Unpopular Basketball Opinions

[stewie griffen]

And they all start coming round.... Muhahahahahaha

 

[djrossie16]

Tom Thibodeau is the best coach in the NBA

 

[Scully2Folau]

Tom Thibodeau is the best coach in the NBA

At what? Not managing minutes?

 

[stewie griffen]

At what? Not managing minutes?

Hey anytime you can play mike d for 48 minutes you have to... right

 

[Scully2Folau]

Hey anytime you can play mike d for 48 minutes you have to... right

When presented the opportunity, it is an NBA head coach's responsibility to do so.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Godleavy can play a million minutes on the Bulls where his man D won't be that big of an issue.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

OKC should look at trading Westbrook for Rondo or Love

Westbrook is a top 5-7 player, neither of those guys are as good or fit on the Thunder any better.

My stupid 3 opinions are thus:

1. Only LeBron, Durant are clearly better than Westbrook. He's somewhere in the next bracket with George, Paul and Griffin.

2. Dirk should be ranked higher than KG on the PF list.

3. David Lee isnt that bad of a defender. Love is much worse.

 

[PP34]

Westbrook is a top 5-7 player, neither of those guys are as good or fit on the Thunder any better.

My stupid 3 opinions are thus:

1. Only LeBron, Durant are clearly better than Westbrook. He's somewhere in the next bracket with George, Paul and Griffin.

2. Dirk should be ranked higher than KG on the PF list.

3. David Lee isnt that bad of a defender. Love is much worse.

2. Explain

 

[calyam]

Can't say I agree with this at all. The best defensive teams in the league recently have been Chicago, Indy, Memphis .... all with dominant big men.

Centres are still the most important players defensively and can have a massive impact upon their teams fortunes at the defensive end. But given so much of the play is on the perimeter, centres have less of an impact defensively than they had in previous generations.

Dwight Howard would not have scored more points in the 90s. Hakeem, David Robinson and Shaq could average 25-30 ppg - Dwight? Nope.

Dwight would have almost certainly averaged a handful of points more per game in a league where players put up far fewer threes. In that environment, Howard suddenly becomes one of the most efficient scorers on the floor - even with his dreadful offensive game. Similarly Hakeem, Robinson and Shaq would all be less dominant offensively if they began their careers today because the game has shifted so much towards the three.

The bolded is a myth. I'd disagree with the Griffen >> Aldridge summation too, but that's a matter of opinion.

Takes too many mid-range jumpers for my liking. Much like Melo he can obviously shoot but mid-range jumpers are the worst shots in basketball. Aldridge is more a volume scorer at this point in time, compared with someone like Griffen who is much more efficient (even if he has little range).

 

[Son of Skeletor]

Centres are still the most important players defensively and can have a massive impact upon their teams fortunes at the defensive end. But given so much of the play is on the perimeter, centres have less of an impact defensively than they had in previous generations.

What's the easiest way to slow down the likes of Derrick Rose or John Wall? Have a dominant interior defender.

Ask Portland fans whether the importance of big men on defence has diminished - Robin Lopez's stats are comparable to JJ Hickson's, yet the Blazers are going to double their win total from last season.

Dwight would have almost certainly averaged a handful of points more per game in a league where players put up far fewer threes. In that environment, Howard suddenly becomes one of the most efficient scorers on the floor - even with his dreadful offensive game. Similarly Hakeem, Robinson and Shaq would all be less dominant offensively if they began their careers today because the game has shifted so much towards the three.

I dunno if you remember Shaq in Orlando, but he played on a team that surrounded him with three point shooters in order to capitalise on his strength in the post - pick your poison. The team that the Magic faced in the '95 Finals had exactly the same strategy - Houston surrounded Hakeem with shooters and won themselves two titles on the back of it. And again, what style did the Magic employ with Dwight to reach the Finals in '09? They surrounded him with shooters... a case of history repeating rather than a new trend

It's not a case of either/or - the best perimeter shooting teams usually have a genuine post threat (eg Portland, Dallas) or a dominant player (eg Miami) with which to force the defending team to make a choice. Double-team, and they'll hurt you from the outside. Stay at home on the shooters and their inside players will feast all night long. And no, Olajuwon would not score less points today - how many players could guard him nowdays? Even fewer than when he played - he'd go beserk.

Remember when Houston tried the 'twin towers' experiment with Dwight and Asik early this season? It didn't work because it nullified Dwight's game - he had no space within which to operate. Three point shooting does not hinder dominant post play, it helps it.

Takes too many mid-range jumpers for my liking. Much like Melo he can obviously shoot but mid-range jumpers are the worst shots in basketball. Aldridge is more a volume scorer at this point in time, compared with someone like Griffen who is much more efficient (even if he has little range).

This just sounds like you're repeating a mantra - the difference between Aldridge shooting a mid-range jumper and Brandon Jennings is:

a) Aldridge makes a higher than average percentage of mid-range shots
b) Aldridge does not have three point range, so he is not eschewing that shot in order to take a low percentage look
c) Aldridge can score deep in the low post, but that is i) not his absolute strength, and ii) easier for the defense to collapse in on and guard

More importantly, Aldridge's mid-range game is the pivot upon which Portland's entire offense is built - an offense which ranks number one in the league.

Aldridge does not score many easy buckets in transition like Griffin does, and unlike Griffin he cannot use raw athleticism to overpower his defender and shoot lay-ups and dunks. He scores 'contested' points in half-court sets, and those are invaluable. Very few guys in the league can guard him straight up, which means the defense has to adjust for him... at which point the Blazers move the ball around the perimeter and hit the open shot.

