Chris Paul Without Playoff Injuries

[dankok8]

How good would CP3's career have been if not for so many freaking playoff injuries?

He played in 15 postseasons and was injured in 7 of them. It's absolutely insane.

[highwhey]

that year when they went against gsw and did well, that was probably his best chance at winning.

[Axe]

He had a huge shot in 2018. They were only a win away from the finals when the unfortunate happened.

[warriorfan]

How good would CP3's career have been if not for so many freaking playoff injuries?

He played in 15 postseasons and was injured in 7 of them. It's absolutely insane.

I ****ing hate chris paul with a passion but if we are being real and setting aside personal feelings, it’s pretty insane.

Chris Paul has to have one of the most successful careers that don’t have a ring.

For one his peak in his early 20’s was ****ing insane. He was as dominant as a small guy can ever be. And tbh I shouldn’t even include “small guy” as a disclaimer, he was as good as they get.

I remember hearing anecdotes about young chris paul playing with the USA team. Supposedly he was undefeated in one on ones in practice. No one could stay in front of him.

The same fate that happens to all small guys, they lose that half step of quickness and it sets them back big time. CP was still so good that he didn’t allow it to tank his game. He still knew how to find ways to win. And he won in pretty much every situation he was ever put in. I don’t know if there’s a guy who got thrust into more different situations and had such a positive effect everytime.


I ****ing hate chris paul, but even then still I gotta tip my cap. He’s a G.

[RRR3]

He wins in 2018 if he doesn't get hurt and KD and Curry's legacies look completely different. LeBron might not have got another ring either because of the butterfly effect. That's why the way we determine legacies is so silly, so many guys are a few lucky bounces away from being perceived completely differently.

[tpols]

Some of the injuries I feel like he could've played through. That hammy in 2018 he could've for sure. Had guys like Isiah Thomas hopping around on literally one leg to win... dude just quits @ the end of playoff series.

[RRR3]

Some of the injuries I feel like he could've played through. That hammy in 2018 he could've for sure. Had guys like Isiah Thomas hopping around on literally one leg to win... dude just quits @ the end of playoff series.
https://i.ibb.co/NsGGJhj/s.png

[Proctor]

Some of the injuries I feel like he could've played through. That hammy in 2018 he could've for sure. Had guys like Isiah Thomas hopping around on literally one leg to win... dude just quits @ the end of playoff series.
This.

And one more thing...













https://media.tenor.com/MtJ_OYdrs4EAAAAM/rajon-rondo-chris-paul.gif

[1987_Lakers]

Probably the unluckiest superstar ever along with West & Baylor, they for sure win a title in 2018 if CP3 didn't get hurt.

Casuals call him a choker, because they are too lazy to look at any context.

Best all-around point guard this league has ever seen.

[tpols]

This.

And one more thing...













https://media.tenor.com/MtJ_OYdrs4EAAAAM/rajon-rondo-chris-paul.gif

I was looking over his injury history and it's all small soft tissue stuff. Hamstring, groin, etc. He wasn't breaking his ankle or dislocating his knee or something. No major trauma at all. It reminds me of Kawhi sitting the playoffs out with knee soreness every year. Absolute travesty these guys make so much money to not even play when players of the past got paid a fraction of the money and always showed up pretty much no matter what boo boo they had.

[tpols]

Probably the unluckiest superstar ever along with West & Baylor, they for sure win a title in 2018 if CP3 didn't get hurt.

Casuals call him a choker, because they are too lazy to look at any context.

Best all-around point guard this league has ever seen.

Cleveland would've beat Houston in the Finals imo. They came out swinging super hard and we know Paul would've eventually sat out in that series as well. So all they'd have to beat is Harden and his 3pt chucking army.

[dankok8]

Cleveland would've beat Houston in the Finals imo. They came out shining super hard and we know Paul would've eventually sat out in that series as well. So all they'd have to beat is Harden and his 3pt chucking army.

I think the Cavs would get steamrolled by Houston. The Rockets are one of the better teams not to win the title and the Cavs just couldn't defend.

[1987_Lakers]

Cleveland would've beat Houston in the Finals imo. They came out swinging super hard and we know Paul would've eventually sat out in that series as well. So all they'd have to beat is Harden and his 3pt chucking army.

