Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

[Tornicade]

There's no way to say this without sounding to diminish him but I'm not sure I'm going to attach much weight to any stat that has Love has having the best defensive anything on our team tonight. I mean in the 4th quarter a lot of their strategy revolved around putting him in action because of a lack of respect of his help defense
Look at the possessions at;
1. 6:41
2. 6:54
3. 7:04
4. 7:33
5: 7:53
6. 8:08
7. 8:40

He isn't at fault for all of those, yes, but come on, they were manufacturing points by challenging his help defense. Once or twice is a coincidence but those were multiple instances. You're telling me the guy in those eight clips was anything close to our best defensive contributor? With defense the stat test has to be supplemented with the eye test

Who else are they gonna target? Tristan or LeBron?
You take a common sense attack strategy to downplay Loves defensive contribution?

but lets look at these 7 possessions. couched around cavs possessions where Green and Durant get beat out in similar situations

Heck three of those scores were good defensive plays. the other half were plays where Love was the only one in the paint effectively playing the 5.

outside of getting beat off the dribble 7:53 was really the only bad defensive play. the 3 possessions that love bodies up and forces the guy to take a mid range jumper are solid plays even if the guy score. the 2 where Love gets beat off the dribble at the foul line are gonna happen.

but one of those plays you cited was loves man passing off to another guy. Cant expect Love to guard at both.

 

[LeShaq]

The piece of human garbage known as Kevin Durant was trying to intimidate Love in the game last night. No surprise. This would be part of the Draymond Green Bully Ball strategy:


http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland...-car-kyrie-s-shot-and-durant-s-mouth-1.736085

23. Cavs players were upset Jefferson was T’d up because, in their opinion, Durant was doing far worse. Durant dropped some choice expletives on Kevin Love following his dunks, including calling him a motherf-----. Players questioned how Durant can get away with calling a player that while Jefferson gets whistled for a smile and a wink.


People may have felt I was being too harsh or reactive in my post above on Draymond Green, Mark Jackson and Kevin Love. But this stuff from Durant makes it clear -- the Warriors think Love is soft and they are now actively working to "punk" him so they can gain an advantage. Love is being targeted.

Green told Jackson that Love was a "buster" because he's trying to get in Love's head. He wanted Jackson to tell the audience that last night, and then have that information get back to Love. He's trying to put doubt in Love's mind. And Durant is going along with the plan.

None of this matters unless Love lets it matter. Yesterday, it didn't seem to bother him at all. Good. But he needs to continue to show strength and soon the Bully Ball Brigade will stop trying to 'expose' him.

The Warriors are wannabe bullies and the head bully is Green. That's why it was so great, and key, that LeBron rattled Green and got him kicked out of a game in The Finals. Cut off the head of the snake and the snake is finished.

Love is an easy target because he's not a super-demonstrative guy and he has struggled with his confidence the last two years in Cleveland. He's well on his way to full psychic recovery, but he needs to keep showing that to the Warriors and to the rest of the league. And, of course, the Warriors don't want Love to be at full force because that makes things a lot harder for them against the Cavs.

Green probably thinks he's some kind of Machiavelli or Sun Tzu of the NBA, when in reality he's the Bozo The Clown of the NBA.

Still, it's up to Love to show that Bully Ball isn't going to rattle him at all.

As I said above, it's this "pushback" against Warriors Bully Ball that got LeBron to troll the Warriors so hard. It also got Shumpert to recently say "I’m glad (Draymond) said that ’cause we gon’ bust they ass, too. You need to type that up: We gon bust your ass. Period."

That was in response to Green's "annihilate" and "obliterate" comments regarding the Cavs.

Competitive sports involves a significant mental component. And that seems particularly true with the Warriors and Draymond Tzu.

So if your opponent is trying to one-up you or get in your head, you have to let them know it's not working and then give it back to them. Hence the LeBron comments, Halloween decorations, t-shirt, etc. And the Shumpert comments.

Love will learn. I'm sure his teammates have talked with him about all of this. It's just that the Warriors believe he's the "weak sheep" in the herd right now that they think they can prey on.

 

[TitleTown]

The piece of human garbage known as Kevin Durant was trying to intimidate Love in the game last night. No surprise. This would be part of the Draymond Green Bully Ball strategy:


http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland...-car-kyrie-s-shot-and-durant-s-mouth-1.736085

23. Cavs players were upset Jefferson was T’d up because, in their opinion, Durant was doing far worse. Durant dropped some choice expletives on Kevin Love following his dunks, including calling him a motherf-----. Players questioned how Durant can get away with calling a player that while Jefferson gets whistled for a smile and a wink.


