2013-2014 NBA Thread - IND @ WAS and OKC @ LAC on ESPN

[herbshuttles15]

LeBron has the best FG% of his career, and is tying his best 3pt% of his career.


"Can't really say that about 2013-2014 lebron"


Ever thought maybe you're the one that changed, and basketball doesn't excite you like it did when you were a kid? Honest question.

thats all great for heat fans and the team but its lebron getting 25-35 points on 50% shooting every night, then you get a few fastbreak allyoops. theres no what if he had one of the best games of his career factor because i know he wont he's just going to go out get his points/rebounds/assists and most of the time win without much effort. again its great for the heat, great for not burning out during the season but for a spectator its really boring.

same as kd, hes going to be the best player in the league in

 

[dt43]

@ LeBron not being upper echelon.

What has he not done in the sport?

Stop talking about dude like he's Melo or something.

Who said anything about Melo? I specifically mentioned Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky as an example of the highest echelon athletes.

You're telling me Lebron is there right now? No, he isn't. He could be when his career is over, but not now

 

[jjs07]

no one really expected him to be the mess he's been this season. 

if he was at least productive and contributing this season like he was last, the criticism would've been muted, but he's under more scrutiny now and rightfully so, but that article was way outta line imo. borderline personal. not much integrity in that

He wasn't focused going into the playoffs last year...played AWFUL, and was rewarded with a new contract.

He's good for messing up chemistry much like when the Wizards had all of their knuckleheads. Knicks have to find a way to get him off the roster.

 

[kal-el-8]

 

LeBron has the best FG% of his career, and is tying his best 3pt% of his career.

"Can't really say that about 2013-2014 lebron"

Ever thought maybe you're the one that changed, and basketball doesn't excite you like it did when you were a kid? Honest question.

thats all great for heat fans and the team but its lebron getting 25-35 points on 50% shooting every night, then you get a few fastbreak allyoops. theres no what if he had one of the best games of his career factor because i know he wont he's just going to go out get his points/rebounds/assists and most of the time win without much effort. again its great for the heat, great for not burning out during the season but for a spectator its really boring.

same as kd, hes going to be the best player in the league in <5 years but from a fan spectator standpoint hes not that memorable to watch. there are special nights in the nba where everyone remembers where they are when ___ did ______, things like kobe's 81 point game, lebron's 50 pt triple double vs the knicks, curry going for 54 points vs the knicks, westbrooks game winner vs the warriors. im sure older fans will still have a good memory of MJ's double nickle or birds 60 point game. i spent a while thinking last night and i cant think of a single moment like that for durant, like not a single game that stands out to me and im sure he will have games like that in his career but watching him i never feel like hes going to come out and try to kill the other team, just last night he had 14 points in the first and ended with 30, thats pretty much what i expect when it comes to durant.

again if you're a heat or thunder fan its great, these guys are some of the greatest players in the history of the nba but as a spectator watching heat games and thunder games without westbrook is just boring for me.

COMPLETELY AGREE

 

[herbshuttles15]

@ LeBron not being upper echelon.

What has he not done in the sport?

Stop talking about dude like he's Melo or something.

Who said anything about Melo? I specifically mentioned Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky as an example of the highest echelon athletes.

You're telling me Lebron is there right now? No, he isn't. He could be when his career is over, but not now

Your comparing different media eras if those players were in their prime in 2013 they would receive the same hype.

LeBron is the best player in any sport right what do expect?

 

[antidope]

My brother and I had this same conversation about two weeks ago, it seems to become the case that people have gotten bored with LeBrons greatness.

"Oh Lebron had 28-7-6 on 54% shooting meh". Its gotten this way because he does it all the time and people just stop caring about it for some reason. You saw it yesterday on TNT, LeBron and Melo had the same amount of points at the half and all I saw people saying was that Melo was giving it to LeBron, even though he was 6-16 at the time and LeBron was 5-7. Kenny pointed it out too.

I personally am always entertained by watching him, the fact that he makes what he does seem so effortless is entertaining as hell. Dude never seems rattled, hes 100% in control of the game almost all the time. There was a broken play where Birdman, Wade, and LBJ all were the recipients of bad passes and LeBron got a bad pass from Birdman under the basket, around two people, and just picked up the ball, and layed it up with the foul like it was nothing.

ESPN and their focus on LeBron and no one else doesnt affect me, thats one of the last places I go for my sports journalism. Its sensationalist media. Its all for ratings.

 

[black migo]

how can you call kd boring, son is 6'11 taking dudes to the ice skating rink & pulling up effortlessly & lebron makes it look so easy the hate isnt a surprise, but i guess dudes rather watch someone take fadeaways 20+ times a game or pumpfake 3x before a shot because its more "entertaining", so i guess prime shaq was boring to watch also

 

[coldcity]

Did Woj's J.R. takedown get posted in here?  Dude goes incredibly hard.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/knicks...rince-will-be-back-soon-enough-055612473.html


He can make it sound so sincere, but the con never ends. J.R. Smith was raised in a suburban, middle-class home with two good parents and access to an excellent education. He had a tremendous high school coaching mentor – Dan Hurley at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, N.J. – and he has long been taught the difference of right and wrong. Smith's always loved to play the part of a tough city kid, but truth be told, he's a soft, spoiled suburban jump-shooter.



