A tip of the cap to Russell Westbrook. He beat my Suns with his defense.

[MarathonMike]

He completely disrupted the Suns with steals, blocks, rebounds or poking the ball away. He didn't score much and he didn't need to. Unbelievable defensive performance.

 

[shockedcanadian]

He completely disrupted the Suns with steals, blocks, rebounds or poking the ball away. He didn't score much and he didn't need to. Unbelievable defensive performance.

Hard to imagine defense even exists in the NBA any more. The three point game has ruined the sport.

 

[MarathonMike]

You don't see real NBA defense until the playoffs. Westbrook just wanted it more tonight he was amazing.

 

[katsteve2012]

He completely disrupted the Suns with steals, blocks, rebounds or poking the ball away. He didn't score much and he didn't need to. Unbelievable defensive performance.

Agreed. He certainly appears to have reinvented himself after being traded from the Lakers.

I thought that the Lakers personally blamed him after their fantasy of a "big three" with Westbrook, Lebron James and Anthony Davis failed.

 

[sealybobo]

He completely disrupted the Suns with steals, blocks, rebounds or poking the ball away. He didn't score much and he didn't need to. Unbelievable defensive performance.

I didn't get to see that game. Shocked they beat the Suns.

And I don't think Milwaukee is going to win it all now. Even with Gianni healthy. I feel like it's someone else's turn this year. Could be Boston, Philly, Suns or one of the young teams out east.

As long as the Lakers don't win it all. That's the one thing I DON'T want happening. LOL.

I remember a couple years ago when Milwaukee won it all they lost the 1st game of every round. Or that's the way I remember it. So I'm not too worried that they won't get past Miami. But who knows. It sure doesn't hurt as bad knowing Gianni already has a championship. Of course you want the 2nd one because it proves the first wasn't a fluke and 2 puts you in an entirely different category.

What happened to Durant? Poor Chris Paul. LOL

 

[MarathonMike]

I didn't get to see that game. Shocked they beat the Suns.

And I don't think Milwaukee is going to win it all now. Even with Gianni healthy. I feel like it's someone else's turn this year. Could be Boston, Philly, Suns or one of the young teams out east.

As long as the Lakers don't win it all. That's the one thing I DON'T want happening. LOL.

I remember a couple years ago when Milwaukee won it all they lost the 1st game of every round. Or that's the way I remember it. So I'm not too worried that they won't get past Miami. But who knows. It sure doesn't hurt as bad knowing Gianni already has a championship. Of course you want the 2nd one because it proves the first wasn't a fluke and 2 puts you in an entirely different category.

What happened to Durant? Poor Chris Paul. LOL

Durant was good he had like 28 points. Westbrook seemed like he was all over the court disrupting play after play. I'm not surprised the Suns lost game 1, they haven't played as a unit that long and had a few days off, they looked rusty.

 

[Rocko]

I would love it if Westbrook eliminated KD.

 

[sealybobo]

Durant was good he had like 28 points. Westbrook seemed like he was all over the court disrupting play after play. I'm not surprised the Suns lost game 1, they haven't played as a unit that long and had a few days off, they looked rusty.

The Suns were almost undefeated in games Durant played in during the regular season. But who did they play? Now they're playing a really good team. I hope the Suns experiment falls apart like the Dallas experiment with Kyrie Irving. You need to play together for awhile in order to learn how to play together. It's just not right that Kevin is so good he instantly improves your chances on the court. Glad to see other teams have a solution. He's not as young as he used to be.

Westbrook has something to prove. But one thing he hasn't proved is that he still has it when it comes to scoring. WTF? I would laugh every time he missed an easy shot on the Lakers. Seemed to be all the time. But now I'm hoping he comes out of it and helps Leonard get to the next round, where Paul George will be back.

 

[sealybobo]

I would love it if Westbrook eliminated KD.

I wonder how many times in Chris Paul's career he thought "we got to win a championship this year", but it didn't happen.

After all the pretty good teams he was on, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2020, where he reached the NBA Finals for the first time in his career in 2021.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time,[5][6][7][8]Paul has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, an NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, two Olympic gold medals, and led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record six times. He has also been selected to twelve NBA All-Star teams, eleven All-NBA teams, and nine NBA All-Defensive teams. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

At the trade deadline he gets Durant??? Should be a slam dunk right?

 

[MarathonMike]

The Suns were almost undefeated in games Durant played in during the regular season. But who did they play? Now they're playing a really good team. I hope the Suns experiment falls apart like the Dallas experiment with Kyrie Irving. You need to play together for awhile in order to learn how to play together. It's just not right that Kevin is so good he instantly improves your chances on the court. Glad to see other teams have a solution. He's not as young as he used to be.

