Nobody knows how many players the Warriors actually have available to use.
The players they signed this sumr, Matt Barnes and Boris Diaw, have both delivered stellar performances.
What’s most crucial is that these two were not well-known before joining the Warriors.
Before joining the Warriors, Matt Barnes was almost a nobody, having played less than 40 gas with the Clippers. Due to a fallout with the coach, he lost his contract, and people thought he would stay in the NBA no more than three years before having to try his luck in overseas leagues.
The evaluation of Boris Diaw before he joined the Warriors was even worse: a point guard who couldn’t dribble, a shooting guard who couldn’t shoot, a small forward with no speed, a power forward with no strength, and a center with no height.
But as it turns out, the stereotypes about these two players were wrong.
Even Bob Bass found it unbelievable, as both were recruited by Roger, and it wasn’t the first ti Roger signed unexpectedly outstanding role players.
Originally, when he advocated using the third overall pick to draft Amar’e Stoudemire, who only played well for one year in high school, it was controversial. But now, the Little Dominator is one of the league’s strongest face-up power forwards.
When he supported trading away Gilbert Arenas, who was visibly talented, it was also controversial. But now, the Great General has beco as unwelco as a rat crossing the street.
Now, Matt Barnes and Boris Diaw are also shining brightly in the Bay Area.
Sotis Bob Bass even wonders if Roger is truly a god, as he seems able to foresee the future. He’s practically a player version of Jerry West. Bob Bass even thinks that Roger’s eye for talent is even sharper than the Logo’s.
Lenny Wilkens is also impressed by Boris Diaw’s extraordinary talent. The Frenchman’s unique ease and freedom beco his standout attributes on the court.
Honestly, it’s hard to imagine a Frenchman with a height of 203 centiters playing like Magic. No, just look at the height comparison when he’s standing next to Stephen Jackson. Stephen Jackson claims to be 203 centiters tall, yet Boris Diaw is a full half-head taller. Considering the Frenchman’s real height might be around 206 centiters, his abilities beco even more terrifying.
He is practically a French version of Lamar Odom!
I have to say, Lenny Wilkens underestimated Odom a bit.
In the original tiline, Lamar Odom was the third greatest small forward in history after Scottie Pippen. Kobe clung to him, Gasol, and DJ Mbenga’s coattails to win back-to-back championships. If LeBron had teammates of this caliber, he wouldn’t have left Miami.
Of course, NBA scouts and coaches are not fools. To be fair, players like Boris Diaw need to play in a suitable system to maximize their impact.
However, he is not a superstar by himself, and few teams would change their tactics or design a system for him.
If you put him on the Detroit Pistons, he wouldn’t qualify as a starting player; Ron Artest is obviously more suited to the Detroit Bad Boys.
If you insert him into the Los Angeles Lakers during the Shaq-Kobe era, his role wouldn’t exceed that of Robert Horry. The Triangle Offense doesn’t need passers or ball handlers, and his talents would have no room to shine.
Placed on the Philadelphia 76ers? Equally ineffective, as the 76ers depended solely on Allen Iverson for offense, and the other players didn’t even bother to move. Who would Diaw pass to?
This is why talented players like Boris Diaw can’t beco superstars; they rely too heavily on the system. In the right system, they can deliver standout performances, but in the wrong one, they are just ordinary role players.
And the Warriors’ system suits Diaw perfectly.
Here, teammates have high basketball IQ, move smartly and actively, and the team’s core is willing to give up ball control. In a team like this, Boris Diaw is like the rapper eting Justin Bieber, as free as a bee roaming among flowers.
The Warriors found a unique secondary ball-handling point to break through and dismantle the Knicks’ dominance over the ga.
True, Boris Diaw is not the type who can score 30 points and dish out 10 assists by himself, nor can he play spectacularly every possession.
But just like last season’s finals against the Pistons, he only needs to ensure that the Warriors can score a few more baskets, giving Roger a few more open shot opportunities to change the ga’s outco.
In the third quarter, Boris Diaw beca the person who broke the deadlock.
In an elegant manner, he tore open a gap through the muscular and tough defense created by the New Yorkers.
When Wade guarded him one-on-one, he could solve problems like a power forward with low-post plays.
Once double-tead, he could always deliver the ball to the best-positioned teammate in ways you never expected.
Roger’s offensive pressure significantly reduced, and most of the ti, he only needed to integrate into the system for offense. Only when seamless passing couldn’t solve problems, would Roger step up to attack the defense.
Of course, Diaw also has weaknesses.
On the defensive end, he’s too slow against either Wade or Jamal Crawford. You can’t expect a guy standing at 206 centiters to be as agile as a guard.
Boris Diaw is extrely athletic, being one of the fastest sprinters in the team and with a vertical leap comparable to Stoudemire’s.
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