In the open league I'm currently in, anyway. Instead of the usual bunch of assist-crazy, high AT teams that has been the recent trend, we have--perhaps driven by the success of the Golden State Warriors--a whole lot of teams shooting 30 three-pointers a game, and most of them are doing pretty well. My question to veteran players: how best to defend this? I've always heard (in this forum) that a "+" defense is not usually worthwhile. Would that defensive strategy change now? Ash? Anyone?

threes have always been valuable.  You've heard wrong about + defense not being worthwhile... it's just difficulty to use positioning effectively against a well built team.

I play + defenses against a significant number of teams. More than half the teams in some leagues.

To illustrate ash's point about a "well-built team": imagine a hypothetical lineup of Steph Curry, Brent Barry, Donyell Marshall, Dennis Rodman, and Shaq. There's 1433 3PA, and hitting at a 42% clip (602 3PM). This would suggest it would be a good idea to go + on defense. But are you really going to cheat off of Shaq?

Obviously that roster is too expensive for an open league, and nobody in their right minds would play that Rodman at PF, but that's just an example.

Posted by hoopsdude on 7/18/2015 11:54:00 PM (view original):
To illustrate ash's point about a "well-built team": imagine a hypothetical lineup of Steph Curry, Brent Barry, Donyell Marshall, Dennis Rodman, and Shaq. There's 1433 3PA, and hitting at a 42% clip (602 3PM). This would suggest it would be a good idea to go + on defense. But are you really going to cheat off of Shaq?

Obviously that roster is too expensive for an open league, and nobody in their right minds would play that Rodman at PF, but that's just an example.

That's exactly right (though you can actually do that lineup if you want, just have to use smart versions of the players).  I just won an OL with a Shaq + 2 Curry lineup.  It forces defensive choices & causes all sorts of foul trouble.  I led the league in FTA by big margin and shot 400+ more than my opponent.  I made more than 750 threes that season and had almost a 58% efg as well.  I could have drafted even more threes, but that probably would have been dumb.  Instead, I forced opponents to pick their poison: defend inside against Shaq or outside against 2x Steph Curry.  Or don't go perimeter or paint, stick with midrange, and watch the fouls go crazy.  I've never seen a 1k+ 3pm team win an OL 'ship, and I've seen quite a few of them in my time.

I'm missing something here. Are you saying if the offense is mostly perimeter and inside and the defense just goes with the "0" setting that the defense will foul too much?

Posted by Midge on 7/19/2015 2:50:00 AM (view original):
I'm missing something here. Are you saying if the offense is mostly perimeter and inside and the defense just goes with the "0" setting that the defense will foul too much?

It will foul more, yes.  I don't know about "too much" but it will foul more.