Sadly due to work-time constraints, the New Orleanses Bugzzz presser won't have the same pizzaz as Gainesville Celtics' previous teams... Please don't hold this against us... 1. Roster PG - Tony Parker* / JJ Barea* / Eric Bledsoe
SG - Ray Allen* / Leandro Barbosa
SF - Shane Battier* / James Johnson
PF - David Lee / Trevor Booker / Dante Cunningham
C - Tyson Chandler* / JJ Hickson / Gustavo Ayon
* = NBA champion
Coach - Jeff Van Gundy
Director of In Game Entertainment - Mike Patton
House Band -
Dikembe1b. Rotation During the regular season we'll go 9 deep:
Parker (33 min/gm)
R. Allen (28*)
Battier (26*)
D. Lee (33)
Chandler (33)
J. Johnson (24)
Barea (25)
Hickson (26)
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Booker (10)
Bledsoe/Barbosa/Ayon (10)
* = reduced regular season mins to save their legs for the playoffs
Playoff rotations will be shortened with Allen and Battier playing more mins; the rest of the rotation will involve our starters + Barea, Johnson & Hickson with spot minutes depending on matchups.
2. Overall philosophyWe always draft to win now, ALWAYS. Since we were drafting in the 20s (FOR THE 3rd YEAR IN A ROW -- COME ON!!!), we had no choice but to build the most balanced, efficient team we could. We put a premium on players that we think fit together, play as a team with a premium on defensive players.
In a division with Lebron and the same conf. as Dwight Howard the added challenge was to build a team that could attempt to defend each come playoff time.
3. Pictures & StatsTony Parker, PG18.3 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.0 spg, 48% FG, in 32.1 mpg 22.0 PER
This was the year that the Spurs undeniably became Parker's team. Parker finished 5th in the MVP balloting after leading the Spurs to back-to-back best records in the NBA.
An underated PG with a 3.0 asst/to ratio he's the perfect guy to lead our underated squad.
Ray Allen, SG14.2 ppg, 2.4 apg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 3PG, 45% 3FG in 34 mpg 14.8 PERAllen compliments Parker's drive and dish and pick-and-roll game perfectly. Allen is older, but the Ray Allen we saw at the end of the year was hampered by injury that will be a thing of the past next season. A willing defender, Allen makes for a stellar, ultra-efficient backcourt with Parker.
Shane Battier, SF4.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 1.0 3pG, 34% 3FG in 23.1 mpgThe main reason Lebron got Riley to go out and get Battier was simply because he's given Lebron the biggest problems defensively over the last couple of years. It's the same reason we drafted Battier -- to defend Lebron and hit the corner 3 on passes from Parker and Allen. He may not be the elite defender he once was but he's still among the league's best and our best option to limit Lebron.
David Lee, PF20.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.4 bpg, 50% FG, 19.7 PER in 37.2 mpg.David Lee will be our low post anchor and we think another good fit alongside Tyson Chandler. A plus rebounder Lee will be asked to rebound and score.
Tyson Chandler, C
11.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.4 bpg in 33.2 mpg.The league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year (who was moronically left off the all-defensive team) and the defensive anchor of the US olympic team and the 2011 NBA Champions, Chandler will anchor the Bugzz defense too. A skilled pick-and-roll guy, he'll fit beautifully with Tony Parker's game.
James Johnson, SFAn underated defender who was one only 7 players (min 13 gms) to average a block and a steal this season. He'll form a formidable 1-2 defensive punch with Battier at the 3.
JJ Barea, PGOur sparkplug off the bench, Barea is an efficient (sense a theme here?) PG who avg 5.7 assists off the bench last year and shot 37% from 3 while adding 11 points and nearly 3 rebounds. Barea is the kind of offensive change-of-pace guy that can turn a game round.
JJ Hickson, PF/CHickson is a load down low who can play both the 4 and the 5. If you overlook his time on the Kings -- who had 38 PFs and no real PG early in the year -- his 2 yr averages (incl. SAC) are 11.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 0.7 apg in 26 mpg. He'll backup both Lee and Chandler and play well alongside both.
Trevor Booker, PF/CAnother gritty guy and team-first defender, Booker was, at 6-7", 7 blocks away from avergaing 1blk + 1stl. He adds depth at the 4 (and 3 where he's already told WAS he's willing to play if need be).
Deeper Bench
Gustavo Ayon PF/CA rookie surprise who missed that 1blk + 1stl plateau by 8 blocks. He's a highly efficient player who rebounds well for a youngster
Eric Bledsoe, PGBurried behind CP3 and Billups, Bledsoe lost playing time last year, but CP3 raved about his defense and willingness to be ready when called on. He made the difference in at least one playoff game for the Clips off the bench
Leandro BarbosaA veteran speedster who can shoot the 3 and defend Barbosa will get minutes at the PG and SG slots, and is very strong, deep bench injury insurance.
Dante Cunningham, PFA versatile 13th man who can play the 3 or the 4 and defend well off the bench
4. Toughest Decision
I think our toughest decision was one we didn't make... at different times we discussed moving David Lee for Kenneth Faried. While I had Faried ranked a few spots higher than Lee, I ultimately thought Lee fit a little better with his bulk and added scoring on a team already low on scoring with Chandler and Battier.
5. Best/Worst move
Best - DRafting Tony Parker at #20 --- I know that's a bit odd to be my best move, but Parker is criminially underated in this and the real NBA --- he's a 3-time champion, Finals MVP, led the Spurs to back-to-back best regular season records and finished 5th in the MVP voting this year. Parker has been a top 10 player for the last 2 seasons.
Worst -- Trading down to often -- I dealt 3.5 for 3.17 for 4.5... missing out on Luol Deng, Danny Granger and Gerald Wallace at SF.
(probably have some other Best/Worst, but my spreadsheet crashed so i'm going a bit on memory).
6. Season Outlook
I think we're a little bit like last year's Celtics.... we're not concerned or realistic about getting the #1 seed in the West, but we do think that our team's balanced makeup, efficiency and defensive commitment will give us a legit, if non-favorite, chance at making the finals.
For a team picking #20, that ain't to shabby.