(04-28-2018 03:07 AM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ] (04-27-2018 10:20 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-25-2018 10:10 PM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ]Time for the Thunder to throw in the towel. They should have won at least two titles in the Westbrook era. They were too cheap to pay all of their star players and traded Harden. I don't care if the rest of the roster is two NBA caliber starters and D-League players, they had the best team in the NBA for years to come but broke it up because they didn't want to pay the luxury tax.
Ah yes, the “OKC are a bunch of cheap pricks” argument. They offered Harden like $14 million a year to be the Sixth Man. And this was 5+ years ago, not now where everyone is getting max contracts. And Durant just left, not OKC’s fault he doesn’t have a spine.
He wouldn't have left if he was with a budding dynasty like that. It should have been a Lakers/Celtics rivalry between the Thunder and LeBron's Heat. Even in a small market like that, you pay to succeed.
Good stuff, “I know more than arguably the best GM in the NBA does!”. You don’t think Presti wanted to pay out all 3 guys? Guy had a budget, and Harden didn’t take the absolute best deal they could’ve offered. I was frankly shocked at the time when they were able to offer him 14+ mil a year to be the 6th man.
I'd put a really good workman big man, a great ball handler pg and a finesse, great 3-point shooter as well as a roster of developing players or even D-League players.
I'd have done whatever possible to keep that core together.
(04-29-2018 01:28 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 08:30 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 03:07 AM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ] (04-27-2018 10:20 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-25-2018 10:10 PM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ]Time for the Thunder to throw in the towel. They should have won at least two titles in the Westbrook era. They were too cheap to pay all of their star players and traded Harden. I don't care if the rest of the roster is two NBA caliber starters and D-League players, they had the best team in the NBA for years to come but broke it up because they didn't want to pay the luxury tax.
Ah yes, the “OKC are a bunch of cheap pricks” argument. They offered Harden like $14 million a year to be the Sixth Man. And this was 5+ years ago, not now where everyone is getting max contracts. And Durant just left, not OKC’s fault he doesn’t have a spine.
He wouldn't have left if he was with a budding dynasty like that. It should have been a Lakers/Celtics rivalry between the Thunder and LeBron's Heat. Even in a small market like that, you pay to succeed.
There us no point in bringing someone in when Russ doesn’t understand the concept of team ball.
Lmao, yeah, and what did “Team Ball” get OKC last night? Go look at Paul George and Melo’s stats from last night. They’d have lost that game by 30+ without Russ.
If Russ wants to play hero ball he can enjoy first round exits to a team journeymen.
(04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 02:07 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ]Whatever was the real reason OKC traded Harden, it was a horrible mistake.
So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade. So, what they should have done is try harder to make it work with all three of them. Trading one of those three should have been the very last resort.
Cavs squeak by the Pacers to advance. If they don't get their act together I think the Cavs might be out at the end of round 2.
(04-29-2018 09:51 AM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 02:07 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ]Whatever was the real reason OKC traded Harden, it was a horrible mistake.
So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade.
Except in trades where basically one star was traded for another, which is rare but happened.
http://www.nba.com/playoffs#/
Rockets vs Jazz
Pelicans vs Warriors
Raptors vs Cavs
76rs vs Celtics
MY TAKE:
Rockets in 5
*I thin the Jazz are game enough to get one, I just don't think they can stretch to 6/7.
Warriors in 6
--I know the Warriors won the first one but I think the Pelicans can at most 2 on them right now.
Raptors in 6
--I'll give the Cavs 2 wins worth of credit but the Raptors are better than the Pacers.
Celtics in 6
--76rs need this year's playoff experience to make the real move up next year.
(04-29-2018 08:31 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:28 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 08:30 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 03:07 AM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ] (04-27-2018 10:20 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ]Ah yes, the “OKC are a bunch of cheap pricks” argument. They offered Harden like $14 million a year to be the Sixth Man. And this was 5+ years ago, not now where everyone is getting max contracts. And Durant just left, not OKC’s fault he doesn’t have a spine.
He wouldn't have left if he was with a budding dynasty like that. It should have been a Lakers/Celtics rivalry between the Thunder and LeBron's Heat. Even in a small market like that, you pay to succeed.
There us no point in bringing someone in when Russ doesn’t understand the concept of team ball.
Lmao, yeah, and what did “Team Ball” get OKC last night? Go look at Paul George and Melo’s stats from last night. They’d have lost that game by 30+ without Russ.
If Russ wants to play hero ball he can enjoy first round exits to a team journeymen.
