Et Tu, Sports Guy? / Bill Simmons questions KG (merged)

[LarBrd33]

I really do love SImmons, but he's gone overboard in his last two articles.   I've heard people complain about him int he past... this is the first time I really agree.  He's throwing a hissy fit about his team not dominating.  He seems so angry at the squad for letting him down and yet they are in the Eastern Conference finals.   Simmons is being a retard. 

[rondohondo]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3403820

It amazes me how guys like Simmons overplay the KG is not clutch and is soft in big playoff spot.

1. He has been the most consistent playoff performer on this team
2. He has been the only guy rebounding more then 5 or 6 a game on this team, he's averaging 10
3, He actually was clutch in game 1 against cleveland when he took the ball to the hoop to score the winning bucket.
4. Pierce had a great game 7 against the Cavs, but no one brings up the fact that Pierce didnt score a FG after the 6 minute mark of the 4th quarter and KG actually hit 2 big shots in the final 5 minutes to keep us ahead.

I am soo tired of saying he isn't clutch. If you are going to compare him to Micheal Jordan then yes he isn't clutch, but then again who is compared to MJ. Maybe he can't take the game over like some guys, but he has actually been the clutchest guy on this team in the playoffs

[kozlodoev]

gotta agree with simmons with the fact that kg isn't a very clutch player. and if i had time i would elaborate on that and how i think pierce is the most important player in the playoffs for the c's, but i don't, perhaps later.

I don't know whether he's clutch or not. I just know he's been our most consistent player during these playoffs.

But then again, there can be worse than Simmons. Here's today's Stan McNeal:

When the Eastern Conference last played a championship series without the Pistons:
...
Kevin Garnett was a great player lacking a go-to move … oh wait, that’s still the case.

It is beyond my comprehension how pundits manage to bash Garnett for relying too much on the fade-away and not having a go-to move at the same time. The fade-away _is_ his go-to move, and that's why he relies on it all the time, hello?!

Full article: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ap_SM0u8FtGs_BDsWjDNMtO8vLYF?slug=pistonsandcelticsareonco&prov=tsn&type=lgns

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

I really do love SImmons, but he's gone overboard in his last two articles.   I've heard people complain about him int he past... this is the first time I really agree.  He's throwing a hissy fit about his team not dominating.  He seems so angry at the squad for letting him down and yet they are in the Eastern Conference finals.   Simmons is being a retard. 

I agree 100%.

I know hate is a strong word and I HATE Simmons!

He's taken an awful stance on KG... supports him as the MVP (actually voted for him) but doesn't support him in the playoffs. Does that even make sense? Doesn't that send a mixed message of sorts?

Whoever said he tried to get a head start on the whining just in case the C's lost Round 2 Game 7 to the Lebron's was BANG ON. Only we didn't lose, we won. So Simmons then stears clear from Doc and fires missles at KG for not being "clutch"? What a joke. 

KG was clutch because he deferred to the man with the hot hand in Pierce.

[im right]

Simmons writing has really gone down the tubes since he began taking the easy way of getting out content by doing terrible podcasts about reailty tv and the wire, and being a total push over to his guests(I havent listen to one since he had Barkley on and agreed that he could see Jersey winning the East, espacialy after he repeatidly kills Carter). Not to mention those awful E60 segments where his lines come out more rehersed than a NEXT episode.  As an older fan he should know that not every single game is going to look like a sports center highlight and the league will probably never be as good as it was in the mid to late 80's. If you get off Youtube and watch old games most of Larrys game is good fundamentals of getting himself open, footwork, and a pure jumper. KG 15 foot jumper is his layup, as pure a shot as there has been in basketball history. Just because KG isnt running around and dunking on everyone doesnt mean he isnt special.

[crownsy]

all fair points, and i refer back to the "name your top 5 clutch players" thread we did where we decided that the whole KG thing is overblown, and outside of mabey duncan, every player the media rates "clutch" is a gaurd or small forward. The whole "clutch" player thing is highlight driven, and guys who make big three's at the buzzer get labled as clutch, while a guy who scores his teams last 4 points from the low block isn't shown on sportscenter unless it was a dunk.

That aside, KG could do alot to dispell this perception by showing up to one of our away games.

[Larry Legend]

I don't understand why everyone is getting all riled up about what Simmons writes. He writes the articles from the viewpoint of a fan. Yes, he has irrational knee-jerk reactions, just like many of us (I include myself.) do after a loss. Obviously, they're supposed to be his own opinions and biases. He's not an analyst nor does he claim to be one. He's not writing under the guise of impartiality, but as a "Boston" sports fan. I don't necessary agree with some of his articles, but at the same time, it is what it is. There's more entertainment value in his articles anyways. Would you prefer him writing something that you agree with 100% all the time?

