Billy Donovan Thunder

[MilliniumPrince]

Unfortunately nowadays it takes at least 2 superstars to win it all.

It has always taken at least 2 superstars to win in the NBA.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

You can't blame OKC for that. Harden wanted to be "the guy" which was never going to happen with the Thunder so there was about a 0% chance he wasn't going to leave. Might as well get what you can out of it and focus on Ibaka, who looked to be developing into an elite big at the time and was much more likely to stay put.

Not true. In fact, he was stunned by the way things went down. He and,his agent wanted to sign a sort deal with an opt out after year 2 I believe. He wanted to win in OKC then go be the guy somewhere else. OKC didn’t want to amnesty Perkins...yes Perkins to keep Harden.

 

[Dogdeacon]

It has always taken at least 2 superstars to win in the NBA.

Dirk, Dwayne Wade's 1st title. Kobe's last couple and maybe every Spurs championship. It is possible with just one superstar, albeit a lot harder.

 

[Scoe]

Dirk, Dwayne Wade's 1st title. Kobe's last couple and maybe every Spurs championship. It is possible with just one superstar, albeit a lot harder.

Wade had Shaq. Dirk had very good role players around him a sharp shooter in Terry, a defensive center and rebounder in Chandler, a defensive wing in Marion, an older but wiser and clutch Jason Kidd. Another team to win it with one star was Hakeem he had great shooters around him.

 

[EBonz30]

Wade had Shaq. Dirk had very good role players around him a sharp shooter in Terry, a defensive center and rebounder in Chandler, a defensive wing in Marion, an older but wiser and clutch Jason Kidd. Another team to win it with one star was Hakeem he had great shooters around him.

It happens with one superstar, not very often but it does.

When Wade won it Shaq was no longer his usual dominant self.

 

[Scoe]

It happens with one superstar, not very often but it does.

When Wade won it Shaq was no longer his usual dominant self.

Shaq was past his prime but, he was an all-star still. Shaqs still averaged 23.5 ppg and 10.8 rpg, he wasn't what he was in LA but still pretty damn good.

 

[Scoe]

It happens with one superstar, not very often but it does.

When Wade won it Shaq was no longer his usual dominant self.

Yep Hakeem with the first title and Dirk not Dwade.

 

[EBonz30]

Yep Hakeem with the first title and Dirk not Dwade.

Do you think OKC and Billy the kid keep it close tonight?

 

[Scoe]

Do you think OKC and Billy the kid keep it close tonight?

Absolutly, I think GS wins tonight though by about 6-10 give or take (fts at the end).

 

[Dogdeacon]

Absolutly, I think GS wins tonight though by about 6-10 give or take (fts at the end).

I had to miss game one, but I think OKC can win again. OKC and Cleveland (against nothing but still) are the hottest teams right now and if they can keep the same frenetic pace, plus KD and Russ shoot better while Curry is still < 100%, then OKC has a real chance to go up 2-zip.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Dirk, Dwayne Wade's 1st title. Kobe's last couple and maybe every Spurs championship. It is possible with just one superstar, albeit a lot harder.

People forget how good Shaq was when the Heat won that title. D-Wade was clearly the Man, but Shaq was still drawing double-teams on most possessions. He shot 60% that season and averaged 20,9,2 and 1.8 blocks per game. Those numbers would make him the best center in the league right now.

You are correct about Dirk, and I will give you one you missed: Dream in his first title year. Beyond that, it has pretty much taken at least two superstars to win in the NBA. Three is more often the norm. Kobe had Pau, who should have been MVP of the Finals the year they beat Boston. The Spurs....are are you serious?

 

[Scoe]

People forget how good Shaq was when the Heat won that title. D-Wade was clearly the Man, but Shaq was still drawing double-teams on most possessions. He shot 60% that season and averaged 20,9,2 and 1.8 blocks per game. Those numbers would make him the best center in the league right now.

You are correct about Dirk, and I will give you one you missed: Dream in his first title year. Beyond that, it has pretty much taken at least two superstars to win in the NBA. Three is more often the norm. Kobe had Pau, who should have been MVP of the Finals the year they beat Boston. The Spurs....are are you serious?

Yeah with the Spurs Duncan had the Admiral for the 1st 2, Parker and Ginobili for most of them and Kwahi Leonard for the last one.

 

[bballgrda]

Dirk, Dwayne Wade's 1st title. Kobe's last couple and maybe every Spurs championship. It is possible with just one superstar, albeit a lot harder.

Kobe's last two had another HoF in Gasol and 2 high level players in Odom and Bynum. I forget who else was on that team but it certainly was not Kobe carrying the team. He shot 6-24 in game 7 of the 2010 finals. I remember thinking that it was a joke he won FMVP that year.

 

[EBonz30]

Kobe's last two had another HoF in Gasol and 2 high level players in Odom and Bynum. I forget who else was on that team but it certainly was not Kobe carrying the team. He shot 6-24 in game 7 of the 2010 finals. I remember thinking that it was a joke he won FMVP that year.

