2011 No-Defense Team

Many players come into the league able to score in bunches and perhaps even crash the boards, but are wholly lost on the defensive end. They can't rotate, can't move their feet, and are clueless when it comes to defending a pick-and-roll. Some of these players learn how to better defend as the years go by (see LeBron James). Others don't (see Al Jefferson).

In honor of Mr. Jefferson and his ilk, I've decided to create a new team: the No-Defense Team. To be on this team, a player can't simply be bad on defense. I'm not looking for guys who simply aren't all that good at basketball and can't compete on either end of the floor. Instead, the players below are often considered to be stars due to their contributions on the offensive end. They usually garner large contracts and post strong per game numbers. However, each of them plays such poor defense that, in reality, they have a negative influence on their team's chances.

G: Monta Ellis: Monta Ellis is great fun to watch. He's quick, he's explosive, and he's never seen a shot that he didn't like. He even passes the ball sometimes. While he should pass MORE, you would still think that he's an overall positive for his team. You would be wrong. Due to his poor defense, Ellis has one of the worst adjusted plus minus ratings (-6.81) in the league this season. And this year is no fluke. Last year's adjusted plus minus: -6.53.

G: John Wall: I'm hoping that Wall's game will evolve as did LeBron's. Both came into the league used to relying on their athletic ability on defense. Over the years, LeBron has learned to continue using his athletic ability, but at the same keep from being distracted and always be aware of and play within the team defense strategy. Wall often looked lost on defense this year. Quite simply, he didn't know where to go and what to do. I'm giving him a pass right now and not calling him out for a lack of effort. But if he hasn't begun to show marked improvement in a few years, it will be a real cause for concern.

F: Al Jefferson: Jefferson routinely averages 20 and 10. His efficiency numbers are good enough to give him a PER of 20.2, top 30 in the league. He even leads the NBA in turnover percentage. Yet...Jefferson's adjusted plus minus rating for the season is -4.16. His two year rating is also in the red. Why? Defense. When Jefferson is on the floor, the Jazz allow 111.96 points per 100 possessions. When he's on the bench, they allow 102.55 points per possession. That swing of 9.41 points means he has the worst defensive rating in the league. Jefferson is basically the anti-Kevin Garnett, the man for whom he was traded. While KG's contributions go beyond box score numbers, Jefferson's negative influences are hidden by traditional metrics.

F: Kevin Love: Love apparently learned a lot from Jefferson during the one year they were together in Minnesota. Love posts even better offensive numbers than does Jefferson; he had the fourth best PER in the league thanks to his impressive rebounding numbers and ability to score efficiently. However, there is a reason why Kurt Rambis was hesitant to give him starters' minutes and why Mike Krzyzewski kept him glued to the bench during the World Championships: he's abysmal on defense. Minnesota has one of the worst defenses in the league, in no small part thanks to Love. He a poor post defender. He's a poor help defender. He doesn't scare opponents driving to the hoop. In interviews Love sometimes comes across as caring more about his numbers than about the team, and his play often supports such a theory. He often sacrifices defense to ensure that he boxes out and gets a precious, stat-stuffing, rebound.

                                      

C: Andrea Bargnani: The 6th worst defensive rating in the league this season (6.45). The 2nd worst defensive rating in the league last season (9.10). The 7th worst defensive rating in the league two seasons ago (7.41). See a pattern emerging?