Adding Carroll and Green to the mix makes this less of a science experiment and more of a true roster/team. I've had a hard time watching the small ball, science experiment because our defensive deficiencies are so glaring. I can't remember a pro team having the deadly combination of players that could get beat off the dribble and was so short. Westbrook and Harden need players like our deadline adds in their corner to cover their weaknesses. The debate about whether Harden or Westbrook are good defenders is warranted. While both are proven, disruptive defenders, capable of reaching without fouling and creating the coveted open court turnovers via steals, neither majors in defensive fundamentals. They're careless as help defenders, they don't generate deflections off the ball, and routinely both get beat off the dribble in more or less straight lines. If I were a multi-year NBA player, I would figure out what I wasn't doing with my feet so I wasn't a liability. But they don't seem to care. Adding Covington, Green, and Carroll--experienced players that know how to move on D--really helps. House and McLemore just aren't a value adds on D. We weren't going to win a playoff series if they were our only options. Gordon and Rivers are ok, at times but their lack of height creates glaring mismatches that other teams can exploit. Now we can at least compete on the defensive end of the court and maybe hold a lead when we blast out to a twenty point advantage with hot shooting.
I would even say this puts us at the level we were with Ariza and Luc, both offensively and defensively, only difference is we have Westbrook instead of CP3. Paul is the better defender and floor general, but the two have different roles in this system so it will be hard to compare. Honestly I think this might really work, Westbrook using his best skills rebounding and setting the pace to create space and looks for our shooters.
Interesting how PJ shoots much better when he's not exhausted. The All-Star break, combined with a rotation that gave him more in-game rest (only played 30 minutes last night) resulted in fresh legs and his shot returning. 5/5 from 3 might be too much to hope for every night, but he's capable of better than .400 from the corner.
The Covington for Capela trade was the key. Without RoCo then MDA cannot execute his vision for new skills ball system.
Man, poor Harty. On January 11 he had the best night of his career (17/15 with 5 blocks and 2 steals in 27 minutes) and was poised to take over as Capela's #1 backup. Now just seven weeks later, he's so far out of the rotation he might end up with RGV for the rest of the year. And if we do well enough in the playoffs for Tilman to extend MDA, it's pretty easy to see Harty being part of a summer trade.
I wish he could get some playing time to maximize his trade value by bumping up his stats then pair him with Gordon and his cap space for a real difference maker in a area of need. This offseason should prove to be more than interesting.
PG: Brodie, Rivers SG: Beard, EGo, BMac SF: BobCov, House PF: PJ, Demarre C: JGreen, Thabo, Bruno 12 man rotation, all playable.
Even with expanding the rotation, me thinks out of the following 5, only 2 will play enough consistent minutes: Thabo, House, Rivers, Carroll & Green. Caboclo will not be in the rotation.