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Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

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  • #1

    Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

    I enjoy reading about what new coaches emphasis in their first training camp with their new teams. As expected Brown is working on defense first. Dwayne Casey - T-Wolves and Brian Hill - Magic are also working on defense. (Intersting to read player comments from those two teams) In fact in each situation they spent every minute of their first two practices soley on defense. If I were running an NBA team I would not hire a coach who did not spend most of training camp working on defense.

    Here are a couple of articles about Mike Brown an the Cavs

    http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/...s/12840990.htm

    In defense of the Cavs

    That's the emphasis so far for team, and it shows at Rhodes Arena scrimmage

    By Terry Pluto


    Here's what you need to know about the Cavaliers before anything can be said about their scrimmage Thursday night at Rhodes Arena -- this was their sixth practice in three days, and nearly every moment has been spent on defense.

    If you watched the Cavs last year, here's what should be your immediate reaction: It's about time!!!

    Even better, it showed.

    The fans probably wished for a little more scoring and a lot more sizzle during the hour the Cavs were on public display before a packed gym on a night when fans were admitted free if they secured vouchers in advance.

    It was a terrific move by the Cavs and the University of Akron, allowing many fans who normally can't afford to see the team in a building with an intimate setting. A lot of good can be created, especially with all the give-away T-shirts and other items.

    The fans saw LeBron James flash back to his St. Vincent-St. Mary days on a few plays, especially a baseline drive where he held the ball in his right hand like the Olympic torch, soared then doused it through the rim.

    James had some splendid no-look passes for assists. On one play, people were trying to figure out if he threw the ball between his legs or around his back -- it was done so quick.

    ``This is my home court, I love it,'' said James, who played most of his high school games at Rhodes Arena.

    James dueled Larry Hughes for much of the night. Both players defended each other well. It's great to have Hughes not only as the shooting guard next to James in games but to push him in practice as well. Twice, Hughes forced James into turnovers with his fast hands tapping away a dribble.

    James did a solid job of keeping his body between Hughes and the basket, not allowing Hughes an easy road to the rim.

    All of this and more had to please first-year coach Mike Brown, who after the game talked about ``effort,'' talked about ``defense,'' talked about ``grinding it out.''

    Get used to hearing that. These principles will be the holy trinity of his coaching gospel. It also will determine if the Cavs make the playoffs.

    ``We haven't done that much on offense yet,'' Brown said. ``I know we have guys who can score.''

    Playoff directive

    Brown was brought to town to get the Cavs to the playoffs, and he correctly believes that it begins with defense.

    The basic basketball play is the pick-and-roll, a two-man play. One guy dribbles the ball, the other guy stands in the way of a defender. The hope is to cause confusion for the defense.

    A year ago, it sure did for the Cavs, a team that never could decide how to defend the pick-and-roll. Do they want to be aggressive, jump out and double-team the dribbler? Or lay back and take away the dribble-drive to the basket?

    Or... what?

    Last year, the Cavs often stared at that play like a caveman who just saw someone light a match for the first time. They were utterly dumbfounded, frozen in their tracks.

    With Brown's defense, there is constant movement. Players jump out quickly for double-teams, then fiercely retreat to help guard the basket.

    Very few players had open spaces when they dribbled to the basket -- usually, someone came from somewhere in an attempt to defend.

    The Cavs are a work in progress. Imagine a blank piece of paper. What Brown has done is drawn the basic lines, almost like a coloring book before anyone touches a crayon.

    These lines won't change, these are our basic boundaries.

    As James said, ``This is what we need.''

    Long shots don't fall

    The players obviously had weary legs from all the practices in such a short span, so jumpers banged off the rim. Damon Jones missed his first five from 3-point range, before drilling two. James was 0-of-4 from 3-point land.

    In this scrimmage, there were four quarters, 10 minutes apiece. The clock never stopped. That's why the final score was just 47-40.

