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On July 17 2017 09:44 Twinkle Toes wrote:
Serious question:
Are you a WNBA fan? Please Explain your answer.
Don't Care, have never watched. For the same reasons I don't watch AHL Hockey, D-League Basketball, or the CFL.
I'm one of those sports fans that watch the box scores until the playoffs start, because I only care about the highest level of competition. I watch sports because I want to watch the absolute best in the world apply their trade against the rest of the absolute best. I don't watch for "entertainment" (in quotes, because in reality, I am entertained by high level play) or for any other reason but to see the best in the world compete against each other. I don't care how "entertaining" the game is, as long as what I'm watching is the highest level of competition. For example, while people were complaining about the "Trap" in hockey, I was saying "Ok, so figure out how to beat it!" When people complain about "boring" technical fights in UFC or Boxing, I respond the same way.
As much as I respect that any professional female athlete could wipe the floor with me at any sport, I simply have no interest in watching the play of a group of players who (so far) have not been able to compete with the also-ran's of any of the men's leagues that I know of. Hell, Serena Williams, the greatest female tennis player of all time, would not place in the top 250 (and I'm being conservative on that assessment) on the Men's ATP circuit. The men simply have too many physical advantages for her to be able to compete. The USA Women's World Cup Soccer and Canadian Women's Hockey teams have to practice against 16 year olds, and often LOSE their games for the same reasons.
Given the results up til now, I just consider the women's leagues another CFL, or AHL, or OHL, or MLS... I just don't care about watching people play sports when they are nowhere close to the very highest levels of competition.
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Derrick Rose to CAVS!
All MVPs from 2009-2016 are in either GSW or CAVS
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Where is this narrative of small defenders in the post are more difficult to score against than big guys? All things being equal, height and size is always an advantage in the post. player A player has good post moves will always dominate a small guy with equal skills.The problem with Lebron is that he never really developed any post moves. I recognize Lebron's greatness where he is great, but making excuses for his weaknesses is absurd.
The case where small players are made to defend the post instead of centers is I think a matter of zone and positioning. Malik Rose was assigned the post first because he is a good defender (similar cases include Klay, J.Green, Leonard, Hornacek, Martin, etc) and so that the center can cover for help eventually.
No coach or even player is retarded enough to think "hey, destroying us at the post, lets go put our small men out there because that in itself will give us the advantage!"
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IIRC, all instances where Lebron gets a smaller guy put on him is because they were confident of their help defense (Tyson Chandler in Dallas for instance) and confident Lebron didn't know how/was unwilling to back down smaller guys. That way, all you need is enough speed that he doesn't get a dunk, and your big man will alter the layup attempt/force him to make a mediocre pass.
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On July 21 2017 11:16 cLutZ wrote:
IIRC, all instances where Lebron gets a smaller guy put on him is because they were confident of their help defense (Tyson Chandler in Dallas for instance) and confident Lebron didn't know how/was unwilling to back down smaller guys. That way, all you need is enough speed that he doesn't get a dunk, and your big man will alter the layup attempt/force him to make a mediocre pass.
Exactly. Its a scheme to bring him to stronger help D. As long as he doesn't receive the pass while ramming from behond the arc towards the rim, I think elite defenses have figured him out in the post. His problem really is he doesn't have a back to the rim game.
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On July 20 2017 14:11 RowdierBob wrote:
Bingo. It'd be interesting to compare that to other MVP caliber guys like Westbrook, Harden, Kawhi, CP3, Curry and Durant.
Ask and you shall receive
GAME WINNING/TYING POSSESSIONS STATISTICS
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/tFYIzgO.jpg)
notes:
- I might add curry and leonard later, probably much later since my head is full of replays and stats of basketball from the last couple days of binging
- While looking at durants games, I had a hard time looking for currys records, maybe because the warriors are rarely in game winning or tying situations???
- Stockton is underrated. he is legendary level, way beyond any passer. Malone made his numbers look good as well
- Jason kidd is a sneaky intelligent passer. Now i can really see the lonzo ball comparison.
