Your Unpopular Basketball Opinions? [PC Board Edition]

[Colbinii]

I think for just this season, if I want to maximize chances of my team winning, I would rather have Lebron compared to having both Westbrook + Harden. This is amazing given that Westbrook and Harden will both finish in top 2 in the MVP voting this season.

On this board, that is extremely popular (Heck, I don't have Westbrook in my top 5, but that may also be unpopular). Outside of this board, I agree.

[Clyde Frazier]

Shooting shirts are a clear de-evolution down from the breakaway warmup jacket. Of course, capitalistic concerns caused this. I also didn't like it when teammates started offering congratulations after every made or missed free throw.

Heh, the bolded does happen to bother me. Forced and awkward, especially after misses.

I am a huge believer in the importance of team unity and being fully invested in each other. I like it. Just like I love the silly college huddle before FT's. Or the guys on the bench making the guy's 3-pt signal when he hits a 3 or whatever. And never letting a teammate pick himself up off the floor. I don't think its congratulations as much as its a sign of togetherness.

I think it matters. It's the rare champion who doesn't have that all for one mentality and then its well we have peak Shaq so it just doesn't matter.

Inspiring teammates is a very underrated aspect of some of the all-time great players.

I more or less agree. Team chemistry can certainly elevate a team to another level relative to their collective talent. My dislike of the FT thing is specific to the NBA as much of the time they're going through the motions. You know, to the point where they'll miss each other

I'm also a cynic when it comes to college basketball due to the corrupt organization that is the NCAA. That isn't the players' fault, though. Tourney runs where a team shows that togetherness is always fun.

[Goudelock]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

[GeneralManager]

Shooting shirts are a clear de-evolution down from the breakaway warmup jacket. Of course, capitalistic concerns caused this. I also didn't like it when teammates started offering congratulations after every made or missed free throw.

Heh, the bolded does happen to bother me. Forced and awkward, especially after misses.

I am a huge believer in the importance of team unity and being fully invested in each other. I like it. Just like I love the silly college huddle before FT's. Or the guys on the bench making the guy's 3-pt signal when he hits a 3 or whatever. And never letting a teammate pick himself up off the floor. I don't think its congratulations as much as its a sign of togetherness.

I think it matters. It's the rare champion who doesn't have that all for one mentality and then its well we have peak Shaq so it just doesn't matter.

Inspiring teammates is a very underrated aspect of some of the all-time great players.

I actually agree with you about inspiring your teammates, but FAKE behavior arguably does not help it hurts. Offering fake congratulations after EVERY MADE OR MISSED free throw is not team unity or inspiring. It's just fake and repetitive. I want to see real inspiration and passion. Not fake repetitive stuff.

This practice could even lead to missing more free throws, because instead of focusing on your follow through you are worrying about slapping both teammates hands in the paint.

I do like the huddle before FTs in college like a mini-10-second-timeout to rally the troops. It is cool. NBA teams should do it.

[GeneralManager]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

"Anecdote" is not a synonym for "data." A video with several examples doesn't prove anything.

[trex_8063]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

More appropriate (or "easy" as far as finding examples for a video) would be that hand-checking fouls were still called even before hand-checking was "outlawed".

[Dr Positivity]

There is no sport that is intrinsically more luck driven than another. The only difference is parity.

[Texas Chuck]

I actually agree with you about inspiring your teammates, but FAKE behavior arguably does not help it hurts. Offering fake congratulations after EVERY MADE OR MISSED free throw is not team unity or inspiring. It's just fake and repetitive. I want to see real inspiration and passion. Not fake repetitive stuff.

I mean you can label it "fake" and even TYPE IT BIG IN ALL CAPS TO MAKE IT SEEM MORE TRUE.

But just as valid an explanation is the unity--that we are going to reach out to you after every FT. Nobody thinks the guy needs his hand slapped to encourage him to make the next one. That's not what its about.

