When Ford comes back....

[jonny three time]

Should Delfino start instead of Moon?

I think Delfino has outplayed Moon for most of this year, and lately it seems like Moon is really getting exposed on the offensive end. The only real advantage Moon has over Delfino is shotblocking which isn't that big of a loss from the starting unit with Bosh being there, otherwise Delfino brings more to the court. You could argue that Moon is the better rebounder but they're pretty close.

So far Delfino coming off the bench has made sense, there was no real backup PG on the team and him and Dixon sharing the duties was a decent band-aid solution, but it won't be needed when Ford is back. Also I think having Moon coming off the bench will give TJ somebody to run with him which could lead to easy fast-break buckets.

I just think that Ford could make better use of Moons skills, while Calderon could make better use of Delfinos.

[omeloon]

Delfino makes sense with Calderon. TJ and Delfino are best at breaking defense down and then dishing it out. Makes sense not to have them playing together.

[EnigmaticProblem]

I've always endorsed the proceeding starting 5. Always. . .

PG: Ford or Calderon (doesn't matter)
SG: Parker
SF: Delfino
PF: Bosh
C: Bargnani

If there were an adequate search engine for the forums, I'd be able to trace my posts disapproving of Moon, back to when everyone began becoming Moon's best fan. I'll always congratulate him for making it, but, I've never wanted him on this team. . .

[peteyjones13]

I go with this starting 5:
Pg: Calderon
SG:Kapono
SF: AP
PF: Bosh
C: Bargs

A lot of you will criticize me for putting Kapono in here, you'll say lack of defence blah blah blah. But JK is a phenomenal shooter that with Calderon pentrating, and Bosh drawing double teams, Kapono will get open shoots, and with significant minutes he will become a great offensive weapon. I mean he knocked down 29 of 30 threes in practise for god sakes. And Delfino, Delfino can create and thus should be played with the 2nd unit so he can help them create.

[omeloon]

Kapono plays his best with Ford and Delfino for a reason. They are much better at penetrating and kicking than Calderon. Calderon pretty much just swings it on the perimeter if he's not passing to Bosh.

[EnigmaticProblem]

I go with this starting 5:
Pg: Calderon
SG:Kapono
SF: AP
PF: Bosh
C: Bargs

A lot of you will criticize me for putting Kapono in here, you'll say lack of defence blah blah blah. But JK is a phenomenal shooter that with Calderon pentrating, and Bosh drawing double teams, Kapono will get open shoots, and with significant minutes he will become a great offensive weapon. I mean he knocked down 29 of 30 threes in practise for god sakes. And Delfino, Delfino can create and thus should be played with the 2nd unit so he can help them create.

Parker doesn't have the tools to play SF, most nights. On top of that, what we lose in Bargnani is only amplified when Kapono is on at the same time. The idea is there; it has a few holes though.

[omeloon]

Our roster is sort of hard to match...

1. Calderon and Bosh seem like perfect fit.
2. Kapono, Bargnani, and Rasho benefit from TJ getting them easier looks than Calderon
3. Humphries is our best rebounder, but he plays same position as best player. WOuld hurt team to play Bosh at center.
4. Rasho probably should start, but we're our best when Bargnani shooting lights out... and he's our future, so probably should get minutes next to Bosh so they can develop chemistry.
5. Bargs looks nicer next to rebounders and big men like Rasho and Humphries than he does next to Bosh.

[jonny three time]

Reading my OP again I didn't really explain properly why I think it will work out well. Two reasons.......

1) Our starting unit will be better. When the better teams in the league beat us its never because their bench outplays ours, its always because their starters do. This would give us more offense in the starting unit with a more or less equal amount of defense.

2) TJ Ford. I don't think Ford and Delfino will work well together. Both will inevitably think the other guy handles the ball too much and they won't likely find much chemistry together.

Lets face it whether your a Ford guy or not you have to admit he's a dominant force in handling the ball and controls the game a fair amount when on the floor. Some fans are OK with it and some fans hate it. But we've only really seen him do this while playing with starting caliber players and against starting caliber players. So when its not going well his ball-dominant style and shot selection always come into question. But here's the thing......

Maybe if he's coming off the bench its a good thing for him to play like this, why not let him play a little more Iverson style and do whatever he wants while being surrounded by players who don't want to do too much? The main 3 guys he'd be playing with would be a pure shooter (Kapono), an athletic wing to run the floor, make cuts in halfcourt sets and clean up the offensive glass (Moon) and the reliable center who he already has chemistry with (Rasho). None of whom really want to create for themselves and rely on others to create for them, you just rotate whoever else you want to play with them. Its your typical supporting cast for a ball-dominant superstar lineup.

With that kind of lineup TJ can have as much freedom on the floor as he wants, and the best part is that he'll be playing against bench quality players of the opposition. If anything giving him that much freedom will make the transition to coming off the bench that much easier.

[Shak23]

Calderon should be paired with Delfino and Ford should be paired with Kapono.

