NBA Chatter Thread

[Jiggyfly]

He's been great for Portland. Portland has expanded his role since the trade and he's rewarded them for doing so.

You can make the Sabonis comparison with him as well.

Have not seen him in extended playing time, just got to watch Jokic twice in a B to B and both games were close.

Rockets probably should have lost both games.

 

[Jiggyfly]

 

[Jiggyfly]

 

[NoDak]

Flipped over to watch a little of the Thunder/Sixers game. At one point, there were 8 white guys on the court. 4 for each team.

This must be what it was like for my grandpa watching the NBA.

 

[Jiggyfly]

That was quite a whipping yesterday by the Rockets.

I am actually starting to get a little hyped about this team.

Will be interesting to see how they matchup with G.S. this week.

 

[Jiggyfly]

 

[Jiggyfly]

Long read but interesting.

James Harden's Case For MVP In Seven Charts

http://www.si.com/nba/2017/03/27/james-harden-nba-mvp-case-rockets-russell-westbrook

7. Harden’s Rockets are the NBA’s biggest overachievers

The bounce-back nature of Harden’s season is perhaps the easiest conversational strain for many observers to grasp. No Dwight Howard! No Khloe Kardashian! No excess weight! No early-season coaching drama! New teammates! Harden is a new man!

Overly crediting Harden for Houston’s turnaround would be a mistake. He must remain accountable for the Rockets’ messy 2015-16 season given his personality conflict with Howard, his off-court distractions and his slow start. Voting for any candidate primarily because he turned in a better season than the year before would be a mistake. Meanwhile, Westbrook’s supporters might argue that Harden has better teammates and that the Thunder, who are the West’s No. 6 seed and could move up, have also significantly overachieved.

A look back at preseason expectations, however, tells a different story. Back in October, oddsmaking service Bovada set Houston’s over-under line at 44 and Oklahoma City’s line at 43.5. In other words, Las Vegas viewed these two teams as virtually identical when the season opened. Since then, the Rockets (51-22) are on a 57-win pace while the Thunder (41-31) are on a 47-win pace. That’s a major gap in performance.

As it turns out, the Rockets haven’t just outpaced the Thunder when it comes to overachieving, they’ve blown away the entire league. This chart compares the preseason over/under lines to current winning percentage to determine the league’s biggest overachievers. Houston is tops by a healthy margin and appears in red.


To boil down the results of this exercise, Harden’s MVP case looks like this:

1. His per-game numbers are unmatched by any MVP since 1980

2. His efficiency/usage numbers are in line with recent MVP winners and better than his fellow MVP candidates

3. His preferred methods for scoring are directly in line with current best practices

4. He is the most productive playmaker for his teammates in the league

5. He is the engine of one of the most effective and forward-thinking offenses in recent memory

6. He excels at making the game look easy

7. And his team is the NBA’s biggest overachiever and boasts one of the league’s best records.

There are arguments to be made for other candidates, including Westbrook, and voters should wait to make their final decisions until the season ends in a few weeks. As it stands now, though, Harden deserves to be viewed as the clear frontrunner.

 

[1bigfan13]

Much to Jiggy's chagrin, Westbroook may have closed the gap in the MVP race.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Much to Jiggy's chagrin, Westbroook may have closed the gap in the MVP race.

How?

Is a 57 point triple double somehow better than 2 50 point triple doubles?

And Hardin had higher assist numbers in both of his.

There is no doubt I am pulling for Hardin and I will be pissed if the rational that picked Curry over Hardin does not apply now (Better team record).

 

[1bigfan13]

~small Thunder rant~

Presti (OKC’s GM) and Billy Donovan need to scrap the philosophy of having offensively-challenged wing players as core members of the team.

I hope they aren’t foolish enough to offer an extension to Andre Roberson, but my guess is that’s exactly what they’re going to do. The guy can’t be trusted to hit an open layup. He hurts us offensively because teams will completely ignore him and run double teams at Westbrook and others. So we’re often left playing 4 on 5 on the offensive end of the court. Also, because he’s one of the worst FT shooters in the league, he often receives the “Hack-a-Shaq” treatment.

Blows my mind that we’d willingly play that guy 30+ minutes per game but we limit our second best offensive player (Kanter) to roughly 20 minutes per game.

