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Off topic but I enjoyed Kyrie's stories in RJ and Channing's Podcast. Nice perspective on what we were watching those years after LeBron.
Off topic but I enjoyed Kyrie's stories in RJ and Channing's Podcast. Nice perspective on what we were watching those years after LeBron.
He was 3rd year player playing against some veteran killers hungry for a ring.Someone already mentioned Harden's playoff struggles in his career, but felt like the 2012 Finals should be pointed out in particular because that performance was honestly tragic. He was a 6th man yet he managed to sabotage the Thunder in that series.
And Kyrie was 2 years older in the 2016 Finals playing against a team trying to stake a claim as the greatest team of all-time. And he was the #2 option.He was 3rd year player playing against some veteran killers hungry for a ring.
And Kyrie was 2 years older in the 2016 Finals playing against a team trying to stake a claim as the greatest team of all-time. And he was the #2 option.
For the record, I certainly believe Harden is a better basketball player than Kyrie right now.
No one said refs aren't biased. But there are a lot of refs and seemingly they all blow the whistle for Harden. If I'm choosing between two guys who are fairly even across the board, but one guy draws way more FTs than the other, I'm taking him. I think its kind of a joke to want to discount FTs. They are some of the easiest points in the game and they have the bonus of being preceded by a foul being called on the opposing team, leading to individual foul trouble and bonus situations. But Kyrie isn't Harden. He's a tier or two below and I don't think many here would argue that, so I dunno what we are trying to prove currently.Not totally. But significantly? Hell yeah. And that's enough for me to not like a stat that skews heavily in favor of players who can get more trips to the line than others, for whatever reason.
And for some people it is a skill. But its a skill in tricking the refs, like in the case of Harden. Dude grabs defenders arms with his elbows while he gathers and gets FTs as a reward for that because refs can only see in real time...that's not basketball, and its why he isn't as efficient of a scorer in the playoffs as he is in the regular season, when shit like that isn't whistled as often.
In a lot of cases its also a size thing. LeBron gets less FTs than he should because of how big he is. Thomas gets more than he should because of how little he is.
In a lot of cases its an ability to finish thing. Refs have a penchant for blowing their whistles only after a shot attempt is missed, and will swallow it when it goes in. That hurts players who are excellent finishers around the rim, as they should be given the FT regardless of if it goes in or not.
In a lot of cases its a reputation thing. Why someone like Dion who yells "AND ONEEEE" every time he drives tends to see whistles swallowed on his drives.
Totally out of their control? No. But to act like refs are totally unbiased people who officiate all players equally is a joke, and you know it.
2 years older and 2 more years of league experience is massive in the NBA. What debate are we having right now? Is there someone here who doesn't believe Harden is better? I'm confused.And Kyrie was 2 years older in the 2016 Finals playing against a team trying to stake a claim as the greatest team of all-time. And he was the #2 option.
For the record, I certainly believe Harden is a better basketball player than Kyrie right now.
I think its kind of a joke to want to discount FTs.
No one said refs aren't biased. But there are a lot of refs and seemingly they all blow the whistle for Harden. If I'm choosing between two guys who are fairly even across the board, but one guy draws way more FTs than the other, I'm taking him. I think its kind of a joke to want to discount FTs. They are some of the easiest points in the game and they have the bonus of being preceded by a foul being called on the opposing team, leading to individual foul trouble and bonus situations. But Kyrie isn't Harden. He's a tier or two below and I don't think many here would argue that, so I dunno what we are trying to prove currently.
There are three people here minimum that said Kyrie was better than Harden.2 years older and 2 more years of league experience is massive in the NBA. What debate are we having right now? Is there someone here who doesn't believe Harden is better? I'm confused.
There are three people here minimum that said Kyrie was better than Harden.
That's because this thread has been mucked up with posts like "you need to plot data points." I quoted three different people that said they would take Kyrie over harden.I haven't seen a single poster who is engaged in the argument with you say such thing.
I've seen people say they'd take Kyrie over Harden on this team, which is a completely different argument in itself...but I have yet to see someone flat out say Kyrie is better than Harden.
That's because this thread has been mucked up with posts like "you need to plot data points." I quoted three different people that said they would take Kyrie over harden.