2011-2012 NBA Season Thread

[Jenksismyhero]

Since that pathetic loss to Indianapolis, LeBron is averaging 33.3ppg, 11.1rpg, 5.1apg, 1.1 3pg, 1.2bpg, 1.4spg over his last 10.

 

He's at 30.8, 9.6, 5.1, 1.2, 0.8, 1.9 for the playoffs - 18 games.

 

What a disappointment. What a choker.

 

Last year? Ok, dog the guy. This year? You just can't.

 

People recognize how great he is. But he was great last year too until it mattered most. If he does that this year again it's yet another stain on the record books for him. No one can argue that. The Spurs were amazing this year. They were the best team for the first two rounds of the playoffs. Guess who will never remember that? Everyone, because it doesn't matter.

 

And look, obviously we're talking about Lebron in a relative sense to the rest of the league. The problem is he was a self-anointed "King" before stepping foot on an NBA court. That's rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning. The Decision was less about his "overratedness" (in the sense that he was the Second Coming) and more about the selfish circus he put on for a 2-3 week period, followed by the laughable "not 6, 7, 8" speech.

 

[ZoomSlowik]

Westbrook will play Wade some, Harden can play Wade. It just depends.

 

I just think Ibaka cant guard Lebron on the outside, which will lead to a lot of breakdowns on defense.

 

Well, Thabo and Harden aren't generally going to be on the floor at the same time, unless they go small and end up negating one of their advantages with Ibaka/Perkins inside.

 

That was basically my point to start with, the Thunder have to make some choices. They really only have three wing players and one that's a defense-oriented player, while the Heat have two elite wings and two more that play a lot. Do they go small to matchup with the Heat and compromise one of their advantages with Ibaka/Perkins? Does Thabo guard Lebron and force Durant to play a guard where he has a quickness disadvantage, or does Thabo guard Wade and force Harden/Durant to guard Lebron? Do you try to hide Durant on Battier to save his energy for offense and hope Ibaka can hold his own on Lebron?

 

All of those choices have some issues. Lebron can score on any of them, to me it's which option causes the fewest other problems.

 

I'd definitely try Ibaka if it were me, he's athletic and really long even if he is at a quickness disadvantage, and it puts less defensive pressure on your best player. Have him play off Lebron a bit to make it a little easier to stay in front of him and hope Lebron takes the jumpers. Then you can put Thabo on Wade for long stretches and try to limit his impact and put even more pressure on Lebron instead of potentially giving Wade a matchup edge. Ibaka is already going to be a bit out of place chasing Battier out by the arc anyways if you go the other way. When Ibaka is on the bench, you rotate some combo of Thabo/Durant/Harden depending on who is on the floor (ideally in that order).

Edited June 11, 2012 by ZoomSlowik

[Chisoxfn]

Well, Thabo and Harden aren't generally going to be on the floor at the same time, unless they go small and end up negating one of their advantages with Ibaka/Perkins inside.

 

That was basically my point to start with, the Thunder have to make some choices. They really only have three wing players and one that's a defense-oriented player, while the Heat have two elite wings and two more that play a lot. Do they go small to matchup with the Heat and compromise one of their advantages with Ibaka/Perkins? Does Thabo guard Lebron and force Durant to play a guard where he has a quickness disadvantage, or does Thabo guard Wade and force Harden/Durant to guard Lebron? Do you try to hide Durant on Battier to save his energy for offense and hope Ibaka can hold his own on Lebron?

 

All of those choices have some issues. Lebron can score on any of them, to me it's which option causes the fewest other problems.

 

I'd definitely try Ibaka if it were me, he's athletic and really long even if he is at a quickness disadvantage, and it puts less defensive pressure on your best player. Have him play off Lebron a bit to make it a little easier to stay in front of him and hope Lebron takes the jumpers. Then you can put Thabo on Wade for long stretches and try to limit his impact and put even more pressure on Lebron instead of potentially giving Wade a matchup edge. Ibaka is already going to be a bit out of place chasing Battier out by the arc anyways if you go the other way. When Ibaka is on the bench, you rotate some combo of Thabo/Durant/Harden depending on who is on the floor (ideally in that order).

