Jordan Calls Kawhi "Best 2-Way Player in the Game"

[tholdren]

Sure it is. Name one player who was ever compared to Jordan without ever having won a ring. Just one.

Lol. Was durant better than horry without a ring? How about barkely? I win

[DMC]

Sure it is. Name one player who was ever compared to Jordan without ever having won a ring. Just one.

Lol. Was durant better than horry without a ring? How about barkely? I win

This isn't about Durant. This is about comparing players to the GOAT. You cannot be in the GOAT discussion without a ring. Your goalpost move is duly noted however.

[TD 21]

Yet neither of them have a ring to show for it. I'd say KD was the best player in the 2017 playoffs. He won.

At the rings argument (in this case, the current one, since the other two have them too), once again provided without context.

If either swapped places with Durant, they'd be the reigning champion right now too. That has no bearing on level of play though, since it was men against boys and they'd have won no matter how he played. By virtually every metric, he was worse than either in the '17 playoffs. He upped his play in the Finals, but has a relatively (for a player of his caliber) minimal offensive load and plays within' pristine and unprecedented spacing.

[Ice009]

Who cares what he was called? No one calls Kawhi a choker because he's not been put in clutch situations until recently. He choked at the FT line, could have won a ring if he hit it. No one called him a choker because he was a role player at the time.

Kawhi was drafted onto a team with 3 HOFers and a HOF coach.

KL is a great player, getting better as well. He's not as good as Lebron, I don't think he can get that good due to physical limitations and the team he plays for. Lebron is considered better than Tim Duncan, so...

He's not considered better than TD, at least, not by me.

Also, I'm not sure if Kawhi can get to Lebron's best (unless he improves his play making), but I do think Kawhi can still be the best player in the league. You don't have to be the best play maker in the NBA to be the best player on the planet.

[Blackjack]

He's not considered better than TD, at least, not by me.

Also, I'm not sure if Kawhi can get to Lebron's best (unless he improves his play making), but I do think Kawhi can still be the best player in the league. You don't have to be the best play maker in the NBA to be the best player on the planet.

Jordan certainly wasn't. And

[DMC]

At the rings argument (in this case, the current one, since the other two have them too), once again provided without context.

They didn't win a ring in 2017. Context is everything.

If either swapped places with Durant, they'd be the reigning champion right now too. That has no bearing on level of play though, since it was men against boys and they'd have won no matter how he played. By virtually every metric, he was worse than either in the '17 playoffs. He upped his play in the Finals, but has a relatively (for a player of his caliber) minimal offensive load and plays within' pristine and unprecedented spacing.

They didn't. Go to that parallel universe and send video proof.

[DMC]

He's not considered better than TD, at least, not by me.

Also, I'm not sure if Kawhi can get to Lebron's best (unless he improves his play making), but I do think Kawhi can still be the best player in the league. You don't have to be the best play maker in the NBA to be the best player on the planet.

Of course Spurs fans don't consider a Lebron better than Duncan. They don't mind citing 12 from SI and ESPN but scoff when that rating affects their guy.

I doubt any serious NBA pundit would rank Lebron lower than Duncan on the all time list.

Kawhi can become the best player on the planet if the other players get worse or get more help to dilute their contributions.

[ElNono]

I don't consider fault. It's not AD's fault that the Pelicans are . He's partly responsible because they all agree to contracts, and in the 2nd go round on those, they know the deal already. So though their situations aren't their faults, they do have some control over them. If KL decided being in Pop's system is what he wants, he's set his path. The ROTW looks at output though, and Lebron's dwarfs most NBA players historically.

Context matters in these discussions, as you say... I'm fairly confident that if Kawhi had the la ude Lebron has as far as controlling his minutes, situations, etc, he likely would have more gaudy stats, which are always salient in these kind of discussions...

There's teams like the Dubs where the whole team is helping a guy reach an individual stat (ie: triple double), and that triggers the perception said player is an all-star, gets the media banter going, etc...

[ElNono]

If anything, Duncan was so good in his prime, he stood out statistically on an environment that wasn't helping him stand out... although, it was a different game then, and we relied on our star way more...

[SAGirl]

It's not entirely Kawhi's fault either... Lebron decides how much he plays, rests, etc...

