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Author Topic: NBA  (Read 89962 times)

Eric/E.T.

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Re: NBA
« Reply #960 on: August 09, 2020, 06:33:17 PM »
Giannis is good, but definitely overrated, and for sure benefits from being physically gifted. Lebron was the same way, but the level Lebron at his best was above pretty much everyone else. Maybe Giannis gets there in a few years, suppose it's all dependent upon how much he leans in to his body type, but in terms of sheer play, what Luka has done this season is off the charts, especially for someone of his size.

This is borderline trolling, if even borderline. He leads the league in PIE (and it's not close), Defensive Rating, Net Rating (and it's not close, and is probably the reason 2-5, 7, and 8 are also Bucks; it's about the same for defense), 2nd in Def Reb %, 6th in overall Reb %, and gets you 29-13-6 on the league's best efficiency. The pound-for-pound, inch-for-inch point is interesting for conversations, but is not how the NBA works. To enforce a handicap on someone because of their size is not how it works. Tell me how many guys his size could run point, play any position on either end of the floor and elevate a roster of well-traveled players to the heights they are current at. Been a lot of seven-footers in this game, but 0 who've done what he's doing.

EDIT: The majority of Lebron's career, and Giannis thus far, have also benefited from playing in a largely abysmal conference as well, which I'm sure helps their stats. Lebron is still probably the best all around player in NBA history regardless though.

Give evidence that conference matters that much in stats or don't be sure. And if LeBron is still the best all-around player in NBA history, Giannis can certainly be - even in the Eastern Conference - the best player in the game, which he is and it's not that close. Look at the roster he has, none of those guys were anything too special without him, and he's got them all looking like All Stars.

I did look at Luka's advanced stats, it's better than I expected offensively, and I knew it'd be good. He's still primarily a one-way player, though an obvious offensive juggernaut. He'll probably get an MVP or two or three and I'll disagree just like I did when Nash won two. You're not doing this, but I think the Nash and now Luka hype trains are products of racism, and that they wouldn't be viable as being top 5 players or whatever were they not white. If you can't lockdown your position, you have no business being considered among the best, and this is coming from a huge Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker fan. I know the score. Without D, you can be Tier 2 with just game-changing offense, but that's it. That's another thing that elevated Jordan, LeBron, Timmy, and now Giannis.

BTW 5-0 in the bubble!
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FLYmeatwad

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Re: NBA
« Reply #961 on: August 09, 2020, 08:39:40 PM »
Hopefully the Suns go 8-0, they are my last remaining hope. Would be good if they got in too, not that it matters as the 8th seed will get rolled by Lakers regardless, but they're a more compelling team to watch than the other options. At this point, the Grizzlies and Pelicans don't belong anywhere near the playoffs. Do like the Spurs, but the Suns are just as enjoyable.

Not sure that I would agree that Nash was undeserving of his MVPs. Maybe if the case is that D'Antoni's was the reason for Nash's play, but he lifted Amare to near MVP play and turned Marion in to a star for a few years. But I'm sure that the way the coach focuses on offense does help those numbers as well. Not sure if Luka has the same ability Nash did, though he's had success with KP thus far, and there's plenty of growth potential he still has given his age.

Eric/E.T.

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Re: NBA
« Reply #962 on: August 10, 2020, 01:14:16 AM »
They finish out with the Thunder, 76ers, and Mavs. The Thunder have totally had our number, CP loves going up against the Suns, eats us alive. I am 100% all in on 6ers are better without Simmons. And with the Mavs, that's actually been a team we've done well against, already beat them once in the bubble. I think Ayton is always motivated to play them. I wouldn't mind them getting it just to get spanked by the Lakers, that's usually how a young team fares when they first get in. Even though the matchups aren't favorable, the Suns DID already beat the Clips in the bubble. Sneaking in will be a stepping stone toward a for-sure playoff birth next year, and then we'll see what Booker and Ayton in their prime really look like. Need to add one more though to make them a contender. Hear Oladipo might want out of Indiana - snatch him up and we have him and Booker on opposite wings with the big fella terrorizing shit in the paint.
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FLYmeatwad

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Re: NBA
« Reply #963 on: August 18, 2020, 09:01:25 PM »
Great start to the playoffs for the Rocks. Unforgivable start to the playoffs for Giannis the Overrated and the Bucks, who cost me somewhere in the area of $250.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: NBA
« Reply #964 on: August 21, 2020, 07:40:03 PM »
The Celtics coach looks like Pete Buttigieg.

Eric/E.T.

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Re: NBA
« Reply #965 on: August 22, 2020, 02:30:27 AM »
I mean, if you're gonna hate so much on Giannis, how about give him his due for a 28-20-5 monster game?
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Junior

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Re: NBA
« Reply #966 on: August 22, 2020, 08:19:32 AM »
The Celtics coach looks like Pete Buttigieg.

