The NBA Thread

[GhostAnime]

Being in the playoffs is irrelevant. He was traded to a team in the middle of the season. It would be more accurate to look at his playoff numbers with Utah.

Deron Williams doesn't really average 28 in the playoffs, but that's because he doesn't have to carry a team and he's too busy passing to actual teammates; however, he can average 28 if he was required too ie Derrick Rose.

There's more to being the best than averaging the most points.

 

[joshuaelite]

Do you have any actual evidence to back up your claim that Williams could carry a team while averaging 28 points in the playoffs, where the pressure is on?

Also, I said Rose was a better leader than Paul as he claimed that the Bulls were the underdogs going into the Heat series to take the pressure off of his teammates, and at halftime during the Heat game in the locker room he apologized to his team for the mistakes he'd made during the game, as oppose to Paul who hasn't shown anything like it (don't get me wrong, I like Paul).

 

[GhostAnime]

Do you have any actual evidence to back up your claim that Williams could carry a team while averaging 28 points in the playoffs, where the pressure is on?

Why does he need to average 28 points? It's not about points when you're carrying a team. A point guard does more than score. A point guard, surprise, passes the ****ing ball. Deron has carried Utah into good position for the playoffs for YEARS. He runs the entire offense as much as Rose does while shooting a higher percentage. It's all on nba.com.

More clear evidence: This is the first time Utah hasn't been in the playoffs since I can remember, and guess who was missing the last 30 games? You betcha.

Utah's series against Houston or Denver in 2010 are great for Deron.

Also, I said Rose was a better leader than Paul as he claimed that the Bulls were the underdogs going into the Heat series to take the pressure off of his teammates, and at halftime during the Heat game in the locker room he apologized to his team for the mistakes he'd made during the game, as oppose to Paul who hasn't shown anything like it (don't get me wrong, I like Paul).

"Derrick Rose is a better leader because he said this a few days ago."

How long have you been watching the NBA? Is it somehow new to you that the best player of the team speaks to the media?

 

[joshuaelite]

"Derrick Rose is a better leader because he said this a few days ago."

How long have you been watching the NBA? Is it somehow new to you that the best player of the team speaks to the media?

I've been watching the NBA a long time. Recent sayings of his caught my attention as they show how far Rose thinks ahead to psych up his team and how he's willing to shoulder the burden for them. That's not a good retort, when has Chris Paul demonstrated that he's a better leader than Rose?

 

[GhostAnime]

Look at this year. He was a great leader against the Lakers. He was confident and inspired his teammates to believe they could win the series.

What you say to the media isn't the same as what you say to your teammates personally anyway. This is ridiculous. "Better leader" has so much media creation in it that it's hard to prove who's a "better leader". Unless teammates actually complain about you, what's it matter?

Chris Paul is as much of a leader as Derrick Rose, and if you seriously have to ask why, you don't watch the Hornets enough. It's as simple as that.

Edit: Not that it matters, but there's an entire resume of leadership here: http://rise.espn.go.com/all-sports/articles/2011/03/01-All-Pro-Chris-Paul-mag.aspx

(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks (lol mavs still)

Oklahoma City comes off of a long seven game series in which their inability to finish games were on display. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have shot lights out and swept Los Angeles. Let's get one thing clear: the result of game one should not be blamed on "rust" or "fatigue". I say this because in almost every conference final, fans of said teams make up excuses for both sides to excuse the fact that they lost the first game. It's either fatigue (the team that just came out of a 6/7 game series) or rust and/or "no competition" (team that just swept). Players can't get rusty if they go to pre-game shootouts and actually practice in-between series, and there's nothing crazy about two day rest.

Spoiler: Regular Season

Regular season is hard to quantify because OKC had Jeff Green and not Perkins. This most likely only affects the overall offense and rebounding. Another interesting thing to note is Westbrook and Durant's scoring in the regular season. First, the Mavericks apparently do better with Westbrook on the floor. Westbrook's 14.9 a game is also worrisome. Who is guarding this guy? It can't be Kidd of all people.. right? I'm guessing that it's probably Stevenson or ... well we'll sure find out. Durant is also apparently only shooting 30 something percent against Stevenson as well. One thing's for sure, Chandler affects both Durant and Westbrook to the same extent. Perhaps it is a forewarning and with that said, Dallas most likely has the regular season leanings.

Spoiler: Perimeter

This is where Oklahoma City excelled in the last series. They have plenty of athletic guys that can finish in transition and an explosive scorer off the bench. Westbrook, just like Rose, is one of the most explosive point guards in transition left in the playoffs. If he isn't scoring well, it'll be hard for them to beat this Dallas team because their scoring outside of Durant and Westbrook is inconsistent (I'm looking at you, Harden).

Dallas may not have a a wing that averages as much as the twosome above, but they are a hell lot more consistent, better shooters, and deeper than the players outside of that two. Oklahoma City outside of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden on good nights is pretty much a three point shooting team that can run and dunk. If Dallas plays a slow tempo, they win any game easy; and that would probably explain Westbrook's low scoring because he's useless in a half-court offense.

By the by, even if Westbrook wins his match-up, I got money on him screwing up in the fourth quarter again.

Spoiler: Frontline

How much of an effect will Perkins have now? I'd say he may have a WORSE effect. He's slower than Chandler and doesn't stand a chance against Dirk, so he's probably a liability on both ends if he isn't rebounding. Ibaka is their best chance against Dirk and even then, that's a stretch. There isn't really much to say here because the Thunder frontline simply doesn't score. They defend, and I doubt they will defend in this series. Yes, even Ibaka.

Spoiler: Zone Defense

The reason I add this is because of an important discovery by Sebestian. The Mavericks probably play the best zone defense in the league, and with Perkins, Oklahoma City is likely to have a harder time scoring this time around (http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/05/17/dallas-zone-and-how-oklahoma-city-will-attack-it/). If OKC does not have a solution for the zone, you can count them out in five.

