Westbrook Vs Curry

[Graviton]

Deng and Boozer were not garbage in 2011, or even close to it. They weren't elite 2nd, 3rd options but they were quality players.

And doubling doesn't matter that much with WB here. It's not like that's what killed Rose anyways. And Keith Bogans only played 19 mpg in the playoffs..if they find Miami doing that often, they could just as easily sub in Korver to play 2, with Deng at the 3. You double Westbrook and you're ****ed.

Current Westbrook imo is just a more explosive (not just physically, but in terms constant aggressiveness and intensity) player than 2011 Rose and he is just not getting locked up the way Rose was. They still might not win but I think they have a much, much better shot at it.

But they were garbage, especially in big moments when they had to step up. Stats may not reflect that but I watched those 2 beta ******* for years. If they are your 2nd/3rd option you are not going anywhere unless your name is Shaq or Jordan.

[navy]

43% is still vastly better than Rose's ECF. And we're talking about current Westbrook, who is unquestionably a better player than 2012 Westbrook. Current Westbrook is surreal when he's on, and I think with a much better coach and an offense that allows his style of play to flourish more out of necessity (defensive minded supporting cast) than incompetent coaching..he would do just fine leading his own team.

Westbrook just got off a month of 38% shooting and is at 43% for the season. Yeah he will have games where he is on but he will have games where he is off as well. But by himself in playoffs vs one of the greatest perimeter defenses in recent times? I wouldnt count on it.

[tpols]

Deng and Boozer were not garbage in 2011, or even close to it. They weren't elite 2nd, 3rd options but they were quality players.
.

They were garbage offensively against a super fast perimeter defense.. Luol Deng is a poor dribbler, and cant create, he can finish alright but he isnt going to make things happen on his own. Boozer is also one of the slowest awkwardest offensive players with that release form two feet behind his head and also has little creation ability.

He was straight garbage offensively against the Heat and got absolutely torched by Chris Bosh...

23ppg 68TS vs 14ppg 49TS.

It was a slaughter.. Bosh is actually quick and his midrange was auto. Boozer slow footed as hell no reaction speed for that defense.


Wait a minute *looks at username* I thought you were dmavs for a second.

[Milbuck]

But they were garbage, especially in big moments when they had to step up. Stats may not reflect that but I watched those 2 beta ******* for years. If they are your 2nd/3rd option you are not going anywhere unless your name is Shaq or Jordan.

It's not just about them being your 2nd or 3rd options...that Bulls team had a ton of toughness, they played hard, they rebounded, and they were an absolutely elite defense and that had nothing to do with Rose. Clowning their offensive weapons means very little because outside of Rose they were never built to be an offensive team, they were built to be an elite defensive and rebounding team..and that's what they were. And it got them 60+ wins and the ECF.

Boozer and Deng weren't great in the ECF, but they weren't no shows or garbage. Deng was at 17 ppg on 42% FG and Boozer 14/10 on 40% FG. They didn't shoot the best but...neither did Rose with his 35% from the field.

The average margin for Miami was +2.2 points in that 5 game series, and +8 in the 4 wins. It's not like they were blowing out Chicago every game. If Rose played like the MVP they had every shot of winning that series. But he got locked up by Lebron, and couldn't handle Miami's help defense.

And I'm saying Westbrook wouldn't have as much trouble. Westbrook right now is as close to unguardable as you can get, and his unreal aggressiveness and ferocity makes it even tougher. The guy isn't collapsing with Lebron on him the way Rose did, and I think Chicago makes it a much, much tougher series.

Also, Westbrook's defense under Thibs would be insane. People knock him for being reckless at times and gambling too much..but Westbrook at his best defensively is a nightmare, and in a disciplined defensive system, coached by Thibs..he could make that Chicago defense even nastier than it already was.

[Graviton]

They were garbage offensively against a super fast perimeter defense.. Luol Deng is a poor dribbler, and cant create, he can finish alright but he isnt going to make things happen on his own. Boozer is also one of the slowest awkwardest offensive players with that release form two feet behind his head and also has little creation ability.

He was straight garbage offensively against the Heat and got absolutely torched by Chris Bosh...

23ppg 68TS vs 14ppg 49TS.

It was a slaughter.. Bosh is actually quick and his midrange was auto. Boozer slow footed as hell no reaction speed for that defense.


Wait a minute *looks at username* I thought you were dmavs for a second.

Deng is the easiest matchup for Lebron, he ALWAYS goes off against him. Because Luoul has no idea how to guard him, he gives James too much space and lets him get comfortable and survey the floor, you are supposed to pressure Lebron and make him make quick decisions instead of letting him get in the flow.

And Boozer as you said is a slow stiff, Bosh was too quick for him and absolutely raped him. Doesn't help that Carlos is also softer than toilet paper.

[Milbuck]

They were garbage offensively against a super fast perimeter defense.. Luol Deng is a poor dribbler, and cant create, he can finish alright but he isnt going to make things happen on his own. Boozer is also one of the slowest awkwardest offensive players with that release form two feet behind his head and also has little creation ability.

He was straight garbage offensively against the Heat and got absolutely torched by Chris Bosh...

23ppg 68TS vs 14ppg 49TS.

It was a slaughter.. Bosh is actually quick and his midrange was auto. Boozer slow footed as hell no reaction speed for that defense.


Wait a minute *looks at username* I thought you were dmavs for a second.

Yeah, very rarely do I get caught bringing down Rose...but I can't act like his performance in the ECF didn't significantly hurt the rest of the team.

But are we to act like Westbrook's mentality and style of play wouldn't have been infectious on that Bulls team? We talk about Rose being the driving force of that team, and when he's in trouble the team's in trouble..but I just cannot see Westbrook collapsing the way Rose did.

His intensity on both ends of the floor is something you just cannot contain, and I think it takes a ton of pressure off his teammates in a way Rose was not able to do in that series.

That Bulls team was built to have Rose as the primary creator of the offense...which is a role I think Westbrook would have no problem replicating, but the difference is I just cannot see him shrinking with Lebron guarding him. Which imo, completely changes the dynamic of that series.

[tpols]

Yeah, very rarely do I get caught bringing down Rose...but I can't act like his performance in the ECF didn't significantly hurt the rest of the team.

But are we to act like Westbrook's mentality and style of play wouldn't have been infectious on that Bulls team? We talk about Rose being the driving force of that team, and when he's in trouble the team's in trouble..but I just cannot see Westbrook collapsing the way Rose did.

His intensity on both ends of the floor is something you just cannot contain, and I think it takes a ton of pressure off his teammates in a way Rose was not able to do in that series.

That Bulls team was built to have Rose as the primary creator of the offense...which is a role I think Westbrook would have no problem replicating, but the difference is I just cannot see him shrinking with Lebron guarding him. Which imo, completely changes the dynamic of that series.

Westbrook would be forced to do the same thing Rose did.. Lebron shadowing him with the whole defense ready to help on the drive.. With WB jacking 18-20 footers. He wouldnt have a KD to space the court for him and theres no way hes getting by lebron in that shadow mode because he wants a player like westbrook to shoot that.

Maybe hed make them, maybe not.. but I think hed tire out. We see that from westbrook, last year in OTs he shot like 10% or something if I remember correctly. And he had a lot of fourth quarter brick fests. Its tiring to be the only guy capable of dribbling against a great perimeter defense all game and with thibs that might as well be scott brooks as far as offense goes.Thats just imo

[Milbuck]

Westbrook would be forced to do the same thing Rose did.. Lebron shadowing him with the whole defense ready to help on the drive.. With WB jacking 18-20 footers. He wouldnt have a KD to space the court for him and theres no way hes getting by lebron in that shadow mode because he wants a player like westbrook to shoot that.

Maybe hed make them, maybe not.. but I think hed tire out. We see that from westbrook, last year in OTs he shot like 10% or something if I remember correctly. And he had a lot of fourth quarter brick fests. Its tiring to be the only guy capable of dribbling against a great perimeter defense all game and with thibs that might as well be scott brooks as far as offense goes.Thats just imo

Yeah I'm not saying he'd torch the Heat or anything..but I think he'd sure as hell do a better job than Rose, I'd have an incredibly hard time believing he'd drop to 35% from the field on low volume (relative to his standards).. He'd have his own troubles driving but he's just stronger and more physically imposing than Rose, more power explosiveness than Rose. Rose was a master of exploiting defenses, but he's not the guy to try to bully and physically impose his will on the defenses that can form high resistance, the way Westbrook does. And as for spacing, again, he wouldn't have KD but that's when you play Korver bigger minutes and Deng isn't Rondo or anything.

And again, I think his defense is being understated here. His only flaws defensively would be worked on with Thibs and the Bulls..Rose wasn't terrible or anything, but Westbrook on that Bulls team could potentially be one of the best PG defenders ever.

All in all I think current Westbrook..makes it a more competitive series.

[Inferno]

Curry for GSW

[LiLharvard]

Yeah I'm not saying he'd torch the Heat or anything..but I think he'd sure as hell do a better job than Rose, I'd have an incredibly hard time believing he'd drop to 35% from the field on low volume (relative to his standards).. He'd have his own troubles driving but he's just stronger and more physically imposing than Rose, more power explosiveness than Rose. Rose was a master of exploiting defenses, but he's not the guy to try to bully and physically impose his will on the defenses that can form high resistance, the way Westbrook does. And as for spacing, again, he wouldn't have KD but that's when you play Korver bigger minutes and Deng isn't Rondo or anything.

And again, I think his defense is being understated here. His only flaws defensively would be worked on with Thibs and the Bulls..Rose wasn't terrible or anything, but Westbrook on that Bulls team could potentially be one of the best PG defenders ever.

All in all I think current Westbrook..makes it a more competitive series.

Westbrook is not human. He's had 3 Knee injuries and each time he comes back and produces even more godly video-game like stats.

[TheBigVeto]

Curry because he's got a higher IQ.

Westbrook is just another example of keeping it real gone very wrong.

[Graviton]

Westbrook is just another example of keeping it real gone very wrong.

That's the best description I have heard.

[RRR3]

Westbrook would be forced to do the same thing Rose did.. Lebron shadowing him with the whole defense ready to help on the drive.. With WB jacking 18-20 footers. He wouldnt have a KD to space the court for him and theres no way hes getting by lebron in that shadow mode because he wants a player like westbrook to shoot that.

Maybe hed make them, maybe not.. but I think hed tire out. We see that from westbrook, last year in OTs he shot like 10% or something if I remember correctly. And he had a lot of fourth quarter brick fests. Its tiring to be the only guy capable of dribbling against a great perimeter defense all game and with thibs that might as well be scott brooks as far as offense goes.Thats just imo

LEbron couldn't guard Westbrook.

[bdreason]

Curry and Durant would be insane.

[sundizz]

I think a case can be made for either, but it is hard to say who is better because they both bring very different things to the table. It really comes down to fit. I feel that Curry would actually fit better with stacked teams, while Westbrook would be a better boost to mediocre or bad teams.

A more true statement has not been spoken on here recently. Sometimes I go on ISH and shake my head (like CavsFTL posting about Shaq's rebounding). This level headed assessment keeps me going.

Westbrook is a workhorse and a beast and would definitely help a bad or mediocre team because he brings that insanity and energy (and skill and production) every night. However, he detracts from a team based game quite a bit. He is somewhat of an all or nothing player when it comes to a team's offense. Durant shouldn't be relegated to a spot up shooter when he is on the floor. This is partly to blame on their stupid coach too though. They need to a run a better motion offense to get Durant the ball way more often and in way better positions.

At it stands though, Curry >> on a stacked team and Westbrook >> on a mediocre team.

You could literally replace Curry with the pg for any of the 5 contenders and he makes them the title favorite or close to it: Cavs, Memphis, OKC, Spurs, Hawks.