If Lebron is healthy, Durant has no shot. You have Lebron and then you have the rest: Durant is closer to CP3, Howard and Rose than he is to being on Lebrons level. Rose winning that year was a joke.
Y'know...I really don't think CP3 will ever win a MVP. The one year that he really, truly deserved it was back during the '07-'08 season. And we all know who took home that award.
Did they forget about Westbrook? Before Harden and Dwight even play a game, I would still rank Westbrook/KD as the best duo in the league
If healthy, this 2011 squad is in fact a playoff team, maybe even top 6 in the west. This year's team hasn't done that yet. Right now everything is speculation...
Take this 2011 squad and replace the word "Dalembert" with the word, say, "Asik" and what you will end up having is a top 5 NBA team. Who needs big names when players who are drafted by an organization, who are loyal to that organization, and turn out to be really good players, know how to play for one another and the team? Back in 2011 there was never any question about "who's team is it" even though Kmart was the lead scorer. Also the backup pg rivalry between Lowry and Dragic was seen as friendly competition that would help better the overall play of the team, meanwhile today's Lin vs. Beverly debates seem only to generate hard feeling and presage trade talks. So yes, we've come a long way; but overall the chemistry and team play back in 2011 was in fact better, and the potential for greatness was still there even without a star.
MVP is a political award, every fan should know that by now. Especially Rockets fans. David Robinson won the award in 95, the same year that Hakeem made him look like a rookie in the playoffs. Nash won MVP twice, nuff said. The award is not something to be taken seriously. Maybe if the award included postseason and not just regular season, it would be more meaningful.
That team had a ceiling of 40-50 wins, no matter who is coaching it. If Kevin Martin is your teams number one scoring option, you're not going very far.
Team Barcelona without any current NBA players can defeat (and has defeated) teams like the LA Lakers, the Clippers, and Knicks. Why? Because they play as a team. Without Lebron James it is arguable that Team USA could defeat Team Spain even though team USA has FARRRR more stars and talent.
What is more relevant is the fact that only one team in the past 33 years has won a championship without a superstar, that team being the 2004 Piston's who had several players much better than Kevin Martin.
Kevin Martin = Rip Hamilton Asik = Ben Wallace Scola = Rasheed Wallace Lowry/Dragic (at their best) = Chauncey Billups Chandler Parsons > Tayshawn Prince PPat = (old) Antonio McDyess Camby > (rookie) Darko Milicic Bud = Lindsey Hunter Yes the Pistons had a better coach. 2004 World Champion Detroit Pistons = 2011 Houston Rockets (-Dalembert + Asik)
No, its not arguable. In a 7 game series and with NBA ruleset, our national team would demolish Spain even without Lebron James and potentially without any of our top 10 NBA talents. Our players have to conform to international rules, and the international game is different from what these guys experience in the NBA. Where as most international players are brought up to play on that ruleset. Basketball is a more physical game in the states and NBA refs allow players to dictate pace based on that more often than not. I do think we need to do a better job developing players for international, though. We tend to go with too many chiefs and not enough indians on our national team. We need one or two alpha dogs on the national team, and then we need to support those alpha dogs with solid role players and guys who support them well.
ROFL, are you drunk? Ben Wallace was the best defensive center and rim protector of his era. He was as dominant on defense in 2004 as Shaq was on offense. To compare him to Asik's skill set is a laughable offense. Scola = Rasheed? Scola was one of the worst defensive PF's in the NBA when he played here. IF NOT THE WORST. Kevin Martin= Chauncy Billups......? WOW!!! Chauncy Billups was clutch. Martin was the anti-clutch, not to mention the fact that Martin couldn't guard a screen door where as Chauncy was a beast on defense...
