Yes he waited until the final game to do anything on the defensive end. If he had some defensive focus any other time in the 3 straight games we lost we likely win at least one of those. You can make all the excuses you want but we lost those series because we were incapable of stopping perimeter players. Mitchell doesn't own all of that but he damn well owns some of it.
All of those you name, besides Mitchell, have better playoff defensive stats than regular season. Mitchell is the only one of those who gets worse in the playoffs on defense.
So we are blaming the guy who was our only bright spot of the series because his defense wasn't good enough every minute of the series?
You haven't been reading or comprehending. Everyone responsible for perimeter defense and supporting Rudy by making an effort on defense, or little to no effort as the case may be, is responsible for the defensive lapses that cost us 2 playoff series. I said that directly. You're blindly trying to ignore the fact that Mitchell is part of that. And a substantial part considering the minutes he plays.
Google it. Even just basic DBPM Lillard gets better in the playoffs, Mitchell gets worse, and so do the others for the most part Even if it's minor it's still an uptick vs a downtick.
I have said all along that Don should play better defense. It would help. However, we aren't losing playoff games because of anything Don is doing. He should be allowed to play average defense if he is going to play so well on the other end.
You are fooling yourself if you think Don plays anywhere near average defense. He is abysmal.
You're fooling yourself if you think our problem in the playoffs is Donovan Mitchell.
You keep moving the argument somewhere else. Mitchell is a terrible defender whether it's in the regular season or in the playoffs. Our best chance to win a playoff series is with him on the floor. These 2 things are both true. It's just that your standards aren't consistent.
