Ty's Blog:Is Sessions a better 2-guard than Redd?

[paulpressey25]

I know this is somewhat a game thread topic, but I think it deserves it's own thread.

http://mvn.com/bucksdiary/2009/01/brewh ... sions.html

For the last 10-days or so, Ty's being doing his wincontribution scores and showing that the Bucks formerly great defense has completely fallen apart. He's also showing a big differential in defense believe it or not on Sessions v. Redd at the two guard.

You could make two arguments to play Sessions down the stretch at the #2.

a) Last night when it counted, Foye just destroyed Redd. Go watch that tape, and Foye would run right around Redd on almost every play. Once that happened, the whole defense broke down as guys switched trying to stop Foye.

b) At the end of games, Redd's shooting just doesn't work anymore. It just doesn't. Sessions has shown a unique ability in clutch times to drive and make tough layups.

[RayRayJones]

Can't really argue. Ridnour + Sessions have made some huge plays for us this year down the stretch and I can't really think of any Redd has made. The only problem being, regardless of what Ty thinks, I'm not convinced Sessions would be any better on Foye. Foye is built on his speed and very tough to defend for anyone.

Either way, I wish Skiles would try SOMETHING different. This team needs a shakeup bad because apparently, what we have now isn't doing anything for us in the "golden" January.

[MilBucksBackOnTop06]

With all due respect PP I have not posted here a lot lately because this is what I told you all and I do not want to be around to sound negative...BUT THEY BOTH ARE SORRY.... for what Scott Skiles and even Hammond needs!

Sessions and Redd can be good on a team like the Spurs or Rockets surround by others, but not main cogs on a team like this! On 25 teams in this league, if any coach or team will let Redd and Sessions or Luke beat them he should be fired. The Bucks can't even win 5 straight games.

I keep telling all of you that. Both Sessions and Redd and Ridnour are garbage. None of them can win games or make plays when it counts or make others around them better in any system, if they do not have a Superstar around them...AND I DO NOT MEAN BOGUT!

Peep this tidbit: Only true Superstars can elevate the play of those around them, not borderline fringe on any given night type guys like Redd. Only the Bucks can't see this, which is why we lose.

I know you have to stay neutral of positive because you run this board, but I do not if I do not see a rightful need to do I? Why do you keep thinking and hoping they are more then they are by now?

I am tired of losing and seeing others teams like the Hawks, Grizzlies, T'Wolves, Thunder have a rosier outlook then our team does. Either you can get it done, or you can't. This is not 'rocket science' here people.

You see a host of young teams around here on track better then we are and have better futures as I warned you last year would happen if we do not make changes now.

And they have done it in the backcourt! Sessions only has good games on occasion only because he is new and no one around the league knows him and someone has to score on the Bucks. it is not because he all that...

And Redd wilts and wears down in the 4th if you throw the right looks at him on defense and make him work hard the first three quarters! He is not a finisher, a winner, a closer and has no stamina.

What part of this do fans not see or understand after 5 years people!? I am not being negative it is A FACT!

Look it up... for yourself. I don't worry about it anymore...

[paulpressey25]

What part of this do fans not see or understand after 5 years people!? I am not being negative it is A FACT!

You are in the majority as it relates to Redd. Most of us are there and have been "there" for some time. But now Ty is putting meat to the bone with statistics to back up what we think we see.

Every one of these losses has had a common denominator of Redd getting lit up by perimeter shooters in the second half. He's not fast enough to get around on D either at SG or SF. The hard part for us is that the rest of the league has had the book on Redd for a couple years now, so our ability to trade him is very tough.

Ty's been tracking this. Here's another blog post from last week.

http://mvn.com/bucksdiary/2009/01/so-it ... bucks.html

We're back to the "play no defense and let Redd and Mo (RJ) try to out-shoot you" team.

[pifhluk23]

Has anyone actually watched Sessions play D, he makes tons of mistakes. Also I think a shooting guard should be able to hit open jumpshots, Sessions can't hit a jumper from the top of the key let alone any farther out from that.

[paulpressey25]

Has anyone actually watched Sessions play D, he makes tons of mistakes.

Ty is comparing Sessions defense at the two guard position and not the PG position. Statistically he's a much better two guard defender than Redd at that position. And the opponents efg% is lower with Sessions playing two than Redd. Remember, we also aren't comparing Sessions versus other defenders in the league, just against Redd.

On offense he has no stats, but how many times has Sessions made clutch drives/layups this year versus Redd scoring in the fourth? This is the one that needs to be statistically counted up.

[pifhluk23]

You still can't discount the fact that he can not hit open jumpshots. Redd knocks down a lot of open looks that he gets from fast breaks, penetration by others, Bogut posting etc. Sessions simply would not knock down those shots.

Even if his d was better and he makes "clutch" drives in the 4th what about the first 3 1/2 quarters. Its not like you can play Redd the first 3 qtrs and sit him in the 4th so its either or and our O would be so terrible w/ Sessions playing the 2 guard.

[unklchuk]

Today must be April 1.

Then why is it so damn cold?

"b) At the end of games, Redd's shooting just doesn't work anymore. It just doesn't."

Not "doesn't" but "hasn't." It hasn't worked for a while. I think he's aware of it, is working on it, and is improving.

"Sessions has shown a unique ability in clutch times to drive and make tough layups."

He's shown some ability to make some tough layups. He's also shown a tendency to get into trouble -and get stuffed or make a turnover pass. He hasn't to my eye show a sign that he really knows what to do in clutch situations. Hasn't shown that he's learned what the other team expects so he can break it down. And I agree his defense ain't very good. And his jumper is rather lame.

Stiles in at least 2 postgame comments has gone out of his way to praise Redd's defense. Not just that he played that game well, but that he has definitely become a solid, better than average defender.


