The NBA released its All-Defensive team yesterday and Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Marcus Camby, Bruce Bowen and Tim Duncan comprise the first team. No surprise, Washington didn't have a representative on either the first or second teams. Caron Butler, who this season ranked fourth in the league with 2.21 steals a game, did receive honorable mention.
The good news is that none of the Wizards made the NBA No-Defense team, which was released today by Mercury News (San Jose) columnist Tim Kawakami.
Knicks center Eddie Curry, Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson, Bucks guard Michael Redd and Suns guard Steve Nash made Kawakami's first team. And Kevin Durant was the No-Defense rookie of the year. Pretty funny stuff.
At first blush it almost seems surprising that the Wizards didn't even have a representative among the "No-Defense role players" a list that Kawakami led with Carmelo Anthony.
But when you look at the numbers, you'll see the Wizards aren't on there because despite their past, which includes a rather baby-poop soft reputation when it comes to defense, this year was different. After the Wizards ranked last in points allowed last season (104.9 per game) while being out-rebounded 43.0-41.2, coach Eddie Jordan knew he had to do something and added defensive specialist Randy Ayers to his staff.
Ayers worked wonders, opening the Wizards' eyes to his philosophy and getting them to buy into it. The end result was a dramatic transformation. The Wizards improved to 12th in the league in points allowed (99.2 per game) and narrowly out-rebounded their foes 41.59-41.19.
Antawn Jamison averaged a career-high 10.2 rebounds a game, Brendan Haywood grabbed a career-high 7.2 boards and as mentioned, Butler notched a career-high in steals.
Ayers is under contract for next season and if he isn't swiped up as a head coach for some other team, it'll be interesting to see how the Wizards improve in a second year under his tutelage. If it keeps going the way it did this year, the Wizards likely will be passed over for Kawakami's annual squad next year as well.
-- Mike Jones
Comments (3)
Per game stats are a complete waste of time because of the effect of pace. The Wizards allowed fewer points per game this season for one basic reason -- they played slower.
In 06-07, the Wiz were 28th in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions). They also played at the league's 5th fastest pace. This past season, the Wiz were the league's 4th SLOWEST-paced team, which means (very simply) that they had to give up fewer points. There were simply fewer opportunities to score.
They did get a little better defensively -- up to 24th in defensive rating. What does this mean in practical terms? If the Wizards played at the same pace this season that they did last season (94.1 possessions per 48 minutes), they'd have allowed 104.3 points per game -- only 0.6 points per game better than they were last season.
So much for better defense.
Posted by TSW | May 15, 2008 10:21 AM
Shocked!! Shocked!! That not one Wizard made the first or second team (just joking) they will advance beyond the first round when they become better rebounders and learn to defend the three point shot, almost every team had carte blanche when they attempted three's against EJ's crew,that's why the wiz were ousted by the cavaliers if the wiz want to be contenders they must get better defensively.
Posted by Darnell G Magruder | May 15, 2008 7:42 PM
Their guards are taught to double-down too far. It's amazing to me how teams don't stress defending 3's given its impact on games. Maryland Terps men's basketball team has the same problem defending 3's. Disgraceful!
Posted by Skins Manic | May 18, 2008 1:26 AM