Back for Part II of our most entertaining NBA players (2014-15 edition), Daniel Fotinich and I finish off our top-5 in the league and it’s going to get a bit crazy by the end. That initial thought Fotinich had that this project would be boring? Well, we saved the best for last. Let me just say some claims have been made… Read for your entertainment!
5. Russell Westbrook
Elijah Abramson: Let me start off by saying how ecstatic I
am that he is back on the court. Russell Westbrook is one of the most
electrifying players in the game. When this concept for this column first
popped into my mind, the former UCLA star was one of the first players that
came to mind. In only his fourth game back, he threw down a MONSTER jam against
the Pistons and notified the league that he’s baaa-aaack.
I’ve been a huge critic of the way that Westbrook plays but there’s no denying his talent. I think if he had a competent coach, he and Kevin Durant would have a lot fewer moments like this:
Watching the KD-Westbrook dynamic in this play is straight
comedy. But you know what? It’s also entertaining!! I gave him 9s across the
board in our ranking and will thoroughly enjoy watching him and Durant vie for
the eighth seed in the West.
On the note of comedy, watching Stephen A. Smith proclaim
the Thunder would finish in the top-five in the West was comedy in its own
right. The fifth-seed is around a 54-55 win spot in the West and that means OKC
needs to win 76 percent of it’s final 62 games. I don’t see it happening.
Daniel Fotinich: I agree, I love watching Westbrook play.
He’s the highest ranked of my“athletic freak point guards” (which also includes
John Wall and Kyrie), primarily because of the raw emotion he shows. The
celebrations he makes after game-changing plays are extremely entertaining.
Nobody else in the league celebrates like he does. I believe that at some point
in his career, he will be an alpha dog on a championship team. We need
Westbrook to win a ring just to see that post-game celebration, as well as the
post-game outfit.
In regards to the playoffs, I agree that the Thunder are
unlikely to get the fifth seed or higher. However, do you think they’ll make the
playoffs? The West is loaded, and in 2008, the most lopsided year I can
remember (can you remember a single decent team from the East that year besides
Boston and Cleveland?!), the eighth seed had 50 wins. I imagine it’ll be similar
to that this year. I can’t find any odds on the Thunder making the playoffs,
but the odds on them winning the West right now are +400, higher than for the
Houston Rockets (+900). That might be because if they do make the playoffs, it
meant that they peaked at the right time, so I don’t know if its relevant to
analyzing if they get in. I think they just sneak in as the 8th seed, and upset
the no. 1 seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round.
Abramson: Watching him and KD dismantle the Cavaliers (minus
LeBron James) as I write this has been fun. He threw down another one of those
highlight reel dunks and manhandled the smaller Irving. Shaq was unsure of
whether Irving or Westbrook was better during the Inside the NBA halftime show.
And he’s considered a basketball analyst… Anyway....
I actually think the only way that Westbrook wins a
championship is as a number-one scoring option. I’m sticking to the position
I have held since the inception of Bases and Baskets in mid-2012 that
Westbrook and Durant aren’t winning a championship together (especially with
Scott Brooks at the helm).
I think the seven- or eight-seed is reasonable which does
scare me if the Warriors remain atop the conference. I was actually hoping the
Thunder’s odds would drop to around +1500 or so and then very seriously
consider throwing down on them as conference champions or even NBA champs.
There might be some late-season “tanking” where teams jockey for match-ups. How
the rest of OKC’s regular season pans out will have a lot to do with that.
3. LeBron James
Fotinich: There isn’t much that hasn’t been said about
LeBron James. Not only is he an athletic marvel, but he’s one of the very few
players that has matched the hype that preceded his rise. Without a doubt,
expectations for LeBron were sky high coming into the league, and his narcissistic tattoos (“King James,” really?) didn’t necessarily help things.
And you know what? He’s matched and likely exceeded anything people reasonably
expected of him. If he retires today, he’s one of the top 10 players in league
history. He’s a four-time MVP. And in regard to entertainment, I hold my breath
every time I see LeBron careening to the basket like a runaway train. If you’re
a top-10 player of all time, you’re on this list.
The main reason that LeBron isn’t ranked slightly higher is
that we are so used to his greatness. It’s hard to believe, but this is
actually his 12th NBA season. If he were to retire after this season, he
would’ve already played more minutes than Larry Bird. The recent flood of
articles that ask the question “Has LeBron peaked already?” only highlight his
greatness further, because if he hasn’t peaked yet, you might as well give
Cleveland the championship already.
Abramson: The man who landed a job at ESPN because of
LeBron, Brian Windhorst, actually wrote an interesting piece recently on the
decline of the King’s athleticism. Like you said, even now we still expect
grand things from him and his singular brilliance influences ticket prices.
He’s a statistical, athletic, and entertainment anomaly. And I think calling
him a top-10 all-time great is actually underselling him. In one of my new-age
analysis rankings, I compared the greats and wound up with him sitting among
the top FIVE greats of all time...and keep in mind he STILL hasn’t hit age 30
yet!!
I agree with the premise in Windhorst’s column, though. His
flashy athleticism has waned to a degree. We don’t see the same frequency of
jaw-dropping freak-of-nature plays as much as we did four to six years ago.
That’s why he was fourth in my ranking of most entertaining players today.
Fotinich: In regard to whether he is in decline, we need
more information, but its certainly possible.. The 30-point loss to the Hawks
the other night was embarrassing, and while that isn’t all on James, he’s
failing the eye test in regard to his strength. The Paleo diet may have been
the wrong choice, since he’s sacrificed his signature brute strength for
athleticism, which might not have been an appropriate choice given his age and
wear/tear. I think your prediction of LeBron shooting 57% from the field this
year is working out just as well as my “Lance Stephenson the All-Star”
prediction.
While I disagree with you that LeBron is a top-5 player of
all-time if he retires today, I will admit that even 50 years from now, people
will remember that they saw him play. His stats look like they’re from a video
game. On another note, Windhorst should definitely be paying at least a 25%
royalty on his paycheck to LeBron.
Abramson: Shhhhh, 57 percent? Who said that?
Abramson: Shhhhh, 57 percent? Who said that?
3. Kevin Durant
Abramson: Watching him go down in the Warriors-OKC game on
December 19th was brutal. He was LIGHTING up the best defense in the league. 30 points in 19 minutes…
that’s just not normal. He toys with defenses like Ron MettapeacePanda would
with anyone who physically challenges him. Hopefully he's back from RE-injury soon.
Basketball, at it’s finest, is an art. Durant has the
mastery of the offensive game like one of two players in the game today (the
other whom I gave a perfect 30 in this ranking…). It’s beautiful to watch
someone like him pull-up from three, step-back at the elbow, then throw down an
alley-oop. For a slender figure, he sure has proven you can succeed even if
your upper body doesn’t look like Michelangelo chiseled it from some ideal
basketball physique. There’s a lot to love about the OKC superstar.
He was no. 2 in my ranking for all of these reasons. I love
me some LeBron James but offensive basketball as an art is Kevin Durant.
Fotinich: I still remember when Kevin Durant couldn’t bench
185 pounds before the NBA draft in 2007 and everybody wondered, “Wait, is this
guy trying to play small forward?” Fast forward seven years, and Portland
taking Greg Oden over KD seems as bad of a mistake as taking Sam Bowie over
Michael Jordan (that was Portland too?! Oh, ok).
The first time I watched KD play for an extended period of
time was the Lakers-Thunder first-round series in the 2010 playoffs. The eighth
seeded Thunder took the Lakers to six games, and were one Gasol offensive rebound
away from going back to Staples Center with a chance to pull off the shocking
upset. However, Metta World Peace (then known as Ron Artest) locked KD down
throughout the series, holding him to 35% shooting and an even lower % from 3.
I watched the series wondering how KD would ever shoot 45% from the field,
given the types of shots that he was being forced to take. Since then, he has
refined his game in every aspect and has become the best offensive player in
the league. Shooting 50% from the field is already incredible in the NBA, but
its even more incredible when you’re mainly shooting jump shots while being
double-teamed. The best adjective I could use to describe KD’s game is
“smooth." It has been amazing watching KD grow, and I still believe that he
could average 35ppg in a full season.
Abramson: There’s no doubting he was a premiere defender in
his heyday but Metta WorldArtest is now known as The Panda’s Friend...but
realistically who can keep up with his name changes? He’s definitely his own
man and has had an interesting path of nicknames while The Slim Reaper never
caught on with Durant. I think he’s okay with that though, his Nike deal was
astronomical.
1. Steph Curry
Fotinich: Non-biased opinion here - Steph Curry might be my
favorite player to watch today. I’ve always been a fan of great shooters, and
Curry might be the greatest shooter of all time. Here’s the most fascinating
part about Curry’s career 43.4% three-point percentage. Just about all of the guys historically
known for their three-point shooting have been exclusively catch-and-shoot guys
(Kyle Korver, Steve Kerr) or primarily catch-and-shoot guys (Reggie Miller, Ray
Allen). Curry is the primary ball-handler on this Warriors team, so he
catches-and-shoots about once in a blue moon. I don’t have any “next generation
stats” on this, but I’m pretty sure that almost all of Curry’s three-point attempts
are contested. And he’s still shooting 43%? That’s amazing. In advance of
Kobe’s retirement, I’m also nominating “Curry!” to become the phrase to shout
when somebody makes a crazy shot in a pick-up game. He’s that good.
Abramson: Hmmm… You had one player ranked higher than Steph
on the most entertaining players ranking so I need a bit of clarification on
how he can also be your favorite player to watch. I equated most entertaining
with favorite to watch hence why I gave Steph the only perfect 30 and my top
spot in this ranking. In my basketball-watching lifetime, the most entertaining
players to watch (no particular order) to me are: Shaq, Steph, Durant,
Westbrook, The Answer, Wade, and the Suns rendition of Amare (still have a
poster of him somewhere in my room…).
