₦airaland Forum

SmooshCHN:
Predicted OKC starting lineup from Twitter

PG : Westbrook
SG: Westbrook
SF: Westbrook
PF: Westbrook
C: Westbrook

They should be OK if Westbrook keeps others involved.

Donlittle:
OKC is not losing 40 plus game haba. That squad is good enough to challenge well into the 2nd round in my humble opinion.

I like Westbrook, Glad he did not jump ship. No matter how you dice it, slice it, kid is more of a fighter than KD is. Hope he learns how to lead, that is the number one element missing from his game.

He needs to learn to get others involve, not just give kanter and Adams the ball in the paint but learn how to control the tempo of the game like CP3.

I wouldn't want to have Kevin Durant as a friend lol. Always quick to come to Russell Aide, but left him hanging during his time of need, which in essence means he felt the same we all felt about Russell game.

This move would have been easier to stomach if they did not get along, those two were like best friends lol.

KD is a great player, GSW is the clear winner here, but he is a punk abeg.

I was just rating them based on how they played without KD in 2014/15 when he was injured. Na 45 games dem lose that season.

Without a doubt KD was sly and in that I agree with you. But WB didn't stay put because he is a fighter. He had more money to make, and he wasn't a free agent so even if he wanted to leave, the ensuing team would have traded big players to acquire him.

If WB wants to show us how much of a fighter he is, he for sign 5 year contract.

I know I am just nitpicking but I can't pretend I am not happy that KD is in GSW.

WB wouldn't have gotten the money he did, had KD stayed. KD not informing him directly about his decision could also be KDs subtle way of telling us part of his issues in OKC.

I am particularly surprised at the candor and gentlemanliness WB showed in answering the questions put at him by the reporters. He now has a team that he can call his own while he pads his stats and yanks up 3s as he wills. They will probably lose 40+ games this season which will qualify them as 5th seeds.

^^

Your dislike for Barnes is legendary.

He seems improved in this Olympics team and has been playing more aggressive. He may be a great addition to your Dallas team.

SIRcumalot:
I want you warriors to blame curry not the third option on your team.

Did you watch that YouTube clip I posted? Well if you did, you'd have seen that I was admitting Curry let his team down but his failure wasn't majorly what cost his team another ring. Harrison Barnes, the Wing man, who had many uncontested shots he would normally make, missed them.

The synopsis of that clip (if you didn't watch it) was that:

1. Curry was less aggressive, less efficient with the ball and off rhythm.

2. That Kyrie made alot of points when marked by Curry.

3. That Curry dribbled less and turned the ball over alot.

All these, everyone who watched it saw. The elephant in the room that nobody wants to address is the cause of these things.

1. Without a doubt Curry had more work to do with Kyrie playing than he needed to do last year but, Curry was molesting Kyrie when Cavs lost 132-98 in the regular season. This Play offs, he could barely get past Kyrie. He wasn't even attempting it.

2. Curry could barely dribble the big men marking him. I mean Tristan and co at moments were keeping up with Curry's movements. He was evidently slower than he was in the regular season. The video showed it copiously.

3. Then how many uncontested shots did Curry miss in game 7. I mean, this was the most clutch player in 2 years and for 5mins he couldn't inspire his team to make a single bucket in a game 7.

Whether even he likes to admit it or not, recovering from his knee injury affected him. He lost his lateral movements and was avoiding the rim. A player that was doing 68% FG in the paint in the regular season couldn't make a layup to save Riley Curry. His aggression was coming in fits. Let us not overstate it. Cavs had their own adjustments that helped together with refs letting bad calls subsist but Curry wasn't the same. That's a fact.

Mizzzbeee:
Truth is Klay had alot to do with our woes too just that he was too great during okc matchup everyone overlooked him. I am not letting Curry off the hook too but i gave him the benefit of doubt because he wasnt 100% hell everyone on that team was banged up! Dray had his fair share of faults but the greater blame falls on the coach, who acted like a rookie coach by playing sub -par players deep into crunch time (Barnes and Ezeli) ...

The truth is that warriors had that game.There are few games in which warriors start out blazing like that and ends up losing due to slip ups and what not. One of those games was game 1 vs okc ...Barnes had 5/32 in 3 games and you will be suprised most of those shot we uncontested open shots which he missed. He was incognito through out the finals. So from KERR, to Curry to Klay to BARNES , EZELI AND EVEN VAREJAO the blame pie goes all round but some guys in capital letter had a bigger piece of that pie.

p.s. CURRY still has alot to prove to us that he isnt a regular season dude but can also show up and be consistent in the playoffs.

Klay was bad in the finals. One good game 5 and that's about it. I believe he had 14 or less in game 7 but since like you said he was big in game 6 vs the Thunders, we all give him a pass.

Curry should actually be let off the hook because coming back from an injury of that magnitude psychologically was daunting. He was having inconsistent performances post the injury and only being his regular-season self off and on for the most part.

People tend.to undermine his 31, 31 and 36 in the final 3 games vs OKC because of how underwhelming he was in games 3&4 but he averaged about the same ppgs with KD and Russell, which people seem to say were so great in the series.

As per last season, I wonder why the fact that Curry averaged 26 ppg in the 6 games vs Cavs is underplayed yet Kyrie did 27 this year and people are raving about how he deserved the finals MVP as much as Bron. Curry is becoming a victim of his own perceived greatness.

Iggy missed 6 clutch free throws in games 5&6 against Cavs in 2015. Curry hits all and helps stretch the lead many times last year. This year, Iggy misses 2 clutch free throws again and then is blocked by Bron but somehow he would get called in finals MVP convos more than Curry. I am almost sensing something off from these Finals voters TBVH.

Anyways, Curry was average in 2016 Playoffs no doubt. I guess that goes without saying.

Roland17:
Dub nation are suddenly finding comfort in scapegoating Barnes for their recent woes. I understand he had a playoff to forget, however, apart from Klay Thompson, I personally believe others were as poor.

How do u defend Steve Kerr's tactics during the playoffs? he was one dimensional, quite predictable, apart from small ball what other coaching intelligence did he show during the playoff's? especially the finals? How do you justify losing the finals after going 3-1 up and a chance to close out at home? The warriors lost to pure grit and pounding under the paint, They lost to a hungry Cavs team even though i agree questionable officiating was integral.

I think Dub nation should be honest in the review of last season's finals performance, Their best players did not show up, in game two i think Livingston was the best player, in game 5 or 6 Barbosa was more efficient than the starters.

Has anyone bothered to show/ discuss Curry's performance during final series? he has been horrendous to put kindly, when the Warriors won the championship was Curry the best player? no!!!! it was not even close, it was Iggy; if the Warriors won this year, do u think Curry would win finals MVP? hell nooooo. He was so anonymous that no one would have issues if Lebron was crowned finals MVP in a losing effort.

Truth be told, Curry's defensive frailties were exposed and Kerr had a lot to do with it, Simply place Curry at the top of the pick and roll and you have the bucket all to yourself, when he has the ball double him at the top of the pick and roll and hope Klay does not streak. In-fact Kerr was so distraught it took him 6 games to move Curry from the top of the pick and roll. Many may argue its a defensive issue, however, transition buckets were so powerful for the Cavs especially after they bully Curry off the top, force him to turn the ball over or lose rhythm.

I love Curry and the Warriors, how on earth does anyone despise them? but they need to be honest with themselves, Barnes was not the reason they stunk up the joint.

#greenrunsdeep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUU5q2kSDtk

That link simply explains the difference between Curry of last season and this season. I agree with virtually everything the coach said.

I also agree with you that Kerr made some mistakes but it was hard to change a formula that got you an easy 3-1 against Cavs.

If any of us is being honest about Cavs this year, after the first 4 games they looked waay easier to beat than they were without Kyrie and Love last year. I even boasted here that they were worse off.

Lue made some good adjustments no doubt, but there was also bad officiating and luck (with Injuries) which no one can take away from them but Harrison Barnes does 10/32 in the 3 games and GSW would have won game 5 or 7.

birdman:
Bros stop it. The warriors used their own hands to tarnish themselves.

From green's antics and kicking people in the balls to curry dancing and making faces on the bench to klay telling Lebron its a mans game to ayeesha tweeting crap everyday, there is plenty of blame to go around. Warriors are not the first team to win a ring, but they acted like it. They refused to get over themselves and kept feeding on the limelight. Surprise, they found out what every famous star knows, the same limelight that feeds you will feed on you.

If it was cavs fans making all these excuses, we for don hear am by now

You dey fall my hand bros.

Na Harrison Barnes I blame sha. 5/32 in 3 games is the unpardonable sin.

^^
I hear they may go for Griffin either now or next year when he is free. They are really becoming formidable again. Whom do you prefer between Russell and Griffin WRT the Celtics?

SIRcumalot:
question to all
did we give LMA this more sheet when he joined the Spurs ?

would the league and the fans be This vexed if Durant joined the spurs

what do you all think ?

Everyone loved GSW until they dared to break that 72-10 record. That's when they became anathema. Had GSW gotten KD by 2014, nobody would have been talking about Super teams I bet you.

SIRcumalot:
Oh I get that part
See wade who in good intention sacrifice money for Miami for years thinking he'll get paid later.
Or the bulls that just traded a way "the Rose that grew from concrete"
Just so they can avoid not to pay him the max if he plays well this year.
Not criticizing these moves above but I know it goes both ways.

not super like big 3 super but definitely a contender.

Exactly.

How Rose was treated is a perfect example. Now what if KD had a bad injury last season and OKC felt they didn't want to be paying him a max deal so they traded him to GSW to get Barnes, Bogut and Ezeli.

Nobody would have been talking about Super teams. They would have been doing "eh ya...he used to be MVP" like they are currently doing for D Rose.

Mizzzbeee:
just imagine if they trade Westbrook to the highest bidder maybe Denver Nuggets

LOL. That will be the day we hear that a traded player refused to play and instead went to sign his own contract with another team.

SIRcumalot:
fact that it is legal doesn't mean it is Right.
also I think his criticising Durant,not the warriors
KD will get flayed for awhile,he did what was right for him,these are the consequences of that actions.


P.S does this mean the cavs championship team was built in a acceptable manner?
they picked Bron,kyrie,tristan
traded Bennett and Wiggins for love.
I see no difference. .

I never criticised Cavs team. I only try to point out some similarities to their Fans when they try to make it look like Lebron plays with scrubs. In fact, when Bron decided to go Cavs, I felt they were a super team of some sorts.

My take is, see how Wiggins or Bogut didn't have a say. The team just traded them to whatever team they had business with. So I see no reason why when players have the chance to move where they want to go, other teams' GMs and so-called legends start complaining.

SIRcumalot:
how many people dey happy with this move,
probably only warrior fans.
also
you know what this means right?
no calls,none at all
even if Steph is getting mauled,the ref go just dey nod him head in approval.

Adam Silver is playing to the gallery. Why is he talking like GSW did anything illegal? How did they become a super team except through the drafts like every well-run team?

Nairamaniac,

Stop quoting me if you are going to be dumbing down arguments with your sententious nonsense in lieu of a robust reply.

A40:
When nairamaniac said K.D moving to the Clippers would have maintained his legacy is where his argument completely lost all credibility for me

He had me when he was pontificating about how Lebron's move to Miami showed strength of character but KDs move denigrated his own legacy.

At this point, to CAVS fans like Charles Barkley etc, it was any team but GSW- Even SAS would have been fine. The hypocrisy reeks.

^^

The reason they will never accept it is because they will need to remove 2 rings from Lebron and they don't want to do that. So the best option is to come up with phantasmagorical differences between both instances.

The most laughable of all is the one in which OKC leading 3-1, lose 3 straight games fair and square and are ousted, yet some people say they were better. But GSW that led 3-1 and had their all-rounder suspended and their MVP suspiciously expended in game 6 following 3 dubious foul calls when GSW had momentum, didn't deserve to beat the CAVS.

nairamaniac:
@ eruditor

I wdnt go back and forth with you. The bases of allllll these our plenty talk is about "Durant's move from OKC to Golden State".

No one is saying he can't move to wherever he wants to.

on the other hand, no one says Golden state should acquire him if they can.

What we are saying is that "no other use great player of Durant's standard had ever bend this low for Ring(s).

You trying to exonerate the situation by bringing up Lebron, Kobe, and other players that either jumped ships for rings or demanded to.

No great player of Durant's calibre has ever bent this low, especially at a timing their team were in an ascending trend.

From most of my posts, I'm sure everyone here knows iv never measured greatness by ring(s).

I love Durant almost as much as I love Lebron. he's been almost everyones Top3 player for past 5years. Which is really great.

Just 2 weeks ago in one of my post, before we eve. imagined he WD move to GSW, I said " I wdnt imagine want Durant retiring without a ring". I guess I should have added "but not bending so low to the extent of denigrating his legacy",

He would win ring(s) in GSW. but dont tell us that ring in GSW would be half as valuable to if he had done it in OKC, Which didn't appear farfetched as at Two weeks ago.

Some of us criticizing his decision may be doing this due to envy or fear of Warriors. but not me. I'm criticizing it, due to how it was would subdue his legacy as regards his impending ring(s).

Don't know bout you, but some of us as fans still value and Admire the beauty in Rivalries within great players ahead of ganging up for helps with your very Co-Rival in order to win rings.

neither of bird nor magic do it.
neither of Jordan&Isaiah do it.
neither of Lebron & wade do it(cos wade wasn't a top 3 player as at when Lebron decamped to Miami).

Don't get me wrong, every players career is peculiar in his own way. its just sad that Durant's legacy may be forever be questionable irrespective of ring(s) in Warriors.

I don't want to have to resort to invectives so I would just keep it short.

KD didn't demand to be traded. He was a free agent and he had the option of leaving which he actualized. On the other hand, GSW had the cap space to pay him and they opted for him.

