multo wrote:My question is are we better than the 2022 championship team? The core is older, we had Porter, Iggy and Bjelica as role/bench players, but now, JK and Moody are better, and we have Podz, CP3 and TJD this time. Although this year the West is so much tougher than 2022, and this current Celtics team as well (Not to mention a healthy Denver team).
I think they're a bit worse, mostly just from everyone being 2 years older, but also adding Chris Paul as a key rotation player, who is even older and has an injury/availability history in the playoffs. Kuminga and Moody are better, but will Kerr play them? And if he does, will they produce? They're not really playoff-tested yet. TJD and Podz have been awesome as rookies, but again, uncertain whether Kerr would play them as they have no playoff experience at all.
On top of that, which Wiggins and which Klay and which Looney will show up? Probably the most important factors and although all have played well lately, I'm not completely confident they can be counted on every night. Then there's the Saric X-factor. He's kind of the forgotten man, can be a game-changer at times but also a big defensive liability in others.
EDIT: I think Kerr has to some degree realized in the last couple of months that Steph, Draymond, and Klay cannot play 35 minutes every night anymore, and he needs all 4 young guys to play some to have a shot at winning. But if he's cornered, I think he still might forget that and revert to his "ride or die with the vets" mentality, which I think can carry them on some nights, but not for multiple 7-game series.
