If Pau joins OKC, are they the favorite?

[TampaDude]

I think they should spend the offseason trying to add a 4th ref, one time this season I saw Westbrook flailing out of control towards the basket and he didn't end up on the FT line.

[sook]

no, they would actually be worse. Stupid stupid move for OKC if they do.

[Johnny RIngo]

That's not evidence of anything besides the fact that Gasol is underrated and Duncan os overrated.

Nah, even the impact stats indicate Pau is clearly worse than Duncan on defense.

[Chinook]

Nah, even the impact stats indicate Pau is clearly worse than Duncan on defense.

Shot-blocking and all that.

[Malik Hairston]

On paper, yes, obviously..however, they were the favorites to win the West this year, too..

Gasol is a huge addition from a talent perspective, but I don't see how Brooks would utilize his skills in that awful system, tbh..

[Spurs7794]

Not to change anything is premature thinking, if we want to repeat and not return on past mistakes we need to do somthing, i didn't asked for Gasol, but Pierce would give us the dream stretch 4 For Pop to play in his small ball lineups, also would be Kawhai Backup(still can guard LeBron preaty well).

Completely off topic and calling back your emo schtick from last year but THANK GOD the spurs are much more mentally tough than you gave them credit for.

[xmas1997]

I will be very very surprised if he chooses the Spurs or the Thunder and gives up all that money.

[G-Dawgg]

Get OKC a half decent coach and they'll win the next 3 championships in a row...

[therealtruth]

That's just not true, Duncan is a far superior defender to Gasol in almost every aspect. Duncan got 12 All-Defence first team votes this year and would have made a 3rd team if it existed. Voting is hardly the be all and end all (even Harden got votes from Houston broadcasters) but Pau hasn't had an all defence vote in 4 years. Even when the Lakers were the best team in the league between 08-10, he got a total 2 votes in 3 years.

Timmy is a far superior defender right now.

You are definitely underrating his defense. His defense against Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett in the years they won was huge.

[tholdren]

[QUOTE=therealtruth;7483157]You are definitely underrating his defense. His defense against Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett in the years they won was huge.[/QUOTE

You shouldn't pay players for past performance, and this past was how many years ago?

[exstatic]

Yes. Hands down. Gasol is pretty much Duncan on D minus the shot-blocking, and Ibaka is Splitter plus shot-blocking. So I'd say they'd have the advantage in their starting bigs.

I usually like your analysis, but your Ibaka take is horrible. He is in no way "Splitter plus shot-blocking". His offensive game is face the basket, and if the pass comes to you shoot a jumper. He has virtually NO post game. In spite of his shot blocking, he's a lousy post defender. Splitter is better, MUCH better than him at both of those. Splitter's post game at 16 was probably better than Ibaka's now.

[Mr. Body]

Could be going after Vince Carter, too.

[Prime Time]

You are definitely underrating his defense. His defense against Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett in the years they won was huge.

Freaking Bruce Bowen was still with the Spurs when the Lakers played Orlando in the finals

[Raven]

not even close.

[siraulo23]

yes

unless pau has really declined a LOT

[Chinook]

I usually like your analysis, but your Ibaka take is horrible. He is in no way "Splitter plus shot-blocking". His offensive game is face the basket, and if the pass comes to you shoot a jumper. He has virtually NO post game. In spite of his shot blocking, he's a lousy post defender. Splitter is better, MUCH better than him at both of those. Splitter's post game at 16 was probably better than Ibaka's now.

Was talking about D only for both comparisons. Splitter is great at all four aspects of big defense: post, rim-protection, PnR defense andman defense outside the paint. Ibaka is only good at two of those, rim-protection and PnR defense. But he's elite at those, and with Gasol playing C, those are the two that would count the most.

I didn't make my statement to mean Ibaka is a better defender than Splitter. Rather, I was pointing out the roles Gasol and Serve would play and how it would be a viable defensive arraignment.