Finding a better small forward option should be priority number one this offseason. I don’t expect to bring in another superstar type talent but you can’t tell me that we can’t get our hands on one of the many JAG SFs out there. The NBA and college ranks are littered with Trevor Ariza type SFs who can get you 10 ppg while shooting at a decent percent……guys who can actually keep a defense honest. I just don’t understand why they continue to settle for guys like Roberson.

 

[1bigfan13]

How?

Is a 57 point triple double somehow better than 2 50 point triple doubles?

And Hardin had higher assist numbers in both of his.

There is no doubt I am pulling for Hardin and I will be pissed if the rational that picked Curry over Hardin does not apply now (Better team record).

Mainly due to timing and degree of difficulty.

Westbrook’s had back to back memorable performances this week. In close races recent highlights/performances tend to stick out in voters’ minds.

Also, everyone knows Harden has a better supporting cast; so Westbrook gets bonus points for that. Several analysts have mentioned that.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Mainly due to timing and degree of difficulty.

Westbrook’s had back to back memorable performances this week. In close races recent highlights/performances tend to stick out in voters’ minds.

Also, everyone knows Harden has a better supporting cast; so Westbrook gets bonus points for that. Several analysts have mentioned that.

Degree of difficulty?

It was the magic and Harden is just coming off a player of the week award.

How does everyone know Harden has a better supporting cast?

OKC was picked by most to have a better record than the Rockets at the beginning of the year.

How many people would take Beverly and Capella over Oladipo and Adams or Kanter over NeNe.

I guess now Gordon and Anderson are consensus allstars, maybe Harden raises the level of play for those around him more than Westbrook.

 

[1bigfan13]

Degree of difficulty?

It was the magic and Harden is just coming off a player of the week award.

How does everyone know Harden has a better supporting cast?

OKC was picked by most to have a better record than the Rockets at the beginning of the year.

How many people would take Beverly and Capella over Oladipo and Adams or Kanter over NeNe.

I guess now Gordon and Anderson are consensus allstars, maybe Harden raises the level of play for those around him more than Westbrook.

Huh?

Most experts had OKC only winning 35-40 games and those that actually picked them to make the playoffs predicted that they’d probably be a 7th or 8th seed.

Also, OKC has one of the youngest teams in the league. In fact if the standings remain as they are, they’ll be the youngest team in this year’s playoff field. It’s hard to consistently win in this league with a young roster.

Meanwhile Houston has veteran shooters/players up and down the roster who know how to play the game. You know damn well you wouldn’t trade Houston’s roster for OKC’s.

I know in your biased mind Harden has this thing locked up but if you listen to players and media members (some of which of votes) a lot of them are starting to lean Westbrook.

It’s amusing watching you get so worked up at the notion that Westbrook might actually win MVP. Personally I don’t care who wins. Both are very deserving.

 

[1bigfan13]

Switching topics for a second....I think I'm finally convinced that the Cavs won't make it out of the Eastern Conference this year.

Their defense is too bad.

I think either Boston or Washington takes them down.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Huh?

Most experts had OKC only winning 35-40 games and those that actually picked them to make the playoffs predicted that they’d probably be a 7th or 8th seed.

Also, OKC has one of the youngest teams in the league. In fact if the standings remain as they are, they’ll be the youngest team in this year’s playoff field. It’s hard to consistently win in this league with a young roster.

Meanwhile Houston has veteran shooters/players up and down the roster who know how to play the game. You know damn well you wouldn’t trade Houston’s roster for OKC’s.

I know in your biased mind Harden has this thing locked up but if you listen to players and media members (some of which of votes) a lot of them are starting to lean Westbrook.

It’s amusing watching you get so worked up at the notion that Westbrook might actually win MVP. Personally I don’t care who wins. Both are very deserving.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/17873365/nba-power-rankings-preseason-edition

7. Oklahoma City Thunder
2015-16 record: 55-27
Previous ranking: 10

Over the past two seasons, Russell Westbrook has averaged 30.5 points, 9.2 assists and 7.6 rebounds in 48 games played without Kevin Durant at his side. The only player in NBA history to put up that sort of stat line over the course of an entire season is Oscar Robertson, but who would dare suggest Angry Russ can't follow suit now that he'll have the opportunity? Friendly reminder: GQ (Westbrook) vs. Rolling Stone (KD), Take 1, is only 10 days away in Oakland.

