If Ibaka is this valuble to okc

[Horse]

Then durant should give him his mvp trophy.

[spurspokesman]

Just share it. Co-Mvp's

[Spurs_Be_Beastin']

Righhhhhttt

[mudyez]

True...posted it somewhere else, but Ibaka might be the most important 3rd player ever. Bulls without Rodman/Kukoc? Lakers without Worthy? Boston without Parish? Heat without Bosh? Spurs without ...who the F even is our 3rd best player??

[Proxy]

True...posted it somewhere else, but Ibaka might be the most important 3rd player ever. Bulls without Rodman/Kukoc? Lakers without Worthy? Boston without Parish? Heat without Bosh? Spurs without ...who the F even is our 3rd best player??

Kawhi... esp looking at the record since he returned

[xmas1997]

That's just a media spin.
Yes, it would have been tougher and closer for OKC against the Spurs with Ibaka, but I doubt the eventual outcome would be different simply due to the way the Spurs have been playing since the Mav series.
They seem to feel they are on a mission IMHO.

[mudyez]

Yeah, thought about him at first too, but you could make a case for Splitter, Manu and even Green every other night. Maybe even pumping KL up to #2 and calling Duncan #3.

[TacoCabanaFajitas]

Yeah, thought about him at first too, but you could make a case for Splitter, Manu and even Green every other night. Maybe even pumping KL up to #2 and calling Duncan #3.

The fact that you people would have trouble nailing down our 2nd-5th most important players shows you the difference in quality of these teams. Parker is our #1, everyone else can jump from 7th to 2nd on any given night

[mudyez]

Thats what I'm implying too :)

And even if (#1) Parker goes down, we don't fall apart like e.g. OKC now. (Not saying, we would win the title without him, but game5 of the Portland series proofed what I want to say)

[heyheymymy]

great points on the limit to which you can cite ibakas absence as the cause of the thunders downfall and the diversity in the spurs depth 2-7 on any given night.


mudyez and tacocabana, nice exchange!

[RD2191]

Overrated. Clips dropped 100+ multiple times on OKC. Spurs have better ball movement and shooters. Sure we probably don't blow them out twice but we still win both.

[wildchild]

http://i.imgur.com/agbm5ul.jpg

:cry :cry :cry

[Poolboy5623]

Bs...As badly as the spurs r beating okc, it'd be a bigger beat down if durant was out and ibaka in. Where do people come up with this stuff??

[BillMc]

Thats what I'm implying too :)

And even if (#1) Parker goes down, we don't fall apart like e.g. OKC now. (Not saying, we would win the title without him, but game5 of the Portland series proofed what I want to say)

Exactly. Look at the last game of the Portland series where TP barely played. Spurs didn't fall apart. But OKC isn't competitive minus its third best player? Maybe, LeBron should have been MVP after all if KD can't carry his team without Ibaka.

[Old School 44]

It's all about matchups. In regards to the Spurs/Thunder, I think Ibaka is the second most important player next to Durant. Ibaka's like a shut down corner, if he can patrol the paint all by himself, that's one part of the game the Thunder don't have to worry about. Every other defender can gamble and play tighter on shooters with Ibaka there to cleanup their mistakes by blocking or altering shots. Not only that, he turns defense into offense for the Thunder. OKC is an emotional, young athletic team that feeds off the blocks and open court run outs that they just don't get without Ibaka. I'm not saying OKC would win if he were playing, but don't fool yourself and think he doesn't have a huge impact on the games.

[pgardn]

Exactly. Look at the last game of the Portland series where TP barely played. Spurs didn't fall apart. But OKC isn't competitive minus its third best player? Maybe, LeBron should have been MVP after all if KD can't carry his team without Ibaka.

Brooks...

You can't integrate a few other players with possibly two of the most gifted players in the league.
Sorry ass job.

[Hoops Czar]

Oh, if Ibaka is this valuable to OKC, I'm surprised so many people question his decision to trade Harden.

[BillMc]

Brooks...

You can't integrate a few other players with possibly two of the most gifted players in the league.
Sorry ass job.

Exactly.

[pgardn]

Oh, if Ibaka is this valuable to OKC, I'm surprised so many people question his decision to trade Harden.

Harden moved the ball round better than KD or Westbrook. He knew what he had. Those 3 together were massive.

[DMC]

Harden moved the ball round better than KD or Westbrook. He knew what he had. Those 3 together were massive.

Except they got worked in the Finals.

They don't move the ball, and teams that don't move the ball will not win a championship. Golden State, Clippers and OKC are all over dribble one on one and one pass and shoot teams.

[pgardn]

Except they got worked in the Finals.

They don't move the ball, and teams that don't move the ball will not win a championship. Golden State, Clippers and OKC are all over dribble one on one and one pass and shoot teams.

By an exceptional defensive team on the perimeter, far superior to ours at the time. Another year together... Harden moved the ball very well when he had those two.

[DMC]

By an exceptional defensive team on the perimeter, far superior to ours at the time. Another year together... Harden moved the ball very well when he had those two.

They won only one game in the Finals. That's an embarrassment. When you get these hot shot teams that don't move the ball, but have two or three superstars... they blow through the chaff and hit a road block when they meet a defensive team that moves the ball. That's why people like Scott Brooks should never coach a professional team. He's a suggestion machine, doesn't coach for shit.

[Hoops Czar]

Harden moved the ball round better than KD or Westbrook. He knew what he had. Those 3 together were massive.

None of them are particularly good defenders though. Ibaka is a defensive anchor and without him, they can't stop a smurf from driving the lane and scoring in the paint. Maybe Presti's not so dumb afterall.

[pgardn]

None of them are particularly good defenders though. Ibaka is a defensive anchor and without him, they can't stop a smurf from driving the lane and scoring in the paint. Maybe Presti's not so dumb afterall.

True.

Harden is by far the worst though, but had so much latitude to do his creative stuff with those players. Not the same in Houston, he forces some really awful shots. Imo KD and Westbrook should be outstanding defenders with the right coach.

[Aztecfan03]

Oh, if Ibaka is this valuable to OKC, I'm surprised so many people question his decision to trade Harden.

I could have sworn peolpe were talking about Perkins or Harden at the time.

[pgardn]

They won only one game in the Finals. That's an embarrassment. When you get these hot shot teams that don't move the ball, but have two or three superstars... they blow through the chaff and hit a road block when they meet a defensive team that moves the ball. That's why people like Scott Brooks should never coach a professional team. He's a suggestion machine, doesn't coach for shit.

Totally agree.
Brooks is awful.

[Hoops Czar]

I could have sworn peolpe were talking about Perkins or Harden at the time.

And what team was going to take on Perkin's contract? How many GM's in the league are that foolish? Keep in mind those foolish ones wouldn't even take Bonner which amounts to less than half of Perkin's ridiculous contract. Anyways, looking at the big picture, keeping Ibakawas the right move down the line because doubt they would have been able to afford all four. Reggie Jackson will probably never develop into a Harden type player, but with tons of upside, he's definitely capable of being a future 6th man in the league.

Harden and Westbrook are both ball dominent guards. One of them had to go before heads clashed and chemistry faded.