Nets wont win a title with the garbage they have at center

[LordCovington33]

When the Big 3 come back they will target Drummond and play him off the floor. I'm not too worried about him at all.

It was one game.

If they come back and play considerable minutes together. How many games have all 3 played together this year? I know there will be more urgency in the playoffs, but there’s some question mark on durability and chemistry.

[Winsome Gerbil]

At a certain point if you can't win with all that talent...and in a league which has done everything except issue a flat ban on big men to try to neuter center play...

Recent titles have been won with Tristan Thomas at center. With Javale McGee at center. With 74yr old Dwight Howard on his 5th team in 5 years at center. Now the poor deprived Nets only have 3 former All NBA players available at center. Oh noes.

Don't sweat it -- between the "modern NBA" and the superteam era, nothing means anything anymore. Just run up and done and score lots, it will probably work.

[YamaChan]

Who is more likely to get in foul trouble in the potential center matchup of AD vs KD?

That's a rhetorical question.

AD is a 4X All-NBA defensive player. He'll fare as well as anyone can against KD, but KD won't be able to guard AD.

I don't see the Nets using KD on AD at center unless they want their second-best player in foul trouble every game.

It's real cute of you calling the best player in that hypothetical series the second best player on his team. Really cute.

Harden is the best player on the Nets. Replace him for KD in the Lakers game and the Nets win by 10.

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

[hoosierdaddy34]

When the Big 3 come back they will target Drummond and play him off the floor. I'm not too worried about him at all.

It was one game.

Lakers are chomping at the bit for Brooklyn to go small leaving the basket unprotected with LeBron and AD on the floor. That’s exactly what they want.

Claxton is a good enough defender to offer rim protection.

How exactly is playing Claxton going to get Drummond off the floor? The Lakers aren’t going to switch, they will hedge until the ball Defender can recover. This is basic defense when you have a non offensive big on the floor like Claxton.

To play Drummond off the floor you’d need to run KD, or at least Green, at the 5.

[bubonicphoniks]

That was a roasting by Drummond but can other teams beat them at guard for 7 games?

Nets don't lack talent at C.

DJ, NC, BG, JG (kinda).

Its on Nash to find a rotation. I usually see that C can go off and win a game these days in the playoffs, but sustained over 7 games I think (hope) they have enough.

Pressure is on Embiid here.

Sent from my SM-G998U using RealGM mobile app

[CIN-C-STAR]

It's real cute of you calling the best player in that hypothetical series the second best player on his team. Really cute.

Harden is the best player on the Nets. Replace him for KD in the Lakers game and the Nets win by 10.

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

What are you basing this conclusion on? I'd love to see your "objective facts" that show KD is the "best player in the world".
Harden has finished above him in MVP shares for 4 straight seasons. He's had the higher VORP for 5 straight seasons. Better win shares per 48 for 3 straight seasons. So in the regular season at least, the "objective facts" indicate Harden is the better player.
KD's had more impressive playoff runs recently, but he was also flanked by Steph & Klay with Draymond to cover for everyone on defense. I wonder what Harden would like with Steph & Klay to spread the floor for him?
An historic 30+ & 10 assists season wouldn't be out of the question at all. Any star would benefit from having the greatest floor spacing guard tandem of all time playing next to them, and that's not too far above what Harden has already been averaging.
Personally I'd take KD > Harden, but it's close, and you are wayyyy overselling your case. And I don't really see the "objective" case for KD being the best player in the world at all, especially post achilles tear. He's still great don't get me wrong, but definitely not "objectively the best player on the planet" great.
I think we might have found another KD burner account here tbh

[Hello Brooklyn]

When the Big 3 come back they will target Drummond and play him off the floor. I'm not too worried about him at all.

It was one game.

If they come back and play considerable minutes together. How many games have all 3 played together this year? I know there will be more urgency in the playoffs, but there’s some question mark on durability and chemistry.

Only 7 games.

Its definitely concerning, but I think with that level of talent they figure it out.

[picko]

Playing Drummond off the court will be difficult when he is surrounded by four good defenders. We know that the Lakers are capable of excellent defensive schemes, so simply isolating Drummond on an island won't work as seamlessly as some might anticipate.

The centre position is an obvious weakness for the Nets and one that the Lakers are well structured to take advantage of. Davis would be licking his lips at the opportunity to play against Claxton or Jordan or Durant at the five.

Will it ultimately matter? Well, nobody really knows. It's quite possible that the sheer quality of the Nets' stars will be too much for the opposition to handle even with deficiencies in the paint.

[Hello Brooklyn]

Lakers are chomping at the bit for Brooklyn to go small leaving the basket unprotected with LeBron and AD on the floor. That’s exactly what they want.

Claxton is a good enough defender to offer rim protection.

How exactly is playing Claxton going to get Drummond off the floor? The Lakers aren’t going to switch, they will hedge until the ball Defender can recover. This is basic defense when you have a non offensive big on the floor like Claxton.

To play Drummond off the floor you’d need to run KD, or at least Green, at the 5.

Put him in pick and rolls and target him with KD and Kyrie. he will have no choice.

Similar to what the Warriors did with Gobert.

[YamaChan]

Harden is the best player on the Nets. Replace him for KD in the Lakers game and the Nets win by 10.

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

What are you basing this conclusion on? I'd love to see your "objective facts" that show KD is the "best player in the world".
Harden has finished above him in MVP shares for 4 straight seasons. He's had the higher VORP for 5 straight seasons. Better win shares per 48 for 3 straight seasons. So in the regular season at least, the "objective facts" indicate Harden is the better player.
KD's had more impressive playoff runs recently, but he was also flanked by Steph & Klay with Draymond to cover for everyone on defense. I wonder what Harden would like with Steph & Klay to spread the floor for him?
An historic 30+ & 10 assists season wouldn't be out of the question at all. Any star would benefit from having the greatest floor spacing guard tandem of all time playing next to them, and that's not too far above what Harden has already been averaging.
Personally I'd take KD > Harden, but it's close, and you are wayyyy overselling your case. And I don't really see the "objective" case for KD being the best player in the world at all, especially post achilles tear. He's still great don't get me wrong, but definitely not "objectively the best player on the planet" great.
I think we might have found another KD burner account here tbh

Stopped reading when this poorly formatted, illogical rambling started with a defense of having Harden over KD.

It's an asinine premise for an incredibly absurd argument.

Even this season, Durant leads the Nets in his productivity and impact numbers relative to the other stars on the team.

http://www.82games.com/2021/2021BKN.HTM

All the rest of that drivel you quoted me with is nothing more than the usual nonsensical narratives that get peddled around here by probable LeBron fans who are still bitter about KD destroying any chance he had at being a realistic GOAT of the sport.

But anyway, there isn't a GM on the planet that would take Harden over KD. Hold a gun to their head and 100% would choose KD, as long as both players are healthy.

One is the greatest Finals performer of his generation, objectively, and has been the best player on the best team in the NBA Finals three years (not counting 2019 for obvious reasons). The other has yet to prove himself in the postseason.

The "GREAT TEAMMATES!" argument is specious at best. Harden had a great teammate. His name was Kevin Durant. KD showed up and put up 31 PPG on nearly 70% TS.

Harden vanished and cost the Thunder that series.

By the way, the impact stats favor Durant in Golden State too, his first year there.

http://www.82games.com/1617/1617GSW.HTM

Instead of throwing numbers at me and failing to contextualize them, like every other Durant hater here, maybe you can make an actual argument next time.

It's laughable to even remotely suggest Harden is in KD's class. KD is already a top 20 player of all time, and if this becomes a dynasty, he's top 10. He's outplayed LeBron in 2 out of 3 Finals and was more efficient in the only one he lost.

When healthy, Durant is the best player on the planet, and it isn't even particularly close.

In 2019, he was playing at a level IN THE PLAYOFFS we've never seen Harden remotely approach.

How quickly people forget.

If not for an achilles tear, Durant would've finished the only postseason with averages of 30 PPG on 50/40/90 shooting ever in route to a three-peat and third straight Finals MVP.

It doesn't surprise me, with your astounding wit, that you thought it was best to conclude your rambling with the same tired "LOL KD'S BURNER ACCOUNT" shitpost that stopped being funny years ago.

I'll end with something relevant.

Read on Twitter

?s=20

The amount of spacing Durant received is so overstated. It helped obviously, but he's a transcendent scorer the likes of which the game has never seen. He will get his buckets regardless. He won 4 scoring titles, league MVP and put up a 50/40/90 season before he ever put on a Golden State uniform.

Read on Twitter

?s=20

And when it matters most, he's otherworldly.

Harden isn't on this level. Or at least he hasn't shown it yet.

[trickshot]

Claxton is a good enough defender to offer rim protection.

How exactly is playing Claxton going to get Drummond off the floor? The Lakers aren’t going to switch, they will hedge until the ball Defender can recover. This is basic defense when you have a non offensive big on the floor like Claxton.

To play Drummond off the floor you’d need to run KD, or at least Green, at the 5.

Put him in pick and rolls and target him with KD and Kyrie. he will have no choice.

Similar to what the Warriors did with Gobert.

Think like he can actually move his feet. It's Gasol you can play off the court by spamming pick and rolls and screen action. The problem with playing either off the court is it forces AD to play the 5, which well yikes as he's an even better 5 than either and unlocks the paint for Lebron and makes the defense full switchable.

