2014-2015 Random NBA Thread

• Lovejoy1984

  

  I'm not getting into the argument, but Curry wins, and it will be in a landslide.
• lhslep134

  

  HighRoller74;1718043 wrote:I'm not getting into the argument, but Curry wins, and it will be in a landslide.

  But would you bet on that? I'm an equal opportunity bettor I'll offer you the same 50 points but the amount risked is up for negotiation.
• Lovejoy1984

  

  No, I wouldn't bet on it. In my eyes it's different than wagering on the outcome of a game, as far too many unpredictable factors in the voting process.
  
  I do feel Harden will finish 2nd, Lebron 3rd.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  lhslep134;1718030 wrote:It is a good post and it shows why the Rockets are susceptible in the playoffs. But it also has nothing to do with my point, that getting to the line is a skill that James Harden is prodigious at, and it carries real regular season value as expressed in all of the metrics he is at or near the top of. And the regular season dictates MVP, not the playoffs.
  
  So yes, if James Harden doesn't get the same calls during the postseason the Rockets will have to make heavy adjustments. But at the same time, it's completely irrelevant to the MVP discussion. If you disagree, can you explain why you think the playoffs are relevant to the MVP race?

  Do you think a player can be MVP if his team doesn't make the playoffs? How about if LBJ was being LBJ on a team with 22 wins. Could he still be MVP?
• lhslep134

  

  Commander of Awesome;1718057 wrote:Do you think a player can be MVP if his team doesn't make the playoffs? How about if LBJ was being LBJ on a team with 22 wins. Could he still be MVP?

  No. But making the playoffs and succeeding in the playoffs are two completely different things. Making the playoffs is a reflection of regular season success; succeeding in the playoffs is a measure of playoff success. One has everything to do with the MVP and the other has nothing.
  
  Setting aside our whole back and forth, bc this is where I would normally get aggressive, how can you be a big fan of the NBA and know its history and believe that playoff success has anything to do with the MVP?
• Lovejoy1984

  

  lhslep134;1718064 wrote:No. But making the playoffs and succeeding in the playoffs are two completely different things. Making the playoffs is a reflection of regular season success; succeeding in the playoffs is a measure of playoff success. One has everything to do with the MVP and the other has nothing.

  This is true. When Dirk won in 07, it wasn't held against him being bounced in the First round, as the one seed.
• lhslep134

  

  If you want to argue who the best player is, or where players rank, then the postseason absolutely matters. But that's not what this is about, this is about James Harden's MVP candidacy, for which the postseason has 0 impact. If you want to use the post-season as a reason why you don't think he's a top 5 player, by all means go ahead. But don't conflate evidence of a player's overall rank with evidence of their regular season MVP worthiness in a particular season.
  
  What I don't get is why I've had to repeat myself so many times on this specific topic. Not James Harden, but the irrelevancy of the post-season to the MVP discussion.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  lhslep134;1718067 wrote:If you want to argue who the best player is, or where players rank, then the postseason absolutely matters. But that's not what this is about, this is about James Harden's MVP candidacy, for which the postseason has 0 impact. If you want to use the post-season as a reason why you don't think he's a top 5 player, by all means go ahead. But don't conflate evidence of a player's overall rank with evidence of their regular season MVP worthiness in a particular season.
  
  What I don't get is why I've had to repeat myself so many times on this specific topic. Not James Harden, but the irrelevancy of the post-season to the MVP discussion.

