Unpopular Basketball Opinions

[stewie griffen]

Nikola Jokic will be a better player than Porzingis if he isn't already

 

[stewie griffen]

There definitely is a bit of Jason Kidd about Ball

Drink driving or wife beating ?

 

[mickelboy182]

Nikola Jokic will be a better player than Porzingis if he isn't already

This is only unpopular because the Nuggets don't get any nationally televised games. People watch some of the assist compilations on youtube and are converted.

 

[stewie griffen]

This is only unpopular because the Nuggets don't get any nationally televised games. People watch some of the assist compilations on youtube and are converted.

Bang on

 

[Snake Charmer]

Nikola Jokic will be a better player than Porzingis if he isn't already

You can't say that about POZINGOD!

I agree tho. He's looking so good at the moment

 

[Zgope1]

Ball I dont think has that great a vertical, just very long levers. He does not explode one-legged jump, he just has very long arms, his youngest brother Melo Ball is interesting he is about 6'3" as a soph, but he was put up a year to play highschool ball with Lonzo and LiAngelo... he will prolly grow to 6'6" and change also... long levers. LiAngelo is interesting, he is like Charles Barkley, but not quite the athleticism, and will prolly never get to 6'5" a smidgin under, or smidgeon. But beefy, like the old Essendon/Port player Ryan O'Conner. He can use his body like Karl Malone or Barkley, but with the athleticism of Malone, but 4 inches shorter, and not long levers. I dont think he will find a place above division 1 NCAA. but I think if I am to be proven wrong, these three brothers are the ones to prove me incorrect, they have something about them, and I can see them rising to the new levels. Even LiAngelo, he will just need to lose a few kg, and stack on the Muscle in the squat rack like Larry Johnson so he can rise off two feet like LJ could before the injuries. (yes, I have #conspiracies on why folks are injury prone)

I reckon the old man has them on lipotropin, which is Stephen Dank's AOD9604.

The long skinny levers of Melo and Lonzo, the poor skin of all three teens*, the prominent bonestructure in all three. Big heads. = #NOTnormal.

Zgope1

he does have hops you idiot. I can't believe that's what i'm calling you an idiot about and not your unsupported babble

 

[Zgope1]

Nikola Jokic will be a better player than Porzingis if he isn't already

yeh he is currently the better player i reckon that's indisputable. He's better offensively and they're both pretty bad defensively atm. Jokic probably a better decision maker but KP the more physically gifted defender. For that reason KP has the higher upside, but if Jokic were surrounded by 4 good defenders they'd make up for his lack of athleticism and he'd be an epic franchise cornerstone.

It's awesome to see what he does for Mudiay's development. He sort of gives him an idea and brings his athleticism into play

 

[blackcat]

he does have hops you idiot. I can't believe that's what i'm calling you an idiot about and not your unsupported babble

the term is idjit.

 

[fidstar]

Not sure if unpopular.

Firstly Harden and Westbrook are having better seasons than Steph. I don't want to take away from what they are doing this year.

Now I have that out of the way...

If I was starting a team tomorrow I'd easily pick Steph to build my team around before Harden or Westbrook.

 

[calyam]

If I was starting a team tomorrow I'd easily pick Steph to build my team around before Harden or Westbrook.

I think it depends on the other pieces you have at your disposal.

Replace Harden with Curry and I don't necessarily think the Rockets would be a better team. Same with OKC. I don't think Curry can be the 'do everything' superstar that a squad like the Rockets or Thunder need to be competitive.

But I think the same goes with replacing Curry. GSW wouldn't necessarily be better with Harden or Westbrook. Curry is a perfect fit for their system.

If I'm picking a star to build around it will usually be the best offensive player who can contribute defensively in a meaningful manner. Obviously this doesn't apply to any of Curry, Harden or Westbrook who are mostly ineffective on that end. If I was building a team for just this season I'd build around a LeBron or Kawhi or Durant. If I'm building long-term I'd be focused on Kawhi, Giannis or Embiid (assuming he'd be injury free).

 

[Zgope1]

i'd rank it like this (i wouldn't have last year) Harden>Steph>Russ as far as team building goes

 

[PP34]

I think it depends on the other pieces you have at your disposal.

Replace Harden with Curry and I don't necessarily think the Rockets would be a better team. Same with OKC. I don't think Curry can be the 'do everything' superstar that a squad like the Rockets or Thunder need to be competitive.

But I think the same goes with replacing Curry. GSW wouldn't necessarily be better with Harden or Westbrook. Curry is a perfect fit for their system.

If I'm picking a star to build around it will usually be the best offensive player who can contribute defensively in a meaningful manner. Obviously this doesn't apply to any of Curry, Harden or Westbrook who are mostly ineffective on that end. If I was building a team for just this season I'd build around a LeBron or Kawhi or Durant. If I'm building long-term I'd be focused on Kawhi, Giannis or Embiid (assuming he'd be injury free).

All three players are unique and I don't think you can interchange any of them and have it be a proper fit.

Curry is an incredible scorer and a great passer. The only thing Harden only really has over him is height and rebounding ability, neither of which matter a great deal. Harden may appear the better passer but he's currently playing in a perfect fit of an offence while Curry plays in an offence that emphasises ball movement and results in Curry handling the ball and making plays off the pick and roll less than Westbrook and Harden.

Can you imagine Curry playing under D'Antoni? Come on, it would be ridiculous. The guy is almost impossible to guard off a pick and roll if he has shooters around him. He'd basically be Steve Nash on incredible steroids. Nash led some of the better offences we've seen playing under D'Antoni and he wasn't half the scorer Curry is.

