Are Murray and White the Best Players on the Team?

[TD 21]

I've heard this said a few times recently. I figure it's the usual dislike for Aldridge/big man bias, but I do wonder what the consensus is.

Given Aldridge's long track record and what he pulled last season, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt until at least December, but 2nd and 3rd seems reasonable already.

This begs the question: Why is the 4th or 5th best player on the team being prioritized over them?

[apalisoc_9]

its Aldridge, Derozan

[itzsoweezee]

Just realized Aldridge is 34. I don't think it's reasonable for this team to treat him as more than a 3rd or 4th option at this point in his career.

On the other hand, he is the only post presence on the entire roster. The problem is he doesn't seem very interested in playing around the basket this year.

There is a disconnect between the important role he serves and his abilities/interest

[TD 21]

its Aldridge, Derozan

Casual fan has been fooled into thinking DeRozan is a star because he looks the part and has benefitted from circumstance more than any other in his generation to rack up a bunch of accomplishments.

No impact stats nor the eye test (to a trained eye, at least) indicate as much.

[MultiTroll]

Yes

[FkLA]

Overall, defense included, probably yeah.

Offensively, I don't think they're on par with LMA and DeRozan yet. Before his 4th Qtr, one man comeback Murray had been struggling offensively. That three he hit Sunday is the only midranger/three I can remember him hitting all season. Still not a great halfcourt playmaker and pretty sloppy with turnovers (both halfcourt and on fastbreaks). White still plays like he doesn't know how good he is at times. Some of that is on Pop treating him like a role player but part of it is also on him.

[RC_Drunkford]

By far. They both have the ability to take over games. DeRozan does the total opposite. LA can takeover, but not in crunch time

[emanueldavidginobili]

By far. They both have the ability to take over games. DeRozan does the total opposite. LA can takeover, but not in crunch time
Come on now man....by far? That’s a crazy statement lol. At this very moment in time LaMarcus and DeMar are both better basketball players than Dejounte and Derrick, and I’m huge fans of those young kids.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

A team lead by Murray and White wouldn’t make the playoffs. This team as constructed with a mix of vets and youth may crack a top four seed in postseason.

[Chinook]

No, and it's not really close. People like to pretend like those two are always their "good" versions and focus on the flaws of the other players. As inconsistent as DeRozan and especially Aldridge is, they are way more consistent than Murray and White, and LMA's and DMDR's "good" versions are stars that win playoff series.

[TimDunkem]

How many playoff series has LMA won in SA without Kawhi?

[Chinook]

How many playoff series has LMA won in SA without Kawhi?

Fair to say he beat Houston, unless you think Kawhi's presence on the bench is what let LMA dominate that close-out game.

[TimDunkem]

Fair to say he beat Houston, unless you think Kawhi's presence on the bench is what let LMA dominate that close-out game.

So 1?

[Chinook]

So 1?

I mean, since that one, he's lost to GS twice and Denver once. You kinda narrowed the opportunities down when you removed half his Spurs career and entire Portland career.

[Rosewood]

I mean, since that one, he's lost to GS twice and Denver once. You kinda narrowed the opportunities down when you removed half his Spurs career and entire Portland career. :lol why are you entertaining the troll? Just ignore the fag and move on.

[tim_duncan_fan]

Neither are consistent enough to say that and White in particular is still scared to shoot most of the time.

[Collins21]

I mean, since that one, he's lost to GS twice and Denver once. You kinda narrowed the opportunities down when you removed half his Spurs career and entire Portland career.

Yeah this dude has some sick fetish with making it seem like LA just shits the bed every playoffs. Hell In his Spurs career I could ask how many series did Kawhi win as the man? He choked against the Clippers and thunder back to back but nut guzzlers act like that never happened.

[Mugen]

Who knows, all I know is that they were both on the bench tonight so Patty could guard Trae Fucking Young :lmao

[hombre]

Right now maybe, but Aldridge is such a slow burn over the course of the season.

[itzsoweezee]

Who knows, all I know is that they were both on the bench tonight so Patty could guard Trae Fucking Young :lmao

Could not believe my eyes when I saw that

[KimmyGib]

Still Aldridge. For as much hate as he gets around here, the last 2 years would have been far, far uglier without him.

[timvp]

Well timed thread, tnbh.

[DPG21920]

White & Murray playing well BY FAR is more impactful; just about every metric known supports that. But as of now you’d have to put Derozan & LMA ahead and that’s the problem.

Those two are tough to build around and don’t bring value if their offense suffers for the most part but they can perform well with high usage.

Murray & White can still impact defense if they are off.

[GreekSpursfan]

This team doesn't have a "best player". No player on this team deserves to have the adjective "best" in front of "player".

[duncan2k5]

A team lead by Murray and White wouldn’t make the playoffs. This team as constructed with a mix of vets and youth may crack a top four seed in postseason.

No one thought Oladipo could lead a team to the playoffs either... No one thought of him to be more than a roleplayer... Turns out all he needed to break out was to not be on a team with a ball dominant player and be given the freedom to grow...

We are judging Murray and White in the lens if them deferring to two ball dominant veterans who get moody when they don't get their way on the court... Dump DDR and LMA... get two or more roleplayers for them that actually compliment our young guys, and we will definitely start to play better... Much more movement and spacing

[duncan2k5]

Yeah this dude has some sick fetish with making it seem like LA just shits the bed every playoffs. Hell In his Spurs career I could ask how many series did Kawhi win as the man? He choked against the Clippers and thunder back to back but nut guzzlers act like that never happened.

