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Started By
Message
Kevin Love is a terrible defender (even worse than I thought)
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:34 pm
This week, I was unable to watch the Rockets-Cavs game, so I decided to watch the 13 minute condensed version with NBA League Pass. And before I knew it, I wasn't even watching the game anymore. I was studying Kevin Love's atrocious defense. Since NBA league pass only shows made shots for the most part, it was like watching a highlight reel of Kevin Love mistakes down low. After watching this game, I had to see more, so I watched a couple more Cavs games. A few things really stood out to me.
1. Kevin Love has slow reaction time. This is weird, since he rebounds well and has some nice offensive moves. But it's evident on film.
2. Kevin Love focuses and works hard. This is the terrifying part. When James Harden was being criticized for defense, you could actually see that the effort wasn't there. Love is focused. He actually looks terrified to be beat most of the time.
3. One of Love's biggest critiques is that he is always going for the rebound instead of playing defense, but I honestly think this is a chicken or the egg situation. I think Love figured out a long time ago that he is a terrible defender, so he decided to try to contribute in some other way.
4. Team's run plays right at Love. Often times they purposely keep players away from him when the Cavs run zone, so that they can run the play right at him. He has no chance. Like I said earlier, his reaction time is terrible, so when his space goes from empty to crowded, he pretty much never makes the right decision. So the obvious answer would be don't run zone with Kevin Love, but his man-to-man defense is even worse. I feel for David Blatt. I'm sure he is well aware of this problem, and it's the reason he has sat Love for entire 4th quarters at times this year.
Here is his famous rebound before defending play, but like I said, I think he does this because he knows he's a bad defender.
Honestly, I think Love would be a total laughing stock if he was a perimeter player, but he's good at avoiding getting dunked on and it's hard to completely blow by a player who is already in the paint. But he is REALLY bad. I don't think he can be a part of a successful team. He just seems like a huge liability to me.
1. Kevin Love has slow reaction time. This is weird, since he rebounds well and has some nice offensive moves. But it's evident on film.
2. Kevin Love focuses and works hard. This is the terrifying part. When James Harden was being criticized for defense, you could actually see that the effort wasn't there. Love is focused. He actually looks terrified to be beat most of the time.
3. One of Love's biggest critiques is that he is always going for the rebound instead of playing defense, but I honestly think this is a chicken or the egg situation. I think Love figured out a long time ago that he is a terrible defender, so he decided to try to contribute in some other way.
4. Team's run plays right at Love. Often times they purposely keep players away from him when the Cavs run zone, so that they can run the play right at him. He has no chance. Like I said earlier, his reaction time is terrible, so when his space goes from empty to crowded, he pretty much never makes the right decision. So the obvious answer would be don't run zone with Kevin Love, but his man-to-man defense is even worse. I feel for David Blatt. I'm sure he is well aware of this problem, and it's the reason he has sat Love for entire 4th quarters at times this year.
Here is his famous rebound before defending play, but like I said, I think he does this because he knows he's a bad defender.
Honestly, I think Love would be a total laughing stock if he was a perimeter player, but he's good at avoiding getting dunked on and it's hard to completely blow by a player who is already in the paint. But he is REALLY bad. I don't think he can be a part of a successful team. He just seems like a huge liability to me.
7
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:38 pm to SwaggerCopter
Is that Dante Cunningham playing pathetic D as well?
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:39 pm to SwaggerCopter
Even when he was in Minnesota I thought he was overrated.
He'll light up a stat sheet though.
He'll light up a stat sheet though.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:41 pm to SwaggerCopter
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:43 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
Completely agree. Love also has no presence on the floor. Usually great players stand out (even if they aren't actually bigger). Kevin Love is hard to find on the floor if that makes sense.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:45 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:Yes, but not as bad as Lebron's decision to return to Cleveland. He'll be gone in a few months.
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:46 pm to arcalades
Everyone knew this since Love entered the league.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:47 pm to SwaggerCopter
I am proud to say that I was on that train before we saw how poorly the Cavs look this season.
Wiggins is potentially a top 15-20 player ever. I think he will be. The Cavs could have had either LeBron or Wiggins for the next 15 years, part of that time having both playing together.
It was dumb. LeBron wanted Love, so they went and got him. It was a terrible decision at the time, and it's looking even worse now.
Wiggins is potentially a top 15-20 player ever. I think he will be. The Cavs could have had either LeBron or Wiggins for the next 15 years, part of that time having both playing together.
It was dumb. LeBron wanted Love, so they went and got him. It was a terrible decision at the time, and it's looking even worse now.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:48 pm to NFLU
quote:
Everyone knew this since Love entered the league.
I disagree. I think people thought he was an average defender, especially because they saw good rebounding numbers, and usually rebounding and good defense have some correlation. Kevin Love might be the worst defender in the NBA. I truly believe that.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:50 pm to BayouBengals03
I'm glad you can pat your back for something.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:51 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:
Wiggins is potentially a top 15-20 player ever. I think he will be.
One of my favorite bold opinions on the board.
quote:
It was dumb. LeBron wanted Love, so they went and got him. It was a terrible decision at the time, and it's looking even worse now.
Yup. It's not going how I thought it would at all. Also, it looks like LeBron is starting to decline. Obviously, he is still an elite player and will be for years, but this is the first year I haven't thought he was even better than the year before.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:51 pm to SwaggerCopter
quote:him and Ryan Anderson competing for that title
. Kevin Love might be the worst defender in the NBA. I truly believe that.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:57 pm to SwaggerCopter
Yet his defensive rating grades out at league average... and pretty much on par with what his career averages are. Hell his defensive rating is better than Lebron's right now.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:58 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
yup. there were actually a surprising amount of people on here who thought it was a bad move. even a couple cavs fans, which i didnt expect.
also, wiggins missed a game winning buzzer beater 3 last night and i was pissed because it was thread worthy had he nailed it.
This post was edited on 1/9/15 at 2:59 pm
Posted on 1/9/15 at 2:59 pm to papz
It is impossible to quantify defensive ability. Best way would be to ask the coaches in the league. They know who sucks.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 3:04 pm to SwaggerCopter
quote:
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
Exactly! Cavs made a big mistake trading Wiggins for Love! Love is lazy! All he cares about is shooting threes and his stats.
This post was edited on 1/9/15 at 3:08 pm
Posted on 1/9/15 at 3:06 pm to SwaggerCopter
Well that's convenient.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 3:08 pm to papz
quote:
Well that's convenient.
Would you like to explain to me how any defensive rating is truly accurate? Maybe at the top, those things work, but a number can't tell me how well a guy gives backside help, protects the rim, etc.
Basically, the reason for my post was that I had seen the "numbers" for Love, so I didn't realize just how bad he was until I actually watched him play.
This post was edited on 1/9/15 at 3:11 pm
Posted on 1/9/15 at 3:11 pm to SwaggerCopter
I'd like you to provide the transcript of all the coaches you've interviewed since we should just throw stats out the window since they seem to be completely irrelevant.
Posted on 1/9/15 at 3:12 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:
Trading Wiggins for Love will go down as one of the worst decisions, in hindsight, in history.
I said it was a bad move when it happened and got hammered for it. Wiggins today is a better fit than Love today.
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