Ball Boy wrote:b-ball forever wrote:Gasol >> Mo Williams, Bynum = Big Z, Odom >>>> Delonte West. The other guys are pretty much equal. Kobe's supporting cast is easily better.
Why are you comparing Odom to West? Why not compare Odom to Varejao? Their numbers are very similar, and although I give the advantage to Odom, its not by a big margin. And Bynum will miss half the season... So take that, and factor in like you said, "everyone else is pretty much equal", then how do you come to the conclusion that Kobe's cast is "easily" better? Especially factoring in the Cavs play the best defense in the league...
I'm comparing Odom to West cuz Delonte is a slightly better basketball player then Varejao is, altho both are nothing more then mediocre players. Like Varejao, West is far from being anything special either, but at least he can handle the rock while being a good spot up shooter on top of being a solid perimeter defender, so even he's a bit more skilled then Varejao.
You're blatantly kidding yourself if u actually believe that Varejao is ANYWHERE NEAR as good a basketball player as Odom.
Varejao is only a good rebounder, and solid post defender that can only score garbage points off of putbacks and his man leaving him to double up on LBJ.... Odom is just as good as Varejao at rebouding/defense (except he has the advantage of being a more versatile defender), all the while being lightyears ahead of Varejao on offense, both at scoring and as a playmaker.
Odom is an extremelly gifted ballhandler for a guy his size, Varejao can't handle the rock for squat. Odom can create for teammates, Varejao can't. Odom has good court vision, Varejao doesn't. Odom is very good slasher, Varejao isn't. Odom is a dangerous threat going up the the court in transistion, Varejao isn't. Odom can take his man off the dribble, Varejao can't. Odom is a very usefull post-up option on iso plays down low when he gets the mismatch, Varejao isn't. Odom is longer then Varejao. Odom is very quick/agile for his size, Varejao is slow and unathletic.
The only thing Varejao can do that Odom can't is be good at flopping.
Odom was a 17/10/4 guy when used as a primary option on the Heat, and is a career 15/9/4.3/1/1 guy. The only reason he hasn't been scoring or setting up teammates as much as usual this year is cuz he hasn't been relied upon to do so for most the season.
Put Odom on a lower caliber team that uses him properly and he easily goes back to the old 16/9/4, put Varejao on a lower caliber team and production doesn't budge (except his offensive efficiency goes WAY down). Same thing with West, I mean Delonte was nothing more then a 7/3 guy on the frickin Sonics prior to joining the Cavs.
Seriously, it's laughable the way so many Laker fans blatantly undervalue Odom like he's some sorta scrub, hopefully he'll sign with a new team so his team's fanbase can appreciate his talent instead of bashing him to make their superhero look better.
The Lakers cast is easily better cuz Gasol is much better then Mo Will (Gasol was able lead the Griz to playoffs with a bad suporting cast 3 times while putting up 19/9/3/1.8, Mo Williams was a 17/6.4/3.5/1.2 guy on Bucks team that didn't go anywhere), Bynum is as good (or prolly better nowdays) as Ilgauskas, and Odom is a hell lot better then any other guy on the Cavs' roster.
No GM in their right mind would ever take the LBJ' cast over Kobe's.
The only argument that can be made for Kobe's cast is if ya take Bynum out, but it's not like LBJ's cast has been healthy either. Big Z has been battered up most the year and clearly isn't at 100% phsically, same goes for Delonte West. Ben Wallace and Wally are out, and Pavlovic has had injuries too... Meantime Bynum played most the season so far, and will prolly be back in time for the playoffs anyways.
By the time the playoffs role around.. Bynum will miss about 48% of the season.
