BRANDON ROY - 1ST TEAM ALL DEFENSE

Brandon Roy has received a challenge that he likes from his head coach Nate McMillan, to be 1st team All-NBA:

"You should make a goal to defend on a high level every night," Roy said McMillan told him. "Not only would it take us as a team to the next level, but it would take me to that next level as a player that I want to be at. This is just the next natural progression in my game. A lot of people may say I got my contract because of scoring. But I think I got my contract because I am all-around, I'm versatile, and I'm always looking for ways to improve my game."

Said coach Nate McMillan:

"All the good players who win big -- All-Stars who are not only All-Stars, but who win at a high level -- they all do that. We know that this was what he needed to do. He can do it. And he knows he can do it."

BOSTON CELTICS - '85 BEARS

"I think night in and night out, we want to come in and defend more than anything," said Perkins. "Obviously, you've got to put points up to win the game, but I just think we want to defend."

But coach Doc Rivers identified something special in this year's team and challenged them to be remembered like the 1985 Bears: one of the greatest defenses of all time.

"Doc brought it to our attention in the preseason," said Perkins. "We just kind of built from there. Doc asked if we wanted to be the best defensive team in history, like the '85 Bears. I think we've bought into it. We're playing intimate team defense and we just need to continue to do that."

"It's one thing to talk about it and another thing to actually do it," said Williams. "We're striving to be the best defense, but we've got work to do. That's the mindset we have to have day in and day out. We're stressing defense every single play, ever single minute."

Asked what he prefers, shutting the opposition down or shining on the offensive end, Garnett didn't hesitate. "Shutting people down," he said. "Because we work so hard in practice, man. Y'all have no idea what our drills are like. Every day, it's the same thing, same repetitive stuff, if not more. You know, when you shut a team down, that's hard work and effort."

DEFENSE

“That’s all that defense comes down to: it’s heart,” Ollie said. “ It’s some technique but it’s heart and trying to stop your man because a lot of guys don’t want to play defense, they don’t want to challenge themselves because it’s not a glamorous spot where you’re going to be on SportsCenter or do anything like that. It’s just a man-on-man desire to stop your man and have that self fortitude and I think he has all of those characteristics.”

INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE KEYS

1. Sprint back in transition
2. Stop the ball
3. Pressure the ball
4. Stay between the man and basket
5. Contest all shots
6. Box out

DEFENSIVE GOALS

New York Knicks defensive goals under Jeff Van Gundy
Field Goal Percentage - 42%

Free Throw Attempts = -25

3 Point Field Goal Percentage = 30%

Fast Break Attempts/Conversion Percentage = -12 @+50%

Defensive Rebounding Percentage = +74%

Deflections = +30

Momentum Changing Players (Blocked Shots/Charges) = +8


At LSU, our defensive goals this year will be as follows:

Field Goal Percentage = 42%

3 Point Field Goal Percentage = 25%

Deflections = +30

Defensive Rebounding Percentage = +70%

Opponent's Points Per Possession = .65 or less

Opponent's FT Per Possession = .15 or less

Opponent's Turnovers Per Possession = .18 or more

Transition: Open 3's or Lay-Ups = 0