People may have felt I was being too harsh or reactive in my post above on Draymond Green, Mark Jackson and Kevin Love. But this stuff from Durant makes it clear -- the Warriors think Love is soft and they are now actively working to "punk" him so they can gain an advantage. Love is being targeted.

Green told Jackson that Love was a "buster" because he's trying to get in Love's head. He wanted Jackson to tell the audience that last night, and then have that information get back to Love. He's trying to put doubt in Love's mind. And Durant is going along with the plan.

None of this matters unless Love lets it matter. Yesterday, it didn't seem to bother him at all. Good. But he needs to continue to show strength and soon the Bully Ball Brigade will stop trying to 'expose' him.

The Warriors are wannabe bullies and the head bully is Green. That's why it was so great, and key, that LeBron rattled Green and got him kicked out of a game in The Finals. Cut off the head of the snake and the snake is finished.

Love is an easy target because he's not a super-demonstrative guy and he has struggled with his confidence the last two years in Cleveland. He's well on his way to full psychic recovery, but he needs to keep showing that to the Warriors and to the rest of the league. And, of course, the Warriors don't want Love to be at full force because that makes things a lot harder for them against the Cavs.

Green probably thinks he's some kind of Machiavelli or Sun Tzu of the NBA, when in reality he's the Bozo The Clown of the NBA.

Still, it's up to Love to show that Bully Ball isn't going to rattle him at all.

As I said above, it's this "pushback" against Warriors Bully Ball that got LeBron to troll the Warriors so hard. It also got Shumpert to recently say "I’m glad (Draymond) said that ’cause we gon’ bust they ass, too. You need to type that up: We gon bust your ass. Period."

That was in response to Green's "annihilate" and "obliterate" comments regarding the Cavs.

Competitive sports involves a significant mental component. And that seems particularly true with the Warriors and Draymond Tzu.

So if your opponent is trying to one-up you or get in your head, you have to let them know it's not working and then give it back to them. Hence the LeBron comments, Halloween decorations, t-shirt, etc. And the Shumpert comments.

Love will learn. I'm sure his teammates have talked with him about all of this. It's just that the Warriors believe he's the "weak sheep" in the herd right now that they think they can prey on.

Love strikes me as the stereotypical quiet guy who finally kicks your ass when you push him just past his tipping point.

It may take a while, but when you finally do push him past that point, he arm bars you and then fucks your girlfriend.

 

[Tornicade]

The piece of human garbage known as Kevin Durant was trying to intimidate Love in the game last night. No surprise. This would be part of the Draymond Green Bully Ball strategy:


http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland...-car-kyrie-s-shot-and-durant-s-mouth-1.736085

23. Cavs players were upset Jefferson was T’d up because, in their opinion, Durant was doing far worse. Durant dropped some choice expletives on Kevin Love following his dunks, including calling him a motherf-----. Players questioned how Durant can get away with calling a player that while Jefferson gets whistled for a smile and a wink.


People may have felt I was being too harsh or reactive in my post above on Draymond Green, Mark Jackson and Kevin Love. But this stuff from Durant makes it clear -- the Warriors think Love is soft and they are now actively working to "punk" him so they can gain an advantage. Love is being targeted.

Green told Jackson that Love was a "buster" because he's trying to get in Love's head. He wanted Jackson to tell the audience that last night, and then have that information get back to Love. He's trying to put doubt in Love's mind. And Durant is going along with the plan.

None of this matters unless Love lets it matter. Yesterday, it didn't seem to bother him at all. Good. But he needs to continue to show strength and soon the Bully Ball Brigade will stop trying to 'expose' him.

The Warriors are wannabe bullies and the head bully is Green. That's why it was so great, and key, that LeBron rattled Green and got him kicked out of a game in The Finals. Cut off the head of the snake and the snake is finished.

Love is an easy target because he's not a super-demonstrative guy and he has struggled with his confidence the last two years in Cleveland. He's well on his way to full psychic recovery, but he needs to keep showing that to the Warriors and to the rest of the league. And, of course, the Warriors don't want Love to be at full force because that makes things a lot harder for them against the Cavs.

Green probably thinks he's some kind of Machiavelli or Sun Tzu of the NBA, when in reality he's the Bozo The Clown of the NBA.

Still, it's up to Love to show that Bully Ball isn't going to rattle him at all.

As I said above, it's this "pushback" against Warriors Bully Ball that got LeBron to troll the Warriors so hard. It also got Shumpert to recently say "I’m glad (Draymond) said that ’cause we gon’ bust they ass, too. You need to type that up: We gon bust your ass. Period."

That was in response to Green's "annihilate" and "obliterate" comments regarding the Cavs.

