Is KD right about Kawhi?

[JerrySeinfeld]

http://i.imgur.com/9c6Nnj2.jpg

[Crose]

op is russwest0

[bdreason]

This is old.

[plowking]

You know some of these NBA players are reading the shit we write on here. Dude is spitting some of the same arguments as the retards on here do. "System bro", "era specific", etc... lol.

They lurking.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Hmm I dunno.

Paul George is an elite defender too. I don't think there's any doubt that Paul George is better offensively, and has a greater ability to create his own shot.

Leonard is a bit better on defense, but not by a big margin. He's also in a better situation playing for Pop. I think a healthy Paul George on the Spurs in place of Leonard would be an upgrade though.

edit: oh wait, I thought the first tweet was KD

I'm in complete agreement with KD

[KDthunderup]

Even though Kawhi is my favorite non Thunder player I still have to agree with KD (assuming PG13 gets back to what he was pre-injury)

[Sportal]

This happened pre-PG13 injury. But once again, KD gonna enjoy watching Leonard from the comfort of his own couch.

[plowking]

Hmm I dunno.

Paul George is an elite defender too. I don't think there's any doubt that Paul George is better offensively, and has a greater ability to create his own shot.

Leonard is a bit better on defense, but not by a big margin. He's also in a better situation playing for Pop. I think a healthy Paul George on the Spurs in place of Leonard would be an upgrade though.

edit: oh wait, I thought the first tweet was KD

I'm in complete agreement with KD

Paul George is not an elite defender. He is probably just average.

People need to stop saying this about every lanky SF in the league.

"He got length and he under 220lbs? Yeah, he elite at D."

His 1st team All D selection is one of the worst, and that is saying something considering the amount of shitty selections that team has every year.

[TheMilkyBarKid]

If Kawhi was the primary focus of a defense as pg was in 2013-14, he certainly wouldn't be scoring at the same efficency as he currently is.

[FireDavidKahn]

Kahwi is the best wing in this league outside Durant/Lebron/Harden.

[KDthunderup]

Paul George is not an elite defender. He is probably just average.

People need to stop saying this about every lanky SF in the league.

"He got length and he under 220lbs? Yeah, he elite at D."

His 1st team All D selection is one of the worst, and that is saying something considering the amount of shitty selections that team has every year.
Nah PG13 is definitely a great defender but what separates him from guys like Kawhi and Allen is that they bring elite D every night. Kinda hard to be an elite defender whilst also carrying a team's offensive load and playing large minutes.

Guys like LeBron, Durant, PG13 are all good defenders but don't always bring it every game.

[buddha]

Leonard did improve his offense this year, it's a shame we didn't get to see Paul George improve his. back when that comment was made it PG was easily the better player than Kawhi, but recent events have narrowed that gap.

[FireDavidKahn]

If Kawhi was the primary focus of a defense as pg was in 2013-14, he certainly wouldn't be scoring at the same efficency as he currently is.
Kahwi has been 50%/37%/80% for his career. It may dip a tad but Kahwi is crazy underrated offensively. Once he is the main option he could easily be a 20+ ppg on much better %'s than Paul George.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Paul George is not an elite defender. He is probably just average.

People need to stop saying this about every lanky SF in the league.

"He got length and he under 220lbs? Yeah, he elite at D."

His 1st team All D selection is one of the worst, and that is saying something considering the amount of shitty selections that team has every year.
You're my boy, but I disagree with you on this.

I hate to use stats for D, but DRPM has him up there with Draymond Green and Tony Allen in 2013-14, and was actually the best defender who played over 29 MPG including Kawhi.

Even ignoring stats, when I watched him, he did an excellent job defensively and generally covered the best perimeter player on the other team. He has great footwork and instincts defensively. I don't consider him as good as Kawhi, but I think it's close

[KDthunderup]

Kahwi has been 50%/37%/80% for his career. It may dip a tad but Kahwi is crazy underrated offensively. Once he is the main option he could easily be a 20+ ppg on much better %'s than Paul George.
I'm not sure Kawhi could really be the main option just yet, don't think his handles are good enough yet. He only just had his career high 32 tonight.

[FireDavidKahn]

I'm not sure Kawhi could really be the main option just yet, don't think his handles are good enough yet. He only just had his career high 32 tonight.
Maybe, but switch places with PG and he could emulate his stats exactly with better %'s; most likely lower assists though.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Kahwi has been 50%/37%/80% for his career. It may dip a tad but Kahwi is crazy underrated offensively. Once he is the main option he could easily be a 20+ ppg on much better %'s than Paul George.
I wouldn't go that far. Kawhi's TS% this year is .567 and George last year was .555

I like Leonard, but his efficiency would be lower in a different system where he had to carry the load like Paul George does. I think he could be a 20 ppg type player but not on the same efficiency he's putting up now, or even better than George.