As for Westbrook he's becoming vastly overrated. He's almost the equivalent of a 60s player with all his stats being inflated by coaching strategies, minutes played and the role he plays on the team. People argue that he has to play this way for the Thunder to win but I'm really not so sure. The Thunder are seemingly nowhere at the moment, don't have a great deal of care for long-term strategy and have basically just made the season all about Westbrook. Here's a great read.

Spoiler: Reddit Link

That link provides a great read about the way he gets his rebounds and why the whole triple double story really is a bit silly. He basically isn't trying on defence purely to get some extra rebounds for maybe a few points a game. As for his scoring, yes he's explosive to the basket and has become a fairly good passer, but I'm backing the guy with the ultra reliable jumpshot and ability to still get to the basket in Curry before I take Westbrook any day of the week.

 

[fidstar]

Also on the Curry vs Harden vs Westbrook. I feel Curry is easier to market as well. Important for a franchise to build.

 

[djrossie16]

I like Tommy Heinsohn. I think he reminds me of Fred Flintstone and is triggering some pleasant childhood memories. Yabadabadoo!

 

[YippeeYiYeo]

Anyone else see Curry flex after a layup only to get put down my DeAndre? Was gold:

 

[blackcat]

yeh he is currently the better player i reckon that's indisputable. He's better offensively and they're both pretty bad defensively atm. Jokic probably a better decision maker but KP the more physically gifted defender. For that reason KP has the higher upside, but if Jokic were surrounded by 4 good defenders they'd make up for his lack of athleticism and he'd be an epic franchise cornerstone.

It's awesome to see what he does for Mudiay's development. He sort of gives him an idea and brings his athleticism into play

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

The triple double is a bullshit stat. Why is a player who goes 20-10-10 better than one who goes 40-16-9?

 

[fidstar]

The triple double is a bullshit stat. Why is a player who goes 20-10-10 better than one who goes 40-16-9?

I don't know anyone that says it makes it a better game. LeBron's GOAT game was probably his 45-point, 15-rebound, five-assist effort against Boston. He's had a heap of triple doubles, none of which were better than that game.

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

The triple double is a bullshit stat. Why is a player who goes 20-10-10 better than one who goes 40-16-9?

Given those two examples, I don't know of many who would actually consider the triple double a better game tbh.

It just qualifies for the name and is therefore mentioned.

 

[PP34]

I don't know anyone that says it makes it a better game. LeBron's GOAT game was probably his 45-point, 15-rebound, five-assist effort against Boston. He's had a heap of triple doubles, none of which were better than that game.

Yeah in that context. But then you have the media getting stiff over Westbrook's season purely because he's chasing rebounds more this year and averaging double figures in that department.

Many are actually using triple doubles as a major part of their MVP argument for Westbrook.

I'd much prefer if Westbrook played defence and stopped chasing so many cheap rebounds.

 

[fidstar]

Yeah in that context. But then you have the media getting stiff over Westbrook's season purely because he's chasing rebounds more this year and averaging double figures in that department.

Many are actually using triple doubles as a major part of their MVP argument for Westbrook.

I'd much prefer if Westbrook played defence and stopped chasing so many cheap rebounds.

100% agree with you.

But averaging a triple double is still a great achievement. It does show consistency. I also still think that people would have him as a top 2 MVP candidate if he was averaging 30/10/7 (with better defense) instead of his 30/10/10 he's currently averaging.

Also (regarding the first post about triple doubles) averaging 35/15/7 would always be seen as a better season than a guy averaging 20/10/10

 

[fidstar]

Yeah in that context. But then you have the media getting stiff over Westbrook's season purely because he's chasing rebounds more this year and averaging double figures in that department.

Many are actually using triple doubles as a major part of their MVP argument for Westbrook.

I'd much prefer if Westbrook played defence and stopped chasing so many cheap rebounds.

Also regarding your media comment. I think that the media needs to come up with story lines to cover throughout a long season. It gives them something to talk and write about. Just like every loss the Warriors have gets 10 articles written about it.

They have to write about something!

 

[Zgope1]

I don't know anyone that says it makes it a better game. LeBron's GOAT game was probably his 45-point, 15-rebound, five-assist effort against Boston. He's had a heap of triple doubles, none of which were better than that game.

What a special game. Bloke had the eye of the tiger. Up until that point as a heat fan all he'd really brought us was worldwide hatred. That night I saw the value in having a guy who could just be like "f*** you all we are winning this series"

 

[calyam]

The attention may be directed towards Westbrook's triple doubles but the reality is that he is also leading the league in PER and BPM (though he is ranked somewhat lower in Win Shares). The triple double just signifies that he plays hard every night and rarely takes plays off. It's easy to admire that when you're a media member who has to watch countless pointless games during the season.

Westbrook isn't necessarily playing in a manner I admire and I think the coaching staff could squeeze a few extra wins from the team with a more balanced offensive scheme but it'd be foolish to suggest that Westbrook isn't having an excellent season. He deserves the attention he is receiving now even if the triple doubles are not as relevant as the media makes out.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Westbrook isn't necessarily playing in a manner I admire and I think the coaching staff could squeeze a few extra wins from the team with a more balanced offensive scheme but it'd be foolish to suggest that Westbrook isn't having an excellent season. He deserves the attention he is receiving now even if the triple doubles are not as relevant as the media makes out.

Because of the speed of the game these days, many players don't follow their shots to the ring, preferring to get back into defence and leaving a very easy rebound to a defensive player. Offensive rebounds, terrific, defensive rebounds, no big thing.

Because of the way Westbrook plays, and the reliance the team places on him, he puts way too many shots up at the death that are unbalanced. His record as a clutch shooter this season has been poor. The Thunder really need a more balanced forward structure. Westbrook would still be getting good numbers, he'd just be more effective, much in the same mould as the way Phil Jackson coached Michael Jordan. Jordan became more dangerous when the ball WASN'T in his hands so much.