The Ongoing Tales of World B. Flat

Sam Ray Not

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Jul 19, 2005
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I wouldn’t take this jackass for free.
Seriously. I know he’s KD’s BFF, but imagine a starting 5 of Dinwiddie-Harris-LeVert-Durant-Allen, with a bunch of hard-nosed, complementary bench players, and no Mr. Chemistry around to dominate the ball, take touches from LeVert and Dinwiddie, and tell all the non-in-group guys (like Harris) that they suck?

Good luck, Steve Nash.
 

BigSoxFan

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May 31, 2007
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Seriously. I know he’s KD’s BFF, but imagine a starting 5 of Dinwiddie-Harris-LeVert-Durant-Allen, with a bunch of hard-nosed, complementary bench players, and no Mr. Chemistry around to dominate the ball, take touches from LeVert and Dinwiddie, and tell all the non-in-group guys (like Harris) that they suck?

Good luck, Steve Nash.
Yup. No way they maximize that roster’s significant potential.
 

nighthob

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Jul 15, 2005
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Irving's such an oxygen sinkhole at this point I wouldn't be shocked to see Caris LaVert take a qualifying offer just to know that he's escaping Kyrie.
 

snowmanny

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If they wanted a personality then Rivers - and I will always like Rivers - would have been a good choice. But they had to get Nash before someone else grabbed him.
 

nighthob

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It's hilarious, they built their dreams on two guys that have deluded themselves into believing that they fought their way through the playoffs against long odds. They might be the first two all star team that ring chasers flee from.
 

Sox Puppet

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Dec 7, 2016
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More quotes from Kyrie:

"I saw him at the Hall of Fame two years ago, gave him a big hug and now he's the head coach. And I think it's also going to change the way we see coaches.

"I want somebody that's gonna understand that I am a human being first, I serve my community first, and then basketball is something I do every day because I love," Irving said. "We always heard and saw how great Nash was as a player, but also when you get to know him as a person, you understand why he can coexist with us. We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."
 

Imbricus

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Jan 26, 2017
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The New York Post headline sums it up well:

"Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving raise alarms with bizarre Nets coaching plan"
 

Auger34

used to be tbb
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Apr 23, 2010
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More quotes from Kyrie:

"I saw him at the Hall of Fame two years ago, gave him a big hug and now he's the head coach. And I think it's also going to change the way we see coaches.

"I want somebody that's gonna understand that I am a human being first, I serve my community first, and then basketball is something I do every day because I love," Irving said. "We always heard and saw how great Nash was as a player, but also when you get to know him as a person, you understand why he can coexist with us. We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."
These quotes are great but after reading the article what’s even more incredible is that KD and Kyrie don’t even seem like they’re on the same page.

Kyrie is continually saying that they basically don’t need a coach or anyone telling them want to do while KD is talking about how they need to be coached hard to set an example for their teammates....

That team is going to be such a fucking disaster and it’s going to be beautiful to watch. They took the two least self aware and most toxic superstars in the league and put them together. It can only end in complete destruction
 

chilidawg

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Jan 22, 2015
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More quotes from Kyrie:

"I saw him at the Hall of Fame two years ago, gave him a big hug and now he's the head coach. And I think it's also going to change the way we see coaches.

"I want somebody that's gonna understand that I am a human being first, I serve my community first, and then basketball is something I do every day because I love," Irving said. "We always heard and saw how great Nash was as a player, but also when you get to know him as a person, you understand why he can coexist with us. We don't need someone to come in with their coaching philosophy and change everything we're doing."
"Everything we're doing"? He and Durant haven't even played together yet.
 

ElUno20

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Jul 19, 2005
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These quotes are great but after reading the article what’s even more incredible is that KD and Kyrie don’t even seem like they’re on the same page.

Kyrie is continually saying that they basically don’t need a coach or anyone telling them want to do while KD is talking about how they need to be coached hard to set an example for their teammates....

That team is going to be such a fucking disaster and it’s going to be beautiful to watch. They took the two least self aware and most toxic superstars in the league and put them together. It can only end in complete destruction
Disaster? Do you know how fn great even a 1 legged Durant is at basketball? They'll be fine
 

PedroKsBambino

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Apr 17, 2003
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I recognize how good a player Kyrie is when he actually plays. But I do not at all miss having to worry about what crazy baloney will come out of his mouth or his me-first-and-only approach.

I worry Kemba’s knee is shot and still believe 2/3 of Kemba is more helpful to the Celtics than Kyrie’s act all-in (counting the great play, the missed games, the distracting personality, and the alienating young players)
 

mauf

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I don’t begrudge pro athletes for trying to get away with as doing as little media as possible. I particularly sympathize with the desire to avoid open forums like “media day” where you can count on knuckle-dragging writers asking gotcha questions. Yes, it’s part of the job for which athletes are paid, but it’s no sin to try to minimize the unpleasant parts of your job, at least when doing so doesn’t detract from your ability to achieve the results you’re getting paid to deliver. Most of us do the same.

Of course, it’s ridiculous for Kyrie to imply that he is somehow a victim of the media. He gets bad press because he says dumb things, and also because to a greater extent than any other star player today, there are other players who say he’s a bad teammate.
 

