AboveLegit

Their frontcourt play has been fantastic, and it starts with Paul Milsap who's putting up good numbers and is playing very sound defense. They are dominating the paint against most teams, just watch the Lakers game where Gasol and Bynum struggled. Last year we saw Utah playing out of control at times, not moving the ball, and are starting off games strong.

Awesome game, enjoyed it a lot. Wall played another outstanding game, he's starting to switch gears instead of going full speed, and is learning when to attack the paint in the halfcourt set. Vesely is already our best man defender as well as our best pick and roll defender. The stretch where he was playing alongside McGee early in the fourth was amazing. They play off eachother very well. Nick and Crawford played terrific as well. Nick didn't have it going early, but he lit it up in the fourth and played good defense on Durant.

If you want to argue accolades here, Stockton only made the NBA first team twice (as many times as Nash and two fewer than Kidd). He only finished in the top 10 of MVP voting twice. No one's going argue career stats, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that he played until he was 40 (and if Magic's career hadn't ended at 31, the numbers would've been a little bit different). His career records have as much to do with longevity as they have to do with talent. It should also be pointed out that Stockton rarely stepped it up in the playoffs. Most of his stats either stay about same as they were in the regular season or for most seasons dropped (sometimes significantly). In fact his career field goal percentage drops about 5% in the playoffs. He never had a stand out game when things were on the line in fact, in the last series against the Bulls in the 98 playoffs he was absolutely dreadful, either failing or barely able to break double figures in points or assists. You could credit that to the Bulls defense, but normally you want your Hall of Fame point guard to step up his game when it matters most. What we know of Isiah is that he was the best guy on a team that won back to back titles that consistently stepped up when it mattered. I'll agree that his defense at times gets overrated because he had one heck of a post defense to rely on, but I'd still take his D over Stockton's. His Pistons teams didn't start to win when he changed his style of play, but rather when the franchise changed it's philosophy on defense by drafting Rodman and Salley, and picking up Mahorn.

Good point there, I have no doubt the PG's I listed in the article would play just as well in a different era, however, you're minimizing the importance of great post play. It makes operating an offense more difficult because you don't have the lane you normally would receive in todays game.

While the athletes are superior today, the big men were definitely more skilled in the past. Guys like Rose would have to alter their games to fit that playing style, you can't drive on guys like Ewing, Olajuwon, etc on a consistent basis.

I guess you can put Kidd in that same boat, but not Stockton and Nash... The offense that Sloan used in Utah generated a lot of assists for the point guard, using either the pick and roll (which Utah used during Stockton's years more than any other team ever) and set plays that require the player receiving the ball to shoot immediately after he's gotten it. You'd also be hard pressed to find many moments where Stockton absolutely controlled a game. Sure he was able to hit shots in the clutch, but you almost assured that he would get his 16 to 17 points a game and 12 to 13 assists a game, but never was able to take over a game the way you see Nash or Paul doing. Nash is a dropoff after those 3 because his lack of defense. That's a major knock on him.

Care you elaborate?

Those are elite numbers, but he's still breaking out, you really can't put him ahead of more established PG's like Nash and Rondo.

Haha thanks man, this was really just about the top 5 PG's in the league, and I tried to expand the idea, guess it didn't work it the way I thought it would. This is completely based off talent rather than body of work, I just believe what Paul has been able to do in his career with such little talent is remarkable. Not to mention the fact that he's never gone below 22.0PER in his whole career says a lot about how good he is. Obviously guys like Nash and Kidd have more to their resume, but Paul is the better individual talent.

http://static.foxsports.com/content/fscom/img/2011/12/31/123011-NBA-Bulls-Clippers-PI_20111231024815595_660_320.JPG For the past 3 or 4 decades, we have noticed a trend intensifying around the league, a trend that has fluctuated from decade to decade. It seems as if there’s a new breed of great players at a specific position entering the league at once, and while we could hardly consider this a misfortune, we are quick to detect what this young decade has to offer. The 1980’s had a plethora of great SF’s, and at one point it seemed as if every team featured a SF that brought something unique to the table. You had SF’s that posted up such as Adrian Dantley and Bernard King, SF’s that ran the court well such as James Worthy and Alex English, and of course the athletic freaks, Dominique Wilkins and Julius Erving. And let’s not forget the legend himself, Larry Bird. The 1990’s featured great big men such as Hakeem Olajuwon, a young Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, among many others. This most recent decade, the 2000’s featured what I like to call, the “disciples of Michael Jordan.” Proceeding his retirement from the Chicago Bulls, many were anxious to find “the next Mike.” Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and probably the only one to legitimately hold a candle to His Airness, Kobe Bryant were all proclaimed the next Jordan at one point. But now we move onto the era of the point guard, perhaps the most critical and most under duress player on the hardwood. We have entered this decade with an array of great talent at this position, all of which bring something new to the table. 1. Chris Paul Quite possibly the best PG the league has seen since Isiah Thomas, CP3 has quickly transcended himself in rarified air. It’s not often we see a player as deadly efficient as Paul, one that is so meticulous with the ball he’s able to control the entire pace of the game. He has posted a PER of 22.0 or higher in each of his 7 seasons in the league, and is already in the top 10 all time for his entire career. Los Angeles didn’t exactly trade the house for Paul, but they relinquished much of their future in order to win now, and I’d say it’s paying off. With convincing victories over the Heat and Lakers, it’s clear that this team belongs in the West’s upper echelon, and will continue to grow as a unit. The effect he’s had on this team thus far hasn’t gone unnoticed, he has gotten Blake Griffin easier buckets which is demonstrated by his increase in FG%, and has transformed this team into a top 5 offense in the NBA. Despite all of the injuries Paul has dealt with in the past, he looks to have a great career ahead of him as his playing style won’t be affected much with age. The way he uses his hips and shoulders in order to create space as well as his dribbling ability will not fade; he’s very much cut from the Steve Nash/Jason Kidd mold. 2. Derrick Rose Coming off a historic season in which Rose captured MVP honors as the youngest player ever, 2012 projects to be another year of steady improvement for the 4th year superstar. He didn’t exactly come out of the gates swinging following an extended lockout; yes he dropped the game winner on the Los Angeles Lakers in the season opener, but appears more relaxed and patient. This is an appeasing sign for Chicago natives who witnessed a playoff collapse by the #1 seed in the east. The team’s heavy reliance on Rose, especially on offense, led to their demise against the Miami Heat, so it has been a point of emphasis for them to provide the reigning MVP with more support. 4 games into the season, we began to witness more of the same, another down year for Carlos Boozer, a rather disappointing start for Joakim Noah, and an injury riddled season for newly acquired Richard Hamilton forced Derrick Rose to revert back to his MVP ways. He has looked more confident as a play maker in the offense, has played with more patience, and believe it or not, is looking to pass earlier in the shot clock. His scoring percentages are down; he’s not scoring with efficiency, but is still leading Chicago to a 12-3 record, best in the East. 3. Deron Williams Is there a superstar more underrated and underappreciated in this league than Deron Williams? Is there a superstar in a more tumultuous position than Deron Williams? Quite often compared to his counterpart and good friend Chris Paul, it truly seems like both of their worlds flipped for better or worse in the past year. You could say Deron wasn’t in the most ideal position in Utah, but was still able to find a good amount of success there. However the exact opposite has happened since being traded to the impending Brooklyn Nets. No matter how great of a point guard you are, you will never find individual success without a reliable second option, and Deron has none in New Jersey. You cannot point to one starter on that team and say he is worthy of starting on a championship caliber team other than Deron. The result has been a career low in field goal percentage, 8 apg (lowest since his rookie season), and a career high of 4 turnovers per game. On top of that, he looks genuinely disinterested games, is taking far too many perimeter oriented jumpers, and isn’t attacking the basket like he use to. Regardless of his struggles this season, he remains a top 3 PG based strictly off his proven ability to play at a superstar level when given half decent players around him. 4. Rajon Rondo His free throw percentages are an abomination to point guards everywhere, his infrequently taken three point shots are more likely to hit the shot clock than the rim, and his teammates being three future hall of famers do him no justice. These indictments of Rajon Rondo, concerns that prove without a shadow of a doubt that he’s not a superstar, are all reasons to appreciate his game more. His restricted ability in the half court set and defenders literally daring him to shoot the ball aren’t exactly aesthetically pleasing, but showcases how one can dominate a game without scoring. He’s the undisputed best player on that Celtics roster, his role on the team is virtually irreplaceable because there’s only a handful of players in this league can do what he’s done for the past 3 years. He has one of the highest basketball IQ’s in the league, his pinpoint passing and ability to control the tempo of a game are all reasons why he’s a perfect fit in Boston. He's not a product of his teammates or system, but more a product of circumstances. Ray Allen doesn't have to create for others, Pierce doesn't have to carry the load on offense, and Garnett doesn't have to do everything on the defensive end, similarly, Rondo doesn't have to score and has the freedom to egregiously gun for the assist record. He fits in perfectly with what Doc is trying to establish (or better yet, already has established), and in turn, makes Boston a more well rounded team. They're simply a team greater than the sum of its parts, much like the situation Billups fell into back in '06, or even Garnett in '08. 5. Steve Nash The age old question of “When is Steve Nash going to decline?” can be put to rest, or better yet, should have been put to rest last season when he led the league in assists per game at the age of 36. As you grow older, you lose your athleticism, not your ability to shoot or pass the ball, just ask John Stockton. What Steve Nash is doing so far this year, in just 30 minutes per game with limited weapons on offense, is truly a work of art. Some people can criticize his body of work for playing in one system his entire career, but there’s no denying that he’s one of the greatest shooters and passers the league has ever seen.

