Author Topic: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition  (Read 7277 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #60 on: May 21, 2018, 12:45:16 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9673
  • Tommy Points: 325
This seems like it is the whiny post. We should be happy with the Celtics in their current position, but instead, let's focus on how unfair it is that the NBA lets all of these good players play with each other?

Regardless of $, this isn't the first super team in league history. How do you think Knicks fans liked the '86 Celtics?

Comparing the Warriors situation with the '86 Celtics doesn't exactly line up in my opinion.  Nobody is saying this is the first super team, but in this debate you have to get real specific with what we're dealing with here...

Golden State isn't just a super team.  They're a team that set the regular season wins record a year after already winning the title and were up 3-1 on the Cavs on the verge of going back to back and probably would have had Draymond not gone through his kick-everyone-in-the-nuts phase.  And it's not like they "just" signed a free agent.  They signed who most, if not everyone, considers to be the 2nd or 3rd best player in the world.

And then on Durant's side of things, it makes it impossible for me and many to not question his competitiveness.  How can you not after you go and join a 73 win team that you were ONE WIN away from eliminating yourself?

I'm not necessarily putting blame on either party, because I may have done each had I been in their respective positions...but you can't deny that the optics of it all are just terrible.  I don't recall hearing the '86 Celtics dealt with this sort of thing.

And the '86 Celtics were built via good drafting and shrewd trading, not through a super-fortunate cap situation.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #61 on: May 21, 2018, 12:50:29 PM »

Offline mahonedog88

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2194
  • Tommy Points: 119
And one more thing. It is unfair to say that the warriors are this good because of durrant. They would have been this good even without him.

Your first point you made I generally agree with, I hated his decision...but to say the Warriors would be just as good without him, I just don't see it.  Would they still be the favorites?  Most likely.  But having two top 5 players on your team instead of 1 is what takes them to another level.

You look back at that move now, Durant going to Golden State essentially shut down the NBA for a few years.  Just think, if you take Durant off the Warriors and put him on literally any other team, the league would be SO much better for it and so much more wide open.

I think that if you take durrant away from that team, curry would be the unanymous MVP version for years to come, plus Klay would be much better. Durrant doesnt make his teammates better, like Melo. Given that Barmes would stay in that case, which is not that bad of a plan B, or an equivalent of a talent/picks they would get via trade, you have yourself a 70 win team, right?

No, probably not.  Houston won 65 games this year and no other team broke 60.  To think that team without Durant, heck even with him, would win 70 games every single year is just not realistic.  Because it doesn't happen.  Other teams get better, competition improves, things get more wide open.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #62 on: May 21, 2018, 12:55:54 PM »

Offline Moranis

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 33461
  • Tommy Points: 1533
And one more thing. It is unfair to say that the warriors are this good because of durrant. They would have been this good even without him.

Your first point you made I generally agree with, I hated his decision...but to say the Warriors would be just as good without him, I just don't see it.  Would they still be the favorites?  Most likely.  But having two top 5 players on your team instead of 1 is what takes them to another level.

You look back at that move now, Durant going to Golden State essentially shut down the NBA for a few years.  Just think, if you take Durant off the Warriors and put him on literally any other team, the league would be SO much better for it and so much more wide open.

I think that if you take durrant away from that team, curry would be the unanymous MVP version for years to come, plus Klay would be much better. Durrant doesnt make his teammates better, like Melo. Given that Barmes would stay in that case, which is not that bad of a plan B, or an equivalent of a talent/picks they would get via trade, you have yourself a 70 win team, right?

No, probably not.  Houston won 65 games this year and no other team broke 60.  To think that team without Durant, heck even with him, would win 70 games every single year is just not realistic.  Because it doesn't happen.  Other teams get better, competition improves, things get more wide open.
and you know people get hurt, you know like Curry.  Or they just lose focus and come to the realization that the regular season really just doesn't matter and put it in cruise control.

That said, if they somehow stayed healthy and focused, they absolutely could still be winning 70 games a year.  It just doesn't matter so they don't bother trying.
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #63 on: May 21, 2018, 02:15:22 PM »

Offline makaveli

  • Ray Allen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3138
  • Tommy Points: 320
  • The Truth
What i meant was, that is still a team to beat by far
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #64 on: May 21, 2018, 05:37:22 PM »

Offline Beat LA

  • NCE
  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8338
  • Tommy Points: 896
  • Mr. Emoji
Honestly, Durant can go on to win 5 rings, but no one will care. No one will respect it.

As much as I despise Lebron, his 1 ring with Cleveland will be worth more than any and all rings Durant wins in his career as a Warrior.

Might sound harsh, but that's how I feel about it, and I'm sure many do. Weakest move in NBA History as of today. If Lebron joins Golden State, then that would become the weakest  :P

I think that's the difference between LeBum and KD - LeBum wants to be THE MAN, he wants the responsibility of being the one that molds a team. I think KD is more comfortable being one of the men. He's not the type of person who will take a team and mold it in his image.

