What's Your Best Small Ball Lineup?

[JMac1]

I think it is a pretty tough question. How much defense versus offense do you want? Should PJ or Leuer be at the four or Warren? Do you have Telly or Leuer at the five? Booker at the 2 or 3? The obvious players are Bledsoe, Knight, Booker, Warren, PJ, Telly (recent version), and Leuer. With Knight shooting lights out lately and you want Booker in, you might have to slide him down to the 3 like last night. I like last night's version of Bledsoe, Kinght, Booker, Leuer, and Telly, but if there is no big on the opposing team I'd go

1st:
Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
Warren
Leuer

2nd

Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
PJ
Leuer

[Wannabe MEP]

I like your 2nd unit there. I think my 1st choice would be:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Telly

• Bled + BK is kinda obvious...although Price could definitely play meaningful small-ball minutes.
• Love Booker at the 3.
• I view Tucker in the Draymond realm: versatile defender who's grit enables small-ball to work on D. He's a no-brainer for me.
• Having Booker + Telly on the court together is hella intriguing. A couple quick-release gunners -- especially in a 5-out crew -- bends defenses all out of whack. Suns best 3-man combo, min 10 minutes, is Bled+Booker+Telly at +91.3 NetRtg (only 13 minutes...but still hard to ignore).

I also definitely like units with Leuer at the five, and "medium-ball" units: e.g., Chandler at the 5 w/ Tucker at the 4. I think this one could kill it:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Chandler

[TASTIC]

I like this one from the other night - patchy as Price's outside shooting may be - this team played AWESOME.

Bledsoe
Price
Knight
Leuer
Teletovic

No shot-blocking obviously but they worked really well with Tele at the 4/5 and Price pressuring the PG full court.

Wouldn't mind seeing this one either:

Bledsoe
Price
Knight
Tucker
Kieff

[Saberestar]

Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
Warren
MotherTucker

[JMac1]

I like your 2nd unit there. I think my 1st choice would be:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Telly

• Bled + BK is kinda obvious...although Price could definitely play meaningful small-ball minutes.
• Love Booker at the 3.
• I view Tucker in the Draymond realm: versatile defender who's grit enables small-ball to work on D. He's a no-brainer for me.
• Having Booker + Telly on the court together is hella intriguing. A couple quick-release gunners -- especially in a 5-out crew -- bends defenses all out of whack. Suns best 3-man combo, min 10 minutes, is Bled+Booker+Telly at +91.3 NetRtg (only 13 minutes...but still hard to ignore).

I also definitely like units with Leuer at the five, and "medium-ball" units: e.g., Chandler at the 5 w/ Tucker at the 4. I think this one could kill it:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Chandler

I was struggling between Telly and Leuer. I think Telly might be better and the PJ/Draymond Green comparison is a good point.

I like your 1st unit. Loved to see that versus GS.

Bled/Curry
Thompson/Knight
Booker/Iggy
PJ/Barnes
Green/Telly

[Qwigglez]

Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
Warren
Chandler

I like that lineup to run 4 out 1 in.

[Gorilla Warfare]

lol small ball.

Spoiler:

This will be my only contribution to this thread.

[Wannabe MEP]

lol small ball.

Don't think it works? Or just not a fan?

What do you think of the Dubs' Curry-Klay-Barnes-Iggy-Draymond lineup?

[Cutter]

With the players we have, I think one of Chandler or Len needs to play defense at the C while everyone else plays on the perimeter. Against good teams, a defense anchored around Kieff or Mirza at the C seems to allow the opposition to score at a greater rate than Suns.

Now maybe small ball with Leuer at C might have some merit.

[bwgood77]

With the players we have, I think one of Chandler or Len needs to play defense at the C while everyone else plays on the perimeter. Against good teams, a defense anchored around Kieff or Mirza at the C seems to allow the opposition to score at a greater rate than Suns.

Now maybe small ball with Leuer at C might have some merit.

You mean with nobody in the middle? Because Leuer would definitely get pushed around more than Kieff if they are in the middle. I think it mostly depends on who the other team is playing at center. I mean if GS plays with Draymond at center, we would probably be ok. I think something had to be wrong with Len last night.

[Cutter]

I suppose if we played Chandler or Len during SB, then technically we aren't plying small ball. We would be playing a 4 out 1 in system.

[Cutter]

I suppose if we played Chandler or Len during SB, then technically we aren't playing small ball. We would be playing a 4 out 1 in system.

[bwgood77]

I suppose if we played Chandler or Len during SB, then technically we aren't playing small ball. We would be playing a 4 out 1 in system.

Well technically that usually qualifies for small ball....getting away from two bigs in the middle. Teams like OKC would go small a couple of years ago with Serge at C and KD at the 4, and the Cavs with Thompson at C last year with LeBron at the 4...

but it has evolved further....when guys like Cousins, AD?, Serge, Horford, etc can all now hit the 3, teams can go 5 out, and it really kind of renders a guy like Tyson almost useless.