Competitive sports involves a significant mental component. And that seems particularly true with the Warriors and Draymond Tzu.

So if your opponent is trying to one-up you or get in your head, you have to let them know it's not working and then give it back to them. Hence the LeBron comments, Halloween decorations, t-shirt, etc. And the Shumpert comments.

Love will learn. I'm sure his teammates have talked with him about all of this. It's just that the Warriors believe he's the "weak sheep" in the herd right now that they think they can prey on.

Warrioirs had a matchup advantage with Love and the ability to take I'm out of his game. This offseason they lost that matchup advantage . Lue knew it. Love knew it. Green was well aware. to. This season they cant commit to slowing down Love without giving up something somewhere else.

Lue said last post season that Love would of been more prominent in the offensive plans had they been facing OKC or the Spurs than if they had been facing Golden State.

They cant put Durant on Lebron nor can they put Green on Love for any extended amount of time. This allows Love to drive and draw fouls as well as establish himself on the perimeter .

and I think this years Love is far superior than anything we saw from him in Minnesota.

 

[CHIMOCHIS]

They can bully love all they want

Love has the biggest baddest bully in the league as his teammate

They will have to deal with the King

If love tries to act like a bully he will look as fake as Durant does when he tries to act tough

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Lol at Durant getting tough with anyone

I'm having a hard time thinking of an NBA player who couldn't whip Durants ass. Dude couldn't even put up 135 when he came into the league lmao

 

[gourimoko]

There's no way to say this without sounding to diminish him but I'm not sure I'm going to attach much weight to any stat that has Love has having the best defensive anything on our team tonight. I mean in the 4th quarter a lot of their strategy revolved around putting him in action because of a lack of respect of his help defense
Look at the possessions at;
1. 6:41
2. 6:54
3. 7:04
4. 7:33
5: 7:53
6. 8:08
7. 8:40

He isn't at fault for all of those, yes, but come on, they were manufacturing points by challenging his help defense. Once or twice is a coincidence but those were multiple instances. You're telling me the guy in those eight clips was anything close to our best defensive contributor? With defense the stat test has to be supplemented with the eye test

I know you got a disagree and people generally won't like what you're saying, but, I really feel it's important to point out what defensive rating actually means.

Team defensive rating simply means opponent points scored per 100 possessions. That's it. It's an empirical metric that measures what the opponent would score over 100 possessions.. Very simple, right? So we understand, this is a measure of 5 team defensive players defending 5 opposing offensive players to get the net team defensive rating.

Player defensive rating is the aggregate sum of the defensive rating of each lineup with said player on the floor. It's very simple. So it's important to note that a players defensive rating, or their offensive rating, is not a measure of their individual performance - but instead the net performance, not only of the team but of the opponent playing the other side of the ball.

The final wrinkle to this is BKREF's definition of DefRtg which includes box score stats like rebounds, it's not the same as everyone else's definition of the stat.

And just to be clear, I'm not saying Love was good or bad defensively; FWIW, my personal view is that I'm quite pleased with Love's offensive and defensive performance yesterday. He's come a very very long way since just last year.

But the point of my post here is that I'm just pointing out when/where/how +/- based stats should be used. They're indicators of trends, but not necessarily accurate measures of individual performance.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

I liked that Love took the ball out of bounds in a blink of an eye after he was dunked on and threw a touchdown pass to Lebron. It's like he told Kevin Durant fuck you, you forgot to get back on defense, 2 points are still 2 points.

 

[gourimoko]

I'm having a hard time thinking of an NBA player who couldn't whip Durants ass. Dude couldn't even put up 135 when he came into the league lmao

FAX!

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

I liked that Love took the ball out of bounds in a blink of an eye after he was dunked on and threw a touchdown pass to Lebron. It's like he told Kevin Durant fuck you, you forgot to get back on defense, 2 points are still 2 points.

I said the same thing when watching the game

Seemed like Durant was so worried about style points and Love made a super heads up play to get it right back

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

I said the same thing when watching the game

Seemed like Durant was so worried about style points and Love made a super heads up play to get it right back

He wasn't fazed or humiliated by the "poster" so that's a good sign and it shows alot.

 

[Tornicade]

I think that play was huge on Prompting Kerr to scrap pushing the ball on made baskets

 

[Scholar]

Lol at Durant getting tough with anyone

I'm having a hard time thinking of an NBA player who couldn't whip Durants ass. Dude couldn't even put up 135 when he came into the league lmao

So, does that make him a "girly man?"

 

[LeShaq]

I think this years Love is far superior than anything we saw from him in Minnesota.

That could certainly be true.

 

[The Red Viper]

That could certainly be true.

Kev is a much more complete player now. A much better defender.