Why is Kawhi getting so much hate?

[LongtimeSpursFan]

^^^^^I second this motion.

[resistanze]

Sucked that his 3 point shot abandoned him too...shot like 28%.

[AztecSpur]

Kawhi seemed to peak in his 2014 finals MVP performance, the last 2 finals he hasn't lived up to the hype. He played free and easy that year, he seems to clam up now at the end of the year and defers to Tony down the stretch. I don't know if it's tired legs or what, but it's hard to watch when you really need him the most. He's a balls out kind of player, I think maybe he needs to learn to pace himself.

Or just maybe we're just expecting too much as he's actually exceeded my expectaions in the NBA.

[kaji157]

It's fine to criticize Kawhi -- he deserves his share.

That being said, LMA is one of the most non-physical bigs I've ever seen. I mean, I'm glad he finally got double-digit rebounds in a game this series, I just wish he would attack the rim more. You'd expect a 6'11'' PF to get to the line at least once. But, it's hard to draw fouls when all you shoot is Dirk fadeaways off one leg.

Dirk used to go to the line a lot with that move, and also LMA, this series the Spurs couldn´t get any call, and i´m sure in the future this series will be tainted with gambling or some issue like that.

[daslicer]

Kawhi seemed to peak in his 2014 finals MVP performance, the last 2 finals he hasn't lived up to the hype. He played free and easy that year, he seems to clam up now at the end of the year and defers to Tony down the stretch. I don't know if it's tired legs or what, but it's hard to watch when you really need him the most. He's a balls out kind of player, I think maybe he needs to learn to pace himself.

Or just maybe we're just expecting too much as he's actually exceeded my expectaions in the NBA.

He definitely stepped up in the 2014 finals but I think a lot of people forget at that time he wasn't considered by opponents as the Spurs number 1 guy. Miami didn't game plan for him going off in that series and I think that helped him a lot to be lose and free. The last 2 years in the playoffs opponents have game planned for him.

[DarrinS]

Dirk used to go to the line a lot with that move, and also LMA, this series the Spurs couldn´t get any call, and i´m sure in the future this series will be tainted with gambling or some issue like that.

It is odd that LMA didn't go to the FT line ONCE in that game.

[spursmvp]

Kawhi's all around play is the only reason we're even in the playoffs. It's not his fault OKC packed the paint and focused on him cause no one else on our team can hit the ocean. I doubt KD or lebron would've done much if they were in Kawhi's shoes in this series.

[K...]

7 pages of straw man on straw man action.

You know who should eat ....The prior who said "Leonard should play the whole game, fat head" one day and then " poor Leonard, he can't do it all" pick one. Either he's a beta choker or a guy who needs rest?

[skulls138]

Neither with LMA as #1.

But the Spurs can get success with Kawhi and LMA working as some interchangeable scoring tandem of 1-a/1-b most games.

They just need a decent supporting cast.

Westbrook didn't outplay Kawhi in the series, either Durant/LMA...but their role players killed ours.

Ive got no problem with Kawhi. He is what he is, not a pure scorer but more than makes up for it in other ways. LMA could learn a thing from him tbh. Personally I think LMA could be our number one option but only if he takes care of ALL his responsibilities. You cant be pushed around down low and expect your outside shot to keep you relevant. Its his first season with the Spurs though, will be interested to see how he looks next season.

[Kawhitstorm]

kawhi is a great defensive player and a good all around scorer who gives 100% effort every night, but he'll never be an elite threat offensively

He isn't going to be better than Carmelo b/c he doesn't have elite athleticism but he can averaged 25 ppg on 50% shooting while playing elite defense. For reference, Pippen never averaged more than 22 ppg while being the best 2-way player in the league after Jordan retired (93-95).

hopefully he comes back better next year but most likely he has reached his peak and he is who he is at this point. He'll be a great #2 or #3 option on a championship team but hee cant be the #1 guy

Curry was averaging 22 pt at the same age as Kawhi

This is Kawhi 1st season as a go-to guy on offense & he has improved every season he has been in the league so I don't see why anyone would claimed "he has reached his peak" when Curry was the most improved player after an MVP season.

[Kawhitstorm]

Horford is intriguing. I like that he's played under Budenholzer for obvious reasons and I like that he's a bit younger than Pau. But I'm not 100% convinced he is worth the cash it would require to get him here. But it's a good question. My concern with Pau is it feels like we're just kicking the age can a bit further down the road instead of truly building another "Big 3" from the ground up. Horford would be a bit more along those lines.

Horford/LMA would be the SOFTEST All-Star frontline in modern day NBA

[Kawhitstorm]

It is doubtful, especially with Tim and Manu's imminent departure that the Spurs would trade/ get rid of Tony. My question would be, would he be willing to come off the bench with Bob, Kyle, Boban, and Patty if Conley and Horford were available?

Pop isn't EVER trading Tony, Patty/Diaw getting traded for Teague is more likely to happen. In that case, Teague can back up Tony who will be Pop's security blanket.

[bic50]

For those that are true fans of this team, it's understandable for them to be a disappointed. But es like thegreatcuck and longtimecuckman have been hating on kawhi all season regardless

[Kawhitstorm]

I didn´tt expect him to Carry a team. I am just asking him to take advantage of a team with no elite defenders, he failed at it. Plain and simple.

If you want to believe every other not max player on the team has the guilt for this elimination. Great for you, but leonard was guarded by Durant, Waiters and Robertson the whole series, and he didn´t take properly advantage of t.

Look at what Westbrook and Durant did playing against much better defenders.

Kawhi has to learn on this, and on top of this, learn to pass, because the difference in the series was OKC´s star ability to either score or create for others, instead SAS stars couldn´t create for other when they weren´t scoring.

If you are saying Kawhi isn't as good an offensive player as Durant & WestBRick then you are right. There is a reason why he is labeled as the best "two-way" player. Even Paul George is a more explosive offensive player than Kawhi.

[Kawhitstorm]

Kawhi is a 1.75 way player not a 2 way player his defense is 1.25 and offense is .5, when he won finals MVP Tony was the number 1 option on offense and Tim was the anchor on defense.

When the Spurs won in 2014, the BENCH was the #1 option & they were running a motion offense which is what suits Kawhi the best.

he averaged 23 a game shooting 50% while having to guard 2 of the best scorers in the leauge. wtf haha. I mean, Curry is his on defense, Kd is hid on defense. Lebron is hid on defense. Leonard doesn't get hid on defense. He has to guard his man, Parker's assignment , and also score..

The last player to average 22 ppg & shoot 50% while guarding KD/WB was LeBron in the 2012 Finals.

MVP Kobe had PRIME Pau/Odom & averaged 25 on 40% shooting when he had to guard Pierce/Ray Allen (Ariza was injured) in the 2008 Finals. (In 2010, he had Artest to deal w/ Pierce & Ray Allen was playing w/ two shattered ankles; still shot 40%)

[Kawhitstorm]

I don't hate Kawhi but I do hate his bandwagon fans. They tend to be the stupidest fans on the internet up there with the Kobe s. They have delusional views of the type of player Kawhi is simply based off of him winning the Finals MVP in 2014. They make excuses for his failure such as Parker,Pop, is holding him back but when in reality he's not assertive vocally, has average ball handling skills that limit his ability to be a great offensive player.

It won't take much for Kawhi to be as good a score as Carmelo: better handles & a couple of counters in the post. Maybe some respect from the refs would also help.

The league in my eyes currently only has 3 legit superstars which is Lebron,Durant,Curry. That will change in the next few years with younger players developing and new players coming into the league. Outside of those 3 superstars the other good players are just stars. Kawhi is probably the best star player in the league. I would take him over Harden and Westbrook simply because those guys are serial chuckers with terribly low FG percentages. With that being said the Kawhi fans have argued all year that he was in the same class as Lebron,Durant,Curry when clearly he wasn't. I don't think Kawhi will ever be as good as those guys or reach that level but that's not a knock against Kawhi since very few players can reach that echelon. It doesn't mean the Spurs can't win a championship in the future but what it does mean is the Spurs are going to have to be a deeper team and get other guys who can be scorers to win against the Lebrons,Durants,Curries.

Folks were claiming Curry wasn't even a top 5 player last season & we all know how that turned out. Kawhi was the second most improved player in the league next to Curry & is 4 years younger.

[Kawhitstorm]

Kawhi seemed to peak in his 2014 finals MVP performance, the last 2 finals he hasn't lived up to the hype. He played free and easy that year, he seems to clam up now at the end of the year and defers to Tony down the stretch. I don't know if it's tired legs or what, but it's hard to watch when you really need him the most. He's a balls out kind of player, I think maybe he needs to learn to pace himself.

Kawhi expends as much energy on defense as Harden does on offense, Harden's excuse for playing ZERO defense is that he has to carry the offense.

[Kawhitstorm]

Kawhi's all around play is the only reason we're even in the playoffs. It's not his fault OKC packed the paint and focused on him cause no one else on our team can hit the ocean. I doubt KD or lebron would've done much if they were in Kawhi's shoes in this series.

