Bob8 wrote:CobraCommander wrote:Bob8 wrote:Suddenly RS numbers fit narrative better?
Difficult to say anything bad against Luka, if you look at playoffs numbers, isn't it?
It's difficult to say something bad about a 23 years old player, who was in first All Nba team 3x in a row, but at least you can try. When you look at his playoffs numbers...
They actually play in the reg season but honestly Bob no one saying anything bad about Luka by saying I haven’t seen anyone like Luka win a ring....everyone saying it because we saw Harden play statically better than Luka but not win playing a similar style. In game 5 of the conf finals Lukas team was making a run but couldn’t stop anyone.
But by comparison- We saw Tatum score 40+ and play defense ON Giannis, Butler and KD...and beat them...and btw
Jason Tatum is 24 years old - wow Jason Tatum is so young and keeps getting better on defense and offense - and guess what? He is the best player on a player in the finals...
Btw bob-
I think Luka is going to be a good defender next year. Significantly better. Luka has the size necessary plus the willingness. Luka has said defense is his prime focus.
When Luka is in prime shape he will move better laterally on defense and then he will be a true 2 way player. Everyone saying he can’t ever be a good defender are looking at chubby Luka and making it seem like he is destined to be overweight forever....this is where Luka being 23 is a huge advantage- I would bet Luka going to be an all nba defender when he commits to his body like all the true great wings have before him...
Young Harden was averaging 20 points less than Luka.
Harden in his career is avg. 10 points less than Luka.
Harden is averaging 4 rebounds and 2 assist less than Luka.
Harden's best playoffs is 31.6/6.9/6.6, Luka's best playoffs 35.7/7.9/10.3.
And somehow Luka's ceiling is Harden.
At the moment the only player comparable to Luka in playoffs is MJ, who was even better scorer, but less efficient and with less rebounds and assists. MJ has won only 1 game in his first 3 playoffs, being swept 2 times. I wonder, what prediction would you made for him back then?
Tatum has much better team that Luka. Team with multiple great defenders and DPOY.
If we compare Luka and Tatum this playoffs,
31.7/9.8/6.4 vs. 27/6.7/5.9. Not exactly close.
Luka's D would have looked much better too, if he was playing with DPOY and great rim protector.
About your precious Trae, Luka was 3x first All Nba team, Trae 1x 3rd All Nba team. It looks to me that not many see Trae as better player like you. Unfortunately for Trae, size matters.
Lol- Ok but let’s pick points of focus per argument-
1st Young harden was a role player on OKC at the same age. Prime harden had better years than current luka and luka has had essentially the same numbers for 4 years with his peak numbers coming in year 2? Fair?
Either way, my point stands about the harden to luka comparisons- prime harden was better offensively than current luka, and based on luka giving us the same numbers for several years. There is no reason to believe offensively Luka is going to get any better offensively unless his field goal % improve from everywhere and especially the 3 and FT line. The reason I say this is because Luka takes the most shots in the NBA by about 3-5% to next closes person but isn’t in the top 6 in scoring. Luka shooting MORE at the current FG% isnt going to make him better offensively.
On the other hand, When hardens numbers improved significantly the team gave him the keys to the team, his usage went up and the team gave him a green light. His % were around the same but his counting stats went up by virtue of just doing more of the same more often. Luka has had a green since day one and his usage could not get any higher. The only way for Luka to get better offensively in my opinion is to shoot less and at a higher % - that will make the team better but there is no guarantee that Luka will be an elite scorer on prime hardens level even then..No need for you to argue one way or another because neither you nor I know the answer on this. But we will find out and it will be fun.
I’m not going to even talk Luka and MJ....
So we judging Luka vs Trae based on all nba votes?
And the AllNBA is supposed to be about regular season?
And Luka and Trae both suck on defense but Trae offensively got better this year than the last- Luka scored more on less shots with less turn overs with higher FG%s with lower TOs. All things being equal, Traes regular season was better than Lukas but voters vote...Jalen rose voted for Kyrie and other people decided than Luka playing less games, coming in out of shape and starting cold was better than Traes... kinda messed up that voters robbed Trae of a regular season win over Luka but if Trae keeps leveling up Like he did last time...i]next year there will be no way Luka beats Trae for 1st team
Tatum is an elite 2 way player that is so young at 24 and in the finals. Boston is a better team all around because Boston is a better run org. Can’t fault Tatum for that...in fact Tatum gets credit for surviving the Kyrie years if anything. Tatum is bigger stronger and in shape and shoots better than Luka and oh just as young as Luka and getting better. Hard to argue against a two way superstar that led his team to the finals at 24 years old....so I’m not going to argue against Tatum....
Not even sure I think long term Luka or Tatum going to be the guy of this era...ja and Trae are right there IMO - healthy Zion is amazing but Ant-Man could be the true Generational game changer from this era - ant has everything and is even younger than these guys
