Layups: 3-Point Defense One of the 2011 Cavs’ Biggest Problems
Posted by Neil Paine on January 13, 2011
SI's Zach Lowe has an illuminating post about one reason the 2011 Cavs are struggling so much:
"The Cavaliers are on pace to be the worst defenders of the three-point shot in league history. As we reach the midway point of the season, Cleveland’s opponents have hit 42.4 percent of their threes — by far the highest mark in the league.
...
Since the league instituted the three-point line in the 1979-80 season, only one team has allowed opponents to shoot 40 percent or better through an entire season, according to Basketball-Reference: the 2008-09 Kings, who allowed opponents to shoot 40.6 percent from deep."
Yikes. And to make matters worse, Zach goes on to provide evidence that one of the talents LeBron James took to South Beach was... you guessed it, the ability to hamper an opponent's long-range game.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Honestly if I were a Cavs fan(I'm a Pacer fan, not too much better), I'd be thrilled to see my team play terrible defense and lose a ton because that team has nada to build around and is clearly not an attraction for free agents. Byron Scott is a good coach, but coaching can only make up so much for talent deficiencies. I'd be crossing my fingers for 60+ losses and Kyree Irving because he looks like the next Chris Paul. As a Pacer fan, I want to see the Cavs go +.500 the rest of the way so they don't end up with a top 3 pick. This year's class doesn't look super strong, but sometimes you don't know other than its rare to pick up franchise players past pick 5 consistently.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Granted if i were a cavs fan the ability to pick in the top 5 would not make up for not being able to keep LeBron and win one with him.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Lost in all the media hoopla: LeBron made the right decision.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
IIRC Synergy Sports showed that Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison were among the worst Isolation defenders in the entire league last season, and that was with LeBron helping them out.
I still want to know what Byron Scott was smoking when he said this was the most talented team he'd ever inherited. Chris Paul and four D-Leaguers would smoke these guys.
January 13th, 2011 at 5:08 pm
I would look at this as indicating the Cavs have been unlucky. Opponent FT% is more correlated from year to year than Opponent 3P%.