Yea, that game 7 took Kobe a few notches down in my view as far as greatest players of all time, if he had a great game 7 I would probably put him in the top 10 greatest ever, with him being awful that game I put him top 20, maybe top 15. Hard to find a player who is consider the greatest top 10 players ever having a horrible game 7 in the NBA finals.

 

[superjohn]

Dirk, Pistons and Rockets are the three that come to mind. I said now you need at least 2 superstars, with the Big three in Boston and Lebron's decision the league has become more of an arms race where 3 superstars is the recipe for winning it all. KG, Pierce, Allen. . . . .Lebron, Wade, Bosh. . . . . Lebron, Kyrie, Love. . . . .Curry, Klay, Draymond. . . . .Durant and Westbrook only have two but they are undoubtedly two of the five best players in the league. That's why I put what Dirk did over pretty much anyone else. He straight took it to Kobe and Gasol, Durant and Westbrook and then did the same to Lebron, Wade and Bosh.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Immature performance by Thunder last night. I thought when Durant fouled Curry and got the T he pretty much quit after that (or just played angry rather than smart) and the team went in the same listless direction as the superstar. OKC is really close, but I think they are missing an extra reserve of competitiveness that keeps things close when the momentum is going the other way. Probably 2-2 coming out of these next couple games, but I'd say way more likely 3-1 Warriors then 3-1 OKC

 

[EBonz30]

Immature performance by Thunder last night. I thought when Durant fouled Curry and got the T he pretty much quit after that (or just played angry rather than smart) and the team went in the same listless direction as the superstar. OKC is really close, but I think they are missing an extra reserve of competitiveness that keeps things close when the momentum is going the other way. Probably 2-2 coming out of these next couple games, but I'd say way more likely 3-1 Warriors then 3-1 OKC

Immature performance by Thunder last night. I thought when Durant fouled Curry and got the T he pretty much quit after that (or just played angry rather than smart) and the team went in the same listless direction as the superstar. OKC is really close, but I think they are missing an extra reserve of competitiveness that keeps things close when the momentum is going the other way. Probably 2-2 coming out of these next couple games, but I'd say way more likely 3-1 Warriors then 3-1 OKC

Durant is just a horrible road player, pretty incredible how bad he has been on the road in the playoffs.

It's so important Westbrook guards Curry as much as possible because whenever he comes off him it seems like Curry gets a wide open look.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Durant is just a horrible road player, pretty incredible how bad he has been on the road in the playoffs.

It's so important Westbrook guards Curry as much as possible because whenever he comes off him it seems like Curry gets a wide open look.

Agree Westbrook or Roberson (who is needed to guard someone bigger) are the only one's that can stay with Curry to the shut him down extent. But then with Westbrook you might be taxing him to the point where its more difficult for him to finish his drives to the hoop b/c explosiveness is nearly 100% of his game - seemed like last night he was getting consistently to the rim but finished only 25%.
Likewise though Curry can't stay in front of Westbrook & the physicality has to wear on him.

 

[superjohn]

Think the Warriors figured out they can play their bigs last night and they are really effective against the Thunder when the bigs come out and set a screen for Curry out at the three point line. Curry can use the screen to go either way and he can pull up or have an open lane.

 

[EBonz30]

Think the Warriors figured out they can play their bigs last night and they are really effective against the Thunder when the bigs come out and set a screen for Curry out at the three point line. Curry can use the screen to go either way and he can pull up or have an open lane.

@superjohn I told you to start listening to me....

I've been on Billy and this Thunder team since the beginning of the Spurs series...

 

[EBonz30]

This is what the series will come down to.....

If OKC can win the turnover battler they will win the series....mark it down...

For the guys who like stats....

Wrote it before the series, if OKC wins the turnover battle they will win the series...

OKC has won the turnover battle in game 1, 3, and 4.....all the games they've won.

Lost it in game 2.

 

[Dogdeacon]

So is Westbrook shutting down and tiring out Curry or is Curry hurt? OKC is beating the Warriors in every aspect of the game so this is NOT the essential point of the series, but OKC would be winning these games by single digits if Curry was average or better and instead he's been terrible. I think this isn't a big story because the press knows everyone loves Steph and is hesitant to criticize him. Bright side of that is OKC getting the credit they richly deserve.

 

[Scoe]

Even the 04 Pistons team while not having superstars players they still had 4 all star level players with different skill sets in Rip of course, Chauncey, and the Wallace boys, Tayshaun Prince was very good too. You usually need to have 2 all stars, 3 pt shooters and also a deep bench to win it all.

 

[nomar]

For the guys who like stats....

Wrote it before the series, if OKC wins the turnover battle they will win the series...

OKC has won the turnover battle in game 1, 3, and 4.....all the games they've won.

Lost it in game 2.

I said the team who scores the most points would win each game. OKC has scored more points in game 1, 3, and 4.....

Nailed it.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I wonder what KO is thinking about this series.