[plowking]

You're my boy, but I disagree with you on this.

I hate to use stats for D, but DRPM has him up there with Draymond Green and Tony Allen in 2013-14, and was actually the best defender who played over 29 MPG including Kawhi.

Even ignoring stats, when I watched him, he did an excellent job defensively and generally covered the best perimeter player on the other team. He has great footwork and instincts defensively. I don't consider him as good as Kawhi, but I think it's close

I don't consider overplaying on the ball constantly, and getting beat over and over, while having your big man cover your ass elite.

[PsychoBe]

I don't consider overplaying on the ball constantly, and getting beat over and over, while having your big man cover your ass elite.

another quote by our resident hipster :facepalm

"oh this is a popular opinion? nah i think the exact opposite"

pg13 has been one of the best man defenders for years and is a beast in the passing lanes, just stop.

[r0drig0lac]

Kawhi is a much better defender than PG, is not even close, and also a better rebounder, Kawhi has a legitimate post game and improved his offensive game each month, would have several games of 30 points is really Popovich wanted to play with it 35 mpg and your stats will be better than Paul George pre-injury when Duncan retire.

[Smoke117]

This just isn't fair at all. Paul George in his own right is one of the best defensive wings in the league, period. The guy makes a huge impact on that end. Offensively? He's probably more talented and if you want to go into efficiency...then what do you expect? George has been much more featured and a much bigger target for a teams defense than Kawhi has ever been. I just honestly fine this incredibly unfair to Paul George especially coming off the injury. This feels like a shot and a very cnutworthy one.

[Smoke117]

Kawhi is a much better defender than PG, is not even close, and also a better rebounder, Kawhi has a legitimate post game and improved his offensive game each month, would have several games of 30 points is really Popovich wanted to play with it 35 mpg and your stats will be better than Paul George pre-injury when Duncan retire.

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/14kwrhk.gif

[J Shuttlesworth]

This just isn't fair at all. Paul George in his own right is one of the best defensive wings in the league, period. The guy makes a huge impact on that end. Offensively? He's probably more talented and if you want to go into efficiency...then what do you expect? George has been much more featured and a much bigger target for a teams defense than Kawhi has ever been. I just honestly fine this incredibly unfair to Paul George especially coming off what he is.
Now that Kawhi has become a legit offensive threat, I want to see a series where he has to deal with a defender like Tony Allen or Draymond Green. A little taste of his own medicine

[TheMilkyBarKid]

Kahwi has been 50%/37%/80% for his career. It may dip a tad but Kahwi is crazy underrated offensively. Once he is the main option he could easily be a 20+ ppg on much better %'s than Paul George.
Keep in mind he has the benefit of playing in a system designed to give high percentage looks, alongside some of the least selfish professional athletes going around and coached by one of the greats.

Kawhi is a great player, but he is in a great situation both in terms of right now and his long-term development.

[Spurs m8]

How salty was KD hahah

[navy]

Kawhi is a much better defender than PG, is not even close, and also a better rebounder, Kawhi has a legitimate post game and improved his offensive game each month, would have several games of 30 points is really Popovich wanted to play with it 35 mpg and your stats will be better than Paul George pre-injury when Duncan retire.
Not really. Paul George is easily a better man defender than Kawhi. Faster as well. Danny Green guards man to man better than Kawhi does in my opinion. Which is why he does much better on point guards and shooting guards.

[Heavincent]

KD salty because Kawhi is taking in the accolades. FMVP, DPOY, with more to come.

[J Shuttlesworth]

KD salty because Kawhi is taking in the accolades. FMVP, DPOY, with more to come.
This was before Kawhi had any accolades

[Smoke117]

Now that Kawhi has become a legit offensive threat, I want to see a series where he has to deal with a defender like Tony Allen or Draymond Green. A little taste of his own medicine

Exactly. Kawhi has never up to this point had the red marker around his name. He's not that guy...yet? Is he becoming him? Well by his play probably so...but let's not act like he's that guy now. Paul George had a rude awakening the 2nd half of last year when teams started focusing on him...Kawhi is probably going to meet that next season. Will he be good enough to say it doesn't matter? shrug, who knows. But he hasn't ever been the REAL MAN EVER YET, so let's not all start sucking his dick just yet.

[r0drig0lac]

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/14kwrhk.gif
haha ... agree or not, this will become more evident every season.

[dunksby]

Kawhi is a much better player defensively and offensively compared to the time when KD said this. I'm sure Durant agrees as well.

[keep-itreal]

I wish he would post up more. I watched the game 3 highlights and he only post up once.

[Svendiggity]

They are different players. I'd take Kawhi because he plays quick. Moves the ball fast, makes his moves fast, makes decisions quick, etc. He'll catch the ball, make a quick spin move, dish to the post, dish to the wing, or shoot a mid-range. He's very decisive. Love his game. Not a go to player but a perfect second option.