I’ve written extensively on Steph here on Bases and Baskets,
most recently on a well-received feature on his much improved defense. Not sure
if I’m the captain of the boat but I have to be up there leading the S.S. Steph
in saying he’s the best PG in the league (since April), a top-five player in the NBA, and I even wrote up a specific comparison saying that he’s better than Russell Westbrook. Not sure how that Westbrook comparison is looking right now,
but to me, Steph has to sit atop the ranking of most entertaining NBA players.
Fotinich: I’ll clarify exactly why I put one player ahead of
Steph in a moment, but its absolutely a close call. He’s a solid no. 2 in my
opinion. It also makes me relieved that his ankle problems seem to be an issue
of the past; we haven’t been hearing about that in over a year. Golden State
didn’t give him the full max mainly due to those recurring issues, and since
that extension, he’s been the best value non-rookie contract in the league.
Steph ($10.6m) is making less than JaVale McGee ($11.3m) this year!
I saw Steph play in person during Kobe’s 34-shot game
earlier this year, and he makes shooting threes look so effortless. His shot
gets off faster than most guys in the league (I don’t think I’ve seen a Steph
three get blocked), and he can shoot it from anywhere. Its amazing to watch.
1. Blake Griffin
Abramson: Although I had him third, the law of averages
brought up him to no. 1 and I can’t say that I’m surprised. We’ve both jockeyed
for our own guys (I have Steph and KD ahead of BG) but in the end, the
finishing half of Lob City got the no. 1 spot. This is hard for me because as a
Warriors fan, I detest the Clippers. However, it’s hard not to like Blake and
DeAndre as a tandem. (One of the ESPN guys compared DeAndre to Bill Russell on
Christmas but that’s the subject of a whole different column.) When you think
of star factor (he’s in LA), unique factor (daily posters), and WTF factor (did
he pull up from 20 and then just take Draymond to the rim off the dribble for a
flush?) he has each going for him.
Now...there is some drama stirring that Bill Simmons pointed
out just a couple days after Christmas. Pull up the popcorn to see what
happens...
You can point to the awful bench, no perimeter stopper etc, but the real prob with the Clips is they don't love playing with each other...
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 27, 2014
New Hollywood soap opera anybody?
Fotinich: I picked Blake first, and to me, its an easy
choice. Having been to several Clipper games since they drafted Griffin, I know
the unwritten rule: “Never leave your seat when Blake is on the court”. I broke
this rule during my first Clipper game, and when I returned to my seat, my
little sister was sitting with her mouth agape. Of course, I missed a signature
Blake Griffin jam.
Without a doubt, Griffin has evolved into a more complete
player over the past few seasons. He’s averaging 4.7 assists/game (seriously)
and shooting more consistently from outside of ten feet. As for his
entertainment value, however, its his ridiculous dunking ability that earns him
my no. 1 spot. I’ve never seen any of the greatest dunkers in person, but from
watching highlights and reading articles, I agree with many that Blake Griffin
is the best dunker in history. Dunking has been central to NBA entertainment
for years, so it makes sense that the best dunker is ranked as the most
entertaining player in the NBA. His near-fight arguments with opponents
(seemingly during every game) boost his entertainment value even further.
In regard to the Clippers themselves, I can’t believe that
they’re only sixth in the West despite being on pace for a 55-win season. I
still think they have as good of a
chance as anybody to make it out of the West, but it will be a bloodbath
throughout. Regardless, Blake Griffin is the most entertaining player in the
league.
Abramson:
HOLD UP. There can be debate over many things in the NBA, I’ll give you that. But if we’re talking about best dunkers in modern era players and not including the game-changing value of guys like Dr. J and Clyde the Glyde or The Human Highlight Reel, this question is a can of corn. Vince Carter is hands down the greatest of all time. There is no debate.
And somehow THIS dunk didn’t even make it on there!!
Blake Griffin, the greatest of all time? You should be disqualified from basketball analysis for saying that. The combination of power and acrobatics from this guy was bar NONE. And what about Jason Richardson??? I’m still shaking my head. We’ll see if anyone reads this far and comments on this subject. I do appreciate the nostalgia of re-watching some Vinsanity, though, so thank you for that. This guy was a piece of work and man...if only he and T-Mac stayed together in Toronto. The Raps would hardly need the publicity from Drake.
As I’m recovering from the shock of reading Blake is the
greatest of all time, I must say this has been an enjoyable 5,000+ word double-column. In the end, basketball needs entertainment to fill the seats. And Steph
Curry, BG, KD, LeBron, and Kobe are a privilege to watch.
- - - - - - -
Our combined score for the players that we ranked in the top-5 were as follows:
5. Russell Westbrook (53)
3. LeBron James (54)
3. Kevin Durant (54)
1. Steph Curry (56)
1. Blake Griffin (56)
- - - - - - -
Our combined score for the players that we ranked in the top-5 were as follows:
5. Russell Westbrook (53)
3. LeBron James (54)
3. Kevin Durant (54)
1. Steph Curry (56)
1. Blake Griffin (56)
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