Tag: Championship

#10 Draymond Green

10 April 2016

Yup, dray dray, in the top 10. First time I watched Draymond on live television was that aircraft carrier game, Michigan State vs North Carolina (1) (2). Definitely thought he was a nice player, undersized for the 4, but really good rebounder, real tough. Never thought he would be more than a role player though. Heck, wasn’t even sure if the NBA would see the value in him and give him a roster spot.  Now he is a top 10 player in the NBA (3). Stephen Curry would not be the MVP without Draymond Green (4). Green IS the modern NBA. He unlocks so many different things for the warriors, both on offense and defense. His playmaking and passable 3-point shooting allows Curry to do his thing. His versatility keeps the Warriors switching defense going (5). Top 10. No doubt.

  1. All I could think of while watching that game: “f***, it was the wind”
  2. Harrison Barnes! John Henson! Kendall Marshall! Tyler Zeller! James Michael McAdoo! That team was stacked. That 2011-2012 NBA Lockout College Basketball season was definitely one of the best. Also, three current Warriors in that game!
  3. To a hall-of-fame level GM such as me, who would know how to build around Draymond’s versatility, of course
  4. Or Andre Igoudala, or Klay Thompson, or Steve Kerr. But that’s just being nitpicky
  5. I called this switching revolution at least 4 years ago, for real. Think about it, the shot clock is only 24 seconds; the offense is playing against both the defense and the clock. The defense only has to keep the offense at bay until it becomes that last second one-on-one chuck to beat the buzzer.

 

Now for the best Draymond mix on youtube (from one of the best mixmakers, Mayo Highlights):

Top 10 NBA players Countdown

10 April 2016

Since the regular season is coming to an end this week, it is prime time to do a top 10 player countdown. This list assumes that the player is healthy and 100% (1). The best player is the player that you would want to build a new team around with (2). In other words, if I have Stephen Curry as my number 1, it means that I think Curry, as a foundation piece, gives the franchise the best chance of winning a chip (3) (4).  To make things simpler, this would be for winning one season, so the player’s age and development is disregarded (5).

 

 

  1. At least as hundred percent as a player like Derrick Rose can be… (Hold-on… I’m not saying he’s in the top 10…). This means that injury history is still a concern.
  2. You, I am assuming, are a hall-of-fame GM, not Doc Rivers.
  3. Does this mean I have Curry as #1? I’m giving it away, or am I?
  4. Yes, poor Sam Hinkie, the best chance to win a chip, not the lottery.
  5. Hey, trying to not think like Doc is already hard enough.

Could This Rocket Team Win a Championship?

This Rocket team closing (1) the 2015-2016 season and the one finishing 2014-2015 isn’t that different. There’s Patrick Beverly and Jason Terry at point. The controversial (2) James Harden at the 2 (but really point). Trevor Ariza and the greyhound, Corey Brewer, (being a game-changer one game then bricking away the next five) at the 3 (3). Donatas Motiejunas (Donuts!)/Terrence Jones/Josh Smith/Michael Beasley at the 4. Dwight Howard and Clint Capella at the 5.  Only difference would be at the 4, where the T Jones and J Smoove duo is replaced by the even funkier Donuts/ Beasley duo.  Also, for today’s win over the Thunder, KJ McDaniels got some burn as well (4).

So we can say that the team in 2015 over-performed and this one in 2016 is underachieving (5).  If we can somehow replay the last two years multiple times, would the Rockets win the chip in any of these parallel universes? In other words, is this roster closer to being a championship contender or a dreaded perennial 9th place finisher (that the Rockets were before the Harden trade)?

I would say they are not even “a piece away” from contending.  They are good when fully engaged (6), but only second-round in the playoffs good. The Ty Lawson experiment obviously failed, but that’s not what I am talking about here. A team with James Harden as the alpha needs stability and the right type of characters.  I have more respect than most for guys like Dwight, J Smoove, Beasley, and Lawson, but even I wouldn’t accuse them of being high character, grounded athletes.  Harden is ‘special’ and special people are needed to build around him. Not JaVale McGee ‘special’, but Andre Igoudala, Shane Battier special (7).

Time to blow it up, Rockets.

 

—The Loose Ball—

Up next: More rant on the importance of character

 

 

  1. To be more colorful: Limping, crawling, squirming, writhing…
  2. I guess he is no longer controversial to most. Lazy on defense, ball hog on offense, burns the entire shot clock then then toss the ball to whichever unfortunate teammate. But to me Harden is still captivating. Why? Maybe later.
  3. C’mon Daryl Morey, get an actual NBA wing to backup Harden and Ariza please.
  4. Again… Morey, get a real wing please!
    1. Footnote for footnote: A real wing- defined as an athletic human being between 6’5” and 6’10” that can shoot the NBA 3 (and make them… sometimes… unlike Brewer or McDaniels), that understands the game.
      1. Footnote for footnote for footnote: Understanding the game- defined as being able to pump fake when a defender is closing out, make the one-dribble pull-up or straight line drive with either hand, and kick to the next wide-open shooter. Simple…
  5. For various combination of reasons. 2015: Caught teams off-guard, better chemistry/flow/excitement. 2016: Freshness wearing off, distractions, Dwightmare part 3 or is it 4.
  6. which, with their set of characters, can’t be done for a full season
  7. Sorry Daryl, your days of cutting corners were over three years ago. It’s no longer about getting the most value for your assets, it’s about building around Harden. You’re stuck with him, might as well make the most out of it.