[iamgine]

Paul George is more proven.

Kawhi has all the right tools, but he hasn't proven that he will reach that level. He could, but hasn't, premature to say he'll ever be.

[Smoke117]

haha ... agree or not, this will become more evident every season.

I always thought PG was overrated offensively...but the man was an ELITE DEFENSIVE PERIMETER PLAYER. Kawhi is not so much better that he is "way better" in this kind of match up. Maybe now it will be different with the injury...but PG the last couple of seasons was an elite defensive player by anyones estimate.

[Svendiggity]

I always thought PG was overrated offensively...but the man was an ELITE DEFENSIVE PERIMETER PLAYER. Kawhi is not so much better that he is "way better" in this kind of match up. Maybe now it will be different with the injury...but PG the last couple of seasons was an elite defensive player by anyones estimate.

Kawhi better on defense. By a lot. Not saying George is a bad defender. Kawhi is just the truth. Way faster laterally and just strong enough to body up. Quick hands and he's got the length to contest. No weakness.

[NumberSix]

Paul George is more proven.

Kawhi has all the right tools, but he hasn't proven that he will reach that level. He could, but hasn't, premature to say he'll ever be.
Does Paul George have a FMVP and a DPOY that I'm unaware of? :confusedshrug:

[scm5]

Does Paul George have a FMVP and a DPOY that I'm unaware of? :confusedshrug:

PG was better at the time. I think if you ask KD now how Kawhi compares to PG when at his best, it would be a different answer.

[Eric Cartman]

Paul George on the Spurs would be awesome, not better than Kawhi though.

KD drinking dat haterade.

[LEFT4DEAD]

I cant believe how much Kawhi is getting overrated on this board. Pre injury PG was the better player and there is no even little doubt about it. Wait till Duncan and Pop retire, the guy will get exposed big time just like Rondo.

[nzahir]

I cant believe how much Kawhi is getting overrated on this board. Pre injury PG was the better player and there is no even little doubt about it. Wait till Duncan and Pop retire, the guy will get exposed big time just like Rondo.
Waiting for this day; lets see what he can do when he has to carry the load.

[KNOW1EDGE]

A healthy PG13 is significantly better on the offensive side of the ball and moderately worse on defense.

both are great players. Not sure why KD even gets involved with this sh1t, it's a lose lose situation for him to comment on it.

[Paul George 24]

I cant believe how much Kawhi is getting overrated on this board. Pre injury PG was the better player and there is no even little doubt about it. Wait till Duncan and Pop retire, the guy will get exposed big time just like Rondo.
PG13 IS ONE DIMENSION ON OFFENCE,LIKE A CHUCKER LIKE KOBE BUT NOT AS CONSISTENT AS KOBE,AND HE LACK OF STRENGTH DEFEND WHO CAN SCORES IN THE POST

[dunksby]

PG13 IS ONE DIMENSION ON OFFENCE,LIKE A CHUCKER LIKE KOBE BUT NOT AS CONSISTENT AS KOBE,AND HE LACK OF STRENGTH DEFEND WHO CAN SCORES IN THE POST
Your diction further proves that you are Javale_McGee_34.

[Artillery]

Durant calling him a system player is just more proof that the haters are jealous of all his success at such a young age. Then again Kawhi has always been underrated his entire career. I remember there were retards on ISH arguing Parsons was better than him(that moron milwad being the most vocal).

[r0drig0lac]

Paul George is more proven? In exactly what? In attempting 17 shots per game?

[ZMonkey11]

You know some of these NBA players are reading the shit we write on here. Dude is spitting some of the same arguments as the retards on here do. "System bro", "era specific", etc... lol.

They lurking.

Shout outs to my man Zeke!

But, to the topic. Is KD right? ****ing probably. He plays against Kawhi on the regular throughout the season. And he spent a shit ton of time with PG on Team USA. He probably knows what he is ****ing talking about.

But, let us take the opinions of all the people that haven't played against these two guys.

[chocolatethunder]

Shout outs to my man Zeke!

But, to the topic. Is KD right? ****ing probably. He plays against Kawhi on the regular throughout the season. And he spent a shit ton of time with PG on Team USA. He probably knows what he is ****ing talking about.