If Magic was in Lakers for 9 years without a ring and was presented with Free agency and a chance to join the Celtics; he would have joined them. The same goes for Bird and Lakers.

Both players as well as all the superstars in the late 80s and 90s joined hands to form the dream team of 1992. I don't know why they didn't think it was "denigrating their legacy" to form such a formidable team to beat minnows from other countries at the Olympics.

The synopsis is as smooshchn said: double standardness is the bane of many a people of which Nigerians seem to be chief.

That you even tried to compartmentalize Lebron's move and present it as disparate from KD's, is unseemly and clumsy to be frank. And then the silly addendums of "stats and Wikipedia" or even age difference, just dumbs your argument even more.

SIRcumalot:
If they got to the UCL final in the prime of Aston Villa existence that isn't an over achievement.

Staying with the footballing line
This is Ronaldo joining Barcelona to win the the UCL or the league title before the time of Jose and Ancelotti


I have said it KD move is a move I can get behind what am against is saying that OKC isn't a team capable of winning the championship.
Not with two of the top 5 players in the league.

But when last did OKC play in the finals Or when last did they get to the WCFs? So Leicester didn't over achieve last season? Come on man.

Ronaldo isn't desperate to win the UCLs. Remember he had won it with Manchester United? Why don't you say if Wenger leaves AFC to go to Barca or Bayern to win the UCL that he is denigrating his legacy as a manager?

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Roland17:
My exact thoughts each time folks try to criticize Durant for jumping ship, CP3 would jump ship if it was possibly, sadly he would retire without a ring and he would be remembered as a dominant point guard and that is it, nothing more. The clippers tried to build something strong, they had a legitimate case, however, their poor discipline, predictable offense, glass footed stars and shallow mental strength always stood in their way.

Anyone can win rings, however, special talents need them for legacy, numbers/ stats are absolutely irrelevant because someone is coming to clean out your numbers, you can ask Ray Allen..

In 10 years, CP3 would be discussed in the same vein as a R. Miller, Barkley and other great players whose numbers have been erased by current players.

This is so true. In as much as I love KD coming to GSW I actually thought he would stay at OKC and try for one more season. My posts in June are replete with that position. But whether we like it or not, once a player is termed "great" and is being tipped to make the HOF, what will decide where he stands on that list is his rings. Anybody who thinks contrary to this, is just a basketball neophyte.

The other day Magic said LeBron has cemented his status as top 3 of all times. Opinions will be polarised in that regard but Lebron has now played 7 finals in 13 seasons with 3 rings to show for it as well as 3 finals MVP whereas Bird played just 5 finals and got 3 rings out of it with 2 finals MVPs in the same 13 seasons if memory serves me well. In other words, some may argue that Bron is now ahead of Bird.

Obviously, I expect Celtic faithfuls to disagree with this but the fact remains that until Bron got his 2016 ring, virtually no one would have raised that notion- and what is worrisome WRT your post is that Chris Paul would never be rated higher than Chauncey Billups for the exact reason- RINGS.

nairamaniac:
You are talking of Kobe staying in Charlotte. When Kobe was drafted by Lakers in 96, they were not a great team. They just got a shaq from Orlando that was just swept by the bulls. They were not a great team,but a rebuilding-team. Can you compare what Lakers were in the league when Kobe went there to what the GSW are as at today that Durant is going there?

You are talking of Kobe winning rings in his early years. Guy, there's a big/huge difference between leading your team to win rings and being led to win rings.

During the first few years of championships in Lakers between 2000 and 2002, Kobe was too small in the mist of Shaq, Duncan and Iverson. These 3 were leading their teams. Kobe was being led.

When Lakers met 76's in the 2000 finals, it was called David vs Goliath. No one and I repeat "no one" places Kobe in that conversation. Kobe later gained his respect and solidified his greatness when he finally led Lakers without shaq.

If shaq had stayed and continued leading them in NBA finals, Kobe would have just been a pippen to shaq.

Weather Kobe asked to be traded or not because he needed help, bottom line is that he stayed and won rings in the same team. How many all stars came to help him out? Besides pau Gasol who had made it once. Wd you really see Lamar or artest as great players that were enough to encourage him to stay to compliment him as much as himself, Robert Hurry and shaq did for themselves during their 3peat?
This shows that once again you failed in your attempt to validate Durant's need for help by equating it to Kobe's need for help that kept him in Lakers.

Get it right, I never said "every team he plays in gets to the finals".

I sed "Truth is there was/is no top10 team in the league Lebron would go to that wouldn't get to the finals or win the cham. We can't say the same of Steph or Durant".