And when Smith's benching ends with these Knicks, there will be no epiphanies. No revelations. Everyone knows how this story ends with him, how the money will dry up and how he'll wish he had done everything so differently in his career. It is sad and predictable and on a collision course with cliche.

going b rabbit on JR


hes not a gangster his real name is clarence
clarence parents have a real good marriage

 

[awm412]

I know that ESPN can go overboard on the Lebron love sometimes, but the reason he gets so much coverage is because he is the best player right now.  ESPN is supposed to report on sports news, so they can't spend a ton of time talking about ahtletes whose careers are over (Jordan, Gretzky, etc.). Although, ESPN brings up comparisons to those old greats whenever they can (probably far too often).  Just because they report a lot on the current best player in any given sport does not mean they are putting him on the same level as those retired greats.

As for Lebron not being exciting to watch, I have to disagree.  His game might not be as highlight reel/flashy as the Jordan/Kobe style, but it is certainly impressive and enjoyable to watch.  He is one of the most talented, athletic, versatile players we have seen in decades (note: I am not saying he is better than Jordan).  As a basketball fan, it's really impressive getting to watch that.  If it matters, I grew up watching Jordan play, so I understand that differences people are pointing out in watching MJ vs watching Lebron.

EDIT: KD is also really exciting to watch.  He makes scoring look ridiculously easy a lot of the time.  Plus, he has done well consistently improving other aspects of his game.

 

[sea manup]

the most exciting moment i watched this year was lillards 15 points in 40 seconds to almost tie the game a few days ago

 

[dt43]

@ LeBron not being upper echelon.

What has he not done in the sport?

Stop talking about dude like he's Melo or something.

Who said anything about Melo? I specifically mentioned Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky as an example of the highest echelon athletes.

You're telling me Lebron is there right now? No, he isn't. He could be when his career is over, but not now

Your comparing different media eras if those players were in their prime in 2013 they would receive the same hype.

LeBron is the best player in any sport right what do expect?

I'm not saying it wouldn't happen with past athletes, just pointing out how bad the oversaturation is in today's media. It's not just Lebron,.. same thing happens with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, etc. The way the media covers sports right now is ridiculous. But it's gotten especially bad with the NBA, I feel like people who watch/read/hear NBA-related media should be exposed to something other than "Lebron Lebron Lebron".. it's like come on, give the people more than that.

Of course, outlets like ESPN are clearly more focused on generating revenue than reporting with integrity, not saying all sports media is like that.

 

[black migo]

the most exciting moment i watched this year was lillards 15 points in 40 seconds to almost tie the game a few days ago

Mcw's debut?

 

[kal-el-8]

 

the most exciting moment i watched this year was lillards 15 points in 40 seconds to almost tie the game a few days ago

Mcw's debut?

 

[herbshuttles15]

@ LeBron not being upper echelon.

What has he not done in the sport?

Stop talking about dude like he's Melo or something.

Who said anything about Melo? I specifically mentioned Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky as an example of the highest echelon athletes.

You're telling me Lebron is there right now? No, he isn't. He could be when his career is over, but not now

Your comparing different media eras if those players were in their prime in 2013 they would receive the same hype.

LeBron is the best player in any sport right what do expect?

I'm not saying it wouldn't happen with past athletes, just pointing out how bad the oversaturation is in today's media. It's not just Lebron,.. same thing happens with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, etc. The way the media covers sports right now is ridiculous. But it's gotten especially bad with the NBA, I feel like people who watch/read/hear NBA-related media should be exposed to something other than "Lebron Lebron Lebron".. it's like come on, give the people more than that.

Of course, outlets like ESPN are mainly focused on bringing in money, not saying all sports media is like that.

So take a break from espn and sports center

I haven't even got into basketball season like that yet football has been consuming most my sports

 

[sea manup]

how can you call kd boring, son is 6'11 taking dudes to the ice skating rink & pulling up effortlessly & lebron makes it look so easy the hate isnt a surprise, but i guess dudes rather watch someone take fadeaways 20+ times a game or pumpfake 3x before a shot because its more "entertaining", so i guess prime shaq was boring to watch also

this is why they are boring to watch to me, they are good enough to cruse to 25-35 points a night and thats it. they never push themselves, for lebron hes in his 11th year trying to make the finals for the 4th time in a row so i can see why hes not pushing his body to the limits in the regular season. for KD i dont see what his reason is, yeah he can easily get to 30 points every night but what if he challenged himself to get 40? if he gets 40 challenge himself to get 50 then 60. that would be exciting as hell for a fan to watch. the nba is at its best with the best players push themselves to try to out do each other, like how kobe dropped 61 on the knicks then a few days later lebron comes with a 50 point triple double* THATS entertainment, as sports fans now everyone is talking about who had a better game, lebron or kobe. kevin mchale dropped like 55 one night to get the celtics record and larry bird dropped 60 a week later because hes larry bird and getting the celtics single game scoring record was a fun challenge for him. MJ would walk into other teams areas and ask the ball boy what the scoring record was for the building. thats what makes great players exciting, they constantly come up with challenges to push their talents to the limit and put on a great show, it doesnt seem like durant is into that or that out of all the things he could do to push himself he wants to copy lebron and take less shots to get his fg% up which is not exciting to watch.

shaq in his prime was exciting because everytime he put on a lakers jersey he tried to murder the opposing center, there could be 5 people on him and he would still put the ball through the rim and send bodies flying into the camera men. shaq was also fun to watch because he played alongside kobe and dwade who always went 110% in every regular season game.