    It's also why Drew Gooden's performance of 14 points and seven rebounds was impressive. He worked hard for rebounds. He scored inside. He paid attention to defense. One of Brown's main goals is convincing the 6-foot-9 Gooden that his game is rebounding, defense and scoring inside.

    Free-agent pickup Donyell Marshall had a nice night with 13 points and eight rebounds and showed a shooting touch from outside and driving to the rim. He's battling Gooden for the starting power forward spot.

    It was reassuring to see 2004 No. 1 pick Luke Jackson moving well after back surgery and swishing a couple of 3-pointers from the corner. Eric Snow and Jones seemed to run the offense reasonably well. Snow does a very good job defending the pick-and-roll in Brown's system.

    The surprise of the night was Kelenna Azubuike, a 6-foot-5 free agent who averaged 15 points at Kentucky last season. He played with poise, shot 4-of-6 for nine points. He also was one of the Cavs' most impressive players in the summer league.

    The real story was defense.

    They actually played some.

    If you're a Cavs fan, that's good news already.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

    http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/plaind...920.xml&coll=2


    NEW-LOOK CAVALIERS OFFER AN EARLY GLIMPSE
    Defense is Brown's mantra
    Friday, October 07, 2005
    Branson Wright
    Plain Dealer Reporter
    Missed defensive assignments, confusion on switches and a lackluster defensive effort were often routine for the Cavaliers last season.

    The Cavs just missed making the playoffs last year and poor defense shares some of the blame. Coach Mike Brown is ready to make a change.

    "I have a passion for [defense] because that's where you get better," Brown said. "That's where you separate yourself from the pack, when you concentrate on that end of the floor."



    Eric Snow has been a solid defender throughout his career, so the addition of Brown and his defensive philosophies was a welcome sight.

    "When you talk to him, you know defense is his main focus," Snow said. "He's been on winning teams. He knows that those teams' main focus was about getting stops. A lot of guys can score with the ball but when you look at which teams are going to the finals, it's the best defensive teams."

    Brown was an assistant when San Antonio won its first title and he was an associate head coach with the defensive-minded Indiana Pacers. Brown's philosophy includes not allowing open jump shots and preventing easy layups.

    "Defensively, I believe you can take your philosophies and transfer them from team to team," Brown said. "Defense is about effort.

    "If you have some other intangibles to go along with that effort like length, athleticism, toughness, quickness and the whole nine yards and if you teach those guys the same concepts as another team that may be slower, you're going to have a better defensive team because of the intangibles."

    Those intangibles come in the form of LeBron James and Larry Hughes, two players who are good perimeter defenders. Hughes led the league in steals (2.89) and James was third with 2.21 per game.

    "This team does have a chance to be a good defensive team because of the length and quickness we do have," Brown said.

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    • #3
      Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

      We are going to miss Brown.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

        How much of an advantage will the Cavs have on us this year since Brown will know virtually all the intricacies of the Pacers? How much did Brown help us when we played the Spurs?

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

          And who was in charge of Cleveland's defense last year? Brendan Malone.
          Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

            Cavs are gonna be tough. Ford tough!

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

              Originally posted by Harmonica
              Cavs are gonna be tough. Ford tough!
              Yes they are, but I still want to know if Z can move his feet on defense and how well can Gooden or Marshall can guard JO?
              You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....

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              • #8
                Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                Originally posted by RWB
                Yes they are, but I still want to know if Z can move his feet on defense and how well can Gooden or Marshall can guard JO?
                Marshall's a good post defender.
                This space for rent.

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                • #9
                  Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                  http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjourna...s/12858076.htm

                  Windhorst on the Cavaliers


                  Defense never rests during training camp

                  Brown ignores offense in effort to build chemistry

                  By Brian Windhorst


                  Labeling what the Cavaliers did over the past week, ``training camp'' wouldn't be technically accurate.

                  What coach Mike Brown conducted in a week of a two-a-day practices was more like a defensive retreat. The media isn't allowed to view workouts. In fact, Brown is keeping them tighter than even the NBA rules are supposed to allow. But it hasn't taken long for the details to get out.

