Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Nique was but lets not pretend that Webb was the reason people went to games..
Also trading Nique for Manning broke my heart..
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
2013 NBA Playoffs |OT| Lakers started from the bottom, and they still there
- Thread starter reilo
- Start date
Nique was but lets not pretend that Webb was the reason people went to games..
Also trading Nique for Manning broke my heart..
well if their teams didn't give them the max, then someone else would have. in roy hibberts case, how many 7 foot dudes are there?
too much eslim
Member
Basically giving a criteria for what a max contract should be. Poor management doesn't take away from what I said.
theignoramus
Member
the Braves have totally average attendance at their games and fans dont show up for the playoffs.
the Falcons attendance is no better (tho this year was a bit better for them cause of that undefeated stretch they went on)....Atlanta's a terrible sports town.
the Falcons attendance is no better (tho this year was a bit better for them cause of that undefeated stretch they went on)....Atlanta's a terrible sports town.
Tragicomedy
Member
As someone who dislikes ballhogs/inefficient scorers, I think AI was a monster and one of the most exciting players to watch in NBA history. Deserves to be a first ballot HOFer.
It's not like he was ever paired up with Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash or anything...
Future PhaZe
Member
They're usually middle of the road to better in terms of attendance in the NFL and MLB if you check attendnace records.
Not great, but pretty good for the MLB imo considering they haven't been the greatest over the last few years there though the NFL numbers should probably be a bit higher.
theignoramus
Member
lol, Iverson "not a max player".... delusional.
anyway, what are we supposed to make of DWill playing like he has fucks to give? that Nets team has a higher ceiling when Deron plays to his contract.
anyway, what are we supposed to make of DWill playing like he has fucks to give? that Nets team has a higher ceiling when Deron plays to his contract.
At this point I'd be thrilled if they at least made their series against the Heat remotely interesting.
Theoretically they have some pieces that should be able to bother Miami, especially Deron and Bropez.
theignoramus
Member
yup, Simmons mentioned on his podcast that Joe, Deron and Brook can put up 30 points on any given night and all those guys thrive in half court basketball.
what about "lol" seems agitated to you
too much eslim
Member
Dantoni is a fraud of a coach. He should be fired. What coach doesn't adjust to the players he has. It is like he doesn't see the strengths and weaknesses of his team.
Rodeo Clown
All aboard! The Love train!
Kurt Rambis. I still recoil in horror every time I see him on TV or hear him on the radio.
Look at the one time in his career than AI was matched up with another great scorer. (Carmleo and the Nuggets)
Both seasons combined basically 26 points 7! assists, on 45% shooting.
One of those seasons is the one melo lead the league in scoring.
Acting as if AI is some horrific ballhog his whole career is bullshit if you are going to praise guys like Kobe.
If anything his 42% shooting seasons in Philly were a god damn miracle considering most seasons he had maybe 1 or 2 even average offensive players on the squad.
Future PhaZe
Member
I honestly just think that none of this players are all that good.
Nash just isn't that good anymore. Got a lot of PNR opporunities but couldn't make shots, doesn't get nearly as much penetration as he used to which is killing his offense. He's extremely depending on good rolling PF's which the Lakers just don't have.
You can't play through Pau at PF. Maybe at C in the right situation where he's the only post option. But he's terrible at PF now. Awful on D. Offensively he's never ever in good position and gets rid of the ball fast. Not a good shooter. Not that effective at anything.
Dwight isn't really even an option on O anymore. He's basically Chandler but doesn't realize it. Can't give him touches inside or he'll turn it over or miss. Needs to only finish off of offensive boards, oops or rolls to the basket.
You can pass it inside all you want but neither Pau or Dwight can be counted on to convert.
They just aren't very good. Funny thing was that the Spurs were awful last night and still blew them out.
He never won the scoring title until 2013.
It was more the "jesus christ" at the end.
Either way, you're taking the opinions of SAS as an actual human opinion and not something focus-tested to rile up sports fans. Just an observation...