Yeah it's much different when you're living 20 minutes away from M&T Bank Stadium.

Rooting hard for New England on Sunday, I don't think I can take the obnoxious Baltimore fans any longer...

No doubt, as I said I'm more concerned with his logic behind it, and what Flip did in reaction to it. But, a windmill is much different than throwing it off the backboard and dunking it IMO. To be honest, I'm more upset about Blatche and Wall getting two techs back to back in the third quarter. That immaturity at it's finest, and really, that caused us to lose the game more than anything else.

I'm going to side with Nitro here. I acknowledge that Marc Jackson has done a great job maximizing Ellis' talent, and has slowed the pace down quite a bit from last year, but the fact remains that he's in the top 3 in usage rate out of the entire league behind only Kobe and Melo. I'll also contend that this heavier work load with Steph Curry out is hurting his efficiency numbers. Yeah he's averaging more assists (and that will surely go down as the season progresses), but shouldn't that come naturally with him being the only distributor on the team now? Let's not forget the type of teammate he is. Steph Curry is at his best when Monta is out of the lineup.

I know he gets to the line, but he's not adept to absorbing contact the way Bron, Kobe, Melo, or Wade can, and in the playoffs, that's an essential element of every great scorers' game. And there's no doubt Durant is a better player than Melo (although the gap isn't as significant as some suggest), all I was alluding to was that I like Melo's style of play.

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxww16bjRu1qiw8y5o1_500.gif Basically describes the third quarter.. Spurs desperately need to get Manu back, he's the only one that is able to create his own shot consistently and effectively. Tony played well, but as soon as Miami clogged the middle, he was too hesitant to take his midrange J and started missing.

Nate McMillan is a top 3 coach in this league behind Carlisle and Popovich, he's severely underrated by everyone.

I have a problem, and it's more towards what he said after the game when asked if it was appropriate. He said "it sparked a run, it got the team excited so I don't see what's wrong with it." Two things... 1) It didn't spark a run, matter of fact after that moment, we were outscored by more than 10 points. 2) It's never ok to showboat when you're on a 1-11 team and were playing a terrible game to begin with. It just further proves how dysfunctional our team is right now. And to top this, Flip Saunders decided to hook him from the game, which brings up a whole new issue. Not only did he play an injured player for the rest of the game (Blatche), but he ruined any chance we had at a comeback. Blatche's defense made Samuel Dalembert look like modern day Hakeem Olajuwon... There were better ways of handling the situation, make him run extra laps at practice, but don't take him out of the game and further alienate a core piece.

Problem is, he shies away from contact, and that makes Oklahoma City so vulnerable in the playoffs. Durant gets thrown off when faced with physical defenders, and that's typically what happens in the playoffs. It's why I'm such a fan of Melo, because he's equipped to handle both playing styles, whether it's backing off on the offensive player, or playing him up tight. Durant is able to get his shot on most teams, but when it's not working, he's strictly a jump shooter, and I want to see him improve that.

He wasn't that efficient in the Memphis series as well. It just proves he needs to add another dimension to his arsenal, and that cannot be disputed. It should also be noted that he eclipsed the 5 assist mark only 4 times in 17 playoff games last year.

I agree Rose has been fairly inefficient this season, but as I said, if he's able to play off the ball and develops a post game, it will result in more high % shots which will bump those averages up. I haven't been impressed with Durant's defense. Yesterday Pierce took advantage of him a lot, whether it was in the paint or out along the perimeter. Although, I haven't been impressed at all with Rose's defense either, far too often I see players blowing by him, getting into the lane and playmaking. It happened in the game against Rondo a few nights ago, against Rubio, and against CP3.

Eh, these hardly work, and I don't see much of a difference between a tournament and just posting topics on the forum. I guess you get an added incentive with a tournament, but I just don't think it's worth it.

The thing about Durant is that while he's a terrific scorer (much like Melo), I haven't seen him add a ton of moves to his arsenal on offense, and that ultimately led to him losing in the playoffs. No I'm not blaming him for OKC getting eliminated, but he wasn't as efficient in the Dallas series due to their physical defenders (Marion, Stevenson). He's not as complete as a player as LeBron, or even Rose to be perfectly honest. I view his career in the same mold as Dirk's in that it may take him longer than expected to develop other facets of his game. Dirk has improved drastically in the last year as a defender (credit Carlisle's zone D), and as a passer out of the double teams. On a team like OKC that stresses the importance of one on one play, it's imperative of Durant to become more well rounded in order for them to advance to the Finals. My only two problems with Rose is his lack of a post game, and his inability to play off the ball. Other than that, I think he's done growing. Here's my list for players I'd take to start off a franchise: 1. LeBron 2. Dwight 3. Blake Griffin 4. Durant 5. Rose

Not surprised by this at all, always saw Caldwell as more of a figure head than an actual head coach.

Nothing homerish about that at all, Iguodala never gets credit for his work on defense.