The NBA Thread (68 Viewers)
- Thread starter Giovinco20
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If someone ever asks you of definition, you point to this and say this is what greatness looks like.
Even more impressive is how humble he is, after such insane clutch double play, what does he do? He thanks David Lee for helping him stop Harden, making it easier for him to block.
Isaiah said it best
Even more impressive is how humble he is, after such insane clutch double play, what does he do? He thanks David Lee for helping him stop Harden, making it easier for him to block.
Isaiah said it best
Man Westbrook is trying really hard. True, he's a ball hog who attempts insane number of shots but his defensive output is not bad. His biggest issue (rightly IMO) is that he plays for a team that is ranked 7 in the western conference as of today. There are 10 teams with better records than Thunder right now. So even if you are the MVP in a mediocre team, should it matter?
Speaking of Russ, he dropped 58 points last night....in a LOSS! he attempted 39 shots. the other OKC players attempted 46 shots combined!
Speaking of Russ, he dropped 58 points last night....in a LOSS! he attempted 39 shots. the other OKC players attempted 46 shots combined!
Kawhi, Harden, Westbrook and IT are the top candidates to me. Harden and Westbrook are doing the most with the least stacked squads, while also having the best numbers (Westbrook a little better stat wise, Hardens team doing better). IT is also carrying his team but Boston has a better supporting cast for him. Kawhi is playing elite defense AND offense, on what can be the team with the best record now that Durant is down (with him as the only all star there). its close, but if the Spurs finish with the best record, it has to be Kawhi. if looking at numbers only, Westbrook or Harden are obviously the top picks
Nice job leaving LeBron out. He should be considered IMO. He also plays elite offense and defense.
But about the others: I haven't watched much of Thomas to be able to judge. Harden should not win it since his lack of defense. I said my opinion of Westbrook above, but I wouldn't be mad if he wins it only based on the grinta he puts into the game. I don't even remember anybody putting this much effort in regular season games.
But about the others: I haven't watched much of Thomas to be able to judge. Harden should not win it since his lack of defense. I said my opinion of Westbrook above, but I wouldn't be mad if he wins it only based on the grinta he puts into the game. I don't even remember anybody putting this much effort in regular season games.
nope, Lebron is barely top 5, he shouldnt be in the conversation if we talk about a 3 man list of players that are most likely to get it. and he doesent play elite defense, whenever i watch him he doesent even guard the oppositions best player.
i like to look at it this way. take out any of these players off their teams and see how they do. which ones fall off the most? to me its obvious, Boston, OKC and Houston. Kawhi is there because hes potentially the best player on the team with the best record (if they can overcome a Durant-short GSW), with no other all star on the team besides him (LBJ has 2 other all stars and a STACKED team). hes also the best perimeter defender in the world which he shows on the court each game.
i like to look at it this way. take out any of these players off their teams and see how they do. which ones fall off the most? to me its obvious, Boston, OKC and Houston. Kawhi is there because hes potentially the best player on the team with the best record (if they can overcome a Durant-short GSW), with no other all star on the team besides him (LBJ has 2 other all stars and a STACKED team). hes also the best perimeter defender in the world which he shows on the court each game.
But that only works in the team is good enough. To me OKC is not. They are mostly a stat padding machine for Russ. There's no way they can win anything with or without him. Houston is, but Harden only contributes to their offensive output.
To me Kawhi and LeBron should be the only ones up for the award.
To me Kawhi and LeBron should be the only ones up for the award.
People forget Houston is about the D'Antoni offensive system too, and that they have Gordon and Anderson shooting lights out like no other in NBA right now (there's a reason Harden gets so many easy assists), more so then GSW even, and Beverly is on lock defensively. So Harden has pretty good support system right now, they are underdogs but ones who genuinly performing as a unit consistently more then they could hoped for. Harden is sick with it but its not all him for sure, and I dont think what he is doing is enough to be seen over Kawhi, 5 procent defending and 95 offense isnt just there for me as MVP player, candidate sure, but to win it requires more. To be head and shoulders above the other candidates and he isnt.
Russ individually is an absolute monster, more so then Harden for me, but he is not a lock for MVP for reasons you mentionned. Average team and he frankly has average IQ as player, he litterally tries to do everything himself, its shocking he hasnt burned himself out already. Its not sustainable and more importantly its what makes you a winner, he is very hungry and I respect him for it. But its just kinda balls out crazy more then true champion level candidate ball.
Kawhi is in the best team consistently wise, but he has to do alot, too much on his own too. Aldrige and Gasol are dissapointment and their bench could be better scoring too. But in the way they play together its not necessary right now, but playoff time someone else but Kawhi needs to step up from time to time. Looking at you Lemarcus...