BigSoxFan

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It’s like Kyrie and Jaden Smith are the same person. So glad I don’t have to root for this guy anymore. Can’t wait to watch Smart guard him.
 

bigq

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Jul 15, 2005
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Pawns is quite harsh. He seems unwell. He can’t seem to avoid putting his foot in his mouth regardless of how he chooses to communicate. He would be better served with a blanket no comment response going forward.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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Pawns is quite harsh. He seems unwell. He can’t seem to avoid putting his foot in his mouth regardless of how he chooses to communicate. He would be better served with a blanket no comment response going forward.
Yeah, I obviously don't like the guy as a player for the whole thing where he tried his best to throw the Bucks series, but he's very clearly been unwell for awhile.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Putting “fine money” in quotes — as if that’s what Pawns call it, but he knows what it really is — is very Trumpian. Capitalizing common nouns, too.
 

Tony C

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lol...yeah, my thought, too -- something very Trumpian/narcissistic there.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Let's update this thread title!! It's gonna be the thread that gives all year long.

Something with Kyrie and pawns...Kyrie thinks he's playing chess, but he's playing checkers.
 

Sprowl

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Let's update this thread title!! It's gonna be the thread that gives all year long.

Something with Kyrie and pawns...Kyrie thinks he's playing chess, but he's playing checkers.
Kyrie's Gambit would be too flattering. I'm thinking of something more like: The Return of Mr. Chemistry.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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I know Draymond is a bit much; but Durant seriously left playing with Klay and Steph to go play with this guy, good lord. If he wanted his "own" team he should have found a better all-star than Kyrie. It does make me think a lot less of Durant.
 

ManicCompression

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"The Brooklyn Nets: We Move Different Over Here"

I'm not sure Kyrie is unwell, he just seems very easily manipulated by social media, which is not really uncommon in 2020 unfortunately.
 

Euclis20

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I know Draymond is a bit much; but Durant seriously left playing with Klay and Steph to go play with this guy, good lord. If he wanted his "own" team he should have found a better all-star than Kyrie. It does make me think a lot less of Durant.
Still a few years away from his story being written, but analyzing Durant's place in history is going to be fascinating. He's one of the most efficient high volume scorers of all time, and eventually became a terrific all around defender. The 2012 OKC team that lost in the finals looked poised to rule the NBA for the decade, with Durant (23) Westbrook (23) and Harden (22) all just getting started. Each of those guys individually achieved their ceiling with all three winning MVPs, and they've combined for 9 scoring titles and 25 all-NBA teams (14 1st team), but they never got back to the finals and broke apart within a few years. It's not all Durant's fault, but the fact that he left to go play with the Warriors who were already title favorites without him, then went to play with Kyrie (even if he's obviously the better player, this is not Durant's team) are pretty big strikes against him historically. For the first half of the decade he was neck and neck with LeBron for best active player, but in the last few years he's been clearly passed by Giannis, Kawhi is still the guy you want in the playoffs, Luka is on his way up, Harden continues to put up massive numbers (he's finished top 3 in the MVP voting 5 of the last 6 years, rare air), and LeBron is still at the top of the pile.

We'll see how this next chapter goes, but from a legacy perspective, Durant is really interesting to think about.
 

Kliq

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Still a few years away from his story being written, but analyzing Durant's place in history is going to be fascinating. He's one of the most efficient high volume scorers of all time, and eventually became a terrific all around defender. The 2012 OKC team that lost in the finals looked poised to rule the NBA for the decade, with Durant (23) Westbrook (23) and Harden (22) all just getting started. Each of those guys individually achieved their ceiling with all three winning MVPs, and they've combined for 9 scoring titles and 25 all-NBA teams (14 1st team), but they never got back to the finals and broke apart within a few years. It's not all Durant's fault, but the fact that he left to go play with the Warriors who were already title favorites without him, then went to play with Kyrie (even if he's obviously the better player, this is not Durant's team) are pretty big strikes against him historically. For the first half of the decade he was neck and neck with LeBron for best active player, but in the last few years he's been clearly passed by Giannis, Kawhi is still the guy you want in the playoffs, Luka is on his way up, Harden continues to put up massive numbers (he's finished top 3 in the MVP voting 5 of the last 6 years, rare air), and LeBron is still at the top of the pile.

We'll see how this next chapter goes, but from a legacy perspective, Durant is really interesting to think about.
His legacy is going to be really complicated because you can't really compare his career arc to players from prior generations, due to the increase in player movement. I think a big part of the reason you talk about Giannis or Kawhi passing him is due to his injury; after he had won his second title with Golden State I think a lot of people believed he was the best player in the world. During the two title seasons with Golden State; I think he was better than Curry due to his defense and overall impact on the game, but it was still Curry's team because Durant joined Golden State and Curry had already won a title with that core, plus Curry has an iconic style of play that will forever be associated with those teams.

Durant will forever be defined by the idea that he took the easy route to win his championships; even more than LeBron did when he went to Miami. LeBron has won enough in other places to kind of dismiss that idea, so that will be what Durant will have to do. Even though Durant was the best player on those GSW teams, and he played brilliantly in the post season to win his two titles; the general public still believes he took the easy way to win two titles. I think the fact that he took an awkward victory lap post-title and fans on social media gave him a ton of shit for it; something that was entirely predictable but I believe took Durant by surprise, really soured him on the media and fans in general, and has led to him finding a kindred soul in Kyrie.