₦airaland Forum

A40:
I've always wondered why a guy like Giannis and some of these guys in the league with shaky jumpers have not tried maybe borrowing Tim Duncan's bank shot.

I know Greek Freak's style of play is mostly perimeter and not post but come postseason guys like him and Ben Simmons who are masquerading as bigs with handles get chopped down to their real sizes and exposed as the big men that their sizes suggest they are.

It's why I laugh when people go on ad nauseum at how much skilled and more athletic players this generation are. Yet their glaring flaws and inability to do some fundamentals when they can't barrel through opposition always comes to the light

I was just thinking about the Tim Duncan's bank shot and how unstoppable he was whenever he used it. Giannis will be better served just mastering that from 12ft-18ft range. Then over time he can extend his range to the 3pt line.
Giannis said he is working on a surprise for next season, can't wait to see what he adds to his game

Coutinho14:
Quick question AD or Giannis?

Both depends on the players available. If the team has a good pg then I might take AD because he can also space the floor. But if the team has an average pg who can spot up then Giannis ability to bring up the ball at every possession trumps his inability to shoot.

There is nothing I will not hear. Stafford better than Russell Wilson . Some people are just enamored with personal stats rather than winning.

The cowboys are in for it now. Zeke is getting ready to stick it to them

I just don't understand one thing I've repeatedly heard about the upcoming NFL season. Some people actually think Sam Donald will have a better season than Baker. IMHO for all his faults Baker is an extremely accurate QB , with the kind of playmakers he has to throw to I can see him throwing for 4k plus yards and 35+ touchdowns easy.

RiskelWillow:
What are you even talking about? i have never insulted anyone on this thread. If anything, I just politely describe them. There's a difference. You know theres a higher meaning to what i do here. In order to learn anything you must first know everything about yourself. For instance if you're a mo.ron (some people actually are, its not an insult but a description) how would you commit to extra learning if you don't know you're a mo.ron? You all owe me for the great service i provide and you should all thank me for being so gracious.

I am talking about in general about the interactions here. IMHO we can all get our points across without spewing insults on every other line.

birdman:
is there a way to block someone on nairaland? it is very irritating to visit this thread and see paragraphs of crap posted page after page after fn page by the same troll.

If a mad man is talking to you, must you answer back? which kin ogbanje bs is dis

Whenever I make a post and the back and forth turns into insults I simply quit replying. The essence of arguments/discussions is to learn not to win. I've learn a lot from this thread but sometimes it just get annoying having to scroll through pages of spewed insults.

RiskelWillow:
Uh oh! Here comes that LeBron decline they've been telling us about.

Yes, LeBron's longevity is partly due to his natural God given durability and how he's managed to avoid any major injuries. But that's nothing without his dedication and awareness about his body. You can tell he's trying to slim down to prolong his career, these are things that many players know but don't want to do the work as far as what it takes to keep your body in optimal shape.

Lebron is a physical marvel, who has been blessed to be near injury free through out his career. That sliming down technique has also been used by CR7 to prolong his career as he ages.
Hoping for a great season from lebron especially during the playoffs, that will make this season one for the ages.

In the West in no order I'll put
LAC
LAL
DENVER
JAZZ
ROCKETS/GSW/BLAZERS will create a buzz especially in the playoffs.

IMHO comparing eras does not really work because of the type of play and differences in rules. Especially in teams sports from football to basketball and American football to name a few, different eras are difficult to compare across board because of even little things like nutrition, ease of commute etc.
I remember one open court episode where Shaq could not believe there was a time NBA players flew coach, little things like this even advance in medical sciences simply ensures that a level playing field for comparison does not objectively exist.

A40:
Name?? I strongly disagree. If fans and media were influenced by name were the coaches influenced by name too? Do you realize that in Jordan's time it was the coaches and not media who voted for players that got into All-Defense teams? Did you know that coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players?

He was a DPOY even before he became the Undisputed best player in the league. Nobody would have sold Jordan as an elite defender if he wasn't one. When Magic was the best player nobody ever put him in any defensive player of the year conversation because he was not an elite defender. Jordan was and that was even before Scottie became a factor

Jordan was a beast on the defensive end. I remember Barkley describing him as a panther waiting to pounce on any chance when he was defending. He only stopped guarding the best perimeter player when Pippen became elite.

RiskelWillow:
I never claimed the 2018 Cavs would beat the Warriors and I can't remember anyone being that bold. We were excited however that after the trades the team was an improvement on the toxic waste they had.

And that's the thing. Everything about pretty much every team is based on what's on paper right now cause all the major contenders are significantly different from what they were a season ago. When you speak of lack of balance what do you mean?

Defense? We've got Green, Bradley and KCP for perimeter defense and AD and JaVale in the interior. Might get Iguodala too. Both Frank Vogel and Lionel Hollins were brought in for their defense.

Offense? We've got two of the best offensive forces in the game maybe 3 if anything that resembles the old boogie returns and a rising star in Kyle Kuzma.

Shooting? Green Bradley Daniels KCP Dudley Cook heck everyone on this roster bar rondo and JaVale has a 3 ball and even Rondo has improved in that regard. Might get Kyle Korver too.

Playmaking? We've got two of the best basketball minds in the history of the game.


So what is this balance you speak of? This roster is as versatile as any other in the NBA if not more.

No NBA roster can be perfect, that is what some people will never accept just so they will have something to say. You adroitly broke down the upside and possiblities inherent within this Lakers team. Is the team perfect hell NO, but can it be a championship side if things go their way, hell YES. The same thing can be said of at least 4 other sides IMHO.

Those who keep ranting about players having too much power to decide their destinies just got another reason why players will continue to do so. Darel Morey less than 2 weeks ago was saying for all who wants to believe him that CP3 was not on the trade block, now about 6 days after Westbrook becomes available he waves him goodbye.
Big ups to Presti who kept his word to send Brodie to a contender.

steady986:
Let's lengthen the list. Is boogie a top 50 player now?
And make no mistake about it, Boogie was top 15 before his injury.

Is Boogie back to 85% of his best, or is it only KD that has the ability to return to 85%?

Boogie got his injury at the age of 27 and look how he is. KD got injured at the age of 30, so I'm not out of place to think that KD's trajectory will follow that of Boogie, or even worse.

Boogie was always overweight before his injury. One of the things doctors have pointed to as it regards KD's return is that his body type allows for persons to come back at nearly the same level when they left off. Dominique Wilkins came back even better from an Achilles injury and his body type was all lean muscle nearly like KD.

steady986:
Ret.ard, there was a list of 25, I mentioned KD and one other player because of their peculiar situation, which is injury. You're here crying. Or should we put KD at number one through 25? Maybe that would make you happy.

And for you all saying athleticism this, athleticism that, I guess you don't see what has happened to Boogie. This man was regarded as the best big man in the game before his injury, and now he's nowhere near the list of 25. Or is his game based on athleticism like you fools claim? Athleticism my balls.

The list said in no order bro. Boogie was a top 25 player before injury not a top 10 or even top 15, so it is very visible then after an Achilles injury the drop off in ability will push him out of the top 25 players category.
KD on the other hand is a top 2 or top 3 player depending on your listing. Even if he comes back at 80-85% he will still be a top 25 player.

steady986:
The angriest man alive, sorry o. It's not a disrespect to KD, its just that John Wall was a superstar before his injury. But since he's had that injury no one is mentioning him. The same should apply to KD. How do you say you're top 5 when you don't even ha e the legs to play ball. He is likely going to miss a year, and until he returns and plays at the level we know him for, then I'm sorry we can't put him in that list. Top 5 no be by past glory. If not Boogie Cousins ought to be on that list too.

KD and Wall are not in the same universe at all especially with the injuries they both suffered. Wall is an undersized guard who can't shoot and whose game is predicated on athleticism. KD's game on the other hand even if he slows down upon his return will still be able to shoot over any opposition.
No pundit will bet money on there being 25 NBA players who will be better than KD when he comes back, but almost all take that same bet if the player is John Wall.

Hardetayour:
Where's Klay Thompson But there's Ben Simmons and DeRozan. Naaaaa

Klay is there

I'm making a list of the top 25 players in the NBA currently. Its based on Morey's quote that only 25 guys matter as it pertains to deciding the league's narrative next season.
Finding it hard to decide on some names though. But in no order.
Lebron, KD, AD, Steph, Kawhi, PG13, Klay, Harden, Giannis, Embiid, Jokic, Lillard, Kyrie, Westbrook, KAT, Jimmy Butler, Aldridge, Deroazan, Bradley Beal, Ben Simmons, Luca Doncic, Donovan Mitchell, Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, and finally Kevin love.

Eruditor:
You keep using GSWs success to judge the Rockets lol. GSW is the team Rockets were assembled to match. So Capella was exposed by GSW not Utah or any other team prior. And CP3 is not known for his athleticism. So age barely plays a role away from him being injured when he is needed. CP3 is a PG with great passing, midrange and free throw shooting. Something no other player on the Lakers roster can do better than him. None. And they have snipers on their perimeter. This is an aside from being a team that has gelled not one with an identity crisis. If your analysis is based on CP3 alone. That is a serious own goal.

So the heavy Iso ball that the rockets play is what you think will win them a championship. I can say for a fact if they play that way, Harden will gas out before the WCF and once again people like Max will say he choked. The rockets are far from a championship in my won book.

