MaineSpursFan
11-10-2015, 11:08 AM
OK OK before you all cry for me to be pink'd hear me out! (also I was drunk when I came up with this last night so I thought it was a genius at the time :toast). Also keep in mind that I by no means claim to be a student of the game, so I'm sure there are plenty of reasons why this idea is absurd and would never work and I just haven't thought of them.
The Spurs Organization has always been very progressive minded right? It has always been the practice to start your Best of the Best as your "first unit" right?. Well why not think outside the box; have your best unit come in when your opponent starts to sit their main play-makers, allowing your team to really blow open a big lead.
We know two things: 1) The play-making abilities of our second unit are off the chart (The Beautiful Game) and 2) Certain superstars need the ball in their hands to be effective (read Tony, Kawhi, LaMarcus).
Bringing me to my liquor induced epiphany last night:
Starting 5: Parker - Green - Leonard - Aldridge - Marjanovic
Second Unit: Mills - Ginobili - Leonard/Butler - Diaw - Duncan
Have Duncan in for tip-off; because we all know he gets the tip about 90% of the time, and he deserves that amount of respect to still be a "starter". Then have him sit at the first stoppage of play where subs are allowed. Then bring in the Bobanator for the "starting 5".
PARKER - GREEN - LEONARD - ALDRIDGE - MARJANOVIC
There are several reasons why I think this lineup would be more effective than the current one. This lineup has a 3 and D specialist that can't create on his own, a behemoth that will alter any shot around the rim and can camp in the paint on offense, and 2.5 great scorers that typically get the points by creating their own shot (lets face it, parker's game was based on speed, and he's starting to wane). Without Duncan out there, it would allow Kawhi LMA and Parker to be more ME FIRST scorers with their ISO Skills. Priority of course being given to Kawhi. Danny Green will camp the 3 pt line to keep his defender out of the middle. Boban is so big he can body up his defender and just back him out of the paint and seal him off. These two things allow for Parker's penetration and Kawhi's aggresive cuts to the basket. LMA will benefit from the fact that he will be the sole benefactor of the old tried and true Tony to Timmy pick and roll/ pick and pop, LMA of course going for the pick and pop most of the time. LMA will also benefit from Boban's massive size since he will never have to D up as a center on defense, and on offence if Boban is ANYWHERE near the basket he has very serviceable offensive skills and A LOT of teams have been doubling him or at the very least STRONGLY considering weak side help and sagging off their man since he's basically automatic with the lay ins. So a lot of the time either LMA or Boban will be commanding defensive attention leaving the other pretty much open for the easy offense. LMA's being his post game/ elbow turn around jumpers (which up until this season were an automatic 2 pts) and Boban benefiting from the dump pass from LMA if his man goes to help on LMA. Boban also has pretty good BBIQ it appears and seems to be atleast an average passer, so he can kick it back out to who-ever, his high helping his court vision tremendously, he just needs to work on his hands, but that's also up to the ppl feeding the ball to him up high instead of bounce passes down low. Kawhi, well is Kawhi and he can get his shot whenever he wants wherever he wants, LMA has been working on extending his range to the corner three, so if Kawhi is in the post LMA can back up and clear out room and still be an offensive threat from the corner. Parker of course would need to get his shot off early in the clock with his speedy layups, or pass it out to one of the two stronger offensive players if that doesn't materialize and let them do their ISO work. Danny of course benefits because Parker LMA and Kawhi are all bigger offensive threats than him, he just needs to get his confidence in his shot back and we'll be golden, his D has been solid. Now of course Boban is so big and his stamina isn't great West will have to split time with him, again LMA will not have to play center, but west will be less effective on D than boban but a much stronger threat on offense anywhere up to 18 feet, a fair trade off.
MILLS - GINOBILI - KAWHI/BUTLER - DIAW - DUNCAN
I don't have any numbers or advance stats to prove it but just passing the eye test this lineup seems to be the most prolific group we have on offense. There is not much here I have to say as far as how the dynamics would work because we've all seen how well the bench moves the ball. With Mills, Ginobili, and Diaw being amazing play-makers and their great BBIQ, Duncan being the amazing passer he is for a Big, Kawhi being able to create his own shot. I mean... c'mon when the NBA came out with the slogan "where amazing happens" this is what they were talking about there should be little trouble getting an open shot for anybody. Of course Kawhi can't play all 48 minutes so we have Butler (I'm HIGHLY impressed with his IQ and athleticism for his age) to spell K A W H I for 15 minutes a game, and to a lesser extent Anderson can eat up some minutes there too. He'd fit right in with this unit with his passing skills. Duncan would benefit from playing lesser skilled bigs and just gobble them up on D and O since their starters will have to catch a blow at some point unless you're DeAndre Jordan or Anthony Davis and plan on playing 43 minutes every game. Duncan will benefit from the great floor spacing from having literrally four 3 point shooters on the floor with him at almost all times, allowing him to kick it out from the post to the open man for the open shot form distance. He'd also have plenty of room to work in the post, or to catch it down low for one of those quick turn around flip shots that seem to have taken place of the elbow bankers that used to be his main stay. The Kawhi/Duncan synergy would be great too, Duncans man has to respect his 18 foot spot up shot because he is automatic when he's given the space ot get it off, this bringing his man out of the restricted area allowing Kawhi to blow by his guy for the dunk, with Duncan down low he can just kick it out to Kawhi for the jumper.
