"Some big men can't even score if they're away from the basket. They can't even dribble—they lose the ball as soon as they try. Asking them to initiate the offense from the high post would be an absolute disaster!"
Popovich was explaining his reasoning, but perhaps feeling there were too many reasons to list, he cut straight to the conclusion.
"Chen, just think about it this way: if we have our big men playing on the perimeter, then what do we need guards for?"
In Popovich's view, the five players on the court each had their own specific duties. Guards had their responsibilities, and big men had theirs.
As a big man, you might not have the fancy offensive skills of a guard, but you always have one fundamental job: protect the rim.
If you're running out to the perimeter to take on a guard's responsibilities, who's going to protect the rim?
Beside him, Callesimo nodded in agreement.
