General20
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And given last year's defensive struggles, it is difficult to pinpoint whether the defensive shortcomings were due to personnel or due to flawed coaching / defensive concept. Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.
Agree that the approach will be to solidify the base concept, with that being the practice emphasis. Difficult to envision that they would seek to implement an entirely new core defensive concept for that reason.
Not suggesting that we WON'T press, or seek to implement that package, just that the concentration will be elsewhere.
Definitely fair to question the coaching, the verdict is 100% out on this staff, but last years defensive struggles were definitely a player problem. None of those guys were good defensively. It was known going into the season. Good coaching doesnt usually turn bad defenders into good defenders. Look at the Knicks. Thibodeau has an earned reputation as a good defensive coach, but when Brunson and KAT played the Knicks were poor defensively. Nothing could be done about it, those guys just aren't good defenders. Their offense was good enough so Knicks were still a 3 seed that made it to the conference finals and I think that is what SU was going for last year, but Freeman and Westey missing the year hurt and Bell regressing to a back up was pretty much a death blow. Expectations would have been rock bottom going into last year had we known about those 3 guys going into the season.
I dont think next year's team has the makings of a great defensive team either. They need to be good enough on D and legitimately good on offense to be successful. If they are they will be a fun team to watch.