Even the Warriors Aren't Small Anymore

[PhoSita]

All of this is why I hope when Baynes returns he is inserted into the starting lineup.  Boston desperately needs his size.

Part of what I'm saying is what we really need is 2-3 guys like Baynes plus Horford.

[tstorey_97]

Small ball is all the rage, right?  That's what the Warriors have done to the league: small ball, pace and space, threes threes threes.

Let's take a quick look at the top teams in the league.


The Warriors feature seven foot Kevin Durant and 6'11'' Demarcus Cousins in their starting lineup.  Not to mention all the backup 4/5s on their bench.


Milwaukee has a 6'11'' wrecking ball as their primary playmaker.  Additionally they have a seven foot starting center and two 6'10'' backup bigs who can play 4 or 5 and shoot.

Toronto has Ibaka and Siakam, both 6'9'' / 6'10'' and long as anything, and additionally they've got 7'1'' Marc Gasol coming off the bench.

Denver is built around a 7' behemoth with all the skills of a guard, and they've got Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, and Trey Lyles backing him up.  Not to mention 6'10'' Juancho Hernangomez.

Indiana -- 6'11'' Myles Turner and 6'11'' Domantas Sabonis, doing work down low.  Add to that Thad Young, an undersized player who has made a career out of physical play inside, and Kyle O'Quinn, who is similarly undersized but rough and tumble.

Philly -- Embiid, gargantuan.  Now they've got Boban backing him up, who is somehow even bigger.

OKC -- Steven Adams is a 7' beast inside, they've got Nerlens Noel backing him up, and Jeremy Grant is a hyperathletic, long 6'9''.



And of course Portland -- we just got an up close and personal look at the Jusuf Nurkic / Enes Kanter combo.



I could keep going.



My point is -- the Celtics have a starting lineup featuring nobody over 6'9''.  They've got two small forwards and an undersized big who, for all his many skills, has never been a major inside presence.

Heading into the year the thought was that versatility was going to be the major trump card for the Celts.  They were so versatile!

But looking around the league, is it maybe the case that having at least one, ideally multiple big men with serious size and interior presence is like, important, or something? 

Seems to me that all of the really good teams have plenty of size.


Heading into the season the lack of big man depth on the Celts made some sense in the context of "Well the league is going small anyway."  But it seems like maybe that actually isn't true.

It seems like maybe having no reliable big men other than Horford (a bit undersized) and Baynes (injury prone, not a starting-minutes guy) is a major design flaw of this roster.


This is how we end up in a situation where Baynes missing a couple months is an outright disaster.

TP PhoSita...

Last time to the finals, Perkins Garnett.

Going small is great except, the basket is still the same distance off the floor as it was in 1959.

This team does not have a front court. This team is better when Baynes plays.

Last night "bringnig in Williams" was attempted to stem the tide.

"A big, a big, my kingdom for a big!~"

[Somebody]

Agreed- "small ball" is a misnomer.  I think Brad said about a year ago that ideally he wants to play tall, fast with pace and space.  I think a more accurate phrase in terms of coach speak would be "fast & space ball".  I  think one of the implications of this style is that no team wants a big lumbering center like Artis Gilmore or Bob Lanier anymore.  Of course now I age myself. 

If I were an NBA team I'd definitely want a prime artis gilmore rn, he'd be averaging 20/10 easily lol.

[Chris22]

Small ball is all the rage, right?  That's what the Warriors have done to the league: small ball, pace and space, threes threes threes.

Let's take a quick look at the top teams in the league.


The Warriors feature seven foot Kevin Durant and 6'11'' Demarcus Cousins in their starting lineup.  Not to mention all the backup 4/5s on their bench.


Milwaukee has a 6'11'' wrecking ball as their primary playmaker.  Additionally they have a seven foot starting center and two 6'10'' backup bigs who can play 4 or 5 and shoot.

Toronto has Ibaka and Siakam, both 6'9'' / 6'10'' and long as anything, and additionally they've got 7'1'' Marc Gasol coming off the bench.

Denver is built around a 7' behemoth with all the skills of a guard, and they've got Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, and Trey Lyles backing him up.  Not to mention 6'10'' Juancho Hernangomez.

Indiana -- 6'11'' Myles Turner and 6'11'' Domantas Sabonis, doing work down low.  Add to that Thad Young, an undersized player who has made a career out of physical play inside, and Kyle O'Quinn, who is similarly undersized but rough and tumble.

Philly -- Embiid, gargantuan.  Now they've got Boban backing him up, who is somehow even bigger.

OKC -- Steven Adams is a 7' beast inside, they've got Nerlens Noel backing him up, and Jeremy Grant is a hyperathletic, long 6'9''.



And of course Portland -- we just got an up close and personal look at the Jusuf Nurkic / Enes Kanter combo.



I could keep going.



My point is -- the Celtics have a starting lineup featuring nobody over 6'9''.  They've got two small forwards and an undersized big who, for all his many skills, has never been a major inside presence.

Heading into the year the thought was that versatility was going to be the major trump card for the Celts.  They were so versatile!

But looking around the league, is it maybe the case that having at least one, ideally multiple big men with serious size and interior presence is like, important, or something? 

Seems to me that all of the really good teams have plenty of size.


Heading into the season the lack of big man depth on the Celts made some sense in the context of "Well the league is going small anyway."  But it seems like maybe that actually isn't true.

It seems like maybe having no reliable big men other than Horford (a bit undersized) and Baynes (injury prone, not a starting-minutes guy) is a major design flaw of this roster.


This is how we end up in a situation where Baynes missing a couple months is an outright disaster.

