09-30-2020, 03:32 PM
(09-30-2020, 02:05 PM)StepBackJay Wrote: Brunson is coming off the bench and largely taking Luka's spot so I don't know why ppl are so hung up on Brunson's fit with Luka.
I just think that come playoff time, you need to know who your 3 best guards are. Your 3rd guy will probably have to be an on-ball type, like Brunson, unless both of your starters are qualified for that. Ideally, you'd like that 3rd guy to be able to spell BOTH of your starting guards, staying in the game for longer stretches at a time. JET, Lou Will, etc, etc.
I think you and Kamm are making a great point about the sample size being low in year 2, and I think maybe we are making rash judgments on whether or not Brunson can play with Luka in the future, but it's not incorrect to point out that until the coach feels like he can not only spell Luka, but also complement him on court, his role and minutes won't be what they could potentially be on another team. Like, on THIS team, Luka CAN play off ball effectively, but since he's their best player, it would be insane to play that way while Luka's on the court just to maximize Brunson. Another team might not feel that way about their starter, and might be happy to let Brunson work on-ball for stretches NEXT to their starting on-ball guy.
What the Mavs need is ONE player who can do well at what Brunson brings to the table AND what Curry brings to the table so they're not substituting the way clowns get out of a car at the circus. The deep rotation works ok in the regular season, but not in the playoffs against good teams.
This is why I'm higher on Burke than many here seem to be. IF what he did against the Clippers is a real indication of what he'll do consistently, moving forward, I think that's more valuable than either Brunson or Curry. I don't dislike either of those players.