 

[herbshuttles15]

Its not worth going for 40 because of the urgency that has been placed on saving themselves for the playoffs

 

[dt43]

@ LeBron not being upper echelon.

What has he not done in the sport?

Stop talking about dude like he's Melo or something.

Who said anything about Melo? I specifically mentioned Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky as an example of the highest echelon athletes.

You're telling me Lebron is there right now? No, he isn't. He could be when his career is over, but not now

Your comparing different media eras if those players were in their prime in 2013 they would receive the same hype.

LeBron is the best player in any sport right what do expect?

I'm not saying it wouldn't happen with past athletes, just pointing out how bad the oversaturation is in today's media. It's not just Lebron,.. same thing happens with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, etc. The way the media covers sports right now is ridiculous. But it's gotten especially bad with the NBA, I feel like people who watch/read/hear NBA-related media should be exposed to something other than "Lebron Lebron Lebron".. it's like come on, give the people more than that.

Of course, outlets like ESPN are mainly focused on bringing in money, not saying all sports media is like that.

So take a break from espn and sports center

I haven't even got into basketball season like that yet football has been consuming most my sports

Yeah I don't really watch Sportscenter or ESPN like, ever. But I watched it a couple days and didn't realize how bad it had gotten. Every Heat highlight is exactly the same, a bunch of Lebron dunks (nothing from the other team) and then Stuart Scott or whoever says "Lebron DOMINATES once again, carrying the Heat to a win" even if he only had like 15 points and Wade or Bosh went off for 30

But yeah, I don't usually watch ESPN for anything other than games. Their NFL coverage, NBA on ESPN coverage = :x

 

[black migo]

Also in this day & age that me first attitude is gonna backfire because the media is gonna turn it into a story, lebron & kd dont want that ball hog title like a kobe & jordan

 

[black migo]

Yeah I don't really watch Sportscenter or ESPN like, ever. But I watched it a couple days and didn't realize how bad it had gotten. Every Heat highlight is exactly the same, a bunch of Lebron dunks (nothing from the other team) and then Stuart Scott or whoever says "Lebron DOMINATES once again, carrying the Heat to a win" even if he only had like 15 points and Wade or Bosh went off for 30

But yeah, I don't usually watch ESPN for anything other than games. Their NFL coverage, NBA on ESPN coverage = :x

i never witness sportscenter say lebron dominated off of 15 pts, you're saying anything

 

[sea manup]

Also in this day & age that me first attitude is gonna backfire because the media is gonna turn it into a story, lebron & kd dont want that ball hog title like a kobe & jordan

bird is considered one of the best teammates ever. kobe and jordan have a combined 11 rings, the media will always find something to turn into a story. the only way to shut the media up in any age is to win championships, and since there are 82 games before the playoffs why not go out and push yourself to new limits.

 

[sea manup]

 

Yeah I don't really watch Sportscenter or ESPN like, ever. But I watched it a couple days and didn't realize how bad it had gotten. Every Heat highlight is exactly the same, a bunch of Lebron dunks (nothing from the other team) and then Stuart Scott or whoever says "Lebron DOMINATES once again, carrying the Heat to a win" even if he only had like 15 points and Wade or Bosh went off for 30

But yeah, I don't usually watch ESPN for anything other than games. Their NFL coverage, NBA on ESPN coverage =

i never witness sportscenter say lebron dominated off of 15 pts, you're saying anything

bosh had 25, wade had 20, lebron had 18 points in a 19 point win

 

[proshares]

Ranking teams by peak value.

Spoiler

It started innocently enough with a tweet from Insider's Amin Elhassan: "If everyone on every roster were in their prime, would the Nets be the best team in the NBA?" It's a fun question, and one my wins above replacement rating (WARP) can help answer.

For every player, I found their "prime" season -- their best by WARP, including 2013-14 prorated to a full 82 games -- and took the top 12 players on each team as their score, since we don't really care about how good the very end of the bench was in its prime. Full rankings follow at the end, but let's count down the top 10.

10. Denver Nuggets (79.2 WARP)


Befitting their old reputation as star-less contenders, the Nuggets edge out the Houston Rockets and their duo of James Harden (15.1) and Dwight Howard (20.5) for the last spot in the top 10, despite not having a single All-Star on the roster. Andre Miller's spectacular 2001-02 season (15.8 WARP), one of the best ever by an All-Star snub, is one reason. Beyond that, Denver does have admirable depth, with 12 players who have posted at least 2.7 WARP in a season.

