Put our roster in their roles, re: 2008 team

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So we have Rondo as himself and Green as the versatile 2-way SF, and Bradley as the version of himself that is better than the guy that beat out a fading Ray Allen...

Out front line makeup is completely different.  KG was just so special, physically, mentally, and in talent.

On the bench, Thornton looks to fill House's bench gunner role, but really it's Marcus Smart, and that is a big, big upgrade all around.

Then we have the Posey role:  Wallace, I think, can still do this extremely well.  Turner can, too, but maybe not as well at the 4.

TO ME, it really seems that, aside from maturation and development of rookie-deal players, we're short only an anchoring, allstar-level big from having a rather complete, competitive team that can matchup well with anyone else and complement each other fluidly.

Or...I'm green-drunk.

[D.o.s.]

I'm going with option B, no offense.

[Timdawgg]

Besides the arguably best Power Forward of all time that you mention, Where is the all-time great with a ton of heart at small forward?

[Roy H.]

I love the optimism, but 2008 Pierce and 2008 Ray are much, much better than Green and Bradley.  Also, we have no Perk.

We have the Rondo roll filled - and if he is healthy, that's an upgrade - but the rest of the starters leave something to be desired.

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I love the optimism, but 2008 Pierce and 2008 Ray are much, much better than Green and Bradley.  Also, we have no Perk.

We have the Rondo roll filled - and if he is healthy, that's an upgrade - but the rest of the starters leave something to be desired.

I'd give the Ray/Bradley a near-wash.  Ray's defense wasn't extraordinary, but shooting was.  Bradley has a different all-NBA talent.

Rondo/Pierce c.2008 features Pierce as the star and Rondo as the guy who needs to excel in his role and not screw up.

Rondo/Green c.2014 features Rondo as the star and Green as the efficient 2-way player that makes everything else work.

I'd say 1-3, we're closer than I might have thought off-handedly.

Up front, we're screwed-but Perk was the 5th Beatle, so to speak, and untested at the time.  And he was usually not the close-out player; Posey was.  We have Wallace/Turner for that now, possibly an upgrade.

That makes us one allstar, headline player away in the starting lineup, provided one of the other young bigs could become great defenders, or we keep Bass perhaps and get a superstar center or something.

That's still one move, perhaps.

At least in preseason.   

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I'm going with option B, no offense.

None tokin'.

[Moranis]

This is perhaps the biggest homer thread I've seen on this blog, and that in and of itself is impressive and worth the tommy point I gave.

[Fred Roberts]

I'm excited for the season to start too. A couple more days to hope this team can do unbelievable things before it all crashes down in a heap of reality. Rondo will be all world at PG. Smart and Bradley adding to a ridiculous guard rotation. Thornton crushing it from 3. Wallace with a resurgence in a savvy vet role. Green avgeraging 21 and 6, finally realizing his true gifts. Kelly and Sully finally turning the corner and catching the NBA off guard as bigs with 3 point ability who can pass and rebound with the best of them. Zeller, giving us the inside presence we sorely lack. Turner, a revelation!

It's fun to dream. Let's see how this really plays out. Can't believe the season starts Wednesday!!

[incoherent]

Ok, I'll bite

Player/Points/Rebounds/Assist

Perk /6.9/6.1/1.1             -  Olynyk 8.7/5.2/1.6
Garnett /18.8/9.2/3.4      -  Sullinger 13.3/8.1/1.6
Pierce /19.6/5.1/4.5        -  Green 16.9/4.6/1.7
Ray /17.4/3.7/3.1            -  Bradley 14.9/3.8/1.4
Rondo /10.6/4.2/5.1       -  Rondo 11.7/5.5/9.8

I used last years stats for our players. 

KG/Perk  is much better defensively and have far better synergy. Sullinger/KO combo is better offensively.  Note KG's 3+ assist a game, he was a great passer also.

Jeff Green comes up short against PP.  Pierce is a much better shooter/player maker.

2008 Ray Allen beats out 2014 Bradley IMO. Ray's a clutch weapon at the end of games and better playmaker then Bradley, better scorer overall. Bradley obviously a better defender.

Our Rondo is definitely better then 2008 Rondo, so that's a plus.

Overall the 2008 team synergy/chemistry was just off the charts. The players complemented each other so well. 

[vinnie]

Sees thread, reads it, walks away shaking head.....

[puskas54_10]

How can you compare Bradley to Ray Allen? Is this a joke?

[Eja117]

Sometimes I sorta do this in fantasy league.

So like maybe I'll grade them on a scale of one to ten with ten being what you need to win a ring

2008                                Today
pg Rondo....8.5           pg Rondo....9 (9.5 if healthy)
sg Ray...9.5                sg Smart....6.5 (maybe a 7.5 by end of year)
sf Pierce....10              sf  Jeff Green....-3.5
pf  KG.....10.5            pf   Sully......7.5
c  Perk.....7.5             C Ko.....6.9

coaches Doc.....8         Stevens...8.5

bench
Posey, House, Powe, Big Baby, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Scala.....7.8

Bradley, James Young, Gerald Wallace, Dwight Powell, Fav, Bass, E Turner, M Thornton, T Zeller.....5.5

[DarkAzcura]

I'd argue our backcourt (1 and 2) is better nowadays than back then, but you aren't winning 3, 4, 5. Pierce and Garnett are just on a completely different level. One of them was a top 5 player, and the other was top 10 a worst. Such an incredible duo. Prime Rondo, Bradley, Thornton, Turner, and Smart is better than second year Rondo, Allen, Allen, and House mainly because of defense and better ball handling. Unfortunately without a great front court defense, the great backcourt defense we have nowadays won't look as good as it potentially can, which almost mitigates its advantage. That's pretty much it.

Anyway, one to one comparisons like this are meh. Back in 2008, we only had 2-3 players shooting above 1.5 3PA a game in the playoffs. Looking at our roster, we may have 8 guys averaging at least 1.5 3s. The roster is built completely differently right now with more of a focus on depth and shooting. The '08 team was pretty bare past the starting lineup despite the revisionist history about said depth.

Sometimes I sorta do this in fantasy league.

So like maybe I'll grade them on a scale of one to ten with ten being what you need to win a ring

2008                                Today
pg Rondo....8.5           pg Rondo....9 (9.5 if healthy)
sg Ray...9.5                sg Smart....6.5 (maybe a 7.5 by end of year)
sf Pierce....10              sf  Jeff Green....-3.5
pf  KG.....10.5            pf   Sully......7.5
c  Perk.....7.5             C Ko.....6.9

coaches Doc.....8         Stevens...8.5

bench
Posey, House, Powe, Big Baby, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Scala.....7.8

Bradley, James Young, Gerald Wallace, Dwight Powell, Fav, Bass, E Turner, M Thornton, T Zeller.....5.5

Smart is on the bench. Anyway, I'd change that bench rating. 08's bench is overrated by a couple nice choice moments they had in the playoffs. We'd probably win 70 games if we had our present day's bench back in '08. Rondo was much worse back than also.

Pretty much agree with everything else.

[LarBrd33]

I think it'd be more fun to combine both rosters and figure out the lineup.

My guess is 2014 Rondo beats out 2008 Rondo...    My guess is nobody else from the 2014 roster makes the starting lineup.  Someone figure out the minutes breakdown

[Eja117]

The 08 bench could maintain a lead. They were as good as a lot of other benches. A lot of professionals and vets. A couple guys became starters on other teams.

This bench has a couple good players on it, but I have my doubts they can maintain leads or add to them.  They'll have some good nights, but they'll have a lot of bad ones too.