02-26-2021, 03:00 PM
(02-26-2021, 02:32 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: I think there's some truth to this line of thinking, and many have offered versions of this opinion before. It's valid.
The other side of the coin is that the value of those guys is that they're all great team guys. I think it's really possible that the REASON they were able to punch above their weight successfully is that the TEAM was uncommonly bonded, organized and well-coached. The biggest casualty of this abnormal season, to me, has been Carlisle's ability to coach the team to collectively outperform their individual talents, as he almost always does. I've said this before, but some other similarly detailed coaches, such as Stevens, Nurse and Spoelstra, are also having rough seasons. I don't think it's coincidence - I see cause and effect. MUCH less preparation time and routine for guys who've made careers out of process has resulted in necessary experimentation. Some people are sick of hearing about the "excuses," and I don't blame them. But, just because we're sick of talking about that stuff doesn't mean it's not the absolute center of what has gone wrong. Kind of the elephant in the room, to me, and unavoidable.
A thoughtful answer, and I totally buy it. Maybe Rick's greatest talent is his ability to develop the synergy in a group. I think we saw that in spades in the championship year. And for real and legitimate reasons, that has been difficult in this campaign. I think the team will improve as time goes on, although it may be that this will prove a lost season in terms of results.
But I think the ability to make silk purses reaches a limit somewhere. It's like, on a scale of 1 to 10, we have a bunch of players who are fives and sixes. Skillful coaching might turn them into performing like sevens. But how much higher than that they can go without better raw materials is questionable. Luka is ready for a better supporting cast now. I really wonder whether the next move is to turn some of these yeomen into solid win-now veterans. I doubt that will be a popular sentiment on the board, but it seems to me that Luka is outrunning this group fast.
OTOH, I take your point on KP. If they decide to go in a different direction with him, that very probably involves taking a step back, and would involve a change in the trajectory.