Bynum the Answer to Improved Team Defense?

Chillbongo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 615 Location: Los Angeles

We all know LO probably won't fit our need for a more 'ideal' SF but with Gasol and Bynum in the paint I don't think it will be as much of an issue as it was this season.

I'm referring to team defense. That is our most pressing need-improved team defense. Everyone has another year of experience to work off of and with our monstrous front line (LO included) we can essentially limit the amount of points in the paint and force way more jump shots than usual. The point is, if we know the paint is clogged our wing players can stay on their men and contest shots.

I was entirely sick of seeing someone penetrate our guards to see a Laker come off his man to help. Then obviously the ball is passed to the man left open who either drilled the shot or repeated the process. Now if someone penetrates into the lane they'll have to face our bigs and take a tough shot. That's a lot more acceptable than allowing a free jumper. I mean these are NBA players they are trained to hit wide open J's in their sleep.

Anyways, Even though I'd rather deal for a more 'ideal' SF, I think our team Defense will improve because it's going to be harder to get good looks in the paint when facing our bigs.

shaveice · Joined: 05 Aug 2007 Posts: 1520 Location: Hawaii

Abnormal · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:13 am Post subject:

Lets be honest here one of our biggest needs is a guard who can play D

It’s not a help defenders fault, it’s the man on the ball .Your suppose to push your man into the teeth of the D

Fish is to slow to do this all the time and Farmar is to small it kills us all the time.
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Kwame's Cake · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:25 am Post subject:

Much improved D... Bynum is the better anchor... Pau is better at PF defensively... the Lakers would be blocking shots left and right...

While Odom is horrible at SF, he is a huge upgrade over Walton and Radman combined...
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Chillbongo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 615 Location: Los Angeles

So you're saying the outside of Bynum, we need to add someone else on the perimeter that can keep their guy at bay? It makes sense but I really believe Bynum back there will be less opportunities for opposing shots in the paint, which will in turn allow our wing players to play more aggressively. If you get burned you have Pau and Bynum to cover for you.

I really feel like adding someone this summer just might not be the best option. We have a damn good nucleus we just need those little additions to make us unstoppable. I believe Bynum will address those needs directly and indirectly through the effect of his presence on other players.

Abnormal · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:53 am Post subject:

Barnstable · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 5079 Location: Tacoma, WA

A Rush · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2229

Improve, yes. Consolidate, no. Still one or two glaring holes (PG and SF).

SignPippenNow · Joined: 10 Mar 2007 Posts: 2265

Anyone who thinks just adding Bynum will cure what is wrong with LA's defense is fooling themselves. The Lakers had breakdowns before Bynum got hurt. Will he help, no doubt. He makes a world of difference, but LA still has to place a bigger emphasis on D and that starts with Phil.

Chillbongo · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 615 Location: Los Angeles

LakersN4 · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 511

LkrsOvrMia · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:12 am Post subject:

I'm a bit confused as to how one person (AB) is the answer to a team's defense.

It will certainly help. Along with a healthy Ariza this defense improves dramatically! People seem to forget just how good this defense was with AB and Trevor out on the floor.

A few tweaks this offseason (hopefully one being Posey) and we'll have vastly improved at the defensive end going into next season. I think this Crawford kid will see the floor (a la Javaris). However, I think Joe will bring more at the defensive end and that is what will allow him to make the team.

One must admit that it isn't going to be too hard to crack the Laker line-up in the PG department. man12

I've about had it with Farmar anyhow!
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halekulani · Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 5837

trodgers · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:28 am Post subject:

Maybe. He needs to be playing better defense than he has for most of his career if he's going to fix our problems.

LA yielded 104.9 points per 48 minutes when he was on the court and 106.8 when he was off the court. Opponents shot 1.2% lower eFG when he was on court, too, so he has made a difference, but not a night and day difference.