Steph has been the better player for past one of two years. But you can't put a finger on how much influence he would be in Chicago bulls if he was traded for rose. But ohhh yes, out Lebron next to butler and Gasol and see if they wdnt become contenders?

Just so you know, I was never carried away to feel OKC was a better team than GSW when they tied the series. To me: it was good enough that OKC had found ways of playing against GSW better than previous team GSW faced. I watch movements in matches. Not final-scores and stats. I played basketball as a youth under some great big Nigerian coaches. Like coach Noic of islanders coach Mark of police bombers. These were coaches that taught us modern strategies at the time. Believe me, if you ever played basketball to a level u would see the game much better and clearer that what those stats and points say. I played in all major-courts in lagos. Rowpark yaba, cantonment Ikeja, airforce base, and my school Atlantic hall won secondery school tournaments. Only american international school (AIS) was better than us. We played the game like foreign high schools.
So believe me, when I say these things, I'm not speaking as a fan or observer of stats and scores. I see the game as a player and one taught by good coaches.

I'm not a fan of mourinho, but let's give him his due respect for curbing Barca's dominance in like 3 different teams. You always want to refer to scores and victories. That's the mistake you make. Do you realise that it was mourinho that gave other coaches/teams the template on how to play barca and to an extent Spanish national team?

Good teams started marking barce defenders and midfielders quicker so they are forced to make "fast" rather than "slowly"

Barca like spain are more dangerous when they pass and build up from their defence/midfield at a slow rhythm. When u force them to play and move fast, u have neutralised them. This was what made xavi redundant in his last 2 seasons in barca and last world cup.
Take it or leave it, mourinho started this.

And yes, lastly I reiterate, "never been the type to measure greatness with rings. I would always put strength of character, aura of positive influence and unequalled charisma over Rings, anytime, any day."

please continue in my next post below

The issue is, you make too many points to yourself that you end up confusing yourself further.

1. So which of the main starters for this GSW team wasn't drafted by the team? How is that similar to poaching Kobe from Charlotte in a bid to assembling a team that would also constitute of "great shooters" like Fischer and Horry as well as a beast in Shaq? Again I repeat, why didn't Kobe stay in Charlotte to validate your piffle on Strength of character and la di da? And when Kobe had scrubs around him in 06, 07 how many finals did he play or rings did he win?

2. LOL @ validate KDs need for help. You mean like Jordan of 83-90 who didn't win jack in 8 years? Ok so 9 years of trying and failing is not enough time for a player to seek a new challenge because some blabbermouth in Nigeria disagrees with him? Good going.

3. Ok, top 10 teams like Cavs were in 08 and 09? The same ones that didn't get to the finals after 66 and 61 wins? Wow, you should really stop pretending you watch the games beyond stats and maybe you may learn a thing or 2.

4. If you are that much of a player the way you so unsolicitedly divulge such worthless information, I think you may be shaming your good coaches with the red herrings and illogic you keep trying to force down my throat. And what is worse is, the way you keep besmirching stats, is the same way they keep disgracing you when it matters by making you spew more and more
Inanities in the name of forming basketball aficionado.

5. Let me show you how silly you sound about Mou with the stats. Barca in 08 lost 7 games in all competitions to teams not coached by Mou. Yet Mou taught teams how to beat Barca.

Then, Mou played Barca 4 times in 09/10 lost twice, drew once and won once, yet he proved how to beat Barca. LOL.

Then he came to Madrid, and in his first season played Barca 5 times. Lost 2 times (5-0 and 2-0), Drew twice and won once, but then again, he exposed how to beat Barca.

I can go on and on showing you how he kept losing to Barca, but you, the paragon of watching games, has shown us in your deluded world, how he was teaching coaches how to beat them.

Why am I even wasting my time?

nairamaniac:
U are wrong in some parts of your response and misunderstanding me a bit at some other parts.

Jordan was good, athletic, prolific scorer like the league had never seen. But no one envisaged he would be a player to attract rings to his club.

They placed Jordan in the level of bird and magic. This two brought rings within the first 4years of their careers.

Besides, Jordan was 6-6 and also skinny. Before Jordan, players of his size, stature and position(hardly) led their teams to championships.

Upon how good he was no one ever saw him as someone to take the bulls to where bird&magic had taken their respective teams to.

The u expectations stayed that way till they cracked the code against Detroit 1991.

What was so special about the better team mates Jordan got prior to 91?

He didn't Get better or great teammates. Those teammates got better under Jordan's influence. These are two different things. You really need to read the testimonies of all those players prior to 91.
Did you ever read books that contained testimonies of Jordan's teammates prior to 91?

I'm not playing age-card on you. Cos I believe u also know stuffs I don't even know.

