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Donovan's Defense

The Jazz Wonderbra

The Jazz Wonderbra

Well-Known Member
Aight...

So, coming out of college Donovan was considered a defensive minded guard who couldn't score. Crazy wingspan, quick feet, defensive leader on a defensive minded team. Then we gave him the keys to the offense and asked everyone to funnel everything to Gobert.

Fast forward to the last two years. Clearly there were issues between Spida and Rudy. Donovan didn't play defense.

But Spida has spells of defense. Against the Mavs we sat gobert for 10 minutes and played Paschall and went on a 19 - 3 run. During that run, Donovan played both sides of the court. Our perimeter D looked good for the first time in months. When Gobert returned there were some antics from the sideline from Donovan that make more sense now. Yall remember that? Maybe someone can help with a video.

So, can Donovan Play D and chose not to? (name your excuse be it Quin, Gobert, his "role", or the toxic environment)?

Or

Does is Donovan always going to be a sub par defender who thinks he is above playing D?
 
The Jazz Wonderbra said:
So, can Donovan Play D and chose not to? (name your excuse be it Quin, Gobert, his "role", or the toxic environment)?

Or

Does is Donovan always going to be a sub par defender who thinks he is above playing D?
Click to expand...
I think there are two big issues for Donovan defensively:

1.) He's tiny for a two guard and Conley/Don just can't matchup with most backcourts, if we move him to PG I think he'd be better.
2.) He was asked to carry such a huge scoring/offensive load as Conley faded down the stretch, hard to ask him to carry the offense and be a lock down defender.
 
The Jazz Wonderbra said:
Aight...

So, coming out of college Donovan was considered a defensive minded guard who couldn't score. Crazy wingspan, quick feet, defensive leader on a defensive minded team. Then we gave him the keys to the offense and asked everyone to funnel everything to Gobert.

Fast forward to the last two years. Clearly there were issues between Spida and Rudy. Donovan didn't play defense.

But Spida has spells of defense. Against the Mavs we sat gobert for 10 minutes and played Paschall and went on a 19 - 3 run. During that run, Donovan played both sides of the court. Our perimeter D looked good for the first time in months. When Gobert returned there were some antics from the sideline from Donovan that make more sense now. Yall remember that? Maybe someone can help with a video.

So, can Donovan Play D and chose not to? (name your excuse be it Quin, Gobert, his "role", or the toxic environment)?

Or

Does is Donovan always going to be a sub par defender who thinks he is above playing D?
Click to expand...
So he’s allergic to Gobert, problem solved. He’s now probably going to be a top two way talent, catapulting him to being a top 5 player in the league.
 
He might play okay defense if he wants to be here, likes the team, likes the coach, and isnt having a problem with other teammates. Plus there are probably a bunch of other issues that might get him to play poorly, like social justice things. That is huge if for all those things to go well for him on this team.

If he is happy and committed to this team, the Jazz should keep him and hope he turns his bad playoff play around next year. But if he isnt fully committed you have to trade him now. Otherwise another bad season and he refuses to play defense his value goes lower. Its not worth the risk. Plus if he asks out publicly his value goes down.

I dont know where he is at. There have been enough leaks that it seems he wants out or at the very least isnt committed, but those could also be wrong.
 
Rudy probably strolled around practice like some sort of Greek God showing everybody Instagram pictures of his abs. Don would say, hey Rudy if you're so awesome, hit this 15 footer. Rudy would miss it, start to cry then run to the lockerroom to touch everybody's personal belongings. Donovan would post some stupid eyeball emoji for some awful song that the song's singer doesn't even want to listen to. The next game, Don won't pass to Rudy then Rudy whines to the coaching staff about it. The coaching staff asks Don to pass to Rudy, but Don just wants to talk about the new color of his heinous Don 3s.

Seriously though, Rudy Gobert was a douche bag as a teammate and the system built around Rudy annoyed the ever living piss out of Donovan Mitchell. When it's not fun, you see the lack of passion the whole team had last season.

Sent from my SM-A516U using JazzFanz mobile app
 
LoPo said:
Rudy probably strolled around practice like some sort of Greek God showing everybody Instagram pictures of his abs. Don would say, hey Rudy if you're so awesome, hit this 15 footer. Rudy would miss it, start to cry then run to the lockerroom to touch everybody's personal belongings. Donovan would post some stupid eyeball emoji for some awful song that the song's singer doesn't even want to listen to. The next game, Don won't pass to Rudy then Rudy whines to the coaching staff about it. The coaching staff asks Don to pass to Rudy, but Don just wants to talk about the new color of his heinous Don 3s.

Seriously though, Rudy Gobert was a douche bag as a teammate and the system built around Rudy annoyed the ever living piss out of Donovan Mitchell. When it's not fun, you see the lack of passion the whole team had last season.

Sent from my SM-A516U using JazzFanz mobile app
Click to expand...
You think you make a point but you only prove how immature Donovan is if this is true. Like high school ****.

I don't think you're right, I think you're just being extremely dramatic and emotional but if you are, you're admitting Donovan is no leader and that he's immature. Imagine Kobe or Jordan or Steph or Lebron pouting like a child like you claim Donovan is. Hell Lebron had to deal with Kyrie and still won a ring.
 
SteakNEggs said:
You think you make a point but you only prove how immature Donovan is if this is true. Like high school ****.