Kawhi instead has to deal with a coach that decides to throw playoff games to rest him, and rations his mins throughout the season, in detriment to his stamina and the team. It's also arguable that it doesn't work, all that mins shaving didn't prevent a freak injury from happening, nor accelerated the recovery.

Great point...

[Ice009]

Of course Spurs fans don't consider a Lebron better than Duncan. They don't mind citing 12 from SI and ESPN but scoff when that rating affects their guy.

I doubt any serious NBA pundit would rank Lebron lower than Duncan on the all time list.

Kawhi can become the best player on the planet if the other players get worse or get more help to dilute their contributions.

Who is better than Kawhi? Only Lebron IMO. All those other guys, if you want them, you can have them. I'll take Kawhi over all of them. He doesn't need them to get worse or for them to get more help to become the best player in the league - that's ridiculous. I think he will be there at the end of this upcoming season.

[DMC]

Who is better than Kawhi? Only Lebron IMO. All those other guys, if you want them, you can have them. I'll take Kawhi over all of them. He doesn't need them to get worse or for them to get more help to become the best player in the league - that's ridiculous. I think he will be there at the end of this upcoming season.

I'd take Kawhi because I like him better, win or lose. From a pure basketball standpoint, KD is better.

[Ice009]

I'd take Kawhi because I like him better, win or lose. From a pure basketball standpoint, KD is better.

I like Kawhi's overall game over KD's. KD might be a better offensive player (as of now), but I'd take Kawhi over him because I think Kawhi is just a better overall player.

[UZER]

It's not entirely Kawhi's fault either... Lebron decides how much he plays, rests, etc...

Kawhi instead has to deal with a coach that decides to throw playoff games to rest him, and rations his mins throughout the season, in detriment to his stamina and the team. It's also arguable that it doesn't work, all that mins shaving didn't prevent a freak injury from happening, nor accelerated the recovery.

Because everyone has to get over himself...except Pop.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Kawhi gotta ask Jordan CIJON

[tholdren]

I'd take Kawhi because I like him better, win or lose. From a pure basketball standpoint, KD is better.

Idiot alert

[DMC]

Idiot alert

Alert not required, your name was all I needed.

[tholdren]

Alert not required, your name was all I needed.

If you think kd is better than kl youre a re . Its that simple.

[DMC]

If you think kd is better than kl youre a re . Its that simple.

USA Today lists KL at 4th overall

SI lists him at 6th overall

ESPN has him at 6th overall

All three of these have KD at 2nd overall.

These pundits have Curry and CP3 over Kawhi.

Must be a lot of re ed pundits. If they were only homers they'd see the light.

[Atl Spur]

USA Today lists KL at 4th overall

SI lists him at 6th overall

ESPN has him at 6th overall

All three of these have KD at 2nd overall.

These pundits have Curry and CP3 over Kawhi.

Must be a lot of re ed pundits. If they were only homers they'd see the light.

If anyone says he's the sixth best player........ they are full of crap! Popularity contest is what those clowns are on!!

[bic50]

USA Today lists KL at 4th overall

SI lists him at 6th overall

ESPN has him at 6th overall

All three of these have KD at 2nd overall.

These pundits have Curry and CP3 over Kawhi.

Must be a lot of re ed pundits. If they were only homers they'd see the light.

Yes they are re ed pundits.

[KDKSpurs24]

If anyone says he's the sixth best player........ they are full of crap! Popularity contest is what those clowns are on!!

I think that list was months ago.. the new list will be released close to the start of the season and I'm very sure that he will be no lower than 4 on every list.

[spurs10]

That's why Michael Jordan, someone who few argued wasn't the best in the game in his time, is saying what he's saying about Kawhi. It's like what Pop says why don't the call the MVP the 'MVOP?' Pundits notwithstanding the idea of Kawhi being the 6th best "two way player" is not something many would agree with. Jordan says he's the "best" and he has a wee bit more knowledge about what it takes. Kevin Durant looked great, once he joined a 73 win team.

[DMC]

If anyone says he's the sixth best player........ they are full of crap! Popularity contest is what those clowns are on!!

I wouldn't put him at 6th, but the best I found was 4th. I rank him 3rd which is obviously generous considering. Saying he's 2nd best is just homerism, and fiercely proud of it too...

[DMC]

If anyone says he's the sixth best player........ they are full of crap! Popularity contest is what those clowns are on!!

Yes they are re ed pundits.

sure