THEE OFFICIAL 2019-2020 NBA OFFSEASON THREAD: VICTORY LAP

[clarkkent415]

Other superstars being mediocre at defense Doesn't excuse him any less . My point in bringing up Steph was in comparison to KD & Both guys can go out & get you 30 on 50/40/90, However one gets hunted by a sixth man, And the other you could stick on Lebron in a tight finals game.

i agree two way player doesn't = greater player.... but in this specific case your talking about a guy who is arguablt the greatest scorer of all time & can also be an elite defender.

Other current superstars in the league (besides Bron) don't have three rings lol. But yeah, I'm not mad at those who put KD above Steph. I get it. But in 2016 when KD had the opportunity (with a better constructed team) he couldn't beat him, while up 3-1.

 

[wavycrocket]

Other superstars being mediocre at defense Doesn't excuse him any less . My point in bringing up Steph was in comparison to KD & Both guys can go out & get you 30 on 50/40/90, However one gets hunted by a sixth man, And the other you could stick on Lebron in a tight finals game.

i agree two way player doesn't = greater player.... but in this specific case your talking about a guy who is arguablt the greatest scorer of all time & can also be an elite defender.

That’s why I said it’s close. The difference is...All 30 on 50/40/90 ain’t created equal. Steph’s is more valuable in a team concept...and has proven to get you to the finals and win....with/without KD

I’ve been on record here, saying Steph/KD/LeBron have been mostly in a league of their own since about 2014.

That’s the year KD won his MVP. In the following months...that’s the year Steph became Steph....and that’s around the time LeBron began a slow decline...but still maintained being a top 2-3 player until about 2017. I think both of them...by that finals had slightly surpassed him.

To me...Steph 30 hit different because the ball is flying, bodies are moving and the defense is completely outta wack. KD’s is more traditional and tactical...but less teamwork is involved and the game is closer...the win-loss records are closer. But it’s still a path to winning.

It’s close.

 

[EZMONEY SERVANT]

Silver: On track but virus spread may stop NBA

Commissioner Adam Silver says the NBA is on track to play but that spread of the coronavirus to the league community could stop everything.

www.espn.com

Silver already hedgin his bet


prob what 50 - 50 right now Orlando happns, and them odds fallin fast

 

[QU!K]

https://statsdmz.nba.com/pdfs/20190613/20190613_TORGSW.pdf

 

[friscostylez]

Lol SKA is the troll god b. He mastered typing a bunch of words but still saying nothing.

 

[trynafeelmink]

Other current superstars in the league (besides Bron) don't have three rings lol. But yeah, I'm not mad at those who put KD above Steph. I get it. But in 2016 when KD had the opportunity (with a better constructed team) he couldn't beat him, while up 3-1.

Yes steph got the win but let's not act like it wasn't a 7 game series that went down to the final minutes. a missed shot here or there & the whole narrative is flipped. That one win in a tight series isn't enough for me.

Also, it can be argued that KD's team had better INDIVIDUAL talent, but better constructed?


Some guys on here view Westbrook as the antichrist of functional basketball. KD was constantly on the floor with Serge, Adams & ANDRE ROBERSON. Dion Waiters was their most played guy off the bench in that series.

I don't know if i could think of a team more badly fitted to a superstars skill set in recent memory

 

[B Sox]

Feel like folks forgot KD made a finals before joining GSW

 

[storm2006]

Feel like folks forgot KD made a finals before joining GSW

He did...in 2012. Took five years and linking up with Steph n ‘Em to get back.

No shade on KD or saying that he wouldn’t have got there and won eventually but that’s just the way it went down.

 

[wavycrocket]

Feel like folks forgot KD made a finals before joining GSW

Never said he didn’t shrug . Saying Kevin Durant is 1a or 1b with Steph Curry, shouldn’t make you feel that way.

 

[wavycrocket]

Yes steph got the win but let's not act like it wasn't a 7 game series that went down to the final minutes. a missed shot here or there & the whole narrative is flipped. That one win in a tight series isn't enough for me.

Also, it can be argued that KD's team had better INDIVIDUAL talent, but better constructed?


Some guys on here view Westbrook as the antichrist of functional basketball. KD was constantly on the floor with Serge, Adams & ANDRE ROBERSON. Dion Waiters was their most played guy off the bench in that series.

I don't know if i could think of a team more badly fitted to a superstars skill set in recent memory

Russell Westbrook as a #2 option is good enough to get you to a finals, and give you a shot at winning.

Russell Westbrook as a #1 option...playing HIS brand of basketball the way he plays it...isn’t winning basketball.

 

[QU!K]

If Steph & KD were 1a & 1b they would have split FMVPS in the b2b but yea...

 

[clarkkent415]

Yes steph got the win but let's not act like it wasn't a 7 game series that went down to the final minutes. a missed shot here or there & the whole narrative is flipped. That one win in a tight series isn't enough for me.

