The talent level could be close to that team but will the chemistry be, that's the question. That 02 team was great because of the chemistry. They complimented each other. Everyone knew their role and stuck with it. They were a well oiled machine. I have my doubts whether this team has what it takes to function on that level. I think this team has enough to get to the playoffs just based on talent, but whether they have what it takes to become a true championship contender remains to be seen.
I think there are some good comparisons to that team, but with one glaring difference. Age! That team had players of similar skills, especially when it came to being able to pass the ball (remember, being able, and doing, are two different things). Vlade was a proven veteran, where Cousins, who seems to have similar skills as both Vlade and Webber, is just a pup. Webb had already paid his dues around the league, and to a large extent, was a proven vet. While Honeycutt is a good passer, Christie had played point guard through a lot of his early career in highschool and college. I do see areas of their game thats similar.
Petrie played under Carrill at Princeton. And I think he's been forever imprinted by that system. Not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you have the right players on the floor. Bricky has pointed out, that it was a system that was developed to hide the deficiencies of the Princeton players. And thats true! But if it can give less talented players a chance to win against more talented teams, it can be even more effective when run by very talented players. To some extent, the Triangle offense was spawned from the Princeton offense. As a result, I think Petrie is once again trying to stock the team with players that are capable of playing within that system.
I do think that Jimmer equals Bibby. Why not Beno? Confidence! I think the only thing lacking in Beno, who I like, was his stepping up at crucial moments of the game. With 5 ticks on the clock, no one expected Beno to be the man. Not even Beno. Anyone that has seen Fredette play, knows he'll never shy away from the big moments. Anyone that saw Bibby play, would say the same thing. I think most of us would also say the same thing about Thornton. Petrie is stocking the team with guys that have a winning mentality, combined with high skill level. The trick of course, is for all the ingredients to blend together into a tasty, spicy product that everyone wants to consume. We're still in the taste test stage at the moment, but were moving in the right direction.
