Yep. Makes me more convinced than ever that OKC would have kicked the crap out of the Warriors this season had KD not bolted for the Bay. Heck, they came about as close as you can last season, then added 'Dipo and Sabonis for a solid but slightly declining player who plays KD's natural position. Meanwhile, Durant and Westbrook are both having career years. And an extra year under Donovan would almost have certainly improved their chemistry.What a trade for the thunder getting oladipo and sabonis for Ibaka.
I have one quibble with your take on the Warriors with/sans KD and I think others (HRB, GnMB maybe too) have pointed it out as well.Yep. Makes me more convinced than ever that OKC would have kicked the crap out of the Warriors this season had KD not bolted for the Bay. Heck, they came about as close as you can last season, then added 'Dipo and Sabonis for a solid but slightly declining player who plays KD's natural position. Meanwhile, Durant and Westbrook are both having career years. And an extra year under Donovan would almost have certainly improved their chemistry.
On the other hand, had the Ws listened to a lot of the pundits and just "kept the 73-win core together," they'd likely have had...
• Curry regressing slightly (at least to the level of his non-unanimous MVP season)
• Klay plateau-ing or regressing slightly
• Draymond plateau-ing (still a total beast, but shooting a lot worse from the perimeter this year)
• Ezeli out for the season
• Bogut constantly banged up, missing every other game, and flirting with alt. right blogs in an area and an era where that kind of thing could rub some people the wrong way
• Andre and Shaun getting older
• Harry Barnes being Harry Barnes, only making $23M a year for doing so (and remaining in a system that doesn't allow him to spread his Black Falcon wings and run his favorite iso-post moves all day, like he does in Big D)
I just don't see that team hanging with an angry and hungry Thunder team that has slid KD to his more natural four spot in an absolutely killer starting 5 of Westbrook-Oladipo-Roberson-Durant-Adams. With Sabonis, Kanter et al. coming off the bench? Yikes.
One of the most underrated aspects of the Warriors' Durant pursuit is that it broke up a team that could easily have blocked them from the finals for the next 3-4-5 years. Probably deprived non-partisan hoops fans of some epic WCF showdowns, but ... that's not such a bad thing from the perspective of us partisans.
And ... as far as those so-called "downgrades" wrought by the massive upgrade (on both ends of the floor) from Barnes to Durant? Well, when you factor in availability: Zaza has vastly outplayed Bogut, JaVale has vastly outplayed Ezeli (duh), David West has been about a push with Speights (less explosive scorer, much better passer and defender), and Ian Clark has outplayed Barbosa.
Man, Bob freaking Myers deserves Exec of the Year, even more than he did in 2014-15 (though I guess I can see an argument for Dork Elvis Morey, too, or even Buford again for losing the Big Fundamental and barely missing a beat...)
They made the Ibaka trade before KD's decision. Apparently they ran it by him; and he said publicly that it wouldn't affect his decision (I think he was fairly close with Ibaka, but he also had nice things to say about Oladipo, with whom he shares Maryland roots).Would they have still made the Ibaka trade if Durant hadn't bolted?
He is a joy to watch. As a side note, the NBA needs to buy Vine. It is tailor made for the sport and I am guessing Twitter would let the technology go for a song.Okafor nailed to the bench again and another sixers win.
Embiid is out of control. The block on Zeller was...
I mean he started playing basketball in 2011 and missed two years. If he (please) stays healthy what is the ceiling?
The mid-dunk pump-fake was something to behold.That was one of the best blocks I've seen in a long time. Watching Embiid run the floor and attack the basket is a sight, the guy isn't just big he's HUGE and the way he moves is supernatural, even by NBA standards.
Speaking of supernatural, Giannis had a dunk tonight that was just insane, it looks exactly like someone dunking on a nerf hoop.
First Sixers three-win streak in three years. Sixers are 6.5 games out of the final playoff spot. A PHI-CLE first round series would get incredible ratings I would think.Okafor nailed to the bench again and another sixers win.
Embiid is out of control. The block on Zeller was...
I mean he started playing basketball in 2011 and missed two years. If he (please) stays healthy what is the ceiling?