I mean I can't be the only guy who played on teams where you did things of this nature--and it mattered, right? I always picked my teammate up off the floor, I always stepped in when tempers flared, I always tapped the guy on the helmet when he hit a home run (or struck out), I patted the QB on the butt when he threw the pick and tackled the corner in celebration after the pick 6. I yelled out Stuuuuuuuuuu when little used Jeff Stuart hit a shot in garbage time, I slapped the floor with my boy E when he went all Bobby Hurley trying to inspire the D even tho I felt it ridiculous.

I'm glad I'm not such the cynic. Basketball is meant to my team against yours. All for one, and one for all and screw the other team. Until the final buzzer sounds then its handshakes and hugs and I'm buying the Gatorade.

[Texas Chuck]

There is no sport that is intrinsically more luck driven than another. The only difference is parity.

This is false. The NBA is in fact the least luck driven sport of the big 4 in North America and its not even particularly close. Form holds in the NBA way more than in any of the other sports.

[GeneralManager]

picked my teammate up off the floor
I always stepped in when tempers flared
I always tapped the guy on the helmet when he hit a home run
I yelled out Stuuuuuuuuuu when little used Jeff Stuart hit a shot in garbage time

Basketball is meant to my team against yours. All for one, and one for all and screw the other team. Until the final buzzer sounds then its handshakes and hugs and I'm buying the Gatorade.

Agree with the selected items above. If I have a good play, hell yeah I want my boys congratulating me, chest-pushing me, high fiving me, absolutely.

I left out the missed free throw / strike out / interception head taps or butt slaps, to me that is fake and I'm entitled to my opinion. Individual bad plays don't warrant any response on the playing field. When I played I didn't want a head tap or butt slap after a bad play [which in my case were very rare ] instead I would just want to be left alone for a minute. Now...if a teammate has a bad game, I would approach his locker, sit down next to him, and explain to him he's a great player, he's the f*cking man, and boost his confidence by reminding him how great he was (hopefully getting him to forget about the bad game and move his mind forward to the next game). To me that's a hell of a lot more sincere than a butt slap after a bad play.

I just don't think the post-free-throw handslap does anything to inspire.

[Texas Chuck]

I just don't think the post-free-throw handslap does anything to inspire.

This seems reasonable.

Labeling it FAKE seems a bit much.

[GeneralManager]

I just don't think the post-free-throw handslap does anything to inspire.

This seems reasonable.

Labeling it FAKE seems a bit much.

I love your mention of the college pre-free-throw huddles in the paint and wish NBA coaches would encourage it.

[Goudelock]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

More appropriate (or "easy" as far as finding examples for a video) would be that hand-checking fouls were still called even before hand-checking was "outlawed".

One thing that I've noticed is that even when a defender hand-checks at player nowadays, all the offensive player has to do is call for a screen, and the handcheck is no longer effective because the defender is now detached from the ballhandler. So I'm not even sure if making handchecking "legal" would do anything to help defenders because of the prevalence of on-ball screens. This is just my observations though.

[Dr Positivity]

There is no sport that is intrinsically more luck driven than another. The only difference is parity.

This is false. The NBA is in fact the least luck driven sport of the big 4 in North America and its not even particularly close. Form holds in the NBA way more than in any of the other sports.

I'm saying the sport of basketball itself isn't why the NBA is less luck driven. The NBA is less luck driven because in the way the league is set up there's a greater gap in talent between the haves and have nots than in other sports. Partly because the other sports have bigger rosters and depth is more important, and building consistently better depth than other teams is most likely difficult cause more players allows the hits and misses luck to even out among equally competent teams

eg. the NHL is a sport where one could say lucky bounces can have a big impact on a game. But there is no GSW or CLE in the sport. Even though Pittsburgh has roughly Lebron, Wade and Bosh in Crosby, Malkin and Kessel they only combine for like 55 minutes out of 360 (6 * 60 including the goalie) (15%). The Heat big 3 were like 110 minutes out of 240 (45%). When considering how big of a portion of the team the depth plays, where they don't have an advantage over the other teams, the Penguins are not as talented compared to the rest of the league as superteams like Big 3 Heat, Cavs or Warriors. My guess is what looks like a sport where luck has a bigger role and major 8 over 1 or 7 or 2 upsets can happen than in the NBA, is really just one where teams are closer together in talent than the NBA. In the past it was most likely different judging how Montreal won 15 times in 24 years from mid 50s to late 70s including a 5peat and 4peat, followed by Islanders 4 in a row and Oilers 4 of 5 in the 80s

[mysticOscar]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

More appropriate (or "easy" as far as finding examples for a video) would be that hand-checking fouls were still called even before hand-checking was "outlawed".

