Everything Kawhi Leonard

[GOLDBLUM]

Congrats Kawhi! Another unpopular opinion... Kawhi didn't deserve it. He is awesome, but there were many times in the regular season where he just didn't try hard defensively and wasn't covering the opposing team's best player. I think Danny deserved it more.. Kawhi got in due to reputation.

Don't get me wrong.. I will take it. Kawhi is a beast and deserves every recognition he gets. But I'm surprised he made it. Especially since he only played 60's ish games.

I don't get Klay either. I've watched Klay play defense. He's okay but not some elite defender. Iggy should have made it over Klay.

The next closest person was PJ Tucker apparently, and I'd say that makes sense, as that's his entire game.

Kawhi deserves defensive MVP for the playoffs so far though imo.. (or maybe Gasol for that matter) I kinda hate how the awards reflect the regular season instead of the post-season, where things actually matter. Kawhi really earns his hardware in the postseason and that's just fine by me.

[planetmars]

Danny and Siakam were close.

[Zak24gege]

Danny and Siakam were close.

Good to see them get recognition and votes. Effectively they would be Third Team / All-NBA Defensive Players

[KeonClark]

7th to 10th..... on the Raptors? Crazy talk, man. Pascal was 2nd on the team in defensive impact (D-PIPM & DRPM) after Gasol. While he still makes a lot of mental mistakes (understandably), Siakam is the most switchable player 1-to-5 on the team. The fact that he can guard a guy on the perimeter as lightning quick as Bledsoe, yet still have the quickness and length to help on Giannis drives towards the rim makes him pretty unique and valuable. It's one of the things enabling the schemes that we're using to work. He saved the game the other night, flying to the rim to block Lopez (after almost coughing up the game missing 2 FTs, lol). Once he gets a bit physically stronger (without losing quickness and agility), while gaining defensive IQ, he's going to be an all-defense team regular.

Kawhi should not have made the All-Defense team this year because it's based on the regular season performance. He had his worst defensive season in years, and saved most of his energy for offense. Glad he did make it, though. Goes to show you just how subjective those all-defense teams are (*cough* Kobe).

You're talking regular season advanced stats, and that doesnt account for the fact that Lowry, Kawhi and gasol clearly switched their defensive gear shift from 2nd to 5th when the playoffs started.

Siakam is a great swiss army knife still improving. But If you're asking me; one possession, final play, game 7. I take Kawhi, Danny or OG man to man, I take Kawhi, kyle or marc scrambling team defense, and I take Serge or marc for rim protection.

again not a slight on siakam I think he can reach 1st team all defense and is on his way. But I think his pipm ain't easy and his rpms and vorps benefit greatly by being the young whipper snapper in the smart as fuck starting lineup

[Puffer]

Unpopular opinion: siakam is a tad overrated on defense. Hes GOOD, but the narrative around the nba is hes this 2 way player.

What he actually is is a scorer who's shows energy, potential, and flashes of brilliance on defense. In reality he's the 5th best defender in the starting lineup, and maybe somewhere from 7th to 10th best on the team. He lacks the IQ of out savvier guys. Which is not a slight on him at all, because hes actually a plus defender. It's a testamant to the DNA masai has built in this team in basically a 1 season retool.

I was thinking about the bolded part last night when I saw him make poor defensive decisions. But then I thought about how long he has been playing bball, and had to cut him some slack. It is only in the last couple of seasons that he has been tasked with heavy minutes on D against really good players. The way his responsibilities have been escalated, by virtue of his capabilities and the team needs, have overwhelmed his learning curve. But you can't be put through much more of a wringer than defending Giannis and Embiid. In the off-season, he will go back and review his performance in this palyoff run and he will come back in the summer much better. Some guys have a knack for D, but a lot of it is pattern recognition. You sense the dynamics of position and movement and react correctly. Kawhi is an extreme outlier in that regard. Learning plus genetics. I don't think Pascal can ever be as naturally gifted as Kawhi in defense, but he can definitely learn more. I am very confident he will.

[MixxAOR]

Bledsoe is All-Team Defense? wow

[slaw]

You're talking regular season advanced stats, and that doesnt account for the fact that Lowry, Kawhi and gasol clearly switched their defensive gear shift from 2nd to 5th when the playoffs started.

Siakam is a great swiss army knife still improving. But If you're asking me; one possession, final play, game 7. I take Kawhi, Danny or OG man to man, I take Kawhi, kyle or marc scrambling team defense, and I take Serge or marc for rim protection.

again not a slight on siakam I think he can reach 1st team all defense and is on his way. But I think his pipm ain't easy and his rpms and vorps benefit greatly by being the young whipper snapper in the smart as fuck starting lineup

I think what you see with Siakam sometimes is just a lack of experience. It's easy to forget that kids in high school have played organized basketball for longer than he has. It's easier to spot in the playoffs cause teams will really go after any perceived weakness and he's never experienced that before.

[rocwell]

[Apollo]

[slaw]

I made it almost 30 seconds in before I had to shut it off. Pretty proud of myself for getting that far.

I still don't understand how Shannon Sharpe is on TV. Honestly, I can't understand anything he says. He's even worse than that Wonder Woman actress.

[Apollo]

I made it almost 30 seconds in before I had to shut it off. Pretty proud of myself for getting that far.

I still don't understand how Shannon Sharpe is on TV. Honestly, I can't understand anything he says. He's even worse than that Wonder Woman actress.

Shannon is very charismatic. That's why he's there.

[dylan123]

Kawhi has been so very amazing to watch this playoff series, hope we've got a bit more to enjoy from him yet this season before having to think ahead to next season.

Can't get over how he delivers every time we need it, what a star!

[golden]

Unpopular opinion: siakam is a tad overrated on defense. Hes GOOD, but the narrative around the nba is hes this 2 way player.

what he actually is is a scorer who's shows energy, potential, and flashes of brilliance on defense. In reality hes the 5th best defender in the starting lineup, and maybe somewhere from 7th to 10th best on the team. He lacks the IQ of out savvier guys. Which is not a slight on him at all, because hes actually a plus defender. It's a testamant to the DNA masai has built in this team in basically a 1 season retool.

Pascal sees you. Monster performance on D last night.

[sanyo]

Masai took a gamble and paying off... he has to win exec of the year now, no brainer..

[sanyo]

Bledsoe is All-Team Defense? wow

I havent seen anything from him this series...