I know this is kind of a no-duh comment, but it's obvious that it takes elite athletes to win in this league--I mean, real physical specimens who physically dominate and create immediate mismatches.
Watching Wade and James take over in the 4th quarter, they made everyone else look like they were walking in sand. The Mavericks just don't have anyone who can compete with them physically, even though Dirk is a highly skilled player. The Mavs are a good team. They have shooters, spread the floor and have improved interior defense, but I don't see how they can win this series.
The Lakers' dynasty was Kobe and Shaq--two dominant athletes at their positions that no one could match up with or contain.
It makes me wonder if there is any point drafting a player who isn't an elite athlete. What's the point of drafting, say, a Klay Thompson or Jimmer Fredette if they're just going to get blown away by better athletes? That's why I see the excitement around players like Derrick Williams, Bismack Biyombo, Jan Vesely, Alec Burks, etc., because they're at least explosive athletes who will be impossible to stop if they get their act together.
Maybe it's okay to have a center who isn't super athletic if he's got great size and skills (e.g., Marc Gasol and maybe Enes Kanter), and maybe it's okay to have a faciliator like Gordon Hayward, a Jeff Hornacek-meets-Shane Battier role player. But the rest of the team had better be thoroughbred athletes. When the game is on the line, it's the big-time athletes who make the big plays.
Yours truly,
Captain Obvious
Watching Wade and James take over in the 4th quarter, they made everyone else look like they were walking in sand. The Mavericks just don't have anyone who can compete with them physically, even though Dirk is a highly skilled player. The Mavs are a good team. They have shooters, spread the floor and have improved interior defense, but I don't see how they can win this series.
The Lakers' dynasty was Kobe and Shaq--two dominant athletes at their positions that no one could match up with or contain.
It makes me wonder if there is any point drafting a player who isn't an elite athlete. What's the point of drafting, say, a Klay Thompson or Jimmer Fredette if they're just going to get blown away by better athletes? That's why I see the excitement around players like Derrick Williams, Bismack Biyombo, Jan Vesely, Alec Burks, etc., because they're at least explosive athletes who will be impossible to stop if they get their act together.
Maybe it's okay to have a center who isn't super athletic if he's got great size and skills (e.g., Marc Gasol and maybe Enes Kanter), and maybe it's okay to have a faciliator like Gordon Hayward, a Jeff Hornacek-meets-Shane Battier role player. But the rest of the team had better be thoroughbred athletes. When the game is on the line, it's the big-time athletes who make the big plays.
Yours truly,
Captain Obvious
