2013 CB Draft: Central Division Press Conferences

[Roy H.]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

[rondoallaturca]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Added to the fact that Indiana - another balanced, deep team - took Miami to Game 7, and very realistically could have come away with it if they could have sealed off Game 1.

[Rondo2287]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Right, and I think Miami probably would have lost had they not had a clutch sharp shooter like Ray Allen Coming off the bench to nail that three.   

[pearljammer10]

Just look at the best player on the rest of the East's teams:

Atlanta = D-Wade
Boston = Kyrie or Pau
Brooklyn = Westbrook
Chicago = J.Holiday
Cleveland = Horford
Detroit = Beal
Milwaukee = Paul George
New York = Z.Randolph or B.Lopez
Orlando = Kobe
Philly = Steph Curry
Washington = John Wall

Nobody on that list is anywhere near Kevin Durant as an individual talent. Far and away above everyone else in the Conference. It's not even close. Nobody.

I mean, look at those players, most of them are on a similar level as Deron Williams.

None of them come close to Durant.

And I think that gives Indy a big, big bump in my view of things.

But look what happen when Durant's second fiddle in Westbrook went down in the playoffs last year. You can have a guy like Durant all day long. But if you have other holes in other areas of your lineup, even the best player in the world cant compensate for that missing piece or pieces.

[Rondo2287]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Added to the fact that Indiana - another balanced, deep team - took Miami to Game 7, and very realistically could have come away with it if they could have sealed off Game 1.

Right so both teams that were balanced and deep gave the top heavy team a run for their money but lost. 

Also even though those teams were balanced they would still be way better than any teams we have in this league.  There is so much parody in this league that the "Deep" teams arent near as good as the "Deep" teams that were able to give the heat a hard time.

[Rondo2287]

Just look at the best player on the rest of the East's teams:

Atlanta = D-Wade
Boston = Kyrie or Pau
Brooklyn = Westbrook
Chicago = J.Holiday
Cleveland = Horford
Detroit = Beal
Milwaukee = Paul George
New York = Z.Randolph or B.Lopez
Orlando = Kobe
Philly = Steph Curry
Washington = John Wall

Nobody on that list is anywhere near Kevin Durant as an individual talent. Far and away above everyone else in the Conference. It's not even close. Nobody.

I mean, look at those players, most of them are on a similar level as Deron Williams.

None of them come close to Durant.

And I think that gives Indy a big, big bump in my view of things.

But look what happen when Durant's second fiddle in Westbrook went down in the playoffs last year. You can have a guy like Durant all day long. But if you have other holes in other areas of your lineup, even the best player in the world cant compensate for that missing piece or pieces.

True but I don't think we are assuming Deron will go down with a knee injury in the playoffs this year, are we?

[Roy H.]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Right, and I think Miami probably would have lost had they not had a clutch sharp shooter like Ray Allen Coming off the bench to nail that three.   

They would have lost if Manu and Danny Green didn't brick FTs down the stretch.

[Rondo2287]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Right, and I think Miami probably would have lost had they not had a clutch sharp shooter like Ray Allen Coming off the bench to nail that three.   

They would have lost if Manu and Danny Green didn't brick FTs down the stretch.

And the Giants would have lost the superbowl if they had called "In the grasp" when Richard Seymour had Eli Manning wrapped up before he threw it to david Tyree.  Lucky for WDLEEHI and unlucky for us pats fans they didnt call it.

[Roy H.]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Right, and I think Miami probably would have lost had they not had a clutch sharp shooter like Ray Allen Coming off the bench to nail that three.   

They would have lost if Manu and Danny Green didn't brick FTs down the stretch.

And the Giants would have lost the superbowl if they had called "In the grasp" when Richard Seymour had Eli Manning wrapped up before he threw it to david Tyree.  Lucky for WDLEEHI and unlucky for us pats fans they didnt call it.

