VCoug wrote:

"Only 28.6" is a ridiculous statement. That's well past when the average player peaks and it makes us the thirteenth oldest of the 16 teams - basically one of the oldest big 3 in the league like I said.

At 28.6 San Antonio, LAL, Dallas, and Boston would all be older; Miami would only be slightly younger at 28.3; and Orlando and Utah are only 1 year younger. Besides, I would sooner take Amare out than Lin since I believe Lin brings way more to the table than Amare does. Of course, I'd like to see more than the 30 or so games he played this year.

Bonn1997 wrote:

VCoug wrote:

Solace wrote:

VCoug wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Solace wrote:

nixluva wrote:Everything is going to depend on

1. The Arbitration Ruling
2. The players Grunwald is able to bring in this summer including the draft and FA's
3. The dedication to their profession that all of our players have and how they prepare for next season
4. Will Woody and his staff have the answers this team needs when we get to the playoffs.

This team has a chance to actually be the 2nd best team in the East next year with the right combination of factors I mention above. The one thing going in this team's favor is that they found a defensive identity. So long as they have that same identity there is no reason this team can't win the Atlantic and make it to the 2nd rd. From there it's all on the above factors.

We complain often and the playoffs left a bad taste, but if you're really honest and thoughtful, this team finally has something going for it that gives them a chance to win every night. We have a top defense and that can't be underestimated. There are only a few teams in the league that can defend on the level this team did last year. I'd like to see Grunwald double down on that aspect by finding a couple more players that can defend.

I was listening with an open mind, until you said 2nd best team. Who are we besting? Miami or Chicago? I have a tough time envisioning either.

Nixluva is not taking into account the probability of injuries. Our big 3 is one of the oldest in the league - over 30 years of wear and tear. We definitely had injuries but we were also fortunate to somehow have our most important player - Tyson - for every game.

Here's the big three for every playoff team this past season:
Chicago: Rose-23, Noah-27, Boozer-30 Ave. 26.6
Miami: Lebron-27, Wade-30, Bosh-28 Ave. 28.3
Indiana: Hibbert-25, Granger-29, Paul George-22 Ave. 25.3
Boston: Rondo-26, Pierce-34, Garnett-36, Allen-36 Ave. 33
Atlanta: Johnson-30, Smith-26, Horford-26 Ave. 27.3
Orlando: Howard-26, Ryan Anderson-24, Hedo(?)-33 Ave. 27.6
New York: Melo-28, Amare-29, Tyson-29, Lin-23 Ave. 27.2
Philly: Igoudala-28, Turner-23, Williams-25, Holliday-22 Ave. 24.5

San Antonio: Duncan-36, Ginobili-34, Parker-30 Ave. 33.3
Oklahoma City: Durant-23, Westbrook-23, Harden-22 Ave. 22.6
LA Lakers: Kobe-33, Gasol-31, Bynum-24 Ave. 29.3
Memphis: Randolph-30, Gasol-27, Gay-25, Conley-24 Ave. 26.5
LA Clippers: Paul-27, Griffin-23, Jordan(?)-23 Ave. 24.3
Denver: Lawson-24, McGee(?)-24, Gallo(?)-23 23.6
Dallas: Nowitzki-34, Terry-34 Ave. 34
Utah: Jefferson-27, Millsap-27, Harris-29 Ave. 27.6

Average Age: 27.4
Median Age: 27

There is no appreciable age difference between our best players and the best players for everyone else. Indy, Philly, OKC, LAC, and Denver are the only teams more than 1 year younger than us. Even if you take Lin out of the equation, our average age is still only 28.6. If I have time later, and I feel like it, I'll go back over the last 30 NBA champs and figure out what the average age was for their best players. My guess, their average age will be higher than ours.

Misleading. You list big "three", but then show four players for some teams and only two for Dallas. If you show big three, Knicks are: 28.7, and Celts are ancient.

