Quote:
Originally Posted by GeechQuest
Unfortunately in the NBA defense alone doesn’t win you championships. You can’t have a team like the Trent Dilfer Ravens, or Old Manning Broncos win it all for you.
The Celtics aren’t going to eeek out 90-85 wins over the Cavs in a 7 game series.
To be a contender you need AT LEAST 2 guys who can go out and get you 30+ a game if needed in the playoffs. The Raptors, Cavs, Wizards, and Bucks have that. The Celtics would have had that if Hayward didn’t get hurt. The Celtics should also have 4 players like that in 2-3 years time.
Generally speaking, the teams that go far in the playoffs have that type of offensive fire power to come at you over a 7 game series. They have a 2nd guy to take the scoring burden on an off-night or worse yet and injury.
A great offensive game can overcome being horrendous on defense (IT4 is the prime example, Kyrie until this year was the perfect example as well). Being great on defense but having no offensive game just wont cut it in the NBA if you don’t have multiple guys who can go out and get buckets around you.
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OK, let’s revisit the 2004 Pistons that had Rip Hamilton as their leading scorer at a hair over 20 PPG and won the “Chip” based solely on Defense. They also went back to the Finals with a new coach and just barely lost to a great Spurs team the following year with the best record in the NBA.