  I think Post Season success reflects how good a player is, hence why a a player a shit team shouldn't win MVP. You think McGrady ever deserved to win MVP? I sure as hell don't. Harden's "Ability" ( I would say QQing and throwing up trash to get calls) is more of a reflection of playing shitty def, reg season ref-ing. Take away his inflated FT% you're left with a with a play who shoots a terrible %, who plays marginal defense, and gets a lot of stats filling up the stat sheet on a mediocre team. When he starts to shoot around 50%, plays a + def, and scoring isn't dependent on getting to the stripe for 10 pts a night I'll be a believer. Until then, nope. He wouldn't make my top 10 MVP candidate list, but the media is the media and he fills out the stat sheet, thus getting the avg NBA in to tune in so he's getting votes.
• gport_tennis

  Commander of Awesome;1718072 wrote:I think Post Season success reflects how good a player is, hence why a a player a shit team shouldn't win MVP. You think McGrady ever deserved to win MVP? I sure as hell don't. Harden's "Ability" ( I would say QQing and throwing up trash to get calls) is more of a reflection of playing shitty def, reg season ref-ing. Take away his inflated FT% you're left with a with a play who shoots a terrible %, who plays marginal defense, and gets a lot of stats filling up the stat sheet on a mediocre team. When he starts to shoot around 50%, plays a + def, and scoring isn't dependent on getting to the stripe for 10 pts a night I'll be a believer. Until then, nope. He wouldn't make my top 10 MVP candidate list, but the media is the media and he fills out the stat sheet, thus getting the avg NBA in to tune in so he's getting votes.

  You are way harder on James harden than anybody I've ever heard Haha. If it was up to you he wouldn't have a place in this league. What's your issue with him getting a ton of points at the free throw line? You make it sound like him going to the stripe is a bad thing... Also, while I'd like to see him about 45%-47% from the field, 44% is hardly terrible considering the amount of 3's he shoots.
• Ironman92

  

  41/6/5 with a few min left tonight. He's going after the scoring title it looks.
• lhslep134

  

  gport_tennis;1718107 wrote:You are way harder on James harden than anybody I've ever heard Haha. If it was up to you he wouldn't have a place in this league. What's your issue with him getting a ton of points at the free throw line? You make it sound like him going to the stripe is a bad thing... Also, while I'd like to see him about 45%-47% from the field, 44% is hardly terrible considering the amount of 3's he shoots.

  And when you consider the value of a set of free throws vs other shot types, the only way to look at COA's take is that it's
  
  
  
  And it's abundantly clear to everyone on this thread except for him.
• Terry_Tate

  

  Evan Turner with his 3rd triple double. Brad Stevens is a miracle worker.
• Ironman92

  

  OKC had 3 guys score 30+ and lost
• Ironman92

  

  Harden goes 51/8/6
• Pick6

  

  so lhs is from Solon and lives in Phoenix? God..we might have only one degree of separation.
• Azubuike24

  

  Leave it to Harden to overshadow Cousins' 24/20/10/6 game.
• Ironman92

  

  Harden trying to work into COA's top 10 MVP
• Ironman92

  

  Batum is unconscious right now
• Ironman92

  

  Kaman a goofy bitch and Big Baby embarrassing.
  
  If I was commissioner I'd fine flops $100,000 and all flails (head, arm, legs) $50,000
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Ironman92;1718138 wrote:Harden trying to work into COA's top 10 MVP

  Lold
• Ironman92

  

  Hack a Jordan sucks....but I understand it....he's hitting just enough I think tonight
• Ironman92

  

  5/10 but Clips get 2 off rebounds to negate it
  
  I'm impressed at how good a below average NBA athlete like Redick has improved at creating off the dribble compared to when he arrived in the league. Golden State and Portland really focused on him and cleared up open shots for Paul and Griffin. 16 ppg for a pretty good team
• Ironman92

  

  The bitching ruins these games.....my god they manhandle but no foul then flop on medium contact and then just bitch.....how about guarding CP and Griffin tighter???
  
  Good win by the Clips
• Ironman92

  

  Chippy.....fans chirped at Clips all game.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Just watchd highlights from clippers portland game, thoughts:
  
  Kaman could have been ejected.
  Riddick could have gone the way of luke jackson, but didn't. Props to him. Went from straight trash to a rotation player.
  Wasn't aldridge supposed to have major surgery? Damn he looks good for opting out.
  CP3 went off
  
  Highly entertaining game.