I know most folks here aren't Draymond fans but LeBron definitely sold that one (and it was smart of him to do so given the situation and who was involved).Draymond found a way back into the news too
I thought it was appropriately a flagrant one, but LeBron didn't need to sell it like he got shot. If you are going to flex your bicep every time you convert an and-one you also can't flop around when someone manages to knock you on your ass.I know most folks here aren't Draymond fans but LeBron definitely sold that one (and it was smart of him to do so given the situation and who was involved).
Damn snowflake millennials!I was expecting much worse when I saw the Draymond foul. I guess it's a Flagrant 1 in this day and age but, man, a foul like that used to be nothing.
I love it. The NBA is the one sport where petty rivalries make the game even better and this is the best one going right now though the Cavs/Warriors is the most competitive. Runner up is the C's/ Wizards on just about both fronts.Westbrook tells teammates: "don’t say what’s up to that bitch-ass."
I knew there was no love lost between them, but that's even saltier than I imagined, especially 6 months removed from KD's decision.
Man I love Westbrook. The NBA needs a good blood feud.Westbrook tells teammates: "don’t say what’s up to that bitch-ass."
I knew there was no love lost between them, but that's even saltier than I imagined, especially 6 months removed from KD's decision.
Thibs is looking for veteran help. Bradley + ??? for Lavine would be interestingI'm sure it isn't a thing, but the Wolves are 3-0 when Zach LaVine doesn't play.
From what I've seen, yes.Also, what's up with Nikola Jokic? In December he averaged 17ppg 8.9rpg 4.9apg on 68/39/79% shooting in 25.7mpg. This month hes at 23.2/11/4.8 .611/.430/.820 in 30mpg. Is he really this good?
probably not quite this good in the sense that he's not going to shoot 70% from the floor, but yes he's the forgotten man in the "next great big man" debate, he's a monster.Also, what's up with Nikola Jokic? In December he averaged 17ppg 8.9rpg 4.9apg on 68/39/79% shooting in 25.7mpg. This month hes at 23.2/11/4.8 .611/.430/.820 in 30mpg. Is he really this good?
But a bad defender, apparently.probably not quite this good in the sense that he's not going to shoot 70% from the floor, but yes he's the forgotten man in the "next great big man" debate, he's a monster.
tough to say, Denver is the worst D in the league, but they are 2.5 points per hundred better on defense when Jokic is on the floor versus off. Of course it's a train wreck either way, but he's definitely not the worst defender on that team.But a bad defender, apparently.
The Wolves 4th quarter lineup down the stretch in their win at Staples last night over the Clippers.........Thibs is looking for veteran help. Bradley + ??? for Lavine would be interesting
I don't think MIN will trade anyone outside of Rubio and Dieng this seasonThibs is looking for veteran help. Bradley + ??? for Lavine would be interesting
The hot rumor is that a Rubio/Shabazz package is the one being shopped.I don't think MIN will trade anyone outside of Rubio and Dieng this season
It seems like, aside from the ultimately becoming a back-up thing, Rubio's a pretty perfect bridge guard. Seems like a really weird trade.The Timberwolves have attached Rubio to multiple offers with Shabazz Muhammad to several teams around the NBA, league sources said. Minnesota has been seeking something of a “bridge” guard in return, a player capable of starting in the short term, but who’ll ultimately settle into a backup role and give way to rookie Kris Dunn to become the long-term starter, league sources said.
Implied in my post (but should have been clearly stated) was players with significant trade value.The hot rumor is that a Rubio/Shabazz package is the one being shopped.
Wait until next year when Zizic arrives and you don't have to give up anything while keeping an extra $3m off the cap this summer to go after Hayward.Apparently Jokic has made Jusuf Nurkic expendable. What does he cost? C's first rounder in 18 plus he second rounders this year? Smart?
Nurkic has all the makings of a player who will explode with full time minutes. 16.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per 36 minutes, only 22 years old. Zeller leads the Celtics with 8.7 rebounds (and only 12.2 points). I think it's a leap of faith to think Zizic will produce at that level. His rep had been that he can't stay out of foul trouble, but his PF /36 is down to 4 this year from 6 last year and 6.8 the year before. That's still not great but it's less than Amir and Olynyk and just a touch above Zeller.Wait until next year when Zizic arrives and you don't have to give up anything while keeping an extra $3m off the cap this summer to go after Hayward.