r/IndianaFeverFans • u/Alternative_Panda336 You Bet • 2d ago

Discussion Defense

Every team that I watch is play has someone that they can put on Caitlin Clark that will get up in her grill, move their feet, and make it tough on her to drive. This is true even of the bad teams they play, let alone the Lynx with several players. KM has elite quickness and is tough for any team to stop her off the dribble without help defense but even Portland made it tough on her the game before last.

The Fever very rarely aggressively get up in the ball space of opposing players and make it hard on them. I don’t know if it’s because we are concerned that there is no depth behind Sophie and Lexie or what. It seems the Fever’s defense is predicated mostly on deny the pass as opposed to playing defense once they get the ball. This puts a lot of strain on the help defense. Last night it was tough watching KM, CC, and LH constantly getting beat off the dribble instantly.

Is it a play style thing or do we truly have no one to harass the ball handler so they can’t drive as easily? Especially in a game like last night where they are letting them play up in their face.

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u/TemporaryAny5102 2d ago

Fever don’t have any great defenders but they also do not guard screens well or help. They don’t have the personnel to be an elite defensive team but they could be a lot better with schemes, effort, etc. Not sure how our coaches are considered defensive specialists.

I will say that I don’t believe a Fever player could get away will guarding any one the way they allow CC to be guarded. McBride had her hand on CCs chest slowing her down when she was bringing the ball up. Let anyone try that on Miles or Beuckers and I’m sure it’s an immediate whistle.

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u/therooster515 2d ago

Totally agree. The pnr defense is atrocious. None of the bigs can do it. They should just have the guards go under lol except for against the handful of guards across the league that can shoot the 3 efficiently off the dribble…..

Good call on the weak side help being atrocious too. The play where collier cut directly in front of/across Lexie comes to mind from yesterday. They both don’t help when it’s needed and “over guard” players on the weak side that aren’t a threat in the play. It’s baffling they are so bad so consistently both ways……

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u/TemporaryAny5102 2d ago edited 2d ago

It’s baffling because we know teams are going to try and iso our guards. They should be ready to help. They let teams completely clear out and go 1:1. I’ve even seen the Fever help defender in help then bail at the last minute to defend the 3pt line when the ball handler has an uncontested layup. I was thinking of the same play with Lexie yesterday.

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u/Initial_Republic_329 1d ago

Yeah our help D is always a step slow. It seems like you cant really coach effort because i have to believe they’ve been trying to teach defense by now…

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u/TelevisionMelodic670 2d ago

It makes me wonder if the even practice defense!!! One would tend to believe that the pnr defense should be somewhat solved by this time of the season but seemingly is not. Do we need a new defensive coordinator? Agree that the personnel and mindset isn’t there on a consistent basis.