So, I'll take a look at the last ten champs in this league, and I see some strong indications that defensive-minded teams are the ones that make the most long lasting impressions. The Spurs, Pistons, Lakers, and Celtics are your champs for the last ten years (Miami snuck one in too), and each of them espouses defense as the core challenge they pose to opponents. This makes me think about the future of the NBA and its current labor disagreements. With wages being slashed, concessions having to be made, and teams looking at a hard cap, are we finally going to see defenses come in season as the economic-minded choice for general managers in a bind? Think about your Corey Maggettes, your Baron Davises, your Vince Carters, are these the players you won't to drop $15+ million a season on, when they almost surely offer your team little chance of reaching the moutaintop? That said, everyone knows offense sells tickets. The Celtics currently sport a two-time slam dunk champion on their roster, but frankly, he doesn't see the floor much. I think this says a great deal about the Celtics, and their fans. We don't boo the team when he doesn't play, we watch them win with defensive intensity (it doesn't hurt that their starting point is one of the best in the league). So who wins out in the coming decade? Frugal-minded owners trying to win a ring without spending? Or will it be the showboat, run-and-gun, maverick owners who just want to fill seats, and cost be damned? With owners saying year after year that players make too much money, maybe it's time they put the financial onus on defense, and forget about filling the seats with mediocrity and one-sided ball.
