eminence wrote:I think they're all probably pretty comparable overall, SGA/Gallo/Adams/Schroder is pretty dang good 2-5 in whatever order you'd put them.
Kawhi - Small edge Clippers. Better bench for the Clippers and healthy PG is clearly a better #2, but he hasn't been all that healthy.
Harden - I might say CP3 actually has a bit better cast. I'm extemely low on Westbrook though. If you're higher on him it's probably a small edge Houston.
Jokic - call it even, better bench for the Nuggets, but 4th/5th guys better for the Thunder.
Doncic - similar case to the Mavs vs the Thunder of having a better bench (and KP is a better #2), but the 3-5 is probably better for the Thunder.
Gobert - my fellow Jazz fans won't like this one, but pretty similar to me, Donovan gets a ton of love as a young guy who can score, but as of today he's a great starter/very low end star. I'd probably overall give a small edge to the Jazz.
Those guys are good, but only Adams and Gallo were proven solid impact players before this season started.
SGA wasn't bad as a rookie but not really a large difference maker in the grand scheme of things (even though he played decently in the Playoffs for the Clippers) and Schroeder, while always having the skillset to carry a larger role for teams offensively, perennially struggled being an effective PG and an efficient scorer.
You insert CP3 in that dynamic, and suddenly this trio of guys are the best backcourt in the league and statistically the best 3-man unit in the NBA...
Also, when we talk about depth, let's not forget minutes played... The Thunder already have relatively poor depth compared to other Western Conference Playoff teams, but when you realize that:
Ferguson played 1170 minutes
Bazely played 909 minutes
Diallo played 700 minutes
These dudes are some of the worst offensive players in the league... and they're getting 6-9 level minutes on a Playoff squad.
As **** as Conley has been this year, has he been as bad as Ferguson? Both played the 6th most minutes for their team. Have Clarkson and Niang been worse than Bazely and Diallo?
I know for Dallas, the 6-10 range of most minutes played on our team are guys like Curry, Wright, Powell, Brunson... that's like not even remotely comparable to Ferguson, Noel, Bazely, Diallo (even though Noel has been awesome for the Thunder defensively). I'm sure it's the same with the Clippers and Nuggets... Not sure about Houston, though, there was a lot of turnover there.