Why Durant and the Suns lost

[Im Still Ballin]

The thing is Durant's not guarding anyone. He's conserving energy. I saw this 100x with the Warriors. No matter the % of the opposing player shooting, he will shoot a lower % if he's guarded. No way Gordon should score 23 points in a game, period.

Gordon also had a major impact freeing up other Nuggets with off-ball screens because Durant did not switch. Durant just stays camped in no-mans land and occasionally gets a high-profile block where people assume he's a terrific defender without recognizing the hidden costs.

And there are cases where he refused to contest, take the charge on defense - just like he refused to set screens for his teammates on offense or sulked beyond the 3 point lane forcing his teammates to go 4 on 5 against the Nuggets.

All of these things add up. You cannot beat the best teams in the league with these detrimental actions towards your team. Needs to be active on D and off the ball on offense.

These are all great points.

[tpols]

OP got me thinking...

Is Kevin Durant really just Cypher from The Matrix?



It's all an illusionnn...

Funny but probably true.

[ImKobe]

Aaron Gordon shot 33.3% on 2.4 three-point shots that are open (4ft+) this season. Last year, he made 34.4%; the half-season he played for Denver before that? 35.5%.

0.8/2.4 = 33.3% 3PT
1.1/3.2 = 34.4% 3PT
1.1/3.1 = 35.5% 3PT

It's hard to know if the sagging-off strategy is sound. Is it actually taking away higher-percentage baskets?

I do agree with the general premise of the thread. KD's multi-year RAPM numbers are lacking in comparison to his box score numbers.

Yes it is. Denver shoots far better from 3 as a team than Aaron Gordon and you'd rather leave him open and help on Jokic or Murray. If he averages 25 for the series and shoots 40% from 3 then you lose but you have to live with it. The alternative is giving Jokic & Murray easier looks and you don't want to get them hot.

[bdonovan]

Yes it is. Denver shoots far better from 3 as a team than Aaron Gordon and you'd rather leave him open and help on Jokic or Murray. If he averages 25 for the series and shoots 40% from 3 then you lose but you have to live with it. The alternative is giving Jokic & Murray easier looks and you don't want to get them hot.

I've already addressed this fallacious argument here:
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...1#post14766552

This brilliant strategy of Durant not guarding anyone resulted in Aaron being turned into an all-star, Jokic scoring as he usually does, Murray going for over 30, and letting the Nuggets go 5 on 4 on the Suns on most offensive possessions and scoring more against the Suns than ANY game against the Timberwolves.

Keep up the brilliant defensive strategy.

I await all the excuses when the Suns get knocked out. The Suns fans base is as illiterate on how defense works as Durant.

[AlternativeAcc.]

OP = Russwest0 AKA Simon

Unhinged after his picture was posted here and Durant left for GSW.


Don't make me link to your page bro..

[ImKobe]

I've already addressed this fallacious argument here:
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...1#post14766552

This brilliant strategy of Durant not guarding anyone resulted in Aaron being turned into an all-star, Jokic scoring as he usually does, Murray going for over 30, and letting the Nuggets go 5 on 4 on the Suns on most offensive possessions and scoring more against the Suns than ANY game against the Timberwolves.

Keep up the brilliant defensive strategy.

I await all the excuses when the Suns get knocked out. The Suns fans base is as illiterate on how defense works as Durant.

He's playing off Gordon to help on Murray & Jokic and on the glass.. Suns are too small outside of him & Ayton. You don't know shit lol.

Good on you for playing the results off 1 game like Gordon is prime Ray Allen from 3 lmao. He shoots below league average from 3 but you think it's a bad defensive strategy to let him shoot those when he takes less than 3 per game all year? I think I'll live with Aaron Gordon shooting 3s instead of giving Murray open driving lanes & 2nd chances for Jokic. Gordon made FOUR threes in the entire 1st rd series. You'll let him shoot 4-5 threes per game & live with the results.

[Carbine]

You can't take everything away. Teams score 110 a game for a reason, you gotta pick your poison these days.

Gordon 3's you'll live with.

Kind of like how the warriors are living with Sabonis taking jumpers. It's not that Looney is being lazy it playing non winning basketball. It's the gameplan.

[AlternativeAcc.]

He's playing off Gordon to help on Murray & Jokic and on the glass.. Suns are too small outside of him & Ayton. You don't know shit lol.

Good on you for playing the results off 1 game like Gordon is prime Ray Allen from 3 lmao. He shoots below league average from 3 but you think it's a bad defensive strategy to let him shoot those when he takes less than 3 per game all year? I think I'll live with Aaron Gordon shooting 3s instead of giving Murray open driving lanes & 2nd chances for Jokic. Gordon made FOUR threes in the entire 1st rd series. You'll let him shoot 4-5 threes per game & live with the results.

Bingo... Durant is a zone roamer and secondary rim protector

[ArbitraryWater]

Again, youre literally lying and making things up.

Irving got injured in game 4 while the Nets were trailing near haftime. So they were already on pace for the series to be tied 2-2.

no learning curve for tpols ever. too much pride to admit he was wrong.

in the near future he will once more claim the nets were destroying the bucks before kyrie went down. just an incapable fan/analyst.

[FKAri]

Its crazy that you can actually analyze ball well yet at the same time make weird posts about white supremacists officials, Draymond Green/Sabonis, Giannis skin color, etc.

It's the human condition.