I don't think you're right, I think you're just being extremely dramatic and emotional but if you are, you're admitting Donovan is no leader and that he's immature. Imagine Kobe or Jordan or Steph or Lebron pouting like a child like you claim Donovan is. Hell Lebron had to deal with Kyrie and still won a ring.
Click to expand...
Man I was just messing around.

Don's defense will be fine under a new coach with a modern system. His defense is the least of our worries. Trading Conley should be the most talked about thing in this forum, but nobody wants to talk about it because they still won't get over Rudy being shopped then traded.

Sent from my SM-A516U using JazzFanz mobile app
 
The Jazz Wonderbra said:
Aight...

So, coming out of college Donovan was considered a defensive minded guard who couldn't score. Crazy wingspan, quick feet, defensive leader on a defensive minded team. Then we gave him the keys to the offense and asked everyone to funnel everything to Gobert.

Fast forward to the last two years. Clearly there were issues between Spida and Rudy. Donovan didn't play defense.

But Spida has spells of defense. Against the Mavs we sat gobert for 10 minutes and played Paschall and went on a 19 - 3 run. During that run, Donovan played both sides of the court. Our perimeter D looked good for the first time in months. When Gobert returned there were some antics from the sideline from Donovan that make more sense now. Yall remember that? Maybe someone can help with a video.

So, can Donovan Play D and chose not to? (name your excuse be it Quin, Gobert, his "role", or the toxic environment)?

Or

Does is Donovan always going to be a sub par defender who thinks he is above playing D?
Click to expand...
Anyone can play D because it's simply about effort. Don can play fantastic D simply because he has the athleticism, physical tools (dude has a wingspan that would make a B-36 proud), intelligence, and he can anticipate.

I'm not going to pin the perimeter defense issues on Don. That was a team issue in general.
 
SteakNEggs said:
You think you make a point but you only prove how immature Donovan is if this is true. Like high school ****.

I don't think you're right, I think you're just being extremely dramatic and emotional but if you are, you're admitting Donovan is no leader and that he's immature. Imagine Kobe or Jordan or Steph or Lebron pouting like a child like you claim Donovan is. Hell Lebron had to deal with Kyrie and still won a ring.
Click to expand...
Donovan isn't perfect but Rudy was very far from it as well
 
UtahJazz32 said:
Donovan isn't perfect but Rudy was very far from it as well
Click to expand...
Meh... Ain't no coming back from @LoPo admitting Donovan is the least mature player in the history of any sport by his own words. If a guy let's let's another guy affect his life like lopo said Rudy affected Donovans that child like.

I disagree with him on saying Donovan is that amazingly immature and agree with you that both he and Rudy are guilty, but to let a guy take completely over his entire game and life like lopo has said a few times?! That's weak, that's not leadership, that's being a coward.

Again I disagree with lopo but if he's right....
 
LoPo said:
Rudy probably strolled around practice like some sort of Greek God showing everybody Instagram pictures of his abs. Don would say, hey Rudy if you're so awesome, hit this 15 footer. Rudy would miss it, start to cry then run to the lockerroom to touch everybody's personal belongings. Donovan would post some stupid eyeball emoji for some awful song that the song's singer doesn't even want to listen to. The next game, Don won't pass to Rudy then Rudy whines to the coaching staff about it. The coaching staff asks Don to pass to Rudy, but Don just wants to talk about the new color of his heinous Don 3s.

Seriously though, Rudy Gobert was a douche bag as a teammate and the system built around Rudy annoyed the ever living piss out of Donovan Mitchell. When it's not fun, you see the lack of passion the whole team had last season.

Sent from my SM-A516U using JazzFanz mobile app
Click to expand...
Not a hater tho
 
He sucks on D. End of story.

Adam Morrison was a good offensive player in college, not the NBA.

Things don't always translate
 
Donovan has a great wingspan for his size that should allow him to defend most SGs. It doesn't matter though because he just has poor awareness. He is often out of position, ball-watching, sleeping and getting back-cut as a result. He stops and looks at where he should go when he is in rotation and therefore is late most of the time. When he acts like he is focused on D and tries to exert himself, he goes beyond what he should do and breaks down the defense, like helping 2 pass away.

I don't think his defensive struggles can be chalked up to effort. He needs to spend an off-season studying defense, practicing and needs to carry that awareness into the season.
 
Have y'all seen Don "try"? He still sucks even when he tries lmao. it's not really an effort thing, tho that is trash too. He just lacks basketball IQ in a broad sense (very good scoring IQ and good at reading kick outs on drives, but that's it).
 
Don excuse makers are wild. "Rudy hurt his feelings so he doesn't play defense".

And this the player y'all will lick a pole in the middle of a snow storm for?
 
YoungJefe said:
I think there are two big issues for Donovan defensively:

1.) He's tiny for a two guard and Conley/Don just can't matchup with most backcourts, if we move him to PG I think he'd be better.
2.) He was asked to carry such a huge scoring/offensive load as Conley faded down the stretch, hard to ask him to carry the offense and be a lock down defender.
Click to expand...
Nobody here is saying he should be a lock down defender. Most of us are just going for, ‘not a turnstile’. Most of us are just going for, ‘give a little effort’. We all know he’s capable of being a good defender, and the reason he hasn’t been, is because of his effort.
 
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