The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
Kyrie? I get what you're saying, though. I think he would have already been in the playoffs multiple times had things worked out the way they should have, but they haven't for this team in a long time. Wasted team assets hurt Love the most. Previous management blew a bunch of ways to make this team better.
Great posts in this thread. Combining the posts of SJM, Q, Rage and Cam pretty much sums up this team's core problem -- i.e., We depend far too much on two players -- Love and Ricky -- and our one star (Love) can't carry a team the way a LeBron James or Kevin Durant. I'll add that we are defensively challenged, athletically challenged. Further, we are vertically challenged in the front line and also lack quickness and ball handling at the SG position in the backcourt. We have two good three point shooters on our roster -- Love and Martin -- but no other good ones and no great ones.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
Kyrie? I get what you're saying, though. I think he would have already been in the playoffs multiple times had things worked out the way they should have, but they haven't for this team in a long time. Wasted team assets hurt Love the most. Previous management blew a bunch of ways to make this team better.
Yeah I could see an argument for Kyrie although I'm not sure he'd be in my top 10. I think Love is a great player I just think we need to expect more out of him defensively if we want to get to the next level. I'm also going to put a fair share of the blame on Adelman, even with the wasted assets and not much D out of Love we could have been an 8th seed. Our best players are so unique I think we need a coach who can think more creatively. If I was coaching the team (we'd probably have 10 wins but) I'd start Shved and bring Rubio off the bench with the 2nd unit, still giving Rubio 30 minutes a game though. Our starters would be able to keep up with the opponent but our bench would be drastically improved. Rubio's greatest strength is making others better and we all know those guys on the 2nd unit could use someone making them better.
Shved doesn't even look like he belongs in the NBA, much less in the starting lineup of a Western Conference playoff team. Shved will eventually head back to Russia and go down as another one of Kahn's follies.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
This is a load of crap. There is a 17 point per 100 possession swing when Love sits on the bench. That is huge. He IS carrying this team. How much more can the man do?
I remember when KG was here the issue was that he wasn't an alpha dog scorer that could close out games, yet defensively he was brilliant. No one is perfect - except for may be Lebron and Jordan.
It's the front office and coach's responsibility to surround a player like Love with the right complimentary pieces. So far, the various regimes have failed to do this, although I do think we're closer now than we were two years ago.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
This is a load of crap. There is a 17 point per 100 possession swing when Love sits on the bench. That is huge. He IS carrying this team. How much more can the man do?
I remember when KG was here the issue was that he wasn't an alpha dog scorer that could close out games, yet defensively he was brilliant. No one is perfect - except for may be Lebron and Jordan.
It's the front office and coach's responsibility to surround a player like Love with the right complimentary pieces. So far, the various regimes have failed to do this, although I do think we're closer now than we were two years ago.
I would like him to carry the team to the playoffs, as I said name another top 10 player who is unable to carry his team to the playoffs? KG brought us to the playoffs almost every year, Love is going to be 0-5 with arguably better players around him. The difference is KG was a complete player, he played brilliant defensive and while he wasn't a closer he scored over 20 a game, Love averages maybe 3-4 more ppg than KG but doesn't play defense anywhere near the level of KG.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
This is a load of crap. There is a 17 point per 100 possession swing when Love sits on the bench. That is huge. He IS carrying this team. How much more can the man do?
I remember when KG was here the issue was that he wasn't an alpha dog scorer that could close out games, yet defensively he was brilliant. No one is perfect - except for may be Lebron and Jordan.
It's the front office and coach's responsibility to surround a player like Love with the right complimentary pieces. So far, the various regimes have failed to do this, although I do think we're closer now than we were two years ago.
I would like him to carry the team to the playoffs, as I said name another top 10 player who is unable to carry his team to the playoffs? KG brought us to the playoffs almost every year, Love is going to be 0-5 with arguably better players around him. The difference is KG was a complete player, he played brilliant defensive and while he wasn't a closer he scored over 20 a game, Love averages maybe 3-4 more ppg than KG but doesn't play defense anywhere near the level of KG.
I'll name two from this season alone: Anthony Davis and Carmello Anthony.
I also consider Stephen Curry a top 10 player, but it's certainly not his lock down defense that is carrying the Warriors to the playoffs. It's the fact that he's brilliant offensively while also being surrounded by complimentary players who are good at defense - like Iguodala and Bogut.
