Maluach's defensive rebounding rate (19.1%) is also low. Despite his length, he doesn’t yet control the glass or rebound outside of his area.

His high center of gravity makes it easier to displace him, and his hands can be inconsistent, especially in traffic.

This load time shows up on offense, too.

When he has space, Maluach can elevate for thunderous dunks. But in tight spaces, the extra time he requires to gather limits his attempts.

Maluach often brings the ball well below his waist before powering up to finish:

A key limiting factor in Maluach's game is his load time off the floor.

He is almost exclusively a two-foot leaper and requires time to gather.

Watch how many of his block attempts involve a distinct loading motion -- bending his knees and dropping his arms before elevating:

Maluach is enormous -- 7'2 in shoes with a wingspan exceeding 7'6 -- moves well for his size, and showed flashes of elite rim protection at Duke.

Some of his blocks are spectacular:

Shai was *rough* defensively in Game 6, including three costly plays in Denver's definitive 10-0 to end the 3Q.

Playing with 4 fouls, poor show-and-recover in ball screen -> Strawther 3

Responsible for two on weak side, rotates to Russ instead of Strawther -> open 3

Falls asleep on Strawther cut

I don't think I've ever seen this pick & roll switch before.

After Derrick White 'weaks' the P&R, sending Bridges left, Jrue Holiday switches onto Bridges from the wing.

White then peels out to take Brunson.

Was a read by Jrue or the designed coverage?

On the final possession, the Celtics ran the exact same play that created a Tatum dunk 10 seconds prior.

On the second play, Knicks were more physical with Horford screening and Mitchell Robinson was able to contain the drive. Add in some amazing help defense from Bridges & OG.

Ty Jerome, by the way. My god. 1/14 from the field. Repeatedly targeted on defense, including getting blown by on the Haliburton drive that led to the final FTs/O rebound and allowing the game-winning Hali three.

Underrated big part of that Pistons game was the Knicks were hedging & going under when Detroit used Brunson’s man to screen for Cade

Cunningham had 5-6 walk-in threes off the dribble. Missed them all. Then he got spooked and wasn’t even looking for that shot

Hurt Detroit’s half court O in the 4th

If you see people -- and there are many -- asking why Houston would dial up a Sengun iso on Draymond, ask if they criticized the prior two plays where Houston scored on the same inverted P&R.

Payton ID's the play & defends FVV with physicality to avoid the switch. Draymond plays great D from there

It would take 2 minutes to describe everything that’s happening on this possession.

Minnesota trying to keep Gobert out of the action with Luka, pre-switching, the Lakers trying to send up multiple screeners, the Wolves late clock double.

I love the chess-match of basketball

buddy foul baits a major fall, two-hand shoves an injured Johni Broome, and pushes Baker-Mazara out of bounds after releasing a pass, all in under 10 seconds

Really nasty set that Auburn runs.

Dribble hand-off, swing, into an empty side Spain P&R with a weak side flare.

📽️🍑 How a Subtle Defensive Adjustment Helped Michigan Beat Texas A&M

Sound On 🔊

Texas A&M scoring 6 times on "butt screens" in their opening round win vs. Yale

UC San Diego is a nightmare to prepare for defensively

I like to think I watch a ton of film and it's really hard to tell what defense they are in play-to-play

This possession has everything. UCSD in their matchup zone, switching on-ball, shape-shifting, trapping the post and maintaining no-middle

Illinois aggressively crashed the offensive glass with 4 players on *every shot,* rebounding 49% of its misses.

It wasn’t usually Illinois’ size -- but rather their speed -- that allowed them to get around Michigan's guards & wings and totally dominate the boards

Rick Barnes was BEGGING for Tennessee to advance the ball and call a TO and yelling at Zeigler to do so.

Then Mashack just goes and nails the game-winner lol. Amazing