small ball? wave of the future???

[EArl]

You win with the best players available. Curry is the best player they have so they build around him. If we can get a big man and he's out best player, than we build around him.

[dipstick]

This is only half true. The Cavs did slow down the game plenty as we saw LeBron iso in the post a lot this series which we can verify when looking at time of possession and the pace of the game. A team doesn't need a big to slow down the game.

I agree with you that they were able to slow down the game with Lebron. However, the lack of a dominant big man allowed the Warriors to go small where the Cavs were put at a disadvantage defensively. They basically had 5 guys who can score from inside and out. If you have a Center who can create your own shots and take advantage of smaller defenders, then you force your opponents to adjust to your strength and not the other way around.

lolwut

A dominant big man is good in any era because he's a DOMINANT big man. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. Shaq would have his way against GSW just as he did against Rik Smits.

I don't see a dominant big man in the draft.

GSW just speed blitzed the Cavs. Someone like Mosgov was too slow in rotations and likes to stay in the paint, and GSW took advantage of that. Don't you think it's ironic that you're talking about a big man, or actually a "dominant" big man, yet the Warriors just won without one such dominant big man and had played the Grizz with Marc Gasol and the Rockets with Dwight. The Cavs would've benefited with a big who can defend a lot of ground instead of a strict paint protector like Mosgov. They don't need a post up big because LeBron can do that.

My premise is that a dominant big man is not obsolete. Im not even necessarily talking about the draft anymore. With that statement im not saying its necessary or that big man ball is better than small ball but that it can be competitive. And that it is not necessary for other teams to play small ball to play against the warriors.

This was proven since the Grizz gave the Warriors their biggest challenge. Big ball can still compete with the Warriors style of play. Im not saying that the Warriors needed a dominant big either. My point was, if they had a dominant big guy who could create his own shots, the warriors would be forced to play Bogut to defend the big man.

I don't want to talk about a paint protector because I agree that its also an important asset but not pertinent to the small ball big ball argument because the rim protector can survive in any system.

And the Cavs would have benefited from just having more talent.

[john248]

My premise is that a dominant big man is not obsolete. Im not even necessarily talking about the draft anymore. With that statement im not saying its necessary or that big man ball is better than small ball but that it can be competitive. And that it is not necessary for other teams to play small ball to play against the warriors.

This was proven since the Grizz gave the Warriors their biggest challenge. Big ball can still compete with the Warriors style of play. Im not saying that the Warriors needed a dominant big either. My point was, if they had a dominant big guy who could create his own shots, the warriors would be forced to play Bogut to defend the big man.

I don't want to talk about a paint protector because I agree that its also an important asset but not pertinent to the small ball big ball argument because the rim protector can survive in any system.

And the Cavs would have benefited from just having more talent.

A dominant player is a dominant player. It really doesn't matter the position since that player is...dominant. This is just semantics.

I'm not really saying you're wrong either. The Kings haven't really figured out what to do with DMC. The Grizz haven't been able to shore up the perimeter around Marc Gasol and Z-bo. But we have seen Duncan do it just last year (and many years prior) which is really the only point that needs to be brought up. The Spurs had a good center in Duncan and could play small around him.

[mcscotty]

Judging by the amount of money being tossed around for bigs, it's quite safe to say their place in the game is secure.