No Doubt...Comes Back, Playing w/the Same INTENSITY he Usually Plays w/...& MOST of the Explosion we're Accustomed To...
I havent been able to watch the game today, but going by the boxscore it looks like Miami have really upped the defensive intensity compared to the game a few weeks ago.
OKC Scored First, then Miami JUMPED on them...ALL Defensive Intensity & EASY Transition Buckets Early...OKC Would Occasionally Cut the Lead to Single Digits, but it was a Pretty 1 Sided Game Throughout...Durant Shot Poorly...Bron Started On Fire & May have Been on his Way to a 40pt Night, if Not for Getting Hit in the Nose & Gushing Blood All Over the Baseline...
It's STILL Durant's to Lose, but if Bron CONTINUES to Play like he Did on the Heat's West Coast Road Swing, it Could Be THE Closest MVP Race Ever...REED's Still Expecting a Double Digit Streak of WINS for the Heat...
Kind of lost interest in this game by the 3rd quarter. I think the Thunder made a huge mistake bringing Westbrook back in this particular game. I think it sapped their energy and ruined their timing and chemistry. It's probably what affected Durant. Call me evil but when Perkins hurt his little wee wee I was actually hoping it would be a groin injury that would have him out for a while. Looks like I got my wish. As for the MVP race, it kind of pisses me off that so many sports writers are saying Lebron is back in the MVP race. Like Reed said unless Durant sees a huge drop off there is no way he should lose this MVP, especially when LBJ has been considered a coasting player for most of the early part of the season, while Durant has been consistently tearing it up.
Evan Turner is alright. When he's at his best, he's like a HOMELESS man's Paul Pierce. Talkin about a prime Pierce of course.
Since Jordan, there's only been four wing players that can really DOMINATE a game offensively, and be absolutely unstoppable when they're "on". Those four are Kobe, Bron, Wade, and KD. I'm not sure if Paul George even has the TALENT to summon the type of performance as those guys. Well, I'll go again and say flat out; he's NOT as talented as those guys. In fact, I don't think he's anywhere near. But perhaps he won't have to. But he WILL have to put up 25+ a game.
The four guys I listed were already far better than George when they were 23. I mainly mean as a scorer. George is a very solid defender, but I'd be SHOCKED if he ever became an unstoppable scorer. Being a great scorer isn't exactly something that you develop over time. It's usually something you show potential at even early in your career. George is a GOOD scorer, not a great one. Don't think he'll ever be a great one. And that's not a knock. Bron, and Kobe are top 10 all time players, Wade is like a top 20-25 all time player, and KD has a great shot at being top 10-15 when his career is over. So it's not like I'm saying George isn't damn good. But does he scream "special"? No, not in my opinion.
i think george is awesome. all around, i think he has the potential to be better than durant come next season. i still think lebron's CLEARLY the best in the league.
I don't George will ever in his wildest dreams be as good as KD this year. His ceiling is a better scoring version of Pippen, only without Scottie's defense and playmaking.
George COULD Become Better than Durant in an ALL AROUND Sense, but he'll Never Come Close to Being the Offensive FORCE KD is...if, If, IF George is Ever Considered "Better" than Durant, it will Come EVENTUALLY, as Opposed to Next Season...George is Already Superior DEFENSIVELY Though...
Correction, George's TEAM has had More Success Against James' TEAM, than Durant's TEAM has...That's Because George's Squad is Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeper (Even Last Year)...But Individually, that ISN'T the Case:nono:...
The gap between KD and PG offensively is MUCH bigger than the gap between them defensively. All the greatest wings in history have been awesome scorers. George will end up closer to the Pippen tier. I don't see HOW in the Hell that's a knock, considering Scottie is a HOFmer. But to think he'll ever be the type of scorer of KD, Kobe, Bron, or Wade is VERY far fetched to me. As I said before, the "he's only 23" excuse doesn't work, because at 23 those guys were already elite scoring threats.
Exactly! Lebron is still in his prime, and there's widespread DEBATE on who's better between him and KD. George will never reach the level to where people debate him versus a prime Lebron. Jeez, way to overrate George. He's a DAMN GOOD player, but he has a waayyyssss to go before he's even as good as McGrady was, let alone KD. As of right now, George is like a homeless man's version of a prime Grant Hill. Better 3pt shooter than Hill was, but overall an inferior talent.
