Thinking about the rotation and depth chart

[Hantlers]

I know this is a strange question, but where have we really gotten that much worse? And haven't we gotten better in some areas?

Are we worse at:

• PG? In my opinion, Mo wasn't particularly adept at running the offense, unless less you count dropping the ball in to Al free throw line extended "getting us into the offense". Burke may be an upgrade, particularly where the strength of this team lies, in running the pnr. Could be a wash or even an improvement. Here's hoping.
• SG? Nope. Can't say we're going to miss Foye there. Rush is an upgrade, and more Burks is an upgrade over Foye.
• SF? Nope. Marvin's still here. No worse. I wish Jeremy would get some run here. I love that kid.
• PF / C? There's the question mark, but I'm tellin you, had I had to watch Al for another year, I'd have turned in my fan card. We'll certainly be quicker and run the floor better.
• Bench. Yep. Worse. How much. Can't say. I don't think a bench with Alec, Gobert, Jeremy, and even RJ will be any worse than other team's benches. Won't be as good as last year's, but I don't see us going down 20 with them in the game against other benches.
• Defense. Nope. We're WAY better. No Foye, no Al, less Marvin, even Millsap slipped there imo, and now more Jeremy, Favors and Kanter plus Gobert and Rush. We've got a chance to be incredible defensively.

Last year we actually had a pretty decent bench, due to all of our young guys. This year, almost all of our bench has moved to a starting role...and our bench is putrid. Terrible. Horrific.

You cannot win games in the NBA without a good bench, and right now, it looks like our bench is going to suck. When Favors/Kanter get in foul trouble, we have to rely on Evans, Biedrins and Gobert...that's not good. Burke gets in foul trouble, needs a break, we rely on Lucas III (or Burks), and Lucas III sucks. The only good backup we have right now is Burks/Rush (whichever one doesn't start).

 

[JohnnyClutch]

Yep, foul trouble will be a huge factor. Offense will suffer for sure at those times, but those big guys you mentioned all play D, even Biedrins, and they won't be facing LeBron.

Lucas isn't the only option at point. Burks did well as a backup last year, imo.

Putrid? Hyperbole has its place, but below average fits better.

Benches don't win games, defense does, and we're going to be TOUGH in that department.

 

[Hantlers]

Yep, foul trouble will be a huge factor. Offense will suffer for sure at those times, but those big guys you mentioned all play D, even Biedrins, and they won't be facing LeBron.

Lucas isn't the only option at point. Burks did well as a backup last year, imo.

Putrid? Hyperbole has its place, but below average fits better.

Benches don't win games, defense does, and we're going to be TOUGH in that department.

How are we going to be tough on defense when Favors can barely stay on the court? Burke isn't exactly a good defender, Hayward does a good job, Rush will hopefully do good, but a lot of that depends on how he recovers from his injury. Kanter is a good post defender, but is average on help defense and doesn't move laterally that well.

I think people are overstating how good our young core is. Yes, they have a lot of potential, but it has yet to be realized. They will struggle.

And yes, your bench does win games in the NBA. Every single team that does well in the playoffs has a good bench. Every single one.

 

[gregbroncs]

Yep, foul trouble will be a huge factor. Offense will suffer for sure at those times, but those big guys you mentioned all play D, even Biedrins, and they won't be facing LeBron.

Lucas isn't the only option at point. Burks did well as a backup last year, imo.

Putrid? Hyperbole has its place, but below average fits better.

Benches don't win games, defense does, and we're going to be TOUGH in that department.

Ask Portland how important your bench is. We will probably hold our own with the starters at home and struggle on the road. But either way our bench is a huge problem.

 

[JohnnyClutch]

So you're saying that you'd rather have Al clogging, er, matadoring up the middle than Favors?

You don't think Favors will figure out the foul rate thing? You don't think Gobert and Jeremy are an upgrade? Just the addition by substraction Al represents punches it way up.

And Hayward is not just a good defender, he's a superior one, and Burke will be no worse than Mo who didn't show much interest in it.

And yes, your bench does win games in the NBA. Every single team that does well in the playoffs has a good bench. Every single one.

Well then, let's just play our best players off the bench and we're golden.

 

[davidbenoit]

Al obviously had his deficiencies but we are going to miss his scoring BADLY. He was one of the clutchest offensive players last year. Who are we going to go to when we need 2 points with a minute left in a game? Hayward? And watch him get blocked at the hoop/get stripped on his way up? Kanter? Who holds the record for charge calls in a season? Favors? You can't throw alley oops every play.

It's going to be rough. Lots of turnovers, lots of games lost in the last 3 minutes. That's what happens with inexperience. And it's going to be glorious.

 

[Stoked]

So you're saying that you'd rather have Al clogging, er, matadoring up the middle than Favors?

You don't think Favors will figure out the foul rate thing? You don't think Gobert and Jeremy are an upgrade? Just the addition by substraction Al represents punches it way up.

And Hayward is not just a good defender, he's a superior one, and Burke will be no worse than Mo who didn't show much interest in it.



Well then, let's just play our best players off the bench and we're golden.

Good job on intentionally missing the point.

 

[JohnnyClutch]

Good job on intentionally missing the point.

No I didn't. He was refuting we'd be better at defense this year.

My posts from the FIRST POST agreed that our bench was worse.

 

[Dr. Jones]

How are we going to be tough on defense when Favors can barely stay on the court? Burke isn't exactly a good defender, Hayward does a good job, Rush will hopefully do good, but a lot of that depends on how he recovers from his injury. Kanter is a good post defender, but is average on help defense and doesn't move laterally that well.

I think people are overstating how good our young core is. Yes, they have a lot of potential, but it has yet to be realized. They will struggle.

And yes, your bench does win games in the NBA. Every single team that does well in the playoffs has a good bench. Every single one.

Hantlers continues to be under appreciated by the board. He has good takes and states them in such a was a kindergartner could understand.

 

[Hantlers]

So you're saying that you'd rather have Al clogging, er, matadoring up the middle than Favors?

You don't think Favors will figure out the foul rate thing? You don't think Gobert and Jeremy are an upgrade? Just the addition by substraction Al represents punches it way up.

And Hayward is not just a good defender, he's a superior one, and Burke will be no worse than Mo who didn't show much interest in it.



Well then, let's just play our best players off the bench and we're golden.

Good grief. Where on Earth did you get that from what I said? Of course I would rather have Favors starting over Jefferson. Actually, the ideal situation would be Favors starting and Jefferson coming off of the bench to provide scoring. And no, I don't think Gobert and Evans are an upgrade over Jeff and Millsap. Anybody who thinks they are is insane. And by calling Hayward a superior defender, you're essentially calling him an elite defender, and he is not. He's a good defender. And trust me, it's a compliment.

No I didn't. He was refuting we'd be better at defense this year.

My posts from the FIRST POST agreed that our bench was worse.

I never said we wouldn't be better at defense, I just don't think we'll be great at defense. There's a significant difference between the two. And our bench is not just worse, our bench is putrid. Andris Biedrins, Jeremy Evans, and John Lucas III are 3 of our primary backups. That's astoundingly terrible.

 

[Hantlers]

Hantlers continues to be under appreciated by the board. He has good takes and states them in such a was a kindergartner could understand.

I have to state them in a way that kindergartner could understand...I mean, have you seen half the people on this board? My goodness.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I have to state them in a way that kindergartner could understand...I mean, have you seen half the people on this board? My goodness.

I said that specifically because I saw some not understanding..