NBA Thread

[Atothe]

So it's typically an offensively weak position?

 

Yes, I think this is the weakest the position has been in decades. Point guard and small forward positions are the strongest ever. James Harden is the best shooting guard despite being one of the worst defenders I have ever witnessed. That's how efficient he is at the offensive end he is.

[SpeedyGose]

I think you have to say Lance is legit - I hate him too - he is strong defensively and has a well rounded offensive game.

 

Dragic isn't a SG IMO. They played dual PGs last year, same way I wouldn't consider GV a SG either

[Atothe]

Harden, Derozan, Dragic, Matthews, Beal, Kobe, Wade, are the legitimate SGs imo

 

Then the Greens, Butler, Stephenson, Johnson, Ross, Afflalo, Crawford, Gordon, Henderson, etc are the next tier

 

Then it gets pretty s*****

 

Wade and Kobe are done as impact players, maybe they can be good role players.

[Atothe]

Anthony Davis looks ready to challenge Durant as best player in the West. Pelicans are gonna make the playoffs if he stays healthy.

[Orgfiller]

Harden, Derozan, Dragic, Matthews, Beal, Kobe, Wade, are the legitimate SGs imo

 

Then the Greens, Butler, Stephenson, Johnson, Ross, Afflalo, Crawford, Gordon, Henderson, etc are the next tier

 

Then it gets pretty s*****

 

I would say that Dragic is a PG, I'm not sure if you say this because either he played at SG during the season or his game resembles that of a SG.

[GD]

I'm just going by people who played SG

[Orgfiller]

So it's typically an offensively weak position?

 

It's not usually a very deep position in terms of impact players, but it went from Michael Jordan to Kobe and Wade, so it's not like there haven't been great players at the position.

[dineke]

I think if we change it to "who are the best wing players", it would be a much more interesting conversation as the SG and SF positions are pretty interchangeable in today's NBA.

[Orgfiller]

Anthony Davis looks ready to challenge Durant as best player in the West. Pelicans are gonna make the playoffs if he stays healthy.

 

Davis is an absolute monster, but the Pelicans need more depth to be truly competitve IMO. I still somewhat believe in Tyreke Evans but I'm not sure if he can come close to posting numbers like his rookie season. Eric Gordon is very meh, not really a first division player. I like Jrue Holiday, but he's not a clear-cut top 10 PG. They have players that would be good on the bench like Asik, probably Ryan Anderson, but those guys should not be starters in a team that wants to make it far into the tough Western Conference.

[GD]

The Pelicans need to rework some stuff. Maybe deal Jrue for something actually useful and Gordon to Phoenix. They've got plenty of time with AD.

[dineke]

Can't really expect a team called the Pelicans to be good.

[Atothe]

Davis is an absolute monster, but the Pelicans need more depth to be truly competitve IMO. I still somewhat believe in Tyreke Evans but I'm not sure if he can come close to posting numbers like his rookie season. Eric Gordon is very meh, not really a first division player. I like Jrue Holiday, but he's not a clear-cut top 10 PG. They have players that would be good on the bench like Asik, probably Ryan Anderson, but those guys should not be starters in a team that wants to make it far into the tough Western Conference.

 

I think a pelicans team with a healthy Davis is a 7th or 8th seed in the west with potential to upset. I might actually bet on it (which I never do).

[Atothe]

The Pelicans need to rework some stuff. Maybe deal Jrue for something actually useful and Gordon to Phoenix. They've got plenty of time with AD.

 

Jrue holiday is a good player, once he understands his role is to shoot 3's and play good defense he'll thrive. Omar Asik and AD will dominate on defense. Asik allows Davis to play power forward which allow him to take a lot less punishment. This is a top 10 defensive team.

[Orgfiller]

Jrue holiday is a good player, once he understands his role is to shoot 3's and play good defense he'll thrive. Omar Asik and AD will dominate on defense. Asik allows Davis to play power forward which allow him to take a lot less punishment. This is a top 10 defensive team.

 

Asik has pretty much no offensive game though, you can't expect Davis to do everything.

[Orgfiller]

The Pelicans need to rework some stuff. Maybe deal Jrue for something actually useful and Gordon to Phoenix. They've got plenty of time with AD.

 

I think Gordon's value significantly decreased after leaving the Clippers, not sure what they'd be able to get for him now.

