Post#33 » by threrf23 » Wed May 1, 2024 2:46 pm
In theory, we will miss his interior scoring more than anything else, as that is what we cannot easily replace. Although we weren't making use of it against the Heat.
Al wants a chip bad, and people forget how good he can be when he wants it so bad and his legs can muster energy. Still, I would rather conserve him for now.
Kornet played well the other night, but I would love to see Tillman starting, and logging meaningful minutes in KP's absence. He just gives us a physical presence that IMO fills a void for us in and of itself. He is also a disruptive help defender, and in theory, the closest thing we have to a true defensive anchor (short of an energized Al or maybe a dialed in KP). On offense, you hope he can hit an open three or two while getting open for easy buckets near the rim.
In any event, we can easily win without KP against the Cavs or Magic. Hopefully he is able to return for the ECF. But the toughest opponent we could face in the East (IMO) is the Bucks & both Giannis and Dame are hobbled. Then we eye the Nuggets, but Jamal Murray has a calf strain, which in theory could become an achilles issue, and his backup this year is Reggie Jackson, something of a liability.
No need to get down on our chances.