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I think Simmons will be able to stop Doncic.
Whereas I don't think Doncic will be able to stop Simmons.
And Doncic is my 3rd favorite player in the NBA.
1. Ben Simmons
2. Jimmy Butler
3. Luka Doncic
I think Simmons will be able to stop Doncic.
Whereas I don't think Doncic will be able to stop Simmons.
And Doncic is my 3rd favorite player in the NBA.
1. Ben Simmons
2. Jimmy Butler
3. Luka Doncic
I was asking, of all of the draftees of the last four years, who do you think will pan out to be a better player than Luka?
Curry is the MVP this year, 30% through the docket. For me at least, that's contingent upon him not missing more than three or four more games the rest of the way. He's already missed 11, if he gets to 15, I can't do it unless he is so far ahead of the field. Which, though he's the leader right now, he has close competition...
Let me also add that a third Curry MVP will be an indictment on Kevin Durant, widely thought of as the second best player of this era. Curry helped win KD rings, beat KD head-to-head when KD held a 3-1 lead. He has more rings than KD, the team plays exponentially better with Steph on than they do when he's off. If he also wins more MVPs than Durant, that is going to be a cloud over KD's legacy. Too many +1's for Steph...
Someone on the Denver Nuggets needs to develop into a closer for me to like their chances versus the Warriors. Jokic is their best baller but nobody consistently Carrie's the team in crucial moments. I love this roster but I'd feel more comfortable versus GS if they had one...
The Wizards have won 10 of their last 15 to get within a half game of the 8th seed. We've known this already, but this is a better team when Wall sits. Even still, they will be a 6-8 seed at best, and you have to start tearing this team down. There's a lot of trade rumors involving everyone (Wall, Beal, Morris, Porter). You gotta RIP this thing up. They hit their ceiling two years ago as currently constructed, and if the name of the game is win, you have to build for long term success. I'm a HUGE believer, you don't trade your best players within the same conference unless they are going to a bottom feeder that gives you a great package. So I'd be looking for the best deal from a West team for Wall and/or Beal. Everybody has to go. Brooks isn't a "great" coach but he's accomplished and proven as above average; get him a brand new team and let him prove his chops...
I still believe OKC will develop into a real contender. They look really good right now, and they were my preseason WCF team vs GS...
This Sixers roster has a low ceiling, they completely disappeared in the 4th quarter. It's clear they lack the depth of Toronto and while I like Embiid, no one on their roster is as good as Kawhi. Butler is an unlikable guy--a good player, but you CAN NOT WIN a chip if you're relying on him to be your best guy. So this means Embiid needs to develop into a consistent threat, but he doesn't practice, so he has a ceiling. They are good and they can be entertaining, but they'll flame out in May...
Conversely, it's clear Toronto is the best team in the NBA and it isn't close in The East. 25 games in, Kawhi is beginning to find his shot and is an MVP contender. I don't think the margin between the Raps and the Dubs is great, but at this time the Raps are better. Neither have hit their peak, which is scary...
The Clippers are starting their slow descent down the standings hahahahahaha. They overachieved in the first 30% of the season, and they'll continue regressing towards their mean. They are a playoff roster though, and if they still get a 5 or 6 seed Doc will deserve some COY consideration (they will not get home court)...
The Pistons are another squad that will begin regressing towards the mean. Blake needs some help up there. And please, I wish these talking heads would shut up about how great Giannis supposedly is. He's an 11% three-point shooter with no range outside of 12 feet. He's a dominant player in and around the paint, an underrated passer, a strong defender and incredibly fast and athletic. The great teams will minimize the damage he can do and force him outside of his comfort zone. I like Milwaukee, they'll win at least one series and have at least first round homecourt, but not buying them!
LeBron has to be second in the MVP running right now. This Lakers team has won 13 of 17 and is on fire. You can pencil them into at least the 4 seed, if they really overachieved they'll be higher. Kuzma is turning into the #2, which isn't great because I don't think he can sustain that. I think at best he can be a good #3. Which means, they need to move Ingram now. He isn't the guy. I know they are playing the long game with LeBron, but why? He's in Year 16 and he can easily have a freak injury like Year 17 Kobe and career essentially be finished. You have to try to win with him now...
This will be Popovich's last year, he looks and sounds emotionally finished. Spurs playoff run is over...
Curry is the MVP this year, 30% through the docket. For me at least, that's contingent upon him not missing more than three or four more games the rest of the way. He's already missed 11, if he gets to 15, I can't do it unless he is so far ahead of the field. Which, though he's the leader right now, he has close competition...
