Big Al's Paint: The Al Jefferson Thread

[HornetJail]

Charlotte is a better team than their current record indicates. It took them a while to gel, as well as overcome lengthy injuries to three of their most impactful players early in the season, but now they are building a winning chemistry. It wouldn't surprise me if they won over 50 games next season with the right moves via draft & free-agency. Al Jefferson deserves some MVP consideration even though he won't come close to winning, or better yet All-NBA team candidacy

He had better make the damn All-star team next year.

[Braggins]

Big Al is pretty good and all but you people do realize that we aren't even .500 and are only going to make the playoffs because most of the Eastern conference teams are actively trying not to make the playoffs right? The thought of him getting even a single MVP vote is laughable. He probably isn't even a top 20 player in this league.

You can say that all you want but we still have quality wins from teams that'll be the exact same next year. If we had only been winning against teams that are tanking then you could get away with saying that but I'm pretty sure the Blazers, Clippers, Pacers, Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Nets and Raptors are all quality teams fighting in the playoff spots. We have also had a top 10 defense the entire season all the while we've retained all the same players the year before when we had the 5th worst defense in the league. Do you honestly think these teams tanking this year are going to have a miraculous comeback next year and kick us out of the playoffs? I don't think so, only time will tell but it seems highly unlikely as most of these teams have a handful of problems with their team ie: Irving, Waiters not getting along. New York: Will probably lose Melo and have to rebuild. Philly just plain stinks. Im also curious as to why you think Al Jefferson getting an MVP vote is laughable? You do know MVP is most valuable player (to a team) and not most popular. Now why I'm not trying to say Lebron and KD are not deserving because they most certainly are but you have to see what Al has done for this franchise as well as his career in his first year as a Bobcat. Hes having arguably one of the best seasons of his career on both sides of the court and hes been putting up absurd numbers as of late ( 35 points 15 reb against the Nets). I just think he should get some credit because of how huge of an impact he is for this team. We wouldn't be anywhere near the playoffs if it weren't for him and that to me is what an MVP is.

Al is good and should have certainly made the all-star team. I do I appreciate what he has done for our team. I am just realistic and not a fanboy. I don't appreciate that we are losing our draft pick, but that is not his fault and could have been prevented by managements strategy. Our top 10 defense has nothing to do with Al and would be even better if he weren't on the team, although the team would be worse in general. He is valuable to our team because our teams strategy is based completely around maximizing his strengths and hiding his weaknesses. Even though that is the case we still are a sub .500 team. If we were a legitimate threat to do anything this postseason except maybe squeak by the first round if we get to play a team that has no business ever being the 3rd seed in the playoffs (like Toronto/Brooklyn/Washington) I would say you might have a case for him being in the MVP discussion, and even then it would be a stretch considering how one-dimensional his game is. There is a reason no team he has ever been on has ever done anything. Everyone is so used to Charlotte being so bad that as soon as we reach mediocrity some fans think we are a elite or borderline elite. The state of the Eastern conference this year is a complete aberration and only fuels this delusion. We wouldn't even be close to making the playoffs in West and in a normal year probably wouldn't make it in the East and would be fighting tooth and nail to nab the 8th seed. You don't give MVP votes to players whose teams aren't real playoff teams and can't even get above .500 even if they are extremely valuable to their team. At that point you could be making a case to give MVP votes to players like Demarcus Cousins or Anthony Davis (who are better than AJ). Or players with legtimate MVP ability like Kevin Love. As far as the quality of our wins go, we do have some good wins. All that proves is that we are competitive. Any team that comes out and plays hard and plays to win can get some wins against far superior teams. The fact that we can get some of those wins shows that we have come a long way but the fact is that we are an East team playing most of our games against teams that are tanking. We shouldn't be getting ahead of ourselves.

[Eoghan]

The Bucks? Gee well set the bar a little higher why don't you.

So you're going to postpone your enjoyment of this playoff run until you know if there's another playoff run and another? Why skip out on enjoying the first one? Are you concealing your enjoyment when we win because it conflicts with your long-term view? I mean you're a fan and you must feel happy when we win now. Have you ever cheered Al Jefferson when he makes a shot or does he have to put up 35-15 against the Pacers and elbow Roy Hibbert in the face?

I'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy it. If we play well and win, I'll really enjoy it. If we play like crap and win, I'll be puzzled. If we play well and lose, I'll be grumpy cat. If we play like crap and lose, I'm burning a cross in Jefferson's yard (not really). I don't really like care so much about wins and losses as I do the quality of team basketball on display. If Al puts up 35 and 15 but everyone else plays like timid puppies I won't enjoy that much regardless of the result of the game.

You did not feel entertained watching Jordan? I hated him because I got bored of him winning so consistently I wanted to see something new, anything.

Do you think it is possible to both indulge in the here-and-now while maintaining an eye on the future? Do you think Jordan can do both? He certainly seemed to be able to strike that balance on the court. His timing was impeccable.

No, I was not entertained by watching Jordan. Pre-retirement Jordan tried too hard at the expense of his teammates (that lay up where MJ switched hands is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in sports) and post-retirement MJ shot boring midrange jumpshots all the time. He was the league's darling and got away with a lot of BS calls and could travel and palm the ball at will. I especially didn't enjoy watching Jordan desolate my Hornets. I did enjoy watching Phil Jackson's coaching and the flawless teamwork of the Bulls in the triangle offense. It wasn't really until MJ and the Bulls bought into Phil's selfless team play that they really were able to cook and get past the Bad Boys and Knicks, etc.

I'm definitely in the present, I've never been one to fight against the river's current. But you have to look ahead if you don't want to fall over the waterfall.

[Eoghan]

Charlotte is a better team than their current record indicates. It took them a while to gel, as well as overcome lengthy injuries to three of their most impactful players early in the season, but now they are building a winning chemistry. It wouldn't surprise me if they won over 50 games next season with the right moves via draft & free-agency. Al Jefferson deserves some MVP consideration even though he won't come close to winning, or better yet All-NBA team candidacy

I respectfully disagree. I think Charlotte has overachieved this year. We've been a very healthy team, really. Al and Kemba's injuries were very early in the season which is the best time to have them. A lot of our quality wins came against teams way more beat up than ours.

I don't know about next year, I'm pessimistic. (Mostly b/c Cho can't draft).

[yosemiteben]

Tough to overachieve when you have a new coach and a brand new system and have constant roster fluctuations throughout the course of the season.

[Bassman]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

[Braggins]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

Biyombo isn't a significant rebounder at the 5? Al's defense is as big of a weakness if not bigger than all the things you pointed out about other players. Clifford's system does a good job of hiding this weakness though. I agree our real problem is we need a different SG. They don't even need to be that much better than Hendo just a better fit for our team so MKG can get real starter minutes, which he honestly probably should anyways, but that is an entirely different discussion. We absolutely don't need a different SF. MKG is the most talented player on our roster. He just needs some time. McBob shouldn't be our starter beyond this year. He would make a perfect backup big for this roster though. Hopefully Zeller pans out so McBob's limitations will cease to be an issue. Zeller's recent play is starting to indicate this could happen pretty soon.

[HornetJail]

Big Al Jefferson: Eastern Conference Player Of The Month! Go Big Al!

[catch20two]

Congrats to Big Alley getting that Player of the Month!

[Elden Payton]

Huge congratulations to the big sunshine.

Award should have gone to Paul Pierce/green.

[catch20two]

First player in Bobcats history to win Player of the Month? I wanna think so but I haven't followed long enough.

[Elden Payton]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

I think you are both correct.

Al gives us a dimension we've never had before but at the same he's so good at his dimension that we become too one dimensional at it (for relative success)

Considering that from the small sample size we've had without Al, where we also played quite well, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

[countryboi]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

I think you are both correct.

Al gives us a dimension we've never had before but at the same he's so good at his dimension that we become too one dimensional at it (for relative success)

Considering that from the small sample size we've had without Al, where we also played quite well, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

This is why I am pushing for a major upgrade at shooting guard this off season. Draft a shooting small and sign lance and this team is a force. We would most likely have to move Henderson for peanuts but that's ok

[JDR720]

First player in Bobcats history to win Player of the Month? I wanna think so but I haven't followed long enough.

Yes he is the first ever, this is also the first of his career

[JDR720]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

I think you are both correct.

Al gives us a dimension we've never had before but at the same he's so good at his dimension that we become too one dimensional at it (for relative success)

Considering that from the small sample size we've had without Al, where we also played quite well, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

This is why I am pushing for a major upgrade at shooting guard this off season. Draft a shooting small and sign lance and this team is a force. We would most likely have to move Henderson for peanuts but that's ok

i dont know man.....them peanuts can be pretty delicious if made into butter of the peanuts, i doubt Hendo is worth that much

[HornetJail]

First player in Bobcats history to win Player of the Month? I wanna think so but I haven't followed long enough.

Yes he is the first ever, this is also the first of his career

I'm not amazed that he's the first Bobcat (Gerald was the only player good enough in Bobcat history) but I'm more amazed that Big Al has never won it.

[JDR720]

First player in Bobcats history to win Player of the Month? I wanna think so but I haven't followed long enough.

Yes he is the first ever, this is also the first of his career

I'm not amazed that he's the first Bobcat (Gerald was the only player good enough in Bobcat history) but I'm more amazed that Big Al has never won it.

well considering he played in the star-laden West for most of his career and was on mediocre teams i wasn't really surprised

[Marvel]

Congratulations Al!!!

[Braggins]

BD says Al makes us one dimensional. I would argue that he GIVES us a dimension that we've never had....a true post game and significant rebounder at the 5. The problem is the rest of our team, and their inability to contribute at a high level. Kemba has been good and sometimes dynamic, but he has poor nights shooting that hurt us. McBob can pass, but his offense is typically limited. Hendo is...mediocre. And MKG has no offense to speak of.

Pair Al with a quality SG and SF who can shoot, and our offense could be major. Defense is not Al's forte, we know, but he delivers more than any Cat ever has.

I think you are both correct.

Al gives us a dimension we've never had before but at the same he's so good at his dimension that we become too one dimensional at it (for relative success)

Considering that from the small sample size we've had without Al, where we also played quite well, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

This is why I am pushing for a major upgrade at shooting guard this off season. Draft a shooting small and sign lance and this team is a force. We would most likely have to move Henderson for peanuts but that's ok

We absolutely don't need anyone else at SF. Not sure where this is coming from. Our worst stretch of the season by far was when MKG was out with the hand injury. We have two guys who can shoot and play good defense coming of the bench in Taylor in CDR. You don't need four or five shooters in your lineup to be a good team. People are way overreacting to recent fads.

[fatlever]

http://www.bigalspaint.com/

cats created a website for al jefferson - mvp push.