Stats can lie. Cory Brewer cannot shoot a lick, yet he's shooting 47% on the season. How? Because he hits three or four uncontested lay-ups a game off outlet passes made by Kevin Love - it's a high percentage shot, but there is no residual benefit to the team. His teammates do not enjoy more open looks because Brewer shoots 47%, but Aldridge's teammates benefit enormously from his presence. He is thus FAR from inefficient, no matter what stats say.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

David Lee doesn't do a single thing intelligently on D. Amare is the only guy earning $5 million a year who's worse.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

LMA is a crazy good PF. He'd be a top 4 player if he had the nuts to play C but he's still damn fine at PF.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

This just sounds like you're repeating a mantra - the difference between Aldridge shooting a mid-range jumper and Brandon Jennings is:

a) Aldridge makes a higher than average percentage of mid-range shots
b) Aldridge does not have three point range, so he is not eschewing that shot in order to take a low percentage look
c) Aldridge can score deep in the low post, but that is i) not his absolute strength, and ii) easier for the defense to collapse in on and guard

More importantly, Aldridge's mid-range game is the pivot upon which Portland's entire offense is built - an offense which ranks number one in the league.

Aldridge does not score many easy buckets in transition like Griffin does, and unlike Griffin he cannot use raw athleticism to overpower his defender and shoot lay-ups and dunks. He scores 'contested' points in half-court sets, and those are invaluable. Very few guys in the league can guard him straight up, which means the defense has to adjust for him... at which point the Blazers move the ball around the perimeter and hit the open shot.

Stats can lie. Cory Brewer cannot shoot a lick, yet he's shooting 47% on the season. How? Because he hits three or four uncontested lay-ups a game off outlet passes made by Kevin Love - it's a high percentage shot, but there is no residual benefit to the team. His teammates do not enjoy more open looks because Brewer shoots 47%, but Aldridge's teammates benefit enormously from his presence. He is thus FAR from inefficient, no matter what stats say.

This post is just perfect describing LMA

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

Not really due to anything he has done himself, but due to the media and advertisements etc. over the last few years Griffin will always have a feeling of overrated to me, until he maybe wins some championships or is the best player in the league.

 

[djrossie16]

Not really due to anything he has done himself, but due to the media and advertisements etc. over the last few years Griffin will always have a feeling of overrated to me, until he maybe wins some championships or is the best player in the league.

not to mention he comes across as a bit of a tossbag

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

not to mention he comes across as a bit of a tossbag

Yeah that too

 

[stewie griffen]

I'd actually go the other way, this year (not this season) Blake has been a top 5 player, that's how good he has been lately.

If he could push his midrange percentages up by 5% he'd be close to unstoppable

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

I'd actually go the other way, this year (not this season) Blake has been a top 5 player, that's how good he has been lately.

If he could push his midrange percentages up by 5% he'd be close to unstoppable

Not disputing he hasn't been good lately, very good, in fact has showed alot more than I expected when/since CP3 went out, however until he is league dominating, getting out of the WCF good, he'll seem abit overrated to me.

It's not fair on him to be completely honest and is the media's fault, but that's my unpopular opinion.

 

[DangerSloane]

Westbrook is a top 5-7 player, neither of those guys are as good or fit on the Thunder any better.

My stupid 3 opinions are thus:

1. Only LeBron, Durant are clearly better than Westbrook. He's somewhere in the next bracket with George, Paul and Griffin.

2. Dirk should be ranked higher than KG on the PF list.
Agree totally. KG has always been overrated slightly in my eyes

3. David Lee isnt that bad of a defender. Love is much worse.

 

[smashh]

This just sounds like you're repeating a mantra - the difference between Aldridge shooting a mid-range jumper and Brandon Jennings is:

a) Aldridge makes a higher than average percentage of mid-range shots
b) Aldridge does not have three point range, so he is not eschewing that shot in order to take a low percentage look
c) Aldridge can score deep in the low post, but that is i) not his absolute strength, and ii) easier for the defense to collapse in on and guard

More importantly, Aldridge's mid-range game is the pivot upon which Portland's entire offense is built - an offense which ranks number one in the league.

Aldridge does not score many easy buckets in transition like Griffin does, and unlike Griffin he cannot use raw athleticism to overpower his defender and shoot lay-ups and dunks. He scores 'contested' points in half-court sets, and those are invaluable. Very few guys in the league can guard him straight up, which means the defense has to adjust for him... at which point the Blazers move the ball around the perimeter and hit the open shot.

Stats can lie. Cory Brewer cannot shoot a lick, yet he's shooting 47% on the season. How? Because he hits three or four uncontested lay-ups a game off outlet passes made by Kevin Love - it's a high percentage shot, but there is no residual benefit to the team. His teammates do not enjoy more open looks because Brewer shoots 47%, but Aldridge's teammates benefit enormously from his presence. He is thus FAR from inefficient, no matter what stats say.

Damn. This is an absolutely perfect write up!

And also Smirkin Dirk, I'm not sure if it makes them any less of an unpopular opinion but agree with all 3.

 

[Damon_3388]

I love this kind of stuff, and think there should be more of it in basketball.

Can't wait for the 30 for 30 on the Bad Boys later this year.

 

[PP34]

Why?

He's one of the best players of the modern era, a beast defensively and close to unstoppable offensively in his prime. Not his fault Minnesota couldn't build a team around his strengths.

 

[Kickpuncher]

I believe Blake Griffin is extremely overrated, and the Clippers would be better off if they traded him.

 

[stewie griffen]

I love this kind of stuff, and think there should be more of it in basketball.

Can't wait for the 30 for 30 on the Bad Boys later this year.

Yeah the glory days of ball

Ask yourself this, how many free throws would MJ have shot per game if they officiated those games the way they do today

 

[Oliver King]

Yeah the glory days of ball

Ask yourself this, how many free throws would MJ have shot per game if they officiated those games the way they do today

Still not as many as Harden.