9. Oklahoma City Thunder (82.5 WARP)


The issue with using stats to answer the question is that they can't look forward as easily as they can backward. More than any other team, the Thunder are hurt by this limitation. In time, Reggie Jackson (4.7) and Jeremy Lamb (4.0) will surely exceed their current production, but for now, Oklahoma City's best "prime" player after the Kevin Durant (23.6) -- Russell Westbrook (16.4) -- Serge Ibaka (10.3) troika is Derek Fisher (5.5 WARP in 2005-06).

8. Detroit Pistons (84.4 WARP)


While the Pistons owe much of their lofty ranking to veteran Chauncey Billups, who is far from the prime that saw him post 18.2 WARP in 2005-06, this figure still reflects how disappointing Detroit has been this season. The Pistons' other four starters should be in or very near their prime, yet the team has lost its last six games by an average of nearly 18 points per game. Yikes.

7. New York Knicks (84.6 WARP)


In terms of All-NBA and All-Star appearances on the roster, the Knicks rank an impressive sixth. Too many of those belong to Amar'e Stoudemire (16.0 WARP in prime) and Metta World Peace (9.7), who have been rendered limited by knee injuries, making New York one of the best examples of a team that would have been far better five years ago.

6. Los Angeles Lakers (86.6 WARP)


You'll recall that the Lakers were a popular answer to this question a year ago, when their starting lineup had combined for an incredible 32 All-NBA appearances. Without Dwight Howard, World Peace and reserve Antawn Jamison, this year's roster is slightly less star-studded. And the Lakers' two most accomplished players, Kobe Bryant (20.4) and Steve Nash (17., have played six games apiece, making this exercise a total hypothetical.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (89.0 WARP)


Of the teams at the top of the list, the Clippers are closest to prime production. The exception is Jamison (10.3 WARP), now a below-replacement reserve. Aside from him, Jamal Crawford (7.6 WARP in 2003-04) is the only other key player more than five years removed from his best season by WARP. Stars Chris Paul (25.6) and Blake Griffin (13.1) are at or near the top of their games.

4. San Antonio Spurs (92.1 WARP)


The Spurs would surely welcome the chance to battle opponents with prime Tim Duncan (23.4 WARP), Manu Ginobili (15.4) and Tony Parker (10.3). However, they suffer by this method from not having any other All-Stars on the roster. Their fourth-best player in terms of prime production is actually Boris Diaw (7.5), thanks to his impressive 2005-06 season in Phoenix, though Kawhi Leonard (6. will surely eventually have something to say about that.

3. Dallas Mavericks (105.5 WARP)


Watching Dirk Nowitzki (19.7), Shawn Marion (19.2) and Vince Carter (16.5) in their primes with Rick Carlisle as their coach would have been incredibly entertaining. And don't forget that the Mavericks also get the benefit of an All-Star Devin Harris, from his 2008-09 season in New Jersey. A prime Dallas squad could score with anyone, though it would probably struggle at the defensive end of the floor.

The top two

That leaves us with the consensus top two teams left, who happen to face off Friday on ESPN ...

2. Miami Heat (124.9 WARP);

1. Brooklyn Nets (125.8 WARP)

If Friday's game was being contested by players in their primes (and, in the case of Brook Lopez, healthy), let's look at the rotations the two teams could throw out.

Prime Heat vs Nets
Player WARP Year Player WARP Year
Kevin Garnett 26.3 2004 LeBron James 26.9 2009
Andrei Kirilenko 19.9 2004 Dwyane Wade 23.8 2009
Paul Pierce 18.4 2002 Ray Allen 17.8 2001
Deron Williams 13.4 2010 Chris Bosh 12.4 2010
Jason Terry 12.7 2002 Rashard Lewis 11.1 2008
Brook Lopez 10.2 2013 Shane Battier 7.6 2006
Joe Johnson 9.1 2009 Chris Andersen 6.9 2009
Andray Blatche 6.5 2013 Mario Chalmers 6.1 2009
The Nets are slightly deeper, with six All-Stars -- not counting Jason Terry, who easily could have made it in his prime -- to Miami's five. And they have an MVP of their own in Kevin Garnett, who was not far off LeBron James' rarified air back in 2003-04. Lastly, Brooklyn benefits from Kirilenko's 2003-04 season. Since his game fell off shortly thereafter, it's easy to forget how good a young Kirilenko was. In 2003-04, he led a post-John Stockton/Karl Malone Utah team without another 1,000-point scorer to an improbable 42-40 record.

At the same time, Miami improves as well. Not only would Dwyane Wade's knee problems disappear, the Heat could throw out an All-NBA Ray Allen and an All-Star Rashard Lewis as part of a lethal smallball lineup that the Nets would struggle to defend with both Garnett and Lopez on the floor.