Nah, Cleveland would have gotten stomped. 2018 Rockets are one of the best teams ever to not win a chip. Cavs were a 1 man show.

[tpols]

I think the Cavs would get steamrolled by Houston. The Rockets are one of the better teams not to win the title and the Cavs just couldn't defend.

I disagree with Paul always sitting out. Harden + role players isn't a super team at all. They got hot for a little bit, but that was eventually corrected when they missed like 27 threes in a row. With how Lebron played in G1 Cleveland would've stole that game and been in a great position going forward to win.

[tpols]

Nah, Cleveland would have gotten stomped. 2018 Rockets are one of the best teams ever to not win a chip. Cavs were a 1 man show.

Without Chris Paul the Rockets were a 1 man show as well. Harden was their only star player. It's crazy a Lebron fan would say he'd get "stomped" by that. :lol That's your GOAT? I have more faith in him than you do.

[jayfan]

Probably the unluckiest superstar ever along with West & Baylor, they for sure win a title in 2018 if CP3 didn't get hurt.

Casuals call him a choker, because they are too lazy to look at any context.

Best all-around point guard this league has ever seen.

Best stat-nerd point guard this league has ever seen. That's about it.

.

[highwhey]

He wins in 2018 if he doesn't get hurt and KD and Curry's legacies look completely different. LeBron might not have got another ring either because of the butterfly effect. That's why the way we determine legacies is so silly, so many guys are a few lucky bounces away from being perceived completely differently.

on the opposite side, curry is one of the luckiest superstars ever. gets paired with the perfect teammates to cover up his deficiencies and augment his abilities (dray and kaly were excellent defenders and dray set up the perfect illegal screens for him to get off his 3s). but his real luck came in the playoffs when he consistently faced off against teams who had major injuries. there's no way he wins a title with a healthy cleveland pre-KD. and we all know in 2018 they would have lost to a healthy houston. he may only have had 1 or 2 rings without being that lucky facing teams with big injuries.

[1987_Lakers]

Without Chris Paul the Rockets were a 1 man show as well. Harden was their only star player. It's crazy a Lebron fan would say he'd get "stomped" by that. :lol That's your GOAT?

I'm talking about a healthy CP3 in the series. They won 65 games, had the #1 offense and a top 7 defense. They surrounded Harden & CP3 with a bunch of 3 and D guys who knew their role.

[Stephonit]

All these posts about the missed opportunity Chris Paul had in 2018 but not one mention of the finals appearance he actually had in 2021.

[tpols]

on the opposite side, curry is one of the luckiest superstars ever. gets paired with the perfect teammates to cover up his deficiencies and augment his abilities (dray and kaly were excellent defenders and dray set up the perfect illegal screens for him to get off his 3s). but his real luck came in the playoffs when he consistently faced off against teams who had major injuries. there's no way he wins a title with a healthy cleveland pre-KD. and we all know in 2018 they would have lost to a healthy houston. he may only have had 1 or 2 rings without being that lucky facing teams with big injuries.

Chris Paul cost you guys a title in the 2021 NBA Finals Game 4 about to go up 3-1. One of the biggest chokejobs ever. Book was great too. Felt bad for him.

Curry OTOH had one of the best Game 4s in NBA Finals history in the 2022 NBA Finals to save his team from certain defeat.

From a pure talent perspective, Curry and Paul are similar both GOAT point guards but Paul simply never showed up when it mattered. You guys would've been champions with Curry and Book and Bridges and Ayton.

Would've been a landslide.

[RRR3]

I disagree with Paul always sitting out. Harden + role players isn't a super team at all. They got hot for a little bit, but that was eventually corrected when they missed like 27 threes in a row. With how Lebron played in G1 Cleveland would've stole that game and been in a great position going forward to win.
Bro if LeBron fans are telling you he would have lost, he would have lost. That Rockets team was incredible. Cavs weren't bad, but they lose in 6.

[1987_Lakers]

Best stat-nerd point guard this league has ever seen. That's about it.

.

He transformed shitty teams into playoff caliber teams.

