Who looks like finals contenders this year?
Who wins LA this year? Lakers or Clips?
It’s the first time in about 7-10 years where the NBA will have some actual excitement and competitiveness again. I’m actually looking forward to it a bit.
Lakers, Clips, Warriors, Bucks, Philly, Brooklyn (when KD is back in 2021 season), and maybe even Rockets all have a shot at winning. Should be fun. I’m torn on who wins LA though.
If the clippers win it all this year I’ll do a massive giveaway for e4.
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Nah. There won’t be much competition. If the Clippers don’t win I’ll be absolutely shocked. They have the best player in the league in Kawhi, the best duo in the league with Kawhi and Paul George and are going to have one of the best defensive teams we have ever seen. They can literally switch everything defensively with Kawhi, George, Harrell and Beverley and they have a ton of good defenders off the bench, too. The only thing stopping them is injuries.
Also, Brooklyn has zero shot of winning anything. They’ll be a fourth or fifth seed at best this season, and even when Durant gets back the following year, he is never going to be the same. No one who tears their Achilles ever is, especially at Durant’s age (he’ll be 32 by the time he comes back).
As for the Rockets? Both the Jazz and the Nuggets have a better chance out West. There is no way the Harden-Westbrook duo actually works.
I will say that the East should be very competitive, because the Bucks, 76ers, Celtics and Pacers (if Oladipo comes back healthy) all have a legitimate chance of winning the conference, but whoever makes it out of the East will get stomped by the Clippers (or whoever makes it out of the West).
Durant is a little bit different. I would not compare the history of high flying explosive players who tore their Achilles to Durant. He’s an assassin from range. Plenty of players have came back from Achilles. Plus they strengthen it in surgery. Clippers organization is where it’s at. Lakers don’t have the depth they need nor do I think the organization has fully resolved it’s crisis.
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Lakers win it all!
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There has never been a player in NBA history who has successfully come back from an Achilles tear. None of them have ever been the same. Dominique Wilkins was the only one who was even moderately close to what he once was. Durant is not going to be any different. He is not going to get the same lift on his jumper, and I also think you are underestimating how much his explosiveness is a part of his game. He is a freak athlete who is not going to be a freak athlete anymore.
I’m not saying KD will turn into a bum or anything like that, but the days of him being a top 10 player are over.
I’m going with Lakers winning it all. I’m so excited to see Anthony Davis not with the pelicans! I think him and lebron are going to absolutely kill it. I think Kuzma is going to have a killer year too, I can only imagine how much he gleaned from lebron over the summer. Speaking Lakers I’m also real curious to see what happens with dwight Howard’s second stint with the Lakers.
I predict Mike d’antoni gets fired either during or after this season.
And I’ve got Lakers vs 76ers in the finals!
LAKERS DUH
Vegas Odds
12001
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
+360
12002
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
+365
12003
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
+550
12004
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
+725
12005
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
+750
12006
HOUSTON ROCKETS
+800
12007
UTAH JAZZ
+1250
12008
DENVER NUGGETS
+1500
12009
BOSTON CELTICS
ok I’ll revisit this after Durant averages 60% from behind the line and 27 ppg on 12 shots. I mean he came in on a tear in the finals the game he got injured and he was already injured. So idk what people think comparing Dominique Wilkins to Kevin Durant. If he’s not the same player it will be because of his age and plenty of people have came back from Achilles tears Kobe came back. It was the age factor.
Durant will be a top 5 player that’s why he’s paid like a top 5 player with an injured achilles
and moderately close? Dominique came back and averaged 30 ppg his first season back?
Lol. Durant has never shot 60 percent from the floor in his career (what wing EVER has?) and averages 18.7 shots per game for his career (never took less than 16.5), and you think he is going to average 27 on 12 shots on 60 percent shooting after an Achilles tear? You’re joking with this, right?
He also didn’t “come in on a tear.” He had a calf injury. THEN he hurt the Achilles. And I don’t even see how Durant got the injury is relevant here anyway.
And LMAO. Kobe came back and was a complete BUM after his torn Achilles. The dude shot 37 percent and 35 percent in his final two seasons and shot under 30 percent from three both times. He was literally one of the worst offensive players in the league after the Achilles tear.
Isiah Thomas’ career was ruined because of it (not Isaiah Thomas; ISIAH Thomas). So was Elton Brand’s (who tore his Achilles in his 20s). Chauncey Billups’ was, too. So was Wesley Matthews (who tore his Achilles in his 20s). Rudy Gay is not even close to the same player anymore (who tore his Achilles in his 20s). Anderson Varejao (who also tore his Achilles in his 20s) is another example. Remember LaPhonso Ellis back in the 90s? He was in his 20s when he tore his Achilles. Was never the same again.
Please do some research, because it is blatantly clear that you haven’t to keep saying that “plenty of people” have come back from Achilles tears. It’s not just “age”; it’s an absolutely debilitating injury regardless of age, and I also wouldn’t use age as a point for you because Durant is going to be 32 when he comes back and has a ton of mileage. He is getting older, so if anything, his age will work against him with the Achilles tear recovery.
Durant will still be good. He may very well average over 20 points per game and he’ll probably be somewhat efficient. But he is DONE being a top 10 player.
I think you are also overlooking the fact that defense matters here. Durant is a very, very good defender. Achilles tears destroy your lateral quickness. He will not be the same on either end of the floor.
Kawhi, LeBron, Giannis, AD and Harden will be the top five players in the NBA by the time Durant comes back. You also have guys like Curry, Jokic, Embiid, Paul George, Karl-Anthony Towns and other players who will be vying for top 10 spots.
I dont blame GS for what happened to Durant. Durant happened to Durant. He even said he never really felt like he belonged… like he did not fit in probably due to the fact that he was not drafted there like everyone else was. Green was right with whatever he called him, and that they didnt actually NEED him to win (but it did tip the balance of power more than I’ve ever seen anywhere before). Durant chose to come back in the finals to be the hero… to make a real difference for HIS own legacy and not that of the team. I’m not a fan of what he did leaving okc and how he did it. Karma comes to us all.
Your top 5 list is where I see the league at right now. Top spot will either go to lebron or Kawhi obviously.
When I said he came in on a tear I mean he came in gunning. Not on an Achilles tear. He had 10-12 points in a five minute period and he was managing his calf. He got too comfortable and tore his Achilles first time he tried to drive. I’m not saying he is going to be 100% what he was but you are tripping if you think Kevin Durant will not be a top 5 player.
And I didn’t say from the floor I said from behind the line. His 3 point percentage was 100% in game 5 with a calf injury dude would have ended that game above 60% from behind the line.
And I said age is the factor for whether or not you can return from an Achilles tear successfully Kobe was not a bum he was old. So I don’t really know what you’re arguing dude. Ik Kobe was old when he tore his Achilles. Durant is 32. He will come back as a top 5 player. Durant will compensate y’all are tripping by not crediting this man for all his talents. Plenty of people have came back from Achilles tears and you just named them for me lol. They aren’t Kevin Durant. None of them could sit on the wing and light you up in the finals with a calf injury. Dude was on his way to a 40 point game by just catching and shooting
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After Kobe ripped apart his Achilles he limped to the line and sunk two free throws. Now THAT’S amazing which anybody who had an Achilles injury can attest to.
And yes, Kobe was 36 when he got injured but he’d been in the league for 17 years. So he was like 40 in basketball years.
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