The NBA's Best 8 Bench Mobs Heading into the 2014-15 Season
The importance of NBA bench production is easy to overlook but hard to overstate.
The best reserve units complement their team's starters, either by maintaining a certain standard of play when the big guns get a breather, sparking something on their own or blending their abilities to those of the starters in lineups featuring players from both.
The San Antonio Spurs helped put second-teamers under the spotlight during their run to the 2014 NBA championship. There are a number of reasons San Antonio took the title, not the least of which were the league-high 44.3 points a night provided by the reserves, per HoopsStats.com.
Not all starting fives need that kind of help, and not every coach would allow his reserves enough floor time to put up those kind of numbers. But every team needs a certain amount of depth, particularly with the omnipresent threat of the injury bug.
Remember, depth can come in different forms. It might be an abundance of competent contributors or it could be a couple front-line reserves. Quality always trumps quantity, but the best bench mobs have a little of both.
With a look at statistics, systematic fits and the projected impact on team success, we'll uncover the best reserve units heading into the 2014-15 season.
8. Portland Trail Blazers
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Thanks to a remarkably healthy wrecking ball of a starting five, the Portland Trail Blazers were able to snap a two-year playoff drought last season.
Just how good was head coach Terry Stotts' opening lineup? Well, Portland finished ranked fourth in overall scoring (106.7) and dead last in points off the bench (23.6).
Obviously, getting from that point to this one would be a pretty dramatic turnaround, but it can be credited to a couple different areas.
The first is what's captured in the image above: the addition of veteran commodities Steve Blake and Chris Kaman. Blake arrives in Portland with a steady three-point trigger (career 38.8 percent) and a willingness to share the basketball (7.4 assists per 36 minutes last season). Kaman comes in having played the fewest minutes of his career last season (18.9) but having produced at a wildly efficient rate (19.8 points, 11.2 boards and 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes).
Both should provide stability to a lineup in desperate need of some, while Portland's prospects could make this ranking look painfully low by season's end. Combo guard C.J. McCollum is set to enter his sophomore season with a clean bill of health, giving the Blazers another shooter, scorer and playmaker on the wing. Bigs Thomas Robinson and Meyers Leonard and scoring guard Will Barton could round out a wildly improved rotation.
7. Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks don't have a big name on their bench, but they have a host of serviceable players who all bring something different to the table.
Combo guard Devin Harris is lightning-quick off the bounce and should be even harder to handle now that he's a full year removed from surgery on his toe. In addition to his health, he has also been working on finding more consistency from distance to make himself an even tougher cover.
"He's got great momentum this summer with all his work," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Harris, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. "Categorically, he's a good 3-point shooter, if you take the injury situation out of the equation."
The Mavs hope to have another versatile backcourt threat in newcomer Raymond Felton. The 30-year-old posted a career-worst 12.9 player efficiency rating last season, but he averaged nearly 14 points and more than five assists the year prior with the New York Knicks.
On the wings, Dallas has a player for any situation. Richard Jefferson can punish a defense from deep, Jae Crowder plays with tremendous energy and Al-Farouq Aminu has the length and athleticism to be a plus-presence on the glass or the defensive end. Underneath, the Mavs have the long, efficient Brandan Wright (23.5 PER in 2013-14) and the energetic, bruising Greg Smith.
With a master puppeteer like Carlisle pulling the strings, the Mavs should be able to maximize the impact of their deep, versatile bench.
6. Golden State Warriors
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Depending on how Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr fills the small forward spot in his starting lineup, this ranking could wind up being woefully low.
Kerr is contemplating bringing former All-Star swingman Andre Iguodala off the bench, per Bay Area News Group's Diamond Leung. If the Dubs add Iguodala to their growing number of intriguing reserves, they would have one of the most talented second teams in the business.
Even without him, it's not too shabby.
Combo guard Shaun Livingston is still working his way back from toe surgery and could miss the first couple weeks of the regular season, Kerr told reporters. Once he's back in action, though, Livingston will give the Warriors steady source of scoring, distributing and free throws, whether he's working with the reserves or allowing Stephen Curry to play away from the ball.
