Who is the third best player in the NBA?

[SOD 21]

Rick Bucher and Howard Beck were just debating who the third best player was in the NBA behind LeBron James and Kevin Durrant, respectively.

Howard Beck selected Anthony Davis because of his ability to impact the game both on offense and defense. Rick Bucher selected Russell Westbrook because his ability to impact the game on both sides of the court and his ability to elevate his game in the playoffs.

What say ye?

[noob cake]

Paul, Davis, Love, Westbrook, Dwight are all candidates.

[dannywpt]

Russell Westbrook

[Im so nba'd out]

Paul George was....I guess i would have to go with kobe

[StephHamann]

Never believe i would say this but






















Blake Griffin :biggums:

[lilblingy]

The title for third best player belongs to Anthony Davis or Chris Paul.

[SpecialQue]

Never believe i would say this but






















Blake Griffin :biggums:

http://mrwgifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Get-Out-Simon-Pegg-In-Hot-Fuzz-Gif.gif

[MP.Trey]

Blake Griffin. CP3/Unibrow are worth mentioning though.

[SwayDizzle]

Kobe

[Beastmode88]

Kobe

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3692973/kobefail.gif

:kobe:

[Cold soul]

Anthony Davis / Paul George / Chris Paul.

[SOD 21]

While I do believe that Anthony Davis is the next great superstar, I also don't believe that he is there yet. He showed his tremendous upside last year in March when he averaged: 31 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for about a three-week period.

However, his defense has become somewhat overrated due to his shotblocking capability. He is a great shot blocker, obviously. But he is not a very good man to man defender. Opposing power forwards averaged 16.1 per against him and centers averaged 21; not to mention, his New Orleans team was one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

He will be a top three player soon enough, he is just not there yet.

[nathanjizzle]

how did the "what say you" phrase become so popular recently?

[SOD 21]

Last season there were only four players that were in the top 10 player efficiency rating (PER) for both the regular season and playoffs (I did not include players that failed to get out of the first round because the sample size is too small and leads to someone like Dujuan Blair getting listed), and those four players were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.

It would seem that either Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook would be a good place to start for that third spot.

[Mass Debator]

It's CP3.

[SOD 21]

So far the votes are all over the place ranging from Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis. Kobe Bryant seems pretty absurd, and this is coming from a die-hard Laker fan, considering both his age and the severity of multiple injuries that he suffered over the last year and a half.

It seems like the most legitimate cases can be made for Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis.

[longhornfan1234]

CP3

[Jlamb47]

Westbrook > CP3

id go with

Anthony Davis
Blake Griffin
Westbrook

[Heavincent]

Anthony Davis

[Lebron23]

Chris Paul

[BuffaloBill]

Michael Carter Williams

[kennethgriffin]

its stupid to say anyone other than kobe bryant.


even on one leg he's gonna average 27/5/5 this season

[raprap]

1. Lebron James
2a. Kevin Durant
2b. Russell Westbrook

[Real14]

:biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums: :biggums:

[dubeta]

Its one of those things where it doesnt matter

It seems on any given night #3-#10 is interchangeable, depending on the day


One bad game can drop a player from #3-#10 and vice versa

[red1]

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/2169667/russell-westbrook-windmill-o.gif
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1132615/westlol.gif
http://giant.gfycat.com/DeliriousUniformKentrosaurus.gif

[Graviton]

Russell Westbrook aka the most humble star in the league. :bowdown:

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1558394.1388013461!/img/httpImage/westbrook.gif

Compared to...

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/skoontz/red_blasgiuggimmeabreaklebron.gif

[dubeta]

Russell Westbrook aka the most humble star in the league. :bowdown:

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1558394.1388013461!/img/httpImage/westbrook.gif

Compared to...

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f347/skoontz/red_blasgiuggimmeabreaklebron.gif

LOL durants fake humble persona rubbed off Westbrook as well

[dyna]

CP3/Westbrook/Davis/Griffin

[Chuckbe]

Melo

[Cali Syndicate]

Anthony Davis is quickly climbing the ladder. Probably not top 3 but top5 isn't out of the question.

[LoneyROY7]

Blake "Earthquake" Griffin.

[thefatmiral]

blake or westbrook

[Dro]

No way is Anthony Davis there yet. Like someone else pointed out, once his overall defense has an overall positive effect on the team's overall defense, then he'll probably be there...But the team's defense is still horrible......Say what you want about Hibbert but his defense immediately raises the team's overall defense.....