Who the hell were horace grant and pippen prior to 1990. They were just average players in their 3 year. They both got drafted the same year, sometime around 87.

You are so wrong about bulls recruiting rodman because they needed him to replace Grant.
Grant and Rodman were two extremely different kinds of players. Grant was just an average power-forward. Rodman was a rebounding-specialist that had led the league in that regard several times before his time in Chicago. He was also a defensive guru that had won defensive player of the year on two occasions.

The bulls drafted rodman not as a replica of Grant. But because Jordan had modified his game when he came out of retirement 1995. Jordan was shooting better and driving less to the basket. He worked more on his shots and post-moves more than he did on his drives and leaps. I know all these because I watched documentries and tapes of his training while they were shooting Space-jam, 1996.
Jordan gave warner bros a condition, that if he was to act the movie, they had to build a dome for him to practice. The production company built the arena from scratch because of Jordan. I was opportuned to watch his focus of improvements.
The bulls got rodman cause they realised and knew Jordan was a completely different player from the one that retired 1993. He was shooting more. Had developed the best post moves, fade away shots I'm the league. They need rodman to pick up the pieces.

The Grant that you say "was sooo big'. Please how big was he? Hr didn't even make one all-star all through the years of the bull's first years of championships. He made his 1st allstar I'm Orlando sometime 94 or 95.


Now let me take it down to your period of 96 and thereafter.

Accordingbaseyou " Jordan NEEDED great team mates. Tony Kukoc (best Croatian player),Longley (best Australian player)". And so bloody what if they were the best players from their countries.

Amino kanu is the best nigerian player. Just like olumide oladeji was the best player in nigeria at a time. Does that make them "great players" in anyway?

I'm the best player in my village, does DAT make me a great player in Nigeria.

Please stop validating the helping hands Durant reached out for in order to win rings by exaggerating the greatness of Jordan's teammates. Its an insult to greatness itself. If u wanna validate Durant's impending ring due to his move, please leave Jordan out of it.

When I talk, I don't use stats or Google. I talk from all I saw and witnessed. Dont get me wrong. I'm not that old. Im in my 30's. But I started playing basketball at at of 8.

I played as a kid in same court olumide oyedeji, islander and ebun comet players. We met every Sunday at air force base, Ikeja, and all the best players in the country came from far and wide to play there.

Who are the so called worthy hands you are refering to in the three peat period. Besides pippen, none of those players could do anything without Jordan in their mist.

please continue in my next post.

I am assuming you didn't watch the Lakers and Celtics of the 80s in real time, yet you still find it convenient to toss up conjectures about them as if you graced the very courts they walked on. I am sure you can count how many HOFers ended up being on both teams to aid Bird and Magic in winning the titles that they won. So in what part of watching basketball not to see the stats did you not see that without both solid teams, there wouldn't have been rings for both players? I mean it is this sort of illogic that is off putting on NL as a whole.

And what is this puppycock about Jordan's influence and the other dud points you were spewing? Parish, Ainge, Kareem, Worthy etc. Didn't improve by virtue of Bird and Magic respectively? Did it stop them from being good players?

And the whole drivel about space jam what was that for? Stop sharing knowledge that is Wikipedia away and convoluting the one's whose knowledge would have made you less ignorant. Free of charge this is what Wikipedia had to say about Horace:

He immediately became the Bulls' main rebounder, and established himself as the Bulls' third scoring option after Michael Jordan and Pippen, forming one of the league's best trios. Grant was noted for his defensive play; he was selected four times for the NBA All-Defensive Team.[1] He helped Chicago win three consecutive NBA championships (1991, 1992, and 1993), securing the third with a last-second block

So we better ask you what part of the TV you were watching all those days when you couldn't see that Horace was their main rebounder, solid defender and 3rd scoring option until he left. 2 of those roles became the areas Rodman was needed to help fill, and you think you can wantonly infuse ad baculums to browbeat me into accepting your base reasoning? Step aside.

And your nice rhetoric about Aminu Kano would've worked if Nigeria was that much of a basketballing nation like say Australia or Croatia. I am assuming in your own myopic world, the best Uruguayan footballer in 2016 could very well be a scrub seeing that the best footballer in Tahiti fixes cars as his main job? And you want to bring things down to what you saw and witnessed?

We can almost conclude you didn't see or witness anything and it gives credence to the fact that apart from the game play itself, the stats and the interpretations of them still fly over you like airplanes.

SIRcumalot:
Making the WCf is an over achievement?
Like it is something they haven't done before.

If Aston Villa gets to a UCL final, it is not an overachievement because they have won it before?

Nairamaniac,

Sorry but your story is laddened with anecdotes that simply do not tell the real story. Jordan was a beast in the NBA from the word go. No matter how many times you want to over estimate how he improved within 84-91, the fact remains that he always had big ppgs from the beginning.

