I'd rather have Tristan or Whiteside Poll

[Black Adam]

It'a all a Cavs fan has. Once Lebron begins to decline and eventually retires, the Cavs will go back to being the Cavs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers, who finally seem to be getting things figured out, will return to being the Lakers.

"NBA history doesn't exist beyond 2011"-Shane

 

[WiggyRuss]

It'a all a Cavs fan has. Once Lebron begins to decline and eventually retires, the Cavs will go back to being the Cavs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers, who finally seem to be getting things figured out, will return to being the Lakers.

its certainly possible....however, the Cavs have Kyrie who is just entering his prime.....the Lakers have some good prospects- but no one that is likely to touch how good Kyrie is as not just an all star- but an elite talent in the league----- let alone guaranteed to be an all star level player.

not too mention- Jimmy Buss seems like an idiot so at some point he will likely have to be fired if the Lakers ever want to be what the Lakers used to be before the league made huge changes that have blunted many of the advantages they used to enjoy.

 

[trojanfan12]

its certainly possible....however, the Cavs have Kyrie who is just entering his prime.....the Lakers have some good prospects- but no one that is likely to touch how good Kyrie is as not just an all star- but an elite talent in the league----- let alone guaranteed to be an all star level player.

not too mention- Jimmy Buss seems like an idiot so at some point he will likely have to be fired if the Lakers ever want to be what the Lakers used to be before the league made huge changes that have blunted many of the advantages they used to enjoy.

Yeah, I really like Kyrie. That dude is fun to watch. As good as he is and will be, I just don't think he's ever going to reach Lebron's level. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him leave once Lebron is gone or seriously declines.

As for Jim Buss, there is no question that he made some mistakes. His biggest ones were coaching hires and gutting the training staff. I had no issue with Mike Brown when they first hired him because they needed defense and he was supposed to be a defensive guru. Turned out, he owed all of his success to Lebron. Hiring D'Antoni when they could have had Phil back was just stupid and Byron ended up being a debacle. I liked most of his "old school" approach, but to sustain being a successful coach, you have to realize when what you're doing isn't working and adjust. He never adjusted.

Gutting the training staff led to a couple of the most injury plagued seasons that I've ever seen any team have.

However, they seem to have the right coach and somehow have put together what looks to be a very solid young core of players, with a couple of potential stars, despite not having much in the way of assets.

I don't know if he finally learned how to run a basketball team or has finally been smart enough to do like his Dad and just get out of the way and let the basketball people do their jobs, but I really can't complain about him. At least for now. lol

Being in LA is still an advantage, just not the advantage it used to be. Now, to get a top flight FA, they have to have a team with a shot to win. All things being equal, the Lakers still have the advantage because of location, but if things are not equal, being in LA isn't enough anymore.

 

[Shanemansj13]

"NBA history doesn't exist beyond 2011"-Shane

Well the current team is the only thing that matters currently, so what I said is fair lol

 

[Shanemansj13]

It's all a Cavs fan has. Once Lebron begins to decline and eventually retires, the Cavs will go back to being the Cavs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers, who finally seem to be getting things figured out, will return to being the Lakers.

Well you are in LA not Cleveland, kind of a HUGE difference lol

Anyway, decline? Could be awhile bc he will eventually change his game. Seems like fans that don't like Lebron have been waiting for a decline for a LONG time. Good luck on that 10 year rebuild lol

 

[WiggyRuss]

Well you are in LA not Cleveland, kind of a HUGE difference lol

Anyway, decline? Could be awhile bc he will eventually change his game. Seems like fans that don't like Lebron have been waiting for a decline for a LONG time. Good luck on that 10 year rebuild lol

yah LeBron isnt declining any time soon- not only that- but Kevin Love and Kyrie are still young guys...so is Tristan who should only get better....

its gonna be a loooooooooooooooooooooong time before the Cavs have to turn it all over.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well you are in LA not Cleveland, kind of a HUGE difference lol

Anyway, decline? Could be awhile bc he will eventually change his game. Seems like fans that don't like Lebron have been waiting for a decline for a LONG time. Good luck on that 10 year rebuild lol

I don't think anyone is necessarily "waiting for the decline." We just know that it's coming. Like Barkley always points out, "Father Time is undefeated."

Also, when great players start to decline, it seems like it happens all of the sudden, rather than a long, slow descent. The only great players that I can think of off the top of my head that had a slow decline were Kareem and Timmy.

Everyone else seems to be more like Kobe. One year, they're the guy you remember and the next year...they're not. In Kobe's case, it was because injuries caught up to him. But that's part of how it happens. Lebron has been amazingly injury free throughout his career. One has to wonder how long that can last. Especially with all of the mileage he's accumulated and will continue to accumulate.

Personally, I hate seeing great players decline, even ones that I don't like.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

yah Thompson- whether he gets numbers like that on a particular night or not- is always doing the dirty work..he is what makes the Cavs defense go- between him and Love the other team is never gonna beat the CAvs on the glass etc....

its just funny to see individual stats being posted about individual games....all though- not surprisingly- no one posted how Cousins fucking destroyed whiteside the other night....but really its besides the point.

the point is- in todays NBA- building around a center like Whiteside who cant pass, cant shoot, and cant guard on the perimeter is just really putting your team behind the eightball. Its a pace and space league- and it automatically makes you a team that is slow and plodding- which the Heat historically are...

last year Miami was 23rd in points. and 5th in points allowed....the year before 6th in poiints allowed, 27th in points....this year- small sample size, but 20th in points, 10th in points allowed....

its a teamt hat tries to keep the scores low, doesnt score many points , doesnt give up many points....is excruciatingly boring basketball to watch and is reminscient of Rileys knicks teams from the 90s.....A center like Whiteside is EXACTLY the type of player that plays into that.

Why would you give a quarter of your payroll to a center that cant pass, cant shoot, and cant guard on the perimeter in todays pace and space league?------ when you pile all the character issues on top of that- it makes it even more puzzling. Its just a bad idea- unless you have an Andre Drummond - to build around a player like that anyway.....to build around a player with Whitesides skill set and his history of shitty character is just a disaster. you will never win in todays league with that strategy....all your gonna get is some really shitty boring basketabll reminscent of the 90's when the league was dominated by defense and low scoring and hard fouls....its just excruciating and boring and a losing brand of basketball in todays NBA.

Cousins had a better game,but certainly did not destroy Whiteside.
If anything, the refs destroyed the game.
I mean Cousins picked up 6 fouls in the 4th qtr, and none the first 3??
How does that happen?

Whiteside was given a couple of cheap fouls early which forced him to back off, and Cousins then became real aggressive.

Also, Cousins and Gay pretty had the ball every possession.
The Heat was much more balanced, which is really the better approach.



As far of the rest of your propaganda.
Cousins, despite the numbers, has lead his team to victories against whom?
Lost to frickin' Orlando last night.

And, again, why were 6 teams lined up day 1 of FA to offer Whiteside a max if he's such an unneeded commodity in todays NBA??

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Yeah, I really like Kyrie. That dude is fun to watch. As good as he is and will be, I just don't think he's ever going to reach Lebron's level. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him leave once Lebron is gone or seriously declines.

As for Jim Buss, there is no question that he made some mistakes. His biggest ones were coaching hires and gutting the training staff. I had no issue with Mike Brown when they first hired him because they needed defense and he was supposed to be a defensive guru. Turned out, he owed all of his success to Lebron. Hiring D'Antoni when they could have had Phil back was just stupid and Byron ended up being a debacle. I liked most of his "old school" approach, but to sustain being a successful coach, you have to realize when what you're doing isn't working and adjust. He never adjusted.

Gutting the training staff led to a couple of the most injury plagued seasons that I've ever seen any team have.

However, they seem to have the right coach and somehow have put together what looks to be a very solid young core of players, with a couple of potential stars, despite not having much in the way of assets.

I don't know if he finally learned how to run a basketball team or has finally been smart enough to do like his Dad and just get out of the way and let the basketball people do their jobs, but I really can't complain about him. At least for now. lol

Being in LA is still an advantage, just not the advantage it used to be. Now, to get a top flight FA, they have to have a team with a shot to win. All things being equal, the Lakers still have the advantage because of location, but if things are not equal, being in LA isn't enough anymore.

No doubt Kyrie is talented, but he thrives because of James.
We've seen the sampling of his results without him.
Without James, hes probably Cousins.
Big stats.
Few wins.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

yah LeBron isnt declining any time soon- not only that- but Kevin Love and Kyrie are still young guys...so is Tristan who should only get better....

its gonna be a loooooooooooooooooooooong time before the Cavs have to turn it all over.

I give it 3 years.

 

[Black Adam]

Well the current team is the only thing that matters currently, so what I said is fair lol

correct. CURRENTLY my team owns 16 titles. yours one...

continue...

 

[Black Adam]

I give it 3 years.

LOL @ Wiggy still thinking LeClown's gonna play into his 40's at this level...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Lakers bigs who are better than TT:

Randle
Mosgov
Nance Jr

In two/three years time i'll add Zubac to that list.

 

[Wamu]

yah LeBron isnt declining any time soon- not only that- but Kevin Love and Kyrie are still young guys...so is Tristan who should only get better....

its gonna be a loooooooooooooooooooooong time before the Cavs have to turn it all over.

Father Time stops for nobody. And yes that includes LeBron.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Father Time stops for nobody. And yes that includes LeBron.

very very true...Father time stops for nobody- but it certainly seems like LeBron has him limping with a steel pipe to the knee! LeBron is 31 right now....i see him still being at pretty much this same level for this year and prob the next 2....looking any further into the future than that isnt really practical.

im just glad that the cavs are taking a lot of care to make sure he stays healthy and rested and is handled correctly....he doesnt need to be ridden into the ground like Kobe was. I admire Kobe for his drive to play every game and all the huge minutes he played- but i think thats a major reason the end of his career went so very badly. On the other hand- Tim Duncan and the Spurs are a very good model for how to handle an aging all time great.

 

[Black Adam]

Father Time stops for nobody. And yes that includes LeBron.

nooooooooo.....

wait, really...?

 

[Wamu]

nooooooooo.....

wait, really...?

Have I ever told you I could have been a Lakers fan if they wouldn't have left Minneapolis?

 

[Black Adam]

very very true...Father time stops for nobody- but it certainly seems like LeBron has him limping with a steel pipe to the knee! LeBron is 31 right now....i see him still being at pretty much this same level for this year and prob the next 2....looking any further into the future than that isnt really practical.

im just glad that the cavs are taking a lot of care to make sure he stays healthy and rested and is handled correctly....he doesnt need to be ridden into the ground like Kobe was. I admire Kobe for his drive to play every game and all the huge minutes he played- but i think thats a major reason the end of his career went so very badly. On the other hand- Tim Duncan and the Spurs are a very good model for how to handle an aging all time great.

LMFAO clearly you don't know a whole lot about Kobe or his career. or how many injuries the guy played through. like him or dislike him the guy was a warrior. not soft like certain people I know...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

On the other hand- Tim Duncan and the Spurs are a very good model for how to handle an aging all time great.

And how effective was Duncan the last couple of years?

When lebron drops down his production, the cavs start to suck again

 

[Black Adam]

Have I ever told you I could have been a Lakers fan if they wouldn't have left Minneapolis?

why no...

hmm, an interesting revelation...

but let's face it. tinsletown's a VERY good look for them...