Anyway, I'd have to go with Chris Paul. It's between him and Westbrook but to me, Paul is a better point guard...He can score if he needs to and he can defend, he's a better shooter, although Westbrook is a good shooter also but Paul is a better long-range shooter.....What gives him the edge is his court vision/floor leadership.....Westbrook, just does not have that......Westbrook motives HIMSELF.......He does things to get himself involved in the game.....I don't see teammates just rallying behind him like Paul's teammates do. you see Paul constantly talking to his teammates and them paying attention, like he's the general and they're the soldiers....

I don't see that when I watch Westbrook......

Chris Paul can still have a huge impact on the game even if he's not scoring......Westbrook needs the ball and needs to score to be effective, imo.....

[Real14]

damn, yall have done it again.:coleman:

[JohnFreeman]

Durant

[Im so nba'd out]

Michael Carter Williams
you have him rated that low :biggums:

[dreamwarrior]

No love for Melo?

[Young X]

Melo wasn't even better than Dirk last season.

[Graviton]

No way is Anthony Davis there yet. Like someone else pointed out, once his overall defense has an overall positive effect on the team's overall defense, then he'll probably be there...But the team's defense is still horrible......Say what you want about Hibbert but his defense immediately raises the team's overall defense.....

Anyway, I'd have to go with Chris Paul. It's between him and Westbrook but to me, Paul is a better point guard...He can score if he needs to and he can defend, he's a better shooter, although Westbrook is a good shooter also but Paul is a better long-range shooter.....What gives him the edge is his court vision/floor leadership.....Westbrook, just does not have that......Westbrook motives HIMSELF.......He does things to get himself involved in the game.....I don't see teammates just rallying behind him like Paul's teammates do. you see Paul constantly talking to his teammates and them paying attention, like he's the general and they're the soldiers....

I don't see that when I watch Westbrook......

Chris Paul can still have a huge impact on the game even if he's not scoring......Westbrook needs the ball and needs to score to be effective, imo.....

You obviously don't know much about Westbrook if you think he needs to score to be effective, multiple times in the post season he was shooting like shit but still having an impact because of his defense, playmaking or even rebounding. He had 3 triple doubles in the playoffs while nobody else had any. He averaged 27/8/7 along with 25 PER (highest among PGs), and outplayed Paul, Tony Parker and Conley.

His impact on opposing defenses is unmatched by anyone aside from Lebron. But yea Paul's "leadership" and "motivation" sure as hell helped him vs OKC when Westbrook was busy actually making clutch plays and winning the series. :applause:

You are just throwing out cliche empty words I always hear on ESPN. Basketball isn't played on paper, "vision", "floor leadership" and "motivation" lol. This isn't a damn Disney movie. If you actually payed attention to how OKC players get energized by Westbrook and play hard as a unit you would realize how idiotic your statement was.

[Le Shaqtus]

No love for Melo?

When you're a top scorer in the league and you can't even nab an 8th seed from an injured hawks team in a weak East, you're not top 3.

Argument can be made for top 5.

[Real14]

Melo wasn't even better than Dirk last season.
:facepalm

[Real14]

When you're a top scorer in the league and you can't even nab an 8th seed from an injured hawks team in a weak East, you're not top 3.

Argument can be made for top 5.
Woodson, felton, and teams tanking for tha knicks to not make tha playoffs sure helps:coleman:

[Real14]

No love for Melo?
Haters.

[JohnFreeman]

LeBron
Melo

Durant

[Dro]

You obviously don't know much about Westbrook if you think he needs to score to be effective, multiple times in the post season he was shooting like shit but still having an impact because of his defense, playmaking or even rebounding. He had 3 triple doubles in the playoffs while nobody else had any. He averaged 27/8/7 along with 25 PER (highest among PGs), and outplayed Paul, Tony Parker and Conley.

His impact on opposing defenses is unmatched by anyone aside from Lebron. But yea Paul's "leadership" and "motivation" sure as hell helped him vs OKC when Westbrook was busy actually making clutch plays and winning the series. :applause:

You are just throwing out cliche empty words I always hear on ESPN. Basketball isn't played on paper, "vision", "floor leadership" and "motivation" lol. This isn't a damn Disney movie. If you actually payed attention to how OKC players get energized by Westbrook and play hard as a unit you would realize how idiotic your statement was.
Don't know who the hell spit in your cereal this morning but thanks for calling my honest opinion idiotic, like I insulted your mother..Your entire post was basically full of insults, no reason for a rebuttal.....:confusedshrug:

[Le Shaqtus]

Woodson, felton, and teams tanking for tha knicks to not make tha playoffs sure helps:coleman:

The same team made the playoffs with a 2nd seed the season prior to that.

