WMC 24-25: Seasonal Highs And Lows!

Very interesting.
So we are better defensively with AD at the 4 and better offensively with him at the 5.
Too bad this ain't football

 

another way to read it is that our perimeter defenders are bad, so when AD goes to the 5, we're sitting one of our better defenders for a weaker one (often melo or rondo). being better offensively with AD at the 5 is pretty self-explanatory, though.

 

It can probably be a lot better team when everyone’s back and has a chance to gel. Still quite a ways off. But then we have to wonder if, same as last year, politics will have to factor into minutes given out and DNPs rather than Frank and staff playing exactly the guys “when” and how many minutes each as they would like to.

 

I think Frank is excellent with players.

I also think players will be happy with whatever formula we find that is WINNING.

And if we're winning, I hope they can be happy in their roles.

We shall see. Big egos on this team.

 

it's a long season. nothing is ruined, and nobody else looks great in the early going, tbh. the clips put up 79 points in a home loss to cleveland last night, but you didn't hear about it because nobody cares about them. milwaukee lost at home to minnesota last night. bkn lost again last night. basically all contenders are staggering out of the gate.

we don't pee down our leg last night, and we're 3-2 and in 5th place, a game out of 2nd. that's how early it is.

but yes, it's been pretty freaking horrific both preseason and regular season.

 

I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet either. Even with all the warts, we close the deal last night with Lebron. I also do think Nunn, THT and Ariza will help when back.

This fit on this team is clunky but I'm not sold just yet that it can't work. It may not be pretty even when everyone is back but we can still compete.

 

nunn and THT are the only non-minimum players outside the big three. this probably matters.

 

the loss of caruso and KCP has turned out to be pretty massive

it's no coincidence how that the defense went straight to sh** after those two left

 

“Your lyin’ eyes” syndrome explains that though, since role players come and go and don’t move the needle.

 

Or that AD at the 4 poses more issues to the opponent as you basically can't attack the paint. You can read it as it suits you

 

I agree on the loss of Caruso. Stupid decision on Rob’s part.

 

I’m guessing the money decision was made above him. Let’s blame Linda & Kurt. I don’t want to blame Jeanie.

 

eric Picnus was also making this point and I do think it’s very valid. The players the front office was likely banking on being able to replace Caruso and KCP aren’t available right now.
I don’t think they will magically solve all problems. I do think they will help.

 

i'll repeat that i think baze is giving us nearly all of kcp at a fraction of the cost, but they couldn't find a caruso for the min. hubris.

i don't think THT and nunn solve the defense--which is, make no mistake--our BIG problem. but they would make it so that we would out-talent teams like OKC on a nightly basis. other similarly-structured teams would suffer missing their #1, 4, and 5 players.

 

sure, but the three star theory meant any two should work. but not when all other non-min players are out, maybe.

 

Hopefully Westbrook's second half surge makes this trade worth it

 

I’m still fine with trading those guys. Particularly Kuz who was given ample time and opportunity to be a true third option here and Harrell who just couldn’t give us anything in the playoffs.

Jury is out on if we got the right player in return for them. I do note that the complaints about defense would still be there if we traded for a guy like Hield even though the fit on offense would be better.

 

Caruso alone isn’t responsible for a number 1 defence alone. We had a lot of continuity with our defence in AD, Lebron, KCP, Caruso playing two seasons together as a closing rotation.

We’re missing that right now. But we’ve seen some great snippets of it. Dwight, AD and Reaves were a wonderful unit in the fourth at San Antonio. Bazemore played great defence against PHX. Just need about 20 games to nail it.