NBA Season Thread 2016-2017 - Page 295 - Sporting Events and Fantasy Sports

They were better defensively with Livingston over Curry and could play completely positionless which was cool to watch. Everyone was 6'7 or 6'8 in the death lineup.

03-30-2017 , 04:38 PM

#7352

DodgerIrish

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Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 28,191

That was actually Isiah Thomas' vision for the Pacers. That's why he wanted Bender and had dreams of Jalen/Reggie/Bender/Al Harrington/Croshere/Jermaine O'Neal, and later Artest.

No one under 6'7 on the court.

03-30-2017 , 04:49 PM

#7353

Onlydo2days

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His vision for the Knicks was "Everybody was gettin smaller, so we got bigger to pound the **** out of people"

Why he got ZBo and Eddy Curry

03-30-2017 , 04:56 PM

#7354

Buccofan86

adept

Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 887

I don't see how anyone can reasonably argue against either Russ or Harden winning MVP at this point.

It wouldn't really be a huge shock to see either one win.

The betting market is around 60/40 in favor of Harden with like a 5% chance of anyone else winning it.

But I'm sure people will freak out either way once one or the other wins.

03-30-2017 , 05:14 PM

#7355

Fallen Hero

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The "Thunder are awful" argument is terrible, Vegas had them at 44 or 45 wins before the season began, it's not like Russ' historic season has lead them into unexpected results. The rockets were similar

03-30-2017 , 05:17 PM

#7356

Kowabunghole

old hand

Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,645

There's now way Vegas had the thunder at 55 wins

03-30-2017 , 05:18 PM

#7357

Fallen Hero

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kowabunghole

There's now way Vegas had the thunder at 55 wins

Obviously meant 45

03-30-2017 , 05:20 PM

#7358

CalledDownLight

Toonces the Posting Bot

Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 88,413

you know RUSS was on the thunder when they set those totals right? And we all knew RUSS was good last year. Its not like he came out of nowhere.

03-30-2017 , 05:34 PM

#7359

Fallen Hero

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CalledDownLight

you know RUSS was on the thunder when they set those totals right? And we all knew RUSS was good last year. Its not like he came out of nowhere.

Yeah, Vegas thought he was going to have a triple double season, factored that into the Thunder season, but he wasn't a favorite for mvp. Harden otoh was ahead of him on the odds but his team is winning about 10 extra games

03-30-2017 , 05:35 PM

#7360

DodgerIrish

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Russ was the clear MVP fave.

Unless I'm misreading you.

03-30-2017 , 05:44 PM

#7361

Fallen Hero

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I was wrong about Harden being ahead of him, but he wasn't the favourite either. Which actually helps my point

03-30-2017 , 05:44 PM

#7362

DodgerIrish

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He wasn't the favorite?

Yes he was. Who do you have down as the fave?

03-30-2017 , 05:47 PM

#7363

DodgerIrish

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I assume you're looking at openers before Durant left.

I remember Westbrook being +200 (horrible odds) @ BM and posted separately here as the fave also, with Harden at like +650.

03-30-2017 , 05:50 PM

#7364

Cinarocket

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I can confirm russ was the mvp favorite pre-season. i remember posting in this thread that harden at +1000 was value

03-30-2017 , 05:50 PM

#7365

DodgerIrish

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Quote:

It’s also worth noting that after Westbrook signed his extension with the Thunder, his odds of winning the MVP Award improved from +410 to +340 at 5Dimes. Similarly, his odds of winning the scoring title jumped from +150 to +105. This movement caused Westbrook to leapfrog Curry as the favorite to win the MVP Award.

https://www.sportsinsights.com/blog/2017-nba-mvp-odds/

03-30-2017 , 05:55 PM

#7366

Fallen Hero

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I found Bovada's odds which had LeBron first, probably pre-rwb signing, but definitely post-Durant leaving

03-30-2017 , 06:01 PM

#7367

CalledDownLight

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Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 88,413

yea, RUSS was the very clear favorite to win the MVP and yes there was talk about a triple double in the offseason as well.

03-30-2017 , 06:05 PM

#7368

Onlydo2days

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The reason Russ/Harden teams had similar win totals has a lot to do with most of the free world thought Russ was a better player than Harden going into this season.

It isn't like people were hyping up the Gordon and RAndo signings. Two injury prone gunners at the time.

Last edited by Onlydo2days; 03-30-2017 at 06:11 PM.

03-30-2017 , 08:56 PM

#7369

JayTeeMe

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Onlydo2days

yeah Jordan in 87-88 is the last one probably

KG was 2nd in voting in '03 before they got Sprewell/Cassel, was like a 50 win team but they had to play LAL round 1. Were probably 5th best team in conf, so similar to Russ situation but he didn't win.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...ards_2003.html

Lol at looking at some of this voting history. '06 Billups getting 15 first place votes probably the funniest 1 I've come across. Didn't know that.

That was KG's zenith imo. Terrell Brandon had suffered a career ending injury the spring before and Wally broke his back and missed 40 games. KG put up 23-13-6 (at a 91 pace!) and led Rasho, a half season of Wally, and a bunch of total scrubs to the #5 offense itl.

I just learned the other day that KG is the only player lead the league in offensive RAPM (03-04) and defensive RAPM (multiple times)

03-30-2017 , 09:15 PM

#7370

JayTeeMe

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Quote:

Originally Posted by CalledDownLight

you know RUSS was on the thunder when they set those totals right? And we all knew RUSS was good last year. Its not like he came out of nowhere.

this obviously

We were all so excited for Russ Unleashed and then we got the greatest unleashing of all time and now people want to nitpick? Dude has played the entire season is psycho-mode and has been incredible. It's okay to smile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallen Hero

Getting about 100 games over expectation out of RAnderson and Gordon has helped.

03-30-2017 , 09:17 PM

#7371

Iwreckshop

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Wooders0n

I'd imagine Russ defensive rebounds are pretty valuable to the following possession.

I'm sure it's bad defensively but the fact that that team is winning so much despite an awful roster leads me to believe Russ is having a pretty ridiculously positive impact.

They have Olidipo and Adams tho?!!

03-30-2017 , 09:20 PM

#7372

DodgerIrish

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Quote:

Originally Posted by JayTeeMe

Just bc someone thinks Harden is the MVP doesn't mean we don't love Russ and think he should be 2nd.

I love Russ, I wish he could play with a distributing point like peak Andre Miller or Rubio.

I said he was the closest comp to Michael Jordan over three years ago when people were like omgwtfbbq at the notion. Bulls also ran MJ at point in his younger days.

03-30-2017 , 09:20 PM

#7373

Iwreckshop

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallen Hero

How many games do you think that team wins without Russ? 10?

03-30-2017 , 09:25 PM

#7374

JayTeeMe

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DodgerIrish

Just bc someone thinks Harden is the MVP doesn't mean we don't love Russ and think he should be 2nd.

We also have a titanic clash of styles. Pure rocket boots awesomeness vs "Intentionally sprint into the nearest defender and then walk to the free throw line".

03-30-2017 , 09:26 PM

#7375

DodgerIrish

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Iwreckshop

How many games do you think that team wins without Russ? 10?

What? They win 25+

Rockets are no different without Harden. It's really a matter of preference between those two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayTeeMe

We also have a titanic clash of styles. Pure rocket boots awesomeness vs "Intentionally sprint into the nearest defender and then walk to the free throw line".

Agreed. Imo Harden's style lends to a higher ceiling and he definitely fit better with Durant, OKC really sided with the wrong horse.

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