Danny Granger’s goal: Become an elite defender
Danny Granger (photo. Stephen Hill)
Danny Granger understands the power of hard work. You don’t go from being a high school senior in New Orleans who doesn’t even get recruited by LSU to being an NBA All-Star in your fourth year making franchise-player dollars without working hard.
Granger also understands the power of expectations. Every ballplayer wants to improve whatever he needs to in order to win, but when you put specific goals out there in public, the expectation is now on you to produce. Some players use those expectations — and the fear of failing — to push them to achieve.
From his offseason vacation spot in Italy (franchise-player dollars, remember?), Granger put it out there that his goal going into next season is to become an elite defender. From the Indianapolis Star:
(LeBron) James and Dwyane Wade were the NBA’s top two scorers. They were also second and third, respectively, in Defensive Player of the Year voting because they embraced guarding the other team’s best player. Granger didn’t make the top 20 in voting.
It’s no surprise he’ll put an emphasis on becoming a lockdown defender this summer.
“LeBron didn’t always play defense and D-Wade didn’t always play defense,” Granger said. “Now they’ve realized to be good in this league or to have an elite team you have to play defense. Next year I’ll have more of a commitment to it because you kind of get zoned out.
“People are always talking about how many points I score and this, that or another. I get zoned out, even in games.”
The Pacers were 26th in the League in points allowed as a team (106.2 ppg), some of which could be chalked up to their up-tempo offensive style, but a lot of which was a result of them just not being a good defensive team. Coach Jim O’Brien basically lets his players do what the want on offense while focusing most of his coaching on defense. So if the players are dedicated and able, O’Brien will find the right scheme for them.
But that all starts with their superstar. Granger is better defensively than other elite scoring forwards like Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony, but he’s got a lot of room to grow into a lock-down guy. And the better he becomes, the better the Pacers will become at getting stops.
“You look at any organization that has succeeded, it always comes down to defense,” O’Brien said. “Kevin Garnett leading Boston … You can hear LeBron (during games) take pride in the way he challenges his team to constantly get the next stop. You can see it in his ability to guard the other team’s best player.
“It’s a natural progression of the All-Star wanting to see his franchise go to the next level.”
Granger — who was just given a spot in USA Basketball’s tryout/training camp for this summer’s World Championships — was actually drafted by the Pacers with the idea of him being a defensive specialist. Ron Artest took him under his wing as a rookie and taught him some tricks, but as the face of the team changed and Granger became more of an offensive focal point, his role changed into that of a scorer.
He’s got the skills to take on the LeBron/Kobe top-defender role (if his knees cooperate), but just as ‘Bron has been helped by Mo Williams and Kobe can sometimes rely on Pau Gasol, Granger needs enough offensive firepower around him to justify that move. If the Pacers can get him that legit #2 scoring option (Troy Murphy is The Man, but he’s more of a #3 as a spot-up shooting big man who can’t create his own shot), it’ll make his transition that much easier.
Do you think your franchise player has to be an elite defender?
Source: Indianapolis Star
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May 8th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
A$$Cube aka Better Be says:
It depends. Both Nash and Dirk have been FP and they’re far from being lockdown defenders ^^ But the playing style of their respective squads has allowed that.
You said it all, Austin. This move from elite scorer to elite scorer + lowkdown defender has to come eventually, but Danny Buckets NEEDS a better #2 option than Commander Bong
A spot up shooter is nice to complement a duo of scorers, but you always need a couple of guys who can attack the rim.
Let’s hope TJ Ford doesn’t hear that, because it’s better if none of these guys are supposed to be playmakers.
The Pacers are a strong organization and I think they’ll be able to get what/who they need via the upcoming Draft. They better do because their cap situation won’t allow them to get anyone better than Marquis Daniels this summer –and he’s not worth the 7 millions of his TOP, but still…
May 8th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Baby Huey says:
I don’t think the franchise player has to be an elite lockdown defender, but he does have to give effort on the defensive side of the ball. I think a superstar player can have a defensive specialist to run with and take the pressure of guarding the oppositions best scorer. Jordan played great defense, but Pippen was the lockdown defender and that worked out pretty well for them.
May 8th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Ian says:
i want him to turn into an offensive bruce bowen dirty ass hell
May 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Rafa23 says:
i watched the pacers a lot when danny was a rookie and he really has great potential as a defender. his biggest problem has always been stopping the penetration against very quick guys. but he has good foot speed and should do ok with additional work.
May 8th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
David Brandon says:
i think it helps… but there’s no way kevin martin will ever be that. so we’re left w/ beno being our stopper! lol
but when you look at a teams best player, usually its on both sides of the ball. kobe, lebron, dwyane, dwight, chris, uh…yeah, anyway, you get the point.
May 8th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
knock knock says:
umm lebron and dwade are still not good defenders. AT ALL. lebrons d consists of hittin the other players hands or arms. Using his big body to push them off balance. Why this guy is averaging less than one foul a game is where amazing happens.
May 8th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Gerard says:
@#1: Yeah they’re franchise players, but what have their teams won?
May 8th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
L-Dubb says:
Absolutely! Having a scoring threat take charge on the defensive end sets the tone for the team. If defense is the focal point, then it will be difficult to lose.
May 9th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
doc says:
Hell yeah.If they aint the shit both ways they aint a franchise player.They just the shit.
May 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
nola says:
the reason danny granger wasnt recruited by lsu or anyone big time was because he wasnt that great in high school until MAYBE senior year. i’m about 6 years younger than him and my older brother went to school with him so we used to ball in my parking lot after school. i can tell you right now.. he wasnt very good.. but i guess shooting up about 10 inches in a year makes a lot of difference ha.
May 10th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
NBA Free Picks says:
A franchise player needs to be an elite defender in this league. The new blood in the NBA need to learn how to be defensive all-stars or they will not make an impact for their teams. To win the championship or at least get close, you have to step your game up on both sides.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Big Shot BOB says:
@ Baby Huey are you serious Jordan was a lock down defender if there ever was one. I think he made first team all defense alomst every year.