I fully expect the Thunder to play small. The Heat don't have any bigs and Perkins is best for being a physical defensive presence against strong bigs. He won't have that role and offensively he won't take advantage of the Heat. On the flipside, Ibaka should be fine on Bosh so you can play small and really take advantage of your matchups (which means you get Harden on the court more).

[ZoomSlowik]

I fully expect the Thunder to play small. The Heat don't have any bigs and Perkins is best for being a physical defensive presence against strong bigs. He won't have that role and offensively he won't take advantage of the Heat. On the flipside, Ibaka should be fine on Bosh so you can play small and really take advantage of your matchups (which means you get Harden on the court more).

 

I don't know, the Spurs destroyed the lineup with Perkins/Ibaka a lot of the time and Kendrick still played heavy minutes. I don't think their defense is very good with one less rebounder and rim-protector and it'd force DaQuan Cook to play more. I feel like Miami would love for OKC to go small, it'd be one less shot-blocker to discourage drives and would probably give Miami a rebounding advantage.

[Balta1701]

I don't know, the Spurs destroyed the lineup with Perkins/Ibaka a lot of the time and Kendrick still played heavy minutes. I don't think their defense is very good with one less rebounder and rim-protector and it'd force DaQuan Cook to play more. I feel like Miami would love for OKC to go small, it'd be one less shot-blocker to discourage drives and would probably give Miami a rebounding advantage.

Honestly, I think they'll have just about everything in the books available for this series, and we'll see some things work in some games and then not work in the next game. All I know about that Heat team is you can't let them score in transition. However you prevent that, that's the thing you have to stop.

[Quin]

Wade and Bosh have been injured. LeBron has put together historic performance after historic performance. He made a stupid, annoying Decision^TM, yes, but he's still been a complete motherf*cking monster.

 

LeBron has gone absolutely f***ing nuts. Doesn't make him any less of a dick for The Decision and the "Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7" and "It's gonna be easy" speech/party. He basically acted like the NBA Title belonged to the heat.

 

He made his bed, so unless he delivers titles, he's sleeping in it.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Isnt Durant a really good defender? Why wouldnt he be on Lebron??

 

I haven't really noticed his D in real life but he sure does win Defensive POY in NBA2k12 a lot lol

 

[Balta1701]

Isnt Durant a really good defender? Why wouldnt he be on Lebron??

 

I haven't really noticed his D in real life but he sure does win Defensive POY in NBA2k12 a lot lol

I think they'll have to rotate him on and off of Lebron to avoid having him get into too much foul trouble, just like I doubt you'll see Lebron constantly on Durant, but it'll probably happen down the stretch.

[Soxbadger]

Durant on Lebron puts to much risk on Durant getting foul issues and having to sit on the bench.

[Chisoxfn]

I don't know, the Spurs destroyed the lineup with Perkins/Ibaka a lot of the time and Kendrick still played heavy minutes. I don't think their defense is very good with one less rebounder and rim-protector and it'd force DaQuan Cook to play more. I feel like Miami would love for OKC to go small, it'd be one less shot-blocker to discourage drives and would probably give Miami a rebounding advantage.

They still have Ibaka who is a great shot-blocker. And defensively, lets be honest LBJ is going to get his points. The key is Sefolosha's D on Wade and Ibaka on Bosh. I like both of those match-ups from the Thunder's perspective. On the flipside, Westbrook gets away from d'ing Wade (at least at times) which means he has more energy going against Wade offensively.

[Steve9347]

LeBron has gone absolutely f***ing nuts. Doesn't make him any less of a dick for The Decision and the "Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7" and "It's gonna be easy" speech/party. He basically acted like the NBA Title belonged to the heat.

 

He made his bed, so unless he delivers titles, he's sleeping in it.

I can live with this.

[Quin]

 

Dance party!

[Steve9347]

 

Dance party!

Dear Lord, I'm kind of starting to like the Heat.

[Quin]

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Dance party!

Dear Lord, I'm kind of starting to like the Heat.

 

I'll allow you to like Juwan Howard for that video cause his part was f***ing hilarious.

 

The rest were lame to say the least.

[chw42]

 

Dance party!

 

This makes me think even less of them.

[Palehosefan]

NBA Draft measurements,

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-draft-...ine&sort=12

 

Harrison Barnes really helped himself disproving the notion he's not an elite athlete. He still out thinks himself on the court and is tentative.

 

Kendall Marshall has a 37 inch vertical, never would have guessed it was over 32 inches.

 

Miles Plumlee with a 40 inch vertical leap at 7'.

 

Meyers Leonard did well for himself.

 

Sullinger and Henson didn't show well.

[WHarris1]

Leonard's bench press reps in comparison to the likes of TRob, Drummond, & Sullinger are particularly interesting for someone previously considered to be extremely weak

Edited June 12, 2012 by WHarris1

[ZoomSlowik]

Definitely wouldn't have guessed Barnes is that athletic from the way he plays. He takes way too many jumpers for a guy that quick that can get up that much.

 

Same for Perry Jones. Great numbers on paper, too bad he isn't convinced that he's a PF.

[RockRaines]

Leonard's bench press reps in comparison to the likes of TRob, Drummond, & Sullinger are particularly interesting for someone previously considered to be extremely weak

Not sure his arms where were people thought he was weak.

 

 

I'm actually impressed with Sully's bodyfat percentage, I would have thought it was higher.

Edited June 12, 2012 by RockRaines

[WHarris1]

Not sure his arms where were people thought he was weak.

True Meyers Leonard was definitely perceived to be stronger through the chest and arms on the bench than every other big man at the combine

[RockRaines]

True Meyers Leonard was definitely perceived to be stronger through the chest and arms on the bench than every other big man at the combine

If he bolsters his lower half a bit he could be a downright monster, one that I would think could be very good in the NBA. Athletic big men are a freakin enigma though.

[WHarris1]

If he bolsters his lower half a bit he could be a downright monster, one that I would think could be very good in the NBA. Athletic big men are a freakin enigma though.

I'm still leary of a guy who cried on the bench purely because he and his team were getting molested by Nebraska

 

He has come a long way physically though from the 225 lb. 7-footer he once was and I'm glad to read/hear from multiple draft sources that he is sure to go in the lottery.

 

He also improved substantially between frosh-soph year in terms of managing his emotions in all facets, but still has great area to improve with that as well.

Edited June 12, 2012 by WHarris1

[RockRaines]

I'm still leary of a guy who cried on the bench purely because he and his team were getting molested by Nebraska

 

He has come a long way physically though from the 225 lb. 7-footer he once was and I'm glad to read/hear from multiple draft sources that he is sure to go in the lottery.

 

He also improved substantially between frosh-soph year in terms of managing his emotions in all facets, but still has great area to improve with that as well.

He would be a nice fit on the bench as a backup big guy on a contending team while developing his NBA skills an demeanor, the Bulls especially. However he wont fall that far.

[Jenksismyhero]

Good read on the importance of this Finals for Lebron's legacy:

 

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle...-finals-preview

 

So if Oklahoma City topples LeBron's Heat in the Finals, he would make history three different ways: first three-time MVP to lose his first three Finals trips; first modern superstar (anyone since the ABA/NBA merger, basically) to blow his first three Finals trips; first four-time member of the 42 Club to take a Finals goose egg. All of that seems far-fetched … even if the general public and the gambling public are leaning toward Oklahoma City, a precociously fearless team that's been looking admittedly '91 Bulls-ish these past few weeks. Just remember, it would be a historical fluke — repeat: a historical fluke — if the greatest player of his generation went 0-for-3 in the Finals.

Edited June 12, 2012 by Jenksismybitch

[BigSqwert]

Would be nice to see Sefalosha still on our team. Great athleticism and great defensive energy.