37 wins for a Superstar led team is not acceptable, especially in a weak conference.

[Graviton]

Don't know who the hell spit in your cereal this morning but thanks for calling my honest opinion idiotic, like I insulted your mother..Your entire post was basically full of insults, no reason for a rebuttal.....:confusedshrug:
Nowhere in the post did I insult you, I said your uninformed opinion was idiotic because you clearly had nothing to back it up. "Westbrook needs to score to be effective" when the guy had 3 triple doubles.

You have no rebuttal because you have no facts or data to support your ignorant opinion. Just the same old blanket statements and the usual ESPN cliches. Hence why you immediately took offense instead of focusing on the evidence. "Full of insults" when there is barely one at best. :oldlol:

[RoundMoundOfReb]

CP3

[MiseryCityTexas]

anthony davis would be unstoppable if he used back down postup moves

[JohnMax]

Chris Paul

[DaSeba5]

CP3

[oti]

LeBron

[bdreason]

Chris Paul. Could be Anthony Davis after next season though.

[bizil]

For me, it comes down to Melo and CP3. Then u got Love, Blake, Westbrook, Harden, Curry, Howard, and Aldridge. The guys like Wade, Rose, Kobe, and George are a question mark due to injury. But that kid Davis is coming strong as hell, he reminds me of how KG (cause of versatility and style of play) was shooting up the ranks fast as hell in his early years.

[TheMilkyBarKid]

Chris Paul. Could be Anthony Davis after next season though.
This, 2016 will be his big push for mvp.
Maybe even next season is the frontcourt with asik runs smoothly.

[NZStreetBaller]

I think Blake griffin as well. I believe hes underrated because people just view him as a dunker. Anthony davis is good but no where near 3rd. hes just become very popular on ish so people overrate the crap out of him.

[Doranku]

We still got fools who'd pick CP3 over Westbrook? :oldlol:

[beastee]

CP3....:roll: :roll:
You gotta make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs if you want to be called the third best player in the NBA.

Westbrook currently
Anthony Davis within a year or two.

George, Melo and CP3 all could be and maybe have in stretches.

What is most sad is that OKC has the #1b and #3 best players in the league and have only made the finals once. :facepalm

[Dro]

Nowhere in the post did I insult you, I said your uninformed opinion was idiotic because you clearly had nothing to back it up. "Westbrook needs to score to be effective" when the guy had 3 triple doubles.

You have no rebuttal because you have no facts or data to support your ignorant opinion. Just the same old blanket statements and the usual ESPN cliches. Hence why you immediately took offense instead of focusing on the evidence. "Full of insults" when there is barely one at best. :oldlol:
No, because it was my honest opinion you jackass...I took offense because you were disrespectful, for no ****ing reason on top of that..I don't come at folks like that on this forum so nobody should be coming at me like that....Just because you don't agree, doesn't make my opinion idiotic.How ab out explaining your side intelligently...If you ever read my posts, which you clearly haven't, you'd know that I have no problem being corrected and generally am involved in the good b-ball discussion around here....No trolling or any other bs so like I said, I didn't appreciate the tone of your post and I let you know that you didn't have to put it like that...If you don't like that then whatever..........

I don't give a shit if he had 3 triple doubles....I question if you're an adult because you should be able to disagree with somebody without insulting them. Think about that sh*t before you call someone else ignorant.....There's a million different ways you could have put your response. No, I took offense because instead of respectfully explaining to me why I was wrong (even though its my ****in opinion). I even said, I think Westbrook is basically 4th while you're sitting here acting like I sh*tted on the dude. He doesn't need you to protect him, he's obviously a grown man, unlike you apparently.....

Talking about I took offense...if anyone was offended it was YOU...over my opinion......Go back and read your post again and tell me I'm wrong.....

So anyway.....

[Graviton]

No, because it was my honest opinion you jackass...I took offense because you were disrespectful, for no ****ing reason on top of that..I don't come at folks like that on this forum so nobody should be coming at me like that....Just because you don't agree, doesn't make my opinion idiotic.How ab out explaining your side intelligently...If you ever read my posts, which you clearly haven't, you'd know that I have no problem being corrected and generally am involved in the good b-ball discussion around here....No trolling or any other bs so like I said, I didn't appreciate the tone of your post and I let you know that you didn't have to put it like that...If you don't like that then whatever..........