Let me also add that a third Curry MVP will be an indictment on Kevin Durant, widely thought of as the second best player of this era. Curry helped win KD rings, beat KD head-to-head when KD held a 3-1 lead. He has more rings than KD, the team plays exponentially better with Steph on than they do when he's off. If he also wins more MVPs than Durant, that is going to be a cloud over KD's legacy. Too many +1's for Steph...
Agreed. Hat tip to Andy Liu: Steph Better.
Giannis and Kawhi are firmly in the conversation, assuming Steph's obscene numbers cool off by the end of the year. No one can put up a 50/50/90 season while scoring 30+ per game, right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
Someone on the Denver Nuggets needs to develop into a closer for me to like their chances versus the Warriors. Jokic is their best baller but nobody consistently Carrie's the team in crucial moments. I love this roster but I'd feel more comfortable versus GS if they had one...
The Nuggets are really good. They're probably not good enough to push the Warriors, but they have a lot of young talent and Paul Millsap. They are firmly in the field of the West, which gives them a real shot at the WCF.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
The Wizards have won 10 of their last 15 to get within a half game of the 8th seed. We've known this already, but this is a better team when Wall sits. Even still, they will be a 6-8 seed at best, and you have to start tearing this team down. There's a lot of trade rumors involving everyone (Wall, Beal, Morris, Porter). You gotta RIP this thing up. They hit their ceiling two years ago as currently constructed, and if the name of the game is win, you have to build for long term success. I'm a HUGE believer, you don't trade your best players within the same conference unless they are going to a bottom feeder that gives you a great package. So I'd be looking for the best deal from a West team for Wall and/or Beal. Everybody has to go. Brooks isn't a "great" coach but he's accomplished and proven as above average; get him a brand new team and let him prove his chops...
Mostly agreed. I don't think Brooks is a very good coach at all. But I agree that it's time for big moves (past due, really). I think they should have already fired Brooks and tried to bring in a coach with some real weight. Now they're kind of stuck. This really seems like a roster that needs better strategy and more trust. But Brooks can't deliver that (just like he couldn't in OKC) and now these prime stars are rotting on the vine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
I still believe OKC will develop into a real contender. They look really good right now, and they were my preseason WCF team vs GS...
OKC's defense has been excellent. Their offense is pretty bad, though. They really could have used Kyle Korver or another sharpshooter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
This Sixers roster has a low ceiling, they completely disappeared in the 4th quarter. It's clear they lack the depth of Toronto and while I like Embiid, no one on their roster is as good as Kawhi. Butler is an unlikable guy--a good player, but you CAN NOT WIN a chip if you're relying on him to be your best guy. So this means Embiid needs to develop into a consistent threat, but he doesn't practice, so he has a ceiling. They are good and they can be entertaining, but they'll flame out in May...
I think Embiid is already the best player in Philadelphia. They're still probably too young and inexperienced to beat Toronto or Milwaukee.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
Conversely, it's clear Toronto is the best team in the NBA and it isn't close in The East. 25 games in, Kawhi is beginning to find his shot and is an MVP contender. I don't think the margin between the Raps and the Dubs is great, but at this time the Raps are better. Neither have hit their peak, which is scary...
Toronto is probably the best in the East (Milwaukee has been better, but I'm not sold on MIL translating into the playoffs as much as I am with Toronto).
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
The Clippers are starting their slow descent down the standings hahahahahaha. They overachieved in the first 30% of the season, and they'll continue regressing towards their mean. They are a playoff roster though, and if they still get a 5 or 6 seed Doc will deserve some COY consideration (they will not get home court)...
This is a very good team, but it is very reliant on the health of Danilo, which hasn't been the most reliable over his career. They're not Denver or OKC-level good, imo, but they are good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
The Pistons are another squad that will begin regressing towards the mean. Blake needs some help up there. And please, I wish these talking heads would shut up about how great Giannis supposedly is. He's an 11% three-point shooter with no range outside of 12 feet. He's a dominant player in and around the paint, an underrated passer, a strong defender and incredibly fast and athletic. The great teams will minimize the damage he can do and force him outside of his comfort zone. I like Milwaukee, they'll win at least one series and have at least first round homecourt, but not buying them!
Detroit has a negative point differential, and a big part of the problem is that they are not a good shooting team and they aren't a good running team.
Milwaukee has the point differential of a contender. I think Brogden and Bledsoe are both shooting above their heads right now, and I'm not sure they will sustain it in the playoffs. I think Toronto will put great wing defenders on Giannis in single coverage and dare him to win with his own scoring. I am picturing LeBron's Heatles vs. the Mavs in the Finals.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
LeBron has to be second in the MVP running right now. This Lakers team has won 13 of 17 and is on fire. You can pencil them into at least the 4 seed, if they really overachieved they'll be higher. Kuzma is turning into the #2, which isn't great because I don't think he can sustain that. I think at best he can be a good #3. Which means, they need to move Ingram now. He isn't the guy. I know they are playing the long game with LeBron, but why? He's in Year 16 and he can easily have a freak injury like Year 17 Kobe and career essentially be finished. You have to try to win with him now...