TP PhoSita...

Last time to the finals, Perkins Garnett.

Going small is great except, the basket is still the same distance off the floor as it was in 1959.

This team does not have a front court. This team is better when Baynes plays.

Last night "bringnig in Williams" was attempted to stem the tide.

"A big, a big, my kingdom for a big!~"

No, it was not.

Wussy Brad gave up after one second.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

All of this is why I hope when Baynes returns he is inserted into the starting lineup.  Boston desperately needs his size.

Part of what I'm saying is what we really need is 2-3 guys like Baynes plus Horford.

Right. If Baynes is out, we have no real bigs.

[gouki88]

Small ball is all the rage, right?  That's what the Warriors have done to the league: small ball, pace and space, threes threes threes.

Let's take a quick look at the top teams in the league.


The Warriors feature seven foot Kevin Durant and 6'11'' Demarcus Cousins in their starting lineup.  Not to mention all the backup 4/5s on their bench.


Milwaukee has a 6'11'' wrecking ball as their primary playmaker.  Additionally they have a seven foot starting center and two 6'10'' backup bigs who can play 4 or 5 and shoot.

Toronto has Ibaka and Siakam, both 6'9'' / 6'10'' and long as anything, and additionally they've got 7'1'' Marc Gasol coming off the bench.

Denver is built around a 7' behemoth with all the skills of a guard, and they've got Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, and Trey Lyles backing him up.  Not to mention 6'10'' Juancho Hernangomez.

Indiana -- 6'11'' Myles Turner and 6'11'' Domantas Sabonis, doing work down low.  Add to that Thad Young, an undersized player who has made a career out of physical play inside, and Kyle O'Quinn, who is similarly undersized but rough and tumble.

Philly -- Embiid, gargantuan.  Now they've got Boban backing him up, who is somehow even bigger.

OKC -- Steven Adams is a 7' beast inside, they've got Nerlens Noel backing him up, and Jeremy Grant is a hyperathletic, long 6'9''.



And of course Portland -- we just got an up close and personal look at the Jusuf Nurkic / Enes Kanter combo.



I could keep going.



My point is -- the Celtics have a starting lineup featuring nobody over 6'9''.  They've got two small forwards and an undersized big who, for all his many skills, has never been a major inside presence.

Heading into the year the thought was that versatility was going to be the major trump card for the Celts.  They were so versatile!

But looking around the league, is it maybe the case that having at least one, ideally multiple big men with serious size and interior presence is like, important, or something? 

Seems to me that all of the really good teams have plenty of size.


Heading into the season the lack of big man depth on the Celts made some sense in the context of "Well the league is going small anyway."  But it seems like maybe that actually isn't true.

It seems like maybe having no reliable big men other than Horford (a bit undersized) and Baynes (injury prone, not a starting-minutes guy) is a major design flaw of this roster.


This is how we end up in a situation where Baynes missing a couple months is an outright disaster.

TP PhoSita...

Last time to the finals, Perkins Garnett.

Going small is great except, the basket is still the same distance off the floor as it was in 1959.

This team does not have a front court. This team is better when Baynes plays.

Last night "bringnig in Williams" was attempted to stem the tide.

"A big, a big, my kingdom for a big!~"

No, it was not.

Wussy Brad gave up after one second.

Williams still clearly isn't ready for regular minutes man.

[Ogaju]

Small ball is all the rage, right?  That's what the Warriors have done to the league: small ball, pace and space, threes threes threes.

Let's take a quick look at the top teams in the league.


The Warriors feature seven foot Kevin Durant and 6'11'' Demarcus Cousins in their starting lineup.  Not to mention all the backup 4/5s on their bench.


Milwaukee has a 6'11'' wrecking ball as their primary playmaker.  Additionally they have a seven foot starting center and two 6'10'' backup bigs who can play 4 or 5 and shoot.

Toronto has Ibaka and Siakam, both 6'9'' / 6'10'' and long as anything, and additionally they've got 7'1'' Marc Gasol coming off the bench.

Denver is built around a 7' behemoth with all the skills of a guard, and they've got Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, and Trey Lyles backing him up.  Not to mention 6'10'' Juancho Hernangomez.

Indiana -- 6'11'' Myles Turner and 6'11'' Domantas Sabonis, doing work down low.  Add to that Thad Young, an undersized player who has made a career out of physical play inside, and Kyle O'Quinn, who is similarly undersized but rough and tumble.

Philly -- Embiid, gargantuan.  Now they've got Boban backing him up, who is somehow even bigger.

OKC -- Steven Adams is a 7' beast inside, they've got Nerlens Noel backing him up, and Jeremy Grant is a hyperathletic, long 6'9''.



And of course Portland -- we just got an up close and personal look at the Jusuf Nurkic / Enes Kanter combo.



I could keep going.



My point is -- the Celtics have a starting lineup featuring nobody over 6'9''.  They've got two small forwards and an undersized big who, for all his many skills, has never been a major inside presence.

Heading into the year the thought was that versatility was going to be the major trump card for the Celts.  They were so versatile!

But looking around the league, is it maybe the case that having at least one, ideally multiple big men with serious size and interior presence is like, important, or something? 

Seems to me that all of the really good teams have plenty of size.


Heading into the season the lack of big man depth on the Celts made some sense in the context of "Well the league is going small anyway."  But it seems like maybe that actually isn't true.

It seems like maybe having no reliable big men other than Horford (a bit undersized) and Baynes (injury prone, not a starting-minutes guy) is a major design flaw of this roster.


This is how we end up in a situation where Baynes missing a couple months is an outright disaster.

In short, Cs need bigs.