Oscar Robertson: NBA Coaches Don’t Know Anything About Defense

[Andrew]

Oscar Robertson is notoriously bitter about a lot of things and infamously a curmudgeon; he has been for years. Of course, that doesn't mean he's completely wrong. And if he is, maybe he was off the mark in regards to Jordan, as well. He is entitled to his opinion though, and I think people are being a little disrespectful towards him, considering what he accomplished. Having said that, I don't entirely agree with him on a lot of points, but you just can't dismiss everything out of hand on the basis of him being bitter or a hater.

I think the dismissal of Phil Jackson's comparison - which has been taken out of context - is worse, though. Once again, it goes back to what Charles Barkley said. People claim to love a straight shooter, and a person who's outspoken...as long as they agree with what's being said.

[NovU]

Discussed this elsewhere. More in context of 1980's Pistons and first three-peat Bulls. Past defenses wouldn't have had any clue how to guard the "pace and space" offenses if you just plopped the teams into a game tonight. Nobody took threes back then. Nobody played five guys who could hit 40% from three at the same time, along with some nutjob making 68% TS on 33% USG. Nobody played three to four to five BALLHANDLERS/PASSERS. The defenses were setup to guard and choke off completely different things. Nobody had to worry about pick and rolls where both players could cut to the basket OR step back for a three while also having to worry about the two guys moving to the corner and the fifth guy coming off a screen also outside the arc. AND having to worry about the team immediately pinging the ball four times around the court. Because everything happened inside the arc with the goal of getting the closest and thus best shot possible and was mainly setup by one or two guys.

To be fair, perimeter players back then always had to worry about bigs that were camping in the paint. This isn't possible now with 3 second violation rule in place. Imagine defensive bigs like Whiteside being allowed to live in the paint with less worries for blocking/charge foul calls. In result perimeter defenders would have easier jobs guarding their space especially with hand checking allowed. Curry's Warriors wouldn't be scoring 120 points per game.

In reverse, today's offence wouldn't have any clue how to score against 90s defence. They'd cry a river to refs!

[Andrew]

There was no defensive three second violation, but there was its forerunner, illegal defense.

[benji]

In reverse, today's offence wouldn't have any clue how to score against 90s defence. They'd cry a river to refs!

Today's offenses don't just run isolations and play with three non-scorers.

To be fair, perimeter players back then always had to worry about bigs that were camping in the paint. This isn't possible now with 3 second violation rule in place. Imagine defensive bigs like Whiteside being allowed to live in the paint with less worries for blocking/charge foul calls.

What? You couldn't double off the ball, you couldn't play a zone, etc. You couldn't overload the floor to let a big basically camp on the weakside.

Now you can step arms length away from a man, and count to more than three half the time as long as you're not too far away because the refs don't focus on it. The entire team can do this.

[NovU]

You self explained why isolation was popular back then. And it still doesn't mean teams played zone.

Real difference though is hand checking. Offensive players just can't move around as freely. Teams today rely on players movement. 90s players didnt have so much freedom as today. Gary Payton's defense would suffocate a lot of today Gen players like curry n cp3.

[benji]

And it still doesn't mean teams played zone.

Teams play zone all the time, it's just not obvious because they don't do full sets like in college because that would be dumb with NBA quality athletes and shooters.

Gary Payton's defense would suffocate a lot of today Gen players like curry n cp3.

Those players don't play in a vacuum anymore. Curry wouldn't be the player he is without those other four guys making him impossible to guard.