- the thing i notice while watching the last second plays, the traditional playmakers (bottom group in the chart), they all effortlessly manipulate defenses and either wait for the mistake and make the pass, or force rolls and switches allow the play to develop and ,make the pass. in lebrons case, majority of it is 5-8 seconds dribbling beyond the arc, surveying his shooters, then speeding towards the paint and making the pass to the open man. A lot of his later plays this way are easily telegraphed by the warriors, and even boston had some success reading them.
CONCLUSION: lebron among superstars is a epic bad clutch situation scorer (33%) (bryant 53%, durant 62%, harden 50%, westbrook 20% LOL), and is epic terrible playmaker at clutch vs. other playmakers (26%) (Kidd 50%, Nash 52%, Stockton 61%, Paul 44%)
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You should have seen Stockton in his prime. He is the very definition of a point guard. Plus, he does it like its the easiest thing in the world, no fancy dribble, no barking and whining, he just goes to work. I've also watched plenty of interviews, IIRC from Thomas and Hill that Stockton is very lowkey clever on defense, grabbing and pushing and holding, but all impossible to see from the referees perspective.
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Stockton, of all elite NBA players, is the guy who I think probably would be the GOAT Soccer player if he has started playing at 3 like Brazilians do. Like a more even keeled Zidane.
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@cLutZ, why Stockton in soccer?
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Totally expected and understandable. When you look at the 2016 win and this year's loss, Kyrie was the more influential player for the Cavs. Lebron had monster numbers, but Kyrie was the one taking over when the game was getting out of hand. In last year's championship win, Kyrie single handedly brought them,brought them back from the dead when Lebron was wilting in games 5-7. It must suck for Kyrie to play as he does and live in the shadows of Lebron, when he knows fully well he is equal to and have more upside than him.
That being said, Kyrie to Rockets for point guard mardi gras, or to Warriors to #deathofNBA
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On July 22 2017 06:14 Twinkle Toes wrote:
@cLutZ, why Stockton in soccer?
His size is perfect and he already has miraculous footwork and change of pace ability. Also his court vision is something that translates well, and his attacking attitude on both ends would make him a great attacking midfielder.
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Re: Kyrie. I get it. I don't think hes going anywhere, but it has to be super annoying to deal with Lebron's passive-aggressiveness. Also Lebron is so influential in the media that they lap up his narratives, so when the Cavs win its all Lebron, when they lose its always his teammates (who Kyrie feels he gets lumped in with). Combine that with CLE being a bad location generally, Gilbert increasingly seen as an incompetent control freak, and the "we have to beat the Warriors or the season is a failure" mentality (which is probably unlikely) and you have a situation that sucks to be in if you are Kyrie.
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Is this our generation's Kobe vs. Shaq feud?
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The problem with Kyrie is that the Cavs haven't been exactly great when Lebron sits. He has had clutch moments in games but he hasn't been able to do it or carry the team whenever Lebron is resting.
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none of those 4 teams have the parts (knicks/heat) or would want to trade for kyrie (spurs/wolves), not that he's a bad player, but that he's not the kind of player they need.
spurs would almost be guaranteed to want to send LMA the other way, but would the cavs want him? i think they want to get faster, not slower.
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On July 22 2017 13:46 andrewlt wrote:
The problem with Kyrie is that the Cavs haven't been exactly great when Lebron sits. He has had clutch moments in games but he hasn't been able to do it or carry the team whenever Lebron is resting.
For sure, but look at the team. It basically has 2 defenders, and 1 is Lebron, and no competent wing aside from him. Also thier offensive "system" is nearly indistinguishable from the old "toilet bowl" offense OKC would run with Durant + Westbrook, just more effective because they have more spot up 3 pt shooters.
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On July 22 2017 15:09 zev318 wrote:
none of those 4 teams have the parts (knicks/heat) or would want to trade for kyrie (spurs/wolves), not that he's a bad player, but that he's not the kind of player they need.
spurs would almost be guaranteed to want to send LMA the other way, but would the cavs want him? i think they want to get faster, not slower.
Pop could be the Kyrie whisperer
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EPT