Leandro Barbosa will give the Warriors another backcourt player capable of creating his own scoring chances, while Brandon Rush and his career 40.9 three-point percentage should thrive in Kerr's motion offense.
If Iguodala sticks with the starters, the Warriors' second team will be "stuck" with Harrison Barnes, the No. 7 pick in 2012 with the shooting touch and athleticism to erupt under Kerr's watch. In the frontcourt, Golden State also has the two-way versatility of Draymond Green, the mid-range stroke of Marreese Speights and the rim protection of Festus Ezeli, who should see his first action since the 2013 postseason on Tuesday night, per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
If Kerr finds the right balance between his starters and his subs, the Warriors have the chance to do something really special this season.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Minnesota Timberwolves won't be better in the short term for having traded Kevin Love, but they should be a lot more flexible. Without having to worry how each move would impact Love and his future in the Gopher State, the Wolves are free to experiment with their interesting mix of veterans and prospects.
That freedom, combined with team president-coach Flip Saunders' willingness to explore it, makes it hard to tell how this second team will take shape. If ESPN.com's projected depth chart is correct, though, look for a reserve unit built around tantalizing youth and jaw-dropping athleticism.
The Wolves could bring each of the past two No. 1 picks off the bench (Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett), along with the 13th overall selection (Zach LaVine) and 40th overall pick (Glenn Robinson III) of this past draft. Add sophomores-to-be Gorgui Dieng and Shabazz Muhammad to the mix, and you're talking about a ridiculous mix of size, length and freakish hops.
If this unit plays together, it's going to be tough to contend with. It might not be the most polished or best disciplined, but these collective physical gifts are astounding even in a larger-than-life league.
Plus, these won't all be Timberpups on the floor. Veterans Mo Williams, J.J. Barea, Chase Budinger and Dante Cunningham can all be thrown in the fire as well, at least until the Timberwolves hold what feels like an inevitable fire sale.
Of course, if that sale leads to even more athletically inclined youth, the Wolves could wind up even more menacing off the bench.
4. Los Angeles Clippers
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The Los Angeles Clippers have two legitimate MVP candidates (Blake Griffin and Chris Paul) and a Defensive Player of the Year contender (DeAndre Jordan) in their starting five and a potential future Hall of Famer on the sideline (Doc Rivers). They don't really need the most talented bench.
And that's terrifying considering they may have the league's top substitute in two-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford.
He's an offensive weapon who can and does score from anywhere on the floor. He might have the best handles in the league, and he uses them to break down the first line of a defense. Once inside, he can pull up on a dime, curl a floater above the outstretched arms of a rim protector or finish his drives at the basket.
If the defense overcommits to keep him out of the lane, he can unleash a three-point shot that's both active (446 attempts last season) and effective (36.1 percent). He has the microwave quality of the truly elite second-team scorers, the ability to throw up points in a flurry.
He, alone, could give the Clippers a favorable ranking here. But he's far from the only piece to this puzzle.
Stretch center Spencer Hawes joined the fold this offseason, adding his 7'0" frame and, as of last season, 41.6 three-point percentage to this already explosive offense. The offensive skill level of Hawes and Crawford almost isn't fair, and neither is the fact these two know each other well inside the lines.
"I’ve known Spence since I was 17," Crawford said, per Clippers.com. "Every summer when we’re playing pickup, we’re playing together. We’ve always been on the same team, even when he was with Philadelphia and I was in New York. We have a great synergy, but we’re just trying to complement the guys out there."
Hawes and Clippers might be the best two-man offensive punch on this list. If the rest of this reserve group—Jordan Farmar, Reggie Bullock, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Hedo Turkoglu, Ekpe Udoh—was a bit more threatening, L.A. would rank even higher.
3. Chicago Bulls
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Nikola Mirotic has a Spanish ACB League MVP award on his resume. Doug McDermott is one of eight players in Division I history to score 3,000 career points. Kirk Hinrich had his jersey retired by the famed University of Kansas. Aaron Brooks has been a 19 points-per-game scorer and 39.8 percent three-point shooter at the NBA level before.
All four of those players have two things in common: They are all members of Tom Thibodeau's likely reserve team, and none of them will be the most talented player in that group.