Interestingly, Gasol's numbers are better:
104.6 vs 106.8 (+2.2 in his favor)
48.2% vs 48.6% (+0.6 in his favor)

Gasol +2.2 and +0.6
Bynum +1.9 and +1.2
Kobe was +0.6 and +0.0
Odom was +3.4 and +1.0
Farmar was +1.8 and +1.1
Sasha was -8.7 and -1.8
Vlad was -2.6 and -2.2
Ronny was -1.9 and +0.5
Walton was +2.1 and +0.8
Fish was -1.6 and -1.6
Mbenga was +1.1 and +1.0
Ariza was +0.6 and -0.5
Kwame was +4.5 and +0.7

Ranking the defenders in terms of how positively they affected team D, the list would go (best to worst):
Odom, Bynum, Kwame, Farmar, Walton, Gasol, Mbenga, Kobe, Ariza, Turiaf, Fisher, Sasha/Vlad

That's merely suggestive, mind you. Pace isn't taken into account.
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mapabu1 · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 2600

I think Bynum back at center and Pau at his natural position will improve the defense but Odom and Fisher will still be problems at there respective positions.

lakerfan2 · Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 2859

help? yes. completely? no.

they can't just allow players to just drive in and expect bynum to do something about it, that's just stupid. yes, there needs to be a good perimeter defender out there to make them take contested shots. therefor, bynum will stay out of foul trouble. the key part of it all.
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Jajwa · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 2160

Which is why I'm convinced that even dirtbag Posey could help us quite a bit.

At PG though we'll still have nobody to help us against the elite PGs unless Farmar bulks up and works on that aspect of his game.

A Rush · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2229

trodgers · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:47 am Post subject:

If the intimidation factor doesn't ever show up in the stats, then it's not a factor. Do you agree?

As for the rest of what you said, I already issued a disclaimer. Kobe's impact looks minimal, but we know he can (and did) shut down guys in impressive ways. That's just one way to look at what people are doing, in terms of the impact they make on the court.
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L4L · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject:

Gasol's arrival off-sets some of Bynum's +/- numbers. They were much larger before the arrival of Pau. Pau makes a huge impact defensively compared to what we had immediately following the Bynum injury. Gasol improved our defensive numbers tremendously when Bynum was "off the court". I think that has to be taken into account.

You'd have to take my word because I can't prove this. They don't archive 82games as far as I know.

In addition, this team was in the Top 5 in terms of Defensive Efficiency (points allowed per possession) before the injury to Bynum.

I don't believe we can say anything close to that in the Gasol era.
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trodgers · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject:

^ Defensive RATING was 5th last season. Here's an explanation of that number, for what it's worth:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/glossary.html#def_rtg

I typically post analysis of individual defensive performance at some point. I'll probably start on it soon, but it takes a long time. I'll try to post Centers first this time. I usually start with PGs.
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Big Worm · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject:

Of course he does. He also helps out Rebounding.
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brandonr2001 · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 45 Location: bakersfield

no doubt about it bynum will make a huge difference...i mean before he got injured the lakers were one of the best defensive teams in the league...and come on odom will be a good defender cuz of the fact he is quick enough i mean theres not that many lightning flash small forwards anyways...and odom can give a lil room cuz of his length...all odom needs to do is work on his jumper and hes good to go...but he has a pretty good jumper anyways...only thing is that past couple of years hes been injured durin offseason so he really couldnt work on it and also how they wanted odom to play by taking it to the hole and posting up...but now he knows hes gonna have to work on his j...he'll work on it...

last stand · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 2055

if you watched the lakers there were those bad sequences but in all honesty we played really good defense at times but then gave a second chance attempt

that is where bynum helps

does he solve it no

does he help yes

his shot changing length next to paus shot changing length is nothing to ignore

ronny is by far a better defender than pau but for some reason we played better defense with pau in

its length and length changes shots, driving lanes having to 7 footers means very few layups and offensive rebounds but a guard who could keep the bigs out of foul trouble would be nice