D'Antoni's defense sucks. It's not even the players, it's the style of their D. Opposing teams can have an open 3 every play if they want it. It's not all D'Antoni though, I just watched 4 Knicks sitting under the basket to get a rebound and NOT one of them boxed out and they gave up the offensive rebound to the lone Cav that didn't even have to try to get it.. That disgusts me...Seriously.
If that's true -- and it is -- how can you truly evaluate the worth of a coach's defense, given that is in play.
In this instance, players > any coach/system short of God himself.
DaVinci could craft the perfect defensive system and plays....And it would look like shit and have gimp results if "players don't box out, make plays for the ball, and get defensively trampled on".
What you said, and noticed + SSOL itself producing more possessions and a look of moor porous defense + MDA simply not being a defensive genius to begin with = what is bitched about so often.
In that order of priority and precedence, IMHO.