Maybe, but I don't get Jazzfanz preoccupation with having one guy who is the designated "leader". Dallas had a deep team. Dirk was key, but the whole squad made contributions, and I don't think it was all due to Dirk drawing all the attention to open up everyone else, or him carrying everyone else with his leadership.
Burks is the Best Wing In Class
- Thread starter orangello
- Start date
I don't think the key is a "single player who is the focal point" as much as it is a "well designed scheme, executed to perfection." In the case of Dallas, Dirk is powerfull enough as a singular player to create a scheme of him as a focal point in the high pick and roll and then the other team members responded to the defense based upon the outcome of that inital pick, primarily focused on wide spacing and thus hitting a lot of 3s. Its a model similar to the Hakeem/Houston of hte 90's. (Hakeem was exlusively low in that model however.)
It is clear that Dallas has excellent/the right role players for this scheme. San Antonio does too for example. Dallas might not be a playoff team without Dirk using that scheme, but they'd probably not run the same scheme without him. Maybe JJ Berea would dribble around and throw lob passes to Chandler all day; we've seen that model before. And JJ is an example of a player that if he goes to the wrong system, will look average at best.
Also with respect to the 3pt shooting percentage and Burks, it is important to take the stat with a grain of salt. I'm betting if Kobe had the job of standing in the corner waiting for the ball to shoot the open three, his percentage would be much higher (like Bruce Bowen.) B Russ made it to the 3pt shoot out one year doing that job. (And he wasn't close to being a 3pt sharp shooter.) Really, how many 3pt sharpshooters are there in NBA - 5? 10? (I'm too lazy to look up the list and evaluate them.)
If Burks is ccalled upon to shoot as well as J Kidd (this year) or D Stevenson, its very possible he could get there (by using the Lockedonsports details.) But its unlikely he'll be a 3pt sharpshooter.
If Burks is ccalled upon to shoot as well as J Kidd (this year) or D Stevenson, its very possible he could get there (by using the Lockedonsports details.) But its unlikely he'll be a 3pt sharpshooter.
Major League Basketball? What is that?