be higher.

I do think sometimes Multipaul is a little bit over the top, but some posters here do start bash Bargnani threads as well, be it for their own gratification or to spite Multipaul, i think it should be fair for all to post and criticize but accept criticism as well. To each his own, as they say.
If a guy gets 2 steals a game, but gambles 20 times, allowing his man a clear path to the basket, is that good defense? And if a guy blocks 3 shots a game, but because he's trying to block as many shots as possible, is out of position far too many times, then is that good defense? Steals are good IN CONCERT with good defense. They are not necessarily an indication of good defense. That is what I'm saying.

3 steals or 3 blocks unto itself has very little difference in the overall score. It's what a players does over the period of the entire game that makes him a good defender or not.

Let me ask you a question. Who was the better defender in 2005, Bruce Bowen or Gilbert Arenas? Arenas was fourth in the league in steals per game with 2 a game, whereas Bowen only had half that. By the way, Bruce Bowen was on the All-Defensive 1st team.

In 2009, was Tyrus Thomas a good defender because he blocked more shots than Kevin Garnett?