But, let us take the opinions of all the people that haven't played against these two guys.
I have to say, that players' opinions about other players aren't really worth much most of the time. For example, Baron Davis said that Lee Nailon was a "20 ppg scorer in this league", which of course was bullshit. Yes, Lee Nailon. Rasheed and several of his teammates in Detriot and Orlando all said that Darko could play and was going to be good. I don't know if KD is right. He's probably salty that he views himself as a better player than Leonard and has to face him four times a year and then watch Leonard win FMVP as an inferior player to him. Just like Baron said that about Nailon because he was his friend and viewed him in that light, or theses dudes who played with Darko did. Just because someone's a pro doesn't mean that they're immune to having feelings that normal people have. No one likes to lose and no one likes to see a player who they think is not on their level win a championship and FMVP. I don't really agree with KD. "System" player is a bunch of bullshit. Any decent coach either gets a player and devises a system in which that player or players will thrive or has a system and identifies and develops players which will thrive in that system. All players have strengths and weaknesses and it's a coaches responsibility to play to those strengths and hide the weaknesses as best he can. You think that Westbrook would be good on SA? God no. He'd be marginalized and look like a fool. That doesn't make him any less good it just means he's not a good fit there.

So to me, KD facing Leonard four times a year and talking shit about him seems more like a guy who is sick of not winning a title and watching this other dude win instead (titles, games whatever their organization is just plain better) than it does a guy who actually thinks that PG has a better game than he does. If there's anyone here who hasn't talked shit on a guy that they've faced and gotten beaten by who the actually knew was really good then they must be a fckuing saint because that's real life shit.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Paul George is not an elite defender. He is probably just average.

People need to stop saying this about every lanky SF in the league.

"He got length and he under 220lbs? Yeah, he elite at D."

Seriously. Thought I was the only one who noticed this. Leonard is WORLDS better on D than George.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Paul George is more proven? In exactly what? In attempting 17 shots per game?
I've never seen Kawhi go off like Paul George did in game 5 of the ECF last year. I think PG had 20 in the 4th and willed his team to victory

[Alan Ogg]

I'll take the younger player with the Finals MVP and DPOY award who is currently beasting in the playoffs (and already has more playoff experience).

[pauk]

He is absolutely right.

[keep-itreal]

out of all the elite SF's right now, Leonard is probably the least athletic.

Also he hasn't shown the ability to carry a team like other SF's do, especially offensively but that could be because the system limits him or maybe he just doesn't have that kind of offensive power.

Still a good player though.

[r0drig0lac]

I've never seen Kawhi go off like Paul George did in game 5 of the ECF last year. I think PG had 20 in the 4th and willed his team to victory
respect your point, but I disagree. in my opnion Kawhi finals (3,4,5 games mostly) and his defense this season >> anything that PG has done

[WeGetRing2012]

I'll take the younger player with the Finals MVP and DPOY award who is currently beasting in the playoffs (and already has more playoff experience).

And the one who doesnt stay in the club raw dogging hoes...

[bdreason]

Again, this tweet is about two years old.

[Joyner82reload]

George averaged 22/7/3 55 TS% last year with borderline elite defense on a TERRIBLE offensive team. He is very clearly better than Leonard, or at least the George of last year was better than any version of Leonard up to this point. .

Put last year's George on this Spurs team and he's the 1st option averaging 20/5/4 on 60 TS%

[Wiltside]

First Kobe is jealous, now KD. :banana:

[upside24]

Kawhi is the real deal. I know it's just one game but he was amazing last night.

I was skeptical about Pop saying he was the next guy for the Spurs but it has become very apparent that he is a shut down defender with tremendous physical capabilities who's offensive game is improving at a rapid rate.

He showed the full offensive arsenal with the post up fadeaways, threes, midrange and off the ball movement last night.

The fact that he is being shown the right way to play and work hard by Pop and Timmy just makes me believe even more that he will be an elite player in the next few years (he already is elite but his numbers hold him back.)

Yes he is a system player because he isn't on a team that focuses on superstars taking 30% of the teams shots.

Love KD but he is scared of seeing Kawhi when he gets back.

[SpecialQue]

I thought this nigguh wasn't watching the playoffs?

[upside24]

KD is my favorite player but saying PG is better than Kawhi? Kawhi is only successful in a system?

Thought KD knew basketball but maybe he is just really talented.

Maybe he's being too busy making shitty coimmercials.

[finchyyy]

A healthy PG13 is significantly better on the offensive side of the ball and moderately worse on defense.

both are great players. Not sure why KD even gets involved with this sh1t, it's a lose lose situation for him to comment on it.

He gets involved because he's a ****ing beta.

[Lensanity]

Does anybody else think that Kaehi I'd way better than Paul George and it isn't even close?

[dubeta]

He gets involved because he's a ****ing beta.


Bingo.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Durthickemz was right all along but nikkas wanted to hate

no more Gregg Popovich system

no more Nick Nurse system

what do we got

[GimmeThat]

this is Kobe/Wade all over again, and KD's right

[Shooter]

https://i.postimg.cc/J7YYKbhV/yikes-kd-dumb.jpg

Yes KD was right about Kawhi. He was very, very right. Kawhi is a system guy