[SpeedyGose]

Davis is an absolute monster, but the Pelicans need more depth to be truly competitve IMO. I still somewhat believe in Tyreke Evans but I'm not sure if he can come close to posting numbers like his rookie season. Eric Gordon is very meh, not really a first division player. I like Jrue Holiday, but he's not a clear-cut top 10 PG. They have players that would be good on the bench like Asik, probably Ryan Anderson, but those guys should not be starters in a team that wants to make it far into the tough Western Conference.

 

I'm a pretty big fan of the Pelicans. Jrue isn't top 10 but if he and Anderson didn't have their freak injuries last year, they were a borderline playoff team. Added Asik who fits what they needed perfectly + natural progression of AD. I could see them passing teams like Dallas for a playoff spot.

[Atothe]

Asik has pretty much no offensive game though, you can't expect Davis to do everything.

 

But he isn't a focal point. Ryan Anderson helps space the floor with his outside shooting. Offense should run through Davis. He's so skilled I trust to make his teammates better.

[dineke]

Jrue/Gordan/Tyreke might be the most overpaid back-court in the league. They need to get rid of all 3 of them.

[Atothe]

I think tyreke Evans coming off the bench can be very beneficial. Sort of like Jamal Crawford lite

[dineke]

I'm a pretty big fan of the Pelicans. Jrue isn't top 10 but if he and Anderson didn't have their freak injuries last year, they were a borderline playoff team. Added Asik who fits what they needed perfectly + natural progression of AD. I could see them passing teams like Dallas for a playoff spot.

 

The west was stacked. No way Anderson makes that kind of an impact and Holiday is just meh.

[Atothe]

The west is stacked. No way Anderson makes that kind of an impact and Holiday is just meh.

 

I think he does. Remember when he was paired with Dwight Howard? He was pretty damn good. Tough rebounding skills and a sniper. Decent defender.

[SpeedyGose]

The west was stacked. No way Anderson makes that kind of an impact and Holiday is just meh.

 

You have nothing to back that statement, lol. If Anderson and Jrue both played 70 games, that would have been worth another 7 wins. Add that to the fact they were blatantly tanking to end the season as well as what I previously mentioned (AD and Asik) and there is an argument playoffs are a decent possibility for this season

[dineke]

I think he does. Remember when he was paired with Dwight Howard? He was pretty damn good. Tough rebounding skills and a sniper. Decent defender.

 

He hasn't been a good defender since he left Dwight Howard. Good offensive player but he alone doesn't at 11-13 wins to last years team to make them a borderline playoff team in the west.

[dineke]

You have nothing to back that statement, lol. If Anderson and Jrue both played 70 games, that would have been worth another 7 wins. Add that to the fact they were blatantly tanking to end the season as well as what I previously mentioned (AD and Asik) and there is an argument playoffs are a decent possibility for this season

 

I was talking about last season.

[SpeedyGose]

I guess you missed the part about adding Asik and Davis improvement. In Asik's worst season he was worth 2.5 wins. Not to mention they were giving away games at the end of the season. So yes, that would be a borderline playoff team

[dineke]

Again, I was refuting your point that they would have been a borderline playoff team LAST season with Anderson and Jrue healthy so I don't why you're bringing up Asik because he wasn't on their team LAST season...

 

This year sure... I guess. I don't know where you're getting the 2.5 wins thing from though.

[SpeedyGose]

Again, I was refuting your point that they would have been a borderline playoff team LAST season with Anderson and Jrue healthy so I don't why you're bringing up Asik because he wasn't on their team LAST season...

 

This year sure... I guess. I don't know where you're getting the 2.5 wins thing from though.

 

Ya, my bad. I thought you meant this season.

 

This is where I got it from: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/asikom01.html

[dineke]

Oh you're talking about win shares... it's a better stat than PER but there are still flaws with it and you can't really apply it to a player going from one team to another like WAR in baseball.

[SpeedyGose]

http://nyloncalculus.com/2014/08/20/back-court-shot-selection/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

Well timed article for our discussion on wing players

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Whoever was hating on Tyreke Evans.. take that back! Would love me some Tyreke on the Raps. Imagine him starting at SF with Ross playing a more natural SG and subbing in at the 3 on occasion. That'd be sweet.