By Smokey Go To PostThe thunder have more overall talent than the Rockets. I wish people would stop trying to act like this isn't the case. Harden has a bunch of shooters and that's it until Lou came along.wait... what? lol
I hate b2b's going from Denver to Utah or vice-versa. Team looks like it is the fourth quarter already.
By domino Go To PostIt's a triple double over a season. It's not even a debate to me.lmao
In other news
about to get his son set the fuck up
kyrie gonna hit him with a perfect shamgod on opening night
I don't know I thought Bill Simmons article the Russell Westbrook Problem was a good outline of his current season and how it affects his teammates.
you all discussed it earlier
https://theringer.com/the-russell-westbrook-problem-54e59db48117
you all discussed it earlier
https://theringer.com/the-russell-westbrook-problem-54e59db48117
By blackace Go To Postwait… what? lol
Westbrook -> Harden
Oladipo -> Gordon
Roberson -> Ariza
Gibson -> Andersen
Adams -> Capela
? -> Beverly
Kanter -> Nene
? -> Lou
I guess the Rockets come out a little ahead, but they aren't that far apart IMO. It's just that Morey was great in surrounding Harden with people that fit his style.
Rockets were picked to finish 7th or 8th in west iirc.
By s y Go To PostWho is Davis lighting up?Everyone? His mid-range is on right now
I think a lot of it was Harden coming off of his previous year and not knowing if Harden would even buy into D'Antoni that fast.
He did, and made the rest of the team around him better. Your drtg is higher than it has any right to be. But somehow it all clicked and worked out the way it did.
He did, and made the rest of the team around him better. Your drtg is higher than it has any right to be. But somehow it all clicked and worked out the way it did.
By Smokey Go To PostWestbrook -> HardenThe deadline trade gave the Thunder more talent than they had at the start of the year.. But everyone on the Rockets can shoot from every where.. the Thunder have very shitty shooting. Then add Mike D y'all to the mix..
Oladipo -> Gordon
Roberson -> Ariza
Gibson -> Andersen
Adams -> Capela
? -> Beverly
Kanter -> Nene
? -> Lou
I guess the Rockets come out a little ahead, but they aren't that far apart IMO. It's just that Morey was great in surrounding Harden with people that fit his style.
Rockets were picked to finish 7th or 8th in west iirc.
By diehard Go To Posti still dont know what a clear path foul isNo one does.
By shun Go To PostI don't know I thought Bill Simmons article the Russell Westbrook Problem was a good outline of his current season and how it affects his teammates.I think Russ would be less of a ballhog if he a near all-star player to share the rock with..
you all discussed it earlier
https://theringer.com/the-russell-westbrook-problem-54e59db48117
Thunder have better defensive players while Rockets have more well-rounded players. And more players that can score, in general.
By blackace Go To PostI think Russ would be less of a ballhog if he a near all-star player to share the rock with..
But we've seen late game Russ telling KD to stand in the corner.
Personally I think it's a miracle that the Thunder are 10 games over .500, no one loses that much scoring (and yes I'm including Waiters) and usually remains relevant. They remind me of the '06 Lakers, just dangerous enough to make a 2vs7 matchup entertaining. The Rox have ridiculous spacing and shooting that perfectly works for Harden's 1 on 1 game, even if those guys are also just role players. You could honestly flip a coin and I wouldn't be upset with either pick.
I don't think Lebron is in the conversation because although his stats are nice and he very much so is the most important player on his team, his extremely high minutes make his numbers and his efficiency less impressive. I also think the narrative for him being MVP just extends from him winning the ring over the last summer, which is something I've seen a lot. His Finals performance is extending over to the regular season.On the other hand, Isaiah Thomas is having a more impressive season for the Celtics to me at least. Wall is having a very impressive season too for the Wizards. And I guess DeRozan counts as well, in that order in the east.
It's a really interesting race with all the career years a lot of players having.
The 1st and 2nd place votes should all be Harden or Leonard in my opinion with their own stats and how much they get their own team involved.
I wouldn't be mad at either Harden or Leonard, even though I prefer Leonard as MVP.
It's a really interesting race with all the career years a lot of players having.
The 1st and 2nd place votes should all be Harden or Leonard in my opinion with their own stats and how much they get their own team involved.
