12-13-2022, 12:45 PM
(12-13-2022, 10:57 AM)mvossman Wrote: I feel like most of the guys that will be mobile enough to play switch heavy will be undersized for a center, and most of them would benefit from playing next to somebody like Maxi. That does not mean they have to, but I think your desire to avoid drop coverage makes it difficult to build a roster, especially at the center position.
Yes, a big part of this is just how people's ideals differ for the position. I think there are a limited number of players in the league who can play center the way I'm describing, sure, but I also feel like the teams who have them are generally going to do better than the teams who don't.
JJJ is a great example, good call. I think it's dumb to play him next to Adams. I thought it was dumb to play AD next to Dwight Howard to start games back during the bubble. This is something others (including those coaches, apparently) are free to disagree with, but I don't take the value of that strategy to heart just because some teams are doing it. In every case, their seasons end with the right player playing center, giving them an athletic advantage over opponents. So, regardless on where you fall on the "save them from wear and tear" spectrum, I think we'd all agree that their teams need to spend time LEARNING how to play in those lineup scenarios I'm talking about.
What frustrated me about the Mavs' summer is that I thought their center rotation last year, while under intense scrutiny here and on twitter, was one of the positives that got them to the WCF. I think it was good they didn't have a dinosaur out there EVER. Sure, Powell had a rough go of it in the playoffs, but I'm not convinced that it was because "he can't play in the playoffs." I think it's possible he might have just been run down, in a slump, maybe even hurt. I actually think the kind of defense he plays should translate nicely to playoff basketball, myself. Could be wrong about that, but maybe we'll see this season.
Anyway, when they added Wood, I thought "Wow, a 3rd center option who makes it even easier to keep that play-style that has been so effective for them going even more comfortably, and THIS one can really help on offense!" It seemed like a dream acquisition at the time. Had I known they intended to use him to go away from what worked I'd have not been excited about the trade one bit.
In the playoffs, the second biggest player on the court for the opponent is going to be Jerami Grant...Lebron...Kawhi Leonard...etc. Guys Wood cannot hang with and who are custom made to defend him. He'll literally just be a spacer, because Luka isn't risking a switch onto those guys (should be obvious to anyone who has watched the Mavs play since Luka got here) and they will still single him out on the other end, regardless of whether you guys feel better about having Kleber with him or not.
If a big is a bad defender, he's going to get attacked. Period. Therefore, either he gets better at defense or you can't play him at a certain point. If those are the stakes, and they ARE, then let him try to get better on defense at the position for which he's suited. He COULD be a passable defensive center with coaching, experience and time, even if you think it's a long shot. He will NEVER be a passable defensive forward because he doesn't have the athletic requirements.