01-25-2024, 05:32 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-25-2024, 05:32 PM by SwisherPrice.)
I was lukewarm on going all in with a Luka/Kyrie team for obvious reasons (ex: defense) but probably the biggest concern was the risk of going all in with 2 players who have always had durability concerns. Luka hasn't missed as many games so far this season compared to previous years but he's clearly been playing through injuries and probably hasn't been 100% since 2020. Kyrie is always going to miss a lot of games. The December injury due to Powell falling on him was just a freak accident but throughout his career, Kyrie has shown that he can't stay healthy anyway so he was bound to get hurt.
Durability is so important. That's how the Mavs were so consistent with Dirk and Jet playing 75+ games every year. When you don't have your best 2 players to get through an 82 game season, you're not going to win as many games and it's the difference between securing a Top-4 seed and barely hanging on for a playoff spot. And even if you make the playoffs, it's harder to advance far as a lower seed.
They're not the only team going through that risk with their top players (Clippers/Suns and previously the Nets when they had KD/Kyrie) but there's just very little margin of error.
Durability is so important. That's how the Mavs were so consistent with Dirk and Jet playing 75+ games every year. When you don't have your best 2 players to get through an 82 game season, you're not going to win as many games and it's the difference between securing a Top-4 seed and barely hanging on for a playoff spot. And even if you make the playoffs, it's harder to advance far as a lower seed.
They're not the only team going through that risk with their top players (Clippers/Suns and previously the Nets when they had KD/Kyrie) but there's just very little margin of error.
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