I wouldn't be mad at either Harden or Leonard, even though I prefer Leonard as MVP.
By Sho_Nuff82 Go To PostBut we've seen late game Russ telling KD to stand in the corner."Less of a ballhog" not "not a ballhog"
Most great high volume scorers are ballhogs.. KD, Harden, MJ, Kobe.. all hogs..
By IWMTB19 Go To PostIso Joe: +26I knew Joe was going to be one of the best pickups of the offseason..
Boris Diaw: -17
The Jazz's two Power Forwards play at wildly different levels.
By Omzz Go To PostWow withey
HE MADE THAT ONE, OKAY.
By domino Go To PostIt's a triple double over a season. It's not even a debate to me.
As others have said, would his season be less nuts if it were 9.9 rebounds and 9.9ast?
Not really. But he wouldn't be averaging a triple double.
The triple double defense is largely ~~~~
Hardens 29.4, 8 reb, 11.3ast on .448(fg%)/.352(fg3%) is just as insane as YNBS 31.3, 10.5, 10.4 on .422/.336
But Hardens team is a contender. Outside, but it is. YNB's isn't a contender.
That's basically the difference. And every MVP since forever has been on a contender.
Diaw doesn't have a fat and weight check clause for his contract bonus anymore and doesn't have to give a shit in Jazz.
I wish we get to see Diaw become the French Lebron...
I wish we get to see Diaw become the French Lebron...
By blackace Go To PostI think Russ would be less of a ballhog if he a near all-star player to share the rock with..This is the kobe thing, right.
YNB is the best player on his team, he should take the most shots and handle the ball a lot. But they're not getting out of the first round till he figures out a way to get other guys properly involved and sharing the workload. Not saying i'd want to be trusting oladipo either. But it's who he got.
Yeah, his AST numbers would indicate that he is but a glance at a game would confirm that's not true.
Can the Wizards get the 2 spot, and Toronto maybe the 3 spot?
Is there app or website to easily show side by side schedule for the rest of the year?
Is there app or website to easily show side by side schedule for the rest of the year?
By IWMTB19 Go To PostCan the Cavs beat the Wizards in Round 2?I think it will be a closer series than we thought at the start of the year.
By IWMTB19 Go To PostThe Raptors have won six straight and have the best SRS in the East…Since the trades, they've really bounced back from their injury troubles.
Fat Joe with five straight points :D
LMAO
Moore and Cunningham were both terrified of Gobert on that possession.
LMAO
Moore and Cunningham were both terrified of Gobert on that possession.
Isiah Thomas commenting on how if he was a GM he would be looking at Derrick Rose and how great he looks
haha
haha
By diehard Go To PostIsiah Thomas commenting on how if he was a GM he would be looking at Derrick Rose and how great he looksViveks on the phone.
haha
By shun Go To PostCan the Wizards get the 2 spot, and Toronto maybe the 3 spot?
Is there app or website to easily show side by side schedule for the rest of the year?
Playoffstatus.com calculates the odds that a team will finish with a particular playoff spot. Right now it has the most likely outcome in the East as:
1. Celtics
2. Cavaliers
3. Raptors
4. Wizards
5. Hawks
6. Bucks
7. Pacers
8. Heat
You can also go to this page on Basketball-reference.com and sort by SRS.