Hornets won 18 games before they drafted CP3, won 20 more games the next year with rookie CP3, won 56 games in his 3rd year

Clippers were 32-50 before they got CP3, instantly became one of the better teams in the league with him

Rockets got better when they got him

OKC made the playoffs with CP3 despite losing Westbrook & PG13 the year before

Suns instantly got better and made the Finals with CP3

Every team he joined, he made better.

[RRR3]

He transformed shitty teams into playoff caliber teams.

Hornets won 18 games before they drafted CP3, won 20 more games the next year with rookie CP3, won 56 games in his 3rd year

Clippers were 32-50 before they got CP3, instantly became one of the better teams in the league with him

Rockets got better when they got him

OKC made the playoffs with CP3 despite losing Westbrook & PG13 the year before

Suns instantly got better and made the Finals with CP3

Every team he joined, he made better.
CP3 is the best barometer of whether someone is actually an intelligent basketball analyst. Most people fail it sadly. He also gets held to weird standards for a guy who's never scored more than 22.8 PPG.

[tpols]

Bro if LeBron fans are telling you he would have lost, he would have lost. That Rockets team was incredible.

No it wasn't. Harden is a notorious playoff choker and Paul is always getting hurt. There's nothing about their talent that says they were stacked which is why you can't articulate how they were. Regular season win total doesn't mean anything when we're talking about Harden. His game fell off a cliff in the playoffs every year when refs swallowed their whistles on all his cheap flop techniques.

[Axe]

Chris Paul cost you guys a title in the 2021 NBA Finals Game 4 about to go up 3-1. One of the biggest chokejobs ever. Book was great too. Felt bad for him.

Curry OTOH had one of the best Game 4s in NBA Finals history in the 2022 NBA Finals to save his team from certain defeat.

From a pure talent perspective, Curry and Paul are similar both GOAT point guards but Paul simply never showed up when it mattered. You guys would've been champions with Curry and Book and Bridges and Ayton.

Would've been a landslide.
Lmao chef always has had better perennial help, esp. with kd back then. Having three other all-star teammates in 2018 is a huge testament to this. Otoh, whoever cp3 had before always paled in comparison, regardless which angle you try to look at it.

[SouBeachTalents]

Even when he was healthy, I felt like CP3's teams always found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Game 5 vs. OKC, they were up 7 with like 45 seconds to go, CP3 foolishly fouls Westbrick on a 3 to give up the lead, then turns the ball over twice in the final 20 seconds

Game 6 vs. Houston, they blow a 20 point lead at home in the final 15 minutes against a less talented Rocket team, all of this with Harden sitting on the bench, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process

Game 4 vs. Milwaukee, with a chance to put a hammerlock on the series CP3 has an atrocious performance, I understand he was 36, but he still cost his team the game

Then you have shit like the all time record defeat in a playoff game, losing by 40 in Game 7 to Dallas. Yes, he got injured a lot, and that likely cost him the title in 2018, but I feel like people use the injury excuse to mask a career of his teams consistently failing to come through in pivotal moments.

[RRR3]

No it wasn't. Harden is a notorious playoff choker and Paul is always getting hurt. There's nothing about their talent that says they were stacked which is why you can't articulate how they were. Regular season win total doesn't mean anything when we're talking about Harden. His game fell off a cliff in the playoffs every year when refs swallowed their whistles on all his cheap flop techniques.
Harden wasn't playing particularly well, and they were still up 3-2 versus the KD Warriors. I absolutely can articulate it, they had an offensive visionary coach in D'Antoni and were absolutely stacked with role players (Clint Capela, prime Trevor Ariza, prime P.J. Tucker, prime Eric Gordon) and then of course had two of the best lead guards of all time both in their prime.

[RRR3]

Even when he was healthy, I felt like CP3's teams always found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Game 5 vs. OKC, they were up 7 with like 45 seconds to go, CP3 foolishly fouls Westbrick on a 3 to give up the lead, then turns the ball over twice in the final 20 seconds

Game 6 vs. Houston, they blow a 20 point lead at home in the final 15 minutes against a less talented Rocket team, all of this with Harden sitting on the bench, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process

Game 4 vs. Milwaukee, with a chance to put a hammerlock on the series CP3 has an atrocious performance, I understand he was 36, but he still cost his team the game

Then you have shit like the all time record defeat in a playoff game, losing by 40 in Game 7 to Dallas. Yes, he got injured a lot, and that likely cost him the title in 2018, but I feel like people use the injury excuse to mask a career of his teams consistently failing to come through in pivotal moments.
You can find 3 performances like this from LeBron's career easily.