14. Houston Rockets
2015-16 record: 41-41
Previous ranking: 15

It's really up to you. Do you focus on the fact that a Houston team that is routinely mocked for its lack of quality defenders just lost its most defensive-minded starter (Patrick Beverley) to knee surgery? Or are you moved more by the fact that the Mike D'Antoni-fueled Rockets -- trumping Golden State levels from last season -- just averaged 113.3 points per 100 possessions in the preseason? It's the latter if you listened to our pal Amin Elhassan on Sunday night's #NBAInsiders show.

https://www.si.com/nba/2016/10/24/nba-power-rankings-preseason-warriors-cavaliers

9. Oklahoma City Thunder

Last season: 55–27, lost in West finals
Final Ranking: 4
Perpetually incensed Russell Westbrook will make for an amazing watch, but flying solo comes with turbulence. We won’t be able to look away.

15. Houston Rockets

Last season: 41–41, lost in first round
Final Ranking: 17
Philosophically, Mike D’Antoni and James Harden are a perfect match. Bank on offensive fireworks, maybe not a ton else. League Pass!

I can find more.

I actually do not think Harden has it locked up, after the travesty of last yer and him not making any All NBA teams there is no way I think he has anything locked up.

But I still fail to see why a 57 point triple double should in any way mean Westbrook has made a statement when Harden has 2 50 point triple doubles.

And actually I think its the other way around, Westbrook has been leading the race and Harden is closing in the final weeks.

 

[1bigfan13]

I didn't remember what the preseason predictions for the Rockets were but as you can see, the media wasn't very high on OKC either. Those are actually a couple of the kinder write ups. A lot of people had OKC in the lottery.

Also, you keep pointing out the one 57 point game. It's not just that one game. Westbrook has been on a nice roll lately over MULTIPLE games. Which is why I said he might be closing the gap....because those performances are a little fresher in voters minds.

 

[Jiggyfly]

I didn't remember what the preseason predictions for the Rockets were but as you can see, the media wasn't very high on OKC either. Those are actually a couple of the kinder write ups. A lot of people had OKC in the lottery.

Also, you keep pointing out the one 57 point game. It's not just that one game. Westbrook has been on a nice roll lately over MULTIPLE games. Which is why I said he might be closing the gap....because those performances are a little fresher in voters minds.

Harden was just the player of the week.

Harden led the Rockets to a 3-0 week behind averages of 33.0 points (tied for first in the West) and a league-high 13.3 assists. On March 20, he hit the game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Rockets a 125-124 win over the Denver Nuggets. Harden finished the game with 39 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. On March 24, he tied a season-high with 17 assists and added 38 points in a 117-107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

How is that not being on a roll?

 

[1bigfan13]

Harden was just the player of the week.



How is that not being on a roll?

I'm not saying it's not.

I'm just pointing out that in tight MVP race it wouldn't surprise me to see performances over the last couple of weeks decide the winner.

Also, I'm willing to bet Westbrook wins Player of the Week for this week.

 

[Jiggyfly]

I'm not saying it's not.

I'm just pointing out that in tight MVP race it wouldn't surprise me to see performances over the last couple of weeks decide the winner.

Also, I'm willing to bet Westbrook wins Player of the Week for this week.

Like I said I think Westbrook is the leader anyway.

It seems that the triple double thing trumps everything else with most of the media.

Westbrook definitely has the sensational vote going for him, I mean Houston barely held him off if you read what ESPN said about that game and lets not forget his game for the ages because he shot 6 for 6 and had a triple double.

1 Big you know I am a Westbrook fan remember when me and Simp used to go round and round about him and Precious.

I just think that what Harden has done with this team after nobody expected much should give him the edge.

 

[1bigfan13]

Like I said I think Westbrook is the leader anyway.

It seems that the triple double thing trumps everything else with most of the media.

Westbrook definitely has the sensational vote going for him, I mean Houston barely held him off if you read what ESPN said about that game and lets not forget his game for the ages because he shot 6 for 6 and had a triple double.

1 Big you know I am a Westbrook fan remember when me and Simp used to go round and round about him and Precious.

I just think that what Harden has done with this team after nobody expected much should give him the edge.

I know you don't have anything against Westbrook. This is one of those years where there is no wrong answer. It all comes down to individual preferences and basketball values.