Post by DERRENMATTS on May 3, 2007 15:01:14 GMT -5
If Pierce and Wally didn't miss significant playing time, but remained relatively healthy throughout the season, where do you think we would have been in the standings? Here's a look at the amount of games our better players have lost this season:
Pierce: 32 games
Wally: 50 games
Tony: 49 games
Jefferson and Delonte: 13 games apiece
Perkins: 10 games
Gomes: 9 games
And when Pierce and Wally were playing, they were playing hurt a lot of the time.
In the beginning of the year, we pertty much had everyone healthy, and we still were under .500 (I think about 3 games under or so). But I honestly don't feel we would have continued on that path. The team would have started jelling, as players grew to understand each other's games, and we would have gained chemistry. This would have led to better team basketball, and consequently, more wins. And when Tony got his game on track (in mid December), he would have added a big element to our team game (both offensively and defensively) that would have complimented Pierce's and Wally's offensive game, and that healthy trio would have caused a lot of trouble..
Consider Perk as well--he battled a nagging foot injury the entire year, and he wasnever 100%. At one point, he couldn't walk in the morning because of the seaering pain, and he would miss practice to save his foot for the game. Perk is our Center, and without a healthy Perk, we had to rely on Jefferson playing out of position. Had he been relatively pain free majority of the season, we would have seen a more impactful Perkins.
If our core players hadn't been injured, I guarantee we would not have been 24 - 58. But at the same time, our pathetic record may land Oden or Durant, so I can't really torment myself for enduring such a horrid season because something big may come up because of it.
But if we were healthy this season, where do you think we would have been in the standings?.
Pierce: 32 games
Wally: 50 games
Tony: 49 games
Jefferson and Delonte: 13 games apiece
Perkins: 10 games
Gomes: 9 games
And when Pierce and Wally were playing, they were playing hurt a lot of the time.
In the beginning of the year, we pertty much had everyone healthy, and we still were under .500 (I think about 3 games under or so). But I honestly don't feel we would have continued on that path. The team would have started jelling, as players grew to understand each other's games, and we would have gained chemistry. This would have led to better team basketball, and consequently, more wins. And when Tony got his game on track (in mid December), he would have added a big element to our team game (both offensively and defensively) that would have complimented Pierce's and Wally's offensive game, and that healthy trio would have caused a lot of trouble..
Consider Perk as well--he battled a nagging foot injury the entire year, and he wasnever 100%. At one point, he couldn't walk in the morning because of the seaering pain, and he would miss practice to save his foot for the game. Perk is our Center, and without a healthy Perk, we had to rely on Jefferson playing out of position. Had he been relatively pain free majority of the season, we would have seen a more impactful Perkins.
If our core players hadn't been injured, I guarantee we would not have been 24 - 58. But at the same time, our pathetic record may land Oden or Durant, so I can't really torment myself for enduring such a horrid season because something big may come up because of it.
But if we were healthy this season, where do you think we would have been in the standings?.
