G Damian Lillard, F LaMarcus Aldridge selected as All-Star reserves!

[Natebishop3]

I've watched Indy a few times this year, and I wasn't that impressed. They're a good team, but I don't put George on the same level as Durant or LeBron. Maybe one day but not right now. That team would be middle of the pack in the west. That's why they don't deserve three All-Stars imo.

 

[RoyToy]

I've watched Indy a few times this year, and I wasn't that impressed. They're a good team, but I don't put George on the same level as Durant or LeBron. Maybe one day but not right now. That team would be middle of the pack in the west. That's why they don't deserve three All-Stars imo.

I think they're a better version of Memphis (last year)

 

[MickZagger]

They wouldn't be 35-9 playing 2/3 of their games against the West, IMO. OKC is 37-10, and has been missing one of their 2 AS players for a month. This is why I find the entire "Stephenson wuz robbed" debate to be a bit overdramatic.

They have a better win % without Westbrick. Makes me wonder how important he really is to that team, or if he just gets in Durants way.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

They have a better win % without Westbrick. Makes me wonder how important he really is to that team, or if he just gets in Durants way.

Not much.

Yes.

Back when Durant was more of a chucker, I wouldn't have said yes. But unlike Westbrook, Durant has steadily improved to the point where you just need a point guard who doesn't shit the bed.

 

[PapaG]

They have a better win % without Westbrick. Makes me wonder how important he really is to that team, or if he just gets in Durants way.

Westbrook is missed in a 7-game series because you can't plan to stop him for 7 games. That was pretty much proven last year in the playoffs, IMO. You take the good with the bad with Westbrook, but I don't think there is a coach in the NBA who would choose to have Reggie Jackson running that team over Durant over four 7-game series.

 

[MickZagger]

Westbrook is missed in a 7-game series because you can't plan to stop him for 7 games. That was pretty much proven last year in the playoffs, IMO. You take the good with the bad with Westbrook, but I don't think there is a coach in the NBA who would choose to have Reggie Jackson running that team over Durant over four 7-game series.

Kinda like he was for Kobe, I think Derek Fisher is the best PG for Durant. Get in the corner, get out of my way and give me the ball.

Reggie Jackson really isn't even a PG. By label maybe, but he's a shoot first guy.

 

[PapaG]

Kinda like he was for Kobe, I think Derek Fisher is the best PG for Durant. Get in the corner, get out of my way and give me the ball.

Reggie Jackson really isn't even a PG. By label maybe, but he's a shoot first guy.

Eh, maybe. I'm getting the Lebron in Cleveland vibe from OKC right now, where Durant needs superhuman games, and they pile up a bunch of regular season wins because of Durant's game and personality. In the playoffs, that recipe typically doesn't work w/out another elite scoring threat.

 

[Natebishop3]

I've felt for a while that RW is getting in the way of Durant becoming the best player in the league, and we're seeing that right now. LeBron might be the best overall player in the league, but I still think Durant has that killer drive that Kobe and MJ and Bird had. LeBron isn't that guy. He's probably the best talent in the league, but Durant is the guy that would kill someone to get the win. Westbrook was getting in the way of Durant fully realizing his potential. If you put Chris Paul on that team, might as well just pencil them in for the championship. It's too bad OKC (for them) that they didn't deal RW for Paul a couple years ago. Paul, Harden, and Durant would have been an epic team, and still very young.

 

[RoyToy]

Triple-double for Lance Stephenson

 

[Natebishop3]

Triple-double for Lance Stephenson

14 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 turnovers. Very Batum-like.

Sorry, I just find humor in you championing a guy who plays almost identical to the guy that drives you nuts.

 

[RoyToy]

14 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 turnovers. Very Batum-like.

Sorry, I just find humor in you championing a guy who plays almost identical to the guy that drives you nuts.

They don't play identical at all. They have very different styles.

More watching, less stats

 

[PapaG]

14 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 5 turnovers. Very Batum-like.

Sorry, I just find humor in you championing a guy who plays almost identical to the guy that drives you nuts.

5 fouls, too. Nic doesn't usually foul that much.

 

[B-Roy]

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/as.gam...official-release/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt13a

Dirk headlines the West?

 

[Natebishop3]

They don't play identical at all. They have very different styles.

More watching, less stats

They put up almost identical numbers, they're both guys that fill a box score. I don't know what to tell you.

 

[RoyToy]

They put up almost identical numbers, they're both guys that fill a box score. I don't know what to tell you.

That doesn't mean they're identical players. Their strengths are weaknesses are much different.

 

[MickZagger]

That doesn't mean they're identical players. Their strengths are weaknesses are much different.

Give me more detail.

 

[Natebishop3]

Give me more detail.

That's like saying you like Ace of Base, but not The Real McCoy.

 

[RoyToy]

Give me more detail.

That main difference between them is how and where they get their shots.

Lance is a guy that can create his own shot and get to the hoop. Because of it he shoots a higher percentage than a guy that is 4 inches taller than him.

Batum's astd% is 71%. Lance 42%.

Batum has taken 448 shots this year, with 354 of them being jumpers.
Lance has taken 493 shots this year, 289 of them jumpers.

Batum has taken a TOTAL of 94 shots this year that weren't jumpers.
Lance has alone has 176 layup attempts. All combined he has 204 shots that aren't jumpers (dunks, tips, etc)

Identical players

 

[Natebishop3]

That main difference between them is how and where they get their shots.

Lance is a guy that can create his own shot and get to the hoop. Because of it he shoots a higher percentage than a guy that is 4 inches taller than him.

Batum's astd% is 71%. Lance 42%.

Batum has taken 448 shots this year, with 354 of them being jumpers.
Lance has taken 493 shots this year, 289 of them jumpers.

Batum has taken a TOTAL of 94 shots this year that weren't jumpers.
Lance has alone has 176 layup attempts. All combined he has 204 shots that aren't jumpers (dunks, tips, etc)

Identical players

You make general statements, I make general statements. He's clearly much better at all things offense in the game of basketball.

 

[RoyToy]

Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge are identical players

The Pts and rebounds match! Yay!

 

[MickZagger]

That main difference between them is how and where they get their shots.

Lance is a guy that can create his own shot and get to the hoop. Because of it he shoots a higher percentage than a guy that is 4 inches taller than him.

Batum's astd% is 71%. Lance 42%.

Batum has taken 448 shots this year, with 354 of them being jumpers.
Lance has taken 493 shots this year, 289 of them jumpers.

Batum has taken a TOTAL of 94 shots this year that weren't jumpers.
Lance has alone has 176 layup attempts. All combined he has 204 shots that aren't jumpers (dunks, tips, etc)

Identical players

I feel like you think I should like one or the other. What if I like both?

The amount of jumpshots one guy takes doesn't hold huge weight with me about who's the better player.

 

[Natebishop3]

Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge are identical players

The Pts and rebounds match! Yay!

It's not just points and rebounds though. They're very similar statistically in a lot of ways.

 

[RoyToy]

I feel like you think I should like one or the other. What if I like both?

The amount of jumpshots one guy takes doesn't hold huge weight with me about who's the better player.

I was just giving you the differences in their games (as you asked for)

 

[Natebishop3]

I feel like you think I should like one or the other. What if I like both?

The amount of jumpshots one guy takes doesn't hold huge weight with me about who's the better player.

No no, he doesn't want YOU to like one or the other, he's trying to defend liking one but not the other.

 

[MickZagger]

I was just giving you the differences in their games (as you asked for)

Which really isn't a huge difference. I wonder if Stephenson played the same schedule that Batum has to face out West where there is an abundance of teams over .500 if it would bring his numbers a little down to earth.

Gosh, I wish we played the Bucks, Magic, Sixers, Celtics and Bobcats 4 times a year it might be a little different.

There's such a small gap in their numbers that it does matter.

 

[RoyToy]

Which really isn't a huge difference. I wonder if Stephenson played the same schedule that Batum has to face out West where there is an abundance of teams over .500 if it would bring his numbers a little down to earth.

Gosh, I wish we played the Bucks, Magic, Sixers, Celtics and Bobcats 4 times a year it might be a little different.

There's such a small gap in their numbers that it does matter.

You asked for the differences in their games so I gave them to you.

Now you're drawing wild conclusions based on schedules, conferences, etc.

I'm not sure what your point is anymore

 

[MickZagger]

You asked for the differences in their games so I gave them to you.

Now you're drawing wild conclusions based on schedules, conferences, etc.

I'm not sure what your point is anymore

You started the discussion talking about stats. Triple doubles, etc.

 

[RoyToy]

No no, he doesn't want YOU to like one or the other, he's trying to defend liking one but not the other.

I'm proving statistical evidence and facts about why they're not identical players.

Sorry for this unthinkable travesty.

 

[Natebishop3]

You asked for the differences in their games so I gave them to you.

Now you're drawing wild conclusions based on schedules, conferences, etc.

I'm not sure what your point is anymore

Wild conclusions about playing a significantly easier schedule affecting overall stats? Seems like a pretty logical conclusion to me.

The point is, and has been, that the difference between the two is very small. Not as big as you're trying to make it out to be. That seemed pretty clear to me.

 

[RoyToy]

You started the discussion talking about stats. Triple doubles, etc.

That's not where the discussion started on Lance Stephenson.

That was me merely pointing out what he was doing against the Suns tonight.