Kevin Love declares himself as the best PF in the game

It's funny how young stars think that by simply putting up big numbers in the regular season it makes them the best. It's cockiness, but not confidence.

The real superstars realize that the only place it matters is the playoffs. I'm not sure Love was paying attention to the playoffs last year. But despite double and triple teams throughout the playoffs, Dirk was unstoppable and basically carried the Mavs to the championship. Once Love makes it to playoffs and sees how hard it is to win then, I think he'll probably realize that the playoffs are something else entirely. This dude is talking smack about being the best and he still hasn't even come close to sniffing the playoffs? Till he actually carries his team as the man to at least the WCF, he's better off shutting the hell up and just working on his game to get better.

 

Dirk Nowitzki is the best power forward in the league. Love and Griffin are just children. If you're playing Game 7 of the Finals against the Miami Heat, you'd rather have Griffin or Love as your main guy than Nowitzki? Do you think if you swapped out Love for Nowitzki on the T-Wolves that Nowitzki would let them be this bad?

It sounds like Love himself doesn't even believe it. Somebody told him that he has to have confidence in himself to become great, so he's saying words of confidence like it's some kind of magic trick. He's a good player with a lot of promise for the future. But he has to go through the battles before he can be great.

 

Nice post, JV. I wonder what Adelman makes of his comments? My guess is that he wishes Love would make his case on the court, where it belongs.

 

Dirk is the only relevant PF that has shown that he can lead his team to a championship. He just went to another level in the playoffs; he will probably never be able to replicate those performances on a consistent basis, but he will have flashes.

Near future, I'd go with LA.
Far future, give me Love (assuming he shores up his defense)

 

Wow, I didn't think there was a conversation for this.

So far, all Love has done is put up ridiculous stats on a bad team. He hasn't won anything.

Dirk is still the best. I'd still take Randolph, Gasol, and Griffin over Love, maybe even Bosh because of defense.

 

That's a pretty good point. I still think Love is better than Dirk at this point, because at least so far Dirk has showed nothing good this season.

But comming back to your point about game 7 in the Finals I dunno. I would probably still take Dirk over Love but I would stongly consider Griffin.

I just think when it is all said and done Griffin will be the best pf ever, yes better than Duncan. He has added nice post moves and a midrange J (which still needs to be improved though) but his STRONGEST aspect is finishing at the rim. The guy wants to be the best and he will be.

After thinking about it, Griffin is better than Love. 15 rebs a game alongside 26 ppg look fantastic but the problem I have with Love (after watching their last 2 games) he has NO post game and he pretty much can only put it back after an offensive rebound if his jumper is not going in. I would say he is pretty soft finishing at the rim.

 

Dirk Nowitzki

not even close.

I would take LA as the 2nd best pf in the game today, followed by Bosh, Gasol

 

Yep, got to give the MVP of the Finals his due.

 

Love got out played by Amir Johnson yesterday...AMIR JOHNSON

 

Kevin Love annoys me. The Wolves aren't even .500 team.


I'll take Lamarcus Aldridge and Dirk Nowitzki all day until Kevin Love can do something that matters.

 

I have a tough time arguing it. I still don't get how, but he produces like no other 4 today, and with amazing consistency. Others have more talent and athleticism, but he's got the results.

Bizarre.

Of course, had he said this the day before playing the Grizzlies, a healthy Zach Randolph would put up 35-18 on him.

 

Lets see...

Shoots 45% as a big man

Doesn't even play average defense

Never made the playoffs,
hell hasn't even battled for a 9th seed.

He has no impact on the game... David Lee 1.5

Gasol, Randolph, LA, Dirk... All before him.

 

Yeah, Amir did a number on him. Love was the 3rd best PF in that game, as Johnson and Bargnani combined for 50 pts and 20 rebs.

Speaking of, any Rox fans keeping up with Bargnani this season? Averaging 23+ pts (with some crazy efficiency), 6.7 rebs, 2 ast ... AND playing very respectable defense.

It's not clear yet whether it's Casey or the light bulb just went off - we'll have to wait and see how things play out over a longer stretch.

 

I hope he finally makes the all star team this season, he's actually moving his feet and stuff on defense and actually tries to grab rebounds. I think as his confidence grows, he will become a much better player.

 

I don't really care about Love's FG%. He averages over 5 3PAs and converts at over 40%, and gets to the FT line 9 times a game (career 81% shooter). And he's the league's most dominant rebounder.

Love doesn't have Dirk's resume, but at this point in their respective careers he impacts the game in more ways.

 

He is just a stats guy....he routinely gives up as much as he scores and his game doesn't translate into wins.

 

uh, no he doesn't impact the game at all. he was putting up these numbers all last year and the wolves still sucks. the best pf in the game wins game through sheer will. imagine a prime garnett for instance. until the wolves start winning, he's not ****.

 

The Wolves were a better defensive team with him on the court last year. That hasn't been the case this year, but the same size is crazy small and his opponents PER isn't high. Just from the eye test he's only average defensively, but he's not terrible and his dominant defensive rebounding makes him an asset on that side of the ball.

I don't buy the stats not translating into wins argument. Stats are a measure of production. It's not like his scoring comes from an obscenely high usage rate like a Carmelo or Iverson, and the Wolves are a markedly better rebounding team when he's on the floor. Let's face it, with the exception of Rubio his teammates are doo-doo. Kevin Garnett was an elite player, and that didn't stop the Wolves from averaging 36 wins a year his last three seasons there.

 

He is really the only player to snatch up rebounds on that team. Or score for that matter. He is a damned good player though. I'd love to get Love or LaMarcus to Houston. Maybe that was part of Morey and Adelman's master plan. Next year we have Adelman back coaching, Love playing PF, and McHale assistant GM. Its brilliant!