Your Top 10 Players Right Now

[NYRaider]

30 minutes ago, bigbadbuff said:

Bobby Portis

Major key alert, he was the reason the Bucks won the title, the Jazz should've signed him instead of bringing back bum arse Favors. 

Dude had CP3, Ayton, and the boys shookth when they were cha chaing their ways to a title. 

Straight nightmare fuel. 

[beekay414]

[seminoles1]

5 hours ago, stl4life07 said:

I see y’all being prisoners of the moment really hard. I can’t argue with Giannis being in the conversation now but he certainly isn’t 1st. It’s KD. Even in a series loss we learned that KD can do it with literally nobody. He was a toe on the line away in regulation of Game 7 from carrying the Nets past the Bucks. That’s with no Kyrie for games 4-7, no Harden for games 1-4 and even when Harden came back for games 5-7 he barely could move and was a shell of himself. Giannis at least had a healthy Middleton and Holiday. If Giannis had basically no Middleton and Holiday the Bucks would’ve gotten beat in 4 or 5 to the Nets. So what KD did just to come with a toe on the line in Game 7 to winning the series was super impressive. Shows that he is the best player on the planet.

I’ll say Giannis is top 5. LeBron we know he wasn’t healthy in the playoffs. Kawhi was having an amazing playoffs before he got hurt. Luka had nobody and still pushed Kawhi and the Clippers. If Luka just had a more reliable second star the Mavs at least could’ve been in the WCF. KP is that guy. If Luka had what Giannis has in just Middleton the Mavs might be in the NBA Finals.

This is just being stubborn. Anyone but KD having an argument over Giannis is simply being a hater after what we just witnessed.

KD is more skilled and obviously the more lethal scorer and overall offensive player, but until he proves he can play at least half of a season again then give me Giannis.

[stl4life07]

4 hours ago, seminoles1 said:

This is just being stubborn. Anyone but KD having an argument over Giannis is simply being a hater after what we just witnessed.

KD is more skilled and obviously the more lethal scorer and overall offensive player, but until he proves he can play at least half of a season again then give me Giannis.

Ok we can have this debate. I can see why you and others might say Giannis over KD. 2x MVP, DPOY, and now a NBA champion with a Finals MVP and scored 50 in the close out game. He did it without having to leave Milwaukee. I get all of that. If you want to make a case for others feel free but my personal opinion is I have KD as the best player on the planet in basketball over Giannis. I have LeBron still over Giannis. I have Kawhi and Luka still over Giannis. I thought the West was brutal over the East and thats before the Nets had two of the big three hurt and then obviously Embiid can never stay healthy got hurt and Simmons cant shoot and just lost all confidence. If Giannis want to prove to be the best player on the planet in my eyes and not just in the conversation I want to see him do this again next year or the year after next with a a healthy and motivated Nets team and who knows coming out of the West. Could be a healthy and motivated Lakers team. Maybe the Warriors go get Dame to pair with Steph, Klay, and Draymond. If Giannis can do what he did again within the next two years just once then I cant argue about him not being the best player in my opinion. As of now though I think many people are prisoners of the moment. 

 

[NYRaider]

2 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

If you want to make a case for others feel free but my personal opinion is I have KD as the best player on the planet in basketball over Giannis. I have LeBron still over Giannis. I have Kawhi and Luka still over Giannis. As of now though I think many people are prisoners of the moment. 

Prisoners of the moment? Giannis was the MVP/DPOY last season on the team with the best record in the league, was the MVP year before that, has been 1st team All-NBA and All-NBA defense in all 3 of those seasons and was 2nd team All-NBA/All-Defense in the two years before that. He has been dominant, the only thing that he was missing was a title and he just won one with the most dominant performances in history. The only two players in the modern era to average more PPG while winning the finals are Michael Jordan and Shaq.

Luka Doncic hasn't even been able to get out of the 1st round, LeBron/KD haven't ever won a title without another dominant superstar teammate, Kawhi only has 1 title as the best player on his own team. 

As @beekay414 has said I don't think people realize how many of the Bucks holes that Giannis hides. Take him off the team and they go from NBA champions to the lottery. 

Personally I think it's impossible to deny that Giannis is the best player on the planet now. Dude just dropped a 50 ball in a finals clinching game, the only other players in the modern NBA to even score 50+ in a finals game are Jordan/LeBron and LeBron still lost. 