The Lakers still look several steps behind the top half of the West, and they haven't been beating top teams. I think LBJ is a solid 4th inthe MVP race right now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by murksiderock
This will be Popovich's last year, he looks and sounds emotionally finished. Spurs playoff run is over...
I'm not so sure. I agree that the Spurs are probably not making the playoffs this year. Injuries derailed this campaign at the get-go. I can imagine the healthy Spurs bouncing right back to the mix in the West next year, though.
Simmons has been the weakest link in Philly's two meetings with the Raptors this season. He's been a virtual non-factor, scoring 19 points total and coughing up 18 turnovers. He's young and has some growing to add to his game. But the Sixers may need more than Butler to be the last team standing in the East this year. Another outside shooter wouldn't hurt their cause.
Magalot, the Houston Rockets are 30% through their schedule and in 13th place. When do you expect them to make their run to the #1 seed? They're running out of time to be "working it out"
Hahahahahaha....
The Rockets overachieved last season, let's just all admit it and come to grips with that...
Curry is the MVP this year, 30% through the docket. For me at least, that's contingent upon him not missing more than three or four more games the rest of the way.
Curry won't win the MVP this year.
Durant for comparison is 0.4ppg behind curry, but beats him on rpg by about 3 per game and apg by about 1/2 an assist per game.
Then you have Durant doing it for 26 games vs. just 15 for Curry.
So, hurdle #1 is that GS isn't one of the top records in the league (right now) which is a requirement.
But even setting that aside, Curry wouldn't even remotely beat out Durant when picking the MVP from their team so far this year.
In other words, right now Durant has almost double Currys points, triple his rebounds and double his assists. There is no getting around that.
Durant for comparison is 0.4ppg behind curry, but beats him on rpg by about 3 per game and apg by about 1/2 an assist per game.
Then you have Durant doing it for 26 games vs. just 15 for Curry.
So, hurdle #1 is that GS isn't one of the top records in the league (right now) which is a requirement.
But even setting that aside, Curry wouldn't even remotely beat out Durant when picking the MVP from their team so far this year.
In other words, right now Durant has almost double Currys points, triple his rebounds and double his assists. There is no getting around that.
Curry is scoring 30+ on 50/50/90. When he missed time with injury, the team crumbled, going 5-6 in his absence. Durant's having a great year, but Curry's is unprecedented. With Curry, the Warriors are 12-3. Without him, they are 5-6.
I was asking, of all of the draftees of the last four years, who do you think will pan out to be a better player than Luka?
Luka doesn't have much upside, if any, because he's almost a finished product now.
Luka's prime won't be much different to his current production.
Simmons has more upside than anyone, because if you add a half-decent mid-range jump shot he becomes an elite scorer.
He has no jump shot and already gets to the hole with ease.
Also if he improves his free-throws to about 70%, he'll drive a lot more and be more willing to draw contact.
Its very likely he will have a half-decent mid-range jump shot in his prime, and 70% free-throw shooting (and he shot 67% in college).
All he needs is half-decent shooting, nothing more, and defenders will have to move up (not necessarily to the 3-point-line) and he'll drive right by them.
Luka doesn't have much upside, if any, because he's almost a finished product now.
Luka's prime won't be much different to his current production.
Simmons has more upside than anyone, because if you add a half-decent mid-range jump shot he becomes an elite scorer.
He has no jump shot and already gets to the hole with ease.
Also if he improves his free-throws to about 70%, he'll drive a lot more and be more willing to draw contact.
Its very likely he will have a half-decent mid-range jump shot in his prime, and 70% free-throw shooting (and he shot 67% in college).
All he needs is half-decent shooting, nothing more, and defenders will have to move up (not necessarily to the 3-point-line) and he'll drive right by them.
ESPN showed a graphic halfway through the 3rd last night, that on the year, Simmons has taken 18 shots outside of the paint, compared to 239 within. 18 shots outside the paint! In 27 games!
I'd argue that Simmons is the guy with the lower ceiling, because he hasn't even shown a willingness to diversify his offensive game. That means his ceiling isn't even Giannis-level. Simmons offense is drive and kick, or layup. His passes are difficult to defend, and he's a strong driver. He is not a difficult player to scheme against defensively, because his threat can be minimized unless he's in transition or has a running start...
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