Defense vs. Offense

[97 bulls]

close games are inevitable...and along with that clutch ability you are getting an elite offensive first option.

give me the offensive guy all day long. this is basically something like dirk vs pippen or dirk vs rodman.....not even close for me. dirk easily.

just my opinion though.

Well obviously this is our opinion. But let's look at dirk. He shot 42% thiis past finals. It was the job the mavs did on james that won that series

[DMAVS41]

And the more I think about it, based on previous conversations id had with you, even if were talking about a defensive oriented team vs it polar opposite, you'd still more than likely pick the offensive team. Am I right?

not at all. a straight up offensive team has really never won.

but if the choice is a number 1 offensive option like carmelo vs iguodala or something...its not close for me.

you can surround a guy like melo or dirk with good defense and its a lot easier to do that in my opinion. i think having a guy that can be relied on to give you 25 plus a night and is reliable in the clutch is the most important aspect of single player can have.

[DMAVS41]

Well obviously this is our opinion. But let's look at dirk. He shot 42% thiis past finals. It was the job the mavs did on james that won that series

or how about Dirk taking over in the clutch....that didn't matter?

you know, when Dirk destroyed both Wade and Lebron late in games.

Both matter mate. I just think offense is more valuable in this scenario when its about an individual player.

[knicksman]

offense of course. Theres a lot of defensive players in this league and they are paid for cheap. While offensive are harder to get. Its easier to play offense than defense so ill take the harder part.

[brisbaneman]

offensive player, for sure. How many guys can you get 30 points on efficient shooting while still getting his teammates involved?

It's much easier to learn defense. Take for example tyson chandler, people knew he was a very good defensive player, then all a sudden playing alongside Dirk he became the best interior defender in the nba.

[knicksman]

and the same can be applied to coaches. ill take dantoni over thibs any day. pjax never won because hes teams are just good defensively, they are also number 1 in offense with his triangle and in fact hes more of an offensive coach than a defensive coach.

[97 bulls]

or how about Dirk taking over in the clutch....that didn't matter?

you know, when Dirk destroyed both Wade and Lebron late in games.

Both matter mate. I just think offense is more valuable in this scenario when its about an individual player.

And I bet heat fans would say that clucth defense was just as important. Youre looking at this scenario from one side. To be honest, like you said both are valuable. The OP made it very clear that this defensive player was capable of locking down 4 positions.

And I wouldn't go so far as to say dirk "destroyed" wade or james. He didn't defend them and they didn't defend him.

[97 bulls]

offensive player, for sure. How many guys can you get 30 points on efficient shooting while still getting his teammates involved?

It's much easier to learn defense. Take for example tyson chandler, people knew he was a very good defensive player, then all a sudden playing alongside Dirk he became the best interior defender in the nba.

Lol you can't teanch defense. You can teach techniques, but defense is about intensity.

As far as your chandler/dirk comparison, if I remember correct, dirk was considered a failure. That is before chandler joined the mavs.

[97 bulls]

and the same can be applied to coaches. ill take dantoni over thibs any day. pjax never won because hes teams are just good defensively, they are also number 1 in offense with his triangle and in fact hes more of an offensive coach than a defensive coach.

Why? What has he done? How many super talent offensive juggernaut teams has dantoni had and lost? With homecourt advantage no less.

Dantoni is a modern day don nelson. How many championships does nellly have as a coach?

[DMAVS41]

And I bet heat fans would say that clucth defense was just as important. Youre looking at this scenario from one side. To be honest, like you said both are valuable. The OP made it very clear that this defensive player was capable of locking down 4 positions.

And I wouldn't go so far as to say dirk "destroyed" wade or james. He didn't defend them and they didn't defend him.

I'm looking at it from one side? Saying both are important.

Here is the thing. You can't guard these elite offensive players consistently late in games....or at the very least its difficult.

And Dirk was a failure? A big LOL

I don't even know what you are talking about anymore. Give me an example of actual players in which you think this is true.

[97 bulls]

I'm looking at it from one side? Saying both are important.

Here is the thing. You can't guard these elite offensive players consistently late in games....or at the very least its difficult.

And Dirk was a failure? A big LOL

I don't even know what you are talking about anymore. Give me an example of actual players in which you think this is true.

Bill Russell

Someone brought up a comparison of andre iguodala and carmello anthony. I don't thiink AIs defense is on par with anthonys offense. Howevver, finding a defensive playerrr that good, is much harder than finding an offensive pllayer that can score 25 a night.

[DMAVS41]

Bill Russell

Someone brought up a comparison of andre iguodala and carmello anthony. I don't thiink AIs defense is on par with anthonys offense. Howevver, finding a defensive playerrr that good, is much harder than finding an offensive pllayer that can score 25 a night.

Bill Russell is probably the greatest defender ever. And like every player, it matters who you surround him with.

Give me a present example of two players...or at least an example within the modern era. An offensive player vs a defensive player in which you think the defensive guy is more valuable.

This doesn't work if you can only name the single greatest defender of all time who happened to be surrounded by the most stacked rosters ever.

Would you take Ben Wallace over Dirk? Stuff like that.

[brisbaneman]

Lol you can't teanch defense. You can teach techniques, but defense is about intensity.

As far as your chandler/dirk comparison, if I remember correct, dirk was considered a failure. That is before chandler joined the mavs.

perhaps casual/racist fans may have considered dirk a 'failure' even though he made the WCF and Finals and gets you 50 wins a season...my point is Chandler was known as a good defender but was interchangeable with any number of defensive minded big men and was traded several times. Now he plays alongside Dirk and becomes the 2nd best player on a title team and enters ESPN's list at #38...

It's significantly harder to be a great offensive player simply because teams/coaches/scouts/players gameplan you so hard and will pick up on any tendency quickly--it's like a Le Chatalier's principle in sports. Plus individual defense is a bit more difficult than team defense to pull off in the NBA.

[iamgine]

Talking about defense, defensive players value go way up when it's a big man. Michael Cooper, Ron Artest, Gary Payton, etc...all impacted the defense much less than Hakeem, Dwight, Yao, KG, etc.

[G-train]

In the current NBA its unquestionably option 1.