My problem isn't that I disagree with him, it's that he turned in a complete hatchet job that appears to be completely unresearched in addition to being completely unoriginal.  My even bigger problem is that he clearly wrote this in response to the epic heat he took nationally for bypassing Paul and Kobe for MVP.  In his rush to prove how un-homer he is, he turned in a complete retread.  A nice safe column for the national audience.  He's pandering. 

[footey]

"Give the ball to Paul and get the hell out of the way."

Kevin Garnett (post-game 7 press conference)

That is someone who puts the team above the self. Dude is a total winner to me, no matter what happens v Detroit.

[bleedingreen]

Yeah I'm kinda surprised too. Especially after most of them acknowledged he didn't win DPY on his stats. He was the best player in every single game of the playoffs except for maybe Rondo's great game, and then Pierces g7 for sure.

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

"Give the ball to Paul and get the hell out of the way."

Kevin Garnett (post-game 7 press conference)

That is someone who puts the team above the self. Dude is a total winner to me, no matter what happens v Detroit.

I agree 100% Ubuntu!

We not Me!

[GroverTheClover]

I don't understand why everyone is getting all riled up about what Simmons writes. He writes the articles from the viewpoint of a fan. Yes, he has irrational knee-jerk reactions, just like many of us (I include myself.) do after a loss. Obviously, they're supposed to be his own opinions and biases. He's not an analyst nor does he claim to be one. He's not writing under the guise of impartiality, but as a "Boston" sports fan. I don't necessary agree with some of his articles, but at the same time, it is what it is. There's more entertainment value in his articles anyways. Would you prefer him writing something that you agree with 100% all the time?

My problem isn't that I disagree with him, it's that he turned in a complete hatchet job that appears to be completely unresearched in addition to being completely unoriginal.  My even bigger problem is that he clearly wrote this in response to the epic heat he took nationally for bypassing Paul and Kobe for MVP.  In his rush to prove how un-homer he is, he turned in a complete retread.  A nice safe column for the national audience.  He's pandering. 

But, what's supposed to stop him from pandering? He doesn't owe us anything. He clearly watches the games, so I don't understand where he should research. Everything he takes from the games is purely his opinion. That's the thing about sports, the majority is based on passion and opinion. I read his articles for purely entertainment value. When it all boils down, he's just some dude that gets paid for rambling on the national stage.

[Scribbles]

I have to agree and disagree with Simmons article.  He is right about KG.  He isn't that great in the clutch.  I believe it was game 4 in Cleveland where he had a great 3 quarters. Then in the final minutes of the 4th quarter he didn't do anything offensively.  Now here is where I disagree with Simmons.  KG is the best defensive player on our team and the league this year.  When he isn't scoring he is still playing killer D, grabbing boards, etc.  So just because he isn't clutch on the offensive end, he is still playing great D and doing it on the other end. 

So to be honest I understand where Simmons is coming from, but I'm fine with KG's play until he gets rim stuffed in a go ahead dunk or something like that.  (which if that happens isn't my fault   )  I'm just going to let KG do what he needs to do and I think it will all work out.  It's gotten us this far mine as well let it be. 

[Big Ticket]

It's the media plain and simple.  KG hasn't won, they equate it first and foremost to his 4th quarter play.  They like it to be simple.  That is simple, considering every factor would be tough.

Yeah, sometimes he plays poorly in 4th quarters... and sometimes, more and more lately, he comes up big.  I really don't know what else he was supposed to do in Game 7.  It was clear that Pierce was on fire.  When the Cavs adjusted and sent doubles and Pierce, KG made a couple baskets, missed a couple good looks, and grabbed a couple boards.  Pretty much did what he needed to.

[crownsy]

i will say, and i wish i remebered the thread to link to, that to me the whole kg clutch thing is overated.

Here's the test from that thread, name your top 5 or 10 "clutch" OFFENSIVE preformers. now see how many are power forwards or centers.

outside of mabey duncan, i bet your list looks like mine, a whole bunch of gaurds and some Small forwards who shoot well. Clutch in the NBA language has turned into meaning "bucket with .3 on the clock" thats simply to easy to deny from the low post. those shots are going to come out of shooters, not the post where you can double the ball away.

[Birdbrain]

Just another note was 'The Dream Shake' not a fall away turn around jumper?  Some how that was go to move but, KG's isn't.

Giving him front page with that dreck is exactly the problem.  Like he's a journalist.  He's a blogger and a bad one.  The sad part is there are so many young fans that can't tell the difference between a blogger and someone that actually knows something about basketball.  Whether you guys want to admit it or not.  He doesn't know the game at all.