KqWIN wrote:Luigi wrote:KqWIN wrote:Both Ingles/Bojan will close. Who is the four is just a semantics argument that doesn't matter. Ingles is better on the perimeter, Bojan has more strength to fight in the post.
There really isn't a big PF on a good team that the Jazz should worry about defending. Alrdrige and Zinger will likely close at C. Millsap is probably the toughest matchup. But if Bogey can "guard" LeBron, don't see it as a huge issue to guard Millsap.
I think it it more than semantic. As it stands, the question is who is more rugged and capable of guarding the bigger player? But we can make it a more specific question. He's the list of 4s and 5s we'll be facing this year from good team (4s bolded):
Lakers -
James, Davis, Kuzma
Nuggets -
Millsap, Jokic
Blazers -
Collins, Nurkic, Whiteside
Rockets -
Tucker, Capela
Warriors -
Green, Looney, Cauley-Stein
Thunder -
Grant, Adams (Noel?)
Spurs -
Aldridge, Poeltl, Gay
Pelicans -
Zion, Favors
Kings -
Bagley, Dedmon, Bjelica
Sixers -
Horford, Embiid, Harris (Simmons)
Bucks -
Giannis, Lopez
Pacers -
Sabonis, Turner
Raptors -
Siakam, Gasol, Ibaka
Celtics -
Morris?, Kanter
Knicks -
Entire roster.
That's a lot of big bodies getting a lot of minutes at the 4. The question is about how are we going to square up on defense with our personnel. Who's going to guard that 4, and for how long, and it that a good idea?
If Bojan/Ingles are on the floor it doesn't matter what the label is.
[b]We know that Bojan is guarding the bigger guy. Some are saying that Bojab can't play the 4 and Ingles will play the 4 instead...yeah it doesn't really matter what you call them.[/b]
I don't think that's agreed upon. In fact, that's exactly what I think people are saying when they say Ingles will play the minutes at 4. They're not arguing about labels. They are disagreeing about who is better suited to guard bigger players. I think that may be Ingles, depending on the match up.
I meant to say the west in my comment. Guys like Green, Tucker, Grant, Collins etc. I have zero concern about being small and guarding them. Hell, most of these guys were once considered undersized and might end up playing at the 5 anyways.
I would feel ok if Conley was guarding them. Size just isn't a very big advantage on offense unless you are a skilled scorer. If these teams suddenly want to switch up their offense to try to beat us with a power game....be my guest. I dare them too. There's a reason why nobody in the league does this.
Also, anyone without a shooting 5 I'm not too worried about either because it means Rudy will be there. Millsap and Bron are the two that I mentioned...but like I said, if you can guard LeBron, you can probably do better at guarding Millsap.
I think there is cause for concern. I mean, why don't NBA coaches just put Conley on 4s to begin with?
First, there is a big size, strength, grit difference. I take that to be obvious, but it feels like people are trying to ignore it. Draymond Green is very strong. Tucker is probably the easiest for us, but he's certainly more rugged than our guy. Collins is listed at 7 foot, 235. He's also athletic, and has played center most of his career. Millsap is a lot stronger than our guys, and a beast on the boards. Aldridge is obviously a big problem. Zion will have great nights against us, like he did against smaller guys in college. Bagley is listed at 6'11, 234. It is also possible that the Lakers sign Cousins if they miss on Leonard, meaning Davis at 4 more often, who is 6'10, 253. Not to mention the east. For reference, Joe Ingles is 6'8 226, Bojan Bogdanovic is 6'8, 216. Neither has played any real time at 4 in their career.
So who is better guarding guys that size? You think it's Bojan. Others think it's Joe. I think neither can do it very well (thank goodness we have Jeff Green). I believe this because to go small, you usually use a player like Tucker or Green, who is very tough despite being smaller, and so can guard bigger players. The reason small ball lineps are more efficient isn't because bigger players are simply worse. It is because proper small ball lineups don't give up anything on defense, thanks to having undersized bulldogs at the 4, who then take advantage of their size mismatch on offense. Then they make you pay on the other end by drawing your guy out. So if the plan is to go small without a bulldog (Joe and Bojan aren't), and simply to accept the mismatch in our defense, then we have a shootout on our hands (not a very strong strategy in the playoffs). So I think we disagree about whether we can go small and not take a hit on defense for it (again, not a debate about semantics or labels).
Anyway, I'm curious, why you take Bojan defending those guys more than Joe? Joe is listed with the weight advantage. I don't have combine numbers on him. Bojan has a 8'8 standing reach. Joe has a 8'9 standing reach. Plus he's clearly the better defender to begin with, and might be able to use those skills to handle the player with the size advantages.
In '03-'04, Jerry Sloan coached the ESPN predicted "worst team of all time" to 42-40.