NBA 2013?14 Season
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Gaige
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I'd prefer if you refer to LeBron as a four time MVP and two time defending NBA champion please.
Djay
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Now apparently. He'd be in the Finals this year if the Clippers were in the East. I think it becomes a strong narrative in every one of his playoff games starting next year, though. I was torn watching this entire series because he and KD are my two favorite players. I personally won't define a player by his championships, but when you start talking about the greatest of all-time, then it does cut a line. Paul will never move ahead of Isiah Thomas until he wins a championship, for example. But that doesn't mean he isn't one of the greatest to ever play the position. He might end up being the best player to never win an MVP or a championship.
Djay
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I thought we all agreed during these playoffs to reclassify Westbrook as a SG. It's like saying Iverson was a PG.
Barkley and Malone won MVPs. I also wonder a lot if Malone/Stockton would be Hall of Famers if they hadn't played for Sloan nearly their entire careers. In the moment, we gave those two all the credit, but after watching what Sloan did after they left...he made D. Williams and Boozer look amazing, too, and we see how they've progressed (regressed) since their time with him.
Barkley and Malone won MVPs. I also wonder a lot if Malone/Stockton would be Hall of Famers if they hadn't played for Sloan nearly their entire careers. In the moment, we gave those two all the credit, but after watching what Sloan did after they left...he made D. Williams and Boozer look amazing, too, and we see how they've progressed (regressed) since their time with him.
Foggy
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Classifying Westbrook as a SG is just lazy.
28 PPG
6 RPG
9 APG
On 49/36/86 shooting splits against the Clippers. I'll take a PG who can take over by himself over one that needs others to realize his full potential like Paul. CP3 is great for the regular season, but if I need a bucket at the end of the game, give me Westbrook (though I want to stab him every time he does a pull up 3). Really, CP3 has the easiest job in the league off that pick n roll. Teams are so terrified of Blake and Jordan that they don't even guard CP3. He should be 30+ easy every game. Switch them and the Clippers are instantly better. An attacking PG like Westbrook coming off pick n rolls where defenders cannot commit to him would be devastating.
Edit: Btw I think CP3 is a great player, I just think he is overrated.
28 PPG
6 RPG
9 APG
On 49/36/86 shooting splits against the Clippers. I'll take a PG who can take over by himself over one that needs others to realize his full potential like Paul. CP3 is great for the regular season, but if I need a bucket at the end of the game, give me Westbrook (though I want to stab him every time he does a pull up 3). Really, CP3 has the easiest job in the league off that pick n roll. Teams are so terrified of Blake and Jordan that they don't even guard CP3. He should be 30+ easy every game. Switch them and the Clippers are instantly better. An attacking PG like Westbrook coming off pick n rolls where defenders cannot commit to him would be devastating.
Edit: Btw I think CP3 is a great player, I just think he is overrated.
Ambiturner
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Foggy
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Clippers, OKC wouldn't have enough shooters left to compete. The Clippers would just clog the paint. And OKC isn't built to defend Durant.
The Clippers are a really well built team. You have CP3, Blake, and Jordan destroying teams in the mid range and paint. And they are surrounded by shooters.
The Clippers are a really well built team. You have CP3, Blake, and Jordan destroying teams in the mid range and paint. And they are surrounded by shooters.
Djay
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A few years ago, when CP3 was on the Hornets, he pretty much took over the series and almost knocked out the Lakers. Hell, I thought he did a pretty good job down the stretch in Game 6 of keeping them in it, but OKC was a runaway locomotive at that point. He generally QBs for 90% of the game, then takes over down the stretch. I guess it comes down to style preference.
Also, Westbrook averaged 6.9 assists this year. I really hope this is a permanent change for him...I really do, because this is the Westbrook that OKC needs. I think he was inspired by Durant's MVP speech and he'll fall back into old habits eventually. If he averages 9 assists for the rest of the playoffs, I think they're walking out with the championship.
Also, Westbrook averaged 6.9 assists this year. I really hope this is a permanent change for him...I really do, because this is the Westbrook that OKC needs. I think he was inspired by Durant's MVP speech and he'll fall back into old habits eventually. If he averages 9 assists for the rest of the playoffs, I think they're walking out with the championship.
Rengak
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Ambiturner
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Sterling will fight fine
So, you ban him AND fine him 2.5 million? Here's the thing, he didn't do anything illegal so good luck seeing that 2.5 million.
PatrickStar
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I always thought the right move was to keep Harden and trade Westbrook. There are a lot of exceptional point guards in the league right now, but right behind them is a group of very good point guards. Therefore finding a legit replacement SG in today's NBA is a lot harder than finding a PG. You can find guys like Kyle Lowry. You can live with guys like Jeff Teagues running the offense if your wing players are Durant and Harden. A lineup of Durant, Harden, Ibaka, and the corpse of Perkins with steady general and a good on the ball defender would be better than the current lineup. You can even run a second unit with Harden running the point if the PG is a legit three point shooter. Of course none of these conversations would be needed if the franchise wasn't so damn cheap and pay the luxury tax for a year or two before having to make that decision.
OU Ariakas
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Are we going to rehash this? To say OKC was cheap misses two super important points: Harden wanted to be a starter and get max money. OKC offered him 1 mil less than max per year and told him he would be the best 6th man in the league. Harden went to Houston. I lived in OKC for the first 5 years of the Thunder and watched most of their games. I have lived in Houston for the last year and watched a bunch of their games. Anything Harden can do Westbrook can do as good or better plus he is a good defender and doesn't take games off. I will take Westbrook over Harden any day of the week and still have no problem with trade since it netted us Steven Adams and he is already showing signs of being a beast.
PatrickStar
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There are a lot of what ifs of course. If Westbrook was the one traded we don't know what that market would have returned. Could they have gotten rid of Perkins at the same time? What about Thabo? Does he get moved or does he go to the bench? Could they have received a better haul back for Westbrook? Who would have been the PG replacement? My position is based on the difficulty of finding replacement players at those positions and the lineup's chemistry. A superstar SF and SG with a Ibaka upfront and a steady PG would have been the better long term combination.
Also another thought about the luxury tax. I do not know the answer to this question. How many teams have won the championship without being in the Luxury Tax?
Also another thought about the luxury tax. I do not know the answer to this question. How many teams have won the championship without being in the Luxury Tax?
Foggy
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I am loving the Steven Adams era. Dude is going to be exactly what the Thunder need at C. Plus:
