[TWEET]511565091037536256[/TWEET] 51-100: Robin Lopez #82 Wesley Mathews #72 http://www.si.com/nba/2014/top-100-nba-players-2015-list
its kind of funny that in the writeup for Mathews they say "Matthews should look back on 2013-14 as the season he finally convinced the NBA world to stop overlooking him.". If you showed that to Mathews I bet he would take that as an insult and add to the chip on his shoulder. I think Lopez/Mathews are both undervalued on the rankings but then again i'm a huge blazer homer.
Nicolas Batum #43 The graceful small forward got a little nastier in 2013-14, with his 7.5 rebounding average representing a major improvement over his previous glasswork Batum's rebounding numbers spiked as he compensated for power forward LaMarcus Aldridge's late-season absence, but this was also a case of the long-armed wing seeking out new ways to contribute, something he has done throughout his six-year career. Batum is a jack-of-all-trades who seems ideally suited for his complementary role. He is equally capable of hitting catch-and-shoot jumpers, initiating pick-and-roll action, defending all three perimeter positions and executing chase-down blocks in transition. His toolbox was on display during the FIBA World Cup, where Batum made the all-tournament team and led France to a bronze medal. That latter accomplishment deserves praise not only because Tony Parker and Joakim Noah didn't suit up for France but also because Batum was coming off a season in which he played all 82 games and ranked sixth in minutes. Batum has put himself in the conversation for "second-best small forward in the West" behind Kevin Durant. -- B.G.
If you asked Houston fans, thatd be way, way too high for parsons. lol, it's funny how they hate Parsons for going to Dallas when it was their own GM who said "Yes, please. Look elsewhere."
Damian Lillard #22 (ahead of Rose, Wall, Kobe, and Conley) When he eliminated the Rockets with his quick-trigger three-pointer, Lillard was just doing what he does best. His combination of volume and efficiency from behind the arc (6.8 attempts, 39.4 percent) was bested only by Stephen Curry last season, and Lillard’s accuracy rose to 44.2 percent in clutch situations (the final five minutes of a five-point game). Lillard uses high screens and step-back dribbles to create looks, and he launches with the slightest bit of space. That rare gift -- plus an improved ability to get to the line -- helped Lillard rank No. 16 in scoring. Lillard set goals after his rookie year -- become a better defender, fill out his mid-range game, learn to take and draw contact more effectively -- but his second season was defined more by improving his strengths rather than fixing his weaknesses. He continues to finish at a poor rate in the basket area (46.9 percent), he still has a long way to go to be a plus defender and he needs to deepen his bag of tricks near the paint. Nitpicking misses the larger point, though: Lillard went from being a no-name fast riser in the draft to a franchise guy with a playoff-series victory in two years. In that time, Lillard didn’t miss a game; that’s crucial, because Portland would be completely lost without him. -- B.G.
If this was next year I'd put AD over him, but not now. (And by next year, I mean literally next year at this time). Griffin and Love will get top 10 because of media... Even though Griffin did get a lot better. Love is still a wait and see... which is weird to say, but he is going to be a lower peg in Cleveland, we really will see if he was high stats on a sucky ass team. Bosh shouldn't be ahead of LMA... no way.
What does that even mean? SPorts Illustrated IS media. Why would they make their rankings based on other media? What do they have to gain?
You just answered your own question. SI is media, therefore they will be top 10 by default. "Because of media" SI is media...
Well, it really wouldn't really matter if I said media or SI, since they are one in the same. Cover all my bases. It'd still be true for most publications, anyway.