04-28-2023, 08:02 AM
(04-27-2023, 11:18 AM)DallasMaverick Wrote: Cleveland's success in the regular season was an interesting counter-culture move. The Clippers, hailed as the new formula for championships, were built around switchable mid-sized wings who could score. And many other NBA teams seem to have embraced that formula. Paint-bound post-up centers? Dinosaurs! Smallish point guards? Huntable!
But Cleveland went the other way - multiple bigs who could defend the paint. A couple of smallish guards who's defensive deficiencies could be masked by good defense around the rim. Lots of pick and roll action.
So, is their failure in the playoffs a validation of the switchable, wing-centric era? Or still an experiment in process?
Does Minnesota's failure to advance render the same verdict?
Will future NBA rule changes reestablish the value of the plodding big?
Inquiring minds want to know...
Great analysis. We all know the NBA is a copycat league. If teams find success going back to playing big, other teams will try to replicate it. I don't anticipate that being the case anytime soon, however. Free-flowing offense, P&Rs, and spacing are the name of the game currently.