2017 NBA Offseason Thread: Magic Johnson and Phil Jackson race to the bottom

[Moss]

The interesting thing is that if IT is healthy, the Cavs are arguably better match for the warriors with Crowder there too

[Buffy]

Apparently IT and Love were on the same AAU team too so they go way back.

[Moss]

Someone post the picture LOL

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[jimbo]

anyway I think IT will actually be BETTER next year. Who gets worse playing with LeBron? THINK ABOUT IT.

Chris Bosh & Kevin Love

[Moss]

Chris Bosh & Kevin Love

Bosh was fine once acclimated. Love is/was a fit issue.

[Krandor]

Someone post the picture LOL

The interesting thing is that if IT is healthy, the Cavs are arguably better match for the warriors with Crowder there too

IT would be damn near unplayable in crunch time against the Warriors tho. Kyrie can at least pretend to play defense, but IT trying to guard anyone against the Warriors death lineup? Pffft

[Moss]

Hahaha the only thing that compares is the young CJ McCollum pic

[Andalusian girls]

IT would be damn near unplayable in crunch time against the Warriors tho. Kyrie can at least pretend to play defense, but IT trying to guard anyone against the Warriors death lineup? Pffft

i don't really see it, Kyrie got scorched against the Dubs. he gets scorched a whole bunch.

Irving was one of only 10 guards in the league to allow 50%+ shooting in 1 on 1 situations, as the primary defender in all situations (where his teammates can cover him) he was in the bottom 20% in points allowed per possession, and in the history of the NBA there have only been 6 seasons where someone with his usage rate earned defensive win shares of <1.5. two of those seasons belong to Kyrie.

he'll pull a defensive play out of his ass every now and again but i think people are a little too "Isaiah Thomas is small! he's a defensive liability!". very true, but the guy he's replacing is also an absolutely horrific defender.

[kisada]

yeah size doesn't mean anything here really. irving is a tragic defender

[Gredival]

IT is physically incapable of what Kyrie just doesn't give a shit about doing.

[Moss]

IT is actually stronger and a better post defender lol

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[Serra]

Whenever I think of this trade, I can't help thinking of the Game of Zones episode from this season.

[tyven]

Chris Bosh & Kevin Love

i was actually thinking about this when i made the post. There is that situation where they were both the best player on bad teams which helps to mask deficiencies and then gets magnified once surrounded by better players. Since IT came from a good team hopefully that won't be the case!

[Moss]

i was actually thinking about this when i made the post. There is that situation where they were both the best player on bad teams which helps to mask deficiencies and then gets magnified once surrounded by better players. Since IT came from a good team hopefully that won't be the case!

Bosh isn't a good example anyway, though. He may have struggled some the first year but he was a key player on those championship teams with his spacing his work in the aggressive trapping defense. People get too obsessed with ppg

[tyven]

plus he learned to wet the 3!

[Deejay]

Idk, I'm not that sold on this Cavs team doing well in the finals. They will have a crazy efficient inside presence, but IT is a worse perimeter shooter and defender. The Cavs didn't have problems scoring buckets, they had problems scoring buckets at the rate the Warriors do. Lebron will have to guard Curry full time or they're still going to have the same problems against the Warriors imo

[Siccmade]

It's been making the rounds so I'm sure my dudes have seen it but worth a share, lol.

[Siccmade]

This trade is an absolute steal because Kyrie wanted to get gone, so... win/win but CLE gets the W.

LeBron wanted a backup PG and now he's got D-Rose and IT... Don't ever say out your mouth this isn't Bron's team.

As a Kings fan I love seeing Thomas shine, as a Warriors die-hard, challenge accepted!

[Andalusian girls]

Idk, I'm not that sold on this Cavs team doing well in the finals. They will have a crazy efficient inside presence, but IT is a worse perimeter shooter and defender. The Cavs didn't have problems scoring buckets, they had problems scoring buckets at the rate the Warriors do. Lebron will have to guard Curry full time or they're still going to have the same problems against the Warriors imo

i mean this absolutely regardless of the trade. against a healthy Durant-led Dubs the Cavs are big dogs. they were and remain so.

not sure IT is a worse outside shooter though. his % wasn't quite as nice but he shot at a higher volume and didn't get as many open LeBron/Love looks. should see his efficiency spike upwards in a better offense.

[kisada]

jae crowder is gonna help that team a lot. IT might seem like the centerpiece but having crowder will give them a really nice piece that can switch up and down on defense, while being more reliable than shumpert/jr on offense