(07-25-2024, 07:28 PM)Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo Wrote: DJJ was elite-ish while Naji is "just good to ok-he-is-really-good". The Mavs took a step back with that one personnel move.
But collectively, the defense evens out.
While Green is a disruptor with a constant motor in him to hustle -- Grime's D is better.
THJ at his most focused form isn't a negative on D, but that rarely happens -- Klay is still better.
I agree with this. I also agree with those who say Grimes is a replacement for Green, Klay is a replacement for THJ, and Naji is a replacement for DJJ.
But DJJ played more than Green or THJ in the playoffs, for good reason. So the question for me is usage, as in... which guys are used when/where, with whom, and in place of whom.
I'm putting my hopes in a Kyrie-Grimes-Luka-PJW-Lively/Gafford lineup... with Klay spelling both Kyrie and Luka. Having one pair of Luka-Kyrie, Luka-Klay, Kyrie-Klay on the floor at times would be optimal, IMO. If the plan is to play Kyrie-Klay-Luka for the majority of minutes in the playoffs though, I just can't see it working against the main competition (Celtics/OKC), as the balance is not there.
In the playoffs, I can also see Naji being useful when Luka plays the 4 on defense... such as:
- Kyrie, Grimes, Naji, Luka, Lively/Gafford.
- Grimes, Klay, Naji, Luka, Lively/Gafford.