Random NBA chatter

• thedynasty1998

  

  Gasol is not a "banger". He's just not. I like his game ALOT, but he's not a physical player. Blake Griffin is a physical player.
  
  Speaking of Griffin, WOW! Really, really impressive! I don't know if there is anyone in the NBA that gets off their feet as fast as he does. He is just able to elevate faster than everyone else which will result in him being one of the top rebounders in the NBA. Just a freakish athlete.
• bigdaddy2003

  

  I guess I am the only person who didn't think Oden should have been a number 1 pick in the first place. I thought he could be decent like a Mutumbo type but I never saw anything more and it appears he will never even make it that far.
• Fab1b

  

  bigdaddy2003;535983 wrote:I guess I am the only person who didn't think Oden should have been a number 1 pick in the first place. I thought he could be decent like a Mutumbo type but I never saw anything more and it appears he will never even make it that far.

  
  I didn't think he'd be great because he was entering the NBA already at 40 years old
• bigdaddy2003

  

  Fab1b;535990 wrote:I didn't think he'd be great because he was entering the NBA already at 40 years old

  
  Lol yeah he looks like LeBron's dad.
• lhslep134

  

  thedynasty1998;535949 wrote:Gasol is not a "banger". He's just not. I like his game ALOT, but he's not a physical player. Blake Griffin is a physical player.
  

  
  Being reckless like Griffin isn't necessary to being a banger. Being a banger requires a good to great low post backdown repertoire, which Gasol has.
• Laley23

  

  bigdaddy2003;535983 wrote:I guess I am the only person who didn't think Oden should have been a number 1 pick in the first place. I thought he could be decent like a Mutumbo type but I never saw anything more and it appears he will never even make it that far.

  
  I didnt either. I watched both Durant and Oden in HS and in college. Durant would have been my pick from the get go.
• thedynasty1998

  

  lhslep134;536013 wrote:Being reckless like Griffin isn't necessary to being a banger. Being a banger requires a good to great low post backdown repertoire, which Gasol has.

  
  Gasol isn't a backdown player. Please give me 5 guys who fit your criteria for a "banger". I'm honestly interested to see examples because I think we are thinking of different things.
• thedynasty1998

  

  Laley23;536016 wrote:I didnt either. I watched both Durant and Oden in HS and in college. Durant would have been my pick from the get go.

  
  Add me in the minority who didn't understand the pick either. It just seemed so obvious which one would be an elite player, and which one would be a difference maker. Plus, at the time Oden came out the game had changed. If you can't get up and down the court it really limits you as a C.
• lhslep134

  

  thedynasty1998;536030 wrote:Gasol isn't a backdown player. Please give me 5 guys who fit your criteria for a "banger". I'm honestly interested to see examples because I think we are thinking of different things.

  
  Re-watch the 2010 finals and try and tell me that Gasol isn't a backdown player. Just because he doesn't do it every single time doesn't mean he's not one.
• lhslep134

  

  thedynasty1998;536033 wrote:Add me in the minority who didn't understand the pick either. It just seemed so obvious which one would be an elite player, and which one would be a difference maker. Plus, at the time Oden came out the game had changed. If you can't get up and down the court it really limits you as a C.

  
  Who says Durant would have developed the same in Portland?
  
  By the same token, you're saying the Rockets should have taken Jordan over Olajuwon? No, because they had Clyde Drexler, and had a need for a game changing center.
  
  If Portland drafted Durant, IMO he doesn't become the elite player he is because Brandon Roy was already The Man there, and the reason Durant has flourished in OKC is because he's The Man there. The Trail Blazers took Oden because they needed what they thought would be a game changing center, which almost every expert at the time agreed that Oden was.
• Laley23

  

  lhslep134;536065 wrote:Who says Durant would have developed the same in Portland?
  
  By the same token, you're saying the Rockets should have taken Jordan over Olajuwon? No, because they had Clyde Drexler, and had a need for a game changing center.
  
  If Portland drafted Durant, IMO he doesn't become the elite player he is because Brandon Roy was already The Man there, and the reason Durant has flourished in OKC is because he's The Man there. The Trail Blazers took Oden because they needed what they thought would be a game changing center, which almost every expert at the time agreed that Oden was.

  
  A. Watching Durant for 2 yrs in HS and a year in college he was always going to be The Man, and develope into a top 10 player (MVP, I wouldnt have put money on, but easily top 10 player). Oden had HUGE question marks going all the way back to HS. He has no offensive game, and no skill set. His asset was rebounding and defense. But his body was so old and fragile, it was a very risky pick and Durant was a cant miss.
  
  B. Drexler was in Portland, not Houston.
  
  C. Brandon Roy had 1 shortened year under his blet in Portland. It was a very good rookie year, but no way was Oden drafted to be second fiddle to Roy the way you assume Durant wouldve been. Either was going to be The Man with Roy as the second star.
• thedynasty1998

  

  The reason Portland chose Oden is not because they had Roy. Durant would have developed no matter who drafted him.
  
  I know that Portland thought they made the right choice in Oden and I understand it. In most drafts it wouldn't have even been a discussion, but Durant was one of those "once in a lifetime" talents.
• Iliketurtles

  

  Laley23;536016 wrote:I didnt either. I watched both Durant and Oden in HS and in college. Durant would have been my pick from the get go.

  Count me as another one who said Durant was better.
  
