The new sixth man Theory blog

[TMTTRIO]

http://www.thewestcoastbias.net/2007/12/new-sixth-man-theory.html

Saturday, December 1, 2007
The New Sixth Man Theory
Last season, the San Antonio Spurs changed the way teams substituted and determined their starting fives by having Manu Ginobili be the team's sixth man. Now, more and more teams are following that same gameplan by having some of their best players come off the bench. Dallas has brought Jason Terry off the bench this season and now Lawrence Frank of the New Jersey Nets is is toying with the idea of putting Vince Carter in the sixth man role despite being back to full health. Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger gets Frank to explain this.

"Vince is a little fresher with that second group, (so) does it help us in those second quarters? We'll just kind of read it. It has nothing to do with his performance - he's an All-Star player - it just balances out our team a little bit."

Obviously, if the move helps to benefit the team as a whole than you go through with it. However, wouldn't you want to start your best players, especially when some make $15 million a year. This seems to be an odd strategy. Yes, maybe it worked with San Antonio but not everybody does things like the Spurs.

[jman3000]

It would have to be the right mix of ego, opportunity, and funcionality. The Spurs and Manu Ginobili just happen to have all of those things working for them.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Bring Carter off the bench?? :lmao :lmao :lmao The bench isn't big enough for his fucking ego

[duncan228]

http://www.thewestcoastbias.net/2007/12/new-sixth-man-theory.html

... but not everybody does things like the Spurs.

That sums it up nicely.

[SAGambler]

http://www.thewestcoastbias.net/2007/12/new-sixth-man-theory.html

Saturday, December 1, 2007
The New Sixth Man Theory
Last season, the San Antonio Spurs changed the way teams substituted and determined their starting fives by having Manu Ginobili be the team's sixth man. Now, more and more teams are following that same gameplan by having some of their best players come off the bench. Dallas has brought Jason Terry off the bench this season and now Lawrence Frank of the New Jersey Nets is is toying with the idea of putting Vince Carter in the sixth man role despite being back to full health. Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger gets Frank to explain this.

"Vince is a little fresher with that second group, (so) does it help us in those second quarters? We'll just kind of read it. It has nothing to do with his performance - he's an All-Star player - it just balances out our team a little bit."

Obviously, if the move helps to benefit the team as a whole than you go through with it. However, wouldn't you want to start your best players, especially when some make $15 million a year. This seems to be an odd strategy. Yes, maybe it worked with San Antonio but not everybody does things like the Spurs.

While I think it takes a special type player, like Manu to make this work, it just goes to show that "What the Spurs do" is the way to do things. Face it, every team would love to be "like the Spurs".

I just think there are very few "starters" out there, that are willing to give up their starting position just to make the team better. Too many big egos making big bucks. The Spurs are lucky to have "team players". Manu, Horry, Barry....All willing to do whatever it takes to make the team better. Not many clubs have all this talent sitting patiently on the bench, waiting for their 4 or 5 minutes, or maybe some nights 20, and be loaded and ready to respond.

[mathbzh]

I don't see the problem for a player to start on the bench if he plays his 30+ minutes and the 4th quarter. Why is it so important to be in the starting 5? Why would you want to start your 15 millions $ player?

[Stargazer]

I don't know why more teams don't do this. Think of it this way -- as a coach, you have to distribute a certain number of minutes from lesser players throughout the course of the game, so why not spread them around evenly (meaning that at least one lesser player starts with the other starters, and one top player plays with the second team) instead of bunching up all of the lesser players at the same time?

[ambchang]

Spurs didn't change the way teams substitute, Bobby Jones and Kevin McHale more than 2 decades ago.

[BonnerDynasty]

Who cares who starts. It's who finishes.

[The Truth #6]

Spurs didn't change the way teams substitute, Bobby Jones and Kevin McHale more than 2 decades ago.

Perhaps, but I don't think Pop or any other coach was thinking back 20 years for inspiration. Avery and now other coaches are just copying what the Spurs do because they figure the Spurs know more than they do. The reason we brought Manu off the bench was because he played better when he was the number one offensive option.

[1Parker1]

Jefferson off the bench would make more sense...he's better at creating his own shots than Carter...

[howbouthemspurs]

manu is still the king of coming off the bench

[nkdlunch]

avery get your own gameplan