Today I stumbled across a sports' website called How They Play that beforehand I didn't even know existed. And they have this article entitled "5 of the Biggest NBA Draft Steals". And on that list is Isaiah Thomas.
He is someone who, according to the article, had undeniable scoring skill even in college. Meanwhile, he wasn't drafted all the way down to the 60th pick, meaning that, since each of the 2 rounds has 30 picks, that he was actually the last players selected. That was in 2011. By 2017, Thomas was in the MVP conversation. And I think I even remember that season, the one where the NBA helped the Cavs get pass the Celtics.
Now anyone who knows of Isaiah Thomas would also be able to figure out on their own that the reason he went so low in the draft is because of his height. Wikipedia lists him as being 5'9", which would probably mean he's even as short as 5'6" or 5'5", which may be hard to imagine. But the reason I say that is because it is also common knowledge that the NBA adds a few inches to players' official height. I went to school with a dude who went to the NBA who is listed at 5'11". Meanwhile, I can assure you that he's no taller 5'8", and as I remember 5'7" even.
So don't let anybody tell that you that height doesn't matter in the NBA. If the Warriors were able to construct a dynasty being relatively small, that doesn't mean that any team can do it. Shorter guys tend to be the more skilled basketball players, and I know a number of average-sized dudes who, if it were about skill alone, would probably be NBA players.
But damn, what if you then have to face up against a Lebron or Giannis. I'm not even talking about mismatches that are designed by a coach; I'm talking about giants who are able to run the point. So unless you're the deadass Splash Brothers, size does matter.
"THE X-FACTOR"
The Bucks look very mediocre these days. This isn't due to the team having a flawed roster per se. In fact they have one of the most balanced rosters, and the last couple of seasons, even prior to the arrival of Jrue Holiday, they've also possessed the best regular season record. And of course we know they also achieved a Championship last year. So what's the difference between the last couple of years and now? Well, Brook Lopez has been injured this entire season.
Brook Lopez is someone who looks big even standing next to other NBA players. And I remember him making a number of timely plays during last season's playoffs. His stats aren't going to jump out at you, but Lopez is a skilled and effective bigman. And he's even developed a pretty-reliable 3pt shot over the years, which is good for him, or else somebody out there would be out saying some dumb shit like he's obsolete.
THE LOGIC BEHIND BASKETBALL
Basketball is not like soccer, or football as it is called in most of the world. In football, the goal is on the ground. So you see like a lotta averaged-sized dudes playing professional football. I actually know a professional football player, and dude is like 5'4".
Meanwhile, in basketball the goal is 10ft up in the air, and shooting percentage is a big factor. So of course being taller is more advantageous than otherwise.
I believe that being short has its advantages also. But there's more if you're taller, i.e. blocking, rebounding, shooting percentage, being able to defend multiple positions, etc. So unless Steph Curry goes out and like sires an entire generation of children, we shouldn't be looking forward to the NBA going short anytime soon. The more logical prediction would be that we'll rather see teams with like five giants on the court who can all shoot 3s. (And even that's taking longer to happen than I thought, though the Cavs are pretty close.)
And don't forget that even the Warriors had to bring Andrew Bogut into the fold before winning their first championship. The only way to mitigate a lack of size is with a lethal offense. That's the experiment that the Nets are trying right now, and it's blowing up in their faces. I would have never let Jarrett Allen go in the name of signing James Harden after already having KD and Kyrie (unless the goal is selling tickets over winning). Also remember that the top two MVP candidates as we speak, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, are both centers.
You have people dissing the likes of Andre Drummond because he doesn't shoot 3s. Meanwhile Joel Embiid can be hurt, and the Sixers will still bust your ass.
CONCLUSION
It doesn't look like Brook Lopez is coming back this season, if ever, after just having back surgery in December. I would have thought that, since we knew from early on this might be the case, that the Bucks would have went out in search of a quality bigman or if not, move Giannis to the 5. Instead it seems Bobby Portis is holding down that role. And you know, Portis has his moments, but he's no Brook Lopez in terms of overall effect, i.e. the type of player whose skill coupled with his size can take a team to the next level.
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