It was actually LMA that choked VS the thunder... He had two or three great games then shit the bed afterwards... He had games where he shot below 20 or 30%... Was out-rebounded (the reason we lost), and just generally played soft

[Collins21]

It was actually LMA that choked VS the thunder... He had two or three great games then shit the bed afterwards... He had games where he shot below 20 or 30%... Was out-rebounded (the reason we lost), and just generally played soft

They both choked because they both had horrible second halves a game 4 and Kawhi was just awful in game 2 that was worse than any game LA had in that series.

[duncan2k5]

They both choked because they both had horrible second halves a game 4 and Kawhi was just awful in game 2 that was worse than any game LA had in that series.

Wait what??? �� Kawhi scored 14 points in game 2...seven rebounds... Two steals... Had the highest +/- on the team (LMA had a negative)... And shot %39...

LMA had games that series where he shot 38 and 28%...and he DEFINITELY lost it for us because the main reason we were losing was our rebounding... OKC was bitching LMA down low... They were grabbing offensive rebounds all day all night and he couldn't handle their physicality

[Collins21]

Wait what??? �� Kawhi scored 14 points in game 2...seven rebounds... Two steals... Had the highest +/- on the team (LMA had a negative)... And shot %39...

LMA had games that series where he shot 38 and 28%...and he DEFINITELY lost it for us because the main reason we were losing was our rebounding... OKC was bitching LMA down low... They were grabbing offensive rebounds all day all night and he couldn't handle their physicality

Don't care about+/- when it came down to it Andre Roberson was all over Kawhi. Game 4 second half we lost because he didn't do shit while KD went nuclear. Now if LeBron was outplayed by another Superstar like that in the second half it would be held to a higher standard.

[duncan2k5]

Don't care about+/- when it came down to it Andre Roberson was all over Kawhi. Game 4 second half we lost because he didn't do shit while KD went nuclear. Now if LeBron was outplayed by another Superstar like that in the second half it would be held to a higher standard.

Bro... LMA SHOT 28%!!!! and was constantly out rebounded (u know... The reason we lost)

[Collins21]

Bro... LMA SHOT 28%!!!! and was constantly out rebounded (u know... The reason we lost)

Bullshit I got your ass. I was waiting for you to slip and say that. it's well know on this site even back then that the reason we lost was because Pop kept playing Diaw and David west together and that's why we got out rebounded. We even came up with a nickname for it called the Turd Towers. Man I didn't know you were petty enough to lie to push you narrative.

[Kobe'sAchilles]

Tbh LMA has shown he can lead a team (barely) to the playoffs. But DeRozan hasn't shown shit as far as that goes. Anything he did in the East doesn't mean shit as LBJ didn't even make the playoffs last year in the West and he was the best the East had to offer.

This year, DeRozan hasn't shown that he can make the playoffs never mind win an actual series. The dude shrank in the playoffs against the Wizards and the Pacers, can you imagine him against the Clips this year?

White and DJ aren't enough for us to make it to the playoffs this year, but if the team were actually constructed around them instead of this clusterfuck of a roster then I believe we would've made the playoffs. Draft an athletic SF in this year's draft with our top 10 pick. Give DJ a running big man (ala Randle), play Lonnie, ditch Marco and I would take our chances.

Also White and Murray need to play actual minutes at some point in the fucking season because I'm tired of seeing Forbes and Mills paired together

[horseshue]

If white and Murray are best players, than this is a lottery team.

[NASpurs]

Trade DeMar for a couple of shooters that can play passable defense. Have Murray/White play a 2010 or so Parker-role of driving the ball and kicking it out to shooters if the defense collapses on them. The Spurs seem to have reverted from that style of play and to something from the 90s because of Walmart Kobe who needs to be gone ASAP.

[R. DeMurre]

I don't really care about the who's better debate, because "better" is relative in a team concept. Bruce Bowen had shortcomings as a basketball player, but worked perfectly in his role. But I do feel safe saying this: There's no way DeRozan and Forbes should be averaging almost 63 minutes per game while Murray and White are averaging 46 mpg. That's not a winning formula.

[John B]

I cannot say unless they show that they can close the games. And that’s what really matter.

[coachmac87]

OP is just a bitter unhappy causual/vanilla fan...

[TD 21]

Did you apologists even bother reading before complaining? I merely asked the question and specifically said I didn't agree.

[XDT76]

I think actually White had regressed abit from last session, part of it could be because Poeltl suddenly could roll and a large part is bcos he is playing with Mills.

[TheSpurglar]

Casual fan has been fooled into thinking DeRozan is a star because he looks the part and has benefitted from circumstance more than any other in his generation to rack up a bunch of accomplishments.

No impact stats nor the eye test (to a trained eye, at least) indicate as much.

In my opinion, it's not that DeRozan is a star. It's that Murray and White aren't yet either, and DeRozan can more consistently take over offensively to a degree that the other two can't, or perhaps are unwilling/hesitant to due to Pop.

Defensively, they're both head and shoulders beyond DeRozan, but so is Aldridge, who is also better than them all of them offensively, so Aldridge is currently the best player and the other three rotate the 2-4 spots.