The year he had 28.9 i thought he led the league? Mybad
My point is he averaged that with AI.
LOL WHAT?
For all his problems and controversies he wasn't disliked by his teammates. Not like how Kobe's teammates publicly spoke about him. Even Larry Brown, who can rarely get along with anyone or stay in one place, stayed longest in Philly with AI.
Of course he fucked up his own career and future with his ego and coming off the bench but that's besides the point. Only real players AI played alongside with were Chris Webber after he lost his legs. Or Melo in Denver.
Other than that it was guys like Larry Hughes and Tim Thomas back when people thought they were shipped out of town because AI couldn't get along with them. Truth they were mediocre players wherever they went. Derrick Coleman offered some solid years, Mutombo on fumes for half a season, Ratliff who should have never been traded, and guys like Eric Snow and McKie who more than anything were good role defensive players.
The 2001 Sixers finals team might be even worse than the Cavs team that LeBron took to the finals.
Truth.
Yeah it was beyond horrible. He jokingly called Kobe a fan and that he is watching from home.
OMG WHAT HAS HE DONE FIRE HIM ON THE SPOT.
STFU SAS. I don't get it. When Kobe was in the ball wasn't going down low either. Kobe needs to STFU coaching from home trying to influence his coach and teammates.
Future PhaZe
Member
The A.I/Melo nuggets were so nice in 2k.
That team just needed everyone else to be utility guys but they had guys that were soft on the boards/defense in general so it didn't work out. He played his heart out for that team though
That team just needed everyone else to be utility guys but they had guys that were soft on the boards/defense in general so it didn't work out. He played his heart out for that team though
Red Blaster
Member
wiggins cancels his visits to kansas, fsu and unc
kentucky will not lose a game next year
kentucky will not lose a game next year
CreepingFear
Member
Will be really interested to see how the Bulls adjust today. I was most disappointed in their defense and rebounding in game 1. You gotta shut down Joe Johnson and either Lopez or DWill. Bulls wasted a good game out of Boozer as well. I don't think we'll see a repeat performance out of him.
Future PhaZe
Member
Damn they are going to start all Freshmens too.
You still need players that are poised as fuck though. Anthony Davis kept that Kentucky team from wilting numerous times and won games by himself, not sure if this Kentucky team has a player like that though they are considerably better offensively.
LegendofJoe
Member
kid is stuck in Portland because of air traffic control furloughs, has nothing to do with where he's going to school
Red Blaster
Member
yes it does
Fixed.
FUCK
Vestal
Junior Member
Whelp, they got over the loss of Harden pretty quick. I suppose a 30 point blowout helps.
Pretty sad to see that people actually think that's what happened.
He's talking about when he was on pace to win it then he two pieced Collins and that was the end of it. He broke his flow that he had going on.
Wiggins is going to Kentucky. Anyone that doubts that is crazy. Kansas got Seldon so there was no chance he would go there and have to play with another guy that can score well at an NBA level.
It was part of why he was shipped. OKC didn't want to pay the luxury tax. He also was feuding with Ibaka over Ibaka's girl.
Future PhaZe
Member
Harden thing still blows my mind considering his salary basically goes to Kevin Martin and a player they desperately need to get rid of in Perkins.
whatever tho, it all looks good till they get 4-0'd in the finals.
whatever tho, it all looks good till they get 4-0'd in the finals.
Vestal
Junior Member
On a side note, there is a lot of revisionist history in regards to AI going on here. He was a sight to watch play. What he was able to do given his height and physical presence should be illegal in a basketball court. He made other teams look foolish trying to guard him.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Money doesn't buy your owner happiness either. Blame him for being cheap.
LegendofJoe
Member
His hs coach tweeted that he was tired, stuck in Portland, and was going to speak to the coaches over the phone. It could mean anything really.
The A.I/Melo nuggets were so nice in 2k.
That team just needed everyone else to be utility guys but they had guys that were soft on the boards/defense in general so it didn't work out. He played his heart out for that team though
Yeah you had two guys in Melo and AI who either didn't or couldn't play D. They need everyone else to be role players, tough guys, and rebounders. Unfortunately the rest of the team also played no D.
AI always led the leagues in steals but he gambled so much he also gave up tons of open looks and put the rest of his team in a tough position. On his real good Philly teams that is when the great team D stepped up.
I'm honestly not sure Harden would help us that much against Miami, which is the only team OKC is really concerned about at this point. The bottom line is that Durant and Westbrook were gonna carry the scoring load (even with Harden on the team), and the series will hinge on us finding a way to defend the perimeter and rebound effectively at the same time (and our roleplayers doing their jobs, especially Martin and Ibaka). Harden's poor play was a major reason we lost to Miami last year.
Whelp, they got over the loss of Harden pretty quick. I suppose a 30 point blowout helps.
I think the bottom line with Presti came down to flexibility. If we had given Harden what he wanted we were going to be putting virtually all our money into 3 perimeter players, with nothing left over to spend on a frontline or complimentary players. It's a lot easier to keep guys like Collison and Sefolosha around because we only have 2 max contracts. We'll be able to put pieces around our studs much more easily this way, rather than fishing in the bargain bins for minimum contract vets and scrub rookies.
So far it's hard to say we've missed him, even though I love him as a player. Don't think many were predicting OKC would win 60 games after that trade, and at this point I'm feeling pretty confident we'll be back in the Finals. Unfortunately it looks like LeBron is hitting the prime of his career and I'm not sure anyone can handle them this year.
Future PhaZe
Member
It's not like the the Thunder were getting blown out. The type of loss they took is exactly what you'd expect from a team going through their first finals.
Another year of Harden developing with finals experience under his belt really increases his chances of playing much better in the finals than he did last go around. His ability to collect fouls is extremely important.
You're basically re-rolling the same thing again except with a less talented player without finals experience in Martin. It could make all the difference in the world. I just don't see Harden playing like that two finals in a row.
Another year of Harden developing with finals experience under his belt really increases his chances of playing much better in the finals than he did last go around. His ability to collect fouls is extremely important.
You're basically re-rolling the same thing again except with a less talented player without finals experience in Martin. It could make all the difference in the world. I just don't see Harden playing like that two finals in a row.
Quit giving me #hope.
Our problem against Miami is that they're one of the two or three teams in the league (the others being SA and Memphis) that force us to play outside our normal style of play. They impose their will on us and not the other way around. Harden doesn't really change that.
The biggest problem is that we can't guard their perimeter players and rebound effectively at the same time with any lineup against them. Not to mention that LeBron has apparently decided to enter God Mode this season.
A lineup of Westbrook-Sefolosha-Brewer-Durant-Ibaka/Collison probably has the best chance against their core lineup. I'd like to see that.
LegendofJoe
Member
It's earth day too, he could just be doing the environmentally responsible thing and cutting back on unnecessary travel.
lol, if only. I'd be a huge fan of him if he did.
Nothing stops the Thunder from trading him in future seasons. Harden's trade value doesn't suddenly disappear just because they give him a new contract. All the Thunder have to show for it right now is Kevin Martin and a mediocre pick.
The fact that you lost a very tradable young player makes your team less flexible.
Future PhaZe
Member
I think if the Nets decided to play fuckball and used their entire roster to generate fouls I think they'd have a chance at tiring out Miamis roleplayers enough to actually have a shot.
They aren't well coached tho.
Syphon Filter
Member
Kmart could be the x factor for okc. Don't rule them out just yet. Also they got stealth home court advantage. [3 in a row]
Where did I say that lineup would shut Miami down? I just said that's probably our best bet to effectively guard their perimeter and rebound well at the same time.
In case you haven't noticed, it's pretty damn hard to match up against the Heat for anyone.
theignoramus
Member
your best low post threat has that aspect of his game nullified against MIA cause he gets a bigger, stronger defender in Lebron thrown at him, who can just bully him on the block. that means OKC doesnt have a single good low post option and has to rely entirely on slashing and jumpshooting.
Truth.