NBA 2023-2024

Šjor Bepo

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It's been Jordan, Kobe, then LeBron imo between 1991 and now. Perhaps Shaq for a few years between Jordan and Kobe but not sure.

Curry, LeBron, Durant are all at the end of their careers. Giannis isn't European and doesn't like the media attention enough / isn't marketable enough, Jokic is almost 30 so too old (and doesn't remotely care enough either). Perhaps Luka could fit the mould, Tatum as well although for me he is in the tier juuuuust below absolute superstar status.

Ant is funny off the court, exciting on the court, still only 22 years old, American, with room to improve - ideal and obvious fit really for me. And Wemby might join him as well.

Face of the league doesn't equal best player at all but is more of a "who would your average Joe on the street (in Europe/Asia/... or the US) recognize or mention as a name in the NBA that he/she knows. Even if LeBron hasn't been the best player in the league for half a decade or so now, he'd still be mentioned before the likes of Jokic and even Curry I think.
average joes will mention lebron because once upon a time he was the best not because league(or who ever) "made him" as thr face of the league.
 

giorno

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All these people have about a season and what's left of these playoffs to become the "face of the league" then it's the Wemby show
 

Hoof the ball

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All these people have about a season and what's left of these playoffs to become the "face of the league" then it's the Wemby show
100% this.

The NBA will try to push Edwards, an American, but I'll tell you right now, the streets will be flooded with alien Wemby sneakers and gear long before Ant Man does.
 

Kazi

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Not sure why the Mavs on getting hate for this.

Everyone has been saying Luka needs help. A top 10 player is available so if you can get him, get him. Of course it’s Kyrie so it’s a risk but it’s worth seeing this play out rather than another playoff run where you already know the ending.
You all laughed at me
 

giorno

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There's the KAT I know and never trusted :D

Mavs just readier for this it seems. Luka and Kyrie have been the 2 best players in the series and have outexecuted the Mavs down the stretch 3 straight times...and this series is over.

I've read the Mavs are the best possible opponent for the Celtics matchup wise coming out the West, hopefully that won't be the case. I want either a 7 game war or Mavs atomizing the Celtics :lol:
 

RobinLFC

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100% this.

The NBA will try to push Edwards, an American, but I'll tell you right now, the streets will be flooded with alien Wemby sneakers and gear long before Ant Man does.
Depends on how Edwards develops imo, if there's still room for improvement there somewhere and he really becomes a superstar player (which I believe he could, but it's far from a given), then they both could be. But like I mentioned in my original post yeah, Wemby will join sooner than later or take over on his own indeed. Very marketable, seems up for it (did the AI stuff with Silver as a rookie if I'm not mistaken) and just a great player already at 20 years old.
 

RobinLFC

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Would be nice if Luka can get some rest for his injuries before the Finals start. A bit of a shame that both Conference Finals are blowouts but it is what it is.

I want the Mavs to sweep the Celtics and I want some Jaylen Brown tears. Maybe Mavs in 5 would be even better so the TD Garden "fans" can leave early once again and show us their true colours.
 

kouroux

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There's the KAT I know and never trusted :D

Mavs just readier for this it seems. Luka and Kyrie have been the 2 best players in the series and have outexecuted the Mavs down the stretch 3 straight times...and this series is over.

I've read the Mavs are the best possible opponent for the Celtics matchup wise coming out the West, hopefully that won't be the case. I want either a 7 game war or Mavs atomizing the Celtics :lol:
Man said he makes 1500 shots per day
 

Skåre Willoch

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Would be nice if Luka can get some rest for his injuries before the Finals start. A bit of a shame that both Conference Finals are blowouts but it is what it is.

I want the Mavs to sweep the Celtics and I want some Jaylen Brown tears. Maybe Mavs in 5 would be even better so the TD Garden "fans" can leave early once again and show us their true colours.
How/why are you hating on Jaylen Brown? He seems to be the most interesting person in what is probably the most boring team in the league,
As a Celtics fan I hope they win in dominant fashion, and makes Kyrie go full flat-earth-anti-vax-self-destructo mode again,
But I like Luka, so Celtics in 5, with a 60-20-20 from Doncic in game 3.
 

hasanejaz88

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Whoever wins the playoffs will be the face for the next season. This season it was Jokic, if Dallas wins it will Luka, Wolves will be Ant and Celtics will be Tatum.
 

Skåre Willoch

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Whoever wins the playoffs will be the face for the next season. This season it was Jokic, if Dallas wins it will Luka, Wolves will be Ant and Celtics will be Tatum.
Embiid started the season as the face of the league it seemed like, until his injuries kicked off.
 

Jim Beam

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Whoever wins the playoffs will be the face for the next season. This season it was Jokic, if Dallas wins it will Luka, Wolves will be Ant and Celtics will be Tatum.
The problem I have with this is that they will try to push American no matter what. Luka has done so much more than Ant and I never heard "face of the league" shit. Tbf, it is a futile and a bit dumb conversation all together, but it does exists in media.

I have a strange urge to go to Paris and see USA basketball team. All those legends together and am thinking about paying a shitload for a ticket just to see them on the court. On the other side and despite my admiration, I think I would pay double the amount just to see them lose. On TV!!
 

redcucumber

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I feel like the TNT lot don't get as excited over Luka and Kyrie when they're hot the same way they do Ant Edwards.
 

RobinLFC

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NBA commentators are pushing the "greatest/most talented backcourt ever" for Luka and Kyrie. Thoughts, caftards?
Let's revisit when they have multiple rings together like the Splash brothers.

Based on pure brilliance and peak performance, they'll run anyone close though yeah.
 

hasanejaz88

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The problem I have with this is that they will try to push American no matter what. Luka has done so much more than Ant and I never heard "face of the league" shit. Tbf, it is a futile and a bit dumb conversation all together, but it does exists in media.

I have a strange urge to go to Paris and see USA basketball team. All those legends together and am thinking about paying a shitload for a ticket just to see them on the court. On the other side and despite my admiration, I think I would pay double the amount just to see them lose. On TV!!
It's funny that they are giving more credit to Kyrie for this, saying it's his leadership that is helping Luka and getting them to the finals.

Not to say Kyrie hasn't been spectacular, he's been a very efficient second scorer with Luka and Dallas wouldn't be close without him, but Luka is the leader of the offense.
 

WI_Red

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Is it even the best Mavs backcourt ever? :)
Anyways, they have a long way to go to crack peak Steph/Klay or Thomas/Dumars.
 

ManUtd1999

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3-0 in both series. The NBA is not in a good place. The Wolves are not showing any consistency, maybe because of being young, maybe it’s something else. I don’t enjoy watching a league where a team wins by 20 points today and then loses by 25 two days later.

Possibly some of it is, but I think more is due to the playing style of the players. Plus Kyrie is not exactly the most popular of players.
I don’t like the style of Doncic, and I never liked Kyrie Irving. Edwards is much more exciting to watch. Unfortunately, he can make costly mistakes.
 

RobinLFC

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3-0 in both series. The NBA is not in a good place. The Wolves are not showing any consistency, maybe because of being young, maybe it’s something else. I don’t enjoy watching a league where a team wins by 20 points today and then loses by 25 two days later.
Weird reasoning. The Nuggets vs Wolves game barely had any close games yet it was one of the most fun and intriguing series in a long time for me.
 

ManUtd1999

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Weird reasoning. The Nuggets vs Wolves game barely had any close games yet it was one of the most fun and intriguing series in a long time for me.
I don’t like such series, even if they go 6-7 games. Losing by 45 points? Scoring only 70 points as the defending champion?

It was intriguing between games, not during most of the games.
 

MrMarcello

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Is it even the best Mavs backcourt ever? :)
Anyways, they have a long way to go to crack peak Steph/Klay or Thomas/Dumars.
Easily. There were years with multiple starting guards which renders those years ineligible; and guys like Stackhouse came off the bench mostly.

Blackmon-Harper was good for a long time but nowhere near elite.
Kidd-Jackson barely got a chance to show what could have been.
Nash-Finley was top tier but they're second best now.
Kidd-Terry was way past their prime and Dirk carried the side to the title.
Luka-Hardaway Jr was meh.
Luka-Brunson was short lived (Brunson starter version that is).
 

Zen

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The NBA is not in a good place? What?

It's actually pretty wide open consistently year on year now.... 6 separate winners in a row and 9 separate teams (GSW, Celtics and Heat being the 3x2 time finalists, LeBron on a technicality). No back to back finalist since 2019, forget winning back to back.

Shits wild. Sure the Celtics might be red hot favourites for this one, but it's been the culmination of 6-7 years work to get here.
 

WI_Red

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Easily. There were years with multiple starting guards which renders those years ineligible; and guys like Stackhouse came off the bench mostly.

Blackmon-Harper was good for a long time but nowhere near elite.
Kidd-Jackson barely got a chance to show what could have been.
Nash-Finley was top tier but they're second best now.
Kidd-Terry was way past their prime and Dirk carried the side to the title.
Luka-Hardaway Jr was meh.
Luka-Brunson was short lived (Brunson starter version that is).
It was tongue in cheek, mostly, but I was referring to that Nash/Finley combo. I think, had Nash stayed in Dallas, there might have been an argument (assuming it wasn't just the Phoenix system that unlocked his potential).
 

SmallCaine

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3-0 in both series. The NBA is not in a good place. The Wolves are not showing any consistency, maybe because of being young, maybe it’s something else. I don’t enjoy watching a league where a team wins by 20 points today and then loses by 25 two days later.


I don’t like the style of Doncic, and I never liked Kyrie Irving. Edwards is much more exciting to watch. Unfortunately, he can make costly mistakes.
Except Timberwolves combined deficit of 3 games is less than 20, they lost the first by 3 points the 2nd by 1 point and 3rd by 9 points, do you expect the team you like to win every game?

Also doesn't the fact that both conference finals have teams 3-0 up negate the argument that teams are not consistent and there is huge switch game to game.
 

MrMarcello

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It was tongue in cheek, mostly, but I was referring to that Nash/Finley combo. I think, had Nash stayed in Dallas, there might have been an argument (assuming it wasn't just the Phoenix system that unlocked his potential).
Dunno about the system but he also flourished in Dallas. His MVPs were debatable - Shaq may have deserved in 2004-05* and have seen some debates saying Dirk should have won in 2005-06, and some suggesting Kobe or LeBron deserved it that year. Those guys crushed Nash in most advanced metrics and statistics and the Suns won fewer games (Amar'e injury) while Dirk carried a cast of has beens and nobodies to 60 wins, third most in the league. It seemed the voters favored Nash's season with the Amar'e injury over the other guys playing with lesser talents; Nash still had Marion who was better than Dirk's second best option (Terry), ditto for Kobe (Odom) and LeBron (Hughes).

I guess Nash winning in 2004-05 is 51% the correct choice but it should have been Dirk in 2005-06.

*I often hear the "Shaq missed too many games" rebuttal but that was the following year. He played in 73 games in 2004-05 but only 58 in 2005-06; Nash played in 75 games in 2004-05. The Heat also had the top East seed in 04-05 thanks to Shaq's presence.
 

AdNani

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NBA commentators are pushing the "greatest/most talented backcourt ever" for Luka and Kyrie. Thoughts, caftards?
Hard to argue isn't it?

Kyrie is probably the best ball handler of all time and Luka is a generational talent and likely multiple MVP/Champion.

every time Kyrie shoots.Drives in these play offs i expect it to go in
 

WI_Red

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Hard to argue isn't it?

Kyrie is probably the best ball handler of all time and Luka is a generational talent and likely multiple MVP/Champion.

every time Kyrie shoots.Drives in these play offs i expect it to go in
In my opinion it is relatively easy to argue it. Both Steph/Klay and Thomas/Dumars easily, at this moment, slide in front of the Mav's duo. West/Goodrich and Frazier/Monroe maybe, but those were such a different eras it's hard to say.

edit: Cousy/Jones?? Also, CP3/Harden, but they missed out because, since this is something to win, Harden missed a wide open layup that would have cemented his place and CP3 pulled a muscle.
 

Zen

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Seems the argument, or at least, the get out of it, was down to the fact that he "meant" to say with the talent to take over for a quarter or so consistently. Which is kinda true, Klay and Paul etc can't do that on the regular, but, outside of that, I'm totally taking them over Irving.

PS - petty arguments aside.

RIP Bill Walton
 
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WI_Red

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Damn, so many great memories of him (as an announcer) growing up. One of the great injury "what if's".