2018 NBA Season

[scratchswinger]

I find it amazing that people even bring up the question of the Lakers making the playoffs...Don't Get me wrong. I firmly believe the Lakers are making the playoffs and most likely a 1-4 seed. But it just goes to show the difference in the two conferences. Lebron won the east 9 (I think) times in a row and with a conference switch, it comes up if he even makes the playoffs. The East is bad. Haha

 

People just forget how great LeBron is, I’ve said this a thousand times in these threads the last few years. The gap between LeBron and the second best player is the same or greater than the gap between the 2nd best and 6th best player.

[HoosierHacker89]

Who's the best player in the East? Kyrie Irving? Victor Oladipo? A healthy Joel Embiid?

 

Did you skip the guy in Milwaukee because you can’t spell his name either?

 

Giannis is the best.

 

I would disagree, but I don’t have good argument as to who is better. I haven’t been super impressed with Giannis up to this point, and I believe he is overrated. I conversely don’t have a single player in the east that has impressed to the point of being the clear best either. We are in a transition period and we’ll see how these potential juggernauts in philly and Boston develop. I need to see Giannis make a run in the playoffs this season to consider him to be the best. I think Vic has another huge year and finishes the season in the top 3 MVP race

[jerebear21]

greek freak is only 23 years old and he hasn't even come close to his peak yet. It's a transitional period right now but the current best player in the East is Kyrie. He's the only one with the game changing abilities and a resume to back it up.

[MtlJeff]

Who's the best player in the East? Kyrie Irving? Victor Oladipo? A healthy Joel Embiid?

 

Did you skip the guy in Milwaukee because you can’t spell his name either?

 

I just can't support someone who spells Chris with a K

 

And yes I forgot Giannis

[scratchswinger]

greek freak is only 23 years old and he hasn't even come close to his peak yet. It's a transitional period right now but the current best player in the East is Kyrie. He's the only one with the game changing abilities and a resume to back it up.

 

Lots of guys that played with LeBron have “resumes”.

[jerebear21]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn’t have lost his 5th final.

[jerebear21]

Your defense of lebron is borderline psychotic. Get help.

[bubbagump]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn't have lost his 5th final.

 

So are you saying that one shot = resume?

 

To me Kyrie is kind of an urban myth where he gets elevated more than reality. When he's on and focused he can turn out to be unstoppable but more than often he's a black hole, gives so so effort and of course his health is super suspect. I would say he's a star level guy and easily in the convo, but would hesitate to say that he has a "resume".

 

If I were to make a list of best in the east now, it probably would have to come from somewhere in this list:

Giannis, Kyrie, Derozen, Wall, Lowry, Oladipo

[MtlJeff]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn't have lost his 5th final.

 

So are you saying that one shot = resume?

 

To me Kyrie is kind of an urban myth where he gets elevated more than reality. When he's on and focused he can turn out to be unstoppable but more than often he's a black hole, gives so so effort and of course his health is super suspect. I would say he's a star level guy and easily in the convo, but would hesitate to say that he has a "resume".

 

If I were to make a list of best in the east now, it probably would have to come from somewhere in this list:

Giannis, Kyrie, Derozen, Wall, Lowry, Oladipo

 

I actually feel Wall has become very overrated. His team's are poor in the halfcourt, he isn't well liked by teammates, and hardcore Washington fans will tell you he shows up out of shape early in the season and doesn't play defense. Apparently Gortat was traded largely because he crapped in Wall for making him look bad by never fighting through screens and hanging him out to dry against point guards. I think he gets a pass because his stats are good. But Washington stunk last season

[bubbagump]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn't have lost his 5th final.

 

So are you saying that one shot = resume?

 

To me Kyrie is kind of an urban myth where he gets elevated more than reality. When he's on and focused he can turn out to be unstoppable but more than often he's a black hole, gives so so effort and of course his health is super suspect. I would say he's a star level guy and easily in the convo, but would hesitate to say that he has a "resume".

 

If I were to make a list of best in the east now, it probably would have to come from somewhere in this list:

Giannis, Kyrie, Derozen, Wall, Lowry, Oladipo

 

I actually feel Wall has become very overrated. His team's are poor in the halfcourt, he isn't well liked by teammates, and hardcore Washington fans will tell you he shows up out of shape early in the season and doesn't play defense. Apparently Gortat was traded largely because he crapped in Wall for making him look bad by never fighting through screens and hanging him out to dry against point guards. I think he gets a pass because his stats are good. But Washington stunk last season

 

Yeah I live here in DC, and Im well familiar about the Wiz and all their hilarious bungles including Walls shortcomings and issues. I never have found Wall to be earth shattering and think he's nowhere near the player he believes he is, but even so….in stacking up with the easts best I feel he likely ranks up there.

[MtlJeff]

Well it IS the east after all. I think that time I made a few three pointers in my office gym after work I cracked the top 150 players in the eastern Americas

[cdnglf]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn’t have lost his 5th final.

 

If Kyrie was healthy is the story of his career.

[jerebear21]

Except Kyrie was the one who actually made that shot. And if kyrie was healthy lebron wouldn't have lost his 5th final.

 

So are you saying that one shot = resume?

 

To me Kyrie is kind of an urban myth where he gets elevated more than reality. When he's on and focused he can turn out to be unstoppable but more than often he's a black hole, gives so so effort and of course his health is super suspect. I would say he's a star level guy and easily in the convo, but would hesitate to say that he has a "resume".

 

If I were to make a list of best in the east now, it probably would have to come from somewhere in this list:

Giannis, Kyrie, Derozen, Wall, Lowry, Oladipo

 

He didn’t have a chance to build up his career because lebron Conveniently came back. He was an all star before lebron and an all star after lebron. And people tend to forget he’s only 26 years old now and was a 22 year old budding star. In hindsight the Cavs should have dumped lebron. They didn’t have the guts too. Lakers did it for kobe. Cavs should have done it for kyrie.

 

He’s the only one on that list that has a championship and is still peaking.

[bubbagump]

Sure but does any of that = resume?

[jerebear21]

Championship. All Star mvp. All stars. Olympic starter and gold medal.

 

I mean he ain’t lebron. And he definitely doesn’t have the 3-6 finals record as well.

 

He’s the best in the east right now.

[bubbagump]

Championship. All Star mvp. All stars. Olympic starter and gold medal.

 

I mean he ain't lebron. And he definitely doesn't have the 3-6 finals record as well.

 

He's the best in the east right now.

 

I guess like scratch said, to me that championship wasn't won on the back of Kyrie, and same with the Olympic team. Hanging your hat on a joke all-star game isn't really a big deal to me either. Kyrie was a part of those things, and is a star, and is in the convo for best in the East, but I guess we have different ideas of what a "resume" is for a individual player, thats more what I was looking at.

 

Like I had said with Kyrie, great player when he wants to be, but there is a lot of "what if" involved in his career to this point as well. All of that anyway is kind of moot when he can't stay on the court anyway.

[jerebear21]

The what if’s was not of his choice. He was still coming into his own when lebron came back. He left before he gave lebron a chance to blindside him again.

 

What did occurred was a championship he help bring to a city with a 50-60 years drought. He was an all star before lebron. He was an all star during lebron. And he has been an all star after lebron.

 

I see no issue with calling him the best in the east right now. You ask for his accomplishment. I guess being an all star isn’t worth much anymore or help bring a championship to Cleveland. And he’s not even in his prime yet.

 

Other interesting news. Spurs decline kyrie for kawhi. Let’s see if kyrie dump Boston and go to knicks.

[bubbagump]

The what if's was not of his choice. He was still coming into his own when lebron came back. He left before he gave lebron a chance to blindside him again.

 

What did occurred was a championship he help bring to a city with a 50-60 years drought. He was an all star before lebron. He was an all star during lebron. And he has been an all star after lebron.

 

I see no issue with calling him the best in the east right now. You ask for his accomplishment. I guess being an all star isn't worth much anymore or help bring a championship to Cleveland. And he's not even in his prime yet.

 

Other interesting news. Spurs decline kyrie for kawhi. Let's see if kyrie dump Boston and go to knicks.

 

Most of the what ifs are in his control, Lebron had no effect on his effort day in and day out. Nor does Lebron have to do with Kyrie's health. Without Lebron he also led the Cavs to finish 13th, 13th and 10th all star appearances included. Anyway, my point was really only that I don't think Kyrie's "resume" is actually as great in realit as its made to be, or that great compared across the board to the elites of the NBA.

 

But yeah in the East, it equals easily one of if not the best….then again the East is garbage. So well see how the rest of it all pans out.

[MtlJeff]

If Gordon Hayward is 90%+ of the player he was in Utah, i'm really interested in seeing how good Boston will be. Hayward is a lot better than he gets credit for, he's like an supreme facilitator. Does everything really well while not being a star at anything. He ran pick and rolls, he defends well, he shoots 3's, he comes off screens, very good passer. He was widely considered a top 20 player in the league

 

If you see improvement from Brown and Tatum, and Hayward back with Kyrie and Horford and Rozier.....i wonder.

 

The Celtics might be the best overall team we have seen the past few years besides GSW

[bubbagump]

The Celtics have the best young roster in the league I feel, and if they navigate Kyrie well and Hayward comes back strong they will be savage for a long while.

[jerebear21]

Pumps up Kyrie, while not acknowledging Pippen's contributions to the Bulls.

 

 

Sorry just had to do it.

 

Lebron apologist to the rescue. No one pumping kyrie. The east is that bad and the reason why lebron got to the final 8 straight years.

[jerebear21]

The what if's was not of his choice. He was still coming into his own when lebron came back. He left before he gave lebron a chance to blindside him again.

 

What did occurred was a championship he help bring to a city with a 50-60 years drought. He was an all star before lebron. He was an all star during lebron. And he has been an all star after lebron.

 

I see no issue with calling him the best in the east right now. You ask for his accomplishment. I guess being an all star isn't worth much anymore or help bring a championship to Cleveland. And he's not even in his prime yet.

 

Other interesting news. Spurs decline kyrie for kawhi. Let's see if kyrie dump Boston and go to knicks.

 

Most of the what ifs are in his control, Lebron had no effect on his effort day in and day out. Nor does Lebron have to do with Kyrie's health. Without Lebron he also led the Cavs to finish 13th, 13th and 10th all star appearances included. Anyway, my point was really only that I don't think Kyrie's "resume" is actually as great in realit as its made to be, or that great compared across the board to the elites of the NBA.

 

But yeah in the East, it equals easily one of if not the best….then again the East is garbage. So well see how the rest of it all pans out.

 

Then you answered it. We are talking about who’s the best in the east right now and that was my response. No one here going to say kyrie is the best in the nba. The east has been garbage for a decade now ever since the decision.

[xxio]

Pumps up Kyrie, while not acknowledging Pippen's contributions to the Bulls.

 

 

Sorry just had to do it.

 

Lebron apologist to the rescue. No one pumping kyrie. The east is that bad and the reason why lebron got to the final 8 straight years.

 

Deleted because Pippen's contributions are OT and the battle of sidekicks will just be another debate.

 

 

You can take Kyrie, I would take Pippen.

 

Moving on.

[jerebear21]

Pumps up Kyrie, while not acknowledging Pippen's contributions to the Bulls.

 

 

Sorry just had to do it.

 

Lebron apologist to the rescue. No one pumping kyrie. The east is that bad and the reason why lebron got to the final 8 straight years.

 

Deleted because Pippen's contributions are OT and the battle of sidekicks will just be another debate.

 

 

You can take Kyrie, I would take Pippen.

 

Moving on.

 

Maybe you should apply your logic to this topic. The question was who is the current best player in the east now that lebron is gone.

 

And please don’t use Malone and Payton going to the lakers with kobe and Shaq as superstars joining forces again. Thanks.

[scratchswinger]

The Celtics have the best young roster in the league I feel, and if they navigate Kyrie well and Hayward comes back strong they will be savage for a long while.

 

I don’t know that they have the best young roster (guys under 25) but I feel that they have the best combination of youth, prime talent, and assets. They will likely dominate the east for a while. Simmons and Embiid might be two HOF caliber talents though, so it could be interesting.

[HoosierHacker89]

Good question I heard brought up that’s worth noting,

 

Do you take the five best in the entire eastern conference or gsw starting 5?

 

I think it would be something like:

 

Kyrie, Vic, Giannis, Porzingis, Embiid

 

Or

 

Curry, Thompson, KD, Draymond, Boogie.

 

I think I like gsw is everyone is healthy

[F171615]

I find it amazing that people even bring up the question of the Lakers making the playoffs...Don't Get me wrong. I firmly believe the Lakers are making the playoffs and most likely a 1-4 seed. But it just goes to show the difference in the two conferences. Lebron won the east 9 (I think) times in a row and with a conference switch, it comes up if he even makes the playoffs. The East is bad. Haha

 

People just forget how great LeBron is, I’ve said this a thousand times in these threads the last few years. The gap between LeBron and the second best player is the same or greater than the gap between the 2nd best and 6th best player.

 

 

FYI, no one has ever forgotten how great LeBron is.

LeBron is always eager to remind all of us he's the best player in the world. And after he loses, he likes to explain he's still the best player in the world, but he's just surrounded by poor talent and/or has a broken hand.

[MtlJeff]

Problem is his team's dumb GM's keep giving these big contract to Klutch sports clients, with whom LeBron has zero affiliation with.

[scratchswinger]

Problem is his team's dumb GM's keep giving these big contract to Klutch sports clients, with whom LeBron has zero affiliation with.

 

Seems like he really made Dan Gilbert pay a premium for him to return. One year deals, holding the franchise hostage, huge deals to his own clients. The KCP Lakers deal is not bad at all, one year 12 million, they gave him 18 last year which was way overpriced but very well calculated.

[scratchswinger]

Good question I heard brought up that’s worth noting,

 

Do you take the five best in the entire eastern conference or gsw starting 5?

 

I think it would be something like:

 

Kyrie, Vic, Giannis, Porzingis, Embiid

 

Or

 

Curry, Thompson, KD, Draymond, Boogie.

 

I think I like gsw is everyone is healthy

 

What do you think the chances are Boogie is healthy next season? Historically plaeyers are never the same with the exception of Dominique Wilkins. Boogie is a big guy, it’s not going to be easy for him.