  How bad is Portland at drafting though? Bowie over Jordan and now Oden over Durant.
• jordo212000

  

  Oden is injured again? man
• karen lotz

  

  jordo212000;536092 wrote:Oden is injured again? man

  Same injury from last year.
• lhslep134

  

  Laley23;536073 wrote:A. Watching Durant for 2 yrs in HS and a year in college he was always going to be The Man, and develope into a top 10 player (MVP, I wouldnt have put money on, but easily top 10 player). Oden had HUGE question marks going all the way back to HS. He has no offensive game, and no skill set. His asset was rebounding and defense. But his body was so old and fragile, it was a very risky pick and Durant was a cant miss.
  
  B. Drexler was in Portland, not Houston.
  
  C. Brandon Roy had 1 shortened year under his blet in Portland. It was a very good rookie year, but no way was Oden drafted to be second fiddle to Roy the way you assume Durant wouldve been. Either was going to be The Man with Roy as the second star.

  
  Shit you're right about Drexel my bad.
  
  
  But regardless.....You can't tell me that Roy and Durant would have both been "The Man" on the same team. I am very firm in my stance that I don't think you can have 2 of "The Man" that play similar positions (SG/SF).
  
  
  The only way that you can get 2 guys like that on the same team is if one of them takes a defined role as the sidekick (i.e. Pippen), because Roy and Durant are both strong willed personalities (even though Roy is more vocal than Durant up to this point), OR if they play different positions (i.e. Kobe and Shaq).
• Laley23

  

  lhslep134;536298 wrote:Shit you're right about Drexel my bad.
  
  
  But regardless.....You can't tell me that Roy and Durant would have both been "The Man" on the same team. I am very firm in my stance that I don't think you can have 2 of "The Man" that play similar positions (SG/SF).
  
  
  The only way that you can get 2 guys like that on the same team is if one of them takes a defined role as the sidekick (i.e. Pippen), because Roy and Durant are both strong willed personalities (even though Roy is more vocal than Durant up to this point), OR if they play different positions (i.e. Kobe and Shaq).

  
  Well thats fine, and I kind of agree. But when Durant came along, I think Roy wouldve been fine in the 2G spot. I mean, he could be Westbrook for Durant.
  
  Now, off the top of my head I can think of some similar situations that worked (of course not all are as good as Durant and Roy):
  Miller and Rose
  Billups and Hamilton
  Billups and Anthony
  Duncan and Robinson
  Wade and LeBron (they may not win a title ever, but they will for sure be damn successful)
  Webber and Divac (talk about bad drafting. Only the Hornets could trade Kobe for Vlade!)
  Barkley and the Dream (and now Clyde the Glide)
  Shaq and Malone
  Dumars and Isiah
  
  etc...
  
  So I kind of agree, but it all depends on the player. Durant and Roy both seem like they can play with anyone. Hell Roy played second fiddle throughout college with Nate Robinson at Washington (till SR season), and Durant was a great teammate with Damien James, DJ Augustine, and AJ Abrams. Durant also played HS ball with Greivis Vasquez.
• Hb31187

  

  lol i forgot allllllllll about AJ Abrams...his jumper was deadly
• karen lotz

  

  I haven't seen too much of the first half, but it doesn't look like John Wall has gotten off to a very impressive start. 3-13 FG shooting with 4 assists. Wizards are down 24 at the half to Orlando.
• 2quik4u

  

  lebron is averaging 8.5 to's pg
• bigdaddy2003

  

  I wasn't hugely impressed by Wall in college. I only watched 5 or 6 Kentucky games but I didn't really see a bad ass player that may change the game. He is just a rookie so I will obviously give him a chance to shine but I am definitely more interested in Griffin.
• lhslep134

  

  Laley23;536407 wrote: Miller and Rose-----defined roles. Miller clearly the shooter/scorer
  Billups and Hamilton---Billups is a point guard. Significantly different position from shooting guard.
  Billups and Anthony---see above
  Duncan and Robinson----true, but I think you'd agree it's different talking about two big men who don't touch the ball every play than a SG/SF combo
  Wade and LeBron----verdict's not out yet. I'll be very interested in revisiting this point with you
  Webber and Divac---see point about Duncan and Robinson, and I'd say that Webber had the more defined role as a scorer
  Barkley and the Dream----big men
  Shaq and Malone----really? This was Malone's last year, he was barely a shell of what he was in Utah
  Dumars and Isiah----again, a point guard
  

  
  Basically the only example that IMO I think would apply to what I'm saying is Lebron/Wade, and so far, and keep in mind this is only through 2 games, but there's been a lot of standing and watching the other person go to work.
  
  I just really don't think Roy and Durant would have reached their maximum potentials that we now see them at because even with defined roles, one of them would have been a sidekick, and while I think that person would have been Roy, I don't think he'd be the great player he is now in that role.
• thedynasty1998

  

  Obviously the Blazers can't go back in time, but if they could, there is no question they choose Durant. They made the choice at the time that they thought improved their team the most, and that's fine. But to say Durant and Roy couldn't have reached their potential while playing together just isn't true.
• friendfromlowry

  I think Wall will be more entertaining when he has Hinrich AND Arenas to pass to on the break. They were also missing Josh Howard.
• karen lotz

  

  Heat looking better tonight. Dwight Howard has been shooting a lot of Tim Duncan's patented bank shot with mixed results. I think he is doing teams, especially the Heat, a favor if he starts shooting jump shots.