I just said that because that will be the go-to reasoning for this year. It's also funny that Westbrook averages a triple double again this season and you don't hear much about it compared to last year.
posted by like_thatLike I said, Westbrook proved this is a bullshit argument last year and we all know (including the people who vote on this shit) that regular season wins don't mean shit in terms of who is the best team in the NBA. I bet the majority of the people using this argument wouldn't put their money on Houston over GSW.
I know this is beating a dead horse but when I think Most Valuable Player, that means which player has the most "value" to their team. Not the best scorer or the best rebounder.
The better question to ask would be "what would the Cavs be without LBJ?" versus "what would the Rockets/Warriors/Thunder be without Harden/Curry/Westbrook" The latter teams would be worse but the Cavs have already proven, on numerous occasions, that they can't walk upright and chew gum at the same time without LBJ bailing their sorry asses out.
posted by AutomatikI just said that because that will be the go-to reasoning for this year. It's also funny that Westbrook averages a triple double again this season and you don't hear much about it compared to last year.
Yeah I know. I was just saying why it's a bullshit argument. That will definitely be the narrative when he wins MVP.
As for Westbrook, I believe it is because OKC needed to win game 81 to even make the playoffs. This is with a better roster than last year.
posted by like_thatSpeaking of Cowherd (he was mentioned in the Browns thread), he posted this earlier today. Can someone tell me why is Harden a lock for MVP over LBJ? He beats lebron at PPG and not by much. That is it. If you use the wins argument, that is bullshit because 1. we all know the true value of regular season wins in the NBA for the past 10 years and 2. westbrook proved that did not matter. Same shit applies if you use the "best player on the best team" argument.
I am trying not to be a homer. I get LBJ's crticism and his annoys the fuck out of me a lot, but if you just put stats side by side while hiding the names everyone would pick LBJ. At the end of the day I don't truly GAF if Lebron wins MVP. I only care about one stat, which is getting 16 wins in the playoffs. If anything it will probably piss Lebron off and motivate him. I just have a hard time seeing the argument for Harden
Harden leads in the being a bitch category though, esp on defense.
Maybe the Cavs don't want the 3rd seed? Love, Hood, and Korver all out.
posted by Commander of AwesomeHarden leads in the being a bitch category though, esp on defense.
Link?
Tyronn Lue said the Cavs will try to win tonight with No. 3 still up for grabs if MIL beats PHI, but he still plans to pull LeBron James after he scores 10 pts to keep his streak intact. Said CLE has consistently put health over seeding the last several years.
posted by ernest_t_bassLink?
No link needed. Universally known.
posted by like_that
Tyronn Lue said the Cavs will try to win tonight with No. 3 still up for grabs if MIL beats PHI, but he still plans to pull LeBron James after he scores 10 pts to keep his streak intact. Said CLE has consistently put health over seeding the last several years.
Kind of wondered if this was what he'd do. Get LBJ in for the 82nd game, get a quick 10 points and call it a night.
posted by BR1986FBNo link needed. Universally known.
Bron has a defensive rating of 111.1.
Harden’s is 104.7.
🤷🏻♂️
Neither are good defenders.
posted by wildcats20Bron has a defensive rating of 111.1.
Harden’s is 104.7.
🤷🏻♂️
Neither are good defenders.
You have been an NBA fan for awhile, and you legitimately think Lebron is a bad defender? Especially in comparison to Harden?
posted by like_thatYou have been an NBA fan for awhile, and you legitimately think Lebron is a bad defender? Especially in comparison to Harden?
He’s not a good defender is what I said. Neither one of them are. The stats prove that Bron is in fact worse. That’s all I’m saying.
He’s in his 15 year. It shouldn’t be expected that he be in the top 15(insert whatever # you want) defenders. The Cavs are 7 points better when he’s on the bench.
I don’t think defensive rating is the end all be all, but it also can’t be ignored.
LeBron s defense this year has been awful, and he only guards the worst player on the other team. Now, in the playoffs, he will turn it on...but regular season he is no longer close to being even good.
Cavs and Pacers game one Sunday at 3:30. Game two on Wednesday.
posted by wildcats20Bron has a defensive rating of 111.1.
Harden’s is 104.7.
🤷🏻♂️
Neither are good defenders.
I was referring to the "being a bitch" part.
posted by friendfromlowryCavs and Pacers game one Sunday at 3:30. Game two on Wednesday.
I'm expecting their path to be Indiana-Toronto (should win that series, will be tough though)-Philadelphia (ECF-coin flip for me here).
posted by BR1986FBI'm expecting their path to be Indiana-Toronto (should win that series, will be tough though)-Philadelphia (ECF-coin flip for me here).
You have changed your threat to the cavs multiple times. Last it was the Cavs would most likely get bounced by the raps, and now all of a sudden the Sixers are a coin flip for you? Vegas highly disagrees with you. How about let these kids play in their first playoff series, before you overreact to a regular season winning streak? On the top of my head, I can't think of a first time young playoff team making a serious run at the conference title in the last 15+ years. Even Lebron had his bumps. I don't know how anyone who has watched the NBA for the last 10 years can put that much trust in regular season results, especially when it involves Lebron.
If it weren't for a favorable half bracket (aka Kyrie is out), I would confidently say the Sixers would not be in the ECF. I think the Heat could actually give them trouble.
posted by like_thatYou have changed your threat to the cavs multiple times. Last it was the Cavs would most likely get bounced by the raps, and now all of a sudden the Sixers are a coin flip for you? Vegas highly disagrees with you. How about let these kids play in their first playoff series, before you overreact to a regular season winning streak? On the top of my head, I can't think of a first time young playoff team making a serious run at the conference title in the last 15+ years. Even Lebron had his bumps. I don't know how anyone who has watched the NBA for the last 10 years can put that much trust in regular season results, especially when it involves Lebron.
