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Originally Posted by Bornindamecca |
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That's a bit of an exaggeration. Kidd is servicable, and any shots he takes would be WIDE OPEN. I'm not even going to comment at saying Kobe is not a factor in the perimeter game. KG and TD's range both extend to a reliable 17 feet.
Defensively, they match up terribly for the rooks. They are coming around on perimeter defense and transition defense. They can't defend Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Shaq. There is no evidence that any of the five rooks(I'm not touching this second team madness) can defend in the post, and Kobe Bryant can score very well against all but the very greatest of defenses, so I don't see how offense is a problem.
Speaking of perimeter play...sink into a zone on that rookie team and watch what happens, especially with the length and defensive IQ of the 1st team. We are talking about a huge disparity in defense here. You don't even have the personnel to run a pick and roll against the 1st team, because KG is there as one of the all time great versatile defenders. If you penetrate, Shaq, Duncan and KG are extremely hard to finish against, and Kobe is no slouch on weak side help, plus Kidd is going to still strip people(STILL avg 2.5 steals per).
The Rooks would never know what a transition game was like.
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Is there a size advantage for the rooks...yes...no one questions that, but Duncan and Shaq can't man up on any of the explosive rooks like Melo or Lebron. So if the bigs go zone...3-2 to account for the rooks perimeter play then that will leave huge lanes for Wade, Lebron, and Melo to slash and gash or kick out to Hinrich beyond the arc or Bosh from 15 ft.
If the bigs don't come out on Melo, Bron, or Wade then they'll rip them apart from the perimeter.
Do the rooks have the shotblocking presence of KG or Duncan ... No, but their D is good enough to maintain the game IMO.
Duncan has what 3 inches and 10 pounds on Lebron...That ain't nothing when you consider Lebrons vertical. KG's got 3 pounds on Lebron and a couple inches, is longer, but again doesn't have the same vertical. Lebron can board over those guys if he was playing the 4.
Melo's got size too so the only matchup which gets exploited is Shaq on Bosh, and it goes both ways...Bosh can't hold on him down low, and Shaq can hold bosh on the perimeter.
In the end the rooks are deeper, and have more firepower and enough D to maintain IMO.