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

The numbers say the same thing as the eye test does. Kevin Love is a vastly superior player. Similar scoring efficiency with far less turnovers and far more rebounds.

That translates to multiple additional possessions, many additional points, and a much better team.

 

More than likely

Love is 6 yrs in
Dmo is in his 1st year with Sig Minutes

I expect more improvement in Dmo

KLove's Defensive deficiencies worry me alot

Rocket River

 

I think it is a valid concern since Howard is looking more like tmac every day.

 

I'd rather have Hakeem but that's got as much of a chance of happening as having a healthy Dwight.

 

rebounding is a small part of defense but you have to be able to guard people. k love especially as a big cannot guard. we would essentially be the team we were before, all offense and no defense and that never works. then youll probably come back and complain about how houston sucks defensively. also kevin love is not a top 10 player and you win a championship with the best group of players collectively, not the best players only.

also, not sure why i got quoted in your previous post. there's alot of point i would probably agree with but it wasn't mine haha

 

Couple of things to keep in mind:

1) Pre-Cleveland Love averaged 8 FT attempts per game. Last year, Harden was #2 in FTA, Howard #3, and Love #6. You put those 3 together and they will average 20-25 attempts per game.

2) Love averaged 36% from 3 on 6.6 attempts per game last year. Other than his rookie year and the 2012-2013 season (when he had the hand injury), he's averaged in the mid to high 30s on relatively high volume. By comparison, this is DMo's first season to average in the 30s and he's shooting under 2 a game. They are not in the same arena as shooters.

3) Rebounding. Love = elite. DMo = below average.

 

is he? hes played in over 90% of the games in the previous two seasons before this year. stop overreacting and atleast see how howard is when he returns because at this point nobody really knows.

 

I was curious as to how far the needle has moved for the teams that acquired those players versus how it's moved for us.

Parsons to Dallas:
Dallas is currently in the Western Conference's 6th place from 8th at the end of 2013-14. So far they've improved 2 places in the WC.

Lin to LA:
Lakers are currently in the Western Conference's 14th place from 14th at the end of 2013-14. The needle hasn't moved for them at all.

Asik to New Orleans:
New Orleans is currently in the Western Conference's 9th place from 12th at the end of 2013-14. If the season were to end today, they would have improved by 3 places in the WC.

Houston's signings, trades and development:
Houston is currently in Western Conference's 3rd place from 4th at the end of 2013-14. If we manage to keep pace to the end of the season, we'll have advanced 1 place.

So the needle for LA hasn't moved. But of the 3 other teams, all of which are in what might possibly be the toughest division in NBA history, Houston has improved the least from the previous season. Maybe that's why the media hasn't mentioned it.

 

If Dwight's health is really an issue, he has no trade value with his contract.

If Dwight's health is not an issue, its the dumbest thing to trade him away for this Rockets team.

Just another typical, idiotic podcast by Simmons.

 

Don't be so sensative...

 

No, I would keep Howard, and wait for a chance for trading Howard for Durant. The late trade would be a high risk for a high reward since we do not know anything about the Durant thinking, but the same thing can go for Love too. By the way, why do we need Love in this team when we have two good young PFs?

 

Similar to Harden, Love's real skill is that he has very few weaknesses (at least on offense).

From 3, he doesn't have a single quadrant where he isn't at least league average. Many guys (Josh Smith) can only shoot from one spot on the perimeter........Love has no such limitations.

He is an effective scorer in the paint. 57.3% last year, and around 60% just under the rim.

He gets to the charity stripe. #6 in attempts per game last year.

He's an elite outlet passer. Go watch some youtube clips of him throwing deep balls to Brewer.

The offense would be significantly more dynamic with Love. Whatever dip we see in defense will be more than offset by offensive abilities.

 

In that game at Houston when the Rox played against the Cavs,

Zach Lowe tweeted : " I wonder if I will put on a Love jersey and standing on the floor near the corner, will anyone even notice me at all? Don't think so".

That's how the expert see the game of Love now.

 

theres no such thing. its been seen time and time again. you can have a high scoring offense but if your defense is not a factor it doesn't matter.

 

says the guy overreacting

 

Lebron had tunnel vision that game. He wanted to lock down the MVP after beating GSW and Curry. Most of the game was really Harden vs. Lebron from a media perspective.

 

It's because his defense is so freaking bad he makes Harden look like Scottie Quitten.

I agree with you here. Big three is still the best narrative.

Top 10 player? Really? Kevin Love has proven time and time again he puts up empty stats and is incredibly overrated. He has also not been consistently efficient. Put up 59% TS last year, but dropped to 56% when surrounded by better talent?

I know that Dmo can't hold a candle to KLove, but let's not overrate Love either.

Did you really just compare a good bench player to somebody who is supposed to be a part of a Big Three? I mean, I agree with your point, but erm...

Agree here. Big three is still the way to go.

DWIGHT HOWARD HAS NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN HIS KNEE. EDEMA IS NOT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. HE HAS HAD NO KNEE SURGERY, AND HAS PROVEN HE CAN PRODUCE AT THE TOP 5 LEVEL IN THE PLAYOFFS.


If you are going to make these statements, at least be right about them.

http://www.si.com/nba/2015/02/08/houston-rockets-dwight-howard-knee-injury-return
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....d-out-6-8-weeks-no-structural-damage-in-knee/
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....d-out-6-8-weeks-no-structural-damage-in-knee/

 

I'm concerned that the Love/James tandem isn't having a better season. I know Lebron isn't the problem. Couple that with all of Love's losing seasons in Minn and it points the finger at him for not bringing home the bacon. I'd still be happy to have Love. But, between Love and Howard, I don't know if I'd pick Love. Probably not though -- if Howard is healthy, I'd rather keep him because he's proven; if he's not healthy, we can't trade him anyway.

 

Rebounding is a huge part of defense. You are acting as if we would be losing some defensive stalwarts in Jones or Dmo. Jones has some nice shot blocking ability, and Dmo makes some good rotations, but neither are difference makers on the defensive end.

Kevin Love is a monumental upgrade to either.

 

Apparently. You're bashing him in a couple of different threads.

Well, maybe not "bashing", but still, comparing Kevin Love's stats from his square-peg, round-hole season as the Cavs' third star to Dmo's first season of significant minutes....

Love's defense is pretty poor. That's an easy concession. And his numbers are down. But he wouldn't be carrying water for the first and second options here in Houston.

Anyway, if we landed him, who's to say Dmo would be gone? McHale would arrive at practice saying, "Where's my favorite white boys? WHERE'S MY FAVORITE WHITE BOYS?" And Love and Dmo would appear, panting, bobbing their heads under McHale's hands to get their ears scratched.

This is probably all academic anyway, unless Morey wants to trade Ariza, Papa, Dmo or Tjones and maybe that first rounder.