If it weren't for a favorable half bracket (aka Kyrie is out), I would confidently say the Sixers would not be in the ECF. I think the Heat could actually give them trouble.
Apparently you haven't been reading. If you scroll back on the Cavs thread I have recently said that Toronto is scared shitless of the Cavs right now. The Cavs might drop a game or two in that series but I think there's a better than decent chance they win it. This is only because Toronto is probably one of the more difficult arenas to play in.
You also must be forgetting that the Sixers have been without Embiid for awhile? In a game that mattered (for the 3rd seed), the Cavs got beat by an Embiid-less Sixers team. Granted, Philly has no answer for LBJ but the same can be said about Embiid with the Cavs. The Sixers, if they get to the ECF, are playing with house money. They have nothing to lose, they are confident and hotter than Hell. The Cavs have everything (i.e. Lebron) to lose.
posted by BR1986FBApparently you haven't been reading. If you scroll back on the Cavs thread I have recently said that Toronto is scared shitless of the Cavs right now. The Cavs might drop a game or two in that series but I think there's a better than decent chance they win it. This is only because Toronto is probably one of the more difficult arenas to play in.
You also must be forgetting that the Sixers have been without Embiid for awhile? In a game that mattered (for the 3rd seed), the Cavs got beat by an Embiid-less Sixers team. Granted, Philly has no answer for LBJ but the same can be said about Embiid with the Cavs. The Sixers, if they get to the ECF, are playing with house money. They have nothing to lose, they are confident and hotter than Hell. The Cavs have everything (i.e. Lebron) to lose.
I am well aware of what you last said about the Raps. I have read most of your posts in this thread and you have been fickle all year, thus why all of a sudden now the Sixers are a coin toss. I have stood by my prediction from day one that the Cavs take the East.
As for your second paragraph, you must be forgetting the playoffs are a different breed, especially when you factor in a Lebron team. The Sixers treated that game like a game 7 playoff game (kinda like the Celtics treated their regular season games vs the cavs last year as game 7 playoff games). The cavs up until the late 3rd quarter treated it like a "let's get this regular season over" game. I actually watched the game and it was night/day with the cavs effort the first 3 quarters compared to the 4th. If Cedi hits 3 wide open shots, the Cavs win that game. I rather go streaking in the playoffs than in the regular season. Let me know if the Sixers remain that hot in the playoffs when teams have more time to prepare for one matchup.
While I am being positive before the playoffs start, I'd like to add the following:
- Think about how crazy Lebron has played in the finals the last 3 years. He hasn't had to do that in the East yet, and if needed he would.
- As much as I think Lue is a shitty coach, he has low key been adequate or better in the playoffs. It helps that Lebron plays more minutes at full effort, but I think Lue coaches better when he has one time to prepare for.
I will stick with my original prediction....
Cavs will roll through the East and then lose 4-1 to whoever comes out of the West.
And all this Harden vs Lebron stuff....
Lebron is the real mvp, but that award has always been a joke. Look at the Steve Nash years....
And Lebron is an average defender at best, but one of the best off the ball defenders in the game. Harden in my opinion is one of the worst defenders in the history of modern basketball.
posted by like_thatYou have changed your threat to the cavs multiple times. Last it was the Cavs would most likely get bounced by the raps, and now all of a sudden the Sixers are a coin flip for you? Vegas highly disagrees with you. How about let these kids play in their first playoff series, before you overreact to a regular season winning streak? On the top of my head, I can't think of a first time young playoff team making a serious run at the conference title in the last 15+ years. Even Lebron had his bumps. I don't know how anyone who has watched the NBA for the last 10 years can put that much trust in regular season results, especially when it involves Lebron.
If it weren't for a favorable half bracket (aka Kyrie is out), I would confidently say the Sixers would not be in the ECF. I think the Heat could actually give them trouble.
Good points except for the bold. The Heat are trash and if they win that series then lolfail on me but the past couple weeks they've looked like shit. They lost to the Knicks by 24 points (LOL) less than a week ago.
posted by wes_mantoothI will stick with my original prediction....
Cavs will roll through the East and then lose 4-1 to whoever comes out of the West.
And all this Harden vs Lebron stuff....
Lebron is the real mvp, but that award has always been a joke. Look at the Steve Nash years....
And Lebron is an average defender at best, but one of the best off the ball defenders in the game. Harden in my opinion is one of the worst defenders in the history of modern basketball.
This is all that needs to be said. I don't think you'll find a more valuable and impacting player than Lebron the past 10-15 years but (conspiracy warning theory alert) I think the NBA would rather spread the award around than continually give it to the same guy. "Look! We're more than just Lebron! Nash, Curry, and Harden were/are elite players, too!"
posted by friendfromlowryThis is all that needs to be said. I don't think you'll find a more valuable and impacting player than Lebron the past 10-15 years but (conspiracy warning theory alert) I think the NBA would rather spread the award around than continually give it to the same guy. "Look! We're more than just Lebron! Nash, Curry, and Harden were/are elite players, too!"
At least I can say I'm confident (now) that Harden won't win it unanimously. One of the Cavs beat writers, Jason Lloyd, has already said he's voting for LBJ.
posted by BR1986FBAt least I can say I'm confident (now) that Harden won't win it unanimously. One of the Cavs beat writers, Jason Lloyd, has already said he's voting for LBJ.
If Cowherd has a vote, he will vote for LBJ as well. I wasn't worried about Harden actually being MVP. I just think it is a joke he is a lock for it.