Yeah well, some of those teams I couldn't just pick 3, though I wasn't going to put Ray Allen in for Boston at first. As for Dallas, you take a look at that roster and tell me who the 3rd best player is, because as far as I can tell, they have one great player in Dirk, one good role player in Terry, and a whole bunch of nothing after that.

You sure it had nothing to do with including our 23 year old PG just to bring our number down?

they played great TEAM BALL, with good TEAM DEFENSE, good spacing, penetration, and hit many great jumpers.

Offensively
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Dirk, Terry, and JJ Barea were all #1 options that the played off each other abilities and made players around them better.

Kidd, Marion, Tyson Chandler, and even Brewer contributed on both ends and played off those 3.
Kidd was not much of a penetration player, mainly Barea, and Terry with the ability to pull up for a jump shot.
He still helped spread the floor with his 3point shot and set his team up with good spacing/passing. Still has great court vision, able to find the open man, especially with Chandler for some alley hoops, and cuts he made with the spacing 4 shooters, and the penetration of Barea/Terry, along with the abilities of Dirk The Heat had to respect.

Barea was a beast, with the spacing on the floor, playing the PnR with Tyson and Dirk, and his ability to penetrate and finish.
He is so quick, strong, has amazing ability to finish, and break the defense of the Heat down.
Once a screen was set, if a defender went over the screen, he would have a wide open lane, and the ability to catch someone cheating for an open shot along with angle to feed the person that gave him the screen.
If the defender went under the screen, he also had the ability to hit the 3point shot.

Dirk, was used as bait a lot of plays, utilizing his ability to handle the ball as PF, shoot the 3pointer, post up, and draw double teams.
They also went to the FT line a lot with a good %, catching the Heat cheating with their good spacing, and movement off the ball, something OKC didn't do all series.

Defensively
-----------------
Marion has the length, size, athleticism, and with the help of Tyson Chandler to help defend Lebron.

Tyson Chandler he was the anchor defensively, but you have to give much credit to everyone else, they gave maximum effort, and played good 1v1 defense and great TEAM DEFENSE.
He was also the recipient of playing with 4 shooters, gave 2nd chance points, offensive rebounds, with the size advantage, over the Heat.

Dirk was their Jared Jeffries, using his length, light feet with quickness/speed for a 7footer, complimenting what Tyson brought very well with help D and he held his own.

Kidd, Barea, Terry, all stayed in front of their man, and played good 1v1 D as well as team defense.
Brewer and Haywood, played little minutes, but they both contributed quality minutes, especially Brewer for good % in

Heat
================
I think they were a little too confident in themselves, along with having a broken down Haslem that just returned after not playing the year.
Both Wade and Lebron no longer, take many 3pointer, as they know they have their role players able to get shots of their ability of posting up/penetration.

They also did not have Shane Battier, a very important player this post season for the Heat. Defending the best player, while spreading the floor, capable of playing both F spots, which enables Lebron to play PG, while being the 2nd biggest player as the PF on the floor. Playing with 5 shooters with Haslem being the weakest shooter which BARELY played even with their 2nd unit. He is even capable of hitting a 17 footer, but most of the time 5 legit 3point shooters were on the floor with Bosh being the weakest one.

Lebron, has since taken over as the alpha dog, and The Heat Wade/Lebron along with all the role players, have learned to accept and play their roles efficiently.
Like Jordan, Lebron and Wade, learned to utilized all players at all times and developed trusted in them, which opened up each others games.

Bosh has found confidence and has improved very much since his first games as a Heat, adding a 3point shot to his game.
If he never was hurt, I don't think the Heat would have lost as many games as they did to the Pacers and Boston.
He is the triangle to Lebron and Wade, not allowing Boston to cheat on Lebron and Wade.

Bonn1997 wrote:Q: How do you know it's the off-season?
A: Knicks fans give excuses and say next year is the year we will find out if it's going to work.

Same story every year. I think the evidence is there that we have a team that doesn't work well. But there have also been flashes of brilliance. So is the glass half empty or half full?