What separates Giannis from guys like Luka, Durant, LeBron, imo, is that while the scoring/rebounding numbers are amazing, he's also the best defensive player in the league.

Put some respect on that man's name, Luka is better? lmfao

[NYRaider]

5 hours ago, seminoles1 said:

KD is more skilled and obviously the more lethal scorer and overall offensive player, but until he proves he can play at least half of a season again then give me Giannis.

More skilled offensive player yet over their last 2 seasons...

Giannis: 28.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 5.9 apg on 57% FG / 29.5 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 5.6 apg on 55% FG

Durant: 26.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 5.6 apg on 54% FG / 26.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 5.9 apg on 52% FG

Oh yeah, Giannis also happens to be the best defensive player in the league. Giannis has scored more at a higher clip, created for teammates at the same clip with a worse team around him while also playing elite D. There's no debate at this point. 

Edited July 21, 2021 by NYRaider

[NYRaider]

Crowning Giannis as the best player in the league is not a "prisoner of the moment" type of thing. It's similar to when people were ready to do it for LeBron at the same stage of his career but he got cooked by Jason Terry and Jason Kidd in the Finals with a super team around him. 

The guy was the damn back-to-back MVP and quiet honestly should've been MVP this year but voter fatigue kicked in. 

The parallels between Giannis/LeBron are actually pretty crazy. Both guys were back-to-back MVP's at age 24/25 but were questioned due to their playoff shortcomings. The difference is at age 26 LeBron had one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA finals history after bolting for Miami to play with 2 other superstars. While Giannis stayed with the small market team that drafted him and put up arguably the greatest performance in finals history.  

[Mox]

I really don't see any argument for Kawhi over Giannis.

[stl4life07]

4 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

Prisoners of the moment? Giannis was the MVP/DPOY last season on the team with the best record in the league, was the MVP year before that, has been 1st team All-NBA and All-NBA defense in all 3 of those seasons and was 2nd team All-NBA/All-Defense in the two years before that. He has been dominant, the only thing that he was missing was a title and he just won one with the most dominant performances in history. The only two players in the modern era to average more PPG while winning the finals are Michael Jordan and Shaq.

Luka Doncic hasn't even been able to get out of the 1st round, LeBron/KD haven't ever won a title without another dominant superstar teammate, Kawhi only has 1 title as the best player on his own team. 

As @beekay414 has said I don't think people realize how many of the Bucks holes that Giannis hides. Take him off the team and they go from NBA champions to the lottery. 

Personally I think it's impossible to deny that Giannis is the best player on the planet now. Dude just dropped a 50 ball in a finals clinching game, the only other players in the modern NBA to even score 50+ in a finals game are Jordan/LeBron and LeBron still lost. 

What separates Giannis from guys like Luka, Durant, LeBron, imo, is that while the scoring/rebounding numbers are amazing, he's also the best defensive player in the league.

Put some respect on that man's name, Luka is better? lmfao

Yes prisoners of the moment. Was anyone saying Giannis was the best player on the planet even before these Finals? All that you said he did in previous seasons people still said LeBron, KD, Luka, Kawhi was better than Giannis. Hell after Game 5 of the Nets series everyone said look what KD did, he proved he is the best player on the planet. Now literally 14 games later its not KD its Giannis who is the best player on the planet. I do think its prisoners of the moment just like every year and Ive heard some talk of this too that are the Bucks have the start of a dynasty? We hear that too after a team win a championship. So its just talk that happens at the end of every season. Best player and dynasty talk. Giannis is in the conversation and I cant fault you or anyone who thinks he is but to me he isnt. The Bucks dont have the start of a dynasty either. They might win another down the road if they can keep Middleton and Holiday with Giannis and continue to add more pieces but this isnt a dynasty team that will start to reel off title after title in years to come. 