I don't give a shit if he had 3 triple doubles....I question if you're an adult because you should be able to disagree with somebody without insulting them. Think about that sh*t before you call someone else ignorant.....There's a million different ways you could have put your response. No, I took offense because instead of respectfully explaining to me why I was wrong (even though its my ****in opinion). I even said, I think Westbrook is basically 4th while you're sitting here acting like I sh*tted on the dude. He doesn't need you to protect him, he's obviously a grown man, unlike you apparently.....

Talking about I took offense...if anyone was offended it was YOU...over my opinion......Go back and read your post again and tell me I'm wrong.....

So anyway.....


http://s3.amazonaws.com/content.newsok.com/newsok/images/blogs/misc/RWGIF2.gif

[SamuraiSWISH]

I'm going

LeBron
KD
Westbrook
CP3
Melo

Do not understand why KD isn't getting into the Finals.

[Encre92]

I say Aldridge.

[Graviton]

I'm going

LeBron
KD
Westbrook
CP3
Melo

Do not understand why KD isn't getting into the Finals.
http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27702431/20140129_jla_su8_124.0_standard_400.0.jpg

[russwest0]

You obviously don't know much about Westbrook if you think he needs to score to be effective, multiple times in the post season he was shooting like shit but still having an impact because of his defense, playmaking or even rebounding. He had 3 triple doubles in the playoffs while nobody else had any. He averaged 27/8/7 along with 25 PER (highest among PGs), and outplayed Paul, Tony Parker and Conley.

His impact on opposing defenses is unmatched by anyone aside from Lebron. But yea Paul's "leadership" and "motivation" sure as hell helped him vs OKC when Westbrook was busy actually making clutch plays and winning the series. :applause:

You are just throwing out cliche empty words I always hear on ESPN. Basketball isn't played on paper, "vision", "floor leadership" and "motivation" lol. This isn't a damn Disney movie. If you actually payed attention to how OKC players get energized by Westbrook and play hard as a unit you would realize how idiotic your statement was.

This. It's rather easy to tell which posters get the bulk of their ideology from ESPN.

[russwest0]

http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27702431/20140129_jla_su8_124.0_standard_400.0.jpg

I could run on all day about how big of a jackass Brooks is. Namely because last year I had a lot of free time and watched tons of OKC games....

I can't tell you how many times this jackass got full on BAILED OUT by Durant or Westbrook (usually Durant in this case) last season...

The guy is literally a cheerleader playing the role of a head coach. I'm still surprised that OKC was somehow able to take the Spurs to 6 games with Brooks's dumbass leaving Ibaka on Bonner while Perkins stays in the game forcing OKC to play literal 4v5 ball.

It's more remarkable than anything that OKC can make it as far as they do in the conference they are in with the coach that they have.

[Dro]

This. It's rather easy to tell which posters get the bulk of their ideology from ESPN.
Really bro? You're really going to lump me in that category? Are all Thunder fans as sensitive as you two? Like if folks don't agree that every Thunder player is the best thing since sliced bread, now its all ESPN's fault:confusedshrug: Like, I barely ever watch ESPN anyway:lol

People can't even give honest opinions where they're not hating or anything and you guys get mad.....You guys have lost the right ever call anyone a stan or over emotional or anything close to that they way you guys are reacting just because someone thinks another player is better than your favorite players...Ok, you guys win, Westbrook is the best PG in NBA history, not only that, he's a better turtle than any of the TMNT, by far.....Good enough for you guys?

[Dro]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/content.newsok.com/newsok/images/blogs/misc/RWGIF2.gif
You were clearly offended because I don't have the same opinion on you as Westbrook and because I don't see the same thing you see when watching him play......I don't watch him play 82 games like you do.....I see him when I get to see him and gave my opinion....Sorry it made you upset....

[KG215]

What is most sad is that OKC has the #1b and #3 best players in the league and have only made the finals once. :facepalm
Yeah, I mean it's not like they've suffered an injury to a major/key player each of the last two postseasons or anything. Or that their supporting cast is either veterans who were severely deficient players on one end of the floor and/or young, inexperienced players a few years from their prime. Oh, and you know, there's that whole San Antonio juggernaut/buzzsaw they ran into last year.

[StephHamann]

Melo wasn't even better than Dirk last season.

https://38.media.tumblr.com/35892ef05b4c25b974b0b831b012bf23/tumblr_n1jourWGC01rn4s49o1_400.gif

[Eat Like A Bosh]

Chris Paul.

[miles berg]

Curry, Westbrook, or Anthony Davis. CP3 and Lamarcus Aldridge up there too.