****OFFICIAL 2012 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[dirk digler]

Great sports weekend with the draft and now the NBA Playoffs starting today

First Round Matchups Today:

76ers vs Bulls
Knicks vs Heat
Magic vs Pacers
Mavs vs Thunder

Sunday:

Jazz vs Spurs
Celtics vs Hawks
Clippers vs Grizzlies
Nuggets vs Lakers

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The idea that Durant is better than him, for example, is just absurd.

Really?

Durant is a better shooter, a better free throw shooter, averaged more rebounds than Lebron this year, more blocks, and scored more points.

He's also a far better clutch performer as this year's playoffs prove.

Lebron is a better defender and a better passer. He's also played four more seasons than Durant.

When it's all said and done Durant is going to be the better player, IMO. I know he certainly did more damage to the Mavs the last two seasons, and it's not even close.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by CrazyCoffey's Bitch

Really?

Durant is a better shooter, a better free throw shooter, averaged more rebounds than Lebron this year, more blocks, and scored more points.

He's also a far better clutch performer as this year's playoffs prove.

Lebron is a better defender and a better passer. He's also played four more seasons than Durant.

When it's all said and done Durant is going to be the better player, IMO. I know he certainly did more damage to the Mavs the last two seasons, and it's not even close.

I'd like to see responses if all NBA GMs were surveyed as to who they would build a team around given the choice: Durant or lebron.

Wouldn't be surprised to see that most passed on "the greatest player in the world" to go with Durant.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I'd like to see responses if all NBA GMs were surveyed as to who they would build a team around given the choice: Durant or lebron.

Wouldn't be surprised to see that most passed on "the greatest player in the world" to go with Durant.

Great point.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by Patrick Bateman

Its becase hes black. Nash switched teams but nobody cared about him cuz he had blond hair

That's just asinine. I'm trying to remember Steve Nash's decision and the Phoenix pre-season celebration and I keep coming up blank. I don't hate LeBron at all, but it's easy to understand why people are all over him, and it's not because he's black.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I'd like to see responses if all NBA GMs were surveyed as to who they would build a team around given the choice: Durant or lebron.

Wouldn't be surprised to see that most passed on "the greatest player in the world" to go with Durant.

It's been done and most selected Durant. It doesn't hurt that he's 4 years younger.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by okcchief

It's been done and most selected Durant. It doesn't hurt that he's 4 years younger.

Really? Haven't seen that. I suspect it wouldn't matter if Durant was 4 years older.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The worst thing about the LeBron hate is when critics try to come up with ridiculous arguments about how he's supposedly not the best player in the world (when he so clearly and obviously is). The idea that Durant is better than him, for example, is just absurd.

You aren't being fair the other way. Durant is very close to LeBron and he's 4 years younger. LeBron was deserving of the regular season MVP, but Durant has shown repeatedly that he can perform in the clutch in the biggest games. That's not everything, but it's something. They are clearly the best 2 players in the World and closer than you might like to admit.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Really? Haven't seen that. I suspect it wouldn't matter if Durant was 4 years older.

I know I heard Stephen A Smith or Broussard mention it late in the year when the MVP talk was going on and said Durant was the choice to start a franchise. They may have not been official though. This one is before this season and had them tied at 37% a piece. I don't think Durant has done anything but gain ground this season.

http://mobile.sbnation.com/nba/2012/...rld-peace-hook

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by okcchief

I know I heard Stephen A Smith or Broussard mention it late in the year when the MVP talk was going on and said Durant was the choice to start a franchise. They may have not been official though. This one is before this season and had them tied at 37% a piece. I don't think Durant has done anything but gain ground this season.

http://mobile.sbnation.com/nba/2012/...rld-peace-hook

Interesting, thanks.

[ChiefsCountry]

Pure scorer is Durant. Pure basketball player is LeBron. If you start a franchise it would only be natural to go with Durant, mainly because of age. 4 extra years would be a big deal. But ageside, LeBron is the best player in the league with Durant second.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Pure scorer is Durant. Pure basketball player is LeBron. If you start a franchise it would only be natural to go with Durant, mainly because of age. 4 extra years would be a big deal. But ageside, LeBron is the best player in the league with Durant second.

Both, IMO, don't play defense well enough yet.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Vanilla Thunder

Both, IMO, don't play defense well enough yet.

Thats funny considering LeBron shut down your team's boy in last year's playoffs.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

You aren't being fair the other way. Durant is very close to LeBron and he's 4 years younger. LeBron was deserving of the regular season MVP, but Durant has shown repeatedly that he can perform in the clutch in the biggest games. That's not everything, but it's something. They are clearly the best 2 players in the World and closer than you might like to admit.

I'm sorry, but their respective impact on games is really not all that close. LeBron can guard any position and he does it more effectively than anybody in the league. He's also the most dynamic and efficient offensive player in the game by far as well. As long as LeBron continues to play anywhere near this level, it's always going to be a fight for #2 (which Durant leads right now but not by much).

[KC_Connection]

LeBron's PER (Player Efficiency Rating) was 30.74 (http://www.basketball-reference.com/...er_season.html). That's a top 10 season in NBA history by that metric (and the crazy thing is he's had two better seasons than it before). Durant's was 26.20, which while still great, is not historically good like LeBron's season. The stat doesn't do a good job of measuring defensive impact, either, which is an area where LeBron has a clear advantage on any player.

LeBron's win share/48 min rate was also among the best of all time seasons as well (http://www.basketball-reference.com/...48_season.html).

We're watching something extraordinary in LeBron James' play here over the last few years and a lot of people hate him too much to even acknowledge that (even going so far as to ridiculously suggest that guys like Durant are better than him). It's too much.

[Hammock Parties]

Stats are great, but Durant plays on a better team, so he's required to do less. It's that simple. If Lebron played in OKC, his PER would be lower.