[Wannabe MEP]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14209124/is-small-ball-dominance-golden-state-blip-trend

How the small-ball virus has infected the NBA - Zach Lowe

...Golden State's success has teams wondering just how small they can go. If Green can play center for extended minutes, who else could handle it? The question becomes especially pressing for teams that have to match up with Golden State in the playoffs. Perhaps the Spurs would have to cut Tim Duncan's minutes, and give LaMarcus Aldridge and Boris Diaw more time as the lone big man. Maybe the Clippers would have to sacrifice DeAndre Jordan and slide Blake Griffin to center. Why can't Kevin Durant log time there? Or LeBron? Or Paul George?

"That's not something we're going to do," Vogel said of using George at center. "But whether or not it's insane, I actually don't know."

It sounds insane. But the game is evolving so fast, it's time to contemplate those kinds of questions. We're not even five years removed from haggling over whether Millsap was a small forward or power forward. Now, it's almost obvious he should see at least some spot minutes at center. "Paul is a little bit like Draymond," Budenholzer said.

[Wannabe MEP]

I suppose if we played Chandler or Len during SB, then technically we aren't playing small ball. We would be playing a 4 out 1 in system.

Well technically that usually qualifies for small ball....getting away from two bigs in the middle. Teams like OKC would go small a couple of years ago with Serge at C and KD at the 4, and the Cavs with Thompson at C last year with LeBron at the 4...

Yeah...there's some gray area here. It makes more sense to think of it on a scale, and then we have to decide where to draw the line. Several factors:

• Size
• Shooting
• Skill set
• Mobility

Scale from one to 10, 10 being big/traditional, 1 being small. Quick, poorly researched example mapping:

10 -- Gasol/Bynum
9 -- Randolph/MGasol
8 -- Odom/Bynum
7 -- Rashard/Dwight
6 -- Odom/Gasol
5 -- JSmith/Horford
4 -- Lou/Frye
3 -- Marion/Stat
2 -- LeBron/Bosh
1 -- Iggy/Draymond

This only factors in frontcourts...which is the most important piece. But obviously, we all know about dual PGs, SG at the SF, etc.

Lots of potential nuances in where you draw the line to define this. Is small-ball 1-3 on that list? 1-5? Do we start talking about medium-ball? [I do.]

[DRK]

How small are we talking?

If we are to go super small, I'ld love to see a lineup of

Bled
Knight
Booker
PJ
Leuer

We play a 2-3 zone and just run and run and run. Recreate the 2010 Subs and have Bled/Knight Attacking the rim and kicking out to PJ, Booker and Leuer for threes. Leuer is like Lou with an outside shot.

Otherwise

[bwgood77]

I think it is a pretty tough question. How much defense versus offense do you want? Should PJ or Leuer be at the four or Warren? Do you have Telly or Leuer at the five? Booker at the 2 or 3? The obvious players are Bledsoe, Knight, Booker, Warren, PJ, Telly (recent version), and Leuer. With Knight shooting lights out lately and you want Booker in, you might have to slide him down to the 3 like last night. I like last night's version of Bledsoe, Kinght, Booker, Leuer, and Telly, but if there is no big on the opposing team I'd go

1st:
Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
Warren
Leuer

2nd

Bledsoe
Knight
Booker
PJ
Leuer

Just a few weeks ago, you had a completely different tone. I know we've had some tough losses, but this was a good thread for discussion. You keep mentioning how happy I am with the team, and I would say that is inaccurate. I am far from "happy" but I also understand we are in a difficult position. I'd like to see more Booker too, but I can understand why he didn't play last night since we had a lead and have blown enough of them, some of the perhaps because of bad rotations at the wrong times, or benching the unit that got you way up, to bring in a unit only to blow it.

[bwgood77]

I like your 2nd unit there. I think my 1st choice would be:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Telly

• Bled + BK is kinda obvious...although Price could definitely play meaningful small-ball minutes.
• Love Booker at the 3.
• I view Tucker in the Draymond realm: versatile defender who's grit enables small-ball to work on D. He's a no-brainer for me.
• Having Booker + Telly on the court together is hella intriguing. A couple quick-release gunners -- especially in a 5-out crew -- bends defenses all out of whack. Suns best 3-man combo, min 10 minutes, is Bled+Booker+Telly at +91.3 NetRtg (only 13 minutes...but still hard to ignore).

I also definitely like units with Leuer at the five, and "medium-ball" units: e.g., Chandler at the 5 w/ Tucker at the 4. I think this one could kill it:

Bled
BK
Booker
Tucker
Chandler

So with an injured Bledsoe and no Telly, I'm guessing you liked our somewhat small ball lineup last night?