McGrady had a stretch (the early Magic years) where he was arguably as good if not better than Kobe. Obviously if you compare it over there full careers it isn't close at all. I like the comparison X made comparing Harden to Michael Redd. I think career and talent wise it's a good comparison although their games are not similar. I don't see Harden on that top level as a player. I think he's just under guys like Melo and he's only the top shooting guard now because Wade got old. I don't think Harden is mentally tough enough to maintain a superstar level just like Redd couldn't. I don't think his game will grow, that he won't be consistent on a nightly basis, and that he won't be able to put his team on his back and carry them when they need it.
He got in foul trouble in game one, other than that, he will be on Lillard, it worked last night, 3-14 for 21% shooting. If that's not stopping an all star I don't know what is.
Dude, Lillard had 11 Assists & 8 Boards, to Go Along w/18 Points...You Make it Seem like Beverley MADE Lillard Miss Shots, when REALITY Is, Lillard Simply MISSED Them... REED is Sure Portland is QUITE Comfortable w/the Lillard-Beverley 1-on-1 Match-up...No Reason for them NOT To Be... REED:hammert:
Good take on T-mac. If he cared and actually liked playing basketball, and had a work ethic, he could've been the best top 3 players ever. Had ALL the physical tools. It's hard to compare Harden to any player, it's only his 2nd year as "the man" it may take a year or two to find out who he really is, but as I stated on an earlier post, he will never be an elite two way player, so the only way to compare is his offense. Micheal Redd is pretty good, Gilbert Arenas also. The only way he could improve his offense, is to develop a post game, but I don't know if that would be effective for him as he's not a giant SG and while he does have some hops, he doesn't have the lift to shoot over taller SG even in the post.
Beverly was on Lillard in the most important parts of the game and Lillard got to the line and carried Portland when LMA out with fouls. And while he had a bad shooting night, he again penetrated at will, created a lot of offense with drive and dish and kick, got the line enough to get 18 points without taking a lot of shots and EASILY got the better of his matchup.
Kobe could never be the man this early in his NBA career. Harden has the potential to be an all time great. Just needs to work on some things like defense.
Great player now but he's well past it. I don't see him having the ability to have a Dirk type of run necessary to get this team to a title.
18 pts on 14 shots with 21% FG shooting is SHIT. Harden shot 35% and he played like utter SHIT. If the Blazers are quite comfortable with Lillard shooting 21%, they aren't very bright.
That's crazy, I said before the playoffs started that I'd favor the Nets to take them out, but Atlanta?? It's going to be VERY interesting to see what they do in the offseason.
Beverly is "Holding" Lillard to 24.5pts, 8.5boards, 8dimes, This Series...You Damn Right the Blazers are COMFORTABLE w/that Shit...Lillard is Getting WHERE HE WANTS TO GET, on the Floor, AND He's Getting GOOD Looks @ the Basket...He's just Not MAKING a High % of them... You & CWebb & Are Having QUITE a Competition for BIGGEST Beverley Nuthugger, but the #'s Simply DON'T Support him Having a NEGATIVE Impact on Damian Lillard, Dude... REED:hammert:
I'd be quite satisfied if the Thunder lost in the first round. They play an embarrassing brand of basketball. It always amuses and amazes me that casual fans will bemoan the Spurs and cheer garbage bin teams like the Thunder and Rockets.
ALl the top teams could be knocked off. Spurs, Thunder and Indiana. He might have an easy road to a third ring.
Normally, I'd agree, I do know a little analytics but you do realize 4-6 of those 18 pts were off of intentional fouls right? 21% shooting on 14 shots is SHIT especially for an All Star and it's definitely not "clowning" Bev. That statement after he went 3-14 was comical.
He IS a Good, Young Coach...NATHAN You Can Do when BAD Team Chemistry Takes Over a Squad...Vogel will Be the Fall Guy, but it's NOT his Fault... REED:hammert:
SHOOTING. You continue to belabor the shooting point when ignoring the overall impact Lillard has on the offense by being able to get into the paint. He had 11 assists. LMA had SIXTEEN uncontested shots in game 2? You think he gets 16 uncontested shots without a guard drawing the defense?
Pts don't show everything Reed. Harden is averaging 26 ppg. But he's sucking ASS. Plus your stats include Lin on Lillard, Game 2 it was Bev and Bev only on him. I LOVE how Bev plays, just like CWEBB, and apparently, the people who gave him votes for DEFENSIVE PLAYER of the YEAR. When are you going to give Bev his props, he's a damn good defender dude and playes his ass off 100% of the time. I sure wish I could say the same for Harden...
agREED. Vogel is actually very solid and much better than garbage heap coaches like Brooks and McHale. The Pacers NEVER had overwhelming talent and this implosion is absurd and goes beyond basketball. Hibbert is in need of a psychologist...actually the whole team really needs one.
Yep. Indiana would be stupid to fire him, but it looks like it might go that way when Indiana gets eliminated in the first round.
Spurs aren't losing. They have had two uncharacteristically poor games. They will win the series and in my opinion win the West depending on Paul's health. It could be a rematch of last year's final.
Memphis UP 17 w/7 Minutes Left in the Game...Westbrook on the Bench Favoring his OTHER Knee... REED:doh:
It's not their defense. It's their pathetic offense. Their stars play selfish ball. Both of them. They don't move the ball, they don't run any sets, just a never ending string of isolation and at their worst OKC is just like this...a team that gets tunnel vision and only looks for their own offense. Westbrook hasn't gotten a single assist this game, they are an embarrassment.
Not necessarily. If he can't control the locker room they need to get a coach that has better control. That stuff is really underrated when it comes to coaching. Vogel seems to be a great X's and Os guys but that Doc Rivers/Phil Jackson/Pat Riley command seems to be missing from him.
He's had assists because he had no shot with Bev in his grill the entire game, what else is he going to do? Continue to shoot 21%??? What LMA is doing has NOTHING to do with Lillard, the guy is on FIRE! LMA deserves ALL the credit for what he's been doing, I could get 11 assists passing to LMA right now.