Russ individually is an absolute monster, more so then Harden for me, but he is not a lock for MVP for reasons you mentionned. Average team and he frankly has average IQ as player, he litterally tries to do everything himself, its shocking he hasnt burned himself out already. Its not sustainable and more importantly its what makes you a winner, he is very hungry and I respect him for it. But its just kinda balls out crazy more then true champion level candidate ball.
Kawhi is in the best team consistently wise, but he has to do alot, too much on his own too. Aldrige and Gasol are dissapointment and their bench could be better scoring too. But in the way they play together its not necessary right now, but playoff time someone else but Kawhi needs to step up from time to time. Looking at you Lemarcus...
No way LeBron should be in the conversation, his team is too good and is still only tied at 3rd best in the league with Houston. If James is a candidate over RW, Harden and IT, then so should be Durant, but realistically both should be around that 5th spot.
Im glad you say Westbrooks team is not good, im also glad Osman mentioned Hardens supporting cast. So whats the deal here. Westbrook is a PG that needs to have the ball in his hands and that will attack the rim as often as he can. Hes also not a particulary great 3pt shooter. How do you defend against such guy? You close down his driving to the rim and make him a passer, which teams try to do. Now whats the problem here? The guy doesent have any damn shooters in his team, that can spread the floor and make life easier for him. Yet he STILL leads the league in points, while averaging a triple double, AND has his team in the Playoffs (very likely). Harden has a better support, he has guys that can shoot and spread the floor, he has a system that favors him and gives him a chance to score and assist a lot. He himself is also a better shooter than RW so teams will defend him differently. But hes still crucial for that very offense to work, and the sole reason they have the 3rd best record in the league together with the Cavs. These 2, together with IT, are the players that are the most valuable for their teams success this season, hence why they should be frontrunners for the MVP award.
Another thing thats also very important and why Leonard is the favorite for me to win it, the MVP is usually (more often than not) the best player on the team with the best record, which is how Nash won it twice over Kobe&Shaq, how Nowitzki won it, James over Wade in 2009, Rose, Curry twice etc. To me, id give it to Kawhi regardless of how the season ends, because he Impacts the game the most when looking at offense+defense, and hes also the best player on the close 2nd best team (while being the only all star there). Another thing to take into consideration, the Spurs are 8-1 I think vs teams that have MVP candidates playing for them (GSW, Cavs, Celtics, Rockets, OKC) with Leonard finishing with 30+ points (in addition to an amazing defensive impact) 4 or 5 times I think. They still play GSW twice at home, Cavs once also at home and OKC once, so that record can even increase. All this is why to me, its Kawhi slighly over Russ and Harden. If the Spurs manage to finish with the 1st overall record, keeping in mind the games they still have to play I mentioned above, and that they will probably have to win all of them to get that #1 spot, then anything other than Kawhi winning it would be a robbery plain and simple
Im glad you say Westbrooks team is not good, im also glad Osman mentioned Hardens supporting cast. So whats the deal here. Westbrook is a PG that needs to have the ball in his hands and that will attack the rim as often as he can. Hes also not a particulary great 3pt shooter. How do you defend against such guy? You close down his driving to the rim and make him a passer, which teams try to do. Now whats the problem here? The guy doesent have any damn shooters in his team, that can spread the floor and make life easier for him. Yet he STILL leads the league in points, while averaging a triple double, AND has his team in the Playoffs (very likely). Harden has a better support, he has guys that can shoot and spread the floor, he has a system that favors him and gives him a chance to score and assist a lot. He himself is also a better shooter than RW so teams will defend him differently. But hes still crucial for that very offense to work, and the sole reason they have the 3rd best record in the league together with the Cavs. These 2, together with IT, are the players that are the most valuable for their teams success this season, hence why they should be frontrunners for the MVP award.
Another thing thats also very important and why Leonard is the favorite for me to win it, the MVP is usually (more often than not) the best player on the team with the best record, which is how Nash won it twice over Kobe&Shaq, how Nowitzki won it, James over Wade in 2009, Rose, Curry twice etc. To me, id give it to Kawhi regardless of how the season ends, because he Impacts the game the most when looking at offense+defense, and hes also the best player on the close 2nd best team (while being the only all star there). Another thing to take into consideration, the Spurs are 8-1 I think vs teams that have MVP candidates playing for them (GSW, Cavs, Celtics, Rockets, OKC) with Leonard finishing with 30+ points (in addition to an amazing defensive impact) 4 or 5 times I think. They still play GSW twice at home, Cavs once also at home and OKC once, so that record can even increase. All this is why to me, its Kawhi slighly over Russ and Harden. If the Spurs manage to finish with the 1st overall record, keeping in mind the games they still have to play I mentioned above, and that they will probably have to win all of them to get that #1 spot, then anything other than Kawhi winning it would be a robbery plain and simple