HorfordMustang

We'll probably lose a game in the NBA finals, but that just means we can close it out in Phillips

Maybe the media will start to believe now!   Franchise winning streak and we aren't done yet!

No one can stop this team!  

Can't believe this awful three point shooter is stroking it against us.  That won't last.

We took their best shot and missed a bunch of open shots and we lead anyways.  Team ball >>> me ball 

We're just missing open shots.  They are chucking.  If this keeps up we'll have the lead soon enough.

 

When a team like the Hawks puts together an A-plus record with B-to-B-plus talent

 

 

Great article, but what is with the myth that we do not have great talent?  We have a legitimate case for 3-4 all stars on our roster right now.  Players like Al and Paul, could be on bad teams like the Knicks and putting up the gaudy numbers they were capable of if they so chose to; is that what it takes to get recognition as an A talent?  They could do exactly what Kevin Love did on the Timberwolves for years.  Our guys play great defense which is half the game, while supposed A-talents like Love do not.

And Jeff.  Look at the difference between him and the all star starter this year Kyle Lowry.  Lowry scores two more points a game, but needs more minutes and shots to do it, and is an overall worse shooter.  That's why Jeff has the higher PER and plays the role of the distributor better by averaging a higher assist percentage.  Jeff could take three or four more shots a game like Lowry and put up better scoring numbers while hurting the team if he wanted to; is that what it would take to get him recognized?

If talent is being defined as who looks like the better ISO ball extraordinaire then I guess we don't have talent, but i'll take what we have any day over that.

Bud looks like a genius so far... but I am not ignorant enough to think that he could take a roster that truly only had mediocre talent on it to a 35-8 record halfway through the season.  No could could.  Popavich had great talent on his teams.  Jackson had amazing talent.  Carlisle had talent.  No one is putting together 1st place teams and championship contenders without talent.  We have great talent.   

They have better players if healthy. 

Player, perhaps.  Of course no one is in LeBron's class on this team.  There really isn't anyone in the league that is.  Even though he won't win MVP he's still the undisputed best player.

But after that?  Well, Irving has proven to still be a me first guy who would rather shoot than pass and at best is a very inconsistent defender.  Teague has taken a leap in ability while completely buying into the team ball concept, which is why he has many more assists.  And when he does shoot, he actually has a higher TS% than Irving!  Teague is also a much craftier defender and a pest in the passing lanes.  I would take Jeff over Irving without a second thought.

And as for Kevin Love?  He is a one way player who pads his rebounding stats night after night.  And he's having his worst shooting season now since he's been in the league, save for that season he only played 18 games.  What he will get you on the offensive end will almost be undone by his bottom tier defense.  Millsap and Horford are making much bigger impacts these days than Love.

And Kyle versus JR Smith... is that even a discussion?  Certainly not in my mind.  Moreover, our bench is filled with impact players still while theirs features players who would not even crack our 12 man rotation.

I believe we will have to play Cleveland in the playoffs this year, whether ECF or the semis.  LeBron seems to have regained his athleticism during all those games he sat out, and they seem to be benefitting from the roster additions they made.  I'm thinking they will end up the two or three seed and we will see them in the conference finals.

But as San Antonio showed last year, he can't beat an actual team playing unselfishly at the highest level by himself.  He will get his 28/8/8 against us, but the rest of their roster is green and their two so called stars have never even played in the postseason, let alone made a deep run.  We can frustrate them into bad shots and demoralize them on the other end with our ball movement the way the Spurs did to the Heat.  I think we would win that series in 5 or 6 games at most.

On that note, and I can't help myself here: one can argue the pros/cons of Sap at SF, further complicated by the emergence of his 3-pt shot. But this would be unstoppable:

 

Teague

Korver

Sap

Horf

M Gasol

Good gracious, that lineup would win at least 70 games.

He is not a team player, and I don't think ever has been.  A huge red flag is his insistence to post up constantly when he's never been very efficient doing that, as well as his refusal to play the pick and roll game more often despite being much more efficient.  Although he is better on defense this year than the last two, he is not the player he used to be and I imagine will continue to decline in that regard.  

I don't think he would ever buy into a system like Bud has implemented here.  We would hear whining about his role quite soon.  He would not make the team better with his attitude, and I imagine we'd actually be worse off.

And of course, the way he has conducted himself in his personal life is quite a red flag as well...

I would welcome his signing even at his age.  He has the reputation of someone who keeps himself in fantastic shape so I don't think we'd have to wait long at all for him to acclimate.  If he's willing to except a 5-10 minute type of roll off the bench, give effort, and buy into the system, which I think he absolutely would, then his experience could be invaluable.  As well as the example he sets for the younger guys.

However, I believe he will ultimately prefer to play with his buddy LeBron, and there is little chance of luring him away from that opportunity.  Thankfully, although he would be a benefit, he is certainly not a need.