LL Cool Scott wrote:Conley - That Pistons team was one of those exceptions to the rule, don't you think? They did it, and we apparently have a coach and GM who are trying to replicate everything that franchise did, but I don't think lightning is going to strike twice. I hope it does, but my instincts tell me its unlikely we can duplicate their success.
They were the exception to the rule without a doubt, but the rule is less about the height in your starting lineup and more about (as has been written a few times between your post and mine) having one player who is head and shoulders above almost everyone you are going to play.
As of right now there are 2 players who are in their "prime" who have shown they can lead a team to a title - Wade and Duncan. There's one who has come pretty close Dirk (although that was a really balanced team) and there's one who looks like he might be on the path right now - KG. Throw in a few guys who have the talent to win one in hypotheticals - Bron, Howard, Kobe, Nash(?). We don't have any of those types of players, we won't get one unless we luck out in the lottery so we have to bank on a team built around Smith and Johnson.
Rip, it wasn't Sheed' that was intimidating players around the rim, it was Ben Wallace. Smith isn't the player on D that Wallace was but he can block shots like Big Ben. Horford has to be able to play post D and rebound, Horford has the build of a post specialist but he still has work to do in terms of fundamentals and getting used to the speed of the game. Regardless though, my thought is that you play with the most talented players you can if they can fill a role. As of right now we know that Josh Smith is our PF and Joe Johnson is our SG and no one else has REALLY earned a spot long term but if Horford show us this season that he can hold it down at C and fill the roles he needs to fill than I don't see his height as being a problem as there have been many great centers around his size (I think Al is the same height as Moses and a lot thicker... nowhere near as aggressive but tontoz talks about how he could attack the rim facing up if he wanted to...). So like I said, if Al decided to take players off the dribble he could be a great weapon at center, as of right now he doesn't try and post up smaller players that often and he doesn't try and drive by larger players that often so we don't know what his offensive game should be like.
You can win in half-court ball if you can get the ball to the basket in a variety of ways (like the Pistons) regardless of size. Sheed could play post but he wasn't an automatic back to the basket, must-double type even in Portland.
I'm not saying we have the talent right now to win a championship but I'm saying that there is no rule saying that a team whose tallest starter is 6'10 can't win a title cuz the 83' sixers did it with Moses (I understand that Moses was a superstar, that's almost the point... height isn't the issue, ability is).