Westbrook has something to prove. But one thing he hasn't proved is that he still has it when it comes to scoring. WTF? I would laugh every time he missed an easy shot on the Lakers. Seemed to be all the time. But now I'm hoping he comes out of it and helps Leonard get to the next round, where Paul George will be back.

KD is a very different guy than Kyree, but his age and injuries are the question. Chris Paul is still the key to the Suns going deep into the playoffs. Ayton is only average without Paul feeding him. They got to get the chemistry right quick or they will be one and done.

 

[Rocko]

 

[sealybobo]

He completely disrupted the Suns with steals, blocks, rebounds or poking the ball away. He didn't score much and he didn't need to. Unbelievable defensive performance.

Hopefully they are healthy next year. Westbrook, Leonard and George

There are a lot of great young new players. They should take over as Lebron, Harden, Westbrook, Curry get older.

But it's cool Curry and Lebron both knocked out younger teams that thought this was there year. NOPE. Try again next year.

Will Denver beat the Warriors/Lakers? They should. And I believe now Denver is going to win it all. The Celtics aren't that great.

 

[MarathonMike]

Hopefully they are healthy next year. Westbrook, Leonard and George

There are a lot of great young new players. They should take over as Lebron, Harden, Westbrook, Curry get older.

But it's cool Curry and Lebron both knocked out younger teams that thought this was there year. NOPE. Try again next year.

Will Denver beat the Warriors/Lakers? They should. And I believe now Denver is going to win it all. The Celtics aren't that great.

I'm not a Lebron fan but he amazes me what he is doing at 38 years old and 20 years in the league. As much as I am a Jordan fan, Lebron has well exceeded him by now as GOAT imo. AD is the only guy I see that can match up with Jokic. If James and Davis stay healthy they could beat Denver.

 

[multivita-man]

Hard to imagine defense even exists in the NBA any more. The three point game has ruined the sport.

It's insane to think that as skills have improved, people think that it has ruined the sport. Look, I get that basketball was more entertaining in the 1980s and 90s because of one-on-one, physical basketball -- people like watching hockey fights and pro wrestling, but it was a crappier brand of basketball. Basketball now, without all the stupid "illegal" defenses, is a better product. It's real basketball the way it was meant to be played. The shooting is better. The passing is better. And believe it or not, the quality of defense is better. Defenses now have to cover every inch of the floor.

 

[multivita-man]

I'm not a Lebron fan but he amazes me what he is doing at 38 years old and 20 years in the league. As much as I am a Jordan fan, Lebron has well exceeded him by now as GOAT imo.

Um, no. I can never agree with that take, and I speak as a LBJ and Lakers fan. Michael Jordan is the best player to play the game.

 

[MarathonMike]

Um, no. I can never agree with that take, and I speak as a LBJ and Lakers fan. Michael Jordan is the best player to play the game.

Look at the multiple championships with multiple teams, all time scoring leader. MJ was the GOAT but Lebron has earned that title imo.

 

[multivita-man]

Look at the multiple championships with multiple teams, all time scoring leader. MJ was the GOAT but Lebron has earned that title imo.

All-time scoring leader? MJ retired twice. His career spanned from 1985 to 2001 - with 1994 and most of 1995, and then most of 1999 and 2000 off. MJ played in an era of hand-checking and hard-fouling. Don't get me wrong: LeBron James is right up there in the conversation of the top players, but MJ is better.

 

[MarathonMike]

All-time scoring leader? MJ retired twice. His career spanned from 1985 to 2001 - with 1994 and most of 1995, and then most of 1999 and 2000 off. MJ played in an era of hand-checking and hard-fouling. Don't get me wrong: LeBron James is right up there in the conversation of the top players, but MJ is better.

Clearly a matter of opinion, since MJ has more rings and was undefeated in finals play.

 

[multivita-man]

Clearly a matter of opinion, since MJ has more rings and was undefeated in finals play.

I think MJ and LBJ are very close, actually. The one thing I'd give LeBron the edge in is rebounds. He's physically bigger than MJ, so his rebounding and his shot blocking are better. No doubt.

MJ was better in terms of putting the ball on the floor and creating his own shot. They're probably both good at stealing the ball. They're both good at distribution. Sometimes I think LBJ has been unselfish to a fault, meaning that he dished to other teammates when he should have taken over the game.

If there's an intangible it's that MJ was just better in clutch moments. Give MJ the shot and there's a really good chance he kills you. LBJ? Maybe.

 

[MarathonMike]

MJ was prettier to watch, Lebron is just a brute. I really don't like the guy at all but what he's doing in the playoffs right now after 20 years in the league is ridiculous.