The Official Dwayne Wade <<<<<< you thread

The Franchise wrote:I have held this view since then and still hold it today, that being KD has been the best player in the game since Warriors year 1.

People have not seen that conclusively since he has been on super teams, not having to have the colossal work load but when unleashed (Finals, game 5 here) you see the level he is capable of playing at.

It is true, Curry without KD and Klay is forced to show his entire game and you see how good he actually is.

But its the same for KD, except he is even better.

Unstoppable player. I dont know what more evidence is needed.

It's been true yes, people just didn't want to admit it because of LeBron lol and Golden State being so stacked was an easy excuse.

Not sure what more he was supposed to do in those years, it was obvious as hell he was better in the finals.

Not to mention his performances in the playoffs before he went down with the Achilles.

People need to learn the difference between someone being better than 35+ year old Lebron and better all time.

Dani
i think it's very much clear Steph, LeBron and KD are the top 3 players of the 2010s
i'll keep flying the Steph as number 1 flag though, a bit of bias sure maybe, but everyone has their own biases, likes and dislikes. I just hope ESPN and all the main-media streams who have a much larger impact on what the culture thinks at the end of the day realises this more over time. I facepalm everytime i see them comparing Steph to Dame and Harden, and not include him more in all-time talks.

Well, Harden is better than Steph, so there's that.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I have held this view since then and still hold it today, that being KD has been the best player in the game since Warriors year 1.

People have not seen that conclusively since he has been on super teams, not having to have the colossal work load but when unleashed (Finals, game 5 here) you see the level he is capable of playing at.

It is true, Curry without KD and Klay is forced to show his entire game and you see how good he actually is.

But its the same for KD, except he is even better.

Unstoppable player. I dont know what more evidence is needed.

It's been true yes, people just didn't want to admit it because of LeBron lol and Golden State being so stacked was an easy excuse.

Not sure what more he was supposed to do in those years, it was obvious as hell he was better in the finals.

Not to mention his performances in the playoffs before he went down with the Achilles.

People need to learn the difference between someone being better than 35+ year old Lebron and better all time.

No doubt. This is it.

KD outplayed Lebron in those finals, I dont care what the numbers or what anyone has to say tbh.

Now, KD also had the better teammates and better team too. Thats why they won so easily.

But head to head, he been better than Lebron since then and still is now. Despite the injury.

I disagree. There’s a heavy anti LeBron (and it’s very clear) narrative here but no shot KD has been better than him since 2018, he missed a whole season and had a very serious injury

With that being said, he’s better today. He’s unguardable and always has been due to his unique size/skill set

As for Steph, he’s rated for being an incredible offensive player because he is but I don’t feel like you can be the best player in the league while being a liability defensively. Superstar, best shooter of all time, changed the game offensively but in a best of 7, I’m taking KD

Steph isn't a liability defensively, i don't agree with that.

What we saw from Dame this off season is what you call a liability defensively.

Steph has never been that exploited defensively, you don't go to 5 straight finals and have a liability in your starting lineup it just doesn't happen.

He has physical limitations but there's a lot of things he does well in terms IQ, communication, fighting through screens, being disruptive off ball.

Those things add up to at the very least average on that side.

Believe me as a Pelicans fan i know what bad defense looks like

@Luca Steph being a liability on the defensive end is also one of the biggest "anti-Steph" narrative myths.

I'm sure you would be surprised to learn that he has a better defensive rating than Mike Conley, Jrue Holiday Klay Thompson and Kyle Lowry? All guards that are usually thought of as some of the better defensive guards in the league.
He also had the best defensive rating stats of all Warriors players in the 2018 Finals. I remember putting up a stat sheet for that during the that finals on here.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Steph isn't a liability defensively, i don't agree with that.

What we saw from Dame this off season is what you call a liability defensively.

Steph has never been that exploited defensively, you don't go to 5 straight finals and have a liability in your starting lineup it just doesn't happen.

He has physical limitations but there's a lot of things he does well in terms IQ, communication, fighting through screens, being disruptive off ball.

Those things add up to at the very least average on that side.

correct

Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss Game 5 against the Jazz tonight with a knee injury suffered in game 4, sources tell @ramonashelburne & me. His status for rest of series is in doubt as well.

— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 16, 2021

Souffle Shawn Bradley really gonna get a ring smh.

Very disappointing.

On the plus side for Mole, SVG is out of New Orleans.

And Paul is out with covid protocol. The playoffs falling to pieces.

Art Morte wrote:And Paul is out with covid protocol. The playoffs falling to pieces.

Does anyone know the actual details of this?

Is he actually sick? Did he test positive? Did he come into contact that did?

When Lavine missed 2+ weeks due to covid protocol towards the end of the season, I don't think the details were ever disclosed.

The Franchise wrote:Very disappointing.

On the plus side for Mole, SVG is out of New Orleans.

Pelicans assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon is expected to emerge as a candidate to replace Stan Van Gundy in New Orleans, league sources say.

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 16, 2021

I'd actually really like to see this. She's been awesome when it come to player development and the players love her.

I was picking my gf up from the airport so wasn't able to see the game. Probably best I didn't, lol

I heard that we played really well in the first half and then Bud-ball happened.