Back in reality, Brooklyn will be without Williams and Lopez tonight because of injuries, and Garnett, Kirilenko, Pierce and Terry will all be limited to some extent or another. That's the trouble with loading up on big names who are no longer near their primes. Injuries and minute restrictions can force a veteran team deep into its bench. The Nets thought they had that covered, but so far they've been unable to make up for Garnett's sudden decline and a season-ending injury to Lopez, one of their younger players.

If the story sounds familiar, it's because something similar happened to last season's Lakers, who would have ranked third on this list. That doesn't necessarily mean any "superteam" is destined to fail, especially if the stars are in their early 30s rather than their late 30s, but it does suggest caution is in order with veterans ... unless your general manager has a time machine that can put everyone in their prime.

Complete prime WARP rankings
Team WARP All-NBA All-Star Best Player WARP Year
Brooklyn 125.8 16 36 Kevin Garnett 26.3 2004
Miami 124.9 20 38 LeBron James 26.9 2009
Dallas 105.5 16 24 Dirk Nowitzki 19.7 2003
L.A. Clippers 89.0 7 11 Chris Paul 25.6 2009
San Antonio 92.1 19 21 Tim Duncan 23.4 2002
L.A. Lakers 86.6 25 28 Kobe Bryant 20.4 2003
New York 84.6 12 14 Amar'e Stoudemire 16.0 2008
Detroit 84.4 3 5 Chauncey Billups 18.2 2006
Oklahoma City 82.5 7 7 Kevin Durant 23.6 2014
Denver 79.2 0 0 Andre Miller 15.8 2002
Houston 79.0 8 8 Dwight Howard 20.5 2011
Atlanta 76.3 2 4 Elton Brand 18.9 2006
Golden State 75.6 5 9 Stephen Curry 16.8 2014
Memphis 73.3 2 3 Zach Randolph 12.2 2011
Chicago 73.0 2 6 Derrick Rose 16.6 2011
Indiana 71.0 1 5 Paul George 17.2 2014
Portland 67.3 1 2 Damian Lillard 11.7 2014
New Orleans 66.5 0 1 Anthony Davis 14.5 2014
Phoenix 65.0 0 0 Emeka Okafor 10.0 2007
Milwaukee 61.9 0 2 Ersan Ilyasova 9.4 2012
Minnesota 60.5 1 2 Kevin Love 21.9 2014
Washington 57.5 0 0 John Wall 11.9 2014
Toronto 57.0 0 0 Kyle Lowry 14.8 2014
Utah 56.6 0 0 Richard Jefferson 10.1 2006
Boston 55.3 1 5 Rajon Rondo 13.6 2010
Sacramento 54.5 0 0 DeMarcus Cousins 16.0 2014
Charlotte 53.9 0 0 Al Jefferson 11.0 2008
Cleveland 37.5 0 1 Kyrie Irving 9.7 2014
Philadelphia 35.5 0 0 Jason Richardson 10.6 2008
Orlando 31.7 0 1 Arron Afflalo 8.3 2014

 

[herbshuttles15]

 

Yeah I don't really watch Sportscenter or ESPN like, ever. But I watched it a couple days and didn't realize how bad it had gotten. Every Heat highlight is exactly the same, a bunch of Lebron dunks (nothing from the other team) and then Stuart Scott or whoever says "Lebron DOMINATES once again, carrying the Heat to a win" even if he only had like 15 points and Wade or Bosh went off for 30


But yeah, I don't usually watch ESPN for anything other than games. Their NFL coverage, NBA on ESPN coverage = :x

i never witness sportscenter say lebron dominated off of 15 pts, you're saying anything

View media item 703986
bosh had 25, wade had 20, lebron had 18 points in a 19 point win

Once again its espn they get paid every time you click on that link, which one you think will generate more clicks the dunk or Bosh and Wade's 20-25 points.

 

[proshares]

Top 10 power forwards for 2013-14.

Spoiler

Because we're extrapolating from a half-season of real results, the methodology was a little bit different from our forecast-based summer rankings. See the explainer at the end of the article for how these rankings were derived.


James
1. LeBron James, Miami Heat
TrueWARP: 23.1 | 2013-14 WARP: 8.3 | Overall Rank: 4
With a handful of players threatening James' domain as the unchallenged MVP of the league, it will be fascinating to see how he responds over the next couple of months. You get the feeling that James is laying in the weeds. His usage rate (29.4 percent) is the lowest it's been in nine years. His efficiency is off the charts -- a league-high .671 true shooting percentage. Turnovers have been an issue for James, but you still get the feeling that if one among Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Chris Paul or Paul George is really going to wrest the MVP crown, they'll have to fend off a big second half from the King. Then again, James might no longer care about such things and is simply preparing himself for a run at championship No. 3.



Love
2. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
TrueWARP: 19.1 | 2013-14 WARP: 8.6 | Overall Rank: 2
Love has roared back from his injury-marred 2012-13 season with an MVP-caliber campaign. You will notice that in 2013-14 WARP, Love currently ranks ahead of James, and only Kevin Durant has a higher total across all positions. Love's raw scoring and rebounding averages are right on target with his last full healthy season, but he's never combined this level of efficiency (.591 true shooting percentage) with this level of volume (28.1 percent usage rate). He's also handing out a career-high 4.1 assists per contest. If the Timberwolves can go on a run and get into the postseason, Love will garner a lot of support in the MVP voting.