I agree that yes Giannis hides holes in the Bucks. Im not saying he isnt great. Im not putting Giannis down either. Im just saying imo he isnt the best player on the planet. Now is he possibly ascending? Yes. Again if he can do what he did this season next season and/or the season after next then yes Ill have to admit he is the best player on the planet. From my point of view before the playoffs started many people said they couldnt trust the Bucks because of how Giannis choked. They fell behind 0-2 twice in these playoffs and most left them for dead. Even had "Fire Bud" posts. Posts that talked about Giannis shooting airballs at the FT and the Bucks in general playing dumb basketball. Thats not talk of the best basketball player on the planet. Name me one negative thing anyone said about KD in these playoffs? That he missed an air ball in OT because he played all 53 minutes and was tired. Name me one negative thing anyone said about LeBron these playoffs? That he was still playing on a bad ankle and once again didnt have a second superstar because AD once again was hurt. How about Luka? That he had no rely star next to him because KP is overrated and its all on Luka. The only guy you can say people said negative things about is Kawhi and thats only because he once again cant stay healthy. Other than that Kawhi was having his best playoffs of his career. Giannis was the only one out of the guys I named people said negative things about up until the Finals where he finally put together a flawless series making his FTs, not constantly settling for 3s and he dominated. So again, is he possibly finally ascending to be the best player on the planet? Maybe. I just have to see what he is going to do next season and/or the season after next. If he reverts back to how he was before the Finals and the previous two years in the playoffs then everyone who is saying he is the best player on the planet now will moonwalk that better than the late great Michael Jackson was moonwalking lol. Im just waiting to see moving forward to see if like Chris Broussard said, Giannis will now start to play more to his strengths like he did in the Finals or continue to more times than not play to his weaknesses. Thats all Im saying. 

[NYRaider]

3 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

Yes prisoners of the moment. Was anyone saying Giannis was the best player on the planet even before these Finals? All that you said he did in previous seasons people still said LeBron, KD, Luka, Kawhi was better than Giannis.

LeBron and KD before the season is fair but who the hell was saying Luka or Kawhi was better than Giannis before the finals? Did you forget that Giannis was MVP/DPOY in 2019 and MVP in 2018? 

4 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

They might win another down the road if they can keep Middleton and Holiday with Giannis and continue to add more pieces but this isnt a dynasty team that will start to reel off title after title in years to come. 

The Bucks are definitely going to be a contender for years to come. Giannis is just now entering his prime and has a lot of room for improvement yet is already unstoppable. 

6 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

How about Luka? That he had no rely star next to him because KP is overrated and its all on Luka. 

What about Luka? The best player in the world can't win a playoff series? 

[NYRaider]

7 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

Thats not talk of the best basketball player on the planet. Name me one negative thing anyone said about KD in these playoffs? That he missed an air ball in OT because he played all 53 minutes and was tired. Name me one negative thing anyone said about LeBron these playoffs?

[NYRaider]

34 minutes ago, Bullet Club said:

I really don't see any argument for Kawhi over Giannis.

Because Giannis missed some FT, duh.

[stl4life07]

29 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

LeBron and KD before the season is fair but who the hell was saying Luka or Kawhi was better than Giannis before the finals? Did you forget that Giannis was MVP/DPOY in 2019 and MVP in 2018? 

The Bucks are definitely going to be a contender for years to come. Giannis is just now entering his prime and has a lot of room for improvement yet is already unstoppable. 

What about Luka? The best player in the world can't win a playoff series? 

People thought Kawhi might be the best player on the planet after he won the title in Toronto. That’s why I said people normally have these types of conversations after teams win a championship every season. And with Kawhi at least he had two NBA Titles and two Finals MVPs before he went to the Clippers. 
 

Luka was more of what he did his rookie season and then last season. He pushed the Clippers basically by himself hurt and he was the MVP favorite heading into this season. You can say he had the Mavs in great position to win this playoffs over the Clippers but again he had no help and fell short.

Are we dismissing the notion that the Bucks had to go get a guy like Holiday to help Giannis because before Holiday having someone like Bledsoe wasn’t helping Giannis and the Bucks go anywhere in the playoffs. So with Luka the Mavs need to do the same thing and get him some help because KP isn’t doing anything to help Luka out. Luka can’t  get any rest and he can’t even play off the ball because nobody is there to help take any type of pressure off him. If he had a Middleton or a Holiday type, he doesn’t even need both but just one he could take the Mavs definitely past the first round. Also he plays in the brutal West. How would Giannis do in the West? How would Luka do in the East? I’m just saying.

