2011-12 RealGM Player of the Year Discussion Thread

[Dr Positivity]

List for now

1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. KG
4. Paul
5. Wade

[Dr Positivity]

I know he was 1983 Julius Erving mode in these playoffs, but I'd take 2012 Wade over Westbrook any day. Wade's scoring really was only a margin behind him (and you can say the only thing Westbrook did differently as a shooter was jack up more shots) and I just much prefer Wade's feel for the court/basketball IQ/the way he picked his spots, to Westbrook being the player equivalent of a bucking horse rider. Also if nothing else Wade is a much better defender.

[ronnymac2]

I know he was 1983 Julius Erving mode in these playoffs, but I'd take 2012 Wade over Westbrook any day. Wade's scoring really was only a margin behind him (and you can say the only thing Westbrook did differently as a shooter was jack up more shots) and I just much prefer Wade's feel for the court/basketball IQ/the way he picked his spots, to Westbrook being the player equivalent of a bucking horse rider. Also if nothing else Wade is a much better defender.

I don't see how Westbrook can shoulder the blame this year. Durant and Westbrook don't deserve any of the blame. Miami was simply a better team. If anybody deserves blame on OKC, it's James Harden.

Westbrook only went into takeover mode when the team's offense became stagnant. There were times when Ibaka, Harden and Thabo/Perk/Collison would just stand there, freezing the offense and effectively shutting down Durant and Westbrook themselves. Westbrook would then take the game over and be aggressive, which is what he should do. He didn't shoot that great, but I don't think he played stupid basketball.

Durant went for like 30 points per game in the Finals on excellent efficiency. Westbrook wasn't holding him down. He wasn't holding anybody down. Despite the meh percentages, RW had a good NBA Finals imo.

Westbrook vs. Wade is difficult for me because Wade is the better player but was so inconsistent in the playoffs and had a lot of missed games in a shortened season whereas RW was his usual iron-man self. I had Westbrook over Wade on my All-NBA first team selection. Not sure if the playoffs can put Wade ahead.

[GSP]

Where do you all see Dwight howard and Tim duncan this year?

[ronnymac2]

2012 Dwight Howard is dead to me. Season-ending injuries make him as valuable as Eddy Curry this year.

[ElGee]

2012 Dwight Howard is dead to me. Season-ending injuries make him as valuable as Eddy Curry this year.

Dwight Howard's not dead. I saw him at my car dealership this weekend. Stop spreading lies Jimmy.

[JordansBulls]

Rankings

1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Dwyane Wade
5. Russell Westbrook

HM: Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Garnett

[Doctor MJ]

I go with Wade over Nash, but barely. I've got Wade at 18, and Nash at 20, IIRC.

Barely? But he won a RING

To answer the question further, I see Wade vs Nash as a watered down comparison of Magic vs Jordan. I think Jordan/Wade is the better player, but Nash/Magic are more impactful from a purely offensive stand point...considering both ends of the floor, however, and considering that Nash/Magic, although easier to build offenses around, are more dependent on teammates than Jordan/Wade (and thus, at least theoretically, but you can support this based on what we saw, they're more reliable "go-to" players in the playoffs), I lean towards Jordan/Wade as overall players.

Wade's mindset also strikes me as different than most volume scoring wings, in a good way. He seems more willing than most to pass and defer if the situation calls for it. And he's not usually someone with horrible shot selection, and will always look to attack the basket, which is a good thing also. Really, the only thing that has held Wade back from being mentioned with LeBron/Kobe more is his durability. If he stayed healthy in 07 and 08, we'd be hearing a lot more about him in terms of historical ranking. That's how good he is.

I'd say that's an apt comparison.

People are always wanting to say Kobe is the generation's Jordan in terms of game, but I've always seen Wade as a much more accurate "poor man's Jordan".

My thoughts on the comparisons are similar as well, though, I'll say I'd have no real qualms about ranking Magic ahead of Jordan is he had the major longevity edge he'd probably have gotten if it weren't for HIV, and certainly none with Nash over Wade if Nash had simply been properly scouted from day 1.

In other words, I may very well draft Magic over Jordan or Nash over Wade.

[RocketPower23]

LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Chris Paul
Kevin Garnett
Russell Westbrook

HM: Bryant, Howard, Nash, Love, Dirk, Wade

[Doctor MJ]

I'm still puzzled at the Westbrook love. I feel like people are just divvying up OKC 2nd place finish for credit with Westbrook getting a lot because he plays a big role and makes some spectacular plays. I remain patient with him because I know that what OKC wants from him isn't what he was ever groomed to do before, but be honest, if we did basketball mad libs, and you had to fill out:

"____________ with another bad decision"
"____________ with another novice mistake"

Is there ANY other star in the name you're thinking of except Westbrook?

These mistakes have consequences. These possessions where he still has the ball at the end because he couldn't see and/or manipulate the court well, boy do they have consequences when there is a vastly superior scoring threat on the same team not getting the ball.

Again, sympathize with Westbrook doing the best he can, but elevating him to top 5 status at this point seems to me like it should only be coming to people's minds reluctantly.

[Doctor MJ]

btw folks, I intend to let this thread go for a few more days, and then I'll make the official voting thread. I do this specifically because I want this discussion to go on as long as it's good.

[AnaheimRoyale]

I'd go:
1. Lebron (not close)


2. Durant
3. C.Paul
4. Dwight (problems or not, the guy was still awesome)
5. S.Nash (same reasons as before)

Westbrook would be close though. Same with Parker.

[Lightning25]

1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Kevin Garnett
5. Kobe Bryant

I feel like the top 3 is locked because those were pretty much the top 3 players in the league all season and in that order too. It's hard to move either one of them although Paul would be the best one because of how poorly CP3 played at the end of the Grizzlies series and in the Spurs series although he was banged up, still, I believe if you play you play, no excuses.

I put CP3 over KG because of consistency though. KG had a rough start if I recall correctly and eventually picked it up while CP3 was playing great all season until the last 5-6 games in the playoffs although he was very good in the elimination game against the Spurs.

I'm not sure how anyone could say Wade was better than Kobe this season. Wade was banged up and horribly inconsistent in the regular and post-season. I felt like there were plenty of games the Heat played this season where they were better off without Wade playing at all. I don't think the Heat's 13-1 record or something like that without Wade helps Wade's case either.

My honorable mention would be Russell Westbrook. I had a hard time putting Kobe or Westbrook at #5. I favored Kobe though because Westbrook did make some bonehead plays but he was bailed out many times this season by Durant and the overall talent of OKC.

[JLei]

1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Dwyane Wade
5. Kobe Bryant

Could go over Bryant: Kevin Garnett, Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker

[GSP]

Im noticing Love isnt getting any honorable mentions. He had elite production and was basically keeping them playoff contenders before he went down. His stats/efficiency are really great why doesnt he get reps?

[Mo26]

lol @ guys like Westbrook,Dirk,Wade over Kobe.

[Mo26]

[
People are always wanting to say Kobe is the generation's Jordan in terms of game, but I've always seen Wade as a much more accurate "poor man's Jordan".

No, Kobe and Jordan could actually shoot the ball.

[PTB Fan]

Don't know if my vote will count, but nonetheless..

1.LeBron James
2.Chris Paul
3.Kevin Durant
4.Kobe Bryant
5.Dwyane Wade

HM: KG, Kevin Love, Dirk, Westbrook etc

[AnaheimRoyale]

In no way, shape or form was Kobe a top 5 player this year. Love, KG, Westbrook, Nash, these guys were all clearly more valuable than him, and that's without even considering Dirk, Tony Parker, Wade, Dwight, etc.

[Sinant]

My 5th spot is up for grabs right now. My Top 4 are: LeBron, Durant, Paul, and Garnett.

I had Wade there in my tentative ratings early in the thread, but he was pretty mediocre throughout the playoffs, and really all season. Yeah he was mostly injured so it's not his fault, but I feel like giving him a spot would be more reputation than anything else.

Anyone have someone for that 5th spot that they're passionate about and want to make a case?