Spoiler: Comparing the Superstars

A lot of people are going to see Durant vs. Dirk in this series, but I expect Dirk to outshine him here. Durant is just an athletic jumpshooter in all honesty. Part of the problem Westbrook doesn't give him the ball is because Durant is not good playing off of it. Dirk gets the ball wherever he wants. Dirk can post and play in both transition and halfcourt. Durant... seems to only do effective in transition. Dirk will have an easier time than Durant if you were to ask me who is going to be the best player on the floor. He's just a more complete player.

Spoiler: Bench

Will Jason Terry outscore the Oklahoma City bench? For some reason, it doesn't sound THAT preposterous. Oklahoma City's bench depend on transition just as much as the starters. The bench of Dallas can most likely work in both scenarios.

Spoiler: Prediction

I guess it's pretty obvious that I favor Dallas a whole lot in this match-up. In fact, I can't remember the last time I've favored Dallas... it's been so long. With Dallas, comes that imminent chance of choking. It's certainly possible for Oklahoma City to win if Dallas can't control the tempo, but I feel that with Dirk, it'll be easy to contain Durant and Westbrook in the halfcourt.

Dallas has too much of experience, firepower, and 4th quarter shooting.

Dallas in six.

Spoiler: Questions to Ask

• Can Westbrook control the tempo and distribute the scoring better than Jason Kidd or Dirk Nowitzki?
• Can the Mavericks' perimeter players keep quick guys in front of them?
• Can OKC score on the zone defense?
• Terry or Harden?

Spoiler: What if lol Mavs happens?

It'll be 2007 all over again. The Thunder would consistently run and gun with Westbrook all over the place, Ibaka will prove how soft Dirk is, and Harden takes a giant **** on Terry. Good thing they're the Mavericks, right?

One of the reasons I took Blazers earlier in the season was due to my thinking of their guards and forwards probably being able to take their guards off the dribble and we all know how defensively challenged Dallas' guards can be. Only Westbrook and Harden have that sort of ability so perhaps they can shine in this series? I certainly don't expect their frontline to.. anyway.

 

[Barbarooza]

is deron williams scoring 28 points pg in the playoffs? no is he even in the playoffs? no Derick Rose by far is the best player in the league now, and he's only like 21. I loved Deron when he was with Illinois tho

Look at the supporting cast as well!! NJ have fuck all of it. Basketball is a team game, not a match-up between point guards.

Saying someone is the best in the league atm is contraversial as well. Who is he being compared to? There are many who claim Dirk is the best. It is useless comparing the two though because of the different positions.

--------

Jazz also made the playoffs because of their legendary (former) coach, Jerry Sloan, who was also absent last 30 games, as a side note.

 

[SlipKnoT]

Dallas in six.

Agree.

Also, lol @ anyone who thought the Mavs would be rusty.

 

[bushie]

the mavs won dirk is balling better than ever.he's even better than he was in 2006 when the mavs went to the finals. jason kidd playing good defense his offensive numbers are down but his commitment to defense really have the mavs on the road to the finals. (westbrook shoots to much)

 

[Pseudo-Unlegendary]

the mavs won dirk is balling better than ever.he's even better than he was in 2006 when the mavs went to the finals. jason kidd playing good defense his offensive numbers are down but his commitment to defense really have the mavs on the road to the finals. (westbrook shoots to much)

Both teams that I want in the finals won their game 1's. The Bulls are my hometown team but Dirk really deserves that title, although I wouldn't want to lose our perfect record in the NBA Finals.

 

[Pseudo-Unlegendary]

Anyways, I thought the Bulls played a decent game until the end of the game. Oh well, just need to come harder in MIA.

 

[Slick]

Not too worried about the Bulls, but if they lose the next game by a sizable margin, then things are going to become tense.

EDIT: Just watched the recap. Seems like the major turning point was Asik's injury and of course, Chicago's only chance is clogging the paint with the bigs. Hopefully Omer will return.

 

[Prelude]

If Bulls win a game, it means the Heat suck. If the Heat win a game, it means they got lucky, right? That's what it sounds like when some people try talking.

 

[GhostAnime]

The Bulls struggled on offense ..... as usual.

 

[bushie]

the bulls gave it away last night. personally if i'm chicago i'm still very confident.

 

[Slick]

Well, the Bulls shot horribly, and only really lost in the last few minutes, after losing Asik, funnily enough on a defensive play. Asik's one of the best defenders Chicago has.

 

[BCVM22]

Asik's one of the best defenders Chicago has.

Just to clarify this, much in the same way that a baseball player with blazing speed can still be a decent outfielder even if he lacks defensive instinct, it's not so much that Asik is a terrific defender mechanically (not that he's terrible either), but it's that he's so massive and so long that his size covers up for a lot of what he's still lacking as instinct and technique goes.

You probably saw it in the Atlanta series - half the time, he can guard guys without even jumping, just by putting his arms up. And what he does lack in technique and conditioning, I think he'll improve on after a full summer or two being able to work with an NBA-grade conditioning and coaching staff (if the lockout doesn't make that impossible, but that's another discussion).

Not arguing with you, Slick, just clarifying.

 

[GhostAnime]

Now Noah? That's a defender!

 

[BCVM22]

Noah's a little bit of the same story, just substitute "energy" for "massive" and "length" and the like. You're right, though, in that Noah is better in his technique and his mechanics on the defensive end.

 

[Pseudo-Unlegendary]

the bulls gave it away last night. personally if i'm chicago i'm still very confident.

Well, what happens last night was being too confident, so the confidence still worried me.

 

[GhostAnime]

You read the Bulls' minds?