Advertisement

The difference between Roy Hibbert playing and Roy Hibbert sitting, summed up (Photo)

You can understand the logic behind Frank Vogel subbing Roy Hibbert out twice in the final 11 seconds of Game 1. He wanted a faster, nimbler group of Indiana Pacers to be able to switch the multiple screens that could (and did) come on late Miami Heat possessions and for his team to be able to "force a challenged jump shot." He knew Heat coach Erik Spoelstra would run actions designed to make the plodding 7-foot-2 Hibbert move, chase a smaller and quicker Heat player around, and increase the likelihood of a coverage breakdown creating open look for a good shooter somewhere. If Paul George again makes a pivotal misstep and overplays LeBron James off the inbounds pass, the MVP probably gets to the rim anyway. If Hibbert's drawn away by Chris Bosh, he might not be close enough to contest James' go-ahead or game-winning drives anyway. Even if he was, James might still have drawn the foul or finished anyway. There are arguments to be made; you can understand the logic.

And then someone puts together a side-by-side like this, and all logic goes out the window:

On the right: Hibbert's massive block erasing a Carmelo Anthony dunk in the fourth quarter of the Pacers' Game 6 semifinals win over the New York Knicks. On the left: James' wide-open path to the basket. Something's missing, huh?

Hat-tips to @WhereIsHibbert and @exhoopsprguy.