When you win your championship due to "luck", I'm not sure it's a good example as the model for building future championship teams.

A team with Lebron + Wade + Bosh should have lost to a lesser, deeper, better constructed team.  They didn't, due to luck.  However, that doesn't mean that the lesson is that shallow teams with better talent at the top will win.

Plus, of course, Durant and Deron is nowhere near on the same level with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

[AB_Celtic]

I think Who may getting a little carried away. Indiana is good. I have them as the second best team in the Central. But they are not leaps and bounds above everyone else in the East. Their supporting cast is far weaker than even the most top-heavy teams in today's real NBA.

[Rondo2287]

The last three titles went to the team with the best player on the planet during the playoffs,

Dallas (Dirk)
Miami (Lebron)
Miami (Lebron)

I think Durant has the capability to play at that level and the rest of the team is good enough not to cause the ship to sink.  I don't see another team in the east with a player that can rise to that level.

At the same time, Miami should have lost to the Spurs, despite having tremendous top-tier talent.  That's in large part because the Spurs had a balanced, deep team, to go along with their top-end talent.

Right, and I think Miami probably would have lost had they not had a clutch sharp shooter like Ray Allen Coming off the bench to nail that three.   

They would have lost if Manu and Danny Green didn't brick FTs down the stretch.

And the Giants would have lost the superbowl if they had called "In the grasp" when Richard Seymour had Eli Manning wrapped up before he threw it to david Tyree.  Lucky for WDLEEHI and unlucky for us pats fans they didnt call it.

When you win your championship due to "luck", I'm not sure it's a good example as the model for building future championship teams.

A team with Lebron + Wade + Bosh should have lost to a lesser, deeper, better constructed team.  They didn't, due to luck.  However, that doesn't mean that the lesson is that shallow teams with better talent at the top will win.

Plus, of course, Durant and Deron is nowhere near on the same level with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.

Of course they arent, but there isnt a team here that is near the same level of the spurs. 

I was just pointing out that you can't harp on what could have happened.  We don't even know if the spurs could have gotten by the thunder with Westbrook.  The spurs were lucky to face the grizzlies in the finals.  If the spurs were pushed by the thunder rather than sweeping the grizzlies are they rested enough to challenge the heat?  We can play these games all day haha.  Just gotta look at what did happen.

[Roy H.]

I think Who may getting a little carried away. Indiana is good. I have them as the second best team in the Central. But they are not leaps and bounds above everyone else in the East. Their supporting cast is far weaker than even the most top-heavy teams in today's real NBA.

It's not just the depth that bothers me.

Kevin Durant, Deron Williams, Luis Scola, Robin Lopez, Ray Allen, Elton Brand, Rodney Stuckey, Marvin Williams, Jeff Taylor, Andrew Nicholson, Shaun Livingston, Markieff Morris, Michael Beasley

There is exactly one guy on that list who is above-average defensively (Elton Brand) and he's probably playing around 20 minutes per night.  Teams that forego defense completely just aren't going to win consistently.

[Rondo2287]

I think Who may getting a little carried away. Indiana is good. I have them as the second best team in the Central. But they are not leaps and bounds above everyone else in the East. Their supporting cast is far weaker than even the most top-heavy teams in today's real NBA.

Again, most top heavy teams in the real NBA are deeper than top heavy teams here because the NBA as a whole is more top heavy.

[AB_Celtic]

Of course they arent, but there isnt a team here that is near the same level of the spurs. 

I am confident that Cleveland is at least near the same level as the Spurs. An all-time great anchoring the defense (Garnett), a PG who shows up in the playoffs (Lawson), and an All-Star (Horford). I have less 3pt shooters, but better bigs.

[rondoallaturca]

With Indiana, it really just comes down to how far you think Deron and Durant can take this team by themselves. For me, it's enough to be a playoffs team, but I just can't see how this team overcomes its frontcourt, defense, and depth issues to avoid being a first round exit.