... But if you were to ask me who I would pick to run a team RIGHT NOW, supporting casts being equal, I still choose Chris Paul. Kind of random, but with Rose the front-runner to win the MVP this year, it's been a topic on my mind lately. Obviously there's no doubting that Rose is an excellent player. Thibodeau has made him a respectable defender, and he's a much better playmaker now than he was when he first entered the league. He's always had the first step, the hops, and the crossover. Now he's shooting threes and making his teammates better. But still, when I watch him I just can't bring myself to say, "That's the best PG in the NBA". Maybe it's my natural bias against scoring 1s. I realize that Rose is Chicago's best scoring option and I don't fault him for embracing that role; but there's just something about a lead guard shooting 20 times a game that feels wrong to me. Maybe it's just because Rose is getting all this MVP hype, yet he's still not playing at the level Paul was at from 2007-09. Hell, maybe it's just because I don't think people quite realize that in those two years, Paul was historically good. Probably a combination of all three. Whatever the reason, when I watch Rose play I just don't get that feeling of, "I'm watching a once-in-a-generation type of player" that I felt when CP3 was at this peak. Or maybe I'm just a hater. For what it's worth, I realize that Paul's knee is a ticking time bomb, and that he'll probably need microfracture in a few years. For that reason, I'd take Rose if I were building for the future. And it's certainly possible that he'll prove his greatness this year in the postseason. I hope that happens, he's exciting to watch and seems like a good guy (and he would give the Lakers fits if they met in the Finals). Am I the only one outside of New Orleans who feels this way though? Who do you guys think is the league's best point guard?
Rose is a SG stuck in a PGs body. He plays horrible defense but is awesome in scoring due to his athleticism. Dwight should be MVP this year.
another inefficient night for rose. he brought them back, but took them out of it in the 4th when he didn't even bother to look to pass one bit. his teammates look out of it completely from the midway in the 4th on. but they're losing this game b/c their defense sucked in this game, which is unusual. the bulls go as their defense goes. EDIT: but to the OP, paul is still not fully healthy. he just doesn't look to score much at all. and the hornets are still watching his minutes. during the years he mentioned, he played at a lebron's level for a PG. mad efficient.
Thanks for posting. The TS% thing kind of perplexes me, because a bunch of those guys on the list basically just came from playing with another great PG, Deron Williams, in an offense that's one of the most efficient in the NBA. Not sure I can buy that. I also think there's sort of a strawman quality to his whole argument. That said, he's correct that Rose isn't having a dominant year statistically. If he does win, and his numbers remain where they are now, I would guess that he'd finish with the lowest PER of any MVP winner in the last 30-40 years or so. Too lazy to look it up myself.
nash's first mvp was only a 22.0 PER. but his second was 23.3 and higher than rose's current PER. even iverson with all his bricking was at 24.0. and while i haven't looked them up, before that it was shaq, malone, mj, malone, mj, drob, hakeem, barkley, and then 9 mvp's between mj, magic and bird, none of whom could have been below 23. so it would still be 2nd lowest since '83-'84.
Ah, actually makes some sense, now that I think about it. I remember reading that PER "rewards" inefficient shooting and disproportionately rewards steals, which would explain why Nash's were on the lower side and Iverson's on the higher side. I believe it's also pace-adjusted, which would knock Nash down a bit as well.
like i said many times, if rose wins, it's b/c the other guys underperformed (or their teams have). howard, lebron, and wade have had much better years statistically than rose. but b/c the bulls have gotten better so fast, it's easy to give the credit to the best player on that team. and he should deserve a lot of them. but it's laughable when people say that team would stink without rose, which is an absolute lie.
i do think that the bulls would be pretty bad without rose. without him who would they lean on, especially with boozer out? noah? deng? none of the other guys around rose would be able to carry the team
I actually think if they had a replacement level-ish PG they'd still be a playoff team. Deng's a pretty decent offensive player, not someone who can "carry" a team per se, but good enough to be your best player if you have a really good D. But my opinion has more to do with the fact that the East, especially the central division, is so bad this year it's almost offensive.
Rose shouldered the storm when Boozer and Noah were out for a period of time. What's the argument? What's the record of Heat without Bosh, a guy repeatedly being called soft and overrated? LeChoke and DeWhistle shouldn't be in discussion.
paul is going thru the same thing kg did last year, the first year back, you just don't have the strength in the region.
Did Rose foul the crap out of Granger on his 3 pt shot at the very end of 4th or was it just my terrible stream? The ref was only a feet away too.
I totally agree with you, OP, about Chris Paul during the 2007-2009 era. Dude was unbelievable. Tis a shame what injuries did to him, but hopefully he can get back to form... after the Rockets pick him up.
but when you look at their division, you know why the bulls' record is good..... I think rose is great, but Paul is better PS, i am a rockets fan, so no bias here, and i don't hate rose win loss Indiana 30 39 Pistaon 25 44 Milwaukee 27 41 Cavaliers 13 54 if the rockets were in that division, we would have at least 50 wins by now... I mean it's the same story with the Cavaliers last year, why they are the first seed? Cause they are lucky!!!!~
Without Rose this team would suck considering all of the other injuries they have put up with. Nobody had this team as the number 1 or 2 seed in the East and that predicting that they would stay healthy. If you told most people that Joakim Noah and Boozer would be out for extended periods of time most would think this team would be a 6th or 7th seed in the East.