Am I talking to myself here? Go look at Paul George and Melo’s stats from that Game 6. When guys are hitting shots, Westbrook shares the ball (See Paul George Game 1). He’d have been stupid to give those other guys looks in Game 6, because they weren’t hitting crap.
(04-29-2018 09:51 AM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 02:07 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ]Whatever was the real reason OKC traded Harden, it was a horrible mistake.
So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade. So, what they should have done is try harder to make it work with all three of them. Trading one of those three should have been the very last resort.
THEY OFFERED HARDEN $14 MIL A YEAR. TO BE THE SIXTH MAN. Harden was the one that said no. Why do you all not understand that? You all make it seem like OKC wanted to trade him, or didn’t offer him a good deal.
(05-01-2018 04:12 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 09:51 AM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 02:07 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ]Whatever was the real reason OKC traded Harden, it was a horrible mistake.
So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade. So, what they should have done is try harder to make it work with all three of them. Trading one of those three should have been the very last resort.
THEY OFFERED HARDEN $14 MIL A YEAR. TO BE THE SIXTH MAN. Harden was the one that said no. Why do you all not understand that? You all make it seem like OKC wanted to trade him, or didn’t offer him a good deal.
So what if they offered Harden $14 million a year? That's also what he made his first contract in Houston, because that's what they were allowed to offer a player with his seniority at the time.
The "sixth man" label, though. Wow. Harden is going to be the league MVP this season. If OKC thought Harden was nothing better than a backup and a role player, that's a pretty serious mis-judgment.
Also, this is a pretty good article about the mistakes that led to trading away Harden:
How a massive miscalculation broke up Thunder's Westbrook-Durant-Harden dynasty
OKC already had an MVP caliber player. I just wanna know why was it they couldn't all be starters? And as I said, they should have done everything possible to keep them together. It could have been a roster full of D-Leaguers as long as they had those 3. Even if one goes down due to injury, you still have 2.
What a monumental choke by the Raptors..... the Cavs are in their head now.... they couldn't pull this off on their home floor.
![[Image: Barney.jpg]](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article11910039.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/Barney.jpg)
HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOSE A HOME OPENER WHEN YOU FINISHED EARLY AND THE OPPOSING TEAM BARELY GOT OUT OF A GRUELING 7 GAME SERIES?
(05-01-2018 04:31 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (05-01-2018 04:12 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 09:51 AM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 02:07 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ]Whatever was the real reason OKC traded Harden, it was a horrible mistake.
So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade. So, what they should have done is try harder to make it work with all three of them. Trading one of those three should have been the very last resort.
THEY OFFERED HARDEN $14 MIL A YEAR. TO BE THE SIXTH MAN. Harden was the one that said no. Why do you all not understand that? You all make it seem like OKC wanted to trade him, or didn’t offer him a good deal.
So what if they offered Harden $14 million a year? That's also what he made his first contract in Houston, because that's what they were allowed to offer a player with his seniority at the time.
The "sixth man" label, though. Wow. Harden is going to be the league MVP this season. If OKC thought Harden was nothing better than a backup and a role player, that's a pretty serious mis-judgment.
Also, this is a pretty good article about the mistakes that led to trading away Harden:
How a massive miscalculation broke up Thunder's Westbrook-Durant-Harden dynasty
Harden was clearly better than being a role player. But why not have one of your top 3 guys come off the bench to lead the second unit, while still playing starter minutes? He was a spark off the bench, he’s even said he thought he’d always be in that role with OKC. He had a choice, and it’s worked out for him, and I’m glad to see him have success. But the idea that it’s all OKC’s fault that those 3 aren’t together is close-minded. They’re definitely partly to blame, but it’s not solely on them.
(05-01-2018 07:20 PM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ]OKC already had an MVP caliber player. I just wanna know why was it they couldn't all be starters? And as I said, they should have done everything possible to keep them together. It could have been a roster full of D-Leaguers as long as they had those 3. Even if one goes down due to injury, you still have 2.
I have my doubts as to whether or not they’d have been as good as people think. If that OKC team from 15/16 couldn’t do it, and they were clearly better than the team that made it to The Finals, I don’t know if they could’ve ever beat Lebron in Miami, or Golden State. Still would’ve been fun to see though.
(05-01-2018 09:54 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote: [ -> ]What a monumental choke by the Raptors..... the Cavs are in their head now.... they couldn't pull this off on their home floor.
HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOSE A HOME OPENER WHEN YOU FINISHED EARLY AND THE OPPOSING TEAM BARELY GOT OUT OF A GRUELING 7 GAME SERIES?
Really is sad. Every bleeping year lol.
