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Bill Simmons: Jazz = Hornets

BabyPeterzz

BabyPeterzz

Well-Known Member
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So B.S. is saying the Jazz and Hornets are essentially the same type of teams, making the Deron v. CP3 discussion all the more interesting this year. He thinks the team that has a better year decides the debate.

https://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmonsnfl2010/week11picks/part2&sportCat=nba

3. NEW ORLEANS

Preseason Prediction: 41 wins (10th)
Revised Prediction: 55 wins

2. UTAH

Preseason Prediction: 55 wins (3rd)
Revised Prediction: 55 wins

In 2008, the Rockets won 22 straight games with the following rotation: Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming/Dikembe Mutombo (Yao got hurt halfway through the streak, so Dikembe got his minutes), Luis Scola, Chuck Evans, Shane Battier, Luther Head, Carl Landry, Rafer Alston and Bobby Jackson. Did it make sense? Yes and no. Successful NBA teams tend to have a rotation of nine players (sometimes 10, but usually nine) who know their roles. Those roles usually include a player who can score in the low post, a perimeter stopper and a couple of players who can make open 3s … but they always include one elite offensive player, someone who can create quality shots in crunch time, make other guys better and salvage plays that break down in the last 10 seconds of the shot clock. Houston won 22 straight because of T-Mac and because of the way everyone fit around him. It was really that simple.

[+] EnlargeChris Paul and Deron Williams
Melissa Majchrzak/Getty ImagesIt's on!

What's fascinating about the Hornets and Jazz: They're built much the same way, with everything hinging on their franchise point guards and how the other eight guys fall into place behind them. Both teams have subpar shooting guards, perimeter stoppers (Trevor Ariza and Andrei Kirilenko) and scoring forwards with unconventional games (David West and Paul Millsap). The Hornets don't have a post-up player on Al Jefferson's level, but they shoot 3s much better than Utah. Other than that, very similar teams. If Chris Paul and Deron Williams switched sides tomorrow, neither team would miss a beat.

Translation: It's on! From 2005-09, I thought Paul was better, even writing (and meaning it) that Paul was Pearl Jam and Williams was the Stone Temple Pilots. The dynamic shifted these past 13 months thanks to Paul's knee surgery and Williams' inspired play; at least it's an argument now, as long as you remember to mention that Paul's 2008 and 2009 seasons were the most efficient back-to-back seasons by a point guard in history. No point guard ever brought more to the table and took less off it than Chris Paul. Now that he's healthy again, in my opinion, there is no argument. He's the best point guard alive.

But if Utah does better than New Orleans this season, that argument falls apart. See, it's almost like having access to a real-life simulation: Williams and Paul running similar teams in the same conference in the primes of their respective careers. If Williams' team does better, he gets the point guard championship belt. If Paul's team does better, he keeps the belt. Either way … awesome.
Click to expand...
 
Belenelli is a much better shooter than anybody we have at shooting guard imo. Same with Marcus Thornton. I'm not saying either one of them is a great player, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that they're sub-par either.
 
I'm totally tired of all the foreplay going on with this.

Make it happen NBA... make a playoff series of Utah vs New Orleans. CP3 vs D-Will. Old home of the Jazz vs new home.
 
They are built similarly, sure, but New Orleans supporting cast is better. With Emeka Okafor playing like he's supposed to be and shooters, that's two things that trump the post-advantage the Jazz have (and I would contend that post-play only means anything if you have floor-spacing and a post-player that knows how to take advantage of extra attnetion drawn to them; our situation is not that).

Also, remember when it was all about numbers and W-L record didn't matter when decreeing Paul the best PG? How bizarre the argument has COMPLETELY shifted.
 
NUMBERICA said:
They are built similarly, sure, but New Orleans supporting cast is better. With Emeka Okafor playing like he's supposed to be and shooters, that's two things that trump the post-advantage the Jazz have (and I would contend that post-play only means anything if you have floor-spacing and a post-player that knows how to take advantage of extra attnetion drawn to them; our situation is not that).

Also, remember when it was all about numbers and W-L record didn't matter when decreeing Paul the best PG? How bizarre the argument has COMPLETELY shifted.
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I dont know man. Simmons raises some great points.
 
Simmons is not a journalist and has obvious and admitted biases.

But yes, there are similarities. But there is a significant difference between a guy still learning how to play D and pass (Jefferson), and a guy whose calling his entire career has been defense (Okafor), in addition to a team that can only hit 3s when they get stupid-hot (Jazz) vs. a team with legitimate shooters (Hornets).

Simmons' job is to say intriguing/entertaining things, not necessarily true things.
 
In addition to all of that, Simmons will find a way to slight Williams even if the Jazz post a better record and sweep the Hornets in the playoffs. Like awarding Rajon Brewer the best PG title (as though such a thing exists).
 
"Rajon Brewer" was the quickest way I thought I could to describe Rajon Rondo's shooting ability. However, I screwed that up since Brewer can usually make his free throws.
 
I think he is right. Is there another NBA team that compares as close to the Jazz as NOH? Both teams have a big expiring contract to play with too (AK & Peja) so they both could conceivably make a big deal and address some of their weaknesses.
 
If Paul was the better PG of the two from 2005-07 because he had better numbers but fewer wins then Deron's the better PG in 2010-11.
 
I still don't buy that NO has the better supporting cast..

Dwill=CP3
AK>Ariza
Millsap>West
Jefferson>Okafor (This could be argued due to Okafor's defense)

I think overall we have the more talented team. Peja can still shoot but is slow and can't defend anyone. Jason Smith is their first big off the bench. To be fair, I haven't seen him play, but they are awfully thin up front. Bellineli has been good, but can he keep it up? Also take into account that Dwill owns CP3 whenever they play and we clearly have the better team.
 
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