Please Stop Going for Block Shots

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Pouchie29

Member
This has bothered me for a while, maybe I'm in the minority, but I hate that we are wearing this "shot blocking badge" (2nd in the country right now) like its a medal of honor. These blocks in the most case are produced by exposing our defense to gaping holes on the interior and which apparently is why we are 117th and 195th in rebounds and points allowed.

I think these guys need to just stop attempting to block until they learn to rebound and lower 2nd chance points in the paint, what do you think?
 
I agree 100%. Attempting to block shots often leaves the defender facing away from the basket and therefore unable to rebound. Where as the shooter has a wide open lane to get to the rim for a put back. Blocking shots is defensive desperation. I suppose that's what makes them fun in a heroic way. I suppose a blocked shot can intimidate shooters.
 
I agree 100%. Attempting to block shots often leaves the defender facing away from the basket and therefore unable to rebound. Where as the shooter has a wide open lane to get to the rim for a put back. Blocking shots is defensive desperation. I suppose that's what makes them fun in a heroic way. I suppose a blocked shot can intimidate shooters.
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How about the fundamental principle of "don't leave your feet!" That of course requires hands on, disciplinarian coaching. Have no real problem with being aggressive on defense, but leaving your feet in an attempt to block someone's jump shot at the elbow is absurdity. One of our guys literally jumped over a shooter last night. It is costing us points.
 
I agree 100%. Attempting to block shots often leaves the defender facing away from the basket and therefore unable to rebound. Where as the shooter has a wide open lane to get to the rim for a put back. Blocking shots is defensive desperation. I suppose that's what makes them fun in a heroic way. I suppose a blocked shot can intimidate shooters.
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How about the fundamental principle of "don't leave your feet!" That of course requires hands on, disciplinarian coaching. Have no real problem with being aggressive on defense, but leaving your feet in an attempt to block someone's jump shot at the elbow is absurdity. One of our guys literally jumped over a shooter last night. It is costing us points.
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Don't leave your feet? Where did you learn that, in an over 50 league of overweight accountants?

Just kidding, but I agree that trying to block every shot and playing real defense are 2 different things.
 
That's interesting, if Owens were to plant his feet and stand tall, I going with he draws fouls left and right (Primarily due to him getting knocked down).
 
This is what I posted in the Creighton game string mid-1st half last night: "We leave our feet defensively on 3 point attempts and at the rim trying to block shots instead of boxing out more than any team I watch."
Not the way to play solid defense. I agree that too much emphasis is put on the number of blocked shots.
 
I don't have a problem so much with the blocked shot. My problem is that the rest of the guys stand there watching instead of getting into position to rebound. There should be more than one guy in the paint available to rebound.
 
The other issue I have seen is Owens and our other big men just standing right under the rim hoping the rebound falls to them, when they could be boxing out a player who is usually like two steps to their right or left.

It is so frustrating to see a player get a put back layup when your own player is standing right there, he just didn't box out

There have been stretches (last 10 minutes of Butler game) where we have played really good defense. If we could improve upon some basic defensive fundamentals we'd be even better and more consistent
 
Having shot blockers is a great defensive weapon to have. It allows you to be more aggressive on defense and can cover up defensive mistakes. Our problem is that it is not just a part of our defense but it is our best defensive weapon. We don't do a good job on defense period and it shows. I agree that there are times when they shouldn't go for blocks ("flying" out uncontrollably at a jump shooter or jumping up or jumping and reaching), but it is a good ability to have and it causes guys to alter shots a lot of times even if you don't get the block.


While going for the block can leave you out of position (being a good shot blocker and rebounder does not have to be mutually exclusive), it is up to others to help,recover and position themselves for a rebound. There are some who have a knack and desire to be good rebounders and do the hardwork (positioning, boxing out, playing angles and a "go get it attitude"). At the present time we don't have one of those guys, So we need to make up for it by doing it as a team with better positioning and desire.
 
I agree. I felt the same way about Obekpa. Lavin and that staff should have taught Obekpa a hook shot at the basket; they taught him no offense. While he was a shot blocking machine, we were still losing games we might have won, had he provided us with double figures under the basket. Our current bigs have the same syndrome; they can block, but are poor rebounders, and they provide not much defense.
 
It would help if we didn't need to block so many shots. This falls on the guards IMO. What I mean by that is for our guards to stop penetration. We will have fewer blocked shots and blocked shot attempts, putting us in better rebounding position and thus giving us better rebounding numbers if our guards stop ball penetration by opposing guards.

