The Thunder can’t play Enes Kanter in the Houston series

Enes Kanter is incapable of defending the pick and roll. This makes him obsolete for the OKC Thunder in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

The Oklahoma City Thunder cannot afford to play Enes Kanter for long stretches in their first round matchup with the Houston Rockets. Don’t agree with me? That’s fine. But, Billy Donovan does and that’s all that matters:

Why can’t the Thunder afford to play Kanter in their biggest stretch of games thus far? His inability to defend the pick and roll.

This past offseason the Rockets knew they had some changes to make. They needed a new coach and they needed to make a decision on whether or not to keep Dwight Howard. The Rockets brass ultimately decided to let Howard walk in addition to extending an invite to Mike D’Antoni to coach one of the league’s most talented offensive players — James Harden. Under D’Antoni, the Rockets offense revolves around two things: a large bearded man and the pick and roll. Unfortunately for Kanter, this makes him unplayable.

Take a look at this video of Kanter attempting to defend the pick and roll:

Now take a look at this video of this year’s Rockets offense:

If you possess the ability to put two and two together, you can see that much like oil and water, Kanter and pick and roll defense do not go well together.

Did anyone happen to notice the date on the video of Kanter attempting to play defense? That video was posted on March 24, 2015, which means that it’s over two years old. So naturally one would ask: Why hasn’t Kanter taken the necessary steps to improve as not only a pick and roll defender but an overall defender?

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The answer is not a simple one and it kind of ties into another series of questions. Why hasn’t LeBron improved as a free throw shooter? Why can’t Russell Westbrook play under control all the time? Why can’t Durant stop choking in the playoffs? Why is Tristan Thompson dating a Kardashian? Why would ANYONE date a Kardashian? They’re literally poisonous. My bad, I went off topic.

Why can’t certain players just improve their weaknesses? I’m not sure I know the answer but I think I do. It’s all mental. Here’s why I think this:

That video is 9:32 of defensive domination by Tim Duncan, who was like 79-years-old when it was taken. You might be saying, “What the hell does Tim Duncan have to do with the Rockets pick and roll offense and Kanter’s inability to defend against it?” And to that I respond this:

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Watch the video. Is Kanter any slower than Duncan is? Is he any less agile? Is he not as quick as Duncan? No, no and no. Oh, he’s not as big though! Wrong. Kanter and Duncan are listed as the same height. So, why can’t Kanter defend like him considering he possesses the same physical specifications and he’s like 28 years younger than Duncan was at the time of the video? Because, like I said, it’s all mental.

Defense has very little to do with size, speed, and strength and a lot to do with intangibles and knowing where to be, when to be there and what to do when there. Kanter can’t defend the pick and roll because he lacks the mental capability, not the physical. He’ll probably never learn how to defend it either. Defense is not something that can just easily be taught. Draymond Green dominates games defensively because he knows where to be and what to do, not because he’s bigger, stronger or faster than anyone.

Enes Kanter didn’t have it mentally two years ago, he doesn’t have it now and he probably never will. And, because of this mental ineptitude, the Thunder cannot play him against the Rockets.