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Message: [QUOTE="oldhusky, post: 4692251, member: 9844"] I think both of you are addressing an interesting issue. In most cases with a big lead, playing the bench more is likened to calling off the dogs. If the difference in bench quality is huge, it could be just the opposite, actually increasing the margin of victory in quite a few cases. I think we will have a bench that has as much of an edge over opposing benches as our starters do over their starters, probably even more. If that is the case, by playing aggressive pressing defense and breaking on offense as much as possible, you make it a far more exhausting game for players of both sides. The opposing coach has a difficult choice. When we keep our players fresh, they either reduce their starters minutes significantly from what they normally play, or they are playing with their tongue hanging out against our very talented and fresh bench. If they do substitute more because of the frantic pace, then a higher percentage of the game will be our subs against theirs, which I believe could increase not decrease the margin more often than not, while also developing the second unit more. The gap between our starters and our opponents might be as high as the difference between the respective benches because of the exceptionalism of Paige and Azzi, but compared to most team's bench players, Aubrey and Caroline or Nika would be superstars as well. The depth at very high talent levels should free Geno to release the dogs on offense and defense. It also allows him to consider more strategic game related substitutions. The past couple of years there have been quite a few games where his hands were tied due to injuries and a very short rotation. It wasn't game strategy, it was managing minutes carefully, and even having to occasionally call a timeout for the main purpose of giving his core players a rest. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach