The problem with the NBA right now is that we honestly havent had guys that entered the league since the 2005 draft that have made a significant impact. I know we discussed this before the season but look at the champions of the last decade.... Lebron, Dirk, Pierce/KG/Allen, Kobe/Gasol, Duncan/Parker, Wade.....all of these guys were drafted in 2004 or prior. That is 10 years ago now, none of the drafts since 2005 have produced a champion. For the most part to, we are not seeing as many guys that are entering the league and having a significant impact. Yes we got Durant and George, but look at the east, it is so bad. The Rose injury has really stung the NBA to, the fact that we can pinpoint the final 2 teams in the east already is a damn shame imo. I cant recall the last time where we had two guaranteed locks like this. The fact that the teams 3-5 pretty have no chance against the top 2 is sad. This year above all has shown that the lack of talent in the league over the recent drafts has started to really catch up.
You are kind of circling and contradicting yourself. We have had guys come in and make significant impact. A champion itself is not the only way to create significant impact, even if you arbitrarily set it to be. The NBA has always been run by a top tier of teams with talented players. The Bulls ran off 6 titles in 8 years. The Lakers made I think 8 finals in 10 years in the 80s. The Spurs and Lakers won 9 titles in 13 years I think. That always happens in the NBA and it's not because of a lack of impactful players coming into the NBA. It's because the way basketball is set up, the best player on a team can get the ball so many times in a game and with 7 game playoff series, the chance of the worse team winning is lowered dramatically. The NBA is set up to reward the best team who usually has one of the best if not the best player in the league at the time. Random players aren't just going to join the league and win. It took Lebron 9 years to win a finals. Under your circumstance, he didn't make a significant impact until he won the final. No. 9 years into Lebron's career, only the "old school" had won titles. Kobe, Shaq, Pistons, Duncan. Wade had one with Shaq and a bunch of old players. Then the Spurs again, then the Lakers with Kobe and Pau. Oh and the Celtics with KG, Pierce, Ray. And Dirk won a title. Then Lebron/Wade/Bosh teamed up and that draft class piled on the rings. But until then, you could have made the same exact argument and it would have been wrong then too. We have a ton talent in the NBA. We have so much talent because careers are lasting longer. Kobe was drafted in 1996! 18 of the top 20 players in games started ended their careers in the 2000s. 7/20 top players in game started are still playing this year. There's your difference from current NBA to the past NBA. The East is historically bad this year. Yes, historically bad. There you have it. Why, because of bad owners, bad luck, and injuries. Not just a lack of significant impact players. You wanna know where they are, in the Western Conference. Again, the NBA is set up to reward the best teams who usually have the best players. It limits random luck and chance by the all the possessions within a game and then all the game played in the playoffs. You have to have a very talented team with a combination of "old" and "new" talent to win a NBA title, and you won't just fall into one. Yeah you can't remember, that's the point. It's HISTORICALLY bad. It isn't a consistent thing that's indicative of lack of talent. And if you do want to use it, you HAVE to include the WC, the more talented conference in both players and owners/GMs.
I read it after the game, that he had come out with an injury. He averages 20 minutes per game. Even if they were going small, he would've come back into the game at some point. He plays 15+ minutes, barring injury. http://espn.go.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/2018/kendrick-perkins He actually left tonight's game with a groin strain. I posted that on January 10, 2014. On February, 20, 2014: Plus, the rest of that post about no young players making an impact is complete nonsense, but I've already covered that the first time soxxx brought it up.
Heat beats OKC in OKC in Westbrook's first game back. OKC went into MIA and won about a month ago. Good game, MIA D was swarming and really frustrated the Thunder. Durant started off really bad
2014 All Star Game: Irving (2011) George (2010) Noah (2007) Hibbert (2008) Millsap (2006) DeRozan (2009) Wall (2010) Durant (2007, and possibly the best player in the NBA. Already been to a Finals) Curry (2009) Griffin (2009) Love (2008) Aldridge (2006) Anthony Davis (2012) Lillard (2012) Harden (2009)
Im not denying the talent, but I would love to see guys like Irving, Wall, and Davis to go there squads into the conversation.
Yeah it would have been nice to see CP3, Pierce, etc to do that early in their careers too. It doesn't happen for every star immediately or it doesn't happen some stars at all.
Well for the Wizards sake, it would be cool to see em push the Pacers or Heat to 7 games, if not beat em and make noise
Wizards going to have win in the first round then can look down that road. Wizards are as close to average as you can be in the East. As of right now they would be traveling to Chicago which would not be fun at all. They can make late season push though with a schedule ending with Knicks, Bos x2, CHA, MIL, ORL and home battles against CHI and MIA (who might be resting) all in April. Gortat will have to become a bigger force and team up with Hilario to control the paint. Ariza and Webster will need to both catch fire from 3 and Beal and Wall will need to keep up the efficient play and can't have off nights. The Wizards FO has been slowly brining the Wizards to here. Wall had the Wizards on a run to end last year, around .500 record when he came back, but really under .500 when he was hurt
No fucking way, Wizards would be lucky to win 1 game against Indiana. J Wall would probably have a good series though hes a beast.
Denver at Chicago followed by Boston at Lakers! Can you feel the ESPN Friday night excitement?! Clippers at Memphis and Spurs at Suns should be fun games. Hopefully the ESPN games can be competitive even if the teams aren't.
yes he did. And Washington will not beat Indiana in a series, unless the Pacers lose George or Hibbert to injury.