Nah, Bron has OWNED George in Both of their Head to Head Meetings this Season, Dog...Bron OUTPLAYED Durant Last Night, but it wasn't OWNAGE...The Thing is, Bron CAN'T Guard Durant Either...Bron & Durant's #'s Usually Cancel Each Other Out...But Bron just about ALWAYS Finishes w/BETTER #'s than George, Head to Head, Across the Board...Bron's Defense DIMINISHES George's Scoring Output, Something he RARELY Does to Durant...
Bron usually shut's down durant's game when he is playing directly against him. Earlier in the season, Durant couldnt score shit until James got in foul trouble and was forced to guard someone else. Then Durant's number went crazy
When Durant's Jumper is ON, Even Bron is HELPLESS, Guarding Him...w/Durant's Advantage in HEIGHT & his 7'5 (or Whatever it Is) WINGSPAN, his Face Up Jumper is UNBLOCKABLE...Bron Does a CONSIDERABLY Better Job of Guarding Durant than Vice Versa, But REED has Also Seen Durant EFFORTLESSLY Drain 3's on Bron, in Numerous Games...The Only Point REED was Trying to Make is, Durant Does ALOT Better vs. Bron, Head to Head, than Paul George Does...
Exactly. Sports guys always harp on James' physical advantages. The football like build, strength and athleticism, but you also have to look at Durant who has just as much of a physical advantage. The nearly 7 ft frame, ridiculous length and also top notch athleticism. Paul George doesn't have the physical strength of James or the freakish length of Durant although he is in the same athletic department as they are.
REED is MOST Impressed w/Durant's BALLHANDLING... Usually, the TALLER a Guy is, the WORSE his Dribbling Is...But How Many Times Do You See Durant Get RIPPED???...REED Can't Say he's EVER Seen a Guy Square Up w/Durant, in an Iso Situation & RIP Him...Not Saying it Hasn't Happened, but REED Ain't SEEN the Shit... Even Bron PRAISED the Ballhandling of Durant (& Melo & CP3 & Kyrie Irving), During his Post-All Star Game "Mount Rushmore" Interview...Right, Left, Crosses, BackSpins, Hesitations, Stutter Steps, Durant is a Ballhandling BEAST, for a 6'11 Guy... REED:mj:
The Best Word REED Could Use to Describe Yao Ming is "Effective"... If You Watch his Highlights, You'll RARELY Be Wow'ed or Yao'ed::, in Fact, his Most MEMORABLE Plays are those where he was Made to Look BAD...7'6 Yao Getting his Shot BLOCKED by 5'9 Nate Robinson, Stephon Marbury CROSSING him Over Sooooo Bad, he FALLS to the Ground, Not to Mention Getting DUNKED On by Practically Every ELITE Player in the League, @ Some Point... There was Also the CHRONIC Foot Injuries, which Eventually ENDED Yao's Career...& ZERO Playoff Success, Basically... But Dude COULD Play...SOFT Shooting Touch, IMMOVABLE On the Low Block, Decent Passer...Yao WASN'T the Most GIFTED Guy, Athletically, yet he Did MUCH More than the 7'6, MORE Athletic Shawn Bradley EVER Did...Yao SHITS on Gheorges Muresan Too, the 7'7 Guy who BRIEFLY Played in Washington w/Chris Webber, AND Manute Bol... There was a FREAK Factor to Yao, when he Entered the League & Being the 1st NON-Black, NON-White Guy to Be Drafted # 1 Overall, Rubbed ALOT of Players and Media Members the WRONG Way...Not to Mention Having the HIGHEST Populated Country on the Planet FLOODING the NBA Polls, Making Yao a STARTER in the All-Star Game, for Several Years...It Got to the Point where if you were a GOOD Player & On Yao Ming's Team, You'd Get a SHITLOAD of NBA All Star Votes from Chinese Fans, by Association... Because of this, People DELIGHTED in Yao's Failure's for a Bit, but Dude Stayed the Course & Eventually EARNED Respect, Leaguewide...Admittedly, REED Peeked @ Yao's Stats PRIOR to Responding to this Post & was a Bit SURPRISED Dude Finished w/CAREER Averages of 19points, 9rebounds and nearly 2blocks Per Game... w/Out Question, those are the #'s of a GOOD Basketball Player, yet for Some Reason, Yao's Name will NEVER Be Mentioned w/So-Called "Greats" @ his Position, who Put Up LESSER #'s... REED:dunno:
