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

[ill steelo]

I'm old enough to have actually watched Magic in his prime. I've also seen pretty much every game Chris Paul has played since he joined the Clippers. And based on my own personal observation of both players, I give the edge to Magic. CP may go down as statistically the best PG ever to play, but in terms of overall impact on each game, I can't say he's better than Magic.

Isn't it easier to have more of an impact on the game when you're playing with 2 HOF'ers, 1 of whom is arguably the greatest player in the history of the sport?

 

[clyde the glide]

 
u like looking at numbers on a paper more than actually watching people play don't you?

most people here don't even realize there more into stats than they are the actual sport

 

[rck3sactown]

I'm old enough to have actually watched Magic in his prime. I've also seen pretty much every game Chris Paul has played since he joined the Clippers. And based on my own personal observation of both players, I give the edge to Magic. CP may go down as statistically the best PG ever to play, but in terms of overall impact on each game, I can't say he's better than Magic.

I love seeing you post about old stuff.

Like watching Magic play

 

[kevin cleveland]

I'm old enough to have actually watched Magic in his prime. I've also seen pretty much every game Chris Paul has played since he joined the Clippers. And based on my own personal observation of both players, I give the edge to Magic. CP may go down as statistically the best PG ever to play, but in terms of overall impact on each game, I can't say he's better than Magic.

There you go.

Base comparisons on your eyes and the numbers, not what that player and 11+ others collectively did or did not do.

CP, you know I've always avoided those "this player is better than that player" historical discussions. If I hardly ever saw someone play (or never), I have no opinion about them. And I shouldn't.

And before anyone says it, I truly couldn't care less about whether or not Chris is better than Magic, or if people think he is or isn't. It means nothing to me. I'm 25. Never saw Magic play except for possibly his final season, and I surely don't remember it.

And before this sea manup character continues on with his blatant disregard for comprehension, I said that team success shouldn't factor into comparisons, not that winning doesn't matter. Clown.

 

[JD617]

I'm by no means a Dwight fan, but objectively speaking, why was he fined for tossing a ball into the stands but this wasn't?

Different context. The ball was deflected into the stands, a Heat fan threw it back to Bron and he had a little fun with the guy. Whereas Dwight tossed the ball at a Mavs fan who was heckling him.

 

[dakidlo3]

according to PER ratings melo was the 4th best player in the nba last year 

Melo.........

u from Canada too?

Nah

 

[had pants]

 

[sea manup]

 

lebron's an idiot for going to miami to win rings, he should have just stayed with the cavs to put up 35 points a night and become the greatest player of all that that way

you trolling but I'll bite

Bron taking Mike Brown and a bunch of guys off the street in Cavs uniforms to the Finals in 07 > Winning the title with one of the best SG's of all time and a perennial all star PF in terms of difficulty even though he is a better player now.

so in 20 years when your kids ask you about how great lebron was you would say "this one time he took mo williams AND mike brown to the finals and got swept. oh yeah he also won championships later on but thats not as impressive"

they might as well rename these the "jordan scored 63 points vs celtics but still lost", because who cares about 6 rings

 

[licensed to ball]

What in tarnation is going on round here?

Dat CP System.

View media item 663886

 

[noblekane]

So chris paul is better than magic now? What the ****. Midas whale say kobe better than michael jordan. And rik smits better than hakeem

 

[certifiedflyboi23]

so in 20 years when your kids ask you about how great lebron was you would say "this one time he took mo williams AND mike brown to the finals and got swept. oh yeah he also won championships later on but thats not as impressive"


View media item 663885

they might as well rename these the "jordan scored 63 points vs celtics but still lost", because who cares about 6 rings

Bred XIs

Camped out for those

 

[JD617]

At least people are entertaining the idea.

CP3 vs. Magic is a step in the right direction from CP3 vs. friggin Deron Williams.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I hate when NFL Network and TNT have good games on at the same damn time.

 

[darthska]

Magic is one of my top 5 favorite athletes ever, Chris Paul isn't even in my top 20 but at this point in his career he's on his way to being better than Magic and has been statistically up to now, you can try to dispute that with things that aren't facts or team accolades but its true.

Chris Paul career is far from over but if he continues this pace and doesn't retire early like he says he will, he'll be better than Magic. Only brought up you being a Laker fan because there's going to be bias in your views about Magic weather you realize it or not

I'm old enough to have actually watched Magic in his prime. I've also seen pretty much every game Chris Paul has played since he joined the Clippers. And based on my own personal observation of both players, I give the edge to Magic. CP may go down as statistically the best PG ever to play, but in terms of overall impact on each game, I can't say he's better than Magic.

Swear to god I hate this type of talk.

Not so much the talk itself, but the preemptive praise.

If he has the potential to surpass someone, I'll potentially acknowledge it.

If he hasn't yet, then... no.

"But ska, he COOOULD be."

Right. I get that.

And he could not be. I'd rather appreciate what is.

"Yeah, but 'what is' is something that COULD be better than Magic."

 

[sea manup]

i am speechless 

 

[noblekane]

imagine a 6'9 chris paul

Imagine a 6 '9 point guard that flops and punches players in the junk

 

[senorroboto2k5]

I posted this article earlier, but I'm going to post the following:

Watching film of the current Howard and the version from 2011 and before his back injury late in the 2012 season, is like watching film of two different human beings playing basketball. The repertoire of moves is the same; the results are not.

Peak Dwight didn't have moves and countermoves as much as fluid explosions in every direction. He built his post arsenal on sweeping hook shots he could launch while dribbling toward the middle of the floor with either hand, from either block. If he caught the ball on the right block, he liked to face up, throw a shoulder fake toward the baseline, and then barrel into the lane for a lefty hook. But if defenders tracked him there, he could spin right back toward the baseline for a counterattack.

The spins were so fast in 2011 and 2012 that you couldn't even really tell it was a countermove. It looked like one continuous motion. The sheer velocity of it left defenders either hopelessly flat-footed, falling out of bounds, or trailing the play badly.

He still tries those baseline dunks. They just end in offensive fouls, or turnovers, or sad attempts at up-and-under moves as Howard tries increasingly more difficult tricks to avoid swatting arms that never used to be in his airspace. The countermoves are mechanical now. You can see Howard's brain working. I'm going for the hook. Now I stop. Now I gather my weight and pivot back the other way. Now I jump off two feet. He's showing his work, to us and his defenders. Those defenders can stay with him now, and they can see that work as it unfolds.

And for the D:

And so far this season, Howard hasn't really made a dent in Houston's overall defense. The Rockets have allowed 101.7 points per 100 possessions when he plays, 101.6 when he sits, and 101.2 when he plays without Asik. Being ranked 13th overall in points allowed per possession isn't terrible, especially if Houston maintains a top-flight offense, but it places any team with title ambitions in dicey historical territory.

...The Lakers were very good defensively when Howard played, and he looks springier than he did last season, when he dealt with back and shoulder issues. He's a deterrent at the basket, and he still has the speed to corral a pick-and-roll 20 feet from the hoop and sprint back to challenge a shot at the basket. Houston opponents are shooting just 55 percent in the restricted area this season, the sixth-stingiest mark in the league, and one that would have ranked second last season, per NBA.com.4

But he's not the same terrifying force he was in Orlando in 2011 and 2012, and that is most obvious on the offensive end. To be blunt: Howard's post game is dead, or at least on life support, and if it doesn't recover, the Rockets run the serious risk of wasting a dozen possessions per game in order to keep the big fella happy. Howard has shot 20-of-60, or 33 percent, on post-up attempts this season, per Synergy Sports. That would have ranked 88th out of 92 players who recorded at least 75 post-up plays last season. He has turned over the ball on an astonishing 24 percent of his post-up chances this season, per Synergy. That would have ranked last among those 92 players last season.

 

[Chester McFloppy]

I'm glad Chris Paul isn't 6'9". If he was any taller, Tony Allen might not have kicked that ***** in the face.

 

[noblekane]

I mean magic kissed dudes but never punched dudes in the junk right?

 

[rck3sactown]

Can the older heads just post more first hand accounts of watching Magic and Bird in their prime???

 

[sea manup]

 

[Chester McFloppy]

Can the older heads just post more first hand accounts of watching Magic and Bird in their prime???

They will after Jeopardy.

 

[nelson999]

so according to 90% of NT, higher #s on paper = better player. 

love the logic

in fact, they should just stop playing the games after like the first 10 games of the season.  rest of the season just award the win to the team with the higher average points per game. sure would save everyone a lot of injuries 

 

[awwsome]

Swear to god I hate this type of talk.

Not so much the talk itself, but the preemptive praise.

If he has the potential to surpass someone, I'll potentially acknowledge it.

If he hasn't yet, then... no.

"But ska, he COOOULD be."

Right. I get that.

And he could not be. I'd rather appreciate what is.

"Yeah, but 'what is' is something that COULD be better than Magic."

The hell you expect? Magic's career is over and Chris' isn't

Like I said at this point in both of their careers, Chris is better objectively. He also isn't playing with 3 other HOF's and perhaps the greatest center ever, he's been playing with Tyson Chandler and DeAndre Jordan

 

[drewsone]

in 24 less games, boogie made 16 more shots than dwight did. he took 608 more shots to do so. in that process, he was outscored by 133 points.

a more complete NBA player than dwight huh? dwight won the rebounding title 5 of his first 6 seasons. dwight has won back to back to back DPOYs.

boogie's highest FG percentage in a season was 46.5%.
dwight's LOWEST was 52, and it was his rookie season

please, tell me how exactly is boogie a more complete player than dwight howard

Hes more refined offensively in terms of his skill set.