While I've already conceded that the1986 bench is superior to the 2008 bench, I do see one important similarity.
When members of the second unit stand up and move over the scorer's table to check in, I think it's starting to have a psychological impact on opponents. Save when KG leaves the game, I'm starting to notice our opponents look over, take a deep breath, and put hands on knees.
You mean I've got to deal with him now?
This is the virtually identical reaction teams had when Wedman, Walton, and Sichting got ready to check in, and it was absolutely demoralizing to opponents.
I don't think the current bench is having the same level of psychological impact, but we're getting there.
Just watching waves of the second unit check is pretty impressive.
No one can dispute the impact Eddie House and James Posey make in the first wave off the bench. But then come Leon Powe and Big Baby. Their impact is different from the first two, and even different from each other, but they never cease to make their presence felt.
And finally the third wave, pretty much just Tony Allen, checks in. Tony is a mixed bag, to be sure. I will always give him his props for taking over the starting point guard role against the Lakers at Staples and helping the team to victory, but the dude is simply not a good ball handler. When he tries to handle the ball, bad things often happen. He is currently in a rut, coming off an injury. But the guy can play defense, and if he can ever return to the slashing, catch, drive, and dunk player from last year, his impact off the bench can rise to the level of the others, especially when he has his defense going.
Who have we left out of the discussion?
Oh yeah.
Sam Cassell and PJ Brown.
Wow.
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