                  The workouts have been tediously long with one basic principle in mind: build a defensive chemistry.

                  What exactly does that mean, to build a defensive chemistry?

                  Well, every team says it needs chemistry, classic coach- and columnist-speak. But the guts of it can be boiled down to this: Brown wants the Cavs to work together on defense and, more important, have them police themselves on it.

                  Brown's defensive system, the basis for which he was hired, calls for lots of movement and lots of helping. Everyone has to know they have support behind them and everyone has to be watching to support everyone else.

                  This is not a revolutionary idea. These principles are taught in elementary school, but the vigor of their application varies, of course. Brown's methodology in these valuable early days is to sell his guys on the concept that no one can play defense alone. As such, they are taught, drilled and often rewarded when following these principles.

                  Isn't this obvious and why is it so important?

                  Sure it's obvious that you have to play defense to win and the whole ``remember to talk'' on defense is a common mantra. But Brown isn't just glossing over this like he would how to run a press-breaker.

                  This is the major mission of the preseason, more important than who starts at what position or how LeBron James and Larry Hughes fit into the offense. In fact, the Cavaliers have barely touched on offensive stuff, which will likely show in the four preseason games this week.

                  Last year, the Cavs didn't have a single defensive leader, in fact the only constant defensive enforcer was Paul Silas. What they had was finger-pointing, individual defensive breakdowns that crushed the entire system, and lots of road losses along with losses at the end of the season when defense mattered most.

                  After Silas was fired, there wasn't any cohesion at all. Players would come back to the bench and yell at each other in timeouts for defensive breakdowns. Often, the finger-pointer was just as liable. Interim coach Brendan Malone took abuse from the players and even publicly accepted blame for losses because of poor defense when the ship had long sailed.

                  The new coach didn't have to review 82 game tapes to learn that other than having almost no outside shooters, this was the gaping hole in the team.

                  Brown is relatively young, but knows what he's doing. It has been written and said many times that he ``ran'' the Indiana Pacers' defense. That means more than just holding the whistle in practice. During games, Browns made all the defensive calls on his own, not head coach Rick Carlisle. Sometimes Carlisle wouldn't know what defense his team was in until they got into position.

                  We don't know yet if he can take the offensively talented bunch he's been given and turn it into a unit of defenders who actually care about making the system work and are willing to unite to do it. But he's sure made it his focus.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                    During games, Browns made all the defensive calls on his own, not head coach Rick Carlisle. Sometimes Carlisle wouldn't know what defense his team was in until they got into position.
                    I really wish I hadn't read that.
                    Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                      Originally posted by Kegboy
                      I really wish I hadn't read that.
                      me too..............me....too....

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                        Originally posted by Kegboy
                        I really wish I hadn't read that.


                        Kegboy, it is very true, I saw it first hand with my own eyes. It will be the same this year with O'Neill

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                          Originally posted by Unclebuck
                          Kegboy, it is very true, I saw it first hand with my own eyes. It will be the same this year with O'Neill
                          O'Neil is no schlub on defense either, though. I'm more than happy having him orchestrate the defensive sets. Him and Carlisle have been working together for many years now; I'm sure they'll be able to complement each other strongly.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                            As a Pacers fan, I was relieved to see the Cavs solve their shooting woes by signing Larry Hughes.
                            basketbawful.com- The best of the worst of professional basketball. And there's a lot of it.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Mike Brown has his Cavs working on defense

                              Originally posted by Kegboy
                              I really wish I hadn't read that.

                              That's why Mike Brown was an Associate Coach and not an assistant.

                              Kevin O'Neil was hear all last season and worked closely with Brown so I doubt there will be much of a drop in defensive efficiency (especially with Artest's return). Plus O'Neil is the original designer of the Pistons defense which was pretty darn good when he and Rick were there.

                              Comment

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