Post your ideal current PLAYOFF starting five

[OldSkoolball#52]

It occurred to me to make this thread because I feel a lot of people judge the "best players" or rank guys based on their current production during the regular season. But the regular season is a marathon, and the postseason is a sprint, and subsequently veterans tend to approach them in different ways. So a guy who is holding back in the regular season and perceived as "declining" may still be a better player than his young star counterpart when push comes to shove.


Chris Paul
Ray Allen
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Marc Gasol

I tried to only use guys at their "listed" positions. Which forced me to exclude Durant for James, even though if I were trying to create the best team possible I might consider putting Durant and SF and bumping James and Duncan up a position.



A lot of people think guys like Westbrook, Rose, Parker etc. are better than Paul, because Paul doesn't play a 'regular season style' which is to basically just try and outscore you. Same with Kevin Love at PF. Many now think he's the best PF in the game, and in the regular season it's hard to argue. But by now everyone knows the playoffs are different. Duncan is so proven. Until he actually SHOWS he's slowed down in the playoffs, why assume?

Paul is a beast playoff performer and certifiably clutch by the statistics. Anybody who judges this guy based on TEAM playoff success is simply lacking in intellect. Every measure shows that he beasts in the playoffs and has simply faced squads with better overall talent than his own. He's not raining thunderous dunks and dropping 40 in the regular season, but he controls the PLAYOFF style game better than any Russell Westbrook or Derrick Rose


Is there any shooting guard today you'd rather have on an ideal PLAYOFF team than Ray Allen? Jumpshooting is so capricious and for most teams unreliable in the postseason. What a insane blessing to have this guy in your corner. The best three point sniper in history. Again, will he wow you with his fadeaway step back contested jumpers in the regular season? No. Is there a reason he's been an integral part of SO many decisive playoff moments in the last 5 years? ABSOLUTELY.

I'm sure a lot of people will criticize the James pick for his well documented moments of "shrinking" during the playoffs. And I'm no apologist for James. He has cowered at times. But at the end of the day, you'd still be nuts NOT to take him at small forward if you have the choice, and I think deep down every person here knows that.


Duncan and Gasol just have playoff games. It's that simple. Defense, passing, post up, midrange. Duncan should be obvious, and if I have to pick a playoff center I will take Gasol.



OK NOW U GO

[christian1923]

Parker
Kobe
Lebron
Love
Howard

[OldSkoolball#52]

Also, my other question is, if you know you'd take an 'old dog' for the PLAYOFFS, even if he's a somewhat marginalized regular season player, wouldn't you have to consider him still the "better" player?

Like if you're ranking guys and you know one of them is in his prime, putting up big stats, and carrying his team in the regular season, and he's a popular pick to be considered one of the "best" players in the game currently... but you know deep down you'd rather have a guy playing 30 minutes and getting 12 and 9 in the regular season once the postseason comes around... How do you justify calling the prime young 'superstar' the better player when everyone here puts so much emphasis on rings, playoffs, 'clutch' etc???

Basically do you think people should rank players based on who they would want right now in a post season rather than a regular season? It just seems to me people often talk about how the playoffs determine your legacy, but they use regular season production/hype/momentum to rank current players.

[kamil]

Chris Paul
Ray Allen
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Marc Gasol

Is Ray Allen there to bail out LeBron* ?

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Stephan Curry
Paul George
Kevin Durant
LeBron James
Dwight Howard

If forced to go by listed position i'd swap Durant for Love

[Droid101]

Is Ray Allen there to bail out LeBron* ?

Boom.

[AintNoSunshine]

You nailed it man, and as you said alternatively James+Durant would be a lethal combo

[OldSkoolball#52]

Is Ray Allen there to bail out LeBron* ?

Of course. It's all about chemistry.


For instance if I'd have picked Kobe Bryant at SG, I'd have had to include Fisher at PG.

[T-Time3]

same as op
but i replace jesus shuttlesworth with paul george

[kamil]

Of course. It's all about chemistry.


For instance if I'd have picked Kobe Bryant at SG, I'd have had to include Fisher at PG.

I gotta applaud that save, lol.

[Blackisbig]

Steph Curry
Tony Allen
Kevin Durant
Tim Duncan
Marc Gasol

Twin towers line up at center and power forward. Shooters in Durant and Curry. Dominant perimeter defender in Allen. Lack of dominant ball handlers is compensated for by having two big men that can handle passing the ball and having plays run through them.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Steph Curry
Danny Green
Kevin Durant
LeBron James
Tim Duncan

Curry plays mostly off the ball. Green in there for D&3 purposes, since he grades out as one of the best at that and I couldn't think of anyone else. Durant is Durant. LeBron is LeBron. Duncan is Duncan.

Great ball movement and 3pt shooting. Load up on some defensive bigs for the bench just in case.

[Heavincent]

Steph Curry
Andre Iguodala
Lebron James
Anthony Davis
Tim Duncan

[zoom17]

Why are people choosing Howard he is a liability in close games and cant make free throws.

[OldSkoolball#52]

Steph Curry
Tony Allen
Kevin Durant
Tim Duncan
Marc Gasol

Twin towers line up at center and power forward. Shooters in Durant and Curry. Dominant perimeter defender in Allen. Lack of dominant ball handlers is compensated for by having two big men that can handle passing the ball and having plays run through them.

That's pretty nice, I like that


Altho the way Lance Stephenson has been playin I'd probably be inclined myself to use him at the 2 as the designated "crazy guy"