The point wasn't that there was only one star, but that the power forward was the centerpiece (IE building around a power forward.) Dirk and Duncan were absolutely the centerpiece of their teams. Garnett was the centerpiece and the heart and soul of that Celtics team, even though Pierce was there first. LeBron played multiple positions, but I'm pretty sure that last championship had him at power forward with Bosh at center.
I'd add Sheed to the list...when he went to Detroit, he was the difference maker in that championship team
Maybe those that think you cant win with a PF as the cornerstone are still hurting from LMA. In reality, I think alot more of it lands in HOW you build around the cornerstone, rather than WHO you build around.
Yup. It took Dallas a while to put the right combination of players around Dirk. San Antonio has been REALLY good at putting the right players around Duncan. I think it's clear that you generally need one of the top five players in the league though. What was the last team to win a championship without a transcendent player on their roster? I guess San Antonio because Duncan wouldn't really be considered top 5 anymore, but he's a HOFer so it evens it out.
KG was not the best on BOS - that was Pierce's team and KG was a super ancillary player similar to (but better than) Bosh in MIA. When KG had his own team he only made it out of the first round once - and he's a HOFer! Duncan is the best PF to ever play, and one of the best regardless of position...and for the last handful of years he's been an ancillary player, not the centerpiece. Dirk got lucky once in 18 years. And those are the only two guys who have even COMPETED for a championship while being the center of their respective teams. PFs are ancillary players, not cornerstones.
Miami. I looked it up. LBJ was indeed the PF on thier wins with Bosch and Wade. and LBJ was absolutely the cornerstone, but then that was a "superteam" basically.
If the argument is "LBJ" that's not a very good argument. He's been the best AND most dominant player in the game. He could play PG or C. The fact that he played PF in MIA is not evidence that building around PFs is a good idea. Take a look at all of the best PFs to play in the past 30 years and there are only two who have won a Championship as the cornerstone - Duncan, who is the best PF ever and probably Top 5 regardless of position, and Dirk who is another HOFer who got lucky once in 18 years. All of the other great PFs either never made it to the Finals, or if they did it was because they were paired with one of the best PGs to ever play the game.
There is no arguement really. I still think its more of how you build around than who you build around.
How is very important - that shouldn't even be a question. And of course talent is the #1 thing to consider when obtaining players. But there is just far too much evidence against it to say that building around a PF is a good strategy. Also, on a parallel universe tangent, what if Duncan wasn't drafted by the Spurs? He'd obviously still be great, but I suspect he'd be lucky to have more than 1 or 2 championships. The reason he has so many is because of the "how" surrounding the "who". The best coach of the modern NBA, combined with the best 6th man, and a top rated PG has more to do with Duncan's multitude of championships than anything else.
If their front office is totally incompetent, yes. Right now, they are in a position where they might be able to add a pretty good piece to play with Davis.
We're better than our record. We are just missing a key piece. Like I said since the summer, its Dame and a bunch of good role players. To compete we need at least 2 all stars on the team.
