Time to scrap the bench mob

[grindhouse]

I think everyone in this new age of basketball forgets control is part of the game of basketball. If a team walks the ball up the floor and uses most of the 24 secs on the shot clock then makes the other team use most of their 24 secs what happens? The number of possessions in the game are now reduced.

Defensive team such as ours has the potential to be gain a advantage.

Because if we create turn overs we gain extra possessions.

Score stop the transition and turn all these fast pace offensive teams into half court teams.

One thing that is always true no matter what era of ball ... in the playoffs you better be able to play in the half court. Facts!

If we build our starting line up to be defensive first and set the tone for the game we will from today be building for the playoffs!

Run and gun all you want in the playoffs you better be dominate in the half court.

[grindhouse]

If you don’t play defensive you can’t start period that eliminates a lot of ppl on this team. We have our own big 3 when it comes to scoring the other 2 players must be defensive minded

[S.R.]

I think everyone in this new age of basketball forgets control is part of the game of basketball. If a team walks the ball up the floor and uses most of the 24 secs on the shot clock then makes the other team use most of their 24 secs what happens? The number of possessions in the game are now reduced.

Defensive team such as ours has the potential to be gain a advantage.

Because if we create turn overs we gain extra possessions.

Score stop the transition and turn all these fast pace offensive teams into half court teams.

One thing that is always true no matter what era of ball ... in the playoffs you better be able to play in the half court. Facts!

If we build our starting line up to be defensive first and set the tone for the game we will from today be building for the playoffs!

Run and gun all you want in the playoffs you better be dominate in the half court.

In terms of pace and shot attempts per game, there's actually nothing crazy happening. It's just more of a recovery from the historically low pace of 90's and 00's NBA basketball. Way more shots were put up and a faster pace was generally played in pre-90's ball vs. now.

What is brand new is the kajillion three pointers being put up.

[charlesnba23]

If you're scrapping the bench mob... it better be to get Jimmy Butler. Minny is pretty desperate to get rid of him. How about this: we trade Delon Wright, Norman Powell, CJ Miles and a protected first round pick for Jimmy Butler.

Valanciunas/Monroe
Ibaka/Siakam
Leonard/Anunoby
Butler/Green
Lowry/VanVleet

Man, I'd still go to war with that second unit, and we get Jimmy freakin' Butler...

[The Great One]

The whole "bench mob" thing is nothing but a gimmick. I don't care how good your bench is, you need your stars to play like stars in the playoffs. There's a reason why bench players don't play much in thr playoffs.

I remember Casey before the playoffs last year saying that he hasn't read a book that says you can't play your bench players much in the playoffs. Saying this Raptors bench is different.

You know how the story unfolded.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

You can make that face if you want but it's true. Sometimes you don't want to start your best players at each position.

Unless you don't think Manu Ginobili was the best SG on the Spurs or Harden was the best SG on the Thunder?

[Shaolin Fantastic]

The whole "bench mob" thing is nothing but a gimmick. I don't care how good your bench is, you need your stars to play like stars in the playoffs. There's a reason why bench players don't play much in thr playoffs.

I remember Casey before the playoffs last year saying that he hasn't read a book that says you can't play your bench players much in the playoffs. Saying this Raptors bench is different.

You know how the story unfolded.

This is actually true. Bench mobs can't dominate as much in the playoffs because most teams shorten their rotations to only play their best 7 or 8 guys any kind of significant minutes.

[KeonClark]

You can make that face if you want but it's true. Sometimes you don't want to start your best players at each position.

Unless you don't think Manu Ginobili was the best SG on the Spurs or Harden was the best SG on the Thunder?

Devils advocate
Those are guards that were on teams that were very top heavy and shitty benches in dire need of ball handling and scoring.

Jv is a center on a team with deepest bench and a plethora of ball handling and scoring

[KeonClark]

I remember Casey before the playoffs last year saying that he hasn't read a book.

You pound rocks, you dont pound books

[DanH]

You can make that face if you want but it's true. Sometimes you don't want to start your best players at each position.

Unless you don't think Manu Ginobili was the best SG on the Spurs or Harden was the best SG on the Thunder?

Yes, some (rare) times. When you have very good reasons to do so, usually a question of fit with other starters versus the bench. If you have a really good reason to do it, it does occasionally work.

The difference here is the Raptors have basically no real reason to bring their better players off the bench, as they have no overlapping skill sets and fit great beside each other. So there's really no comparing the Raps with those (again exceedingly rare) examples.

[LJ2]

Devils advocate
Those are guards that were on teams that were very top heavy and shitty benches in dire need of ball handling and scoring.

Jv is a center on a team with deepest bench and a plethora of ball handling and scoring

Raptors are so deep, the bench should be starting and the starters should be coming off the bench. I like this outside the box thinking!

[KeonClark]

Raptors are so deep, the bench should be starting and the starters should be coming off the bench. I like this outside the box thinking!

Said tongue in cheek but If I'm being honest, give me Kawhi and any 4 of the top 10 guys, and bring em all on (in the east)

[LJ2]

Said tongue in cheek but If I'm being honest, give me Kawhi and any 4 of the top 10 guys, and bring em all on (in the east)

I feel ya...you might be letting the legend of Kawhi's 16-17 season precede him, but I still feel ya.

[Kuh]

I am intrigued by Nick Nurse's comments about wanting to have consistent offensive and defensive schemes, where any starter or bench player can plugged into any lineup, and they should all be able to play well together, no matter who is on.

It will be interesting to see if this can actually be made to happen. If so, no more bench mob, just a rotating bunch of interchangeable raptors!

[golden]

I am intrigued by Nick Nurse's comments about wanting to have consistent offensive and defensive schemes, where any starter or bench player can plugged into any lineup, and they should all be able to play well together, no matter who is on.

It will be interesting to see if this can actually be made to happen. If so, no more bench mob, just a rotating bunch of interchangeable raptors!

It's a good capability to strive for. The vaunted bench mob 5-man unit kind of backfired in the playoffs when Freddy got injured and it seemed to throw off the whole group, especially Pascal and Jakob. Of course, there's always going to be better chemistry between certain players, but you need that flexibility when guys go down to make on-the-fly adjustments in the playoffs. Your game can take a dip, but it shouldn't fall off a cliff. Getting to that point where everyone can play with anyone could make for some ugly basketball, though.