Tom Haberstroh had an interesting column today on ESPN.com (Insider Only, I’m sorry) regarding the prototypical team a GM should assemble to have the best chance in defeating the Superstars from South Beach.
Here are some interesting excerpts:
“…a more effective strategy may be to build an unselfish, deep group that will fully dedicate itself to establishing an impenetrable defense.
In other words, the new model will not be the 2010-11 Miami Heat, but rather the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons.”
Hey-O! Alright! Yahoo!
Haberstroh has got to be talking about the Big Three era Boston Celtics. The Celtics team that has been among the league leaders in defensive rating for the past three seasons. The team that was most recently able to corral three Superstars (albeit a bit past their primes) into playing selflessly and with unbridled trust in each other. The team who year in, year out have been able to seamlessly employ spot starters in the absence of Superstars and enjoy similarly successful seasons.
Haberstroh just has to be talking about the C’s, right? Or, if there is more than one team that fits the Larry Brown Pistons mold, surely the C’s have to be tops on the list?
Nope.
The final list of teams Haberstroh feels has the best chance to beat the Heat next year and beyond are the Portland Trailblazers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Milwaukee Bucks.
For the most part, I don’t disagree. All three of those teams are young, talented up-and-coming teams. For the ‘Blazers, the Haberstroh makes the Pistons connection by likening Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews (assuming he’ll be on the team) to Tayshaun Prince.
“…the Blazers will have two lockdown defenders on the perimeter, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews (in the likely event that Utah doesn’t match Portland’s offer sheet), and either one could fit the mold of Tayshaun Prince in their starting lineup.”
These role players are nice and the Celtics will undoubtedly need to pick up another player with lock-down capabilities with the exodus of Tony Allen. That being said, the Celtics starting wings are extremely adept on the defensive end.
OK City, Haberstroh reminds everyone, drastically improved their defensive rating from two years ago.
“No team in the NBA improved its defense more than the Thunder did, slicing 4.8 points off their defensive efficiency (remember, fewer points is better) from 2008-09 to 2009-10.”
The Thunder were able to showcase their improved defense all season and Haberstroh’s observation bears repeating. The Celtics, however, finished 5th in overall team defensive rating and the Thunder finished 8th (according to HoopData.com).
The Bucks not only gave the Atlanta Hawks all they could handle in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs, but they did so without their starting center in Andrew Bogut. Haberstroh notes Bogut’s shot-blocking ability was second to only Dwight Howard last year and, whether international or not, Haberstroh’s description of Bogut definitely becomes an easy Ben Wallace comparison. If the Bogut-Wallace connection wasn’t enough, Haberstroh reminds everyone who dictates the defense for the Bucks:
“If Bucks coach Scott Skiles aims to be the next Larry Brown, he’s doing a pretty good job. The former Most Improved Player award winner took over a 26-win team two seasons ago that featured the worst defense in the league and transformed it into a defensively focused squad fit for the playoffs.”
With Tom Thibodeau gone to coach the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics are still searching for their “Larry Brown” but all signs point to capable replacements Only time will tell who the C’s will choose to fill the void, but Thibodeau’s teachings have to be ingrained in the player’s habits by now.
Let me reiterate, Tom Haberstroh isn’t wrong in any of his assertions- his list is just incomplete.
What do you think?
If you agree with me, please comment using your best hybrid Rodney Dangerfield/Stan Van Gundy impression: “I get no respect!“
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Absolutely correct Genius I agree with your thesis et al Lakers V Pistons 2004
@Rich
It’s not that you don’t have to worry about him, it just that you don’t have 2 worry about him going for 30 or 40, Lebron is still going 2 be effective, but he’s going 2 be a more dialed down version of himself and more of a distributor than a scorer, Wade will continue 2 do most of the scoring
Any team with big defensive wings and size on the inside should be favored. Sorry, Heat, but this is still a big man’s game and unless they plan on playing Z for 40 minutes a game, they are going to have a serious problem against bigger opponents (see Orlando, Boston, Lakers). To quote Mr. Riley, “no rebounds, no rings.”
If by some miracle Miami were to make it past the interior defenses of Orlando and Boston (I suppose by the grace of their one shooter), how exactly could they match up with Pau, Bynum and Odom (assuming all teams involved are healthy)? Both Boston and LA demonstrated thoroughly that they possess the wing players (PP, Artest, Bryant etc.) to force even the best into inefficient performances. If Lebron and Wade aren’t able to have historically great performances, how will they be able to overcome the rebounding, and, particularly against the Lakers, offensive dominance they’ll face in the post?
Basketball didn’t change last week… While styles have changed over time, one thing has always been the same, dominate the interior and you dominate the game.
Oh… and it should be noted that teams are formed of complimentary pieces. In Miami, their 2 best players are almost completely duplicative. Obviously size vs quickness is different in terms of how they accomplish the end means, but their games are essentially the same. Because of this, I just don’t see how one makes the other better. They seem more likely to hinder each other’s ability to play the style to which their games are accustomed. We shall see…
I just think people are underestimating how nearly impossible it’s going to be to contain Wade and Lebron when they are on the court together. You focus on one, and the other is going to destroy you. Not to mention Bosh is on the court as well.
Imagine if the play LBJ at point. Think about that. He can play like Magic Johnson, but at the same time he can drop 50 on you on a given night. How in god’s name do you defend that?
I don’t understand how anyone will be able to defend the Heat. This is a truly ‘pick your poison’ proposition for any team. This is a team with 3 absolutely elite level scorers (who also happen to be elite defenders) on the floor at the same time. All are very happy to dish to teammates and will be passing (especially LeBron for the first time) to people who can actually reliably do damage with the ball. I doubt anyone knows who the team scoring leader will be but teams are going to pay dearly focusing on stopping just one of this guys. And they’ve got Mike Miller too! It ain’t fair.
as a heat fan, the 2004 world champ pistons would be a good way to stop the 2011 Heat. Unfortunately, none of the teams mentioned come close to the level of the Pistons in 04 defensively. Not only that, I doubt the Heat will face any of those 3 in the playoffs as other teams will finish them off for them.
@Rich…funny but I didn’t see Lebron play the point like Magic Johnson against the Celtics in the playoffs and I didn’t see him drop 50 on them either.
I’m a guy who lived through the Chaimberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor experiment. I just don’t see how you can be so easily persuaded.
@Brendan jackson, do u think u can return my email.
Thanks
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