Last week, we looked at Luka Garza's offense and what he can potentially bring to the table. Today, we'll take a (much quicker) look at his defense. The reason it's going to be quicker is that defense is certainly his weaker point.
Last week, we looked at Luka Garza's offense and what he can potentially bring to the table. Today, we'll take a (much quicker) look at his defense. The reason it's going to be quicker is that defense is certainly his weaker point.
So, rather than focusing on his individual skill set, we'll examine some clips of the primary scheme the Minnesota Timberwolves put him in last season, along with a couple of observations I've made from the footage I've seen.
Let's dive right in.
The Scheme: Up to touch
A very common defensive coverage when guarding the pick-and-roll is to have the screener's defender "up to touch."
This is pretty much what it says on the tin. The screener's defender is high enough up the floor that they can physically touch the screener when extending their arm.
From there, the screen defender has three options available:
- They can drop off the screen to help protect the rim and contain the drive and/or roll
- They can show/hedge onto the ball-handler to force a pick-up and potentially kill the possession
- They can switch the action or switch and recover.
Oftentimes, you will see a couple of different coverages flow out of an up-to-touch defensive possession.
In the above clip, you can see Garza physically keeping his hand on the screener, and he is maybe a step below the level of the screen. As Blake Wesley comes off the screen, Garza switches and drops in anticipation of the drive. Once he sees Wesley load up off the dribble, he quickly looks to close out onto the perimeter.
On this action, Garza has switched the initial PnR, flowed into what I call a shallow drop (where he's dropping, but not deep into the paint) and then closed out onto the perimeter.
Part of the reason I think he's dropped rather than hedged or looked to defend in space is because of his limitations and inability to work angles / cut off driving lanes.
It's easier to drop and meet the drive, rather than be up and have to recover when getting beaten off the bounce.
Once again, Garza is operating up-to-touch on the screen, this time in motion as Kyle Filipowski cuts into a ghost screen before popping to space the floor. Rather than sticking with Filipowski, Garza drops off the screen and looks to contain Colin Sexton on the drive.
Between Garza and Donte DiVincenzo, the Timberwolves do a good job of keeping Sexton out of the paint. He's forced to keep his drive moving toward the baseline before looking to get the contact on a weak shot attempt.
It's here, when making a decision off the initial screen, where I think Garza could emerge as a viable system defender. Not great. Not even good. Viable.
Being able to contain the ball-handler coming off the screen was something Luke Kornet excelled at as a drop defender. With Kornet no longer on the roster, Garza would help fill some of that void. However, he's certainly more reliable when there's an additional defender plugging some of the gaps. The biggest question that needs answering is whether he can limit opposing ball-handlers when there's space around him and he's forced to make reads on the fly.
Another key note here is that Garza could also translate a lot of this to just being a drop defender. He has the size, foot speed and length to shuttle between the restricted area and the ball-handler, and can rotate quickly enough to help plug gaps.
You don't always need him operating at, or just below, the level of the screen. Sure, it's great that his mobility allows him to do so, yet his being in the drop could be just as efficient if he can learn how to read and react within that scheme and within Joe Mazzulla's system.
Now, onto some quick observations...
Angle control
I've spoken and written about angle control a bunch of times – usually when discussing Al Horford. For me, understanding how to take away driving lanes, or funnel your man to a specific spot of the floor, is a key factor for a non-athletic defender.
If you can control your opponent's movement and bait them into playing your game, you have half a chance of containing them over a 48-minute period.
Staying in front of someone in the NBA is far from an easy task. Sticking to their hips isn't much easier. Yet, if you can be half a step ahead of the ball-handler, you can close down lanes, force directional changes, and control the terms of engagement.
Garza has the mobility and speed to develop angle control. Horford would have been the ideal mentor in that respect.
If Garza can learn how to open and/or angle his hips, pressure the lead or off-hand, and dictate driving lanes and space, he will become a more viable defender outside of the paint. If not, he'll be a potential foul every time he's tasked with defending a drive or being beaten off the closeout.
Two nining
Two-nining is ubiquitous in the NBA. It's a way of stretching the rules to its limit. In essence, it's the art of a big man stationing in the paint for 2.9 seconds, before stepping outside the paint to reset the timer, and repeating that action throughout a defensive sequence.
Slower-footed bigs often avoid two-nining too deep into the paint, as that forces them to gamble on the reset. Garza, though, has no problem bouncing around the restricted area, showcasing his movement and speed when resetting and recovering to provide interior resistance.
Again, this is a very, very common thing on defense amongst big men. But, it's still somewhat of an art form, and one that Garza looks to be adept at.
Rebounds Per 36
I'm not a fan of using "Per 36" as it doesn't account for the strength of opponents (like in Garza's instance, his primary opponents are deep bench contributors), teammates, etc. Still, it can be a useful tool when looking for extrapolated and somewhat guesstimated data.
Jayson Tatum is arguably the best rebounder on the Celtics. With him out for the season and Kornet, (possibly) Horford and Kristaps Porzingis all playing elsewhere, there's a genuine need for a skilled board-getter on the defensive end.
According to Basketball Reference's "Per 36" stats, Garza would have averaged 9.2 boards per game last season. However, 5.1 one of those boards would have come on the offensive end. The hope then, is that with an increased focus on defense and controlling the glass and tempo, Garza could become a four to six rebound a night contributor off the bench – assuming the minutes are there for him, of course.
Final Thoughts
Garza's defense is certainly a work in progress. His offense is much further ahead. However, in terms of buy-low prospects, he has enough upside to be cautiously optimistic over what he can potentially bring to the Celtics in a larger role than he's used to, as long as his remit is clearly defined.
Thankfully, it won't be much longer until we get a closer look at what he can do, as preseason is fast approaching.
In truth, I don't envision Garza giving Neemias Queta too much of a run for the starting center spot to begin next season. If he can develop his game throughout the year and prove to be better than expected on defense, then maybe he can fight for some starter minutes before the end of the season.
Garza has a lot to prove. He's landed in the ideal situation to stake his claim for a long-term spot with a stellar organization. Now, it's on him to figure the rest out.
Want to get editions like that delivered 2-3 times per week for the rest of the offseason and five days a week when the Cetlics season is back underway? PLUS access to the Celtics Chronicle Discord community? There are free subscriptions, and paid subscriptions priced at $5 per month or $50 per year.
Become a subscriber