Love can very easily fit into an elite defensive unit; it's just that he's not going to be the guy that anchors it. There are plenty of other Top 10 players who are in a similar situation - most just have a better supporting cast.
Agree with Q that it is the responsibility of our front office to surround Love with enough talent and the right kind of talent to contend. Kahn failed and so far Flip is falling short.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
This is a load of crap. There is a 17 point per 100 possession swing when Love sits on the bench. That is huge. He IS carrying this team. How much more can the man do?
I remember when KG was here the issue was that he wasn't an alpha dog scorer that could close out games, yet defensively he was brilliant. No one is perfect - except for may be Lebron and Jordan.
It's the front office and coach's responsibility to surround a player like Love with the right complimentary pieces. So far, the various regimes have failed to do this, although I do think we're closer now than we were two years ago.
I would like him to carry the team to the playoffs, as I said name another top 10 player who is unable to carry his team to the playoffs? KG brought us to the playoffs almost every year, Love is going to be 0-5 with arguably better players around him. The difference is KG was a complete player, he played brilliant defensive and while he wasn't a closer he scored over 20 a game, Love averages maybe 3-4 more ppg than KG but doesn't play defense anywhere near the level of KG.
I'll name two from this season alone: Anthony Davis and Carmello Anthony.
I also consider Stephen Curry a top 10 player, but it's certainly not his lock down defense that is carrying the Warriors to the playoffs. It's the fact that he's brilliant offensively while also being surrounded by complimentary players who are good at defense - like Iguodala and Bogut.
Love can very easily fit into an elite defensive unit; it's just that he's not going to be the guy that anchors it. There are plenty of other Top 10 players who are in a similar situation - most just have a better supporting cast.
Good post q. Agree with it. If love has the right players around him. We will be in the playoff mix for sure.
The Rage Monster wrote:Love isn't the problem but he's not the solution to our problems either. Yes he can put up great offensive number and carry a team for stretches (while he's hot) he can't carry a team in the long run because he doesn't impact both ends of the court. Most people consider Love a star but what other top 10 player hasn't been able to carry his team to the playoffs?
This is a load of crap. There is a 17 point per 100 possession swing when Love sits on the bench. That is huge. He IS carrying this team. How much more can the man do?
I remember when KG was here the issue was that he wasn't an alpha dog scorer that could close out games, yet defensively he was brilliant. No one is perfect - except for may be Lebron and Jordan.
It's the front office and coach's responsibility to surround a player like Love with the right complimentary pieces. So far, the various regimes have failed to do this, although I do think we're closer now than we were two years ago.
I would like him to carry the team to the playoffs, as I said name another top 10 player who is unable to carry his team to the playoffs? KG brought us to the playoffs almost every year, Love is going to be 0-5 with arguably better players around him. The difference is KG was a complete player, he played brilliant defensive and while he wasn't a closer he scored over 20 a game, Love averages maybe 3-4 more ppg than KG but doesn't play defense anywhere near the level of KG.
I'll name two from this season alone: Anthony Davis and Carmello Anthony.
I also consider Stephen Curry a top 10 player, but it's certainly not his lock down defense that is carrying the Warriors to the playoffs. It's the fact that he's brilliant offensively while also being surrounded by complimentary players who are good at defense - like Iguodala and Bogut.
Love can very easily fit into an elite defensive unit; it's just that he's not going to be the guy that anchors it. There are plenty of other Top 10 players who are in a similar situation - most just have a better supporting cast.
I believe Anthony has gotten his team to the playoffs every year he's been in the league so that's a poor example, plus I wouldn't count the knicks out yet. Davis, maybe but this is only his 2nd season plus he's currently just outside of my top 10.
The difference between Curry and Love is that Curry is a PG. The easiest shot is a layup or a dunk so good defense starts on the inside and works outward. This is why PF's and C's are so important to good defenses, those are generally the 2 positions that can stop all 5 positions from scoring around the rim. As you said Love is incapable of being an anchor defensively but that's not what I'm asking for. All I want is effort from him, guards and wings drive to the rim how about actually challenging their shots, his ole help D does nothing for me.
Don't confuse my criticism of Love as me thinking our front office has done a good job putting a supporting cast around him.
