Depth vs Top-Heavy

[ManUp]

Which is better for an NBA team?

[ManUp]

I forgot to add a poll.

Me, personally I think top heavy teams work better in the NBA.

[fitzhickey]

IMO depth because I like having 8 legit starters on a team, instead of 2/3 stars

[the_Bird]

I'm assuming this is a de-facto comparison between the Heat and the C's...

In the NBA, top-heavy.  You've only got five players on the court at once, and your top players are playing 80% - 85% of the available minutes.  There's always a balance, but I'd always start out with two outstanding players (fleshing out the roster behind them) rather than having eight or nine "good" players.

Plus, in the NBA, once you get a couple of superstars together, it's relatively easy to pull together a decent collection of role players on the cheap (like Miami has done).

[Chris]

This is a bit too broad.  It really depends on the roster.

I think being Top heavy works, when you have guys like Lebron or Kobe, who are not only great all around players, but also rarely get hurt and have a superhuman ability to play insane minutes.

But, you really need depth if your top guys are not as reliable or well rounded.

[ManUp]

I'm assuming this is a de-facto comparison between the Heat and the C's...

In the NBA, top-heavy.  You've only got five players on the court at once, and your top players are playing 80% - 85% of the available minutes.  There's always a balance, but I'd always start out with two outstanding players (fleshing out the roster behind them) rather than having eight or nine "good" players.

Plus, in the NBA, once you get a couple of superstars together, it's relatively easy to pull together a decent collection of role players on the cheap (like Miami has done).

I agree completely.

This isn't necessarily about Heat vs Celtics, but kind of. I was reading through a thread in realgm, "Do the Celtics have the deepest team in the league?"(naturally started by a Celtics fan) and a Heat fan questioned how much depth really mattered to the last 10 champions. I believe in the NBA depth is quantity and star players are quality. I love what Danny has done with this team, but I'd definitely sacrifice pieces lower in the rotation to strength the top. IMO, the 2008 championship team was top heavy and that worked out great for us.

[Moranis]

Top Heavy without question.

When the Spurs were top heavy they were winning NBA championships (i.e. when Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli were in their prime and essentially their team).  When the Spurs were deep, they were winning a lot of regular season games and losing early in the playoffs (i.e. the last four years when Duncan and Ginobli have tailed off and the team has added a lot more good players to the bench).

[fairweatherfan]

Top-heavy by a mile.  You can only put 5 guys on the court at once.  Having the best 5 tends to win out over better players waving towels.

It is a good idea in the regular season to pretend you're deep even if you're not, though.

[ManUp]

This is a bit too broad.  It really depends on the roster.

I think being Top heavy works, when you have guys like Lebron or Kobe, who are not only great all around players, but also rarely get hurt and have a superhuman ability to play insane minutes.

But, you really need depth if your top guys are not as reliable or well rounded.

It sounds like your saying it depends on the quality at the top. Obviously, if you don't have the players you think can get it done with a top-heavy team you have to go another rout. But if you had it your way what would be your preference? What do you think is more affective in general?

[Eja117]

I'm assuming this is a de-facto comparison between the Heat and the C's...

In the NBA, top-heavy.  You've only got five players on the court at once, and your top players are playing 80% - 85% of the available minutes.  There's always a balance, but I'd always start out with two outstanding players (fleshing out the roster behind them) rather than having eight or nine "good" players.

Plus, in the NBA, once you get a couple of superstars together, it's relatively easy to pull together a decent collection of role players on the cheap (like Miami has done).

this.....the Detroit Pistons thing only happens bout once every 30ish years. Usually the teams in the finals have 2 or 3 top level all stars

depth is more the other sports where you have 5 men rotations and shifts and special teams and long rosters. And even those sports tend to have a few top level guys like goalies, pitchers, and QBs

[masteremile123]

Well this is complicated , all past champions were essentially deep teams.
The best thing to do in the nba is get your top players in place than have the proper depth behind them , think 2011 heat , the top was awesome but they didn't win a championship until role players started to contribute (battier , chalmers , haslem , miller) , also think 2011 mavs , the top was so thin (only nowitzki actually) and they had all kind of depth wich won them the title . Think every championship team and role players played a large part in their runs . The one pointing to 08 remember no championship without : rondo perkins(role players in 08) posey house brown ...
I think the best moves done this season are the ones made by the celtics and the heat . They added the best role players to compliment their systems .
When it comes to the celtics having 8 players who can score 15+ in any game with 5 of them capable of going 25+ on any given game , with the ball movement on this team , u can really burn your opponents defenses.
Imho the lakers lack of depth will show in the playoffs . Both ways can win you championships if they are done correctly.
Ps : sorry for the english and sorry if I draged ...

[SHAQATTACK]

Top heavy is fine long as they are super human like Kobe and never get  truely seriously hurt.  Remove Kobe or Lebron and its a quick sinking ship in terms of reaching the finals.

Durrant really looked average paying LeBron , I hope he gets his act together or they will never beat the Heat.

Folks are already talking of blowing up Chicago and its demise because of the injury to Rose. I wouldn't give up so easy...but seems I'm in the minority .

Yes ...you ultimately want to put the best starting five on the floor possible. Barring injury., this should work. Or somebody dating LBJ's momma .

No matter , the best players gravitate toward each other and those sets of players then concentrate on playing for the same few teams.

Maybe the NBA should be set at say 12 teams max.

[LooseCannon]

I would not want a team constructed along the lines of the Denver Nuggets.

[ManUp]

Well this is complicated , all past champions were essentially deep teams.
The best thing to do in the nba is get your top players in place than have the proper depth behind them , think 2011 heat , the top was awesome but they didn't win a championship until role players started to contribute (battier , chalmers , haslem , miller) , also think 2011 mavs , the top was so thin (only nowitzki actually) and they had all kind of depth wich won them the title . Think every championship team and role players played a large part in their runs . The one pointing to 08 remember no championship without : rondo perkins(role players in 08) posey house brown ...
I think the best moves done this season are the ones made by the celtics and the heat . They added the best role players to compliment their systems .
When it comes to the celtics having 8 players who can score 15+ in any game with 5 of them capable of going 25+ on any given game , with the ball movement on this team , u can really burn your opponents defenses.
Imho the lakers lack of depth will show in the playoffs . Both ways can win you championships if they are done correctly.
Ps : sorry for the english and sorry if I draged ...

When you have the talent at the top the secondary players look better. I wouldn't consider any one on the 2007-08 Celtics team outside of Posey an ideal backup. The 08 bench was built off of serviceable players who'd most likely be third stringers on other quality teams.

[masteremile123]

I agree . But mu point was even with our top heavy roster in 08 we needed bench support and all the guys I named brought it . Every team needs these guys and ours in 08 were house posey rondo perkins and brown no matter how talented they were/were not.