Jovan Buha

Like there's games where he's better and we'll push up and then there's other ones where it can kind of wax and wane for him at that end of the floor. But overall, I mean, they have their pick and roll defense, surprisingly, actually is quite a bit better from last year.

Like there's games where he's better and we'll push up and then there's other ones where it can kind of wax and wane for him at that end of the floor. But overall, I mean, they have their pick and roll defense, surprisingly, actually is quite a bit better from last year.

Like there's games where he's better and we'll push up and then there's other ones where it can kind of wax and wane for him at that end of the floor. But overall, I mean, they have their pick and roll defense, surprisingly, actually is quite a bit better from last year.

They show a little bit more help, but the problem is when they're showing that help, sometimes their court awareness isn't good enough to then contain the cuts. And the big one, which you kind of touched on, is the transition defense. They don't give up a ton in transition, but they get beat in transition a lot. And sometimes it can be for really inexplicable reasons. I'm sure I saw it last night.

They show a little bit more help, but the problem is when they're showing that help, sometimes their court awareness isn't good enough to then contain the cuts. And the big one, which you kind of touched on, is the transition defense. They don't give up a ton in transition, but they get beat in transition a lot. And sometimes it can be for really inexplicable reasons. I'm sure I saw it last night.

They show a little bit more help, but the problem is when they're showing that help, sometimes their court awareness isn't good enough to then contain the cuts. And the big one, which you kind of touched on, is the transition defense. They don't give up a ton in transition, but they get beat in transition a lot. And sometimes it can be for really inexplicable reasons. I'm sure I saw it last night.

There's one last night where Miles is the first big back. Tyrese is buddied up next to Jakob Pertl in a trail. And instead of Miles being like, oh, I'm the first big back, I receive Jakob Pertl, you go close out to Scottie Barnes. Tyrese keeps running with Jakob Pertl, and then Miles is like, oh, I have to close out, clear to the three-point line. There's little breakdowns like that.

There's one last night where Miles is the first big back. Tyrese is buddied up next to Jakob Pertl in a trail. And instead of Miles being like, oh, I'm the first big back, I receive Jakob Pertl, you go close out to Scottie Barnes. Tyrese keeps running with Jakob Pertl, and then Miles is like, oh, I have to close out, clear to the three-point line. There's little breakdowns like that.

There's one last night where Miles is the first big back. Tyrese is buddied up next to Jakob Pertl in a trail. And instead of Miles being like, oh, I'm the first big back, I receive Jakob Pertl, you go close out to Scottie Barnes. Tyrese keeps running with Jakob Pertl, and then Miles is like, oh, I have to close out, clear to the three-point line. There's little breakdowns like that.

That's not a schematic thing from the coaching staff. That's just feel and reads. You have to stay connected on defense, and there's just a lot of times where that's not happening, and then they're coming out and talking about it. They get down big to the Miami Heat. They come out and talk about it afterwards. This was an effort thing. We need to clean this up.

That's not a schematic thing from the coaching staff. That's just feel and reads. You have to stay connected on defense, and there's just a lot of times where that's not happening, and then they're coming out and talking about it. They get down big to the Miami Heat. They come out and talk about it afterwards. This was an effort thing. We need to clean this up.

That's not a schematic thing from the coaching staff. That's just feel and reads. You have to stay connected on defense, and there's just a lot of times where that's not happening, and then they're coming out and talking about it. They get down big to the Miami Heat. They come out and talk about it afterwards. This was an effort thing. We need to clean this up.

Then they do clean it up in the next game against the Miami Heat. Very clear improvements. Then two nights later, it's jacked again.

Then they do clean it up in the next game against the Miami Heat. Very clear improvements. Then two nights later, it's jacked again.

Then they do clean it up in the next game against the Miami Heat. Very clear improvements. Then two nights later, it's jacked again.

I think somewhat of the difference there is, and I thought it was important that he had two of the drives that he had against Jakob Pertl, not because Jakob Pertl is like a shutdown isolation defender, but because Tyrese typically does not drive switches. And there was two times in that game where he was able to drive, get past Jakob Pertl, and actually go... and finish at the rim.

I think somewhat of the difference there is, and I thought it was important that he had two of the drives that he had against Jakob Pertl, not because Jakob Pertl is like a shutdown isolation defender, but because Tyrese typically does not drive switches. And there was two times in that game where he was able to drive, get past Jakob Pertl, and actually go... and finish at the rim.

I think somewhat of the difference there is, and I thought it was important that he had two of the drives that he had against Jakob Pertl, not because Jakob Pertl is like a shutdown isolation defender, but because Tyrese typically does not drive switches. And there was two times in that game where he was able to drive, get past Jakob Pertl, and actually go... and finish at the rim.

Typically, he goes sideways. He'll want to use the sidestep to beat a switch on the perimeter or hunt the switch pocket. The fact that he was looking and driving and doing that in a more athletic way I felt was meaningful tonight in this game because Brooklyn is a team that switches more universally than what the Toronto Raptors do.

Typically, he goes sideways. He'll want to use the sidestep to beat a switch on the perimeter or hunt the switch pocket. The fact that he was looking and driving and doing that in a more athletic way I felt was meaningful tonight in this game because Brooklyn is a team that switches more universally than what the Toronto Raptors do.