As I said in an earlier thread, I believe the Bucks struggle at the end of games because they lose their ball-moving team offense. They revert to letting guys like Redd, Jefferson, Bogut and Ridnour try to create shots basically on their own. That's losing basketball (unless you've got a superstar).

I'll be watching to see if the team gradually learns how to play team ball at virtually all times. Then I'll decide how good they are in 2008-09.

[Joana]

This is bizarre. Isn't this the same guy who said that Sessions should start ahead of Ridnour? And that Croshere could be our backup center? Is he still of that opinion? Our defense has been declining because Bogut has been out, but it actually improved since Redd came back from injury. How does he explain that? Redd is not even an average defender and can be a liability against quicker guards, but he's head and shoulders above Sessions. Just watch the freaking games.

This is the same guy who thinks Hendrix is not in the NBA because teams think he's undersized because they don't understand head height is irrelevant in basketball! He doesn't even know the players in the league. And by the same method he uses here, Bowen is the worst perimeter defender in the San Antonio Spurs. Pop is completely clueless. Check the stats Pop, Bowen has been killing your defence for years.

[Joana]

(..)
As I said in an earlier thread, I believe the Bucks struggle at the end of games because they lose their ball-moving team offense. They revert to letting guys like Redd, Jefferson, Bogut and Ridnour try to create shots basically on their own. That's losing basketball (unless you've got a superstar).

I'll be watching to see if the team gradually learns how to play team ball at virtually all times. Then I'll decide how good they are in 2008-09.

Yeah, you have a point. But most NBA teams (and non-NBA teams) do that. Teams generally don't start passing and dribbling the ball all over the court in the final possessions of a close game, they just run clearouts. It's supremely important to take a shot in those situations.

[power4wardjinx]

"You are what you can defend."
-- John Hammond, June 2008

[jeremyd236]

This is bizarre. Isn't this the same guy who said that Sessions should start ahead of Ridnour? And that Croshere could be our backup center? Is he still of that opinion? Our defense has been declining because Bogut has been out, but it actually improved since Redd came back from injury. How does he explain that? Redd is not even an average defender and can be a liability against quicker guards, but he's head and shoulders above Sessions. Just watch the freaking games.

This is the same guy who thinks Hendrix is not in the NBA because teams think he's undersized because they don't understand head height is irrelevant in basketball! He doesn't even know the players in the league. And by the same method he uses here, Bowen is the worst perimeter defender in the San Antonio Spurs. Pop is completely clueless. Check the stats Pop, Bowen has been killing your defence for years.

[power4wardjinx]

Our defense has been declining because Bogut has been out, but it actually improved since Redd came back from injury.

As Skiles said, Bogut isn't defending the perimeter. Seems to me that've had 3 or 4 games since Redd came back that the defense has been good but more lousy ones than good ones. When Bogut went out in November (Atl, Det, Cle), the defense remained solid w/ the exception of containing Iverson off the bench.

Can you prove that the perimeter D improved when Redd came back?

[paulpressey25]

Can you prove that the perimeter D improved when Redd came back?

I second that one. And I'd like somebody to show me how we defended the three ball when we had Sessions/Ridnour playing the fourth quarters back during those November games when Redd was out.

Redd does not have the athleticism to guard 2's or 3's in this league. And it's been killing us for years.

And if he can't hit the 7-foot point blank shot like he missed last night, I'd rather let Ramon (who has played all of 55 or so NBA games in his career) make his mistakes trying to take it to the rack.

[power4wardjinx]

Every one of these losses has had a common denominator of Redd getting lit up by perimeter shooters in the second half. He's not fast enough to get around on D either at SG or SF.

He also wears down by the 4th. Why Skiles played him 42 mins last night until he was nice and tenderized for Foye in the 4th is beyond me. Also keep in mind w/ the production and defensive stats is that Sessions is achieving them despite being yanked for turnovers and dumb offense in some games, which makes for some pretty bad stat windows that he isn't given the chance to correct (again, like last night when Skiles yanked him early in the 4th).

[power4wardjinx]

Can you prove that the perimeter D improved when Redd came back?

I second that one. And I'd like somebody to show me how we defended the three ball when we had Sessions/Ridnour playing the fourth quarters back during those November games when Redd was out.

For starters, i specifically remember the Bucks forcing Cleveland (3-20) and Atlanta into very poor three-point shooting nights when Redd was out. We would not have been able to stay in those games otherwise. Bucks nearly won the Atlanta game, in Atlanta, without Bogut.

EDIT: A couple of other thoughts: Bucks forced Charlotte into a horrendous 3-point shooting night (3-17) in Charlotte; in the second meeting, J-Rich did whatever he wanted against Redd, scored 20, shot 3-6 on 3's and Charlotte as a team shot 10-19 from downtown. Sessions played 6 minutes.

[paulpressey25]

We need to reach out to Luke23. I'd swear he posted some stat about three-four weeks ago that the Bucks were ranked #1 in defensive three point field goal percentage. I'd like to know if that was true and where we rank after last night's game.

[ReasonablySober]

Right now we rank 13th.

[Epicurus]

As of 1/5 the Bucks, according to 82games.com, were tied for 6 or 7, allowing 33% of threes attempted. I suspect that they up date such weekly and the next will be for through 1/12.

Interestingly a 33% of threes is equivalent to 50% for twos. For the life of me, I don't understand why more threes are not attempted, especially compared to long 2s. Maybe it has to do with the 75-25 rebonding on misses in favor of the defense and how rebounds can convert to early push offense and its higher degree of success. But again, long 2s have nearly the same costs and not nearly the reward.

[ReasonablySober]

Use basketball-reference.com for any needed stats.