Fishsticks
Banned
Where do the warriors end up? I think worse than last year and that's without injuries. Jack and Landry were beasting. Not sure if iggy makes them better.
You cannot simply compare the individual players: it is a team that wins or loses, and every team is something different from a sum of its parts.Burke > tinsley and watson who started about 30 games.
burks > foye...
am i to optimistic?
am i drinking the koolaid.
We are going to win 2014 NBA Championship, book it.
yes starting lineup is ofcourse better.Dutch, I agree with your assessment that our starting line-up is better than last season. As others have pointed out, as the starters suffer minor injuries here and there, deal with fatigue, slumps, we have an awful bench that can't match their production. If the front office had signed Will Bynum, Foye, Carroll, and we'd a acquired a decent 3rd big like Robin Lopez, I honestly think we'd be in the mix for the final playoff spot. Our bench went from being the best in the league, to possibly the worst and it's going to cost us several wins.
You cannot simply compare the individual players: it is a team that wins or loses, and every team is something different from a sum of its parts.
More specifically:
1. Scoring in the crunch time at the end of the games: whatever we think about Al and Millsap (when on fire) they could score when needed. Even Mo with his hero ball was passable at that. I am really not so sure that Favors, Kanter or Hayward could do so at this stage in their careers.
2. Experience. Al, Millsap and Mo played many times against all starters at their positions in the NBA. They know their bags of tricks, they know where they struggle against each of them and how to compensate for their weaknesses. Kanter, Burks, and Burke will still have to go through the painful discovery process.
3. Leadership. Who are the leaders on the new Jazz team? Hayward, Favors, Burke? The leader or two will eventually emerge, but the Jazz will struggle mightily until then.
4. The ever point-guard oriented Jazz will have to rely on the guy who is new to the team and even to the NBA.
And so on...
Exactly. We lost 4 of our top 5 scorers (assuming neither Foye nor Mo return). It's going to take time for guys to figure out their roles, develop chemistry, make adjustments on plays (and know what their teammates will do). Even IF the starters have great years, our bench is going to lose games. Look at Portland last season: Aldridge, Matthews, Batum and Lillard and Hickson. That's a playoff quality team, and veterans at that, with the exception of Lillard, All he did was win ROY. Weak link was Hickson, who played ok, but not great. Reason they fell short: their bench. In the WC, Denver and LA Lakers could tumble. The other playoff teams all look like locks to make it to the post-season again. Of the non-playoff teams, I'd certainly say NOLA and Portland will make strong bids. Sacramento has improved. And don't count out Minny. They've been a .500 team when Rubio (and Love) have been healthy.I think the bench factor will be big. and I expect us to get off to a slow start with everyone getting used to each other and their new roles, how quickly everyone gets it together (and I'm gonna drink the kool aid and say they definitely will eventually) will determine whether we can make the playoffs or not imo