I think there's a shot for both WAS & TOR to pass the reeling Cavs, just so long as they stay reeling...though the Cavs hold the tiebreaker over both of them. Cleveland faces motivated Eastern playoff teams in 6 of their last 7 games:
Sun, Apr 2 vs Indiana
Tue, Apr 4 vs Orlando
Wed, Apr 5 @ Boston
Fri, Apr 7 vs Atlanta
Sun, Apr 9 @ Atlanta
Mon, Apr 10 @ Miami
Wed, Apr 12 vs Toronto
Toronto likewise has almost nothing but motivated East teams remaining, but seem to be on surer footing than the Cavs, who they play in the final game of the season. They also have the tiebreaker against Washington:
Wed, Mar 29 vs Charlotte
Fri, Mar 31 vs Indiana
Sun, Apr 2 vs Philadelphia
Tue, Apr 4 @ Indiana
Wed, Apr 5 @ Detroit
Fri, Apr 7 vs Miami
Sun, Apr 9 @ NY Knicks
Wed, Apr 12 @ Cleveland
Washington's schedule is tougher, they only have 2 home games left and 3 on the road against UTA, LAC & GS, but most of these games look winnable:
Tue, Mar 28 @ Los Angeles Lakers
Wed, Mar 29 @ LA Clippers
Fri, Mar 31 @ Utah
Sun, Apr 2 @ Golden State
Tue, Apr 4 vs Charlotte
Thu, Apr 6 @ NY Knicks
Sat, Apr 8 vs Miami
Mon, Apr 10 @ Detroit
Wed, Apr 12 @ Miami
Aaaaand no sooner do I type all that, than this headline appears:
With team in ‘delicate’ space, Tyronn Lue considering shutting down Cavs stars
Betting they'd rather fall to 4th and have healthy rested players and face Boston in the second round. I have doubts about the playoff efficacy of a Celtics team where the only guy who can score is 5'8.
With team in ‘delicate’ space, Tyronn Lue considering shutting down Cavs stars
Betting they'd rather fall to 4th and have healthy rested players and face Boston in the second round. I have doubts about the playoff efficacy of a Celtics team where the only guy who can score is 5'8.
By livefromkyoto Go To PostAaaaand no sooner do I type all that, than this headline appears:
With team in ‘delicate’ space, Tyronn Lue considering shutting down Cavs stars
Betting they'd rather fall to 4th and have healthy rested players and face Boston in the second round. I have doubts about the playoff efficacy of a Celtics team where the only guy who can score is 5'8.
can you post at least a bit more of that article, it's behind a paywall.
By shun Go To PostI think a lot of it was Harden coming off of his previous year and not knowing if Harden would even buy into D'Antoni that fast.That 'somehow' is Harden. He skipped playing in the Olympics so he could work with the front office to find guys that could fit his style. He bought into D'Antoni's proposition to play point guard (which I thought was stupid when I first heard it, but it was more a change of mindset than it was a change in amount of time with ball in hand).
He did, and made the rest of the team around him better. Your drtg is higher than it has any right to be. But somehow it all clicked and worked out the way it did.
“It’s incredible how his mind works,” D’Antoni says. “He’s very aware of who’s happy, who’s unhappy, and why.” Harden will never unify a locker room with impassioned oratory. But at point guard, he can control his teammates’ emotions in a more pragmatic way, through their touches.When we missed out on Horford and Bazemore (lol) and ended up with Anderson and Gordon, there were concerns about their defence and durability. He thinks about getting those guys involved offensively, which probably helps when they need to play on the other end. Anderson hasn't played this many games since New Orleans were the Hornets, and Gordon hasn't since his rookie year. For that I'm thankful, but I feel like a change in scenery has done them some good.
There were doubts about Harden's leadership, about how he'd gel with D'Antoni, about his lifestyle, about his empty stats and ability to share the ball coming into the season. The turnaround in chemistry led by Harden from this to what it is now is worth way more than 2 rebounds to me.
By blackace Go To PostThe deadline trade gave the Thunder more talent than they had at the start of the year.. But everyone on the Rockets can shoot from every where.. the Thunder have very shitty shooting. Then add Mike D y'all to the mix..Adding Anderson, Gordon, Nene and D'Antoni had people (myself included) thinking Houston were going to be WOAT in defense. I didn't realise that shooting was the be all, end all of talent. Neither did Vegas, ESPN or the majority of SLAENT who thought OKC would finish above Houston.
Two seasons ago, Harden was MVP runner-up after Houston finished at the top of a SW division where every team made it into the playoffs. I was told back then that it didn't matter who was around him (he was carrying the likes of Joey Dorsey, Motiejunas, Papanikolaou and Nick Johnson) because the Warriors (who had another All-NBA / All-Star player and two All-Defensive players) had the better record. Now I'm being told that Houston's record doesn't matter because Westbrook has nobody around him. Which is it?
By pilonv1 Go To PostGod damn.
Savage
LeBron put on his best Pierce impression last night. Was alright.
By rvy Go To PostGod damn.Paul came back tho
LeBron put on his best Pierce impression last night. Was alright.