I think the first unit is good enough to keep pace with any team in the league, and when the second unit comes in that's when we'll go on our big runs and make them pay. Now only if the front office would return my calls so I can pitch this idea to them! :lol:lol:lol
I welcome your critiques of this idea, at the very least I found it a very amusing idea, and I knew I'd get you to read with the click-bait Title LOL :downspin:
The Spurs Organization has always been very progressive minded right? It has always been the practice to start your Best of the Best as your "first unit" right?. Well why not think outside the box; have your best unit come in when your opponent starts to sit their main play-makers, allowing your team to really blow open a big lead.
We know two things: 1) The play-making abilities of our second unit are off the chart (The Beautiful Game) and 2) Certain superstars need the ball in their hands to be effective (read Tony, Kawhi, LaMarcus).
Bringing me to my liquor induced epiphany last night:
Starting 5: Parker - Green - Leonard - Aldridge - Marjanovic
Second Unit: Mills - Ginobili - Leonard/Butler - Diaw - Duncan
Have Duncan in for tip-off; because we all know he gets the tip about 90% of the time, and he deserves that amount of respect to still be a "starter". Then have him sit at the first stoppage of play where subs are allowed. Then bring in the Bobanator for the "starting 5".
PARKER - GREEN - LEONARD - ALDRIDGE - MARJANOVIC
There are several reasons why I think this lineup would be more effective than the current one. This lineup has a 3 and D specialist that can't create on his own, a behemoth that will alter any shot around the rim and can camp in the paint on offense, and 2.5 great scorers that typically get the points by creating their own shot (lets face it, parker's game was based on speed, and he's starting to wane). Without Duncan out there, it would allow Kawhi LMA and Parker to be more ME FIRST scorers with their ISO Skills. Priority of course being given to Kawhi. Danny Green will camp the 3 pt line to keep his defender out of the middle. Boban is so big he can body up his defender and just back him out of the paint and seal him off. These two things allow for Parker's penetration and Kawhi's aggresive cuts to the basket. LMA will benefit from the fact that he will be the sole benefactor of the old tried and true Tony to Timmy pick and roll/ pick and pop, LMA of course going for the pick and pop most of the time. LMA will also benefit from Boban's massive size since he will never have to D up as a center on defense, and on offence if Boban is ANYWHERE near the basket he has very serviceable offensive skills and A LOT of teams have been doubling him or at the very least STRONGLY considering weak side help and sagging off their man since he's basically automatic with the lay ins. So a lot of the time either LMA or Boban will be commanding defensive attention leaving the other pretty much open for the easy offense. LMA's being his post game/ elbow turn around jumpers (which up until this season were an automatic 2 pts) and Boban benefiting from the dump pass from LMA if his man goes to help on LMA. Boban also has pretty good BBIQ it appears and seems to be atleast an average passer, so he can kick it back out to who-ever, his high helping his court vision tremendously, he just needs to work on his hands, but that's also up to the ppl feeding the ball to him up high instead of bounce passes down low. Kawhi, well is Kawhi and he can get his shot whenever he wants wherever he wants, LMA has been working on extending his range to the corner three, so if Kawhi is in the post LMA can back up and clear out room and still be an offensive threat from the corner. Parker of course would need to get his shot off early in the clock with his speedy layups, or pass it out to one of the two stronger offensive players if that doesn't materialize and let them do their ISO work. Danny of course benefits because Parker LMA and Kawhi are all bigger offensive threats than him, he just needs to get his confidence in his shot back and we'll be golden, his D has been solid. Now of course Boban is so big and his stamina isn't great West will have to split time with him, again LMA will not have to play center, but west will be less effective on D than boban but a much stronger threat on offense anywhere up to 18 feet, a fair trade off.
MILLS - GINOBILI - KAWHI/BUTLER - DIAW - DUNCAN
I don't have any numbers or advance stats to prove it but just passing the eye test this lineup seems to be the most prolific group we have on offense. There is not much here I have to say as far as how the dynamics would work because we've all seen how well the bench moves the ball. With Mills, Ginobili, and Diaw being amazing play-makers and their great BBIQ, Duncan being the amazing passer he is for a Big, Kawhi being able to create his own shot. I mean... c'mon when the NBA came out with the slogan "where amazing happens" this is what they were talking about there should be little trouble getting an open shot for anybody. Of course Kawhi can't play all 48 minutes so we have Butler (I'm HIGHLY impressed with his IQ and athleticism for his age) to spell K A W H I for 15 minutes a game, and to a lesser extent Anderson can eat up some minutes there too. He'd fit right in with this unit with his passing skills. Duncan would benefit from playing lesser skilled bigs and just gobble them up on D and O since their starters will have to catch a blow at some point unless you're DeAndre Jordan or Anthony Davis and plan on playing 43 minutes every game. Duncan will benefit from the great floor spacing from having literrally four 3 point shooters on the floor with him at almost all times, allowing him to kick it out from the post to the open man for the open shot form distance. He'd also have plenty of room to work in the post, or to catch it down low for one of those quick turn around flip shots that seem to have taken place of the elbow bankers that used to be his main stay. The Kawhi/Duncan synergy would be great too, Duncans man has to respect his 18 foot spot up shot because he is automatic when he's given the space ot get it off, this bringing his man out of the restricted area allowing Kawhi to blow by his guy for the dunk, with Duncan down low he can just kick it out to Kawhi for the jumper.
I think the first unit is good enough to keep pace with any team in the league, and when the second unit comes in that's when we'll go on our big runs and make them pay. Now only if the front office would return my calls so I can pitch this idea to them! :lol:lol:lol
I welcome your critiques of this idea, at the very least I found it a very amusing idea, and I knew I'd get you to read with the click-bait Title LOL :downspin: