RastaBull wrote:the ultimates wrote:Let's say McDermott gets proper rotation minutes and plays solid like Snell. That becomes a huge indictment on Thibs for me. That would be four players in during his tenure ( Butler, Snell, Mirotic, Mcdermott) who barely got any minutes until prolonged injuries. Butler we know emerged when Deng got injured. Snell has looked fine after not having to look over his shoulder for the quick Thibs hook. Mirotic when given minutes has his natural position has been a match up nightmare for the opposition.
I see your perspective, and it's a very fair one. (I'm a Thibs supporter, but I have gotten very very frustrated many many times throughout this season)
But to play Devil's Advocate for a second, I think an equally fair perspective would be to consider Thibs successful by holding those young players back, making them earn their burn in practice, allowing nothing to come easy. When he's given them brief spots, and they've faltered, he's taken them off the court. BUT, we don't see what happens in practice...my guts tells me they're not carrying water bottles, but more than likely being run like crazy against All-Star level talent in the like of Rose, Noah, Deng, Gasol, Butler, etc.
And if McDermott comes out and balls in this stretch, I think it could just as well be reflective of Thibs preventing him from possibly destroying his confidence on the court, and waiting to build up a skill set behind the curtain until an opportune moment (like what I believed has happened in both circumstances of Butler and Snell).
As much as Thibs would get hounded if McDermott succeeded in this stretch...he would not be equally credited if McDermott fell flat.
You're right we don't see practice but Snell didn't see his minutes increase from practice though. I could see it if the situation where he had gradually been getting more minutes before the injuries hit.