Lol, they have a very similar background. I'd like to think that Brad is a little less shitty than Pete, tho.

Get. Out. Those. Brooms! Celtics are looking to sweep.
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FLYmeatwad

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Re: NBA
« Reply #967 on: August 22, 2020, 03:35:52 PM »
I mean, if you're gonna hate so much on Giannis, how about give him his due for a 28-20-5 monster game?

No, it was a stupid response game for him, and their dominance in these past two games makes the lack of a sweep for the stupid Bucks even worse, especially because it's looking like the Raptors are definitely going to sweep. If anything these past two Bucks games have only increased the cost of the Bucks losing that first game.

Hope the Rockets blast off today, though I had that series at 4-2 Houston starting off, but would take anything less for them to advance. Last game was a good win too, as Harden didn't really play that well, they had to come back being down at half, and their defense played really well, so perhaps things will fall in line for the Rockets. Also had the Celtics at 4-2, but Philly has played pretty trash since losing Ben. Fortunately, the Celtics have done little in the way of costing me much (except yesterday by not hitting the over), and have largely won me money.

As someone who thinks that even if the Rockets can hang with the Lakers, they will also need to play against the NBA and the refs, I have been doing a bit of thinking about the ideal finals matchup for the league, and the narrative really seems to be there most for the Clippers (assuming there are really only the two LA teams competing in the West and the top three in the East, though I'll toss in Houston below just because). Obvi the 1 v 1 is a draw, but I do still feel like the Bucks are a beatable 1 seed, more than the Lakers are, at this point. Anyhow, these are the permutations I've arrived at.

Lakers v Bucks - 1 v. 1, Giannis v. Lebron in the battle of MVP candidates, storied Lakers franchise brought back to title contention by the greatest player of all time, etc. There are a few different angles here.

Lakers v. Celtics - Obvi the historic rivalry, but outside of that there's nothing else really here.

Lakers v. Raptors - Nothing.

Clippers v. Bucks - Tough to find anything here outside of Giannis v. Leonard, which might be enough on its own. The Clippers look like the strongest team in the West when everyone is healthy, but I also don't trust Paul George, as was talked about a lot yesterday, and his poor play I will attribute to costing me what should have been a sure win in taking Clips second half money line after Luka went down.

Clips v. Celtics - Doc v. Celtics. Leonard v. Celtics. This is potentially the most compelling match up to me from a narrative standpoint, at least of what I see to be realistic options, and may make for a compelling series, though the Celtics might still be a year or two away.

Clips v. Raptors - Very obvious Leonard story line here. He brought Toronto the title last year, left for the Clippers, and can do the same the very next season with his new team. This is compelling to me in the sense that it's the match up I'd most like to see.

Rocks v. Bucks - Harden v. Giannis makes this must watch, especially since James has rightfully called out Giannis for playing on easy mode because of his body build. Harden should also be MVP, obvi. Since the tiff between Harden and Giannis was public, it's an angle that's an easy sell for two of the league's best, so, while I am biased in wanting to see this, I think the NBA can lean on star power in the same way they could with a Lakers v. Bucks match up.

Rocks v. Celtics - No obvious compelling narrative.

Rocks v. Raptors - No obvious compelling narrative. America v. Canada?

I put a little action on a Lakers v. Bucks series before the restart because it was still positive odds and it seems very clear that the NBA would want James in the finals more than anyone, but I do think there's enough there for the Clippers to disrupt this/not cause a lot of intervention. Thinking about tossing a little on Clippers v. Raptors and Lakers v. Celtics now though just because I can see the NBA being pretty happy with both of those match ups (especially that Lakers v. Celtics, though I'm sure they'd prefer if the Celtics had a huge name draw outside of just Tatum, who is very good, but not the same electrifying name to put up against James in the way Giannis would be).

My friend asked me a couple of weeks ago if the Raptors last year are the worst team to win the title in the modern NBA, and he might be right. Seemed to be Dallas a number of years back was he other candidate to hold the title.

FLYmeatwad

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Re: NBA
« Reply #968 on: August 22, 2020, 08:01:10 PM »
Bad L by Houston tonight. Hopefully they can get Russell back soon.

Eric/E.T.

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Re: NBA
« Reply #969 on: August 23, 2020, 12:11:07 AM »
I'd love Rockets-Bucks just to get you to be quiet. That would be a massacre, and not of the variety you favor.  ;) BTW, hating on someone for their body type, basically saying physique equals destiny, is ridiculous. Giannis is listed as 6'11" 242. So is he the only player/human being ever with that size? Why wasn't Shawn Bradley the greatest player of all-time? I can see the Kanye/Harden love from you though, both talented dudes who make things worse when they start running their mouths. BTW Harden at 6'5" with a 6'11" wingspan makes him very much a physical outlier as well. Soooooo...can't have your cake and eat it, too.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2020, 12:16:11 AM by etdoesgood »
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