NBA: Contender or Pretender

[SPM]

Forgot about OKC......... I'd hate to be a top seed having to play a healthy OKC team in round 1 lol

[ElNono]

It's too early... I'm 99% sure the Cavs will make a move before the season is over. Waiters is a ticking time bomb in that roster, IMO, he's gonna get dealt.

[ambchang]

This isn't an assumption of relative player skill. Just how they played back then. The game has evolved and the players with it. Effort on defense alone since the Jordan era is leagues beyond anything that came before.

And those same players wouldn't have the ability to exert the same effort and learn the same schemes despite having tens of millions of dollars at stake?

[ambchang]

I am still not sold on the Mavs, I think they have great coaching, but the team itself has a lot of holes.

Dirk is their only consistent offensive threat (including passing ability), Ellis can score, but I still do not trust his efficiency or passing, Chandler can finish but cannot create, PG play is weak. Their coaching is excellent. I actually think Carlisle > Pop in terms of in game moves (Pop is better in terms of building a team and overall preparation), and is far better than anybody else, but there is only so much a coach can do.

GSW has great talent, inexperience is a concern, and their chances hang on the health of Bogut. People like to put Bogut in the bust pile, but his defense is elite, and he can be a decent mid range threat if need be. Then of course, he is not healthy too often.

I'd rank

Spurs
Healthy OKC
GSW
Bulls (healthy Rose)


Clippers
Mavs
Cavs


Rockets
Blazers

[tlongII]

Keep doubting us you dumb s. We're gonna make you pay in May and June.

[Splits]

Keep doubting us you dumb s. We're gonna make you pay in May and June.

What offseason moves did the Blazers make that would change the outcome of that beatdown we laid on you 6 months ago?

[SpurSwag]

I define a contender by a team that makes the conference finals in each conference and would have a legitimate change to win once there. With that being said, I think the west contenders are: spurs, thunder, mavs, warriors, and maybe the clippers or rockets. I actually have more faith in the rockets than the clippers, I just hate the clippers roster so much. Out East, I consider chicago, cleveland, a fully healthy Miami, and depending on matchups Toronto and the Wizards. Toronto actually has a good chance to make teh finals if Derozan steps his game up and can play efficiently, he's starting to look like a Harden-lite in terms of depending on free throws.

[tlongII]

What offseason moves did the Blazers make that would change the outcome of that beatdown we laid on you 6 months ago?

Acquiring Kaman and Blake. Another year of experience for guys like McCollum, Leonard, Robinson, and Barton. Our team is so much better this year it's ridiculous. We run two quality 7-footers at all times and we have great 3 point shooters. We are top 10 in offense and defense. We're going to be tough to beat.

[elmanutres]

Keep doubting us you dumb s. We're gonna make you pay in May and June.

You guys cant even defend a simple pick and roll

[313]

Acquiring Kaman and Blake. Another year of experience for guys like McCollum, Leonard, Robinson, and Barton. Our team is so much better this year it's ridiculous. We run two quality 7-footers at all times and we have great 3 point shooters. We are top 10 in offense and defense. We're going to be tough to beat.

You guys were tough to beat last November too. Them May came around, and the guest were shown the door.

[Killakobe81]

And we are assuming those players would have the same advancements to the game over the last 30 years when they were transported back in time?

Was it a gene mutation that allowed players to suddenly learn how to play defense the last little while?

What allowed players today to be so much bigger stronger and faster than those of yesteryears? Another gene mutation? Have we sped up the evolutionary cycle?

I know Amb and I have battled and lately i have agreed with HH but Amb is the one making the great points backed by facts and stats. the 90's did suffer toward the middle and end of the decade because the 80's stars got old. Most players at least went to college for 2-3 years so replenishing that talent was slower. Overall I think the 80's and 2000's were superior to the 90's but people that act as theough th 2010's are vastly superior to that era exaggerate to much. We only have two bonafide legitimate superstars that are clearly in their prime this decade (Durant/Lebron). rose had that promise but may be done. Blake and Davis especially show that promise but I dont see any other legit sure-fire HOF'ers while the 90's produced Shaq, David, GP, KiddPippen etc some who were drafted in 80's but saw their prime hit in the 90's. I cant see this decade or the last producing that many. the 2000's benefited from players drafted in the 90's and hit their prime the next decade.

[ambchang]

I know Amb and I have battled and lately i have agreed with HH but Amb is the one making the great points backed by facts and stats. the 90's did suffer toward the middle and end of the decade because the 80's stars got old. Most players at least went to college for 2-3 years so replenishing that talent was slower. Overall I think the 80's and 2000's were superior to the 90's but people that act as theough th 2010's are vastly superior to that era exaggerate to much. We only have two bonafide legitimate superstars that are clearly in their prime this decade (Durant/Lebron). rose had that promise but may be done. Blake and Davis especially show that promise but I dont see any other legit sure-fire HOF'ers while the 90's produced Shaq, David, GP, KiddPippen etc some who were drafted in 80's but saw their prime hit in the 90's. I cant see this decade or the last producing that many. the 2000's benefited from players drafted in the 90's and hit their prime the next decade.

Exactly. I am not saying the game didn't progress, what I am arguing is that the complexities of today's game has more to do with rule changes and what has been learnt over that time.

Are players stronger and faster than before? Sure, but that has to do with the better training and nutrition than anything else. To say players in the older days wouldn't be able to compete in today's game is asinine. Player will adapt and would obviously be subjected to better nui ikn and training, just like players in the future will get better trainng and nutrition.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Keep doubting us you dumb s. We're gonna make you pay in May and June.

[Legacy]

Keep doubting us you dumb s. We're gonna make you pay in May and June.

God, you are so ing stupid.