That honor belongs to Taj Gibson, who finished a close second behind Crawford in the Sixth Man of the Year award voting last season. All Gibson did during the campaign was post personal bests in points (13.0), true shooting percentage (52.4) and total win shares (5.7).
Gibson is a self-starter—arguably the most important trait for a reserve—and a two-way force. Even with the improved supporting cast around him, Thibodeau said he still has a major role set aside for the big guy, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
"He has a great motor. When you put him in the game, he doesn't need 5-10 minutes to warm up. He's ready to go. I think he's gotten a lot more confident and comfortable playing late in the game. I thought he got great shots for us in the fourth quarter. His defense speaks for itself. Taj will have a significant role for us.
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The Chicago Bulls seem like they have a strong enough starting five to contend, and their bench mob may be equally impressive.
Brooks is a water-faucet scorer, Hinrich is a jack-of-all-trades on both sides of the ball and Tony Snell can stretch a defense or slice his way between it. McDermott brings a deep bag of offensive tricks, Mirotic is a threat both inside and out and veteran center Nazr Mohammed oozes toughness.
The Bulls have star power and depth, a combination almost strong enough to get them a top-two spot.
2. Denver Nuggets
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In terms of sheer numbers, the Denver Nuggets might have the NBA's deepest roster. They have interchangeable parts at every position, and while that might not say a lot of this starting five's quality, it certainly speaks volumes on the strength of these reserves.
Spark-plug scorer Nate Robinson, recovering from a serious injury like most of his teammates, powers this backcourt with pace, hustle and quick-strike ability (career 17.8 points per 36 minutes). Randy Foye helps keep defenders on their toes with an accurate three-point cannon (career 37.7 percent) and a willingness to share with others (career 4.0 assists per 36 minutes).
Rookie Gary Harris, the 19th pick in this past draft, has already caught Brian Shaw's eye as being the team's top perimeter defender, per CBS Sports' Matt Moore. Still, Harris could be fighting an uphill battle for playing time given this group's perimeter depth.
Wilson Chandler was one of only 17 players to average at least 13 points, four rebounds and 1.5 threes last season, according to Basketball-Reference.com, but he'll likely give his starting spot to the even more versatile Danilo Gallinari. J.J. Hickson and Darrell Arthur have both held starting roles before, but they'll bide their time backing up the recently extended Kenneth Faried.
JaVale McGee, who missed all but five games last season with a stress fracture in his left leg, is finally getting close to making his return, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post reported. Once McGee makes it back, he'll likely join eye-opening rookie Jusuf Nurkic behind starting center Timofey Mozgov.
The Nuggets get their strength in numbers, but the individual pieces are impressive on their own. Incredibly, there's still another reserve squad that brings more to the table.
1. San Antonio Spurs
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This list could not have ended with any other team but the San Antonio Spurs.
Not after what this group accomplished last season. The Spurs led the league in wins (62) and net efficiency (plus-8.1 points per 100 possessions). And they compiled those numbers without playing anyone more than 30 minutes per game during the regular season.
Even in the postseason, Gregg Popovich kept everyone's minutes under 33 a night and had 10 players in his regular rotation. Pop gets something out of any player he brings into the game, be that a shooting specialist like Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli and Matt Bonner, a hustler like Corey Joseph and Aron Baynes, or his more well-rounded reserves Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw.
"When Manu comes into the game, he gives the Spurs another slasher, a second weapon to run the pick-and-roll and a dynamic playmaker who can create his own shot or open up opportunities for others," wrote Bleacher Report's Stephen Babb. "He's a jack-of-all-trades even now, still one of San Antonio's best bets to provide a jolt when needed."
There is a structure to the Spurs' machine-like execution, but wild cards Ginobili and Diaw add a touch of controlled chaos. Both are incredibly intelligent players, but they give themselves enough freedom to be creative and put opposing defenses on their heels.
All of this, of course, happens within the flow of the offense, meaning defenses have to contend with both the assembly-line production and the unpredictable deviations.
The Spurs' subs not only complement their starters, they make those players better. There might be seven other second teams on this list, but San Antonio's reserves are truly in a class of their own.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
