How To Win The NBA Championship In 5 "Easy" Steps
From what I can tell, every championship team has had these roles defined. One guy could probably play more than one role at a time, but a true team has different man assuming each role, thus making it truly a championship "team" rather than, "we have the best guy on the court". (Which obviously doesn't hurt either.)
1. Leader
I was going to call this category "Superstar" but the '04 Chauncey Billups- led Pistons kept creeping into my mind. In case you don't get it, Chauncey was a great player, but no where near a "superstar." And the only thing Rasheed Wallace is a superstar at is getting technical fouls. He may be the "Michael Jordan" of that actually. But I digress.
Obvious this is the most important thing to have. Someone has to lead the team. Someone has to rally the troops when they are down. Someone has to take the big shot at the end of regulation. This someone also has to lead by example, but also know when to defer to his teammates. It doesn't matter if it's a point guard or a center, they just have to have the above characteristics.
2. Defensive Stopper
This is the guy that is almost as important as the leader. The guy that takes on the defensive assignment of the other team's best player. Usually this could be a wing player, but could also be a big man. This is the guy who wants to shut down his man, and regardless if he scores 20 or not.
3. Rebounder/Scrapper
This one is similar to the defensive stopper, however this person may not be a high profile guy. In fact, they may only play in short bursts. Whatever the case may be, these guys do the dirty work, and don't care if they ever even touch the ball on offense. They fall to the floor chasing loose balls, they rebound like there are $100 bills taped to them. This could potential be the "thug" of the team, which is sometimes a necessary evil.
4. Spark Off The Bench
This one could come at you in numerous ways. The most common spark off the bench is a scorer. You know the guy that keeps jacking up three's even if he is 1-7 already. (But he also wins you some games when he is hot.) They could also be the guy that comes in a does a little of everything. The "glue guy" if you will. It could even be "scrappy" guy mentioned above. Either way, someone has to come off the bench with the intention of changing the complexion of the game.
5. 3 Point Specialist
This one is probably the least important, but it's still something a team would like to have. A guy hitting the "nail in the coffin" three is something that changes not only the momentum of a game, but possibly the series. Again, this guy could also be the one that comes off the bench, or at the very least the superstar that can hit threes, but not necessarily known as the three point specialist.
Obviously it's hard to acquire all of these roles, at least a high caliber level, which is why most teams have to settle for "poor-man's" version of such. Sure teams luck out with a LeBron who fits many roles on any team regardless of who he is playing with. But to compound the issue even more, the team needs chemistry. Look at this year's Laker team, a perfect example of no chemistry. Players have to have their roles clearly defined, and they have to accept them and stay within that role, unless the situation dictates otherwise. They have to play as a team, and not play hero ball. (At least not all the time.) The '11 Heat got to the Finals off of pure talent, they lost in the Finals because the Mavericks, as the Rock would say, "knew their roles" and took it to them. Wade and LeBron couldn't win until one of them stepped back so the other could truly be "the guy" or for the sake of this article, "the leader." Then magically they won a title, and probably a second one, if not more in the upcoming years.
So in case you are still doubting me, let's plug in some championship teams and see if they match all 5 criteria, plus chemistry. Let's start with "everyone's favorite" '96 Bulls
Leader- Jordan
Defense- Pippen, followed by Rodman or even Jordan
Scrapper- Rodman
Spark- Toni Kuckoc, and to a lesser extent Steve Kerr
3 Point guy- Kerr
Obviously they had chemistry as well because they won 2 more titles after that with virtually the same roster, and did so in dominate fashion.
How about last year's Heat team?
Leader-LeBron
Defense- LeBron/Wade/Battier
Scrapper- Haslem and Bosh (just kidding about the Bosh part)
Spark- This one is a little iffy, but you can't discount Mike Miller's game 5, even if he only did good that one game.
3 Point- Miller, Battier, or James Jones
Yes on chemistry.
I can keep going, 2010 Lakers
Leader- Kobe
Defense- Artest (To a lesser extent Bynum and Gasol)
Scrapper- Artest and Fisher
Spark- Odom
3 Point- uhhhhh, The Laker's traditionally suck at threes. So I'll say a combination of Kobe/Farmer/Odom/Vujacic/Artest/Fisher
Chemistry was shaky at times, but rallied together when things got bad.