[teamLeiweke]

I think the future will be (trades pending)

Calderon
Delfino
Moon
Bosh
Bargnani

(why? you need good defenders on the perimeter, slashers, and rebounding guards because out bigs play away from the rim often)

2nd unit

TJ
Kapono
Parker (older now)
?
Humphries

(Why? two high % shooters in the corner for TJs kick out after pulling in the defence, TJ gets to shoot at will, doesnt need to get starters involved, can be the star and #1 option, and Hump for that toughness and rebounding inside)

[joeyt618]

With Moon not starting, I somehow don't see him playing significant minutes coming off the bench. I don't really see him as a sparkplug kinda guy, so the only time he'll come off the bench is when our defence is struggling big time and we're being outscored.

I think Sam is trying his best to utilize the depth that we have and strives to create balanced lineups, as well as masking any deficiencies of his players. Hence, Barg with Moon, Kapono with Rasho/Hump, etc.

What Sam is trying to do here is basically sharing the wealth so that there's little drop-off between the starting unit and the second unit lineup. You can somewhat use the first two lines of a hockey team as an analogy. You don't necessarily put your best three players on the first line. Rather, a lot of times you see two good players paired up with an enforcer.

[Stealth68]

I've always endorsed the proceeding starting 5. Always. . .

PG: Ford or Calderon (doesn't matter)
SG: Parker
SF: Delfino
PF: Bosh
C: Bargnani

If there were an adequate search engine for the forums, I'd be able to trace my posts disapproving of Moon, back to when everyone began becoming Moon's best fan. I'll always congratulate him for making it, but, I've never wanted him on this team. . .

All things considered Moon is a rookie and will have great games and bad ones... What I can't stand is he's not playing offense to his strengths... Drive the ball and finish with a force dunk... The jumpshot should only be in emergency...

He can play great defense but I hate when he plays to set his man up for the block... He kinds of lets his man get to spots on the floor then leaps for the block... I don't think he's taken a charge all year...

[Rapsalot]

Best would be

Start

JC
AP
CD
Bosh
AB some with Hump and Rasho getting 30+ minutes split at C

All five can score and if CD drives the rim we would be good.

Second

Ford
Kap
Moon
Bargs Whenever Bosh is on the bench Bargs should play PF
Rosho or Hump

Ford can get more looks for Rasho and Hump and will play with Bargs and Bosh some at PF. Moon will be the last option and Kap can get some 3s with more of a penatrating PG.

PT breakdown

PG Jose 28 Ford 20
SG AP 26 JK 22
SF CD 29 Moon 21
PF CB 35 AB 15
C AB 15 {Rasho + Hump 33 split based on play and match up}

[omeloon]

Calderon should be paired with Delfino and Ford should be paired with Kapono.

Agreed. Seems to make too much sense. That way both units have a guy who can break the defense down and kick it. Both Ford and Delfino like to control the ball.

[magani]

I think this is the issue with 'balancing' our two units. Come playoff time you need to ride your starters because other teams will do the same. 'Balance' goes out the window and you have to play your best almost the entire game. It's nice to balance now and all, but we need to find the best 5 man unit that will consistently be out there during the playoffs in order to gain chemistry together. Your bench will be used only to give breathers to our starters and specific match-ups we want to expose on O and need to stop on D.

With that said we need THIS 5 man unit to build the most chemistry together:

JC
AP
CD
CB4
Bargs


They are the kost balanced offensive and defensive team that could play togerher against the other teams best 5, but also to close out games.

TJ could give Jose a breather and change of pace. Moon and Hump to give us some energy and rebounding off the bench. Rasho to plug in against a tough C down low and give Bosh/Bargs a breather. Kapono comes in to give us some quick points or if we're really behind. Forget about balance. We need a stud 5 group to build chemistry and right now I don't see it. Bosh and Bargs rarely play well together at the same time. CD needs AP on the court at the same time also and not replace him.

[daswunderboy]

No, Jose wouldn't not make the team "balanced". He makes us a pure jump shooting team that plays 4 on 5 defensively.

With Ford starting, we still get our jumpshots, but we also get to the line and get more inside shots. And we play 5 on 5 the other end of the court (sometimes people forget that there is another half of the game).

[magani]

No, Jose wouldn't not make the team "balanced". He makes us a pure jump shooting team that plays 4 on 5 defensively.

With Ford starting, we still get our jumpshots, but we also get to the line and get more inside shots. And we play 5 on 5 the other end of the court (sometimes people forget that there is another half of the game).

With the line-up I proposed above, that's why you need Bosh and Delfino and to alesser extent Bargs and AP not to settle for the jumpshot. Jose needs to probe with the pick and roll like he did against Boston and that left a lot of space for the shooters to shoot or put it on the floor. We simply 'settle' for the jumpshot too much. That should be our focus in making our team more balanced is to drive a little bit more and open up the shot for the other remaining shooters. With Jose, AP, Delfino, Bargs, and Bosh out together you could have one or two of these guys drive and still have 3 shooters in position to let it go. we just don't do that enough and then that leads to poor rebounding position and also fast breaks with the long clanks when our shots aren't falling.

[dTox]

ford is our starter for the future

[orangutooth]

Calderon should be paired with Delfino and Ford should be paired with Kapono.

this i agree with. also, as a defensive thing, you don't want to have calderon and kapono together because then you have two guys who're going to get broken down off the dribble like 100% of the time.

i think ford on the bench will be a lot better look for the bench. ford can get kapono shots and he plays great with rasho.

[Grizzled]

ford is our starter for the future

Some people are really having trouble coming to grips with the fact that Ford will likely never be a full time starter again. I don