01-25-2021, 07:01 AM
pompelmo, I agree, this is why I never look at stats, there is always a way to misinterpret them, always an unaccounted parameter not included, that could change the outcome, no matter what stat is brought up.
Maxi is in my eyes 10 times better defender than Powell. And JRich and DFS are defensive leaders, and THJ is not. What I see is them is leading the young and very inexperienced Luka (especially inexperienced on defense compared to offense), to become a better defender. And that worked for the first time when JRich and DFS and Maxi was with him on the floor, he got a taste of being part of a team playing great defense for the first time in his NBA career, a defense without holes where every possession was challenged well. If anyone tells me he should do it on his own, play defense, why he needs other for motivating him, this I will never agree with. In sports, you need more experienced guys set the tone and teach you the mentality. For Luka, its not about defensive skillset, he has that in him. Its about the mentality, this can be impacted by others on the floor. Not only is there effect on Luka, but the entire team. You need QBs/leaders on defense, just as you need on offense. Same way, THJ is impacted a lot by Luka on the offense. He is not the same player now as he was earlier in career. We can say that as well about Maxi and others as well. Players impact each other.
What I also see is Timmy setting a quiet soft tone and reversing that effect on our young players that need to develop that killer mentality. We lost last seasons playoffs due to the team playing soft (really soft at times). Where was THJ when Luka was bullied? We need jRich/DFS/Maxi in there and set the tone early in games, and Luka will follow the lead.
Look at it with the eyes of Bulls in the 90s and it was that defensive tone set by 3-4 players that spread around and developed the rest of the team. You need many great defensive players to play well on D. The defense is really only as good as your weakest link.
Of course nothing works without the offense. But in my point we have the offense with Luka/KP. But with THJ we never had the defense, and never will likely. Ideally they need to shoot all three, but JRich does also provide playmaking as well and he also knows how to attack the rim, and Maxi can also contribute with some PnR that he does well as a roll man. DFS is the most limited of the three, and can be labelled as pure 3&D. DFS provides offensive rebounds that Timmy does not. So these guys are not just shooters on offense. They can do more and it provides option for Luka to lead the offense. He can set up JRich to penetrate and attack the paint, or Maxi for being the roll man with PnR.
I think these 3 give us diverse offensive skills that complement well. We do need them to set the tone and make us an outstanding defensive team with variety of offensive skills.
ML, all that being said, I do agree in certain matchups, we need to bring in THJ to start as in some matchups the outstanding defense is not necessary, and we just need to score a ton. The main part of my view is that we live and die by the playoffs, and that is where I dont believe a Timmy lead team will have any chance, against the big great wings of these teams. He is not a leader that sets the team in focus and improves his teammates defensively. We need more leaders that have no holes/weaknesses in their game, and here JRich and DFS are way better fits to make a real run for the title. Obviously there will be games in regular season where that extra defense will not be necessary and it would be better to take the load of Luka/KP and bring in starting minutes for Timmy. There will be stretches with some of the players out, especially this season, and THJ will be needed to start many games. We will also need to come back in games, and he is instant offense, especially against the other bench units. It is when everyone is to full strength, that he is best as 6th man off the bench IMO.
He should in any case be the bench player, with most minutes a 6th man role, there is no doubt he is the best/most valuable of this unit.
Maxi is in my eyes 10 times better defender than Powell. And JRich and DFS are defensive leaders, and THJ is not. What I see is them is leading the young and very inexperienced Luka (especially inexperienced on defense compared to offense), to become a better defender. And that worked for the first time when JRich and DFS and Maxi was with him on the floor, he got a taste of being part of a team playing great defense for the first time in his NBA career, a defense without holes where every possession was challenged well. If anyone tells me he should do it on his own, play defense, why he needs other for motivating him, this I will never agree with. In sports, you need more experienced guys set the tone and teach you the mentality. For Luka, its not about defensive skillset, he has that in him. Its about the mentality, this can be impacted by others on the floor. Not only is there effect on Luka, but the entire team. You need QBs/leaders on defense, just as you need on offense. Same way, THJ is impacted a lot by Luka on the offense. He is not the same player now as he was earlier in career. We can say that as well about Maxi and others as well. Players impact each other.
What I also see is Timmy setting a quiet soft tone and reversing that effect on our young players that need to develop that killer mentality. We lost last seasons playoffs due to the team playing soft (really soft at times). Where was THJ when Luka was bullied? We need jRich/DFS/Maxi in there and set the tone early in games, and Luka will follow the lead.
Look at it with the eyes of Bulls in the 90s and it was that defensive tone set by 3-4 players that spread around and developed the rest of the team. You need many great defensive players to play well on D. The defense is really only as good as your weakest link.
Of course nothing works without the offense. But in my point we have the offense with Luka/KP. But with THJ we never had the defense, and never will likely. Ideally they need to shoot all three, but JRich does also provide playmaking as well and he also knows how to attack the rim, and Maxi can also contribute with some PnR that he does well as a roll man. DFS is the most limited of the three, and can be labelled as pure 3&D. DFS provides offensive rebounds that Timmy does not. So these guys are not just shooters on offense. They can do more and it provides option for Luka to lead the offense. He can set up JRich to penetrate and attack the paint, or Maxi for being the roll man with PnR.
I think these 3 give us diverse offensive skills that complement well. We do need them to set the tone and make us an outstanding defensive team with variety of offensive skills.
ML, all that being said, I do agree in certain matchups, we need to bring in THJ to start as in some matchups the outstanding defense is not necessary, and we just need to score a ton. The main part of my view is that we live and die by the playoffs, and that is where I dont believe a Timmy lead team will have any chance, against the big great wings of these teams. He is not a leader that sets the team in focus and improves his teammates defensively. We need more leaders that have no holes/weaknesses in their game, and here JRich and DFS are way better fits to make a real run for the title. Obviously there will be games in regular season where that extra defense will not be necessary and it would be better to take the load of Luka/KP and bring in starting minutes for Timmy. There will be stretches with some of the players out, especially this season, and THJ will be needed to start many games. We will also need to come back in games, and he is instant offense, especially against the other bench units. It is when everyone is to full strength, that he is best as 6th man off the bench IMO.
He should in any case be the bench player, with most minutes a 6th man role, there is no doubt he is the best/most valuable of this unit.
