re: Tide Hoops | 25-12 (13-5)

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Oats doesn't play zone defense, and NBA outlaws zone defenses.

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Zone defense isn't technically outlawed in the NBA but the defensive 3 second rule and the fact that everyone in the NBA can shoot the lights out now, means very little zone is played. I'd actually like to see some NBA teams start trying to be a little more innovative on defense because the modern NBA is absolutely torching the 95% man to man being played. The no-hand checking rule combined with the defensive 3 second rule results in drive after drive after drive to the basket for layups/dunks and kickout threes. The skills is impressive but it's predictable and I wonder where the defensive ingenuity is to throw a wrinkle to disrupt this is. May be the offensive skill and the officiating rules are just impossible for defensives to overcome.

As for Oats I would also love to see some more defensive wrinkles. Bama's perimeter defenders are not great this year and there is no consistent rim protection (but I will give a shout to Grant Nelson who is stepping into that role pretty damn well, but still he isn't the prototypical physical rim protector). Throw some more zone in to at least make the opposing offense adjust when we are getting torched.