I know this seems like I am over simplifying the problem, but this is a team game. When the guards get broken down the bigs come over to help by going for the block, leaving them out of position for the box out rebound. Does this stop them from trying to block the shot of the man they are guarding, no, but it will help.
 
It would help if we didn't need to block so many shots. This falls on the guards IMO. What I mean by that is for our guards to stop penetration. We will have fewer blocked shots and blocked shot attempts, putting us in better rebounding position and thus giving us better rebounding numbers if our guards stop ball penetration by opposing guards.

I know this seems like I am over simplifying the problem, but this is a team game. When the guards get broken down the bigs come over to help by going for the block, leaving them out of position for the box out rebound. Does this stop them from trying to block the shot of the man they are guarding, no, but it will help.
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+1 Anthony
This is often overlooked because as fans we like so much of what Ponds and Lovett, and even Ahmed give us in terms of offense. But their defense hasn't been great of late.
As you point out - far too much penetration. And that leads to help defense, and our bigs leaving their feet.

I can't help thinking that alot of our defensive concerns could be eased if we mixed in zone from time to time.
 
It would help if we didn't need to block so many shots. This falls on the guards IMO. What I mean by that is for our guards to stop penetration. We will have fewer blocked shots and blocked shot attempts, putting us in better rebounding position and thus giving us better rebounding numbers if our guards stop ball penetration by opposing guards.

I know this seems like I am over simplifying the problem, but this is a team game. When the guards get broken down the bigs come over to help by going for the block, leaving them out of position for the box out rebound. Does this stop them from trying to block the shot of the man they are guarding, no, but it will help.
Click to expand...

+1 Anthony
This is often overlooked because as fans we like so much of what Ponds and Lovett, and even Ahmed give us in terms of offense. But their defense hasn't been great of late.
As you point out - far too much penetration. And that leads to help defense, and our bigs leaving their feet.

I can't help thinking that alot of our defensive concerns could be eased if we mixed in zone from time to time.
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Desco, I am with you on the comment about more zone defense. Case in point: The other night against Creighton, I didn't see much (if any) of it. And this was when Creighton was shooting only 27% from the 3 point line. Why not force them to take some outside shots in that situation?
 
Everyone loves the zone but unless you really commit to it like Cuse it often is really ineffective. Guys not closing out on shooters and not being in right spot. Listen for the Mussini's and Freudenberg's of the world it makes sense because of physical limitations.. But if Lovett and Ponds are uninterested defenders playing man, sometimes a zone will make it worse and leave guys even more open becuase there is less help.
 
It would help if we didn't need to block so many shots. This falls on the guards IMO. What I mean by that is for our guards to stop penetration. We will have fewer blocked shots and blocked shot attempts, putting us in better rebounding position and thus giving us better rebounding numbers if our guards stop ball penetration by opposing guards.

I know this seems like I am over simplifying the problem, but this is a team game. When the guards get broken down the bigs come over to help by going for the block, leaving them out of position for the box out rebound. Does this stop them from trying to block the shot of the man they are guarding, no, but it will help.
Click to expand...

+1 Anthony
This is often overlooked because as fans we like so much of what Ponds and Lovett, and even Ahmed give us in terms of offense. But their defense hasn't been great of late.
As you point out - far too much penetration. And that leads to help defense, and our bigs leaving their feet.

I can't help thinking that alot of our defensive concerns could be eased if we mixed in zone from time to time.
Click to expand...

I would love to see us play a little zone, especially if it is well coached. It can not only protect you bigs from foul trouble, it can prevent penetration and cause turnovers as teams try to throw skip passes over the top of it.
 
Everyone loves the zone but unless you really commit to it like Cuse it often is really ineffective. Guys not closing out on shooters and not being in right spot. Listen for the Mussini's and Freudenberg's of the world it makes sense because of physical limitations.. But if Lovett and Ponds are uninterested defenders playing man, sometimes a zone will make it worse and leave guys even more open becuase there is less help.
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Im not in love with the zone, I just think it should be in our arsenal for use at times. The Creighton game was a nice example, as Simmons and Anthony M point out - the Bluejays were shooting poorly from the outside and we were getting killed in the paint and from penetration. That's a time to deploy a little zone.

I don't think anybody thinks it will be a cure-all though for some of our uninterested defenders. Those guys are just learning the level of effort it takes to succeed at this level.
 
Playing man to man defense takes effort. Doing it well means altering what the offense wants to do by speeding them up, denying passing lanes etc...a recipe for a failing man defense is to start playing it once your man has the ball. Unfortunately, we play the latter
 
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