NBA Thread

[koonja]

It's isn't revisionist history. If you looked at "blind resumes" of teams in 2014, it isn't like the Cavs would have been at the top of the pile. They had won 33 games in 2013. There were other options which would have put him in a stronger position to win a title. He went back to Cleveland for emotional/sentimental reasons, to fulfill his "promise," etc. Durant joined a 73 win team that his team led 3-1. A 73 win team that his team led 3-1. The moves are on different planets.

We're not compaing LBJ going back to Cleveland. We're comparing Durant going to GW vs. Lebron AND Bosh going to Wade.

 

[ulukinatme]

Or the ultimate mindfuck: Cleveland spent $22 million more than Golden State on salaries this season, and was almost $10 million more than the second team.

Cleveland was essentially the Yankees this year from a payroll standpoint. Gilbert DGAF and will pay the tax all day.

*GS has to pay Curry this summer with an extension, so that will certainly shake up the numbers

Yeah, it would be nice if Cleveland had the talent to backup that hefty price tag. JR Smith doesn't warrant the contract he got, and Tristan Thomson isn't nearly as consistent and dominating as Draymond Green is (Although Tristan does play very well at times). Even GS's bench is better than Cleveland's. I could see Curry trying to take less cash to keep GS together.

 

[ACamp1900]

Yeah, it would be nice if Cleveland had the talent to backup that hefty price tag. JR Smith doesn't warrant the contract he got, and Tristan Thomson isn't nearly as consistent and dominating as Draymond Green is (Although Tristan does play very well at times). Even GS's bench is better than Cleveland's. I could see Curry trying to take less cash to keep GS together.

Says the guy who openly doesn't watch any of the Cavs games....

 

[ulukinatme]

Says the guy who openly doesn't watch any of the Cavs games....

When I watch, they lose. I do it for Cleveland and watch the game on DVR after it's already in the books

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Is that what you meant? Lol.

Yes, that's what I meant lolol0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l

The 2nd best player in the NBA joining a 73 win team is very different from LBJ joining a 47 win team along with Bosh Spice I'd think m

Yes, please everyone keep making excuses for the Warriors being so good. They created a juggernaut, the same as Wade, Bosh and LBJ did a few years prior. The Heat picked up a number of really good older players who were ring chasing.

Now the Warriors will pick up those players. People are just angry that Durant really is that good -> possibly the best player in the world.

His shooting percentages are off the charts, he's a good defender and he doesn't commit many turnovers. His shot is a thing of beauty.

So Kevin Durant solely joining a 73 win team is entirely different than Wade, Bosh and LBJ joining a 47 win team? Did the Heat play for a championship the first year after those moves?

 

[Irish#1]

The game was over... and the one from like 30 feet the possession before... and the corner 3 with like 30 seconds left.

The Knicks thought it was over until Reggie launched 8 points in 9 seconds.

 

[greyhammer90]

So Kevin Durant solely joining a 73 win team is entirely different than Wade, Bosh and LBJ joining a 47 win team? Did the Heat play for a championship the first year after those moves?

The difference is that Lebron joining any competitor in the East would've ended with the same result. If he joins the Pacers, the Celtics (god forbid), the Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks or Orlando (remember this was Dwight in his prime Orlando) that is an immediate best team in the East. Lebron couldn't win in Cleveland because Cleveland was run by monkeys and was hot garbage. Their second best player was Mo f*cking Williams and they had the best record in the entire NBA. Let me repeat that: Mo. F*cking. Williams. Lebron leaves and they are immediately the worst team in the NBA.

Lebron had two choices, waste his entire career with what was one of the most poorly run franchises in the NBA, or leave for a contender. He literally couldn't go to any contender without making them the best team in the East immediately. He chose the Heat. You think it would've been less stacked if he had gone to the Bulls with that defense and a young healthy Derrick Rose? Or the Pacers with All-Star Hibbert and Paul George? Please.

Contrast that with Durant. Has an MVP caliber teammate. Has a team that goes 55-27 with Durant injured for a large portion of the season. Has a team that is clearly the only team that can consistently compete with the Warriors. Has a team that takes a 73-win team to seven games and is up on them 3-1. Loses because he chokes hard in Game 7. Proceeds to then join a team that is already the prohibitive favorite, that beat him last year, and calls it "the hardest road to a champtionship".

James joining the Heat =/= Durant joining the Warriors
James joining the Spurs in 2009 = Durant joining the Warriors

James should always get shit on for what he said after he joined the Heat, but comparing his decision with what Durant did last year is crazy. Durant's free agency decision is arguably the biggest bitch move in all professional sporting history.

 

[Shamrock Theories]

The difference is that Lebron joining any competitor in the East would've ended with the same result. If he joins the Pacers, the Celtics (god forbid), the Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks or Orlando (remember this was Dwight in his prime Orlando) that is an immediate best team in the East. Lebron couldn't win in Cleveland because Cleveland was run by monkeys and was hot garbage. Their second best player was Mo f*cking Williams and they had the best record in the entire NBA. Let me repeat that: Mo. F*cking. Williams. Lebron leaves and they are immediately the worst team in the NBA.

Lebron had two choices, waste his entire career with what was one of the most poorly run franchises in the NBA, or leave for a contender. He literally couldn't go to any contender without making them the best team in the East immediately. He chose the Heat. You think it would've been less stacked if he had gone to the Bulls with that defense and a young healthy Derrick Rose? Or the Pacers with All-Star Hibbert and Paul George? Please.

Contrast that with Durant. Has an MVP caliber teammate. Has a team that goes 55-27 with Durant injured for a large portion of the season. Has a team that is clearly the only team that can consistently compete with the Warriors. Has a team that takes a 73-win team to seven games and is up on them 3-1. Loses because he chokes hard in Game 7. Proceeds to then join a team that is already the prohibitive favorite, that beat him last year, and calls it "the hardest road to a champtionship".

James joining the Heat =/= Durant joining the Warriors
James joining the Spurs in 2009 = Durant joining the Warriors

James should always get shit on for what he said after he joined the Heat, but comparing his decision with what Durant did last year is crazy. Durant's free agency decision is arguably the biggest bitch move in all professional sporting history.

 

[ACamp1900]

Are we now saying Dwayne Wade is better than Mo Williams???

 

[NorthDakota]

The difference is that Lebron joining any competitor in the East would've ended with the same result. If he joins the Pacers, the Celtics (god forbid), the Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks or Orlando (remember this was Dwight in his prime Orlando) that is an immediate best team in the East. Lebron couldn't win in Cleveland because Cleveland was run by monkeys and was hot garbage. Their second best player was Mo f*cking Williams and they had the best record in the entire NBA. Let me repeat that: Mo. F*cking. Williams. Lebron leaves and they are immediately the worst team in the NBA.

Lebron had two choices, waste his entire career with what was one of the most poorly run franchises in the NBA, or leave for a contender. He literally couldn't go to any contender without making them the best team in the East immediately. He chose the Heat. You think it would've been less stacked if he had gone to the Bulls with that defense and a young healthy Derrick Rose? Or the Pacers with All-Star Hibbert and Paul George? Please.

Contrast that with Durant. Has an MVP caliber teammate. Has a team that goes 55-27 with Durant injured for a large portion of the season. Has a team that is clearly the only team that can consistently compete with the Warriors. Has a team that takes a 73-win team to seven games and is up on them 3-1. Loses because he chokes hard in Game 7. Proceeds to then join a team that is already the prohibitive favorite, that beat him last year, and calls it "the hardest road to a champtionship".

James joining the Heat =/= Durant joining the Warriors
James joining the Spurs in 2009 = Durant joining the Warriors

James should always get shit on for what he said after he joined the Heat, but comparing his decision with what Durant did last year is crazy. Durant's free agency decision is arguably the biggest bitch move in all professional sporting history.

Thank you.... so much.

 

[ACamp1900]

Were the Heat a "super team"?? If even to a lesser degree....?

 

[greyhammer90]

Were the Heat a "super team"?? If even to a lesser degree....?

Oh for sure for that time. My larger point is that Lebron was so obviously going to be great at the age of 26 that he would've basically created a "super team" by joining any team with a pulse. He didn't join the prohibitive favorite by leaving the 2nd best team in the conference, he made the prohibitive favorite by leaving a team that he'd been carrying for the first six years of his career. That's a crucial distinction to me.

If Durant had joined Leonard in San Antonio I would've stuck up for him, though his situation wasn't nearly as bad as Cleveland circa 2009. Durant would've been making a force in the West to challenge the 73 win team. Instead he basically just gave up the challenge, and then had the audacity to say that it was the hardest road.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

NBA Thread

I see Brian Windhorst stayed up all night, endured 6 Big Macs, 3 boxes of Kleenex, and 1 gun to his head to type this up for ESPN's front page:

*I get it. Lebron is a work in progress, in his prime, and may dominate for another half decade or longer making the conversation even more intriguing, but Windhorst is the worst. He does more damage to Lebron's camp than help with these emotional outbursts. He thinks he's playing offense, but these pieces always come across as apologetic and defensive. Not the stance you want to take.

 

[ACamp1900]

Oh for sure for that time. My larger point is that Lebron was so obviously going to be great at the age of 26 that he would've basically created a "super team" by joining any team with a pulse.

Agreed with your post by and large... On the quoted point: He didn't just join any team with a pulse though, that's what makes his comment so, "dafaq'd he just say?!"

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

The difference is that Lebron joining any competitor in the East would've ended with the same result. If he joins the Pacers, the Celtics (god forbid), the Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks or Orlando (remember this was Dwight in his prime Orlando) that is an immediate best team in the East. Lebron couldn't win in Cleveland because Cleveland was run by monkeys and was hot garbage. Their second best player was Mo f*cking Williams and they had the best record in the entire NBA. Let me repeat that: Mo. F*cking. Williams. Lebron leaves and they are immediately the worst team in the NBA.

Lebron had two choices, waste his entire career with what was one of the most poorly run franchises in the NBA, or leave for a contender. He literally couldn't go to any contender without making them the best team in the East immediately. He chose the Heat. You think it would've been less stacked if he had gone to the Bulls with that defense and a young healthy Derrick Rose? Or the Pacers with All-Star Hibbert and Paul George? Please.

Contrast that with Durant. Has an MVP caliber teammate. Has a team that goes 55-27 with Durant injured for a large portion of the season. Has a team that is clearly the only team that can consistently compete with the Warriors. Has a team that takes a 73-win team to seven games and is up on them 3-1. Loses because he chokes hard in Game 7. Proceeds to then join a team that is already the prohibitive favorite, that beat him last year, and calls it "the hardest road to a champtionship".

James joining the Heat =/= Durant joining the Warriors
James joining the Spurs in 2009 = Durant joining the Warriors

James should always get shit on for what he said after he joined the Heat, but comparing his decision with what Durant did last year is crazy. Durant's free agency decision is arguably the biggest bitch move in all professional sporting history.

And then Kevin Durant teabags you and leaves a championship ring imprint on your forehead.

 

[greyhammer90]

And then Kevin Durant teabags you and leaves a championship ring imprint on your forehead.

Oh shit you nailed me bro.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Oh shit you nailed me bro.

Kobe doesn't belong anywhere in this discussion.

 

[NDRock]

Gotta give it to GS, they created this team mostly through the draft and never had to bottom out to do it. I understand people being annoyed at Durant for joining them but I don't blame him. Playing with the Warriors must be basketball nirvana after playing with Westbrook all those years.

It is comical now that people are defending Lebron going to the Heat. C'mon, it was just as "bad" as Durant and handled much worse. Don't blame him for doing it all all, just as I understand any guy who goes to a "better situation". Will be interesting when Lebron is playing for the Lakers in two years.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Oh shit you nailed me bro.

Word.

Seriously, it's odd how people like to throw terms around like "bitch move" for Durant joining a winning team that allowed him to elevate his game and play for championships consistently. He just won a title and MVP and shot 70% in the final game but he was a "sell out".

Same can be said for any graduating professional from a small state school who goes to join a big name firm/company. They should've stayed and built something but they sold out and took a bigger paycheck. And anyone who looks for the best opportunity for them is a sellout cuz #reasons.

Golden State built their team from the ground up and then acquired Durant because they both saw the value in the move. Now they'll continue dropping bombs on the NBA while critics whine about how unfair it is. KD earned that ring and that MVP by being the best player on the best team.

Everything else is noise.

 

[Irish#1]

When you peel back the layers, Durant to GS is no different than James to Miami. I didn't have a problem with either move. My only objection with James to Miami was how he did it with the "special announcement" on ESPN, the "staged production" announcement in Miami and some of the other things he said. You want to improve your chances to win a championship by going to Miami? Okay, just don't make a "Hey look at me" production about it. Play ball!

 

[koonja]

Kobe doesn't belong anywhere in this discussion.

Dumb.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

NBA Thread

When you peel back the layers, Durant to GS is no different than James to Miami. I didn't have a problem with either move. My only objection with James to Miami was how he did it with the "special announcement" on ESPN, the "staged production" announcement in Miami and some of the other things he said. You want to improve your chances to win a championship by going to Miami? Okay, just don't make a "Hey look at me" production about it. Play ball!

But the proceeds went to the Boys Club

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/ZLWcrMpSEU">pic.twitter.com/ZLWcrMpSEU</a></p>— Foot Locker (@footlocker) <a href="https://twitter.com/footlocker/status/874970573197148160">June 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

bravo

 

[ACamp1900]

wow... lol

 

[NorthDakota]

Lmao that was great.

 

[Irish#1]

Funny

 

[dublinirish]

https://sports.yahoo.com/lonzo-ball...y-funny-foot-locker-commercial-144255693.html

 

[NDdomer2]

https://youtu.be/PKOqNoPAmyA

Someone embed for me plz

 

[ACamp1900]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PKOqNoPAmyA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[NDdomer2]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PKOqNoPAmyA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Rep this guy for me