New Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel knows defense, but has been blessed with stoppers

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The Phoenix Suns became more offensive driven as the 2022-23 season progressed under Monty Williams.

Having Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, two of the game’s premier scorers, can lead to that.

Moving their best perimeter defender, Mikal Bridges, to Brooklyn as part of the blockbuster Durant deal right before the Feb. 9 trade deadline played a role in that defensive dip, too, but they’ve hired Frank Vogel, who has won with defense.

Three of Vogel’s 11 teams finished first in the NBA in defensive rating while two more ranked third.

2012-13 Pacers – 1st in defensive rating, reached Eastern Conference finals, lost to Heat.

2013-14 Pacers – 1st in defensive rating, reached Eastern Conference finals, lost to Heat.

2015-16 Pacers – 3rd in defensive rating, made playoffs, lost to Raptors in first round.

2019-20 Lakers – 3rd in defensive rating, won NBA championship.

2020-21 Lakers – 1st in defensive rating, made playoffs, lost to Suns in 1st round.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel during an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Thursday, April 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Vogel clearly has a proven defensive philosophy, but that success went beyond strategy.

He had players who could defend.

Paul George was emerging as one of the top two-way players on those Pacers teams. He made NBA all-defensive second team in 2012-13 and first team in 2013-14.

David West was a physical defender and Lance Stephenson got under your skin.

Then there was 7-footer Roy Hibbert, who averaged a career-high 2.6 blocks in 2012-13 and 2.2, his second-best career numbers for swats, in 2013-14. He was defensive second team in 2013-14.

Indiana’s Paul George defends Orlando’s Hedo Turkoglu during playoff game on May 8. The Pacers play the Miami Heat in the second round beginning Sunday. Michael Conroy | Associated Press

As for those Lakers teams, Alex Caruso was starting to establish himself as a stout perimeter defender. He made the all-defensive first team this season with Chicago.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got after it defensively as well for the Lakers. He’s brought that to the Denver Nuggets,…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/phoenix-suns-coach-frank-vogel-211640356.html?src=rss

Author : AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Publish date : 2023-06-02 21:16:40

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