(05-01-2018 11:12 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (05-01-2018 04:31 PM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (05-01-2018 04:12 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 09:51 AM)Wedge Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:33 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ]So what should they have done? Nothing and let him walk? At least they got Steven Adams out of it.
Trading a future Hall of Famer in his prime for a bunch of pieces should never be the first option, because every team that has ever done that, in any team sport, has come out on the short end of the trade. So, what they should have done is try harder to make it work with all three of them. Trading one of those three should have been the very last resort.
THEY OFFERED HARDEN $14 MIL A YEAR. TO BE THE SIXTH MAN. Harden was the one that said no. Why do you all not understand that? You all make it seem like OKC wanted to trade him, or didn’t offer him a good deal.
So what if they offered Harden $14 million a year? That's also what he made his first contract in Houston, because that's what they were allowed to offer a player with his seniority at the time.
The "sixth man" label, though. Wow. Harden is going to be the league MVP this season. If OKC thought Harden was nothing better than a backup and a role player, that's a pretty serious mis-judgment.
Also, this is a pretty good article about the mistakes that led to trading away Harden:
How a massive miscalculation broke up Thunder's Westbrook-Durant-Harden dynasty
Harden was clearly better than being a role player. But why not have one of your top 3 guys come off the bench to lead the second unit, while still playing starter minutes? He was a spark off the bench, he’s even said he thought he’d always be in that role with OKC. He had a choice, and it’s worked out for him, and I’m glad to see him have success. But the idea that it’s all OKC’s fault that those 3 aren’t together is close-minded. They’re definitely partly to blame, but it’s not solely on them.
Yeah, it's possible they'd be down to just Westbrook anyway at this point. He's as much of a me-first guy as Kobe, and the Lakers couldn't keep Kobe and Shaq together even though they probably left two titles on the table by letting Shaq walk.
(04-29-2018 01:28 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 08:30 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 03:07 AM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ] (04-27-2018 10:20 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-25-2018 10:10 PM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ]Time for the Thunder to throw in the towel. They should have won at least two titles in the Westbrook era. They were too cheap to pay all of their star players and traded Harden. I don't care if the rest of the roster is two NBA caliber starters and D-League players, they had the best team in the NBA for years to come but broke it up because they didn't want to pay the luxury tax.
Ah yes, the “OKC are a bunch of cheap pricks” argument. They offered Harden like $14 million a year to be the Sixth Man. And this was 5+ years ago, not now where everyone is getting max contracts. And Durant just left, not OKC’s fault he doesn’t have a spine.
He wouldn't have left if he was with a budding dynasty like that. It should have been a Lakers/Celtics rivalry between the Thunder and LeBron's Heat. Even in a small market like that, you pay to succeed.
There us no point in bringing someone in when Russ doesn’t understand the concept of team ball.
Lmao, yeah, and what did “Team Ball” get OKC last night? Go look at Paul George and Melo’s stats from last night. They’d have lost that game by 30+ without Russ.
Seeing as how you think Russ is faultless, you are talking to yourself.
(05-02-2018 05:43 PM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-29-2018 01:28 AM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 08:30 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: [ -> ] (04-28-2018 03:07 AM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ] (04-27-2018 10:20 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote: [ -> ]Ah yes, the “OKC are a bunch of cheap pricks” argument. They offered Harden like $14 million a year to be the Sixth Man. And this was 5+ years ago, not now where everyone is getting max contracts. And Durant just left, not OKC’s fault he doesn’t have a spine.
He wouldn't have left if he was with a budding dynasty like that. It should have been a Lakers/Celtics rivalry between the Thunder and LeBron's Heat. Even in a small market like that, you pay to succeed.
There us no point in bringing someone in when Russ doesn’t understand the concept of team ball.
Lmao, yeah, and what did “Team Ball” get OKC last night? Go look at Paul George and Melo’s stats from last night. They’d have lost that game by 30+ without Russ.
Seeing as how you think Russ is faultless, you are talking to yourself.
He’s far from faultless. I’ll occasionally turn off OKC games because of him. But he’s not the problem everyone thinks he is. He’s not Melo.
(05-03-2018 08:47 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote: [ -> ]LOLOLOLOLOL
http://www.espn.com/nba/game?gameId=401031714
The Cavs own them mentally now.... Raptors might darn well get swept.
Yep. A sweep is very likely since the Cavs can close it out at home. Bron had it clicking on all cylinders along with Love. They were an unstoppable duo particularly in the second half. Although, the Raptors coach didn't make any adjustments in the second half on the dee end. I can't remember who it was but Love just abused his dude repeatedly on the block. Skinny, red headed, freckled, wearing thick black glasses with pocket protectors these Raptors are to the bully Cavs...