04-04-2021, 09:13 PM
(04-04-2021, 08:11 PM)mvossman Wrote: Have the Blazers ever been considered a legit contender? The reason not is because of their issues on defense. The goal is not to make the playoffs every year. The goal is to be a legit contender. There is valid reason to question if a team starting Luka and Brunson can be good enough defensively to contend.
So that's fair but they did make it to the conference finals just in 2018 before running into the buzz-saw that is the Warriors super-team. They had a couple of duds the previous two years. One thing that is interesting about them is they have been a stay-the-course type of team for the most part. People have been telling them they need to trade CJ for years and they haven't done it.
I am not positive Brunson should start but I am pointing out I think that he *can* start for a very good team. The Dame/CJ backcourt is not the most stout defensive backcourt you will ever see but they are always a good team. Mavs are already ahead of where they were years ago because they never had a KP as part of their core.
The Mavs having 3 good defenders in DFS, Maxi and KP to me make it possible to start Brunson. He already closes a lot of games and maybe that's his best role. I am open to the idea tho that Brunson should start and to the extent you need a J Rich type defender you can find those guys to come off the bench. Green is already waiting in the wings, he just needs to figure out a jumper. I think even as is he brings enough other things to the table that he could be a 10 mpg type guy next year.