Rich
Saucin'
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2010
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Listen...GS has had a nice, impressive start to the season. But they are going to lose a handful of games this year. This is an odd thing to say given the competitiveness of the conferences over the last few years, but I really wish Golden State played more Eastern Conference teams. You're not going to beat them by playing their style of ball...a fast-paced scoring onslaught with a bunch of 3s. You're going to beat them by getting them out of rhythm and torturing them through gritty, grind-it-out defense. That's what Eastern Conference teams excel at more than teams in the West.
I think that's the Eastern Conference living on reputation at this point. That comes from the days when Detroit, Boston, and Chicago dominated the conference. Even to a lesser extent Indiana. But Chicago, starting last year, stopped being a grind you down defensive juggernaut, Indiana is a totally different team, and the teams that have since replaced them are not those teams of old. Really, look at the best teams in the East and find the really good, slow paced, defense first teams. Not Atlanta, not Chicago (anymore), not Toronto. Cleveland is the only team that I think can play a slow, grindy style and succeed at it. It doesn't fit the personnel of the other good teams in the East to play that way.
EDIT: And btw I think this is a good thing for the East. Indiana completely transformed its roster from a half-court, grind you down defensive team to a team that could play a faster, more athletic game that benefits its best player. The Conference looks more competitive than ever right now.
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