Wolves can field the top defensive 1-2-3 in the NBA

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

I expect Luc to be brought into the rotation slowly. Having said that.

Is there a team that can field a better defensive 1-2-3 than the Wolves right now?

1- Rubio
2- Brewer
3- Luc

Rubio is a good 1 on 1 defender with very quick hands. Brewer's defensive successes have been pretty well documented with Durant, Melo, and Green. And he has guarded players as small as PGs (Lin most specifically) well. Luc has historically shown success guarding some of the best players in the NBA.

Who can field a better defensive 1-2-3 combo than these guys.

Should a team go small on us, that would play right into our strengths, moving brewer to the 3, Luc to the 4, and Martin to the 2.

Playing these 3 will require even more running than we currently do, but there is no reason to think that Luc can't pick up a running game pretty quickly.

While this team is in, our offense will fall from being a top 3 offense, no doubt. When you have the type of scoring offense that we have, our team will definitely be improved with the ability to play this type of defense.

It looks like Flip is doing his best to cover for Love's inability to defend. Very impressive Flip.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Miami can make a pretty damn good case.
Indiana.
Chicago.
OKC.
Memphis.

The primary difference is that is that those almost all of those teams can field good defensive teams that can score too...

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

Abe, you might be right on Miami and OKC (they are probably pretty comparable). As for the other teams, just let everyone know who specifically you are talking about for each team.

As I look at rosters for some of these teams, it is very hard to guess who you are saying makes up a better defensive lineup.

ie.....who is the even mildly above average PG for chicago? are you including Prince as SF for memphis (that seems like a stretch)? who is the SG that is playing in IN that is good on defense?

Not saying that you are wrong......it just isn't clear which players you are saying make up these elite defensive rotations.

And the Wolves don't seem to have too much of a problem scoring this year either (3rd in the NBA).

[AbeVigodaLive]

Hinrich (still solid defensively)
Deng
Butler

Hill
Stephenson
George

Conley
Allen
Prince

And, Mbah a Moute is extremely limited on offense. Rubio shoots 36%. Brewer is meh offensively, especially if he's supposed to be the primary scorer of the 1,2 and 3 you have listed. Every one of those other groups are better offensively, although Hinrich has pretty much reached Mbah a Moute's level of irrelevance on offense.

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

Abe, just to be clear, are you saying that those three groups of players are comparable (where you think a a rational person that understands basketball, can make a rational argument that those lineups are better) defensively to Rubio, Brewer, and Luc?


And.........Are you aware that this thread is about fielding a DEFENSIVE lineup?

I'm just asking cause we all know how you get confused sometimes.......

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Only teams better 1-3 on defense are Indy and possibly Miami. I'm not a big Chalmers guy and Wade's lost some quickness as well as he doesn't play every night.

Hill, Stephenson, George >>> Rubio, Brewer, Mbah a Moute >>> Chalmers, Wade, LeBron >>> Westbrook, Thabo, KD

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

OK.......so I guess that Indy is up there too.......Stephenson did play some very good defense in last years playoffs......I just never viewed Hill as a top 15 or so defender at his position. Maybe he is. Indy's defenders have much more leeway than most cause Hibbert and West are very good and pretty good rim protectors.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

OK.......so I guess that Indy is up there too.......Stephenson did play some very good defense in last years playoffs......I just never viewed Hill as a top 15 or so defender at his position. Maybe he is. Indy's defenders have much more leeway than most cause Hibbert and West are very good and pretty good rim protectors.

Having a rim protector always helps, as it allows the perimeter defenders to play even tighter defense on the outside with the thought in their mind that if they get beat, they have backup at the rim. It's like in football when a nickelback knows it has safety help over the top, it allows him to play inside technique. Not questioning your intelligence on this subject markkbu, just providing depth for a reply.

Hill's quietly a good defender at the PG spot, in my opinion. Only problem with him is that I've always looked at him as a SG playing PG rather than really being meant for that role. That's why he's so natural in playing off-ball when Paul George starts running the offense. As a defender, though, he does his job pretty well.

[Porckchop]

I guess I dont get the point of this thread, unless your just looking for a silver lining. For all the good things they do defensively their worse offensively, None of them can shoot and the only one who can find other ways to score is Brewer who is dependent on outlet passes to get him involved. Even then he never chooses to back off if its three on one. He'll throw that ball at the rim hell or high water.. He doesnt make good decisions with the ball in his hands.
I dont care if we have 3 versions of Rodman on this squad, if they cant contribute effieciently on the offensive end thyre as much a detriment as anything.. For all this talk about Rubios defense this team sure gives up big games to pgs on a nightly basis. If he was as good of a one on one defender like you say we shouldnt be seeing that.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I guess I dont get the point of this thread, unless your just looking for a silver lining. For all the good things they do defensively their worse offensively, None of them can shoot and the only one who can find other ways to score is Brewer who is dependent on outlet passes to get him involved. Even then he never chooses to back off if its three on one. He'll throw that ball at the rim hell or high water.. He doesnt make good decisions with the ball in his hands.
I dont care if we have 3 versions of Rodman on this squad, if they cant contribute effieciently on the offensive end thyre as much a detriment as anything.. For all this talk about Rubios defense this team sure gives up big games to pgs on a nightly basis. If he was as good of a one on one defender like you say we shouldnt be seeing that.

Somebody doesn't understand a P&R offense... Rubio's not the reason opposing PGs have big games.