It is on record that Larry Bird called Jordan "Basketball god" the very first time they would play. He simply had not seen anyone as talented as Jordan and Jordan's numbers were showing it. What improved from 84-91 was that Jordan got better teammates. Forget all that talk about him working out and getting buff, he would have still been scoring big, but his teammates would have been letting him down like before.

Also Horace was so big to the Bulls, they needed Rodman to replace him. Horace was part of the first 3 peat squad and only left because he thought Bulls would be on the decline and quickly hopped to a fledgling Orlando Magic side that would go on to beat Jordan's bulls in 1995 ECSFs. That's history anyways. You should get the drift. Jordan NEEDED great team mates. Tony Kukoc (best Croatian player), Longley (best Australian player), Pippen (top 5 USA player of his day), Rodman (Top 2 rebounder of his day), Kerr (excellent 3pt shooter) etc etc. From the earlier 3peat squad we would also find worthy hands as well.

And the strength of character fib is just fib. Kobe should have stayed with Charlotte Hornets if he truly had the strength of character. It was easier for Kobe like Duncan to stay put because they had won rings very early in their careers. Kobe was like 21/22 in his first ring and had 2 more by age 23/24. The pressure was off him and yes he needed Shaq to get the first 3. Without Shaq, Kobe wasn't going to get natta.

To add insult to injury, Kobe asked to be traded in 07 when he felt he was being surrounded with scrubs in the lakers. I don't know how anyone can epitomise Kobe as an icon for loyalty or anything. Kobe is a winner, and KD just like him wants to be one as winners (as far as the NBA is concerned) are determined by RINGS. Don't be misled.

Whether KD left because WB was a ballhog is still debateable. Now I know Shaq was the most of Lakers' offence (and not Kobe) in their 3 peat days but I won't go as far as calling him a ballhog. Let us for the sake of this discourse agree that he was, did they not win 3 rings while at it? What did KD benefit from WB's ballhogging? Did he win a ring? So you cannot compare both cases.

As for Miami, you people should stop selling us this false narrative. It is not what Miami were before he got there, but who and who he went there to meet. He played with Bosh and Wade. Also, the false narrative about every team he is on gets to the finals: you mean Cleveland 2003-2010 or what? I remember only 1 final that he played in within those years, so where did you get that idea from?

Then as for the last part about code cracking, that will just be tiring to elucidate. It is funny the double standards I have to keep pointing out to people. First OKC leads 3-1 and loses the next 3 games. All we keep hearing is how they are the best team bla bla and deserved to win bla bla. Then GSW leads 3-1 and Cavs win 3 games and guess what? Nobody says GSW almost won, all we hear is how great X and Y were. It is exasperating to say the least.

Mourinho cracked this and cracked that yet he has lost more times than he has won, and yet he cracked something? OKC were a piece away from beating GSW but GSW that beat OKC were not better than them? Or GSW were not a-player-better-than-Harrison-Barnes away from beating Cavs?

Lastly, you said this: "never been the type to measure greatness with rings. I would always put strength of character, aura of positive influence and unequalled charisma over Rings, anytime, any day."

OK. So KD had all these until he left for GSW? Hahahahahaha!

SIRcumalot:
no it wasn't they've defeated San Antonio in the past,nobody gave them much of a chance against This spurs team because this particular one just broke their regular season record.
with a few changes,I think they could've easily returned to the WCF what is done,is done sha.
now am just curious how teams will defend against this warrior team. and the weakness to be exploited.
I don't think the defence will suffer that much.

OKC over achieved last season. It is that simple.

Mizzzbeee:
I won't lie I am pained especially speights and Barbosa leaving.... Since speights signed with the clips for a min why ddn't Warriors sign him for the min

Speights showed max improvement, staffs invested in him, started shooting the three, our hype bench is gone.... Especially when that three goes in and the sleeve dance is out.... Wud miss all that

All this oldies vet that we are packing on the bench ehn it's all short term dnt see them staying with the team like Mo, SDot, Rush and Barbosa did

Just as the saying goes: You can't eat your cake and have it

I am sad.

I am pained too dear. Really. For Barbosa and Speights in particular. I guess defensive covering is the reason for this. Let's just wait and see. I hope none of our starting 4 gets any serious injuries again this year. Only a ring can console me following these trades.

chic2pimp:
1. Where the Suns the best team in the NBA when He moved there? NO they weren't. So I don't see how you can compare the two.

2.Charles was definitely on the decline (compare those stats to when He was vying for the MVP title)with a well documented back problem unlike KD who is right in his pomp. Plus the rockets were not even the best team on their conference never mind the NBA so yet again it's a different scenario.

