Is the Blocked Shot hurting UConn?

[blkknight1]

Ok so like many of the posters on the board I have been very disappointed by the team's defense this year. Last year this team was so good with perimeter and on the ball defense and this year its been opposing guards getting into the lane at will and wide open 3 pt shots and just general laziness at times. Is it because there is a championship hangover? That is probably part of it lets face it these are still for the most part 18-20 year old kids and no matter what they say they arent as hungry as they were last year.

But there is something I noticed last year UConn was outside the top 10 in blocked shots per game as a team for the first time in nearly a decade because they didnt have that dominate shot blocker/eraser back there. Now this year they are back in the top 10 in blocks per game and as we have seen that perimeter def and the 3pt defense has been bad this year. Now I dont think anyone out there is saying to themselves well I dont have to play good d because I have AD back there at the basket but at the same time I think that there is that thought well if my guy gets by me I have a guy back there to bail me out. Another thing is that guys going for blocks this year is hurting the team in the rebounding department as well, I mean you should not be seeing 2 or sometimes 3 guys trying to block a shot like I so often do. This always leaves an opposing player open for a rebound and the D scrambling which leads to a wide open shot some place.

If this team got away from being so block happy I think we would see a remarkable improvement in rebounding as well as perimeter D and it wont necessarily mean a dramatic drop in blocks as well. Just look at last year's team. They managed to play tough excellent D, rebound, and still finsh 12th in the country in blocks.

 

[RuffRuff]

I can agree with some of this - it's hard to argue because it has lead to winning NC's, but the science of a JC lead team has gone away from the pressure defense, creating turnovers, offense off defense to much more of an NBA style, half court set, FG contested/shot blocking defense. In the last couple of years, commentators have finally come around to realizing Uconn is no longer this running/breaking team, that of which they had described that as for years on the residual. When is the last time that running breaks has really been part of the team identity? I do think this system is one where you have to be more perfect in your execution - when you exchange set for set, you're really going back to the basics. How well you rebound/set picks/run through screens, etc. And some of the problem there is that a JC run offense is very reliant on individual players creating shots and having a true go to guy when the offense is in a rut. It has a tendency to get really stagnant and lazy/dependent. Maybe I miss the old days, but I haven't found the style to be quite as fun as the old Uconn teams. Of course, those were days where gimmicks were needed a bit more to make up for talent. With recruiting of top players, I can see how you'd prefer to let the talent win over style.

It would be nice to see this team try and inject a little energy with some pressure defense/running some breaks. They have the horses/depth/length.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I believe that the weak side shot block aggressiveness is founded in the belief that blocked shots lead to fastbreak points and altered shots in the paint which outweigh the corresponding problems on the weakside glass and susceptibility to getting beat by the extra interior pass. Just the way I've justified it in my head.

 

[mauconnfan]

This team in particular YES. Alex does not block as many as he would like and is always out of position. Having said that Tyler is the same way. Everyone loves to go ooh and ahh when they block a shot but I hate going "oh " everytime I see an easy putback. If these 2 guys in particular, would stay on their feet and move their feet we would be a better team. No doubt in my mind - these guys are not Emeka or Thabeet let's be honest.

Andre drifts too much and should and will be a prolific shotblocker. The other night he was set up behind Tyler who was guarding Pope back-to-basket and he would've been able to either block or change the shot, instead he goes around TO and tries to make a steal at the low post??? I almost crapped and he did again running past a fastbreak block opportunity by not stopping but trying to steal the ball??? He has alot to learn and I'm sure he will from that film alone - quit floating, stand your ground, be strong and block or alter everything especially as the secondary defender!!

 

[Waquoit]

I don't agree that we would should dismantle UConn basketball just because we lost a conference road game.

 

[wpq4elamin]

This team in particular YES. Alex does not block as many as he would like and is always out of position. Having said that Tyler is the same way. Everyone loves to go ooh and ahh when they block a shot but I hate going "oh " everytime I see an easy putback. If these 2 guys in particular, would stay on their feet and move their feet we would be a better team. No doubt in my mind - these guys are not Emeka or Thabeet let's be honest.

Andre drifts too much and should and will be a prolific shotblocker. The other night he was set up behind Tyler who was guarding Pope back-to-basket and he would've been able to either block or change the shot, instead he goes around TO and tries to make a steal at the low post??? I almost crapped and he did again running past a fastbreak block opportunity by not stopping but trying to steal the ball??? He has alot to learn and I'm sure he will from that film alone - quit floating, stand your ground, be strong and block or alter everything especially as the secondary defender!!

agree that AO and tyler are not really "shotblockers" so to speak.... drummond is our only true big man shotblocker (although lamb and roscoe are very good as wing shotblockers and will get their 1 a game) because his athleticism and quickness allow him to help from the weak side at the last second and still not allow an easy pass to his man

 

[Danzz]

Ok so like many of the posters on the board I have been very disappointed by the team's defense this year. Last year this team was so good with perimeter and on the ball defense and this year its been opposing guards getting into the lane at will and wide open 3 pt shots and just general laziness at times. Is it because there is a championship hangover? That is probably part of it lets face it these are still for the most part 18-20 year old kids and no matter what they say they arent as hungry as they were last year.

But there is something I noticed last year UConn was outside the top 10 in blocked shots per game as a team for the first time in nearly a decade because they didnt have that dominate shot blocker/eraser back there. Now this year they are back in the top 10 in blocks per game and as we have seen that perimeter def and the 3pt defense has been bad this year. Now I dont think anyone out there is saying to themselves well I dont have to play good d because I have AD back there at the basket but at the same time I think that there is that thought well if my guy gets by me I have a guy back there to bail me out. Another thing is that guys going for blocks this year is hurting the team in the rebounding department as well, I mean you should not be seeing 2 or sometimes 3 guys trying to block a shot like I so often do. This always leaves an opposing player open for a rebound and the D scrambling which leads to a wide open shot some place.

If this team got away from being so block happy I think we would see a remarkable improvement in rebounding as well as perimeter D and it wont necessarily mean a dramatic drop in blocks as well. Just look at last year's team. They managed to play tough excellent D, rebound, and still finsh 12th in the country in blocks.

For every strategy or style here is a downside and when you provide weak side help you will give up easy baskets and rebounds if you don't get the block. You end up with 2 players out of position for the rebound. Over the years it has worked for us.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

One thing that's becoming more and more obvious to me concerning our defensive principles is the huge emphasis on help defense. You rarely see opposing players drive to the basket for uncontested layups. However, you also see teams get a ton of looks from three on drive and kicks. When teams shoot well (Seton Hall) our defense looks terrible. When St. John's shoots 4-24 from 3, our defense looks pretty good.

So in my opinion, the biggest key to consistent defensive success is our guards' ability to stop penetration. While Boatright and Napier are pretty effective at getting steals, I don't think they've been great at simply keeping other point guards from getting in the lane.

Our defensive field goal % is always great because we'll gladly give up 22 footers in exchange for not allowing point blank layups. But we are very susceptible to the 3 point shot and teams that shoot 10-20 like Seton Hall are going to give us hell.

 

[Danzz]

One thing that's becoming more and more obvious to me concerning our defensive principles is the huge emphasis on help defense. You rarely see opposing players drive to the basket for uncontested layups. However, you also see teams get a ton of looks from three on drive and kicks. When teams shoot well (Seton Hall) our defense looks terrible. When St. John's shoots 4-24 from 3, our defense looks pretty good.

So in my opinion, the biggest key to consistent defensive success is our guards' ability to stop penetration. While Boatright and Napier are pretty effective at getting steals, I don't think they've been great at simply keeping other point guards from getting in the lane.

Our defensive field goal % is always great because we'll gladly give up 22 footers in exchange for not allowing point blank layups. But we are very susceptible to the 3 point shot and teams that shoot 10-20 like Seton Hall are going to give us hell.

"you also see teams get a ton of looks from three on drive and kicks. When teams shoot well (Seton Hall) our defense looks terrible."
That is the other downside and why a lot of shooters look like Lindsey Hunter against us. Also believe that perimeter defense can get a little soft if you know you have help in the paint Bottom line is our startegy usually works over the course of a season especially if you look a our opponents field goal %.

 

[selles]

Andre drifts too much and should and will be a prolific shotblocker.

That is a great point. I think there are two keys to the defense rounding into form. The first is for Andre to understand how dominant he can be - and needs to be - as a shotblocker. While it seemed like Oak and Thabeet were always in the middle waiting to cause pain, Andre hasn't yet figured out how to be that kind of factor. He tends to get lost defending his man on the perimeter when we need him to use his athleticism to get back to the rim and send the ball into the second row. We've given up lots of driving dunks to guards/small forwards this year and AD needs to take that as a personal affront. Should not happen.

The second is for our guards to do a better job against penetration. That was a problem for Bazz last year too until the tournament. It's a function of moving your feet, and he needs to do it, as does Boat. The reacharound steals are pretty, but give me 40 minutes of moving your feet to hassle your man any day.

With all that said, the team has shown a lot of flashes of shut down D so I think the overall concern is overwrought. The remembrances of last year are based on the tourney victories, which allow us to forget some of last year's regular season pain. This year I don't see fundamental laziness, I see youth. Plenty of time to get it straight.