Here's how I see the Top 5 if season ended now: 1. James Harden 2. LeBron James 3. DeMar DeRozen 4. Anthony Davis 5. Damian Lillard Other possible candidates: Curry, Durant, Kyrie, Embiid IN MY OPINION
1. Harden (sucks, but can't deny it) 2. James 3. Davis (record be damned, dude's a beast) 4. Durant 5. Dame
This right here. And id say dame has a chance at moving up to four. Durant is a perenial mvp no doubt. But the supporting cast he aNd derozen have make thier games much easier. THIS year i believe Dame has done more with less than either of those guys.
Going in a different direction: Dame's supporting cast...ok, I'll give you CJ...who is: Our starting C (and #3 of "big 3") was sent to us with a first round pick attached. AKA, the difference of how much better Plumlee was considered vs. Nurk was a mid-round 1st. Our starting SF was given to us for a Top-55 protected 2nd. Our starting PF was a FA who was barely in consideration for an MLE until we overpaid him. Our first two off the bench were a below-MLE big who the L*kers didn't want to offer and a 2nd-round pick who played PF in college and SG in the NBA Our next two were a guy who couldn't start on his college team last year and a guy who was acquired for "cash considerations". Yeah, I think Dame wins the "my team wasn't expected to do much" award.
Kyrie above Dame. Better stats, better team, lost an all star teammate first game of the year and has a rookie and a 2nd year player starting, and is still right there with the 1 seed. He's being overlooked.
Which is why I laughed at people who claimed we’d get HCA! With this talent, 40 wins seems about right. I told Dolla’ my prediction, musta pissed him off!
I bet you’re a name brand guy. Can’t be good if it doesn’t have the right label. I thought it was funny the other day when, I think it was Baron Davis, said he couldn’t understand how the Blazers kept winning when he couldn’t name a player on the roster other than Dame. I assume that if someone had jogged a few of his underused brain cells he might have added CJ to his list. This Blazers team is built on those two guys, sure, but it’s exceeding expectations because other players are maturing into contributors above what their limited reputations would lead one to predict. Aminu has become a deadly threat from 3. Harkless has reinvented himself as a staunch defender who can also score. Nurk is beginning to show glimpses of the guy who excite heck out of us last spring. Ed has quietly become one of the best bigs off the bench in the NBA. Napier is contributing like a starting level PG. Even Pat and Collins have been solid. This team has a bunch of blue collar dudes who play hard and mesh well. Screw brand names. Win now.
And good catch on the brand thing...... I’m very loyal to certain brands in all aspects of my life most definitely.
All things evolve and devolve though. Nothing is steadfast. Sometimes that type of loyalty can lead to poor purchasing.
I’d say his post is a testament to Olshey’s ability to spot undervalued guys who have potential to develop into solid contributors. I also don’t deny that the supporting cast wouldn’t amount to much without Dame and CJ.
I see the argument, but if you wouldn't trade Brown and Tatum and Semi for Mo, Chief and Pat I don't know what to tell you.