Bud-ball is what I'm now calling the Bucks offense when we're shook and Bud apparently has zero fucking control over having the team run plays and play team basketball instead of going into ISO mode with zero ball movement whatsoever.

A team that is this inconsistent, not even from fucking game to game, but from half to half is a sign that the coach (1) lacks control, and (2) has not drilled his team well enough.

It's also clear to me that while this Bucks team has purged some demons with that destruction of the heat, they remain a team that is constantly scared of being in the big moment. I'm afraid that I think we'll likely lose the next game due to this mental inability.

I think it stems from Giannis a bit. Giannis is a unique superstar in the sense that in clutch time in the playoffs...he's not really the guy you want with the ball in his hands. He's a liability from the line, in clutch time everyone is locked in and he's not going to get an easy shot at the rim (and even if he does barrel in he risks getting a charge, so he's usually not as aggressive), and he can't shoot for shit. Khris is the guy who usually gets the ball in his hands and he's actually pretty clutch. But at the end of the day, if the guy who has the ball in his hands in a close 4th quarter game against the Nets is Khris Middleton, I think that there is something of an issue there, and I wonder if the Bucks can feel that.

To be sure, they managed to fight through and win that close game 3, but lost this one. I could be making something out of nothing, because sometimes that's just the way basketball is.

Regardless, Kevin Durant is a fucking stud and if we go out due to him, I won't even be that mad. I love the dude and wish the best for him. Plus Bud we'll get fired and we'll see what this team is capable of with a competent playoff coach.

El Gunner wrote:looking at Middleton's numbers... 8 for 22 36% from the field won't be enough.. especially when they let Jeff Green go off on the offensive end 7 for 8 from three.

KD after an achilles injury return is historical. I think he chooses his spots and movements more carefully now and may never have as sharp a sudden burst again as he had before but he doesn't really need one because he's tall af and everything else is as sharp as ever.
Here's hoping i get back 90% of my Klay Thompson

I understand the fact that a lot of people haven't come back well from the injury Durant did, but the amount of people I saw writing him off before he came back, or at least saying that he won't be anywhere near the player he was, I didn't understand it.

Every injury is unique. People were acting like they knew exactly who KD was gonna be when he got back. Reality is you never know. Some people tear an ACL and come back just as good. Some people tear multiple ACL's and turn out just fine. Many tear an ACL and are never the same again. You never know until they come back though.

Honestly I don't think it's him picking spots. He's as mobile and athletic as he's ever been. Has anyone noticed him play any worse or any less mobile than before? I haven't, but I haven't exactly watched that much Nets this season.

Reports are that Clippers fear Kawhi has torn his ACL. Gutted for him

You didn't really play that well in the first half CB, most people were talking like the process of getting that lead was so bad that a turnaround from Brooklyn wouldn't have been shocking.

Lo and behold that's exactly what happened, i haven't seen so much criticism to a half time lead in a long time and quite frankly i can't really argue it.

Regarding KD i don't think his first step is as explosive as it was pre achilles but that aside the rest of his game is what it was.

Luca wrote:Reports are that Clippers fear Kawhi has torn his ACL. Gutted for him

Luca wrote:Reports are that Clippers fear Kawhi has torn his ACL. Gutted for him

Jesus christ. At some point I'm just hoping we stay injury free, this postseason has been so bad

gutted for Kawhi and Paul if he misses most of the conference finals.
Covid protocols have been weird the entire season, like Art said LaVine missed a bunch of time and it was never made clear why... while LeBron broke protocol before the play-in and im not even sure if he got fined

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Believe me as a Pelicans fan i know what bad defense looks like

The coach is just so important for a defense, which is why Pelicans continue to be shit in that area.

We had an above average defense under Luke fucking Walton with the players you've got. Yet nothing there.

Meanwhile Frank Vogel manages to have the league's best defense without any all defense players on it. Alex Caruso got most votes and it's was like what, 3?

Really hope you pick someone defensively sound. Can't see the points not coming naturally when Zion's on the court, especially with his ridiculous touch in the paint.

El Gunner wrote:gutted for Kawhi and Paul if he misses most of the conference finals.
Covid protocols have been weird the entire season, like Art said LaVine missed a bunch of time and it was never made clear why... while LeBron broke protocol before the play-in and im not even sure if he got fined

LeBron broke a protocol that was allowed afaik. As It was a sponsored event where everyone was vaccinated and/or tested

Chris Paul tested positive.

There's quite a difference there.

i'm pretty sure i didn't imply otherwise, but whatever
has it actually been confirmed that Paul tested positive?

El Gunner wrote:i'm pretty sure i didn't imply otherwise, but whatever
has it actually been confirmed that Paul tested positive?

Pretty sure it's against rules to disclose it, which might be why not a lot of reporters have confirmed it. And the phrase "Health protocols" etc. is basically code for tested positive. But a very reputable Suns reporter confirmed he did indeed test positive.

He's vaccinated, so it's possible he only misses 1, max 2 games. Since a typical covid case on a vaccine is much shorter. Gleiber Torres of the Yankees got Covid and was ready to play in 7 days.