Howard will make more money if he plays with the Rockets

Undercover OKC fan?

 

Quite the opposite. Notice I added "good work by the way". I'm glad thunder are out. If Blake griffin didn't get a high ankle sprain, the clippers would be getting their butts kicked by the spurs right now.

 

I actually think that Dwight Howard and mike dantoni are going to become really close over the next few years. Both are dealing with the same thing...dantoni being told he is no Phil Jackson and Dwight being told he's no Shaq. They both faced it together last year and will prove everyone wrong together.

 

Howard wants D'Antoni out and I don't think he's the only one...

 

No post player on clippers? I know everyone here seems to look down on Blake griffin, but he improved his post game and 20 footer immensely this past year. If it weren't for vdn leaving second unit in for so many minutes, griffins stats would have reflected his improvement. He was a worse fantasy player this year but a better ball player.

 

That's what I mean. Lakers fans want dantoni, Howard, and Jim buss out. But dantoni did adjust his offense in second half so I'm sure he's open to more adjustments next year. He can't really afford screwing after his mess on Knicks. Again, both dantoni and Howard are on same ground and I think will come together this year.

I liked bill Simmons comment about dantoni system last year when he had gasol coming off bench. He said, "if his system says that earl Clark should be started over pau gasol, there's something wrong with his system."

 

Many people have said its a choice between D'Antoni and Dwight.

If that's the case, it's already decided. D'Antoni is 100% staying and Dwight is leaving.

Personally, I don't think it's about D'Antoni. It's about where Dwight will have the most success. He sees a crumbling old Lakers team that needs to rebuild in two years. He sees a young up and coming rockets team that's only gonna get better. The choice is clear.

 

Were you the same person who thought KD did not improve this season compared to last yr? Even though he did practically everything better and became unbelievably efficient at doing it by joining the 50/40/90 club?

If so, I guess I am not too surprised that you're not actually using data to back up statements (bolded). Griffin had about the same number of attempts a game as last yr (3.4 vs 3.9) from 16-23 ft, but this yr only made 34% of then, down from 37% last season. That sure is a funny way of improving that long mid-range shot...

 

them*^

Also, citation:

http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Blake Griffin

 

Healthy? The guy had major back surgery. What u see with Howard now is what u get

 

Absolutely false. He can and will get stronger. He was less than a year removed last year from said surgery. Give him an off-season of training, and he'll be vastly improved from what we saw this past season.

 

Do you actually watch basketball games or just look at box scores? I went to 41 clipper home games last season and Blake griffin drew a lot more double teams, but more importantly, took on the double teams rather than give the ball up. The previous year, teams knew they could make him give it up by just sending the double. I don't care if this brings his fg% down because I'd rather he take those shots than deandre or odom. Also, Blake was really tentative about his 20 footer, but shot with a lot more confidence this year. I'm sure his volume of shots from that distance increased. Blake is a major target in this league because of all his hype and haters want to show him up every night.

And in regards to Kevin durant, I don't know if he improved or not, but he certainly is not on lebrons level now that we see how we'll the thunder do without Westbrook. Maybe he's just a stat padder all along and was over rated. Ibaka and others appeared to need Westbrook there to play at their best.

Can you do me a favor. Next year, can you maybe turn off your computer and get some tickets to watch a game at Toyota center. I hear there are plenty of tickets available and only like $50 or something to get in.

 

Coming off back and shoulder injuries makes an extra year valuable.

 

In 2012-13, the Clippers outdrew the Lakers in attendance at Staples Center. That was the first time the Clippers outdrew the Lakers at home in a full (non-lockout) regular season since the Clippers moved to LA in 1984.

Lakers still averaged a sell-out, I think, but the Clippers can seat more people. And they did.

Additionally, the Clippers were 4-0 against the Lakers this season.

Finally, iconic Lakers owner Jerry Buss passed away this past season. Jerry Buss was a proven owner. Jim Buss is not a proven owner.

All in all, being a Laker may not mean what it once did at this point in time. The banners are still hanging, and it's still Hollywood, but nothing is assured going forward and a new owner has to show his chops. We won't even get into the coaching issue.

Combine this information with the income/tax circumstance, I think it becomes clearer why Dwight might want to escape from LA right now.

 

It also seems like you really like following these percentage stats like your 50/40/90 accomplishment for durant. These stats do not tell half the story because they don't factor when these shots were taken. I rarely pay attention when Blake shoots from outside in the 1st quarter or in garbage time. But they rarely went to him with the game on the line for a 20 footer in previous years and he did not have the confidence to shoot them. Last year, they went to him in those scenarios. And I don't care if durant shoots 50% or 40% from the field as long as he makes the shots needed to win the game. If he's just shooting when he's wide open and not taking shots with a double team his way, then I'd prefer he take the harder shots even if it costs him on fg%. He's durant and is rather he take tough shots than giving Kevin Martin a 4th quarter look in clutch situations.

In fantasy basketball, these numbers certainly help, but they don't tell the full story. Only thing that matters in real basketball is if you win the game or not.

 

I read about these numbers last year and was rather surprised too. I still have more trouble selling my clippers tickets than lakers. Also, lakers tickets are over double the price of clippers so its almost a different clientele. There are many non basketball fans that pay big money to see Rihanna, Denzel, jack, etc...

Dwight Howard also gets all giddy to meet these guys after the game adding to his distractions.

I like the part of Simmons article that compares Howard to Jim carrey being an a list movie star. You think he still is, but then he comes out with mr poppers penguins.

 

lol. That's awesome.

If Phil comes back to coach the Lakers, I think Dwight stays. If that doesn't happen, I think there is a very good chance Dwight leaves. Particularly if Houston (or someone else) can sign up Josh Smith.

Dwight now has the "cover" to leave LA if he wants to do so. He can site the greater contract after-tax income, the young team vs old team argument, all of that.

It's up to him now. There's really nothing holding him back and as Chris Broussard and others have said, there's really no way to criticize Dwight if he chose to leave LA. The "he didn't finish what he started; he's running away from LA" thing won't stick. Going to a possibly more competitive situation is not something most rational people will hold against a player.

We'll see how it plays out.

I didn't see an article about Clippers vs Lakers attendance stats. It's just something I tracked all year myself. But I'm glad it's being reported, and it would make sense for someone like Simmons (Clipper guy) to write about it.