For Real: Basketball Roles

In view of all the talk about how Lebron and Wade aren't mixing well on the court, I thought I'd share my opinion of what components make a great basketball team. Incidentally, this works extremely well when applied to the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.

There are only 2 positions on defense: post defender and wing defender. There's no real reason to go deeper then that. Positions really only matter on the offensive side of the ball.

I have changed the word "position" to the word "role". Mainly because the perceived position (center, guard, forward) actually doesn't tell us much. It is the role of the player that matters. These roles are not mutually exclusive and one player may be able to handle multiple roles.

Role #1: Dude with the ball. Every team needs Dude with the ball. He's the facilitator. His job is to create good shots for his teammates. (Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker)

Role #2: Slasher, scorer guy. He creates his own shot going from the wing toward the basket. Maybe it's a stop and pop, maybe it's a complete drive. But when the ball is in his hands, he's expected to create a shot. (Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobli)

Role #3: Post threat guy. Expected to receive the ball in the post and create a good shot from that position. This one is technique and footwork, or sheer size and power. (Kevin Garnet, Tim Duncan)

Role #4: Spot up shooter guy. The ball is in his hands for half a second. He's doesn't create, he shoots. Get ball, shoot ball. (Ray Allen, Manu Ginobli)

Role #5: Defensive stopper guy. "What?" you ask. That's right. Defensive stopper guy. He's the guy who is out there because he makes his impact on the defensive end of the floor. On offense, he's little more than an extra ref. No offensive plays are called for him. Basically, you  hope he doens't touch the ball unless it's for a dunk. (Kendrick Perkins used to be that guy for Boston. Ben Wallace was the king of this position.)

Breaking down the Heat:
Lebron: Dude with the ball.
Wade: Dude with the ball.
Bibby: Spot up shooter guy (but he's dead, so he really just takes up space)
Bosh: 1/2 Post threat guy, 1/2 slasher scorer guy
Z: takes up space
Dampier: takes up space
Miller: 1/2 slasher scorer guy, 1/2 takes up space
Anthony: 1/2 Defensive stopper guy, 1/2 takes up space
Chalmers: I don't think he thinks in terms of what he's supposed to do. I think he's there as an on-court cheerleader.

So there you have it. They have Lebron and Wade who play the same position and don't know how to do anything else, Bosh who can't decide if he's post threat guy, or slasher scorer guy, and a bunch of players who could play corpses at a funeral.

Sheer athleticism allows them to compete at a high defensive level, but their offense is a train wreck. And I can't look away!