I HOPE the playoffs have some surprises, at least the Warriors or Cavs go to game 7 before finals. At the moment, its looking like everybody is beating each other to lose to the Warriors or Cavs eventually. The Spurs been great regular season for 2 years now, but playoffs somehow not being as good. Lower seeds are taking it to them. I always wondered, and maybe asked this here before. How do you guys rank the point guards in this league? Way too many of them. Curry, Westbrook, Harden, Wall, Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie, Lillard PS The Clippers are unluckiest team ever. Injuries keep ruining them time and time again.
I was huge Iverson fan back in day when he was playing, my feeling is Westbrook will go down like him if he doesnt win a ring. Same media thats loving him today, will be ones turning on him in future. Beverley vs Westbrook 857084044508622849 is not a valid tweet id 857078404578979843 is not a valid tweet id
It's fairly simple; have a top five of a ranking of some combo of Curry, Westbrook, Harden, Wall, and CP3, and fill the rest in with the qualities you appreciate best in a PG. If you like your PG to score in bunches, Thomas, Kyrie, and Lillard are the guys for you. If you appreciate a PG who might not be as explosive, but is better on D and going to the rack, Lowry and Conley are your guys. It's really personal preference after the top five IMO.
The Spurs often have been known to struggle a little in the first round I think and Memphis are a very good, playoff tested and hardened team. Not that I think they are likely to get past the Warriors, but Memphis are built for the playoffs and just need a little more offense.
Yes . Westbrook led a team of scrubs to the playoffs. Harden led a veteran laden team to what 3rd seed?
If LeBron leads Cleveland to another championship, is time to re-open the GOAT discussion with Jordan? The Cavaliers are lost and abject when LeBron isn't on the floor.
It isn't all about rings. It is still a team sport ... and I say that as someone who does not think he can attain Jordan status.
It's not all about rings in most cases. But for me, it's a big part when comparing these two. or two guys at the top of the game. For me LeBron is simply not a better basketball player. Jordan is better at most facets of the game that he could control. LeBron has the physical advantage. Therefore he's probably got better rebound numbers and blocks. ________ Anyone see Big Baby Davis on Colin Coward talking about the clippers? Saying the same shit I said for the past 3 years. BLOW IT UP!
Well if you think that Jordan was a better actual player, I'd say stick to that. The ring argument is not persuasive. Kobe has more rings than LeBron too, and he is not better than King James, rings be damned. If an 18 year old Bron had come into the league with a prime aged Shaq on the squad, they would have 5 or 6 titles as a combo in the same time Kobe and Shaq won 3. The team around you matters.
I'll focus on the point because I disagree about Kobe. The rings are just a part of what is like to use to compare. But you mention what Kobe had as teammates. LeBron had a super team and didn't take full advantage. Losing twice In finals iirc. Spoelstra is also showing how good a coach he is currently and even then.
LeBron has NEVER had a player next to him who was in the same stratosphere as Shaq .... full stop. And with a team with Shaq on it, and the Glove, and Karl Malone, Kobe still managed to come up mega-small in the Detroit series to lose. This, all after starting a feud with Shaq and Malone over ridiculous accusations he made. And are you going to compare Spoelstra to Mr. 11 rings? Seriously? No player who ultimately became a "star player" has entered the league in a better situation than Kobe did .... since Magic Johnson in 1979.
No, I brought up Spo, to show the situation he had in Miami is similar to Kobes in that he had the best team by far. Even if LeBron never got prime Shaq, he had more talent than 98% of the league.
Lebron played in a weaker era with softer reffing and no enforcers Hes the best of this generation but kobe has much better facets as did Jordan Lebron has the body though and size but the other two are infinitely more skilled
Kobe played in the same weak league with no enforcers. Enforcers went the way of the dodo at the end of the Jordan era in Chicago. And what LeBron are you guys watching? He is a matter of levels a better passer than both Kobe and Jordan, is a better decision-maker with the ball than Kobe (who was a chucker), turned the ball over less than Kobe while rebounding better for the position than Kobe. When you look at the advanced statistics, the difference becomes even starker, as you see that defensively for his career, Kobe was a net neutral player on his teams defensive performance. Jordan and LeBron are highly positive players on the defensive side of the ball. I tend to see that Kobe's style of play was attractive to people, so he gets credit for all types of things that aren't true about him, like him being a high end 3 point player. Of course, when you actually look at the numbers, LeBron is a better 3 point shooter than Kobe and Kobe is essentially a push with Jordan from 3 (who was looked at as weak from 3). It's amazing what people can convince themselves of if they "like" a player.
I tend to think Kobe also gets an unfair push against LeBron because of his classic alpha male attitude. But IMO LeBron's attitude when he came back to Cleveland has improved dramatically and he is the undisputed leader of this team on the floor. Who cares if you can't see the steely eyes with LeBron as opposed to Kobe? LeBron IMO has already moved past Kobe since a while back.
That's probably true, although LeBron is very skilled for his size and natural strength. But what use does that have if he can still compromise a defence at a higher and more efficient rate than Kobe? LeBron's size-speed-strength combo is unprecedented, and I don't think that can be disputed. Is Kobe more skilled than LeBron? Yes, but so is Isaiah Thomas, for all the good that does him. LeBron has a nice, tight handle, some solid post moves, an ability to shoot threes off the dribble, and an ability to score layups through heavy contact. Does he really need much else?
Lebron vs Jordan in terms of ring comparison is correct comparison, but not with Duncan or Kobe. Because the latter two won titles while averaging 18.5 (Duncan 2007) or 15. 6 ( Kobe 2000) in the finals.That was Lebron performance in 2011 when he averaged 17.8 ppg, and everybody went on him. Lebron never had that luxury, to be on a team where he can average less then 20 ppg in the finals for his team to win. To me its more about memorable performances, then championships and in terms of that Lebron is second to Jordan. Stats by itself show that, Jordan has like 40 games in playoffs scoring 40+ Lebron less then 20. But the two have more memorable performances then others in playoffs.
This been said on Memphis for many years, defensive beast of a team but offensively need something more. But they always give tough times for anyone in playoffs
It's gonna be a minute before the next Dubs game so here's a nice look back at the We Believe squad from 10 years ago. http://www.slamonline.com/nba/we-believe-warriors-retrospective/#hjaJpvHLyWXIxsR8.97
Neither Kobe or Jordan ever faced a team as talented as the current Warriors. If Cleveland somehow manage to beat them, you just can not disregard the conversation about Lebron being as good as Jordan. He's already among the top 5 of all time with that win last year, but this might take him over the top.