Handcheck fouls were called in the 90s if u had 2 hands on the player or the one hand shows an obvious push rather than resistance.

[mysticOscar]

That hand-checking may be outlawed, but it still happens. One of these days, I'll make a video giving several examples of this.

More appropriate (or "easy" as far as finding examples for a video) would be that hand-checking fouls were still called even before hand-checking was "outlawed".

One thing that I've noticed is that even when a defender hand-checks at player nowadays, all the offensive player has to do is call for a screen, and the handcheck is no longer effective because the defender is now detached from the ballhandler. So I'm not even sure if making handchecking "legal" would do anything to help defenders because of the prevalence of on-ball screens. This is just my observations though.

U can rest ur hand on a player today...but if a player slashes to the rim and ur hand is still on a players hip and ur or body...and it causing resistance to the slashing player....its a foul. Refs might miss it sometimes...but its called.

The issue is if u allow certain part of handchecks...defenders will abuse it. Remember all that is required is a split second to slow the perimeter player that allows help defense to recover. All u need to do is effect less than 1 in 10 shots...and todays efficiency would be as bad as the late 90s early 00s when league

[Brooklyn_34]

Responding to Dr. Positivity:

I think Durant's best analogy is Dirk. The height advantage just kills defenders, he'll just shoot in your face over the top of you. The height advantage is his "scoring niche." Hasn't KD been working on his own "Dirk shot" (knee out)?

Like a more athletic Dirk who is great in transition.

You could say that....but Dirk's midrange game is more varied. I also think Dirk is less streaky. He won't shoot you out of games like KD will.

Lastly, what happened last year with OKC never would have happened with Dirk (giving away game 6) and then bolting.

[Brooklyn_34]

Mike Woodson possibly should have two COYs as he coached two of the most overperforming teams in modern history and there are 5-10 teams that would be better off firing their coach and hiring him, such as the Timberwolves and Pelicans

He's a good coach....

[Baski]

Yeah i did say i don't have much against that point. Kobe was a phenomenal player. I'm not trying to nitpick his accomplishments or anything. I just feel that he is not exactly the ideal role model when it comes to shot selection, because despite maintaining good efficiency, he ranks low among the other ATGs, which for me takes away from your argument against the efficiency gods, at least those we rank as truly elite.

Sorry, I think I misunderstood you. I guess the shot selection thing is confounding my point about offensive versatility impacting overall efficiency.

How about someone like Hakeem? His teams were relying on him to take on huge volume in their title runs, and he was able to put up 29/33 ppg in 94/95, with about the same TS% as the RS. But he was taking a lot of shots. 22 FGA/game in 94, then 26 FGA/game in 95. There were several games where he was taking 30 or more shots a game. His efficiency was never as good as D-Rob's in the RS like I said before, but D-Rob never showed the offensive consistency that Hakeem did in the playoffs, because he was a much more limited scorer. He still did fine when he got to his comfortable spots, but there were less spots and therefore lower volume. It wasn't uncommon for D-Rob's volume to see huge drops in his elimination series. Hakeem could make plays from anywhere 18 feet in, and that's why he was able to scale up his volume. A good example of what I mean is Game 5 in 95 vs the Suns. They got nothing from Drexler as he was sick, so other guys had to take on his volume. Hakeem took 31 FGA and made 14, which isn't that great, but considering the cold shooting nights from everyone else (team outside of Hakeem shot 35% FG), that ability to take on more volume helped as HOU won in OT.

Yeah i think his team really needed him to be aggressive for them to succeed, and he was, but then again i consider him truly elite

[HeartBreakKid]

I thought it was obvious that players hand check all the time. It's more frequent than illegal screens


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