Small Ball

[Jscc]

Detroit won the 2004 title and made eight consecutive playoff appearances doing it.

 

[Cassity14]

I'm not sure Detroit played 'small ball', but rather just had a power forward who could shoot. Rasheed wasn't really a little guy, and Ben Wallace had no offensive skillset other than dunking.

Sheed was also a tremendous low post player on both ends.

 

[The Oi]

Sabonis could make a handoff look like the smoothest pass you'd ever seen.

 

[cavsfever]

It's funny how Draymond has some of the skills of Tristan, and some of the skills of Kevin Love.

He's got the passing, vision, and 3 ball of Kevin Love.

He's got the ability to guard the rim and the perimeter like Tristan Thompson.

I'd love it if TT could defend as well as Draymond, but he can't. If he could we'd be in a very different situation.

I think we need to play Lebron at PF to beat the Warriors

 

[David.]

ideally your small ball lineup is taller than the next guys.

So it's not a matter of playing small, it's a matter of being quick. if your tall dude is quick and can shoot, you win the nba

I'm not sure Detroit played 'small ball', but rather just had a power forward who could shoot. Rasheed wasn't really a little guy, and Ben Wallace had no offensive skillset other than dunking.

Sheed was also a tremendous low post player on both ends.

 

[Randolphkeys]

One thing I will say about Draymond, since I was a huge proponent of his game back in the draft and before he developed an outside shot, is that he is truly positionless. His second year in the league, back when Mark Jackson was coach, I thought Draymond was the second best point guard on the team behind Curry. He was also the second best post defender behind Bogut. That is a lethal combination in any era. Once he became a stronger outside shooter, it was all over. I just don't love the media pretending Golden State invented something new.

 

[Cassity14]

ideally your small ball lineup is taller than the next guys.

So it's not a matter of playing small, it's a matter of being quick. if your tall dude is quick and can shoot, you win the nba

This I can get behind. The Pistons still played in a time where sheed was more often than not guarding guys down low rather than switching, IIRC.

I think Sheed'd championship transformation of that lineup bodes well for Love.

Maybe if TT can get a huge Afro, he can turn into Ben Wallace lol

 

[Pioneer10]

One thing I will say about Draymond, since I was a huge proponent of his game back in the draft and before he developed an outside shot, is that he is truly positionless. His second year in the league, back when Mark Jackson was coach, I thought Draymond was the second best point guard on the team behind Curry. He was also the second best post defender behind Bogut. That is a lethal combination in any era. Once he became a stronger outside shooter, it was all over. I just don't love the media pretending Golden State invented something new.

Dropping that weight was key for him. You could see the skill including a decent jumper back in college when that MSU team went to the Final Four. What I didn't see from him was enough lift to be a star in the NBA. He's got a lot more explosion now (similar to what happened to Haslem)

 

[JFT]

Watched the Bucks vs. Warriors game replay tonight to see why Warriors lost. It seemed to me that the idea of small ball was overcome by matching it with a methodical approach by the Bucks (i.e. slowing the game) through ball control on offense and playing very good defense. Would be interested to hear from others if the Cavs can play that game on Christmas day?

 

[David.]

Watched the Bucks vs. Warriors game replay tonight to see why Warriors lost. It seemed to me that the idea of small ball was overcome by matching it with a methodical approach by the Bucks (i.e. slowing the game) through ball control on offense and playing very good defense. Would be interested to hear from others if the Cavs can play that game on Christmas day?

I mean, that's what we did in the finals