What makes this year's team so much better than last year?

[RichZ]

There isn't a simple answer here, but I think it probably boils down to:

1. More shooters.

2. Our bench is a humongous upgrade. Gaffney and Akok were borderline unplayable. Clingan and Joey C could start without a hiccup. The bench limited our ceiling last year.

3. Player development. Sanogo, Hawkins, and Jackson have substantially improved.

4. Better fitting pieces. Whaley was an awesome player, but him at the 4 hindered our offense.

#2 in particular. We don't miss a beat when these guys come in. I wouldn't want to play them 30 minutes a game just yet, but for the minutes they play, they usually provide a definite spark. We're definitely not just 'buying time' for the starters to rest with Clingan and JoeyC.