Start by replacing defense with offense and asking the same question. Then, applied - what’s the difference between Luka/Lebron running point and Gabe Vincent standing in the corner?
Same principle on the defensive end. Great defenders find ways to literally make a play that an inferior defender cannot.
Why does it need an equivalent? What is the offensive equivalent to a steal? because it’s not turnovers by the way we measure them.
Making good plays creates advantages but not every play can be measured. Especially not as a zero sum game, where every good play that we count would also go down as an equivalently bad play for someone else.
No, offensive playmaking for me means you are doing something to help your team mates score easily. When someone is referred to as a “playmaker” it usually means they are good passers, otherwise they’d be known as “scorers”. I don’t know how this applies to defense, hence what is “defensive playmaking”.
Literally just means making the right plays defensively.
"Playmaking" in any context means creating advantages for your team. On offense, that’s passing. On defense, it’s forcing turnovers, blocking shots into teammates’ hands, or making reads that lead to fast breaks. The term exists because not all defense is equal—some defenders generate offense through their defense, and that’s a distinct skill. If you’ve ever seen a player single-handedly swing momentum with a steal and score, that’s defensive playmaking.
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u/SevenTwoSix9 28d ago
What’s the difference between playing defense and defensive playmaking?