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2012-13 Oct/Nov NBA Season |OT| Mavericks Attempt To Defend Title
- Thread starter reilo
- Start date
iamshadowlark
Banned
I don't see how they don't contend. KD-WB is still one of the best one-two punches in the league and Martin as a third option is still better than what a lot of teams put out.
friskykillface
Banned
Finally 
Tonight is gonna be awesome.
Lets go Celtics
Tonight is gonna be awesome.
Lets go Celtics
That time of year again, eh?
Wonder if the Mavs can pull off a win against the Lakers, who have been stinking up the preseason...
I'm sure that Miami Heat pic is supposed to be a reference to something, but I can't put my finger on it.
Pretty much. Losing Harden was probably a hit, but I'd say they're still contenders until we see otherwise.
Wonder if the Mavs can pull off a win against the Lakers, who have been stinking up the preseason...
I'm sure that Miami Heat pic is supposed to be a reference to something, but I can't put my finger on it.
Pretty much. Losing Harden was probably a hit, but I'd say they're still contenders until we see otherwise.
ItWasMeantToBe19
Banned
Jazz's frontcourt is going to literally eat the frontcourts of other teams this year, it's going to be too easy.
They're worse than the Spurs and Lakers.
Probably worse than the Grizzlies
At the exact same level of the Clippers (the teams are shocking similar really)
And could finish behind the Nuggets and Jazz because of the massive differences in depth
Not seeing a top 3 seed as a should.
They're worse than the Spurs and Lakers.
Probably worse than the Grizzlies
At the exact same level of the Clippers (the teams are shocking similar really)
And could finish behind the Nuggets and Jazz because of the massive differences in depth
Not seeing a top 3 seed as a should.
Red Blaster
Member
James Harden leads the Rockets from the lottery to the playoffs and wins MVP
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
Hopefully not as bad as the the game from January of this year.
But they lose in the WCF to the Jazz when G-TYYYYME averages a triple double in a 4 game sweep.
Oh man was that the game where no team wanted to win? I think the score was in the 70s?
Well, OKC didn't win the title last year and now they're worse.
The overall youth of the team will help (there's almost always a nice improvement via player development alone) and the role players like Sefolosha, Maynor and Collison should help elevate this team over teams like the Grizz and Clips.
Adjusting to Martin will take time, but it sounds like he's ready to embrace the bench role and fill it up when he comes in.
iamshadowlark
Banned
I didn't say they were Finals favorites or anything like that. As of right now, I'd be mildly shocked if they got eliminated by anything less than SA/LAL.
CherryWoodFuton
Member
Fuck yea how much are the Heat gonna lose by???
MorisUkunRasik
Member
Awesome! Congrats.
iamshadowlark
Banned
It'll be a ugly game, a few cheap fouls thrown here and there but I think MIA win by like 5 or 6.
Dthomp
Member
I don't really see how they are worse? Harden is a 12ppg player to Martins career 18.5 (I know Martin has been a starter) but as a big OKC fan Harden was crap when it mattered last year. They needed some vets that can game. Not to mention that having Maynor back to handle the backup PG means that Martin can handle the 2 for stretches and not just have Harden running around chucking up shots. Perkins (While I hated his season last year) is another year removed from major surgery and should be much better this year. Plus if Perry Jones or Jeremy Lamb contribute it will be major for another title run. I think once Martin figures out his role they'll be just fine, whether he finds a way into the starting lineup with Westbrook/Martin/Durant/Ibaka/Perkins but it's hard to say what will happen there because there were stretches where last years lineup had problems scoring.
Thabo will stay the starter. Brooks (overly) values a consistent starting lineup and rotations, which is what killed us last year against Miami.
As long as Martin scores how he's capable of (and he'll be on the floor with KD for stretches, which will make it easier) I don't expect much of a difference in terms of win-loss record.
People also forget that Harden wasn't always consistent last year.
This is a damned good troll post.
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
You're right Kevin Martin is much more consistent. Consistent at being shit.
madmaxx350
Member
I don't think anyone doubt that Martin can score but can he also playmake like Harden does for the second unit? I actually believe that OKC will be fine though I don't think they'll be top 3, well that is to be seen.
For the record, I don't agree with my fellow OKC fan above that there's no dropoff in quality of the squad from Harden to Martin.
But I also don't think Harden's loss will affect our W-L record as much as people think. It could definitely hurt us in the playoffs in crunch time, though. Harden's presence really helped us in those situations.
But I also don't think Harden's loss will affect our W-L record as much as people think. It could definitely hurt us in the playoffs in crunch time, though. Harden's presence really helped us in those situations.
Aside from Jamison, Martin is the most high character team cancer in the league. Has been since he was in Sacramento. All he does is make people around him worse.
kevo_huevo
Member
eddy curry gonna shut down the lakers front court.
....fuck.
First of all 12.7 PPG is rounded to 13, not 12.
Secondly you are taking the first 3 seasons of Harden, in which he made big improvements every season and then claim he's a 13 PPG player? A bit disingenuous aren't you? Kevin Martin was also a 13 PPG player through 3 seasons (while starting in 1 1/2 of those seasons).
More importantly, Kevin Martin is one of the most inefficient offensive player in the league and does nothing on defense, while Harden is one of the most efficient offensive player. Have you even looked at their numbers from last season?
I actually kinda agree with you. I thought Harden was very overrated. Still, he could carry the second team, and I'm not sure Martin or Lamb can replace that. We'll see. I would love to see OKC roll and Houston tank just so Harden would realize that quibbling about a few million isn't worth leaving a top team.
The fuckball and Wade trolling has changed you.
Iron E Man
Member
Bulls 7th seed here we come!
Comparing career ppg stats of Martin with Harden is a joke. Harden brings so much more than Martin. For one, he's entering his prime and has been improving each year. He has gotten his stats while coming of the bench for a championship contender and essentially being a third option. He can do more that just shoot - he's got pretty good handles and play making ability. And this play making ability means you can have a pg in a line up with him and ynb instead of having to go small ball.
darkside31337
Tomodachi wa Mahou
Russell Westbrook top 10 player, what the fuck? Dude is barely a top 10 point guard.
Heart Attack
Member
Lifelong here... won't post here much of the season. But i'll be lurking and laughing at the meltdowns. Hope you guys don't get the thread locked.
BTW: Anyone but the Lakers or Heat please.
BTW: Anyone but the Lakers or Heat please.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/sg/year/2012
That's simply not true. Martin was still a good offensive player last year.
It stands to reason that Martin's efficiency will go up on OKC as well, and that Harden's will go down in Houston.
(Again, NOT saying that Martin is better than Harden)
That's because the Thunder's offense has been shit without Harden on the court - and very, very, very few two man shows are worth talking about anymore. No one else on that team can score. Maynor, as good as he was, was only such an impact because outside of Harden he was the only guy who could run the offense.
Denver is a much deeper team that doesn't rely on less than a handful of players for all its scoring.
Lakers, Memphis (finally healthy), possibly the Clippers, and I expect Denver to seed higher than them as well.
Dmncnby2k9
Banned
Maybe Martin thrives as a 6th man?
MorisUkunRasik
Member
Kevin Martin is not good at basketball, he's good at throwing a ball throw a hoop and getting to the free throw line. James Harden was good at basketball. So swapping the two makes the team who ends up with Martin, instead of Harden, worse.
That's all that really needs to be said.
That's all that really needs to be said.
Rodeo Clown
All aboard! The Love train!
Danny Granger is out indefinitely.
Everybody is getting hurt.
Everybody is getting hurt.
Dude... now that's bigger bullshit than all of this K-Mart talk.
Anyway I think Martin can just doing fine for help collecting W (i.e not gonna hampering Thunders record) against low-mid tier team, the fact he's worse player than Harden just gonna bothering a lot against decent-contender team.