2016 NBA Off-Season Thread part 2

[LAD]

The year they won the Finals.

But, like Russ said, he didn't have the pressure.

This will be the year to test that theory.

You're right...I forgot about his monster play that year.

 

[LAD]

No because I also stated Curry has been to back to back Finals, Won a Finals, Back to back MVP and is the leader of his team. U watch most OKC games Westbrook seems like the leader on that team most of the time.

I dont dislike KD. LOL I actually like him a lot. You are the 1st person to say that. KD is one of my Fav players in the league. My top 5 favs in the league: 1)Rose(I will always be a Rose fan) 2) Butler (Homer picks), 3) Curry, 4)KD 5) Irving(new to my list) got a love a guy with ice in his veins. When the cavs need a boost they go to him. This was hard for me because I hate duke.



Not watching Rose every game will drop my interest but hope he does well. I will still follow him.

Ok, my mistake for thinking you don't like KD. I was just trying to make sense of why you're being so hard on him.

 

[bksballer89]

U just like to disagree with me. LOL Dont get me wrong Green is very important and might be one of the leaders on the team but Curry is the Main man on that team.

He's the main man when it comes to best player but I think Draymond is the leader/most important player on their roster. At least the past 4 years. Maybe that changes with KD

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

No he might talk the most but Curry is the leader. Just because u talk the most doesnt mean you are the leader. Dez Bryant talks the most on Dallas but he isnt the leader. (different sports I know same concept).

Best player does not equal leader...lol

The secret to the Golden State Warriors’ phenomenal success lies in point guardStephen Curry. At least that’s the conventional wisdom. He made 402 three-point shots in the 2015-16 NBA regular season, breaking his own record of 286, set the year before, which broke his previous record set in 2012-13. Extrapolating from current trends, he will make 87,366 three-pointers in 2050-51. Curry’s 402 threes is comparable to a baseball player hitting more than 100 home runs in a single season, according to fivethirtyeight.com, or a hummingbird pollinating 1,400 flowers in a single day, according to an analysis I recently completed in conjunction with the “Old Farmer’s Almanac.”

All these statistics reveal what you can see with your own eyes: Curry is a unique talent. But if Curry is the one player indispensable to the Warriors’ success, why did basketball fans spend Monday obsessing over whether forward Draymond Green would be suspended for kicking Oklahoma City’s Steven Adams in the groin? Shouldn’t they have felt confident that Curry, who put in a typically fine performance on Sunday, could lead the team to victory in the playoffs?

Golden State has a superstar in Curry, the two-time MVP, and a semi super-star in shooting guard Klay Thompson. Both ooze confidence and both celebrate their personal achievements, yet neither is the obvious team leader. That figure on the floor, emotionally and often tactically, is Green.

On the Warriors, Green is the leader of the gang, but there really isn’t any gang without Curry and his fellow gunslingers, which gives Golden State a psychological edge.

The secret to the Warriors' success

Draymond Green is the 'heart and soul' of the Warriors

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

U just like to disagree with me. LOL Dont get me wrong Green is very important and might be one of the leaders on the team but Curry is the Main man on that team.

Look at a Team like the Heatles.

What role would you place Udonis Haslem in?

Duncan and Garnett last Season?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Well KD has always played in the Western Conf. He had pretty much the same results as Kobe when he was playing without a robin.

And we did see those moments taken away from Kobe- and it resulted in him & Shaq having tension & probably cost them a few seasons of winning. Knowing the outcome of that, how would that have benefitted KD in OKC?? IMO the result of that would've been KD leaving OKC long time ago.

And if this is a debate about individual talent status then why are you comparing the temperament/personality of two different types of guys? Pounding on your chest and/or chastising guys isn't always the best approach- and that isn't limited to just this situation. Have you ever heard of the sayin "you will attract more bees with honey than vinegar"??

Are we at all debating that KD doesn't have the talent that is on the same level as a Kobe or MJ? If so, I think you're wrong. He just has a different approach- a more team friendly approach- than MJ or Kobe.

well LeBron has a more team friendly approach than MJ or Kobe to- but LeBron has the cojones that Durant lacks- or at least has lacked thus far.

who knows- maybe it will just take more time for Durant- but the opportunity to prove himself on the level of a Bron or Kobe or Jordan or - even the lesser guys like Kyrie, Pierce, Chauncey, Dirk or Kawhi who have all stepped up huge in big time situations in the Finals- he is gonna have to show us at some point.

maybe Durant comes through huge this postseason and is the team leader and takes GSW to the promised land and another title and he raises his profile to that of Curry and LeBron- but until he does that he just doesnt measure up- and going to GSW and a situation where many perceive it as him being "along for the ride"- it even ups the degree of difficulty for him to prove it even higher.

if after the Dallas series you told me that LeBron just doesnt have the cojones to get it done- no one could have possibly argued. Now- no one can say that. No one can ever say that Paul Pierce or Kyrie or Dirk or Chauncey shrink when the moment is the biggest on the biggest stage. you CAN say that about Durant and its not gonna change until he changes.

 

[LAD]

Look at a Team like the Heatles.

What role would you place Udonis Haslem in?

