Game 63: Miami Heat (35-26) vs. Dallas Mavericks (34-28)

[WillE]

Two observing thoughts on the recent discussion:

1) +/- has flaws
Less on big sample size, but the more, the fewer games are in scope.

A player can simply benefit from being on the floor during one significant run or vice versa suffer from one long draught, but not beeing realy responsible for any of this as there could be endless reasons for each development.

So if the game subsequently develops in the other direction without that one player on the floor, it does not necessarily mean, that wouldn't have happened without him too. This effect is evened out on bigger sample size, but for one game only, +/- can't be used the same way.

2) Starter position is overvalued
Beeing the starter does not always equal being the best player on that position of your team. Starting means no more than it's the best unit to begin.

But that's just the starting point, and what follows is putting the rotations together (artistically) in a way that also generates the highest probability of winning.

This can also mean that due to the different strengths and weaknesses of the players, certain rotations are avoided or only used at certain points in time.
For example, one DeShawn Stevenson was starting that one year but only played limited minutes. And I remember Jet saying that he didn't care about starting games, but rather about finishing them.
Both players were important. Jet was obviously the better player individually, but it was better for the team if he wasn't the starter. He was a great good finisher though.

So if anything, then the closing job should have increased value/importance.