Also, it can be argued that KD's team had better INDIVIDUAL talent, but better constructed?


Some guys on here view Westbrook as the antichrist of functional basketball. KD was constantly on the floor with Serge, Adams & ANDRE ROBERSON. Dion Waiters was their most played guy off the bench in that series.

I don't know if i could think of a team more badly fitted to a superstars skill set in recent memory

LOL at the ANITCHRIST.

There's an argument there. Russ did play a role but KD, in a much larger fashion did too. Warriors had the better system but ultimately because one player made historic. Individual talent is what wins in the playoffs. Only recent exception in the last 10 years was when Bron didn't come thru versus Dallas. Pistons versus Lakers are another but it's rare.

Also Serge was a major key in last year's finals, got a ring. And if Adams was on the Warriors instead of Bogut in 2016 they beat the Cavs in five. Those guys are still impactful in the league meanwhile Mo Speights, Festus Ezeli, James McAdoo are no longer in the NBA.

 

[trynafeelmink]

That’s why I said it’s close. The difference is...All 30 on 50/40/90 ain’t created equal. Steph’s is more valuable in a team concept...and has proven to get you to the finals and win....with/without KD

I’ve been on record here, saying Steph/KD/LeBron have been mostly in a league of their own since about 2014.

That’s the year KD won his MVP. In the following months...that’s the year Steph became Steph....and that’s around the time LeBron began a slow decline...but still maintained being a top 2-3 player until about 2017. I think both of them...by that finals had slightly surpassed him.

To me...Steph 30 hit different because the ball is flying, bodies are moving and the defense is completely outta wack. KD’s is more traditional and tactical...but less teamwork is involved and the game is closer...the win-loss records are closer. But it’s still a path to winning.

It’s close.

Well it led to ChampionshipS because KD was added to the mix & made the team unbeatable. But your stating this like we have prolonged periods of Steph's style equaling more wins. When in reality we are talking his two MVP seasons, because anything prior to that damn sure doesn't support that argument considering KD made a finals & any season after his first two, the Thunder were routinely winning 55-60 games despite the pieces not fitting.

And again their is a HUGE gap on the defensive end that cannot be argued, they're not the even in the same caliber on that end of the floor.

 

[Zo gif]

Thing about 1a and 1b is there is no such thing.
KD > curry
That 2015 ring against the injured Cavs fools alot of people

 

[clarkkent415]

Feel like folks forgot KD made a finals before joining GSW

Folks forget Steph got a ring and MVP before KD joining GSW

 

[wavycrocket]

Well it led to ChampionshipS because KD was added to the mix & made the team unbeatable. But your stating this like we have prolonged periods of Steph's style equaling more wins. When in reality we are talking his two MVP seasons, because anything prior to that damn sure doesn't support that argument considering KD made a finals & any season after his first two, the Thunder were routinely winning 55-60 games despite the pieces not fitting.

And again their is a HUGE gap on the defensive end that cannot be argued, they're not the even in the same caliber on that end of the floor.

The gap ain’t that HUGE on defense . Steph can hold his own against his position. They do different things on defense. Individually and physically, KD is the bigger more versatile defender. But that isn’t enough to devalue the impact that Steph brings on the offensive side of the court to a team.

 

[QU!K]

Even Kerr know KD was the Alpha and Steph was the system player


“I wasn’t at all offended what Kevin said because it’s basically the truth,” Kerr said. “You look at any system, I mean, I played the triangle with Michael Jordan. The offense ran a lot smoother all regular season and the first couple rounds of the playoffs than it did in the conference finals and Finals. It just did.”

Kerr continued: “That’s why guys like Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant are who they are. They can transcend any defense. But defenses in the playoffs, deep in the playoffs, combined with the physicality of the game — where refs can’t possibly call a foul every time — means that superstars have to take over. No system is just going to dice a Finals defense up. You have to rely on individual play. I didn’t look at (his comment) as offensive. I look at that as fact.”

Kerr then got reflective.

“For us, with Kevin, I look at the ’16-17 season, his first year, as really our apex,” Kerr said. “We had great offenses every year. But that year, we had a great combination of movement and flow and systemic success combined with the brilliance of his 1-on-1 play. That was the peak of our offense functioning. That’s ideally what you want as a coach. You want a system that you can count on to get organized, get people comfortable. Then you want a couple guys who can break down a defense on their own when the offense can’t get a shot up. That’s what championship basketball is about to me.”

Steve Kerr Not 'Offended' By Kevin Durant's Critique of Warriors' Offense

"I look at that as fact.”

www.slamonline.com

 

[storm2006]

Thing about 1a and 1b is there is no such thing.
KD > curry
That 2015 ring against the injured Cavs fools alot of people

They didn’t cheat to win. They took advantage of the circumstances just like the Cavs did in 2016 and Raptors did in 2019. We can’t point out Steph not showing up in the Finals in one breath (2016 and 2019) then in the next discredit him/his team for taking care of business like they were supposed to in 2015 (injuries) and 2017/18 (Superteam).