Duncan and Garnett last Season?

Also, I will point out that LBJ struggled with being a leader until Wade denounced himself as the team leader. From that point on they were a well oiled machine in terms of chemistry on the court.

That is not something one would ever expect RW to do publically- or maybe at all.

 

[WiggyRuss]

He's the main man when it comes to best player but I think Draymond is the leader/most important player on their roster. At least the past 4 years. Maybe that changes with KD

draymond might be the vocal leader- but curry is by far the most important player. his spacing and shooting makes the whole thing work. Its the cornerstone and foundation of everything they do.

 

[LAD]

well LeBron has a more team friendly approach than MJ or Kobe to- but LeBron has the cojones that Durant lacks- or at least has lacked thus far.

who knows- maybe it will just take more time for Durant- but the opportunity to prove himself on the level of a Bron or Kobe or Jordan or - even the lesser guys like Kyrie, Pierce, Chauncey, Dirk or Kawhi who have all stepped up huge in big time situations in the Finals- he is gonna have to show us at some point.

maybe Durant comes through huge this postseason and is the team leader and takes GSW to the promised land and another title and he raises his profile to that of Curry and LeBron- but until he does that he just doesnt measure up- and going to GSW and a situation where many perceive it as him being "along for the ride"- it even ups the degree of difficulty for him to prove it even higher.

if after the Dallas series you told me that LeBron just doesnt have the cojones to get it done- no one could have possibly argued. Now- no one can say that. No one can ever say that Paul Pierce or Kyrie or Dirk or Chauncey shrink when the moment is the biggest on the biggest stage. you CAN say that about Durant and its not gonna change until he changes.

Your points about LBJ are good- and right on target in this debate. He needed TIME and Wade had to back down as the leader before LBJ was able to put himself in the same category as MJ & Kobe. Further proof that KD might have needed to change who he plays with so he had room to grow.

So I'll make my point again- KD clearly has the talent- as was the case with LBJ before he learned how to lead- and now he'll have the ability, and most importantly, the SUPPORT to grow.

 

[LAD]

draymond might be the vocal leader- but curry is by far the most important player. his spacing and shooting makes the whole thing work. Its the cornerstone and foundation of everything they do.

I would beg to differ. If you look back during the season the Warriors were able to win without Curry on the court. That wasn't the case when Dray didn't play.

 

[bksballer89]

draymond might be the vocal leader- but curry is by far the most important player. his spacing and shooting makes the whole thing work. Its the cornerstone and foundation of everything they do.

You're wrong wiggy

 

[WiggyRuss]

You're wrong wiggy

say Curry or Draymond went down the last preseason game with a torn achilees

you think that team has a better chance to win more games and go further with Draymond than with Curry?

gtfooh...you guys just jumped the fucking shark. the guy just won the MVP- the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER award 2 years in a row. he is without a doubt no question the most important player on the team.

 

[bksballer89]

say Curry or Draymond went down the last preseason game with a torn achilees

you think that team has a better chance to win more games and go further with Draymond than with Curry?

gtfooh

Most important doesn't mean best. 2 different things

 

[WiggyRuss]

Most important doesn't mean best. 2 different things

so you think the team would be better off with draymond than with curry if one guy got hurt for the entire year?

thats freaking insanity.

 

[LAD]

so you think the team would be better off with draymond than with curry if one guy got hurt for the entire year?

thats freaking insanity.

We already saw how the team responded when each of them was out with injuries. It doesn't take one of them being out an entire year to see the results.

Here's how they each affect the team:

1.When Curry is out they without a doubt miss his scoring- but his passing & execution can be replaced as we saw in Livingston & Dray.

2. When Dray was out they missed his defense, his ability to execute when Steph is on the bench and the scoring that he brought. He is also the reason that their wing shooters get a lot of open looks. There wasn't another back up PF that was good enough to fill that gapping hole when Dray went out.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

draymond might be the vocal leader- but curry is by far the most important player. his spacing and shooting makes the whole thing work. Its the cornerstone and foundation of everything they do.

True.

Not every guy has the mentality to wear both hats.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

so you think the team would be better off with draymond than with curry if one guy got hurt for the entire year?

thats freaking insanity.

No.

I'm not saying that.

One guy is the engine, the other drives the bus.

You kinda need both if you wanna make it to your destination.

 

[bksballer89]

No.

I'm not saying that.

One guy is the engine, the other drives the bus.

You kinda need both if you wanna make it to your destination.

Easy to understand if you ask me

 

[bksballer89]

LeBron wants Cavs, Smith to resolve dispute

 

[WiggyRuss]

No.

I'm not saying that.

One guy is the engine, the other drives the bus.

You kinda need both if you wanna make it to your destination.

draymond is not nearly as important to curry for that team. i totally agree- dont have to be the best player to be a leader on a team- but there is simply no debate that Curry is BOTH the best player, and most important player on that team.

the whole draymond is the leader thing i think is even up for debate. this is the guy that was going crazy on Kerr. He might be the "heart and soul" of the team- but i dont even think he is the leader of the team either.

without Curry and his insane skill set the whole system just does not work there. They couldnt beat any good team in the playoffs without Curry.