Another bold prediction by Tygerwoody

[Tygerwoody]

Within approx 1 year, Kevin Durant will be the clear cut #2 best player in the NBA, only trailing Lebron James.

/thread

[Retrolock]

Well for me he's already number 2. Kobe's fallen off lately, with all his turnovers and bad shooting. Durantula has been awesome in only his 3rd year with at TS% of 60.

[methimpikehoses]

I agree, if he continues to improve at his current pace, he'll be right there with Kobe and Lebron. Fortunately, he's not there yet... (missed a potential game-tying three in the final possession tonight that preserved a Blazer victory! :D)

[Sazar]

Well for me he's already number 2. Kobe's fallen off lately, with all his turnovers and bad shooting. Durantula has been awesome in only his 3rd year with at TS% of 60.

How quickly we forget that Kobe has been playing with a bunch of injuries that most other players would have gone on the DL for, individually. He is playing through them collectively and still finding a way to contribute to his team :)

Durant is going to be a special player, Gervin-esque I think. And, his a former UT player, so I am rooting for him obviously :D

[Tygerwoody]

Well for me he's already number 2. Kobe's fallen off lately, with all his turnovers and bad shooting. Durantula has been awesome in only his 3rd year with at TS% of 60.

Nah, I'd still put D-Wade at number 2 right now. Durant's work ethic is unreal though.

[DiscipleDOC]

Nah, I'd still put D-Wade at number 2 right now. Durant's work ethic is unreal though.

D-Wade may possibly go to another team that will be in contention for next year. I can't see him staying in Miami unless Miami get him some serious help down there.

[Retrolock]

How quickly we forget that Kobe has been playing with a bunch of injuries that most other players would have gone on the DL for, individually. He is playing through them collectively and still finding a way to contribute to his team :)



He contributes by his number of 8+ turnovers per game lol j/k

No really, it's Kobe's fault for not taking time off and fixing his bum finger. A number of Laker fans have this sentiment too. His ball handling is not that good anymore because of his injuries. He was great when the season started, but he really has fallen off. His 6 game winners are unreal this season though so I give you that.

The Lakers are stacked. Even with Kobe's injuries they will breeze through the playoffs and will face the Cavs in the finals.

[nrdstrm]

I have to agree with Sazar. Blame Kobe for stayin IN and showing some balls? I guess we really do live in a day an age of wussies. Also, all the Kobe hate is stupid. The Lakers are number 1 in a tougher Western Conference. Cleavland plays in an easier conference, and the Lakers are still only 4 games behind.

I put it 1. Kobe 2. Lebron 3. Wade

While I really like what Durant is doing, he's not on the level of the 3 players above...YET...

You hear that Kupcheck?!? Kobe is getting up there! You better start thinking ahead and either find another diamond in the rough, or trade the farm and get Durant! :D

[Zelda_fan]

rofl Kobe is the best player in the NBA right now...

I can't believe how easily people have forgotten what he's done:

-5x game winning buzzer beaters this season
-An 81 point game last season
-His team is #1 in the west
-4x NBA championships
etc
etc

When LeBron James comes even close to that then I'll mention it, but Kobe has been playing like Michael Jordan the last two years. Come playoff time LeBron will choke as always. Pride cometh before fall LeBron, Pride cometh before fall.

[Tygerwoody]

-An 81 point game last season

Last season? don't you mean 4+ seasons ago? :wtf:


Kobe is getting older. He's been injured most of this year. He's underperforming. Yea he made a good bit of buzzer beaters, but last I checked, buzzer beaters does not = best player in the game. The most important fact in all of this, is when Kobe goes out, The Lakers still maintain a respectable record. When Lebron goes out, the team is devastated and can barely win against the Timberwolves.

Nothing Kobe has done in the past 2 years has shown he's the "best". He's not even second best. I might give him 3rd or 4th right now. His time has come and gone.


And What do you mean by "Lebron always chokes in the playoffs". Umm..... Do you mean the Lebron James that last year averaged 35.3 points per game 9.1 rebounds per game 7.3 assists per game to go along with a crazy 51% FG percentage. You mean THAT Lebron?

What the hell are you talking about? Lebron has out of this WORLD stats during the playoffs. His TEAM chokes in the playoffs. Not Lebron. Lebron has single handedly carried the team throughout the playoffs since day 1. Quite frankly, even with the talent they have this year, I still see Lebron having to do it all to pull them through again.

[nrdstrm]

Kobe won the MVP 2 seasons ago man...And ask any player, coach or analyst and they will tell you they want Kobe if a game winning shot is on the line...

[Zelda_fan]

What the hell are you talking about? Lebron has out of this WORLD stats during the playoffs. His TEAM chokes in the playoffs. Not Lebron. Lebron has single handedly carried the team throughout the playoffs since day 1. Quite frankly, even with the talent they have this year, I still see Lebron having to do it all to pull them through again.

That's because he doesn't let his team play in the playoffs. The Cavs offense is "give LeBron the ball and let him jack it up or dish it off in traffic." LeBron is a HELL of a talented player. Probably the most talented since Jordan. But until he starts playing TEAM BASKETBALL he'll never win a championship.

[Zelda_fan]

Kobe won the MVP 2 seasons ago man...And ask any player, coach or analyst and they will tell you they want Kobe if a game winning shot is on the line...

+1. If the game was on the line, and you could choose 1 player in the fourth quarter to finish it I would chose Kobe without thinking twice. LeBron is just a stat padder.

[Sazar]

Fwiw, Lebron definitely knows how to "walk" the "walk" in the playoffs :cool:

Kudo's to the NBA for singlehandedly destroying the Washington Wizards by not calling Lebron for blatant walks and fouls in the couple of seasons the Wizards had a chance of beating the Cavs.

[Zelda_fan]

Who gives a **** about the wizards?

[DiscipleDOC]

Fwiw, Lebron definitely knows how to "walk" the "walk" in the playoffs :cool:

Kudo's to the NBA for singlehandedly destroying the Washington Wizards by not calling Lebron for blatant walks and fouls in the couple of seasons the Wizards had a chance of beating the Cavs.

Yea...the Wizards had nothing to do with that.:rolleyes:

One thing I tell my team before we go and play is "don't let the referee's win or lose this game for us....let us (the players) do that." If the wizards didn't keep it close, then they would not have to worry about the referees.

Not only that, that was a few years ago. What does that have to do with anything?

[nrdstrm]

Man, people really hold on to the ref crap don't they? I mean, I'm as guilty as anyone when the Lakers loose, there are occasions where I will blame the refs the next day (call it heat of the moment). But it doesn't stick with me...When a cooler head prevails, I don't remember the refs for specific losses (or even deciding playoff losses). The refs are human, and they can make mistakes...

Now Tim Donaghy? That is a different story completely... :D

[Sazar]

Yea...the Wizards had nothing to do with that.:rolleyes:

One thing I tell my team before we go and play is "don't let the referee's win or lose this game for us....let us (the players) do that." If the wizards didn't keep it close, then they would not have to worry about the referees.

Not only that, that was a few years ago. What does that have to do with anything?

Easy. If the Wizards win, things would have been a little different now. If the Cavs lose, things would have been a little different now :)

Regarding what happened, phantom fouls and 4-5 steps taken on game-ending possessions are not really letting players play.