Rummpd
03-30-2011, 05:18 PM
With the playoffs on the horizon, teams have no choice but to go with what they have. Whether it's due to injury or a thin roster, each team has its holes. To win the title, it may come down to who successfully covers those holes down the stretch. Where are those holes? Let's break it down, for each of the 16 likely playoff squads, describing the size of each hole as either gaping, noticeable or overstated.
Eastern Conference | Western Conference
San Antonio Spurs -- small forward
This squad is airtight; not many holes to be found here. But if you have to nitpick, it's the depth behind Richard Jefferson on the wing. The Spurs are fortunate that they can slide Manu Ginobili to the 3-spot when Jefferson sits, but there's a reason the Spurs have a revolving door at the wing bench spot.
Size of hole: Overstated
Los Angeles Lakers -- point guard
Derek Fisher is a soldier. He's a leader. He's a clutch performer. But the truth is, the Lakers wouldn't be in the position of needing that clutch shot if they had someone who wasn't so limited on the court. He's a matador defender, allowing his opponents to shoot 52 percent on isolations, the third-worst opponent field goal percentage in the league according to Synergy Sports data. Amazingly, Steve Blake and Fisher are signed through 2012-13.
Size of hole: Noticeable
Dallas Mavericks -- small forward
The Mavericks have to be ecstatic that the Toronto Raptors found no use for Peja Stojakovic. The Mavericks were desperate for some depth behind Shawn Marion after Caron Butler went down, finding out the hard way that Sasha Pavlovic isn't the answer. But the Mavericks are skating on thin ice considering Stojakovic is always one awkward step away from a season-ending back injury.
Size of hole: Overstated
Oklahoma City Thunder -- shooting guard
By trading for Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed at the deadline, the Thunder filled a hole and made it a mountain. Looking at the depth chart, the only position that could be considered a soft spot is the 2-guard. But then we note that super-sub James Harden has averaged 16.6 points per game in March. As one exec relayed to me earlier this season, if the Thunder could swing a deal for a point guard good enough (Steve Nash?) to slide Russell Westbrook to the 2, watch out, NBA.
(NOW the WANNABEES AND PSUEDOCONTENDERS)
Denver Nuggets -- shooting guard
This team is stacked top to bottom. Remarkably, the Nuggets have two players worthy of a starting gig at each of the five positions. The only slot that could be seen as a weakness is at the 2 with Arron Afflalo and J.R. Smith. But the Nuggets have been creative at that position, playing Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari there if need be. Stunning stat: With a Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton backcourt, Denver is outscoring opponents 463-365. What hole?
Size of hole: Overstated
Portland Trail Blazers -- center
Not counting Greg Oden, the Blazers have employed five different centers this season and Marcus Camby is the only one who remains standing, if barely. And even Camby has been demoted to the reserves. With Gerald Wallace lighting it up in Portland, the Blazers have gone small, deciding to bring the 37-year-old Camby off the bench for the time being. The new center-less starting lineup of Andre Miller, Wes Matthews, Wallace, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge has blown out opponents by an average of 14 points every 100 possessions. They might be small, but they certainly don't play that way.
Size of hole: Noticeable
New Orleans Hornets -- small forward
The Hornets parlayed Darren Collison into Trevor Ariza, one of the least efficient wing players in the NBA. Ariza continues to live off of his 2009 postseason with the Lakers. Other than being a menace in the passing lanes, Ariza takes away more than he brings to the table. Meanwhile, former Hornets wing Peja Stojakovic is providing big minutes for the title-chasing Mavericks.
Size of hole: Gaping
Memphis Grizzlies -- small forward
How devastating was Rudy Gay's season-ending knee injury? Interestingly enough, not all that bad, as the Grizzlies have won 10 of their 17 short-handed games. Offensively, the Grizzlies haven't skipped a beat with Gay sidelined, scoring 4.5 points more per 100 possessions since he got hurt. With Shane Battier and Sam Young, the Grizzlies strung up a pretty tight safety net beneath Gay, and it's certainly paid off.
Size of hole: Overstated
Tom Haberstroh covers the NBA for ESPN Insider and ESPN The Magazine. He is also writing about the Miami Heat this season for the ESPN.com Heat Index and contributes to Insider's college basketball, college football and baseball coverage. He contributes to ESPN The Magazine and ESPNNewYork.com and previously worked as a consultant for ESPN Stats and Information and as an analyst for Hoopdata.com. You can find his ESPN archives here, and follow him on Twitter here.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=haberstroh_tom&id=6272763
Eastern Conference | Western Conference
San Antonio Spurs -- small forward
This squad is airtight; not many holes to be found here. But if you have to nitpick, it's the depth behind Richard Jefferson on the wing. The Spurs are fortunate that they can slide Manu Ginobili to the 3-spot when Jefferson sits, but there's a reason the Spurs have a revolving door at the wing bench spot.
Size of hole: Overstated
Los Angeles Lakers -- point guard
Derek Fisher is a soldier. He's a leader. He's a clutch performer. But the truth is, the Lakers wouldn't be in the position of needing that clutch shot if they had someone who wasn't so limited on the court. He's a matador defender, allowing his opponents to shoot 52 percent on isolations, the third-worst opponent field goal percentage in the league according to Synergy Sports data. Amazingly, Steve Blake and Fisher are signed through 2012-13.
Size of hole: Noticeable
Dallas Mavericks -- small forward
The Mavericks have to be ecstatic that the Toronto Raptors found no use for Peja Stojakovic. The Mavericks were desperate for some depth behind Shawn Marion after Caron Butler went down, finding out the hard way that Sasha Pavlovic isn't the answer. But the Mavericks are skating on thin ice considering Stojakovic is always one awkward step away from a season-ending back injury.
Size of hole: Overstated
Oklahoma City Thunder -- shooting guard
By trading for Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed at the deadline, the Thunder filled a hole and made it a mountain. Looking at the depth chart, the only position that could be considered a soft spot is the 2-guard. But then we note that super-sub James Harden has averaged 16.6 points per game in March. As one exec relayed to me earlier this season, if the Thunder could swing a deal for a point guard good enough (Steve Nash?) to slide Russell Westbrook to the 2, watch out, NBA.
(NOW the WANNABEES AND PSUEDOCONTENDERS)
Denver Nuggets -- shooting guard
This team is stacked top to bottom. Remarkably, the Nuggets have two players worthy of a starting gig at each of the five positions. The only slot that could be seen as a weakness is at the 2 with Arron Afflalo and J.R. Smith. But the Nuggets have been creative at that position, playing Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari there if need be. Stunning stat: With a Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton backcourt, Denver is outscoring opponents 463-365. What hole?
Size of hole: Overstated
Portland Trail Blazers -- center
Not counting Greg Oden, the Blazers have employed five different centers this season and Marcus Camby is the only one who remains standing, if barely. And even Camby has been demoted to the reserves. With Gerald Wallace lighting it up in Portland, the Blazers have gone small, deciding to bring the 37-year-old Camby off the bench for the time being. The new center-less starting lineup of Andre Miller, Wes Matthews, Wallace, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge has blown out opponents by an average of 14 points every 100 possessions. They might be small, but they certainly don't play that way.
Size of hole: Noticeable
New Orleans Hornets -- small forward
The Hornets parlayed Darren Collison into Trevor Ariza, one of the least efficient wing players in the NBA. Ariza continues to live off of his 2009 postseason with the Lakers. Other than being a menace in the passing lanes, Ariza takes away more than he brings to the table. Meanwhile, former Hornets wing Peja Stojakovic is providing big minutes for the title-chasing Mavericks.
Size of hole: Gaping
Memphis Grizzlies -- small forward
How devastating was Rudy Gay's season-ending knee injury? Interestingly enough, not all that bad, as the Grizzlies have won 10 of their 17 short-handed games. Offensively, the Grizzlies haven't skipped a beat with Gay sidelined, scoring 4.5 points more per 100 possessions since he got hurt. With Shane Battier and Sam Young, the Grizzlies strung up a pretty tight safety net beneath Gay, and it's certainly paid off.
Size of hole: Overstated
Tom Haberstroh covers the NBA for ESPN Insider and ESPN The Magazine. He is also writing about the Miami Heat this season for the ESPN.com Heat Index and contributes to Insider's college basketball, college football and baseball coverage. He contributes to ESPN The Magazine and ESPNNewYork.com and previously worked as a consultant for ESPN Stats and Information and as an analyst for Hoopdata.com. You can find his ESPN archives here, and follow him on Twitter here.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=haberstroh_tom&id=6272763