Oh right, that's why he went to Miami ::).
Huh? LeBron definitely was the man on that team, and he definitely contributed to the shape of that team

Statistically, yes, but not in crunch time. Miami was always Wade's team, imo, with Lebron routinely deferring to the former, as well as that other guy, in the biggest moments.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #65 on: May 21, 2018, 05:45:49 PM »

Offline green_bballers13

  • NCE
  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2948
  • Tommy Points: 320
Hating on players because they want to play with other talented players is goofy. These are all competitive athletes that want to win every year. The way to do so is to surround yourself with other good players that want to win. It really is this simple. Danny and Kyrie want Kawhi, Paul George, KAT, and Anthony Davis. They're not concerned about how fans on blogs interpret their roster building.


And yes, Durant is amazing. I think he will be a top 10 player in league history.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #66 on: May 24, 2018, 11:18:54 PM »

Offline Ogaju

  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19479
  • Tommy Points: 1871
The fact that GSW misses Igoudala so much illustrates the ‘injustice’ of Durant taking less money to allow them keep Iggy.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #67 on: May 24, 2018, 11:20:17 PM »

Offline Ogaju

  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19479
  • Tommy Points: 1871
Hating on players because they want to play with other talented players is goofy. These are all competitive athletes that want to win every year. The way to do so is to surround yourself with other good players that want to win. It really is this simple. Danny and Kyrie want Kawhi, Paul George, KAT, and Anthony Davis. They're not concerned about how fans on blogs interpret their roster building.


And yes, Durant is amazing. I think he will be a top 10 player in league history.

Then cancel the salary cap and allow true competition.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #68 on: May 25, 2018, 12:09:56 AM »

Offline Ogaju

  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19479
  • Tommy Points: 1871
Wonder if Durant will run to Houston if they lose to Houston.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #69 on: May 25, 2018, 08:13:01 AM »

Offline Moranis

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 33461
  • Tommy Points: 1533
Wonder if Durant will run to Houston if they lose to Houston.
The bigger question for me is, if they do lose to Houston is their ownership group really going to keep paying that kind of salary, especially with the repeater tax getting ready to kick in.  It is one thing if you are winning titles to pay obscene amounts of luxury tax.  It is entirely another thing to do it for a team that didn't even reach the NBA Finals.
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #70 on: May 25, 2018, 08:27:20 AM »

Offline jambr380

  • K.C. Jones
  • *************
  • Posts: 13002
  • Tommy Points: 1756
  • Everybody knows what's best for you
Wonder if Durant will run to Houston if they lose to Houston.
The bigger question for me is, if they do lose to Houston is their ownership group really going to keep paying that kind of salary, especially with the repeater tax getting ready to kick in.  It is one thing if you are winning titles to pay obscene amounts of luxury tax.  It is entirely another thing to do it for a team that didn't even reach the NBA Finals.

Well, they may be able to sustain it for a while with this current group knowing they really do have an incredible team. My hope is that GSW loses in the WCF this year and players like Durant and Klay decide they want to make actual max dollars. If you are easily winning championships year after year and becoming a dynasty, then you are probably more content taking a discount; but if you can't even make the finals, then you might start to question why you are playing for so much less than your counterparts.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #71 on: May 25, 2018, 09:16:52 AM »

Offline hardlyyardley

  • NCE
  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1190
  • Tommy Points: 149
zero assists...22 shots?

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #72 on: May 25, 2018, 09:18:39 AM »

Offline hardlyyardley

  • NCE
  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1190
  • Tommy Points: 149
zero assists...22 shots?

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #73 on: May 25, 2018, 09:21:22 AM »

Offline LarBrd33

  • Robert Parish
  • *********************
  • Posts: 21238
  • Tommy Points: 2016
If Golden State loses this series or really ANY series in the next 5 years, they should all retire in shame.  Just a shameful, shameful thing for a team that stacked to ever lose.  They added an MVP to a 73 win team.  They are all in their prime.  There is no excuse for them to ever be defeated.  Vegas had their odds of winning the title greater than a #1 seed beating a #16 seed in the NCAA tournament.   

If they lose - they should all just quit basketball.

Re: Durant... amazing how one player just upended the competition
« Reply #74 on: May 25, 2018, 02:35:32 PM »

Offline Who

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 47136
  • Tommy Points: 2401
If Golden State loses this series or really ANY series in the next 5 years, they should all retire in shame.  Just a shameful, shameful thing for a team that stacked to ever lose.  They added an MVP to a 73 win team.  They are all in their prime.  There is no excuse for them to ever be defeated.  Vegas had their odds of winning the title greater than a #1 seed beating a #16 seed in the NCAA tournament.   

If they lose - they should all just quit basketball.

Couldn't agree more.