I’m not saying the Bucks won’t be contenders but do you think with a clear smart mind that they will be the favorites next year or the year after next? I’m saying nope. A healthy Nets Big three makes them the favorites overall but especially in the East. Everyone knows if Kyrie and/or Harden was healthy to go with KD the Bucks lose in the 2nd round. A healthy Lakers team is the next favorite and some think they are the overall favorite. Then you can say the Bucks. If the Warriors go get a Beal or somehow get Dame they will be favorites over the Bucks. If the Celtics or the Heat somehow land Dame I like either one of them over the Bucks in terms of favorites next year and years to come. So we have to see how to offseason shapes our but for certain Nets and Lakers are the favorites next year over the Bucks. But the Bucks will be contenders no doubt. 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by stl4life07

[Rodjahs12]

1 minute ago, stl4life07 said:

People thought Kawhi might be the best player on the planet after he won the title in Toronto. That’s why I said people normally have these types of conversations after teams win a championship every season. And with Kawhi at least he had two NBA Titles and two Finals MVPs before he went to the Clippers. 
 

Luka was more of what he did his rookie season and then last season. He pushed the Clippers basically by himself hurt and he was the MVP favorite heading into this season. You can say he had the Mavs in great position to win this playoffs over the Clippers but again he had no help and fell short.

Are we dismissing the notion that the Bucks had to go get a guy like Holiday to help Giannis because before Holiday having someone like Bledsoe wasn’t helping Giannis and the Bucks go anywhere in the playoffs. So with Luka the Mavs need to do the same thing and get him some help because KP isn’t doing anything to help Luka out. Luka can get any rest and he get even play off the ball because nobody is there to help take any type of pressure off him. If he had a Middleton or a Holiday type, he doesn’t even need both but just one he could take the Mavs definitely past the first round. Also he plays in the brutal West. How would Giannis do in the West? How would Luka do in the East? I’m just saying.

I’m not saying the Bucks won’t be contenders but do you think with a clear smart mind that they will be the favorites next year or the year after next? I’m saying nope. A healthy Nets Big three makes them the favorites overall but especially in the East. Everyone knows if Kyrie and/or Harden was healthy to go with KD the Bucks lose in the 2nd round. A healthy Lakers team is the next favorite and some think they are the overall favorite. Then you can say the Bucks. If the Warriors go get a Beal or somehow get Dame they will be favorites over the Bucks. If the Celtics or the Heat somehow land Dame I like either one of them over the Bucks in terms of favorites next year and years to come. So we have to see how to offseason shapes our but for certain Nets and Lakers are the favorites next year over the Bucks. But the Bucks will be contenders no doubt. 

 

 

You have fully swallowed all that Nets hype and that's fine. Fact is that team hasn't proven anything yet together. Looks great on paper. Doesn't mean anything if it doesn't come together and it better soon to keep those guys happy.

[Mox]

4 minutes ago, stl4life07 said:

People thought Kawhi might be the best player on the planet after he won the title in Toronto. That’s why I said people normally have these types of conversations after teams win a championship every season. And with Kawhi at least he had two NBA Titles and two Finals MVPs before he went to the Clippers. 
 

Luka was more of what he did his rookie season and then last season. He pushed the Clippers basically by himself hurt and he was the MVP favorite heading into this season. You can say he had the Mavs in great position to win this playoffs over the Clippers but again he had no help and fell short.

Are we dismissing the notion that the Bucks had to go get a guy like Holiday to help Giannis because before Holiday having someone like Bledsoe wasn’t helping Giannis and the Bucks go anywhere in the playoffs. So with Luka the Mavs need to do the same thing and get him some help because KP isn’t doing anything to help Luka out. Luka can’t  get any rest and he can’t even play off the ball because nobody is there to help take any type of pressure off him. If he had a Middleton or a Holiday type, he doesn’t even need both but just one he could take the Mavs definitely past the first round. Also he plays in the brutal West. How would Giannis do in the West? How would Luka do in the East? I’m just saying.

I’m not saying the Bucks won’t be contenders but do you think with a clear smart mind that they will be the favorites next year or the year after next? I’m saying nope. A healthy Nets Big three makes them the favorites overall but especially in the East. Everyone knows if Kyrie and/or Harden was healthy to go with KD the Bucks lose in the 2nd round. A healthy Lakers team is the next favorite and some think they are the overall favorite. Then you can say the Bucks. If the Warriors go get a Beal or somehow get Dame they will be favorites over the Bucks. If the Celtics or the Heat somehow land Dame I like either one of them over the Bucks in terms of favorites next year and years to come. So we have to see how to offseason shapes our but for certain Nets and Lakers are the favorites next year over the Bucks. But the Bucks will be contenders no doubt. 

 

 

Without falling back on "this is how people incorrectly reacted in 2019", how is Kawhi Leonard better than Giannis Antetokounmpo?