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    19

    Here’s a radical suggestion to improve Monta Ellis’ defense: Effort

    By Geoff Lepper
    48minutes.net

    1508. That, prior to Golden State’s 154-130 thrashing Sunday at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, was how many games it had been since the Warriors allowed that many points.

    1508. That’s a number so impressive, it deserves to be written out, like one of those oversized checks you give contest winners:

    ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHT & 00/100 GAMES

    1508. That’s 18.4 seasons – more than half again as long as the Warriors’ playoff drought had been at its apex.

    (Side note: I feel like Jeremy Piven in “Grosse Pointe Blank,” albeit for an even longer timeframe – 18 YEARS, MAN! 18!)

    There was plenty of blame to go around, but the biggest culprit unquestionably was Monta Ellis. I’m still not sure how he managed to drop 26 points on 12-for-19 shooting in 41:17 but still went minus-37 for the night. It’s just absurd.

    Look at it this way: For the 6:43 Ellis was on the bench, the Warriors outscored the Suns 25-12 – meaning that Phoenix was on pace to score less than 86 points per 48 minutes. With Ellis on the floor, it was a 142-105 game – and a defensive pace of 165.1 points per 48.

    In other words, the Warriors’ D was 92.5 percent worse on Sunday evening with Ellis on the floor.

    Obviously, that’s an exaggeration, a statistical sleight-of-hand made possible by the small sample size.

    But the visual evidence regarding Ellis’ defense since coming back from his ankle stiffness/family visit/hospital vigil/whatever you want to call it is not all that encouraging.

    It wasn’t just that Ellis was getting picked off EVERY SINGLE TIME the Suns ran an S/R with Steve Nash. It was that Ellis didn’t appear to care at all about that fact. Fighting through a screen has never been his forte, but he never ran back to try to catch up with his man (which is the appropriate thing to do in the Warriors’ universe). He was acting with all the urgency of a man taking a constipated dog for a walk, sauntering along with the knowledge that he has all kinds of time to get to the park before anything will happen.

    (Meanwhile, there goes Nash for another open pullup 8-footer.)

    Total nonchalance from your putative franchise player is disturbing enough in and of itself, but there’s a potential deeper meaning that should be even more concerning for Golden State fans:

    What if this is just another symptom of Ellis’ unhappiness? What if, as appears to be the case, the Warriors decide to keep Ellis and follow through on their pre-moped plan of making him the team’s showcase star – and then he decides that he’s not going to exert a single ounce of energy on the defensive end as $3 million worth of retribution?

    The Warriors are already saddled with a whole cadre of players who seem constitutionally incapable of slowing ball penetration (C.J. Watson, Jamal Crawford) or who whine so incessantly at the offensive end that they often cease to become factors at the defensive end (Stephen Jackson).

    But those problems are flaws of technique, character or simple athleticism.

    For Ellis, it looks like more a matter of the heart. We know he can play better defense. He did it as a rookie, and if he’s healthy enough to put on the scoring displays that he has in his last two games then he ought to be able to move his feet and stay with a driving opponent. And if he does get rerouted due to a pick, he needs not to give up on the play.

    Put it this way: If Ellis stays and is the team’s centerpiece, there’s no way in hell that Golden State improves its defense one iota unless it’s Monta leading that charge. And if the Warriors don’t improve their D, then it doesn’t matter who stays or goes – it’s going to be another wasted season at Oracle Arena.

    (Programming note: Live blog is dicey for tonight due to a scheduling overlap. We may pick things up already in progress.)

    Contact: geofflepper@48minutes.net

9 Responses to “Here’s a radical suggestion to improve Monta Ellis’ defense: Effort”

  1. commish March 19th, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    But wait, didn’t Nelson say Crawford has to go because he can’t guard 2’s. Now I’m really confused. Should Monta have to go cause he can’t guard 1’s? Umm, I wondering if Nelson isn’t telling the truth, the whole truth, and…..Nay, that isn’t a possibility.

    In fact, can Maggette guard anyone? I don’t remember exactly, but I think those in the know would resoundly say NO. So should he be traded as well.

    Geoff, you see where I’m heading. Who on this team would be left if it were based on any defensive acumen and desire? Jax, Ronny, Goose, and Kelenna is my guess. Umm, maybe it has to do with the expection of the head coach and his clones. Maybe Smart should be fired for not doing his job as “defensive coordinator”.

    I think you miss the point in this piece, and that is Monta is a sympton, not a cause. Who cares if a team relatively scores more points against our hapless and porous defense? Surely the coach and clones don’t care, so why should you point out one guy?

  2. justafan March 19th, 2009 at 5:54 pm

    Boycott the Warriors until Chris Cohan Sells the team!!!

  3. Chris Cohan March 19th, 2009 at 7:25 pm

    I love it.

    EVERY SINGLE FRICKIN TIME we sign some next-generation franchise piece, he’s trash the very next year.

    This organization, in a word:

    Broken.

  4. norm March 19th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    Just another player, who was paid a very large contract-now decides he doesn’t have to play that hard because he has his money! (just my perception of Monta)

    Do NBA franchises conduct background checks?

  5. sleepless in San Fran March 20th, 2009 at 9:58 am

    Pathetic bunch of fools…Since his return to the court,Ellis has exuded nothing but arrogance and attitude.He’s playing strictly for himself and his own stats.His terrible lack of defense underscores that contempt he wears on his face while on the court.All his points are “in your face” points to anyone who may have called him out on his “irrational youthful exhuberence”.Those coverall tats tell yet another story about him.
    Try trading him;I doubt anyone would match the $66 mil for someone who believes the world owes him that living.

  6. Jr Honda March 20th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    Sleepless, I agree with everything you are saying……and so do a lot of other people.

  7. White boys flipping out, and other links | Bay Area Sports Guy March 20th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    [...] –Geoff Lepper thinks Monta Ellis is playing no defense to stick it to the Warriors. (48minutes.net) [...]

  8. Dave March 21st, 2009 at 4:27 pm

    Unfortunately, I don’t think Monta will make any major leap defensively until he’s surrounded with more defensive orientated teammates.

    Andris Biedrins is the guy who’s defense bugs me the most. I keep expecting him to do more on that end of the floor, but more often than not I end up disappointed. If he could become a high end defensive player, on top of what he already brings to the table, he’d be a spectacular player.

  9. jaxfor3 March 25th, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Biedrins seems to get bullied by bigger centers in the post. He needs to beef up. But, he also shouldn’t get too bulky, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to flash at the guards at the top of the key before running back to cover his man.

    Although, the guards need to stay in front of their men and work through screens instead of trying for the steal. Some honest effort on their part would help the overall defense from scrambling so often.

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