Eruditor:
You keep using GSWs success to judge the Rockets lol. GSW is the team Rockets were assembled to match. So Capella was exposed by GSW not Utah or any other team prior. And CP3 is not known for his athleticism. So age barely plays a role away from him being injured when he is needed. CP3 is a PG with great passing, midrange and free throw shooting. Something no other player on the Lakers roster can do better than him. None. And they have snipers on their perimeter. This is an aside from being a team that has gelled not one with an identity crisis. If your analysis is based on CP3 alone. That is a serious own goal.

So the heavy Iso ball that the rockets play is what you think will win them a championship. I can say for a fact if they play that way, Harden will gas out before the WCF,

Eruditor:
Like 60 wins? Kawhi in LA?

lol as if it is not the same Boogie Cousins I already told you you were going to get.

If you were so sure of your player you would not need Kawhi.

About Boogie, there is plenty examples of other players who had such injuries and it took them a whole season to get their feet under them. This season I expect Boogie or Gordon Hayward to be the comeback story cause both have had some game reps to get up to speed

Eruditor:
What changed about the Rockets? Apart from losing to GSW (who have their button) and perhaps the seeming discord between the star players they were 65 wins in 2017, 50+ wins in 2018 with all their injuries and tied 2-2 with GSW (With KD still on the team). The fact of the matter is, between 2017-18 only GSW would have beat the Rockets. They play this Raptors without injuries and they would have won. Now people have kept them aside. I don't see anything to shout about Denver. They are the ones who look like regular season hipsters. They had no reason to lose a game 7 against the Blazers without Nurkic last season. Perhaps, maybe that is why I don't respect them as such. Philly definitely improved with Al Horford joining. But they look top heavy as well so I know they are good but that is their asterisk. There is absolutely nothing the Lakers will add that will significantly change their fortunes. Nothing. The better players in the trade block have found franchises. Don't let this fake analysts create a narrative that won't see the light of day. Ask yourself one question, if Kawhi had stayed back in Toronto and the Clippers got some of the players that now went to the Lakers will anyone start telling us that the Clippers improved? So what changed?

And please don't tell us about AD and Bron improving people around them. We know that to be almost completely false. See George Hill and Rodney Hood for example. We also saw AD in Pelicans with a coach they claimed was the brain behind GSWs 2014/15 title. So what changed? What will he do differently?

For the rockets, CP3 will be another year past his prime for one thing. Capella was exposed by GSW last year, so unless they somehow improve that roster I don't see the rockets making the WCF.
For Denver, the previous season they did not make the playoffs, last season they made it to the 2nd round and only lost IMO because of lack of experience. Now they are the only team with both continuity and with players who still have upside I.e jokic, Murray etc.
As for the Lakers I'm buying them as favourites, but if the PG13 trade has taught us anything, it is if the FO of a franchise is willing to go all in, it can make things happen.

Eruditor:
The lakers do not suck. They are better than they were last season how much better is what I don't agree with most journalists or even people here.

The best team in the NBA currently is the Clippers. The next best team, as things stand, between Philly and the Rockets. The third best team is most likely the Bucks. The long and short of it is, even in the west, the Lakers are at best 4th or 5th.

IMO Denver is better than both rockets and Philly at least in the regular season. By the playoffs the Lakers will in all probability have added to the current roster since there is the news of them being willing to pay the luxury tax.
Also l expect load management to be a big thing this season and regular season seedings might not matter.

KD to switch to the number 7 in Brooklyn.

donlittle25:
I keep hearing this and I don't buy it mainly because that would have been a stupid decision. KD is clearly the more talented and better player. Why pick Russell as the main face of the franchise? I don't believe it lol

KD is way more talented, but I think they got sucked into the intensity Russ plays with. The coach allowing him to take the last shot while KD watches

fF01:
You think they did??! I thought KD left to chase a Ring cuz he know he ain't getting that with Westbrook.

.

All indications pointed to them picking Westbrook as the main face of the franchise as against KD.

The spot light will be on LA this coming season. I just hopes both teams bring it.

fF01:
Y'all should chill for a sec, Really what should Westbrook do??! The guy isn't as toxic as the media paint him to be, The Franchise is just sh!t.

The one shitty decision the franchise made was picking Westbrook over KD as the alpha.

Woj reported after the fact that kawhi wanted to go to the best team available. With the PG trade the clippers immediately became the best of the 3 teams on the table.
If the trade had not happened everyone can agree that both the Lakers and the Raptors at least on paper will be better than the clippers. So in a way the fillers before the Decision were not all that off the script.

PS: the NBA is going to be incredible this upcoming season, kwahi and PG's decision will make for a competitive season. Legacies will be made and enhanced.

TheCockroach:
Is there any argument your resident mo.rons wont roll with especially when it has to do with their precious wardell?

I'm asking a question

Is anybody comparing Curry and Kawhi?

Eruditor:
He 100% did not. He is taking a cut for his boy DeAndre to be paid. Himself and Kyrie took less than the max for that to happen.

But he took it for His boys to get paid not for the team to keep