12-19-2023, 11:12 AM
(12-19-2023, 10:47 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Yeah, there is a number out there that when we hold teams under 120 D-Rating we are undefeated (120 is basically the worst team in the league defensively).
The question is how you get there. The major difference between Bojan and THJ is Bojan is a creator for himself and for others and you aren't giving up anything in terms of 3 point shooting. If you have any two of Luka, Kyrie and Bojan on the floor, you can run 3 defenders at the other positions. You can't say that for THJ as he shoots, but requires another ball handler to be on the floor if you want two of them.
So, pick any two of the ball handlers (Luka, Kyrie or Bojan) and a center (Lively for 30 and Stewart for 18?) and then you have some combo of Exum, Green, DJJ, OMax, GWill and maybe 12 minutes from Stewart as the starting PF. That's a lot of bodies occupying the two defensive wing roles. I think this helps the defense even if Bojan and THJ are dead even as bad defenders. It is the expansion of the offensive role that Bojan accomplishes that makes the D better, not Bojan the defender IMHO.
I get this argument, and agree with it to an extent. I think our answer right now to this is Exum. He provides the secondary creation you need as well as being a plus defender. You can play Exum as a tandem with one of Timmy, Curry, Hardy when one of Luka/Kyrie is off the floor. Its not surprising Exum has played his most minutes with Timmy so far. There is a part of me that thinks in many cases, especially against second units we may be better off with Exum and another defensive player. We don't really have a plus defender at center when Lively is not on the court, so we might be better off with Luka/Kyrie plus Exum plus backup center plus two plus defenders who can shoot decently, at least some of the time.