[Lalouie]

any team that tries to play the nets by trading baskets will lose..

teams will slow the game down. i do not believe it's in the nets' dna to play slow

I am interested to see how Brooklyn plays in the half court. They can certainly cover their centers woes. I don't see them having issues until they get to Philly and Milwaukee. outside of that they will roll.

a vet team will have to beat them

[trickshot]

A lot of the center concerns only exist because Harden is injured. If he was out there picking and popping with LMA and setting up lobs for Jordan their center rotation would look different

[IgorK]

It's real cute of you calling the best player in that hypothetical series the second best player on his team. Really cute.

Harden is the best player on the Nets. Replace him for KD in the Lakers game and the Nets win by 10.

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

Okay, Dr. Naismith.

[YamaChan]

Harden is the best player on the Nets. Replace him for KD in the Lakers game and the Nets win by 10.

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

Okay, Dr. Naismith.

I certainly am compared to you.

I can tell people on RealGM are used to just saying anything without getting checked.

As long as the moderation staff allows me to participate in these discussions, I have that covered.

We'll leave it at this.

Kevin Durant is one of the most transcendent talents the league has ever seen. There is absolutely no defense for what he can do offensively, with his skill, athleticism and shooting.

When he's healthy, you hope he misses. That's it. Kobe Bryant was very open about how KD was the one player he never figured out how to slow down, once KD worked on the weaknesses in his game.

Harden has been successfully gameplanned against in the past, and he's absolutely vanished in key games or key moments.

Durant's lowest low was a game where he just didn't hit his shots and had an inefficient night (2016 G7), but he has never vanished, and his triumphs far outweigh and doldrums, even without the Golden State years.

Anyway, I've distracted away from the main discussion enough. I'm done here.

[76ciology]

They can if they stop underperforming on offense relative to their over talent.

If they can’t make a jump on their offense. Im talking about “all time great level” offense, then they better restructure their team and balance it out in the offseason.

[Dnt hate]

Lakers won the title with AD/Morris at center. You don't need a "real center" to win it all.

Mcgee and Howard played a big role, wtf were u watching

[Hello Brooklyn]

How exactly is playing Claxton going to get Drummond off the floor? The Lakers aren’t going to switch, they will hedge until the ball Defender can recover. This is basic defense when you have a non offensive big on the floor like Claxton.

To play Drummond off the floor you’d need to run KD, or at least Green, at the 5.

Put him in pick and rolls and target him with KD and Kyrie. he will have no choice.

Similar to what the Warriors did with Gobert.

Think like he can actually move his feet. It's Gasol you can play off the court by spamming pick and rolls and screen action. The problem with playing either off the court is it forces AD to play the 5, which well yikes as he's an even better 5 than either and unlocks the paint for Lebron and makes the defense full switchable.

Yeah obviously we don't want AD at the 5 but have to take advantage of Drummond while hes on the floor.

Hes a defensive liability on switches and at the FT line.

Nets can also play KD at the 5 for maximum spacing if need be. Harden/Kyrie/Harris/Green/KD

[Antinomy]

The Heat are gonna cause massive problems for the Nets if they match up.

They force you defend the entire floor & have a mobile 5 in Bam that can’t be played off the floor.

[HeartBreakKid]

Like I said. That's real cute of you. I mean, it's your prerogative to throw your basketball credibility in the furnace with ridiculous statements like that, but it's entertaining at least.

Kevin Durant is the best player in the world.

And you are?

Exactly. We don't know. Unknowns on RealGM won't change objective fact with silly narratives and agendas like these.

Durant is so obviously the best player on the team, and his body of work speaks for itself, regular season and post season.

Okay, Dr. Naismith.

I certainly am compared to you.

I can tell people on RealGM are used to just saying anything without getting checked.

As long as the moderation staff allows me to participate in these discussions, I have that covered.

We'll leave it at this.

Kevin Durant is one of the most transcendent talents the league has ever seen. There is absolutely no defense for what he can do offensively, with his skill, athleticism and shooting.

When he's healthy, you hope he misses. That's it. Kobe Bryant was very open about how KD was the one player he never figured out how to slow down, once KD worked on the weaknesses in his game.

Harden has been successfully gameplanned against in the past, and he's absolutely vanished in key games or key moments.

Durant's lowest low was a game where he just didn't hit his shots and had an inefficient night (2016 G7), but he has never vanished, and his triumphs far outweigh and doldrums, even without the Golden State years.

Anyway, I've distracted away from the main discussion enough. I'm done here.

I mean Durant has been slowed down in the past also - seems like a really odd criticism. His last playoff run and last series before he joined GSW he was not scoring well at all.

Not sure what a quote from a past prime Kobe Bryant has to do with anything. Maybe Kobe Bryant can't guard durant one on one - I would reckon you can't guard many guys who have lead the league in scoring 1 on 1 well.