Catching up on threads today. Problem with Joker is MVP fatigue. I don't see him getting it for the third time in a row. It becomes the same issue with Nash, you either give it to him every year during his prime or move on cause the numbers are going to hover around the same for the next 3 years or so. Is he going to be given 6 straight? Regarding Tatum: best player on best team always puts them in MVP contention. The fact that he's in Boston and the ESPN people with votes lean that way already, I think that at least makes him runner up. Don't see Durant having any shot. He's set a flamethrower to every relationship with any media member within an earshot of him during every interaction.
yeah, tatum would be a historically weak mvp, though, imo. there are just several obviously better players. it would be different if he were on equal footing with those guys, then team record takes it. but he's not. the nets, bucks, cavs, and sixers are all within 3 games of boston right now, and durant, giannis, and embiid are all more valuable players than tatum. one could make a strong argument for mitchell over tatum this year, too. hell, the nuggets and grizzlies are only two games worse than boston, too. i just don't think such a small difference in team record should allow someone to jump 7-8 better players for the award. then again, nash has two and harden has one, so it's a pretty silly award anyway.
reading a write up of the clippers win from a dallas perspective and came across this: and i laughed and laughed.
I have this argument with one of my friends a lot. He sees AI, too. I don't. I see the career this guy would've had if injuries didn't ruin it... Ja is a better shooter, but the athleticism and the attacks on the rim are eerily similar.
i think people underrate iverson's athleticism because they remember the old beat up version. but no, he wasn't the same athlete. but he was a guy who played a similar style with similar impact and a similar attitude/persona, imo. i was a huge ai fan and think history hasn't been fair to him. much like kobe, everyone focused on his flaws much more than they do for other star players. edit: and i think rose's athleticism was more like iverson's, whereas morant is on another level. young westbrook was close--bigger and stronger, equally fast but not as springy. not sure i've seen a guy jump in-game like morant does.
And let's see him jump out of the 4 foot end of a pool onto the deck. Those guys are NUTZ. How bout 6 times in a row? Think what this guy could do if he dropped 60lbs.
lol, f*** all that! i remember box jumping in hs, and i was sort of amazed at even my own jumps (we generally attempted to clear them, as high as 4', iirc). but this stuff is nuts. the speed and power of these guys is hard to believe.
