Blake becoming well rounded is a recent phenomenon. Paul lacks leadership qualities, fine. The guy played a series w/ a strained hamstring. If any of you have ever had one, you know that it is scary mentally b/c you never know when it is going to go into a full pull. If you've ever pulled a hammy, you know the pain. So, he's a battler, maybe not a consumate winner, but he's a battler. However, to pin playoff series losses on him amazes me. JJ REDICK played FORTY-ONE minutes in Game 7. On what talented roster does JJ Redick get that any minutes in a game 7? This roster has 2 players that are All Star caliber, one that is EXTREMELY overrated and then JJ Redick playing 41 minutes.

 

The guy went for 26 (on 9-20, see Harden's 7-20), 5 rebounds and 10 assists. I don't get it. This series was the perfect argument for not having enough around him compared to other teams in the West.

 

So why does CP3 get a pass that TMac never got and that Russ deserves to get? You keep talking about Game 7 and the Clippers were up 3-1 in the series and never should have been playing a Game 7 in the first place. CP3 wasn't good enough to close out the series with the MVP Runner-Up sitting on the bench the last 14 minutes of a close-out game. Then let's go back to last year's conference semifinals. Weren't the Clippers up 3-2 on the Thunder when CP3 choked in Game 6 in the last 1:00 of the game? He's a colossal playoff loser and has been since he joined the Clippers. They were the 3 seed this season and had the same regular season record as the Rockets. You talk about their lack of talent and this season they finished as the second best offensive team in the NBA and had the second highest point differential as well. They won 56 games this season which was tied for the third most wins by a team in the whole league. To say they aren't talented or didn't have the talent to win is completely ignoring just how good this whole team was this season. The fact of the matter is that their best player, for whatever reason, continually fails to lead them to the conference finals year after year and he never gets criticized for it. Ever.

Isn't it funny that Paul has one of his worst defensive seasons of his career and makes the first team all defensive team. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Isn't it funny that Paul has one of his worst defensive seasons of his career and makes the first team all defensive team. Doesn't make much sense to me.

 

And Anthony Davis makes second team all defensive team?????

So why does CP3 get a pass that TMac never got and that Russ deserves to get? You keep talking about Game 7 and the Clippers were up 3-1 in the series and never should have been playing a Game 7 in the first place. CP3 wasn't good enough to close out the series with the MVP Runner-Up sitting on the bench the last 14 minutes of a close-out game. Then let's go back to last year's conference semifinals. Weren't the Clippers up 3-2 on the Thunder when CP3 choked in Game 6 in the last 1:00 of the game? He's a colossal playoff loser and has been since he joined the Clippers. They were the 3 seed this season and had the same regular season record as the Rockets. You talk about their lack of talent and this season they finished as the second best offensive team in the NBA and had the second highest point differential as well. They won 56 games this season which was tied for the third most wins by a team in the whole league. To say they aren't talented or didn't have the talent to win is completely ignoring just how good this whole team was this season. The fact of the matter is that their best player, for whatever reason, continually fails to lead them to the conference finals year after year and he never gets criticized for it. Ever.

 

I never saw TMac get killed for anything other than shooting too much. Russ gets killed b/c people don't like him b/c of how sports society is. It is almost like you can't like 2 guys that may be rivals. Just like people put down Tom Brady to boost up Payton Manning, they do it w/ Russ and KD. KD will always win that popularity contest. I love Russ.

 

Now, for CP3, I've stated that he gets a pass from me this year. His game 7 vs. the Spurs and then putting up 31 in game 7 vs. the Rockets deserves people giving him slack. I don't know about last year's playoffs. I didn't watch. What I can say is, playoffs are all about your individual match-ups. Regular season has very little to do with it besides getting home court advantage. The Rockets were a bad match-up for the Clippers. They match up athletically w/ them way better than the Spurs did down low. Once Parker went out for the Spurs, penetration was to be had as well.

 

Final note, I do not like the point differential margin. The Warriors had one of the best of all time. They also had one of the best records ever, but, do they truly feel like an '86 Celts, or an '88 Lakers? To me they don't. Fun to watch, but so small. Their numbers were inflated. The Clips and Warriors got to play the Kings, Lakers and Suns a combined 12 times. That has a lot to do w/ their numbers.

 

Finally, if I had to guess, the people that get killed the most for post-season failures it is the star player that is a high volume shooter. Carmelo, Tmac, Russ are all high volume shooters and with that comes a feeling of selfishness and "me first." I don't agree (w/ Carmelo I do), I am just saying that that is the perception of the players and why they get crushed.

I never saw TMac get killed for anything other than shooting too much. Russ gets killed b/c people don't like him b/c of how sports society is. It is almost like you can't like 2 guys that may be rivals. Just like people put down Tom Brady to boost up Payton Manning, they do it w/ Russ and KD. KD will always win that popularity contest. I love Russ.

 

Now, for CP3, I've stated that he gets a pass from me this year. His game 7 vs. the Spurs and then putting up 31 in game 7 vs. the Rockets deserves people giving him slack. I don't know about last year's playoffs. I didn't watch. What I can say is, playoffs are all about your individual match-ups. Regular season has very little to do with it besides getting home court advantage. The Rockets were a bad match-up for the Clippers. They match up athletically w/ them way better than the Spurs did down low. Once Parker went out for the Spurs, penetration was to be had as well.

 

Final note, I do not like the point differential margin. The Warriors had one of the best of all time. They also had one of the best records ever, but, do they truly feel like an '86 Celts, or an '88 Lakers? To me they don't. Fun to watch, but so small. Their numbers were inflated. The Clips and Warriors got to play the Kings, Lakers and Suns a combined 12 times. That has a lot to do w/ their numbers.

 

Finally, if I had to guess, the people that get killed the most for post-season failures it is the star player that is a high volume shooter. Carmelo, Tmac, Russ are all high volume shooters and with that comes a feeling of selfishness and "me first." I don't agree (w/ Carmelo I do), I am just saying that that is the perception of the players and why they get crushed.

 

TMac always was killed for his lack of postseason success. I never heard him killed for shooting too much.

 

I'm still not sure what happened with Carmelo. He had postseason success with Denver. He just couldn't beat the Lakers. Now it's like he doesn't care or something.

 

CP3 made a step forward this year by getting past the Spurs when no one thought they could. To be able to lead your team past the Spurs but unable to close out the Rockets when up 3-1 isn't excusable for me.

TMac always was killed for his lack of postseason success. I never heard him killed for shooting too much.

 

I'm still not sure what happened with Carmelo. He had postseason success with Denver. He just couldn't beat the Lakers. Now it's like he doesn't care or something.

 

CP3 made a step forward this year by getting past the Spurs when no one thought they could. To be able to lead your team past the Spurs but unable to close out the Rockets when up 3-1 isn't excusable for me.

 

I see your argument. You are taking the macro look at it, a cumulation of seasons of ending in the 1st or 2nd round. If you take that look, then you guys have a very legitimate argument. My point was that he played well enough this year for his team to win. He basically won a decider in one round and had a very good game in the second decider. To me, this loss comes down to a bad matchup. That was why I gave him a pass this year.

I see your argument. You are taking the macro look at it, a cumulation of seasons of ending in the 1st or 2nd round. If you take that look, then you guys have a very legitimate argument. My point was that he played well enough this year for his team to win. He basically won a decider in one round and had a very good game in the second decider. To me, this loss comes down to a bad matchup. That was why I gave him a pass this year.

 

He played well enough to win for sure. My argument is that he is given superstar status and to me a superstar can have a bad game and still will find a way to lead his team to victory. I think of how crappy Kobe played in Game 7 of the Finals against Boston but yet there was no way he was going to let the Lakers lose. For me CP3 has to do more than just play well in the postseason. I want to see him lead his team to victory in the postseason and that is something that has eluded him his whole NBA career.

And Anthony Davis makes second team all defensive team?????

Leading the league in blocks isn't good enough I guess.

If DeAndre Jordan had been playing for the Lakers Kobe would be getting killed right now. CP3 gets a pass though....

If DeAndre Jordan had been playing for the Lakers Kobe would be getting killed right now. CP3 gets a pass though....

 

Not from me CP3 can't win the big game or keep great players around him.

Cal says over and over that Kentucky isn't for everyone...playing with Kobe isn't for everyone, it takes someone mentally tough enough to deal with what Kobe is saying in practice and on the bench everyday. A lot of guys don't have the make-up to handle that. A lot of guys are honestly in the league just to cash a check and if they win great if they don't oh well, just show me the money.

 

IMO that says more about them than it does Kobe. I knew when Dwight left that it was because he didn't like playing under that kind of internal pressure that Kobe brings, again that's on Dwight not Kobe IMO.

 

Playing with Kobe aint for the weak hearted. If a young guy can hang with him, I think he'll make a man and an Alpha Predator out of them on the court.

It's the Clippers, talented but still second tier in their own city. Just like the Jets will never be the Giants and the Mets will never be the Yanks.

 

Paul comes across as a lovely guy via State Farm but apparently isn't loved by all in his camp. Could you imagin if the Lakers trade wasn't voided?

It's the Clippers, talented but still second tier in their own city. Just like the Jets will never be the Giants and the Mets will never be the Yanks.

 

Paul comes across as a lovely guy via State Farm but apparently isn't loved by all in his camp. Could you imagin if the Lakers trade wasn't voided?

 

Paul and Kobe would have been interesting.

Somewhat true, but the Pistons success was more of a team defense and overall talent thing. He was the straw, but he didn't have to do as much as Magic, Nash, CP3, Stockton, etc. did/do for their teams. That doesn't mean he wasn't just as great as Nash and Paul, or even better, but he played in a much different system.

 

I just want to get this straight. You're saying Magic didn't play with as much talent as Isaiah? I'll have to let Worthy and Kareem know that.

Now if you're saying Magic was expected to create more than Isaiah, I'll agree but let's not sell him short. he was a great pg. Those Pistons teams were great to watch - love them or hate em.

Paul and Kobe would have been interesting.

 

I think they'd have been fine. Kobe gets mad at people who don't play hard. CP3 plays hard and he can give the rock to Kobe at the end of the game when CP3 always seems to choke.