Comments on: Thundercats are GO! & Melo Drops 50 on NY

By: The Ref

The Ref — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:28:28 +0000

This is an awesome debate!

By: The Basher

The Basher — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:47:40 +0000

LeBron’s been in the NBA how long now? Does he have a ring? Has he had a dominating big man? Nenad contributes daily… about 10 and 5 for his career. What more are you asking for? 18 and 8? Because at that point this player would be falling into the verge of a legit big man threat.

There is a formula to winning in the NBA and you can’t do it without a great big man. This isn’t an opinion anymore, it’s a FACT.

By: The Ref

The Ref — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:22:15 +0000

No one said the Thunder are ready to win championship this year.

I think what we are all missing is that Kevin Durant is a different type of player. No has seen a man with that size play they way he does. Through that, they don’t need a dominant big man. They just need a center who contributes on a daily basis. This is the start of a new era in the NBA with Lebron James and Durant leading the way.

By: Dr. X

Dr. X — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:48:53 +0000

I’m not trying to say OKC is winning a title for sure. I’m saying they’re in great position to make a run with their roster and potential. The core players on the team are what counts, and they have as strong a young nucleus as any team out there. Obviously they will need more players if they are going to win a championship, but HOF center is not an absolute necessity, just solid guys up front. They are way more talented than Lebron’s teams, and are primed to be a force in the league if they keep those 4 young studs together.

By: Shooter

Shooter — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:37:57 +0000

Who won last year in the Eastern Conference Finals?

Was it LeBron and the Cavs (the Jordan-like team) or was it Howard and the Magic?

And who beat LeBron (again, today’s MJ) in the Finals in 2007? Tim Duncan’s Spurs.

That is the game today – enough said.

By: The Basher

The Basher — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:33:52 +0000

Ok here we go… the Thunder’s current starting C and big man is Nenad Krisitc. Jason Kidd was his teammate for a few years, the only other NBA PG he played with. Jason Kidd brought out Kristic MAX potential, Westbrook will not be on Kidd’s level for at least 5 years (IF EVER). So it’s pretty obvious that Nenad isn’t a high level big man AT ALL and he WILL get hurt because he has every year over the last 3 years. So who will start at center now for the Thunder? Thomas, yes but he won’t lead a team to a championship EVER.

I never said get Dampier or James, not once. They haven’t brought a team to an NBA Championship and never will. It’s obvious those guys aren’t the type of talent to win you an NBA championship but why not bring a guy like Amare in (not a great defender but better than Kristic).

Let’s take a look at the last 10 champions.

2000-2002 Lakers: won 3 times in a row, their big man? Shaq.
2003 Spurs: Tim Duncan and his back was David Robinson.
2004 Pistons: Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace.
2005 Spurs: Tim Duncan, yet again.
2006 Heat: Shaq. D-wade won with Shaq and hasn’t won since he left.
2007 Spurs: Tim Duncan AGAIN.
2008 Celtics: Garnett, Perkins and Powe. Garnett future HOF status.
2009 Lakers: Gasol, Odom, Bynum. They needed Gasol to win.

Clearly the common denominator here is a BIG MAN and not a Jerome James/Eric Dampier big man but a big time future HOF-type big man who can DOMINATE a game at any time. If Ben Wallace was the worst center out of all those guys I’d take that any day.

None of those centers were a product of their environment like you say Jordan to Grant was. Shaq, Duncan, Garnett, Gasol and Wallace are all good enough without a Jordan type player. These guys can create their own shots and dominate a game regardless if their teammates were Kobe, Parker, Pierce etc.

The formula to win an NBA Championship is a DOMINANT big man. Dwight Howard was that last year but the Lakers had MORE big men. You can’t tell me that the Thunder are a championship team RIGHT NOW with their current roster or will be next year either. Who are they going to add for the MLE? You can’t even get Drew Gooden for the MLE so that’s not an option and like I said before what hidden gem is going into the league next year that they can draft outside of the lottery if they make the playoffs this year? Maybe someone good but they will take 3-5 years to develop. They drafte Mullens this year and look at him, a true 7-footer and he is in the D-league.

By: Dr. X

Dr. X — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:54:01 +0000

People like the Basher are the reason GMs blow $73 million on Erick Dampier, and $30 million on Jerome James. Big men that are decent but not great and cost way too much money will not do much but cripple a team’s cap. OKC will be able to add pieces through the draft and reasonable MLE contracts. Plus, when you have players on such a high level leading your team like Durant and Westbrook will be, they make players around them better. That’s what happened with Grant and some of the other Bulls players. Their play was lifted by Jordan and Pippen.

By: The Basher

The Basher — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:30:53 +0000

Every Championship team needs a big man, period. The first 3 championships Jordan had Horace Grant and Bill Cartwright. Grant averaged about 12 ppg and 8 rpg in the first 3-peat. That is all you need with Jordan.

The second 3-peat they had a scoring big man in Kukoc and a rebounding machine in Rodman which is more than the Thunder will ever have. You need a big man, that’s all there is to it. The Thunder have ZERO interior defense.

Yes Jordan’s team did have all-world defenders and that Thunder don’t have those guys and adding a big man in the middle will help, a lot.

By: G

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:56:11 +0000

I agree with the Doctor. They won’t have the money to sign Joe Johnson, or anyone like that anyway.

Rafer Alston will be a free agent next year. Ideal backup who can contribute. In terms of a veteran guy to help the young guys, I feel like a James Posey-esque type player would be huge for this team. Every great team has a solid sixth man. Michael Finley maybe? I know off the top of my head he’ll be a FA.

Etan will be a free agent. He’s done well but he’s not worth the 7 mill he’s making. They’ll still have Collison, and another cheap big man that’s available will be Drew Gooden.

Someone needs to hire me as GM.

By: Dr. X

Dr. X — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:36:08 +0000

I think teams like this don’t necessarily need an all-star big, I mean look at Jordan’s Bulls. They were fueled by all-world team defense and the hyper-competitiveness of Jordan. Durant is one of those very rare guys that has that in him. Remember Lebron brought an embarrassingly bad Cavs roster to a finals, so I think the Zombie Sonics are in quite good shape. What I think they need right now is a backup PG (Kevin Ollie isn’t any good), because Westbrook goes so hard on both ends, and a veteran who can help guide the young guys and play some clutch minutes.