AirP. wrote:Daffy wrote:At some point y'all have to stop being surprised that Jimmy isn't going to consistently bring it every game on offense or even defense. That's not who he is. The same way a lot of people blame the Josh Hart injury instead of acknowledging he just got gassed. Not every player is the same. Just be glad when we get to the playoffs he has those elite games that's gives us a chance in any series. Especially at this age we shouldn't be counting on Jimmy every night to carry us. Do you guys rather him go all out now or have something left in the tank for the playoffs? Don't forget he came from playing heavy minutes with Thibbs throughout his career and he plays a very physical style of ball with us as well.
Thibs? WTF? This was a talking point/narrative created from the Chicago FO trying to smear Thibodeau to get the owner to fire him (the FO even tried to trade him to Memphis at one point and EVERYONE in Chicago knew Fred Hoiberg was the next Bull's coach over a year before they got rid of Thibodeau). When they got Thibodeau out of Chicago the FOs handpicked coach of Fred Hoiberg played Butler 37 minutes a night 2 straight years and not a peep was made about that. Anyone remember this talking point about Popovic when he played Tim Duncan just under 41 minutes a night all 82 games in his prime?
On Butler, he just plays a style of game that is more prone to injuries then most of the NBA plays, either you roll the dice and have him go mostly all out all the time with a much higher chance of injuries or you get terrible nights like tonight where on the 2nd night of a back to back he put up 20-7-7 on 15 shots which doesn't seem all that bad. Defense seemed to be the issue last night.
I don't know what people expect when Bam is out and there isn't a defensive big on the roster to replace some of what he brings on the defensive end. Butler, Herro, Robinson, Jaquez Jr, Martin all have better replacements on the roster then Miami has at the backup center position, Miami getting production out of Dedmon made them think backup center could be a rotation spot they go cheap with and have... and boy does it bite Miami in the *** when you replace Bam with an offensive only center or worse yet, a PF or SF playing center. I just don't understand the roster construction decisions that this franchise sometimes makes.
I think most of us know what to expect from Butler, he isn't going to go all out for 82 games in a long season, he would be broken come playoff time. Also understand he will pick and choose those games he will come in running on all cylinders, unfortunately we have injuries to key guys like Herro and Bam. He isn't going to go ramp up on games their missing either because well that will get him hurt just the same, so he is playing his cards regardless whether Bam/Herro are playing or not. Once those guys come back, he will still play his cards just the same, its a rhythm thing, were if his body hurts that week, he won't go hard, if it doesn't then he will regardless of what team mates are available game to game.
Our front office is aware and look to be ok with it, they know he can elevate his game come playoffs, but he is 34 going on to 35. He is already at the age where he should be a vet playing limited minutes. Right now you have, JJJ, Caleb, Herro, Bam, Duncan all a bunch of young dudes who can ball, and should be able to pick up the slack or hold the fort until the playoffs come around. JJJ has been balling, Herro was balling before he got hurt, Bam elevated his game once again and was killing it, Duncan has regained his form and even playing a way better all around game, Hell Highsmith before getting hurt was playing his best minutes as our starting PF. We have pieces unfortunately when two major keys like Herro and Bam are injured, and our second best defender in Highsmith is hurt, your going to struggle a bit. Specially when you have zero point of attack defense with an old vet starter and no backup point guard on the team. There are only so many holes our coaching staff can plug, using third stringers and out of position wings.
Here is the other thing people don't realize, starting level caliber centers are a dime a dozen in the NBA. Back up centers are terrible on every team. What makes it look so bad for us on this team, is that Bam is our best defender both on the block/paint and on the perimeter. Additionally he also scores a very efficient 25ppg while getting the team into sets, running the fast break, and taken the other teams best scorer at all times, while switching on everything. Thus anybody you bring in that is a back up level player will look abysmal in comparison. Miami continues to play the same way when those backup guys come in, and they will not perform 1/20 of the level that Bam can at any one thing.