[BS Report] 03/09/15 - Kevin Love to Houston, Harden MVP

In fact I will go on to say that usually the MVP candidates likely DON'T win an NBA title.

Post Jordan era, it's happened more often than you'd think although of course there have been more guys who can outright carry a scrub team to the playoffs than a team just having a solid team with a few all-stars.

Spurs - No MVP front runners

Heat - LeBron both years

Mavs - Put Dirk as a go to guy if you want but he didn't finish top 5 in MVP voting that year they won

Lakers - Kobe is that dude

Celtics - Garnett, one of the last years of his prime

Spurs - 05/07 Duncan

Heat - Wade and Shaq, but mostly Wade was that guy

Pistons - Already addressed

Spurs - Timmy Duncan

Lakers - Shaq was that dude

Spurs - Tim too young, D Rob too old to qualify

 

There is a lot of discussion about whether people here want Kevin Love in Houston and about the cap maneuvers to make it happen, but the real questions is whether Kevin Love wants to sign with Houston.

Whether or not any of us want Love in Houston, there is little doubt that Daryl Morey would very much want Love-- just like he wanted Melo, Bosh or any top 30-ish player who can be had. As we saw last summer, all the cap flexibility in the world makes no difference unless a player actually wants to go to your team.

So, will Kevin Love want Houston? What can Houston offer him that other teams (including Cleveland) do not?

 

The most sensitive fan base in the league!

We also have the distinct advantage of having a ton of NBA GM savants at our disposal from right here on the bbs to help our mostly brain dead GM.

 

You are right about 2014 Spurs being more Parker's team than Duncan's, and of course he has declined since his peak, but Parker wins zero rings without Duncan or someone like him ... Duncan proved he was that guy in 99 while Parker was a teenager in France
This year, Duncan has again clearly been the best player on the Spurs, and if they win again, I would be hard-pressed to credit Tony above Tim for ring #6.

It's been well-discussed before, but bottom-line remains the same -
Since 1979, you can account for 31 of the past 35 NBA championships (89%) with only 9 names (< 0.01% of all NBA players during that time):

MJ (6) - 91 92 93 96 97 98
Duncan (5) - 99 03 05 07 14
Magic (5) - 80 82 85 87 88
Shaq (4) - 00 01 02 06
Bird (3) - 81 84 86
LeBron (2) - 12 13
Kobe (2) - 09 10
Dream (2) - 94 95
Zeke (2) - 89 90

4 exceptions remain, but even 3 of those 4 were built around a future 1st-ballot HoF superstar who 'only' managed 1 title:
Dirk (1) - 11
KG (1) - 08
Billups (1) - 04
Mo (1) - 83

So again, if you are betting on the 2004 Pistons model, and do not have a Harden-type superstar on your team, you are betting on a 3% chance of winning a ring that way ... at least based on the past 35 years of the NBA

I'll take my 89% chance with Harden

 

We are getting exposed. So many fans all of a sudden have knowledge of the game when they pull out stats. We are coming out as arrogant cocky fans with little to back it up with accomplishments. History talks and its not in our favor

 

Sound.

 

I just realized ...

Those 9 names probably represent 9 of the 10 names most would include if we were to make an All-NBA 1st and 2nd team of the past 35 years:

ALL-NBA 1ST TEAM (1980-2014)
C - Dream
PF - Duncan
SF - LeBron
SG - MJ
PG - Magic

ALL-NBA 2ND TEAM (1980-2014)
C - Shaq
PF - Karl Malone
SF - Bird
SG - Kobe
PG - Isiah

Other than Malone, who still made 2 Finals, all those guys have multiple rings

Coincidence? ... not to me

Maybe you might put Dirk or KG in over Malone as 2nd-team PF, which only strengthens my argument ... they both have MVPs and a ring

I might put Paul or Stockton in over Zeke, but mostly bc I can't stand Zeke
At this point, no way Paul has a better career with 0 rings and counting

Otherwise ... any glaring omissions?

 

What on earth on your talking about. Exposed as what... FANATICS???

The term FAN is derived from Fanatical. You aren't supposed to be rational and objective. Its kind of the point. Your viewpoint is one-sided.

We are supposed to stick up for our guys. And those media guys want to be viewed as "Professional Journalists" but without the professionalism that a professional is supposed to be upheld to under scrutiny.

I see some ridiculous stuff on here, and on Twitter responses all out on the interwebs but its really nothing compared to what you see in most sporting worlds.

These NBA bloggers think they have it bad? Go write skewed opinion pieces about American Football or Futbol/soccer teams or players. Have fun dealing with those crazies and their total rational backlashes to those that try and tear down their star players and home town teams.

Rockets fans give it to them lightly IMO. We've embraced the villain role, and aren't scared of Twitter confrontation, but most backlash I see going back towards the NBA supposed "Professional Journalists" is more than justified & usually as objective as possible coming from a FAN (Fanatic).

 

Harden's defense was more terrible before he joined Houston. People change. It shouldn't be that bad since he's rebounding is superb.

Howard
Love
Ariza
Harden
Bev

 

Probably not. Hopefully not.

 

Good point. If Amin El Hassan, Bill Simmons or anyone employed by ESPN dares say a bad thing about Kevin Love when he is in Houston, he can count on Clutchfans to defend him to the death!

But if he doesn't sign with Houston, he is a bum and a diva to Clutchfans.

 

The more important question is probably will other star players (who aren't clearly better than other superstars on the level of Lebron/Durant/ and dare I say Harden) want to continue to team up with them when they will clearly be diminished in role?

Its not the whole story, but its part of the story of why Dragic stayed away from Houston. He wanted possessions, and high usage.

I think its good for the league to spread the wealth a little bit. I'd be pretty shocked if Love went to the Rockets, and if Kobe & Melo didn't look on their way out of the league in a few years or in a diminished role, Id say it would be hard to see him going to LA or New York.

If I was Love's agent, Boston really seems like a great fit for free agency. You can have a good quality team, great franchise, a good coach, and high usage on a max contract.

I don't think the star chasing will ever truly be over-with. You should try if you can of course, and the Rockets will, but I don't see them completely altering their roster of all depth just for the chance at another guy like that again. Last Summer was pretty much the last time you had that chance and only risked losing subpar veteran minimum guys, and players that were getting traded one way or another anyways.

 

Hardens defense was comical last year. Everyone lit him up

 

Love is not the answer, he's a big p***y and whoever rated him over Aldridge look very stupid right now.

 

As someone else said earlier (more or less), what in the hell are we talking about? My assumptions are based on exchanging Howard for Love. People keep mentioning Howard playing with Love. WTF?? Those are two vastly different "fantasies."

 

And if we miss out on him, we were too smart. Just like the mo williams thread. They ran out off crow. They eating pigeons.

 

It was almost as comical as your daily "contributions" to this board... almost

 

Love would have the same role with us as he does in Cleveland. Why would he come here?

If he doesn't win it as a 3rd star behind Lebron and Irving, why would he win it in the West being second best player on the team?

I don't think his connection with McHale is that strong. Looked like he barely considered us this summer. He knows there is one more move left in his career, and that move is him going to LA. He's been traded once already, does he really want this to become common in his career?

I think he stays or goes to LA.

 

Another thought: do we really want another player who's not a good post player but sees himself as a post player and maybe wants to spend the rest of his life proving he is?

 

No.2 guy on offense & championship contention.