2015-2016 NBA Thread

KD can't even be "the" guy on team USA with no LeBron or Curry there lol.

No dog in him whatsoever..

I think if we had LeBron, Westbrook, or CP3 we'd be slapping these teams around badly ... not by 3.

 

We should be able to send a bunch of NBA players that aren't All-Stars and run the table. The fact that we have some of our top guns out there, and struggling against Serbia and Australia is pretty embarrassing at this point.

It truly shows the gap between All-Time great players ala Kobe and LeBron and All-Time 'really good' players ala KD and Melo. It's not a huge slight to them, but Melo and Durant aren't true alpha dogs of the game.

 

Lol it's a shame... really is. Just glad I can openly express this now. It's been on my mind (Just another Melo or McGrady) but i've kept faith that he'd be the top 3 player in the world he's often labeled to be.. There's more to being the best in the world than just shooting good. That's why LeBron has no close second IMO.

 

I think it speaks less about the talent and more about the character of the players there right now. Plus, I was watching USA-France the other day and they said Coach K wasn't even practicing the team, saving them for the games.

Then there was the report about a bunch of them getting busted by TMZ outside a local brothel.

They're on vacation, living on a fucking cruise ship.

 

they aren't playing defense at all. They just want to roll to the gold medal and party it up in Rio.

 

That's why I'm incredibly interested to see what Westbrook does this year. While not the greatest talent evaluator, Jordan sees a lot of himself in Westbrook and if I'm not mistaken Kobe has compared Westbrook to himself as well. He also has that extra chip on his shoulder. Could you imagine if they beat the Warriors in the playoffs? KD will never live that down.

 

would be justice served. I think OKC is capable of beating them... it'll take A LOT and probably another star added next year *cough Blake Griffin* .. but I thnk Adams and Kanter will give them fits similar to the kind they gave the spurs.. Also while Roberson can't score i think he can help tame KD... Russ and Oladipo should also be able to help TAME Steph and Klay.. It's all about what OKC can do offensively scoring wise outisde of the paint.. & whats the back up plan for when Russ is having an off night?

 

So the 2016-2017 season boils down to a Durant-OKC playoff grudge match?

Having 3 legit contenders (Cavs, GS and SA) in a 30-team league playing out the regular season string against 27 also-rans sounds like a top-heavy house built on sand....z-z-z-z....

 

i honestly think people are overrating the spurs a little... they really don't belong in that bracket with the cavs and warriors.. but everyone puts them there. Their bigs are soft and don't play defense very much.. they can be beat by other teams in the west in the playoffs.. unless Kawhi finds a way to be a consisten 25 PPG player which he's capable of being..

I also think Indy can give cleveland a serious run for their money.. as Paul George and that Pacer defense has always given LeBron teams problems.

If OKC sees GS it will probably be in the 2nd round. If OKC made it to the WCF again without KD THIS YEAR that's spectacular and Russ deserves every bit of love he will get for it.

 

You are horribly misinformed. The Spurs were the #1 team last year in defensive efficiency, and #3 in defensive rebound rate (so much for soft bigs). They also allowed the lowest opponent PPG at 92.9, and the 4th lowest field goal percentage against. They're practically a defensive juggernaut with a back to back defensive player of the year winner in Kawhi Leonard.

 

all the numbers and rankings sound good during the regular season but they weren't that in the playoffs ... that's what i look at. Not bashing the spurs i still respect them as a top team in the west.. more than likely #2 seed, but they have flaws and this summer i didn't see them do much to add to what got them bounced in the playoffs which was being out rebounded, lack of 4th quarter scoring (i believe Kawhi averaged 3 4th qt PPG vs OKC) & they still have the guys that can't run with the young athletic fast break teams... doesn't mean they still won't whoop on 90% of the NBA... but that other 10% is what matters come March. I see them making another championship run when they get a PG. Tony Parker by the time the playoffs come is a dud at this point and Manu can't provide that same spark he used to off the bench..