Anderson
3. Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans
TrueWARP: 11.9 | 2013-14 WARP: 2.8 | Overall Rank: 48
Anderson was putting up an even stronger performance in his second season with New Orleans than he did in his first before going down with a herniated disk. Anderson has never shot the ball better, which is saying a lot. His 3-point percentage is a career best 40.9 percent, and his 59-for-62 showing from the line translates to a league-best 95.2 percent. Anderson's rebounding numbers are off a bit, but his turnover rate is the lowest in the league among qualifying players. There may be no more valuable role player in the NBA.


Anthony
4. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
TrueWARP: 11.6 | 2013-14 WARP: 4.6 | Overall Rank: 14
No matter how you feel about Anthony, you have to give him credit for his approach to this trying season. With New York's hopes teetering on collapse, Anthony has logged a career-high and league-leading 39.3 minutes per contest. He's backed off his own offensive game a little and instead is hitting the defensive glass at a rate nearly 6 percent higher than his career baseline. Anthony's turnover rate is at a career low. During the Knicks' current stretch of five wins in six games, Anthony is shooting 56.7 percent from 3-point range.


Griffin
5. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
TrueWARP: 11.6 | 2013-14 WARP: 4.5 | Overall Rank: 17
Griffin already has 19 games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds this season, half of the games the Clippers have played. That consistency is one of Griffin's hallmarks, as is his efficiency. His shooting is down a touch from last season, but he's compensated with more trips to the foul line. Griffin has had the ball in his hands more often since Paul was injured, and he's averaging more than five assists in the three games without Paul. That willingness to find open teammates will serve the Clippers well as opposing defenses focus their game plans on stopping Griffin.


Millsap
6. Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
TrueWARP: 10.2 | 2013-14 WARP: 4.3 | Overall Rank: 18
Millsap has proved to be a worthy investment in his first season for the Hawks. He's putting up basically the same numbers he did in Utah with one major exception: the development of a 3-point game. He attempted 113 3s during his first seven NBA seasons combined. This season, he's already taken 90, and with a 40 percent success rate, it has turned Millsap into a prototype for today's power forward. Unfortunately, Millsap's usage rate has spiked in the seven games since Al Horford was injured, and his .390 effective field-goal percentage during that span suggests he's trying to do too much.


Aldridge
7. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers
TrueWARP: 9.1 | 2013-14 WARP: 3.7 | Overall Rank: 29
Aldridge finished No. 11 in the summer ratings, but he has soared into the top 10 on the wings of his most prolific season yet. Aldridge has taken a career-high 20.9 shots per game and even though his shooting percentages are at a career low, he's averaging 23.7 points per game. Playing on his most talented team yet, Aldridge has sliced his turnover rate to a miniscule level. Only Al Jefferson commits miscues less frequently among high-usage players.


Ibaka
8. Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder
TrueWARP: 8.7 | 2013-14 WARP: 3.0 | Overall Rank: 42
Ibaka's shooting has regressed since last season, though he remains an effective scorer overall. He's taking more shots, which is no surprise given the absence of Russell Westbrook. His 2-point field goal percentage has fallen from .591 to .527, with drop-offs coming both inside and outside the paint. There really isn't anything to be concerned about as there is little in Ibaka's dip that can't be explained by randomness.


Nowitzki
9. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
TrueWARP: 8.2 | 2013-14 WARP: 4.6 | Overall Rank: 15
It has been a nice comeback season for future Hall of Famer Nowitzki, who didn't crack the top 10 in the summer rankings. Nowitzki is above his career marks in all the shooting percentage categories, and he's still creating plenty of offense while rarely turning the ball over. There is less asked of Nowitzki physically -- he doesn't draw nearly as many fouls as he used to, and his rebound percentages are the lowest they've been since his early days in the league. However, the skill part of Nowitzki's arsenal remains elite, and he should still be a foundation player for the Mavericks for at least the next couple of years.


Henson
10. John Henson, Milwaukee Bucks
TrueWARP: 7.8 | 2013-14 WARP: 3.1 | Overall Rank: 39
Henson has doubled his minutes this season, and his per-minute numbers have held up well in the larger role. He has become one of the league's top shot-blockers and the skill part of his offensive arsenal is improved. Entering the season, I thought a key metric for the Bucks would be how lineups that feature Henson and Larry Sanders fare. So far this season, they have barely shared the court at all, though of course Sanders has missed much of the campaign. With Milwaukee headed for the bottom of the league standings, let's hope we see more of that configuration over the rest of the season.

Next five: Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets; Terrence Jones, Houston Rockets; Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons; Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76ers; Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies.

Jones is the classic example of a player whose solid level of play in a part-time role has translated nicely into a starting job. If he can develop his 3-point stroke, he will be a valuable player for many years to come. At 22, he's got plenty of time to figure that out. Young has flourished in his new role as a featured scorer for the Sixers. After Young abandoned his long-range shot under Doug Collins, first-year coach Brett Brown has brought it back, and Young is hitting nearly 41 percent from deep.

