Post#79 » by trex_8063 » Sat Sep 14, 2019 12:19 am
1st ballot - '14 Kevin Durant - League-leading 32 ppg on ridiculous +9.4% rTS shooting efficiency, while also emerging as a pretty good playmaker this year. Totally respectable turnover economy as he added 5.5 apg to his 32 ppg, and was [imo] beginning to be a fair/passable defender by this point, and solid SF rebounder as always. Was 1st in the league in PER, 1st in WS/48 and WS, 2nd in BPM and 1st in VORP, while also being 3rd in RAPM iirc [playing considerably more minutes than the guy in 2nd].
People rag on his playoff performance this year, though as has been noted in many prior spots, I'm not as playoff-centric as many appear to be. But it's worth touching on that he faced good-to-elite team defenses AND good-to-elite individual defenders every step of the way in the playoffs. He nonetheless averaged 29.6 ppg [again: league-leading] on +2.9% rTS in the playoffs, though his playmaking and turnovers did worsen a little. Breaking down the good defenses I'm referring to....
*1st round they faced the 7th-rated [-2.1 rDRTG] Grizzlies, with Memphis platooning Tony Allen, Tayshaun Prince (+/- a little James Johnson et al at times) on Durant. Durant averaged 29.9 ppg @ +0.2 rTS%, though 4.0 topg (to 3.4 apg; though also 9.6 rpg). He still averaged a team-best 19.7 GameScore and a +4 net rating facing that defensive core.
**2nd round they faced a 9th-rated [-1.9 rDRTG] Clippers team, who had Matt Barnes (plus some Jared Dudley) to primarily cover Durant. Durant averaged 33.2 ppg @ +7.9% rTS with 5.3 apg (4.0 topg; and again 9.5 rpg); averaged a team-best 24.7 GameScore, as well as a +9 net rating.
***3rd round they faced the eventual champ Spurs team [whom they took to 6 games, one further than the Heat managed in the finals]. This had been the 3rd-rated [-4.3 rDRTG] defense during the rs, and of course had the ultimate stopper at SF: a still defensively-applied Kawhi Leonard. A "shut down" Durant was still averaging 25.8 ppg @ +2.9% rTS with 3.2 apg and 3.3 topg [Leonard, fwiw, averaged 11.8 ppg @ -5.4% rTS].
And we know Durant is just about as portable as volume-scorers come. fwiw, I actually somewhat like '17 Durant better (all the good things that come with the '14 version, but better defensively [at least with his slightly reduced minutes and offensive role]). However, I think those things might have been made possible by the aforementioned reduced offensive role and minutes; and then there's the 20 missed games to consider. Still, it's in the running for my 3rd ballot.
2nd ballot - '15 Chris Paul - Wicked efficiency (both in terms of shooting and turnover economy) while leading a top-tier offense, and also being one of the best defensive PG's in the game. Played brilliantly in the playoffs, too, the only blemished being that he missed two playoff games [and did that cost them something?]; which was ironic, given he didn't miss a single game in the long rs.
I could see going for '08, but I just feel his defense was better in the later portions of his career, and his on-court impact has perhaps never looked better than in '15.
3rd ballot - '17 Kevin Durant - I think this version is just as good offensively in all ways as the '14 version....his usage simply went down a bit for being on a more talented squad (though note his efficiency [both shooting and turnover economy] improve for having life a little "easier", and obv his playoff performance appears better). Meanwhile, I think this was the best defense he's played in his career. tbh, I'd probably put his overall quality as a player in '17 marginally ahead of '14; the only nagging factor is the 20 missed games.
EDIT: fwiw, I'd also be totally content with Charles Barkley (I'd probably go with '90 as his peak) or Patrick Ewing (also like '90, though one poster has made a compelling case for '94 [which I'd always had as his 2nd-best year anyway]) at this spot.
Really, I'd not be discontented with any one of Karl Malone, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dwight Howard [though, as they're at the same position, I feel as though Ewing needs to go first; but just saying I think peak Dwight should get a look soon], Anthony Davis, Elgin Baylor [I may need to start arguing his case before too long], Steve Nash, or Kawhi Leonard either. Or even Bob McAdoo [who I think received at least one vote here]; I'd certainly not throw my hands up in disgust were he to get in soon.
I'm slightly further away on Rick Barry; tbh, I always viewed him closer to a Clyde Drexler/George Gervin level player than to some of the others we're talking about.
"The fact that a proposition is absurd has never hindered those who wish to believe it." -Edward Rutherfurd
"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire
