• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Kevin Durant Leaves OKC- Joining Warriors

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
gourimoko said:
Tocov, honestly, none of this is true.

1) They are not super short.

Curry is 6'3, Klay is 6'7 at the SG (tall), Iggy is 6'6 at the SF (avg), Durant is 6'10 at the SF/PF (tall), Green is 6'7 at the C (short). That's not a "short" lineup, it's a "small" lineup since you're playing 5 guards. But "small" and "short" are being confused and cluttered.. Playing small doesn't mean you're running out 5 short players.

2) They are NOT soft.

Curry is a good defender; he just can't defend Kyrie Irving.
Klay Thompson is a DPOY level defender at multiple positions.
Iggy is a DPOY level defender at multiple positions.
Durant is an All-NBA level defender.
Green is a DPOY level defender at multiple positions.

People saying they are "soft" are confused or don't know the personnel.

3) Zero perimeter players?

This... makes absolutely no sense. :chuckle: All 5 of their starting lineup are "perimeter players." Steph Curry isn't a perimeter player?

What's going on in here? :chuckle:

4) They did NOT get worse on defense.

This keeps getting repeated. The Cavs picked apart Curry/Ezeli/Bogut/Varejao on the PnR. The Warriors had to play a big to rebound, but it didn't work.

Durant is a better defender than Barnes, and while Bogut is a better rim protector, you're better off with Green playing center for the majority of the game regardless.

Yes, rim protection wise, they are worse. Perimeter defense wise they are better. Net net they are a much better team.

Let's stop pretending people; instead, we'd be better off focusing on stategy and potential trade partners, etc.
Click to expand...

I meant super short rotation. They will only probably have 7 substantial playable guys.

And perimeter was me having a brain fart. I meant post players. Sorry.

I do think they got worse defensively, and quite predictable on O.
 
Iggy runs point, too. I suspect they'll find a way to either leave Iguodala as 6th man or stagger he and Draymond much of the game.
 
tedginnjr said:
I'm not saying the lack of wings is Love's fault, I'm just acknowledging the lack of wings and that Love is our only trade chip.
Click to expand...

But we create a new hole if we use him.

Need to use our MLE and the tpe to address the wing position.

Remember we are not needing a starting wing, and have Shump and hopefully RJ in the mix for backup, so i am hoping we can find a team trying to shed salary to over pay someone willing to give us a usefull wing with size, maybe someone aging on a young team.
 
tocov said:
I meant super short rotation. They will only probably have 7 substantial playable guys.
Click to expand...

I see... Well, those 7 guys are all VERY good. They're starting 5 are all HOFers..

tocov said:
And perimeter was me having a brain fart. I meant post players. Sorry.
Click to expand...

I see..

It's true they don't have any post players on offense, but, they do have post defenders in Green, Iggy, and Durant.

tocov said:
I do think they got worse defensively,
Click to expand...

How?

Durant > Barnes on defense. He's being criminally underrated.. Which isn't a surprise considering it's Monday and he's decided to go to the Warriors. Ask this question yesterday and you'd get a different answer, but Durant is a far better defender than Barnes, and that's who he's replacing.

They lost Bogut's rim protection, but gained Durant's ability to defend the pick-and-roll.

That's a trade off most teams would make.

tocov said:
and quite predictable on O.
Click to expand...

Indeed.
 
I still think there will be some fit problems for this team. They will go through hiccups, but the talent is still overwhelming.

Curry is meant to be a number 2 guy. Durant obviously has the talent as a number one guy. But when the going gets tough, who bails them out?

Maybe they're so good it doesn't matter, but those backyard brawl kind of basketball games; I still think they'll have issues with that.

There's no Dwyane Wade mentality on that team. Where he's just cold blooded and has no problem with pressure being delivered on his shoulders.

LeBron can handle pressure like no one else can too. Kyrie is cold blooded.

They still lack that. But, there's no denying the talent they have.
 
godfather said:
I still think there will be some fit problems for this team. They will go through hiccups, but the talent is still overwhelming.

Curry is meant to be a number 2 guy. Durant obviously has the talent as a number one guy. But when the going gets tough, who bails them out?

Maybe they're so good it doesn't matter, but those backyard brawl kind of basketball games; I still think they'll have issues with that.

There's no Dwyane Wade mentality on that team. Where he's just cold blooded and has no problem with pressure being delivered on his shoulders.

LeBron can handle pressure like no one else can too. Kyrie is cold blooded.

They still lack that. But, there's no denying the talent they have.
Click to expand...

Curry is the #1 guy simply because he's the most efficient scorer in the NBA.

Durant gives them the isolation scoring they lacked.

I think Durant will defer and be happy in his new role as 3rd wheel.... it suits him..

p.s.
I do agree that there will be some early growing pains, but by the Finals, the Warriors will just do their thing.. They've been a cohesive unit for YEARS... They're fitting one piece and can just let him go iso when needed..
 
Lee said:
But we create a new hole if we use him.
Click to expand...

Hypothetically, if the Cavs could swap Love for Butler, they could run:

Irving/Smith/Butler/James/Thompson

There's no hole in that lineup..

Irving>Curry
Smith<Thompson
Butler>>>>Iggy
James>>>>>Durant
Thompson<<Green

You could also cross-match Thompson on Iggy putting James on Green and we'd actually have a matchup advantage.

So, I have to disagree with the notion that trading Love creates a hole; when in fact, it may fill one.
 
gourimoko said:
I see... Well, those 7 guys are all VERY good. They're starting 5 are all HOFers..
Click to expand...

Yes, but my point was can 5+2 guys, who will be getting roughed up MUCH more by teams this season, carry 82 games and show up fresh to the POs, and then run the gauntlet when the playoffs are even more physical?
It won't be as easy as people think.


It's true they don't have any post players on offense, but, they do have post defenders in Green, Iggy, and Durant.
Click to expand...
None of them I think can really guard REAL post players for long. Green would have to guard the 5 for most of the season and it will definitely wear him out. See previous point.

Durant > Barnes on defense. He's being criminally underrated.. Which isn't a surprise considering it's Monday and he's decided to go to the Warriors. Ask this question yesterday and you'd get a different answer, but Durant is a far better defender than Barnes, and that's who he's replacing.

They lost Bogut's rim protection, but gained Durant's ability to defend the pick-and-roll.

That's a trade off most teams would make.
Click to expand...

Personally, I do question Durant defensive ability. Second, they have lost all post protection IMO. I don't believe they can consistently and effectively defend against good bigs. See previous two points.


Indeed.
Click to expand...

WELL AT LEAST I GOT SOMETHING!
:p
 
gourimoko said:
Hypothetically, if the Cavs could swap Love for Butler, they could run:

Irving/Smith/Butler/James/Thompson

There's no hole in that lineup..

Irving>Curry
Smith<Thompson
Butler>>>>Iggy
James>>>>>Durant
Thompson<<Green

You could also cross-match Thompson on Iggy putting James on Green and we'd actually have a matchup advantage.

So, I have to disagree with the notion that trading Love creates a hole; when in fact, it may fill one.
Click to expand...

No sign in the world that is an available option or that Lebron wants to play pf full time.

That is the issue, Butler is a better player than Love. Trade Love at this point and we get a lesser player, not better one.

Butler for Love is a pipe dream right now imo.

Maybe if Butler becomes noisey about wanting to leave, but not right now.
 
If the Cavs can manage a way to get Rudy Gay (which won't be easy, maybe impossible). Then I think we could get away with not needing to trade Love.

That's the only thing I can think of that gives us a chance of beating them.

I think our lack of dynamic wing players makes it very, very challenging.

When you're trapping Klay and Steph, it's easier when you got Harrison Barnes on the floor. With Durant, well, you can't do that anymore...

Let's all pray for a massive injury to one of them. Fuck them.
 
There's always the very slim chance that KD simply doesn't know how to play when he doesn't get his 30 shots and basically turns into a spot up shooter in the playoffs

His presence definitely makes them more predictable and takes away shots from Curry and Klay and we ABSOLUTLY want that because they are highly efficient. I'd rather have one highly efficient guy takin the shots and know that he's doing it rather than 2 highly efficient guys trading the shots and hitting 3s
 
Lee said:
No sign in the world that is an available option or that Lebron wants to play pf full time.
Click to expand...

During the regular season, James would play SF.
During the playoffs, James would play PF.

Let's not forget, for 2 years he played PF in Miami a majority of his minutes.

Lee said:
That is the issue, Butler is a better player than Love. Trade Love at this point and we get a lesser player, not better one.
Click to expand...

Not sure about this.. I think they're pretty equivalent. Love is just under the Bosh-syndrome right now. He's playing alongside a better PF.

Lee said:
Butler for Love is a pipe dream right now imo.
Click to expand...

Hence "hypothetically."

The point is that Love can be traded 1-for-1 and not create a hole since he himself is a hole defensively against the Warriors.

Lee said:
Maybe if Butler becomes noisey about wanting to leave, but not right now.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
godfather said:
If the Cavs can manage a way to get Rudy Gay (which won't be easy, maybe impossible). Then I think we could get away with not needing to trade Love.

That's the only thing I can think of that gives us a chance of beating them.

I think our lack of dynamic wing players makes it very, very challenging.

When you're trapping Klay and Steph, it's easier when you got Harrison Barnes on the floor. With Durant, well, you can't do that anymore...

Let's all pray for a massive injury to one of them. Fuck them.
Click to expand...

Rudy Gay would be a great pickup for us.... Been saying this for years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-15: "Cavs Survive and Advance"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:15: Cavs Survive and Advance
Top