Also notable: 16. Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors; 17. David Lee, Golden State Warriors; 18. Jordan Hill, Los Angeles Lakers; 20. David West, Indiana Pacers; 24. Josh McRoberts, Charlotte Bobcats; 25. Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns; 38. Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls; 39. Kevin Garnett, Brooklyn Nets; 40. Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls.

There are a lot of interesting names outside of the top 15. Lee's TrueWARP is dragged down by his pessimistic projection. At 31, ATH saw him taking a step back that really hasn't occurred, though his .533 individual winning percentage is not the stuff of All-Stars. Hill and Morris are two of the most improved players in the league, while no one has declined more than Garnett. McRoberts has strangely emerged as a playmaker down in Charlotte.

As for West, ATH has a pretty good read on him. He was projected for a .507 winning percentage, and that's exactly where he's at. West obviously fits in well with Indiana's devastating starting lineup, but he ranks just 87th in 2013-14 WARP. Any lingering questions about whether Chicago should amnesty Boozer this summer can perhaps be answered with a glimpse of these standings. According to ATH, Boozer is no longer as good as the player who backs him up, Taj Gibson. On a team desperate for efficient scoring, Boozer has a career-low .491 true shooting percentage.

 

[sea manup]

Ranking teams by peak value.

Spoiler

It started innocently enough with a tweet from Insider's Amin Elhassan: "If everyone on every roster were in their prime, would the Nets be the best team in the NBA?" It's a fun question, and one my wins above replacement rating (WARP) can help answer.

For every player, I found their "prime" season -- their best by WARP, including 2013-14 prorated to a full 82 games -- and took the top 12 players on each team as their score, since we don't really care about how good the very end of the bench was in its prime. Full rankings follow at the end, but let's count down the top 10.

10. Denver Nuggets (79.2 WARP)


Befitting their old reputation as star-less contenders, the Nuggets edge out the Houston Rockets and their duo of James Harden (15.1) and Dwight Howard (20.5) for the last spot in the top 10, despite not having a single All-Star on the roster. Andre Miller's spectacular 2001-02 season (15.8 WARP), one of the best ever by an All-Star snub, is one reason. Beyond that, Denver does have admirable depth, with 12 players who have posted at least 2.7 WARP in a season.

9. Oklahoma City Thunder (82.5 WARP)


The issue with using stats to answer the question is that they can't look forward as easily as they can backward. More than any other team, the Thunder are hurt by this limitation. In time, Reggie Jackson (4.7) and Jeremy Lamb (4.0) will surely exceed their current production, but for now, Oklahoma City's best "prime" player after the Kevin Durant (23.6) -- Russell Westbrook (16.4) -- Serge Ibaka (10.3) troika is Derek Fisher (5.5 WARP in 2005-06).

8. Detroit Pistons (84.4 WARP)


While the Pistons owe much of their lofty ranking to veteran Chauncey Billups, who is far from the prime that saw him post 18.2 WARP in 2005-06, this figure still reflects how disappointing Detroit has been this season. The Pistons' other four starters should be in or very near their prime, yet the team has lost its last six games by an average of nearly 18 points per game. Yikes.

7. New York Knicks (84.6 WARP)


In terms of All-NBA and All-Star appearances on the roster, the Knicks rank an impressive sixth. Too many of those belong to Amar'e Stoudemire (16.0 WARP in prime) and Metta World Peace (9.7), who have been rendered limited by knee injuries, making New York one of the best examples of a team that would have been far better five years ago.

6. Los Angeles Lakers (86.6 WARP)


You'll recall that the Lakers were a popular answer to this question a year ago, when their starting lineup had combined for an incredible 32 All-NBA appearances. Without Dwight Howard, World Peace and reserve Antawn Jamison, this year's roster is slightly less star-studded. And the Lakers' two most accomplished players, Kobe Bryant (20.4) and Steve Nash (17.

, have played six games apiece, making this exercise a total hypothetical.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (89.0 WARP)


Of the teams at the top of the list, the Clippers are closest to prime production. The exception is Jamison (10.3 WARP), now a below-replacement reserve. Aside from him, Jamal Crawford (7.6 WARP in 2003-04) is the only other key player more than five years removed from his best season by WARP. Stars Chris Paul (25.6) and Blake Griffin (13.1) are at or near the top of their games.

4. San Antonio Spurs (92.1 WARP)


The Spurs would surely welcome the chance to battle opponents with prime Tim Duncan (23.4 WARP), Manu Ginobili (15.4) and Tony Parker (10.3). However, they suffer by this method from not having any other All-Stars on the roster. Their fourth-best player in terms of prime production is actually Boris Diaw (7.5), thanks to his impressive 2005-06 season in Phoenix, though Kawhi Leonard (6.

will surely eventually have something to say about that.

3. Dallas Mavericks (105.5 WARP)


Watching Dirk Nowitzki (19.7), Shawn Marion (19.2) and Vince Carter (16.5) in their primes with Rick Carlisle as their coach would have been incredibly entertaining. And don't forget that the Mavericks also get the benefit of an All-Star Devin Harris, from his 2008-09 season in New Jersey. A prime Dallas squad could score with anyone, though it would probably struggle at the defensive end of the floor.

The top two

That leaves us with the consensus top two teams left, who happen to face off Friday on ESPN ...

2. Miami Heat (124.9 WARP);

1. Brooklyn Nets (125.8 WARP)

If Friday's game was being contested by players in their primes (and, in the case of Brook Lopez, healthy), let's look at the rotations the two teams could throw out.

Prime Heat vs Nets
Player WARP Year Player WARP Year
Kevin Garnett 26.3 2004 LeBron James 26.9 2009
Andrei Kirilenko 19.9 2004 Dwyane Wade 23.8 2009
Paul Pierce 18.4 2002 Ray Allen 17.8 2001
Deron Williams 13.4 2010 Chris Bosh 12.4 2010
Jason Terry 12.7 2002 Rashard Lewis 11.1 2008
Brook Lopez 10.2 2013 Shane Battier 7.6 2006
Joe Johnson 9.1 2009 Chris Andersen 6.9 2009
Andray Blatche 6.5 2013 Mario Chalmers 6.1 2009
The Nets are slightly deeper, with six All-Stars -- not counting Jason Terry, who easily could have made it in his prime -- to Miami's five. And they have an MVP of their own in Kevin Garnett, who was not far off LeBron James' rarified air back in 2003-04. Lastly, Brooklyn benefits from Kirilenko's 2003-04 season. Since his game fell off shortly thereafter, it's easy to forget how good a young Kirilenko was. In 2003-04, he led a post-John Stockton/Karl Malone Utah team without another 1,000-point scorer to an improbable 42-40 record.

At the same time, Miami improves as well. Not only would Dwyane Wade's knee problems disappear, the Heat could throw out an All-NBA Ray Allen and an All-Star Rashard Lewis as part of a lethal smallball lineup that the Nets would struggle to defend with both Garnett and Lopez on the floor.

Back in reality, Brooklyn will be without Williams and Lopez tonight because of injuries, and Garnett, Kirilenko, Pierce and Terry will all be limited to some extent or another. That's the trouble with loading up on big names who are no longer near their primes. Injuries and minute restrictions can force a veteran team deep into its bench. The Nets thought they had that covered, but so far they've been unable to make up for Garnett's sudden decline and a season-ending injury to Lopez, one of their younger players.

If the story sounds familiar, it's because something similar happened to last season's Lakers, who would have ranked third on this list. That doesn't necessarily mean any "superteam" is destined to fail, especially if the stars are in their early 30s rather than their late 30s, but it does suggest caution is in order with veterans ... unless your general manager has a time machine that can put everyone in their prime.

Complete prime WARP rankings
Team WARP All-NBA All-Star Best Player WARP Year
Brooklyn 125.8 16 36 Kevin Garnett 26.3 2004
Miami 124.9 20 38 LeBron James 26.9 2009
Dallas 105.5 16 24 Dirk Nowitzki 19.7 2003
L.A. Clippers 89.0 7 11 Chris Paul 25.6 2009
San Antonio 92.1 19 21 Tim Duncan 23.4 2002
L.A. Lakers 86.6 25 28 Kobe Bryant 20.4 2003
New York 84.6 12 14 Amar'e Stoudemire 16.0 2008
Detroit 84.4 3 5 Chauncey Billups 18.2 2006
Oklahoma City 82.5 7 7 Kevin Durant 23.6 2014
Denver 79.2 0 0 Andre Miller 15.8 2002
Houston 79.0 8 8 Dwight Howard 20.5 2011
Atlanta 76.3 2 4 Elton Brand 18.9 2006
Golden State 75.6 5 9 Stephen Curry 16.8 2014
Memphis 73.3 2 3 Zach Randolph 12.2 2011
Chicago 73.0 2 6 Derrick Rose 16.6 2011
Indiana 71.0 1 5 Paul George 17.2 2014
Portland 67.3 1 2 Damian Lillard 11.7 2014
New Orleans 66.5 0 1 Anthony Davis 14.5 2014
Phoenix 65.0 0 0 Emeka Okafor 10.0 2007
Milwaukee 61.9 0 2 Ersan Ilyasova 9.4 2012
Minnesota 60.5 1 2 Kevin Love 21.9 2014
Washington 57.5 0 0 John Wall 11.9 2014
Toronto 57.0 0 0 Kyle Lowry 14.8 2014
Utah 56.6 0 0 Richard Jefferson 10.1 2006
Boston 55.3 1 5 Rajon Rondo 13.6 2010
Sacramento 54.5 0 0 DeMarcus Cousins 16.0 2014
Charlotte 53.9 0 0 Al Jefferson 11.0 2008
Cleveland 37.5 0 1 Kyrie Irving 9.7 2014
Philadelphia 35.5 0 0 Jason Richardson 10.6 2008
Orlando 31.7 0 1 Arron Afflalo 8.3 2014

wonder what the score would be for kobe-shaq-GP-malone