 

[trynafeelmink]

Russell Westbrook as a #2 option is good enough to get you to a finals, and give you a shot at winning.

Russell Westbrook as a #1 option...playing HIS brand of basketball the way he plays it...isn’t winning basketball.

Fam I'm one of the few Russ fans on here, And as a fan i think it's clear to everyone that Russ is ALWAYS going to play his brand of basketball . Yes he suppressed it with KD, And a lil with PG last year..... but he's gonna have his moments where he does Westbrook **** & it's gonna come at a critical point of the game.

I'm not arguing that OKC didn't have talent, but compare how the Cavs built AROUND LBJ, how the Warriors built AROUND steph..... and then look at the kind of players they put around KD.

It's like the GM said wow we have one of the most unstoppable 1 on 1 players ever...... let's figure out a way to make sure the defense could ignore two guys on offense & focus in on him.

 

[lawdog1]

Question for the futbol fans that are regulars in this thread. With the big European soccer leagues, is the home country’s national anthem performed before all the games?

 

[trynafeelmink]

The gap ain’t that HUGE on defense . Steph can hold his own against his position. They do different things on defense. Individually and physically, KD is the bigger more versatile defender. But that isn’t enough to devalue the impact that Steph brings on the offensive side of the court to a team.

One guy is put on the Best Offensive player on the floor in important moments..... the other literally forces his team to switch defensive schemes to keep him from getting Chewed.... i **** with Steph but we not gonna do this A for effort business, son is a below average defender.

Doesn't devalue his offensive game at all, but again in comparison to KD it doesn't matter, because KD is just as good (honestly better) on that end.

 

[wavycrocket]

Fam I'm one of the few Russ fans on here, And as a fan i think it's clear to everyone that Russ is ALWAYS going to play his brand of basketball . Yes he suppressed it with KD, And a lil with PG last year..... but he's gonna have his moments where he does Westbrook **** & it's gonna come at a critical point of the game.

I'm not arguing that OKC didn't have talent, but compare how the Cavs built AROUND LBJ, how the Warriors built AROUND steph..... and then look at the kind of players they put around KD.

It's like the GM said wow we have one of the most unstoppable 1 on 1 players ever...... let's figure out a way to make sure the defense could ignore two guys on offense & focus in on him.

There’s a path to a chip that the 2016 Thunder had. Russ is a nut...y’all know I’m NOT a fan. But he can definitely swing you a series with his talent and play. Moreso than lose you a series. Healthy Russ & KD with pieces like Ibaka, Adams, Roberson etc is definitely enough..and good enough to build around. That’s a team that would backsweep a smarter well oiled team like the 2012 Spurs...who were on a war path that season before OKC turnt up. A young Russ was a big reason why.

KD is that great. Russ is that great. It took some all time performances from Steph & Klay...and timely drops from Iggy and some big plays from role played to swing that series.

Russ as a #2 is good enough to win you a series. Think Kyrie. It was that close.

 

[QU!K]

Question for the futbol fans that are regulars in this thread. With the big European soccer leagues, is the home country’s national anthem performed before all the games?

Nor is it normal, internationally speaking, for sports teams to play national anthems before domestic sporting events. You don’t hear “God Save the Queen” before English Premier League matches. When you ask non-Americans about the patriotic spectacle that suffuses American sports, they tend to find it bizarre.

It’s actually very strange for sports games to begin with the national anthem

Some key history shows what Trump gets wrong.

www.vox.com

 

[Zo gif]

They didn’t cheat to win. They took advantage of the circumstances just like the Cavs did in 2016 and Raptors did in 2019. We can’t point out Steph not showing up in the Finals in one breath (2016 and 2019) then in the next discredit him/his team for taking care of business like they were supposed to in 2015 (injuries) and 2017/18 (Superteam).

Durant never getting outplayed by a undrafted forward.
Durant > curry
7 days a week

 

[storm2006]

There’s a path to a chip that the 2016 Thunder had. Russ is a nut...y’all know I’m NOT a fan. But he can definitely swing you a series with his talent and play. Moreso than lose you a series. Healthy Russ & KD with pieces like Ibaka, Adams, Roberson etc is definitely enough..and good enough to build around. That’s a team that would backsweep a smarter well oiled team like the 2012 Spurs...who were on a war path that season before OKC turnt up. A young Russ was a big reason why.

KD is that great. Russ is that great. It took some all time performances from Steph & Klay...and timely drops from Iggy and some big plays from role played to swing that series.

Russ as a #2 is good enough to win you a series. Think Kyrie. It was that close.

I think this disagreement stemmed from you saying in 2016 that KD had a better constructed team. I’m not sure if you were comparing them to though. Regardless, could they have won a championship as constructed? Sure. Were they better constructed than Steph’s Warriors or LeBron’s Cavs? Nah.