For those watching the GSW vs Kings series, keep in mind that this is probably the worst GSW team since the Mark Jackson days
What's the biggest culprit? Definitely isn't Steph as he's as good as ever. It's probably from the drop in level of play from both Draymond and Klay. Draymond is turning into a scrub season by season now.
Agree 100% but I don't see the gap between Fox's playmaking abilities and Jalen's as being impossible to close. I also wouldn't mind the Rox finding a FA facilitator that is still a threat from 3 and can be that veteran presence on the floor and locker room. Eerie how similar Sabonis and Alpi are. I would say Sabonis is a bit better defensively just watching him move in these last two playoff games, but would still take Alpi over him as I believe he has the potential to be better and isn't that far off already.
And how do they get better? Even letting Draymond go this summer, they won’t have room for another free agent. A SnT could bring something back, but it’s generally just filler salaries and draft picks. GSW will be hard pressed to pay luxury tax for filler salaries.
I am not impressed by Sabonis at all. He is not having a great series but it is really beyond that. Comparing him to Sengun: - He has the upside on defense. More experience, looks bigger and stronger on the court, more comfortable staying with the opposing guards Part of this gap will close naturally as Sengun gets stronger, the remaining part is to be seen. Other than that, on offense I give all the advantage to Sengun. The most important part is Sengun has way better court vision and passing. I am surprised by Sabonis's regular season assist numbers(7.3). (I am wondering how many of this is (dribble) hand-offs.) Also a reminder of how big a mistake was not to use Sengun's passing this past season. Sengun is closer to Jokic than Sabonis in the passing department and the gap with Sabonis is fairly big in my opinion. Sengun's passing creates a big potential playing together with Green, and potentially a guard that is not KPJ and I project that team certainly will surpass the current SAC team and should be an instant playoff team. From this perspective, rockets are not on a bad track. The points to address are not that big and within a year most can be achieved. With the right coaching, I am expecting to see a massive improvement in both Sengun and Green individually and playing together. I am guessing that the comparisons Sengun to be Sabonis-like as best case scenario will disappear in two years the latest, most likely by the end of next season. By that time it will be obvious to everyone that Sengun will definitely be one level above Sabonis, at least.
Even tho, whatever Sabonis or Jokic can or can't achieve this post season has absolutely nothing to do with Sengun or his future, i want them to do well to keep some clueless haters quiet. If the Kings were down 2-0 and the Nuggets lose their first game to the Timberwolves, they all would be here spitting nonsense. Now that Jokic and Sabonis' teams are 3/3, you can't see them in Alperen Sengun threads until they get their first losses.
Sorry to disappoint u, if neither of them wins it all u will see the sengun doubters toot their horn about how right they were about players similar to sengun can't win it all. I seen this type of stance with Harden for years and I find it quite stupid. If u hate or dislike a player u can always say that type of player can't win a ring and use it as justification.
Even if one of them wins, the haters will jump to another completely illogical argument. It is not a matter of having a better understanding. They already have the judgement and trying to fix an argument for that. But they are terrible at it. Most Sof's would argue against Sengun better than the Sengun haters.
If Embiid and sixers fall short again this year (with Harden and Maxey) i don't wanna hear anything about replacing Sengun with a defensive 5. Admittedly their bench is weak but they have 2 superstars and 1 future superstar. It's quite clear to me that if you can't defend as a team your 5 won't be able to make any meaningful difference. We've seen this team with Bruno and Garuba we were still getting beat up. I don't think a defensive 5 is what this team craves for but a coach that will punish them for their mistakes and a PG like Brunson that makes others better.
Once again u fall to the similar trap that if a team fails to win it all with a defensive 5 = we don't need one. That's basically what folks say about jokic/sabonis, if they don't win it all = replace sengun. Folks need to realize that using the standard winning it all to sht on a player archetype is quite dumb. Only 1 team wins it all and if a certain archetype fails to win it all, doesn't mean that having said archetype player is wrong. There's more than one way to winning it all in the NBA but there's a lot more factors that can influence the outcome not just something as simple as a certain player archetype. Hope that makes sense.
Lol that's not what i said at all. I simply meant that we don't necessarily need a defensive 5 to win it all because the ones have don't win it if they are not all around good defensive team. If your guards are keep letting you down around the perimeter a defensive 5 won't save you.
Seems like only the MVP Embiid is feasting in the paint en route to winning playoff games and that is in part to his complete all around game. All these other guys that SOFs and post purists fluff to are support players. Watch the games! Ask yourselves when was the last time a post-centric offense won a ring? SMH so many guys and their egos dug in and incapable of acknowledging the truth in favor of their crystal balls and fan predictions.
Duncan and Hakeem? But again, I would argue that has less to do with whether it's a post-centric offense and more with who the best player in the NBA is at the time (and of course with the supporting cast for these players). When Hakeem was the best, they won. When Duncan was the best, they won. When Kawhi was the best, they won. When Lebron was the best, they won. When Steph Curry was the best, they won. Very different offenses. There isn't only one way to win in the NBA.
How can that logic apply when Joker has been a b2b MVP and has never been in the finals and Embiid will win this year? I guess Embiid can break the streak if the 76ers take it all, but again his open court teammates offer PLENTY to allow him to do what he does. It simply boils down to the freedom of movement era. Kawhi is a hybrid. Lebron is hybrid. Steph further strengthens my resolve on the type of philosophy that wins important games in the NBA. Look no further than Giannis for more examples of this as he doesnt have a consistent 3 point shot, but he plays a face to the basket game that breaks down a defense and gives his teammates so many chances to contribute. 3&D wins. Sengun can come back next year with a jump shot and change everything for this team and his fans as it will compliment his great post game and hopefully offer enough on defense to not be hunted and made a liability during crucial end of game possessions. edit: I agree that it takes more than one superstar to win nowadays, but philosophically the blueprint is out there for everyone to copy.
There is a convolution going when trying to compare the different eras of the NBA. The sport is played differently at the highest levels today and even Dirk was a 38% 3pt shooter.
I'm not saying it is not good to have great 3-point shooters. Even Dirk and Duncan were surrounded by good to great 3-point shooters when they won. I'm just saying there isn't only one way to win - and history shows that you can win with your best player being a big man, and not being a 3-point specialist.
I get it, but the history is not really on your side when the type of basketball you describe as winning championships hasnt been around in a decade and didnt use the 3 as a primary attack - it was usually a reactive response when their post options were shut down. All you need to do is look at the 3pt rates from the latest 6-7 champions and then notice how good they are on defense. The 3 point shot as a weapon has changed everything.
History usually moves in cycles, just like fashion. Something works, then everyone tries to copy it, but often, the ones who stand out are the ones who are not just copying things, but either coming up with something new, or with a twist to something that has worked in the past. My main point is that whoever the best/most clutch player is is more important than "the system". If I have Hakeem now, I am not going to relegate him to not getting shots and touches because the Warriors have won in recent years. I'll build around my best player(s).
Hard to swallow pill for you my man but this team is going nowhere as long as our guards are some of the worst defenders in the entire league.
