NBA discussion thread

[Wuuuke]

It most definitely is. Overall impact is what matters, PG is a far better two way player than Steph.




Stop it, Lebron is nowhere near Steph rn.

Maybe 3 or so years ago.

Eh idk, I'm still not sure there's anyone I trust more over a healthy LeBron in the playoffs. When healthy before his injury, during like a 1 month sample size he was doubling Jokic's on off net rating while Jokic was playing some of his best ball, despite having no AD, or Reaves for a portion, and having Russ (a floor raiser come off the bench)

Like look at this.

To provide context, since I'm going to be objective, the chart mentions it but incase you didnt notice, Curry had just come back from I believe it was his shoulder injury, so his stats should be taken with a grain of salt. But LeBron was legitimately playing Best in the world caliber basketball for like damn near 2 months straight

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

its not health
its age
less gear in his step
more carefree on defense
clearly tired today.
davis had bleeps here and there but when hes at it which is very frequent he is the best player on that team.

I agree in the regular season Davis is better but in the playoffs, even with a bum foot LeBron has had generally great effort, and has been very good on defense. He still had great burst before his injury, I think people are forgetting how explosive he still looked.

 

[RayanOO]

its not health
its age
less gear in his step
more carefree on defense
clearly tired today.
davis had bleeps here and there but when hes at it which is very frequent he is the best player on that team.

I think it’s health too
Before his injury this season the guy was scoring almost 30pts on average
The team was bad but he was there

Since he came back he clearly is a step below. He needs a summer break and spending his usual 1 million bucks to build himself back

 

[Wuuuke]

Yea that's a great point, but then it would be on Tatum to come out and tell the world he is that. Last year's loss should mean they are extra hungry. Tatum in particular should have nightmares from last year's final.

Well Suns and Nuggets are the favourites over the Warriors, with quite honestly more talent and had the better season, they would be the two favourites in the West regardless of LBJ's condition, so I wouldn't say things are aligned but yea, Warriors can def do it.

Yeah, but if I'm being honest I don't think I'll ever fear a Jayson Tatum led team. He just doesn't seem built for it IMO.

Suns starters are eye candy, but even I could average an efficient 10 against that bench lmfao. Against the Clippers that had no PG or Kawhi for most of the series, KD averaged 44 mins per game, and Booker 43, and they HAD to play that many to win

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I think it’s health too
Before his injury this season the guy was scoring almost 30pts on average
The team was bad but he was there

Since he came back he clearly is a step below. He needs a summer break and spending his usual 1 million bucks to build himself back

Yeah you remember that stretch he had after his birthday? He still can do that when healthy. People have just forgotten

 

[Haoshoku]

I think it’s health too
Before his injury this season the guy was scoring almost 30pts on average
The team was bad but he was there

Since he came back he clearly is a step below. He needs a summer break and spending his usual 1 million bucks to build himself back

I agree with the first part but another season isn’t going to stop the noticeable regression he’s had over the last 2 years.

 

[Wuuuke]

I think the other thing that makes me still consider LeBron>Steph when healthy is mostly just factoring in the playoffs. Now obviously Curry is an all time great playoff performer, but LeBron is arguably THE greatest playoff performer ever. Plus he's the greatest Game 7 performer ever alongside Bill Russell. His style of play also just translates to the playoffs so well that he's insanely resilient against practically any defense when healthy.

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I agree with the first part but another season isn’t going to stop the noticeable regression he’s had over the last 2 years.

I will forever hate Solomon Hill for diving into Lebrons ankle man.

 

[LANJI CUCKSMOKE]

When healthy he is. Especially factoring in AD's inconsistency

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

"Two way player" doesnt even mean anything anyway, all I care about is your total impact added on the basketball court. Curry is not an elite defender by any stretch of the imagination, but hes at least a top 2 two way player, because his offense plus his defense is at worst top 2 highest values in the league

somewhat true but thats partly due to his position and because most two way players arent that great offensively . but players who are able to do both at the best level are able to affect games to an even greater extent. if you can shutdown the best player on opposition and score 50
you are an anomaly.


jordan
kobe
kawhi


players almost as good on the defensive end as they are offensively. they are dime a dozen.

 

[Haoshoku]

Hope we see Lebron doing that mismatch hunting thing on Curry and Poole next round

 

[LANJI CUCKSMOKE]

imagine if steph could stop fox himself
series would be done

 

[RayanOO]

I agree with the first part but another season isn’t going to stop the noticeable regression he’s had over the last 2 years.

With full health and with the current team (adding one or two players) playing together more and have better team play I think next year they can maybe do something.

Of course he is not 32/33y Lebron but frankly early in the season he was quite okay. If he played at that level / that health right now, Lakers would have packed Memphis already and had a real chance go to something in the playoff.
Current Lakers cant dream for more than a second turn or conference finale at best (would be already insane)

 

[Wuuuke]

somewhat true but thats partly due to his position and because most two way players arent that great offensively . but players who are able to do both at the best level are able to affect games to an even greater extent. if you can shutdown the best player on opposition and score 50
you are an anomaly.


jordan
kobe
kawhi


players almost as good on the defensive end as they are offensively. they are dime a dozen.

Jordan and Kobe I feel are overrated defensively (especially when looking at their defense during their offensive peaks) but Kawhi is the best perimeter defender ever with scottie being the only other guy in the convo so I'll give you that.

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I just hate how if the Warriors win again I'm gonna have to hear the most asinine takes ever like Curry is > Bron all time lmfaoooooo

 

[Noyman]

Eh idk, I'm still not sure there's anyone I trust more over a healthy LeBron in the playoffs. When healthy before his injury, during like a 1 month sample size he was doubling Jokic's on off net rating while Jokic was playing some of his best ball, despite having no AD, or Reaves for a portion, and having Russ (a floor raiser come off the bench)

Like look at this.

To provide context, since I'm going to be objective, the chart mentions it but incase you didnt notice, Curry had just come back from I believe it was his shoulder injury, so his stats should be taken with a grain of salt. But LeBron was legitimately playing Best in the world caliber basketball for like damn near 2 months straight

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I agree in the regular season Davis is better but in the playoffs, even with a bum foot LeBron has had generally great effort, and has been very good on defense. He still had great burst before his injury, I think people are forgetting how explosive he still looked.

I would say for 1 game, you could still say he's the guy you would trust the most. But with age and injury now, it's not as certain as it used to be. For me, I think I would go with KD. He's the closest when it comes to going god mode to LeBron but he's also a little younger and relatively healthy in the playoffs ever since he tore his fucking achilles. I don't know about the team and how much they're gonna gel from February but I'll go with him.

 

[ZenZu]

Eh idk, I'm still not sure there's anyone I trust more over a healthy LeBron in the playoffs. When healthy before his injury, during like a 1 month sample size he was doubling Jokic's on off net rating while Jokic was playing some of his best ball, despite having no AD, or Reaves for a portion, and having Russ (a floor raiser come off the bench)

Like look at this.

To provide context, since I'm going to be objective, the chart mentions it but incase you didnt notice, Curry had just come back from I believe it was his shoulder injury, so his stats should be taken with a grain of salt. But LeBron was legitimately playing Best in the world caliber basketball for like damn near 2 months straight

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I agree in the regular season Davis is better but in the playoffs, even with a bum foot LeBron has had generally great effort, and has been very good on defense. He still had great burst before his injury, I think people are forgetting how explosive he still looked.

I'd need to see this sustained for an entire year. LBJ can always be exceptional in spurts. But the past 3 or so years I haven't seen anything that yells best player in the league over a sustained long stretch (full season +), not when Steph has been putting up video game numbers on retarded efficiency, Giannis' run the past few years too.

I understand this is theoretical to begin with but a month isn't enough to convince me, Steph has had months even in the past couple years where he cleared Jordan lol. If we were doing a month ranking I think Steph would have like the top 3-5 months all to himself since like 2020. Lebron's gotta prove it when put up against an all time great still at his peak, this isn't the Lebron of old, we're talking about a 38 year old Lebron.

 

[Haoshoku]

With full health and with the current team (adding one or two players) playing together more and have better team play I think next year they can maybe do something.

Of course he is not 32/33y Lebron but frankly early in the season he was quite okay. If he played at that level / that health right now, Lakers would have packed Memphis already and had a real chance go to something in the playoff.
Current Lakers cant dream for more than a second turn or conference finale at best (would be already insane)

If Lebron was simply more aggressive taking shots I think Memphis would’ve been home already, he’s deferred a lot to the other guys other than AD. Reaves has been very good but you’d rather have Lebron trying to score rather than DLow for example. He did it in Game 4 when it mattered.

 

[ZenZu]

I just hate how if the Warriors win again I'm gonna have to hear the most asinine takes ever like Curry is > Bron all time lmfaoooooo

I will be pushing that agenda. Atleast starting it 🤣

 

[Wuuuke]

I will be pushing that agenda. Atleast starting it 🤣

you're a nasty individual lmfaoooo

 

[Fuckthis3]

Jimmy won't acknowledge playoff Jimmy until he gets a ring and I like that 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

 

[Wuuuke]

I'd need to see this sustained for an entire year. LBJ can always be exceptional in spurts. But the past 3 or so years I haven't seen anything that yells best player in the league over a sustained long stretch (full season +), not when Steph has been putting up video game numbers on retarded efficiency, Giannis' run the past few years too.

I understand this is theoretical to begin with but a month isn't enough to convince me, Steph has had months even in the past couple years where he cleared Jordan lol. If we were doing a month ranking I think Steph would have like the top 3-5 months all to himself since like 2020. Lebron's gotta prove it when put up against an all time great still at his peak, this isn't the Lebron of old, we're talking about a 38 year old Lebron.

I totally understand that, and part of that is due to poor roster construction for the past 2 years, (in 2021 he was the clear BITW before he got hurt)

The main thing being that the postseason is only about a month or so long, and I don't know if I trust anyone in league history besides maybe Jordan to turn it up quite like he does when both are healthy

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

I would say for 1 game, you could still say he's the guy you would trust the most. But with age and injury now, it's not as certain as it used to be. For me, I think I would go with KD. He's the closest when it comes to going god mode to LeBron but he's also a little younger and relatively healthy in the playoffs ever since he tore his fucking achilles. I don't know about the team and how much they're gonna gel from February but I'll go with him.

Yeah like if every player was healthy, and someone told me game 7 fate of the universe on the line pick somebody? I'm gonna pick LeBron still.

I'm also not gonna lie I simply don't see the argument for KD>Curry

Post automatically merged: Apr 27, 2023

@ZenZu I'm just mentally preparing myself for people using the fact that Curry who's still in his prime beating a 38 year old LeBron on one foot is gonna be used to totally revise the history of their careers

 

[ZenZu]

you're a nasty individual lmfaoooo

My agenda will be peak based. At his peak no one, not even LBJ could impact a team more than Curry can. Curry just by existing on the court changes everything around him to a level that is unheard of. Him doing damn near 50 40 90 while getting doubled every game is just the cherry on top.

Tldr "Careerwise LBJ has the longevity and the numbers, but impact on winning? Curry is the GOAT".

Ofcourse I will wait to see if he passes him in rings in his era to start this agenda. For now I'll remain humble.

 

[RayanOO]

I'm also not gonna lie I simply don't see the argument for KD>Curry

KD at his best and prime is an unstoppable player. Maybe one of the best I’ve seen. Everything so easy for him.
But that mentality and health problems were his doom

 

[Wuuuke]

My agenda will be peak based. At his peak no one, not even LBJ could impact a team more than Curry can. Curry just by existing on the court changes everything around him to a level that is unheard of. Him doing damn near 50 40 90 while getting doubled every game is just the cherry on top.

Tldr "Careerwise LBJ has the longevity and the numbers, but impact on winning? Curry is the GOAT".

Ofcourse I will wait to see if he passes him in rings in his era to start this agenda. For now I'll remain humble.

I think you're underrating LeBron's peak. You can make an argument that LeBron peaked higher offensively than Curry, during 2017/18. And also if you look at his Miami years, he's providing some of the best wing defense we've ever seen, alongside top 4 playmaking ever and top 2 scoring ever. Looking at the playoff numbers with Wade off the court, he was cranking up his scoring to literally Jordan levels. I recommend watching Ben Taylor's channel Thinking Basketball video/series on the top 10 greatest peaks ever, was really eye opening


Edit:

LeBron is also at worst a top 2 clutch player ever, arguably the GOAT playoff performer, he's the GOAT floor raiser, the GOAT transition player, has arguably the highest BBIQ ever, is a top 2 finisher ever, etc.