Prediction: We will Start a Traditional Center

[DanSchwartzgan]

Terry claimed Bullock could have made a big difference. I claim the big difference can only come from two spots - non Luka minutes and KP on both sides of the court. We didn't add a wing, we replaced one and the result is yet to be seen.

Well if you get to define that a “big difference” can only come in the way you define it, then by definition nothing can make a “bid difference” except what you say.  BTW, JRich got 6/9/6 minutes the final three games.  We DID add a wing.  He’s the guy who will be playing an average of 25 minutes more than what JRich played in those games in the next playoffs.

Interesting stat - NY was better when Bullock sat in playoffs. 

Isn’t that what you’d expect when you start for a team that goes 1-4 against a superior opponent?


Closest loss was game 6, by 7 points. A game Richardson actually played reasonably well in his limited minutes. It was Kawhi going supernova and Luka below his average that won the game for Clipps. All other losses were arguably way too far apart to claim that a wing change would make such a difference. 

I actually see a relationship between Kawhi going off and JRich only managing to earn 9 minutes.  My guess is even if Bullock and JRich are a wash defensively (which few believe), Bullock’s better shooting would keep him on the floor much more than JRich managed to be.  BTW, we both know final score is not indicative of how close a game might have been in the final five minutes.  I was very carefully to indicate that late game momentum can shift on a single stop or a single made three.  JRich couldn’t do either of those from the bench.


 Before claiming that Bullock is an upgrade we would have to understand what made both Wright and especially JRich worse players in Dallas than they were elsewhere and why they were essentially played off the court in playoffs. JRich was a good defender in both Miami and Philly. So why he suddenly became a bad defender in Dallas? I honestly have no answer. But that also makes me very careful before accepting as a fact, that Bullock will be a good defender, because he was a decent defender in NY.

I don't believe he is enough of an upgrade to be sure Mavs would win the Clippers series.

We have to be careful about how we keep switching the conversation from playoff series (where JRich averaged 7 minutes a game the last three games) to role and fit the entire season.  In terms of fit, I think it is easy.  If either of the former Mav’s could hit an open three, they would still be here.  They couldn’t.  I’ll add that both expected some amount of playing with the ball in their hands.  Bullock doesn’t expect that.  Defensively, I take solace in the fact that Bullock always took the other teams best perimeter scoring threat and did it on the third best D in the league.  When the playoffs rolled around, that third best D in the league raised Bullock’s minutes while the 20th best D in the league cut JRich to 7 a game the last three games.  We absolutely did add a wing…at least as far as the Clipper’s series is concerned.