3. Ifs and Buts. He did not go there so yet again two uncomparable situations.

As I said already I don't blame KD. He wants the rings and is only giving himself the best possible chance of doing just that but abeg it's not comparable to Sir Charles's.

1. They can compare because Suns were better than his Sixers team. And GSW being the best team is moot seeing that Cavs beat them when it mattered most.

2. His best ppg Ave was 27 in a season. And he did 23.3 just before going to Rockets. He was also Rockets top scorer his first year there. He fought for that move because at that point, the Rockets and not the Bulls was the best team that had just gone back to back as champs. Bulls and Jordan lost to Magic in ECFs finals in case you don't remember

3. The hypotheticals are in place because GSW lobbied to have KD not just that he demanded to be traded there.

SIRcumalot:
new coach, a fully recovered superstar able to play to his Max ability an exciting new players under rookie contract like Adams.
again defeating the spurs and taking the warriors
they even traded away ibaka because he wasn't happy with his role anymore.
2015 this team wasn't even in the playoffs.

James Harden is the leader of the 2015 rockets and you saw he started 2016 not the same thing.


some of this reporters are saying Durant acted preemptively because WB was going to join the Lakers.
if he was fully assured that WB would remain,maybe This don't happen

KD had been on GSWs radar for 2 years at least. They wanted him even before they won the championship in 2015. OKC beating SAS and what not was one-off. Just like Toronto getting to ECFs this past season. It doesn't appear they will repeat. Same as OKC.

KD left because he wasn't convinced. They were still going to fall short even if they got past the WCFs.

chic2pimp:
Different though. Charles Barkley was already on the decline then(Durant is in his pomp). Plus the bulls were the best team not the Rockets. What Durant did is Akin to Sir Charles teaming up with Jordan and Pippen back in 91-92. Or Zeke teaming up with the Celtics back in the mid 80s. Don't blame him though. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

1. Charles left Philly at age 29. He forced a move to Lakers but somehow it broke down and he went to Suns (that were better than Philly at the time)

2. He forced a move again to Houston at age 33 yes, but his numbers were 23ppg and 11 boards when he joined Rockets. I don't see this as a decline. Charles ported to back to back Champions with 2 other HOFers in Drexler and Olajuwon.

3. If Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, P. Jackson had recruited Charles from Suns to Bulls, he would have gone there. Make no mistakes about it.

aliondo:
Did you watch Steven Adams and Roberson in the playoffs??They were huge....Even Dion Waiters......We were arguably the best team in the playoffs not to win the championship.....Give us a superstar thats a good scorer, we will still contend for the ring next season.......

Ok, if OKC was the best team in the playoffs, why is it a problem now that KD went to a team that OKC was better than?

SIRcumalot:
@eruditor
Firstly Durant earns more if he stayed with OKC,this says that the move is not about money which I respect.
Also,
OKC didn't plateau,things were looking up for that franchise they beat the highly rated spurs and took you guys to 7 games.
There is no reason why witg a few roster tweaks they can't win the whole thing alas,we'll never find out.

KD made the right choice for his legacy (which is really all that matters) but make we no rewrite history.
I blame the people that count the rings to judge a player if not he wouldn't leave same for others too.

Where was the new spark for OKC coming from? You mean things were looking up for them the way things looked up for Rockets after 2015?

Abeg someone should riddle me this. Why is it better for a player to sign for an outfit with less probability of winning a ring, when the money they would have paid him is not more than what he would have earned playing for a team with a far greater probability?

What is all this talk about loyalty and reputation? Why did Magic and Bird stay with one team? Well, for starters, the Cetlics and Lakers of the 80s were the absolute best. Why would anyone want to leave such teams?

How can't people see that OKC had plateaued? They had nowhere else to go. They are not better than SAS or GSW. And chances are they may have regressed the following season. I don't see anything wrong with what KD did just like I never criticised Lebron for leaving.

As for those who think KD going there will make the NBA less competitive, they should tell us what sport they were watching when Bill Russell and his Celtics team were winning 11 titles or When Jordan and his bulls won 6 titles between 91-98.

KD will be judged by his rings. Jordan pretty much said it when he was asked to compare Bron and Kobe. Let Reggie Miller and Ewing use their reputation and loyalty to buy a ring. I don't remember anyone telling us Lebron only has 1 ring. They said he has 3 and that he is even top 5 greatest in Magic's eyes. If KD wins 3 or 4 with GSW, trust me, that's all history will remember.

Gary Payton won a ring with Miami in 06 I think. Who remembers that? That's why going to sneak a ring towards the end of your career is useless. KD should win a ring now that he still matters- and that's what he wants to do. It is fine by me.