ive been thinking more about the super team thing and i think its actually a pretty tough issue for players to face.
right now, if you play for the rockets, what do you think your chances are to get past the warriors? 1 in 10 chance? if you are james harden, you are probably begging the GM to try and go out and acquire someone like paul george. there seem to only be 2 ways to win:
- have at least 3 all stars (or 4)
- have at least 2 all stars and a really deep 1-13.
option 2 does not seem to have worked so far. though i guess you can question whether lamarcus aldridge is a superstar. the clippers have failed with 3 all stars (4 really if you count reddick)...the cavs beat the warriors last year with 3. so its possible. but the warriors just showed that if you have 4 all stars/all NBA players in your starting lineup, you are pretty much matchup proof.
so if you are chris paul, what are you thinking this summer? the clippers model hasn't worked. maybe its bad luck or injuries or something else. but if paul takes less money and goes to the spurs, they have a legit big 3. how much does the rest of their depth struggle?
what i think gets glossed over a bit is that the warriors have a ton of talent, but they also built an offensive system that is extremely difficult to defend. so much motion, very imaginative plays. and then you add elite shooting talent to that, and one of this generation's best individual defenders, and that is why they are winning. if the warriors didn't have the system they did and they played lots of iso ball, would they have been as prolific? i doubt it.
bottom line, coaching and strategy still matters, even if you have the personnel. the warriors made a guy like javale mcgee look useful. they got a lot from a journeyman like david west. and even though they've been picking near the bottom of the first round, they've done well in the draft with guys like mccaw. i dont think the "unfair" narrative works. they benefited by timing, to some degree, on the durant thing. they benefited by curry having injury issues early in his career. but they've also been very smart in installing a great offensive system, building the right infrastructure around the team, and maximizing their assets. it shouldnt cheapen any of their accomplishments, they should be applauded for being a smart, progressive organization.
