crkone wrote:humanrefutation wrote:M-C-G wrote:
And we have apparently been missing our second best player...injuries and load management happen which, you are right, not factored in to SRS, but is the most widely accepted measure of strength of schedule that I am aware of.
I ABSOLUTELY think this roster is better than this time last year. And I think it is a hair better than the roster we ended the season with, but I'd understand if someone didn't see it that way.
We weren't missing Middleton for most of those games, and the players they were missing were, with the exception of Boston and Jaylen Brown, their best player by far. It's misleading at best to keep citing that as evidence of anything, IMO.
I don't think I'm prepared to say that this team is better than it was last year - perhaps we can argue better depth with Robin Lopez and Korver and more development from Donte and Sterling, which is good of course. But the top-end of this roster is worse than it was last year, unquestionably, simply by swapping Brogdon for Matthews.
Look at it more as Hill replacing Brogdon's role, who actually has a higher TS% than Brogdon had last year. The theoretical top end talent may have been higher last year, but in actuality with Bud's system, it isn't.
Except Hill was on the roster for most of last season, and is effectively playing the same number of minutes he was playing last season. Matthews is the big difference - he's playing about 25mpg this year. Brogdon was playing 29mpg last season. And Wes is playing the role Brogdon was playing last year, with less versatility because he can't run the point.