I think I am leaning Knicks here after hearing IPs strategy to rely on gall at the 4. First off, I don't trust Gallo to be completely healthy because, Well, the guy never seems to be completely healthy. Second, New York's defenders will rough Gallo up something bad in a physical series and that will definitely have an effect on a not completely healthy Gallo and then the rest of the team.
Lastly, I am not buying into the quarter year wonder that IP is building up in Patrick Beverley. I have seen too many of these rookies that shine a bit just too fall off into nothingness when the league gets a better scouting report on them.
So I think I am going New York. Its just not Boston's time yet. Give Irving another couple years with some of these same players and maybe this team goes deep. Just not now.
Also not really a surprise, or really anything I can change. If they aren't 8 year vets Nick's not giving them the benefit of the doubt if all they have to do is walk and chew gum. Its in the manual.
Sorry fool me once, same on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Already been done in in this game by the likes of such awesome young players as Landry Fields and Derrick Williams(who was supposedly so good he could guard Lebron James). Not buying a decent 20 game stretch by Patrick Beverley or even Evan Fournier as being able to handle vets like Martin and Hinrich in a 7 game playoff series.
I love Gasol and Irving but I just think Irving would toast Rubio in this series but the lack of vets elsewhere after Gallo and Gasol is disconcerting and they aren't Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Sefalosha good to be able to handle playoff basketball without a couple years experience in the playoffs first. That's been pretty much a reality in the real NBA. I don't see where suspending that reality here is akin to believing young players can't even walk and chew bubblegum at the same time. Youth doesn't win NBA playoffs 99% of the time, Experience, rebounding and defense does and I think you are outgunned in all three areas here.
Its not suspending any reality, you're equating a core of Irving, Hayward, Gallinari, Gasol, and Valanciunas with well, 'everyone else' who has ever had a young team and been terrible.
Let's look at this alleged 'lack of experience' at the time these fictional playoffs will occur:
Kyrie Irving: 3 years starting, 2 all-star appearances (barring injury)
Gordon Hayward: 2.5 years experience as full-time starter, 280 games played (72+66+72+70 projected (his average).
Danillo Gallinari: 247 games started at conclusion of 2013, 300 by the end of 2014 (53 projected, cuz that makes 300), 338 games played
Pau Gasol: No need, but 2 championships, 3 Finals appearances, over 100 playoff appearances.
Jonas Valanciunas: 2 years as a full-time starter
then on the bench:
Isaiah Thomas: Over 5500 minutes, and more than 200 games played after just 3 years in the league
Corey Brewer: 168 games started, over 400 games played, age 28
Darrell Arthur: 300 games, over 5000 minutes played, 28 games and 376 minutes of playoff experience in just 2 seasons (so those good long-runs)
Pero Antic is 30 years old and a career ball player.
I mean..that's the experience.
Then look at the talent level.
As of the playoffs:
Kyrie: 3 yr vet
Hayward: 3 yr vet
Gallo: 6 yr vet
Gasol: 13 yrs
Valanciunas: 2 yrs
That's my starters
Isaiah Thomas: 3 yrs of high minutes
Beverley: 26 yrs old
Brewer: 7 yrs exp
Arthur: 5 yrs exp
Antic: 31 yrs old
Then figure that for their experience, a lot of the players should get better next season.
Its not suspending reality. This team will have plenty of experience by the time the playoffs roll around, and the majority of them will have spent considerable time as starters.