1. Leader
I was going to call this category "Superstar" but the '04 Chauncey Billups- led Pistons kept creeping into my mind. In case you don't get it, Chauncey was a great player, but no where near a "superstar." And the only thing Rasheed Wallace is a superstar at is getting technical fouls. He may be the "Michael Jordan" of that actually. But I digress.
Obvious this is the most important thing to have. Someone has to lead the team. Someone has to rally the troops when they are down. Someone has to take the big shot at the end of regulation. This someone also has to lead by example, but also know when to defer to his teammates. It doesn't matter if it's a point guard or a center, they just have to have the above characteristics.
2. Defensive Stopper
This is the guy that is almost as important as the leader. The guy that takes on the defensive assignment of the other team's best player. Usually this could be a wing player, but could also be a big man. This is the guy who wants to shut down his man, and regardless if he scores 20 or not.
3. Rebounder/Scrapper
This one is similar to the defensive stopper, however this person may not be a high profile guy. In fact, they may only play in short bursts. Whatever the case may be, these guys do the dirty work, and don't care if they ever even touch the ball on offense. They fall to the floor chasing loose balls, they rebound like there are $100 bills taped to them. This could potential be the "thug" of the team, which is sometimes a necessary evil.
4. Spark Off The Bench
This one could come at you in numerous ways. The most common spark off the bench is a scorer. You know the guy that keeps jacking up three's even if he is 1-7 already. (But he also wins you some games when he is hot.) They could also be the guy that comes in a does a little of everything. The "glue guy" if you will. It could even be "scrappy" guy mentioned above. Either way, someone has to come off the bench with the intention of changing the complexion of the game.
5. 3 Point Specialist
This one is probably the least important, but it's still something a team would like to have. A guy hitting the "nail in the coffin" three is something that changes not only the momentum of a game, but possibly the series. Again, this guy could also be the one that comes off the bench, or at the very least the superstar that can hit threes, but not necessarily known as the three point specialist.
Obviously it's hard to acquire all of these roles, at least a high caliber level, which is why most teams have to settle for "poor-man's" version of such. Sure teams luck out with a LeBron who fits many roles on any team regardless of who he is playing with. But to compound the issue even more, the team needs chemistry. Look at this year's Laker team, a perfect example of no chemistry. Players have to have their roles clearly defined, and they have to accept them and stay within that role, unless the situation dictates otherwise. They have to play as a team, and not play hero ball. (At least not all the time.) The '11 Heat got to the Finals off of pure talent, they lost in the Finals because the Mavericks, as the Rock would say, "knew their roles" and took it to them. Wade and LeBron couldn't win until one of them stepped back so the other could truly be "the guy" or for the sake of this article, "the leader." Then magically they won a title, and probably a second one, if not more in the upcoming years.
So in case you are still doubting me, let's plug in some championship teams and see if they match all 5 criteria, plus chemistry. Let's start with "everyone's favorite" '96 Bulls
Leader- Jordan
Defense- Pippen, followed by Rodman or even Jordan
Scrapper- Rodman
Spark- Toni Kuckoc, and to a lesser extent Steve Kerr
3 Point guy- Kerr
Obviously they had chemistry as well because they won 2 more titles after that with virtually the same roster, and did so in dominate fashion.
How about last year's Heat team?
Leader-LeBron
Defense- LeBron/Wade/Battier
Scrapper- Haslem and Bosh (just kidding about the Bosh part)
Spark- This one is a little iffy, but you can't discount Mike Miller's game 5, even if he only did good that one game.
3 Point- Miller, Battier, or James Jones
Yes on chemistry.
I can keep going, 2010 Lakers
Leader- Kobe
Defense- Artest (To a lesser extent Bynum and Gasol)
Scrapper- Artest and Fisher
Spark- Odom
3 Point- uhhhhh, The Laker's traditionally suck at threes. So I'll say a combination of Kobe/Farmer/Odom/Vujacic/Artest/Fisher
Chemistry was shaky at times, but rallied together when things got bad.
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