We all saw what 24 year old Durant was made of after WestBrick got injured in 2013 & he ended up shooting 42% while hiding on Tony Allen when 60 win OKC got bounced in 5 games by the same Grizz the Spurs SWEPT in the WCF w/ Porker styling on Tony Allen.

OKLAHOMA CITY — During the fourth quarter, Kevin Durant could often be found leaning over, grabbing his shorts. Yeah, the Oklahoma City Thunder's superstar was gassed — but the universally recognizable sign was unnecessary. Going into the final seconds, the stat sheet told the story: 5-for-20.

Even so, down two points in the final seconds Wednesday, there was never a question, who would take the last shot for Oklahoma City. On this night, given Durant's evident fatigue, maybe the outcome wasn't surprising, either.

After going 2-for-13 and scoring only five points beginning with the fourth quarter of Game 4, Durant's slump worsened. At times, he seemed frustrated — though he later denied it — by the combination of Memphis' defense and a shotmaker's sudden inability to make shots.
"I gave it all I had for my team," Durant said. "I left it all on the floor. I missed 16 shots, but I kept fighting and I kept being aggressive. That's all I can ask for."
But as his shots fell short, he passed up seeming opportunities. For long stretches Wednesday, the Thunder's best player disappeared. Durant's first attempt of the second half — another miss — came almost five minutes in, with Memphis up by 14. A moment later, Durant rebounded his own free throw miss and scored. Next trip downcourt, with a rare open transition 3-pointer, he threw up an air ball.

The narrative following that series was that Durant wasn't in LeBron's league: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...on-james-level

If Durant was LeBron, though, it wouldn't have needed to be. He would have been able to will his team to victory the way LeBron did in Cleveland. Not to a championship—LeBron couldn't even win one alone. But close to one.
He didn't, though. Because he's not LeBron. No one is. Not Kobe Bryant, not Carmelo Anthony and not Chris Paul.
No one. LeBron is on his own level. An unreachable pedestal that not even Durant can approach. There have been arguments that attempt to convince otherwise, but they can't. Not now.

[Hoops Czar]

It won't take much for Kawhi to be as good a score as Carmelo: better handles & a couple of counters in the post. Maybe some respect from the refs would also help.




Folks were claiming Curry wasn't even a top 5 player last season & we all know how that turned out. Kawhi was the second most improved player in the league next to Curry & is 4 years younger.

You can sit there and project all you want, but, neither Carmelo or Kawhi makes their teammates better on the offensive side of the ball because they're not playmakers. As good of a scorer Carmelo has been over the years, his team's have been nothing short of disappointing. If the Spurs want to sniff the finals in the Leonard era, He better adapt his game to Lebron's, not Anthony's or this team will be a consistent one and done in the playoffs. As leonard's team, they're still looking for their first legitimate playoff series win.

[Kawhitstorm]

You can sit there and project all you want, but, neither Carmelo or Kawhi makes their teammates better on the offensive side of the ball because they're not playmakers. As good of a scorer Carmelo has been over the years, his team's have been nothing short of disappointing. If the Spurs want to sniff the finals in the Leonard era, He better adapt his game to Lebron's, not Anthony's or this team will be a consistent one and done in the playoffs. As leonard's team, they're still looking for their first legitimate playoff series win.

Last I checked Carmelo plays James Harden-ish defense.

If Carmelo played defense like Kawhi then the Nuggets would have beaten the Lakers in 2009 WCF & Carmelo would have a ring considering how LeBron/Kobe destroyed the Magic.

[spursistan]

Horford/LMA would be the SOFTEST All-Star frontline in modern day NBA

[Kawhitstorm]

Imagine 2008 Finals Pau/Odom except softer.

[SAGirl]

Horford/LMA would be the SOFTEST All-Star frontline in modern day NBA

Yes I don't want Horford I'd rather get an athletic raw player like Biyombo, Nerlens Noel. Someone who is a freaking athlete who is going to gobble up a rebound, but both guys are raw, Noel I have seen biting on fakes, etc. A raw athlete like that will be a pain for Pop to deal with but I would rather have Pop going that way.

[tholdren]

Spurs should just play Kyle Anderson..... by himself...... against the whole other team

[Kawhitstorm]

Yes I don't want Horford I'd rather get an athletic raw player like Biyombo, Nerlens Noel. Someone who is a freaking athlete who is going to gobble up a rebound, but both guys are raw, Noel I have seen biting on fakes, etc. A raw athlete like that will be a pain for Pop to deal with but I would rather have Pop going that way.