#436
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#437
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
That said, your point is correct: it's a long season. Without Bradley on the floor, they need Kuzma to improve his defense (I suspect he can't or won't) and keep shooting well. They also need one of KCP, Rondo, or Caruso to start (in the case of KCP or Rondo) or keep (in the case of Caruso) playing well, and I think that's too much to ask. And they need Howard to remain engaged and willing to accept his role (could happen as long as the team is happy; unlikely to happen the second the team, meaning LeBron, gets frustrated). All of which is to say, what everybody knew to be true before the season still is true: this is an incredibly thin team that's going to need some good fortune to keep playing at a high level. Regardless, it's been fun so far. |
#438
|
|||
|
|||
Your 5(ish) man MVP watch as of 12/2/19:
(all stats BBRef) 1) Giannis: 2nd in VORP, 2nd in Box +/-, 1st in Defensive WS, 4th in Offensive WS, Bucks are 17-3 with a 10.3 Net Rating (1st) Narrative: Best player on the best team 2) Luka Doncic: 1st in VORP, 1st in Box +/-, bad in Defensive WS, 2nd in Offensive WS, Mavs are 13-6 with a 7.7 Net Rating (3rd) Narrative: the kid is for real. 3) LeBron: 4th in VORP, 4th in Box +/-, 6th in Defensive WS, 4th in Offensive WS, Lakers are 17-3 with a 7.6 Net Rating;. Narrative: the king is back. 4) Harden: 3rd in VORP, 3rd in Box +/-, bad in Defensive WS, 1st in Offensive WS, Rockets are 13-6 with a 5.3 Net Rating;. Narrative: unguardable - best offensive player since Jordan. 5) Others, in conversations to be on the ballot but won't win, in no particular order: KAT, Anthony Davis, Pascal Siakam. |
#439
|
|||
|
|||
How are we really talking about MVP after 20 games? Really?
|
#440
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#441
|
|||
|
|||
Because i'm an NBA obsessive, i think it's an interesting conversation, and I think the first 1/4 of the season should inform the award just as much as the last 1/4. It's just a mechanism to talk about the season so far. Don't engage if you don't care?
Last edited by Jaybee; 12-02-2019 at 11:55 AM. |
#442
|
|||
|
|||
I figured his ceiling was best player on a champion and potential MVP - I did not think he'd be there until he was 24 or 25.
|
#443
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#444
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I just think it's too premature to talk about MVP after 20 games. Stats fall off and then you have injuries etc... The list above is pretty much where the league MVP is going to come from.. in the current NBA, there are a handful of guys who can consistently put up those kinds of numbers and hold down a team, which is the real meaning of the MVP.. |
#445
|
|||
|
|||
I find looking at it so early interesting because we can compare and update our priors. Who thought Doncic belonged here preseason? About half of NBA knowers thought LeBron would be rejuvenated and half thought he was washed and AD was their best player. You can’t discuss those things without discussing how good Dallas has been or how good LAL has been, esp on defense, which goes hand in hand with LeBrons effort on that side. The conversation about MVP is a conversation about the league.
|
#446
|
|||
|
|||
Luka came into the league with a game that was tailored into the current wave of players. It was obvious he had a high basketball IQ from the onset of last season. He has a pure shooters touch, and his step back is underrated IMHO. People thinking Lebron is washed, is insane talk. There's no one who can physically dominate and easily get to the rack in the league, outside of LBJ. I don't know anyone who can easily get a layup like Lebron. If refs called tick tack fouls in his favor, he would average 20 free throws a game. Kobe and MJ got to the free throw line, as does Harden.
Only thing I want to admit, is that I was wrong about Melo. Almost 2 years of no runs have given his old legs life. He's back to playing bully ball, which is what I thought was his best attribute as a player. Getting the rack with his body and to the line. I used to be a die hard NBA nut, but the desire to sit and watch TV has waned. I still pay deep attention. Basketball will always be my 1st love. Last edited by denapista; 12-02-2019 at 12:51 PM. |
#447
|
|||
|
|||
So the Rockets definitely got jobbed last night - that Harden dunk should have counted, and in a purely additive world would have been the difference between a win and a loss, but....
...impossible to say what would have happened with different score/time scenario ... refs miss calls all the time - not sure why this one is terribly different than a phantom foul that awards 2 FTs that shouldnt be or a missed travel in front of a scoring move. ... it's the Rockets, so it's hard to have sympathy for the "well, akshually" types behind that memo to the league (these are the calls that were missed and our assigned point value which means we won) following the 2018 WCF. Maybe don't lose a 20 point lead to the Lonnie Walker Spurs before you lose your **** over one call. |
#448
|
|||
|
|||
A missed dunk with 7:30 left in the game, and you're up by 13 points, had an effect on the game????
That's the most insane thing I've heard. Houston blew the game, not a dunk with almost 8 minutes left in the game. Stephen A said it was the most non story - story EVER in the NBA. |
#449
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#450
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|