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What I Have Learned from the Miami Heat Winning the NBA Championship
Posted by: Omar on June 21st, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.A Day Late and a Dollar Short:
In 2008, 2009, and 2010, the Utah Jazz were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers. The biggest advantage the Lakers had over the Jazz was their size; Boozer and Millsap could not deal with the size and length of the Bynum, Gasol, and Odom. The Jazz were built on great ball movement and good shooting, but lost the series because of defensive rebounds and second chance points, especially during crucial times in many of the games.
In the 2010 offseason, the Jazz acquire Al Jefferson and Francisco Elson, and resigned Fesenko to go along with Okur and Millsap. The team’s roster clearly reflected a roster meant to challenge the Lakers, and a team built for interior size to go against the Lakers.
In the 2010 offseason, something else happened….THE DECISION! (FLBJ)
What is New is Old, and What is Old is New:
Fast forward to the 2012 NBA Finals; the rosters of both the West and East champions reflect a roster that is not constituted in the image of the dominate Lakers from 2008-2010. Instead, the starting PF for the NBA champions is indistinguishable from the SF position—is Battier or LBJ the PF?? Point being, the starting lineup from the NBA champions does not have a true Center in the fashion of the Lakers championship teams; whereas the Lakers had 2 legit Centers and a possible Center in Odom. The Heat on the other hand, have 2 legit SFs and a possible SF in Bosh. Perkins comes to represent the echo of the past style of championship basketball; and clearly where Perkins was a dominant feature in the 2008 and 2010 Finals (and true Center Howard in 2009), Perkins appeared out-of-place and an inferior feature in the 2012 Finals. Small is the new big.
Ironically enough, the Utah Jazz team clearly outmatched by the Lakers in the 2008, 2009, and 2010 playoffs, was a team built to succeed and compete in the current 2012 style of basketball.
C Boozer
PF Millsap
SF AK47
SG Brewer/Mathews/Korver
PG D Will
Catch Up French Fry:
Like Perkins, Al is built ideally for non-running half-court team, and defensively against a team that is not centered on the P&R (the Triangle Offense). The Jazz have an opportunity to make a quantum leap to the year 2013. Al may have been the answer to the Lakers triangle and bigs, but the Lakers are even struggling to adjust to the present. Favors and Kanter were both able to keep Parker in front of them (Favors did it one-on-one on the three point line!!), Al did anything but. Trading Al would actually increase the impact of Harris’ game, a style more in-tune with the current game mode. Jazz need shooters and perimeter defenders that can guard multiple positions. Favors and Kanter can protect the paint and defend on the perimeter, Al cannot.
Not only is trading Al a wise necessary financial decision, but trading Al is a necessary basketball decision in order to be compete with the Oklahomas, San Antonios, and Miamis of the NBA. Jazz are no longer chasing the Lakers of the past, but the Heat of the present.
Replies: 3
Views: 492
3 Responses
Sorry, but I think Harris needs dealt also. We need a leader at the point, not a SG. Harris doesnt have the defense to handle the other top points in the league. He doesnt even make his team mates better. Lin has him beat there, making a bunch of misfits look like a team this season. I think Harris should be sent off of future or a current pick and or a solid bench player. Mini needs a good SG.
In no way is this post advocating taking Harris off the trading block, I am just saying that Harris’ skill set does not coincide with Al. In other words, Al should be at the top of the trade away board (Bell is a given).
!!!Hornets and Blazers want Millsap!!!
Willing to trade the 10 or 11 for him.
If jazz trade Millsap, Im betting KOC keeps Al. No bueno.
I think Jazz could go the way the Thunder have gone to move a shooting guard to point guard. Jazz move Burks as the Point guard and he would fill the role of Russel Westbrook. Then Hayward can play the two and then you trade al Jefferson for Andre Iggy or a draft pick and they can draft MKG, or even pick up Hardin in free agency. Then You have Millsap and Favors as PF and C. Bench is Harris, and they could try to trade for another Shooting guard or grab someone like Marshon Brooks or keep CJ miles or something then have carrol at small forward iliysova at PF Kanter at C.