[tpols]

This dude really just said prime Trevor Ariza and PJ Tucker.

:roll:

[RRR3]

This dude really just said prime Trevor Ariza and PJ Tucker.

:roll:
Did I not specify they were role players? :facepalm Prime literally just means they were fully developed and hadn't declined, every player who lasts in the league has a prime.

Dumb as a rock as usual. But you only value guys who score 25 PPG, we know this.

[1987_Lakers]

This dude really just said prime Trevor Ariza and PJ Tucker.

:roll:

Those are perfect role players you surround with your star players.

[RRR3]

Those are perfect role players you surround with your star players.
He hates role players, if he built his ideal team it would be

Kyrie
Curry
Kobe
Bird
Jokic

and then he'd have DeRozan, Dirk, Nash, Reggie Miller off the bench.

[Axe]

He hates role players, if he built his ideal team it would be

Kyrie
Curry
Kobe
Bird
Jokic

and then he'd have DeRozan, Dirk, Nash, Reggie Miller off the bench.
If he can he'd probably give some room to put in ja morant too, despite being a liability to his very own team. :roll:

[tpols]

Even when he was healthy, I felt like CP3's teams always found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Game 5 vs. OKC, they were up 7 with like 45 seconds to go, CP3 foolishly fouls Westbrick on a 3 to give up the lead, then turns the ball over twice in the final 20 seconds

Game 6 vs. Houston, they blow a 20 point lead at home in the final 15 minutes against a less talented Rocket team, all of this with Harden sitting on the bench, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process

Game 4 vs. Milwaukee, with a chance to put a hammerlock on the series CP3 has an atrocious performance, I understand he was 36, but he still cost his team the game

Then you have shit like the all time record defeat in a playoff game, losing by 40 in Game 7 to Dallas. Yes, he got injured a lot, and that likely cost him the title in 2018, but I feel like people use the injury excuse to mask a career of his teams consistently failing to come through in pivotal moments.

Yup.

He never showed up when it mattered. In the flow of the season and game King, but a disaster in the clutch. Which is wierd because somebody with Chris Paul's shooting skill and IQ and grittiness you'd think would be awesome in the clutch.

[SouBeachTalents]

You can find 3 performances like this from LeBron's career easily.
Yeah, but you can't find one notable CP3 moment in nearly 20 years besides his GW against the Spurs, trying to equate that to LeBron is just stupid :lol

[RRR3]

Yeah, but you can't find one notable CP3 moment in nearly 20 years besides his GW against the Spurs, trying to equate that to LeBron is just stupid :lol
LeBron has had better teams around him.

[SouBeachTalents]

LeBron has had better teams around him.
True, besides that, he & LeBron are comparable as playoff performers.

[1987_Lakers]

Yeah, but you can't find one notable CP3 moment in nearly 20 years besides his GW against the Spurs, trying to equate that to LeBron is just stupid :lol

He's not the scorer LeBron, KD, & Durant were. Most of the big names who have these moments are big time scorers, it's unfair to hold CP3 to that standard. When you look at pass first point guards throughout history, it's hard to find those "notable" moments from them on a consistent bases.

Overall, his production in the playoffs saw no drop off compared to his regular season play. He was a good playoff performer who had some good and bad moments just like any other player, but was dealt with injuries at the worst possible moments that you don't see in most players.

[RRR3]

True, besides that, he & LeBron are comparable as playoff performers.
CP3 has maintained his level of production compared to the regular season in the playoffs just as much as LeBron has, LeBron is just a better player to begin with. If your argument is well he's not as good as LeBron, that's a pretty bad one for saying he's not one of the best players ever.

[RRR3]

He's not the scorer LeBron, KD, & Durant were. Most of the big names who have these moments are big time scorers, it's unfair to hold CP3 to that standard. When you look at pass first point guards throughout history, it's hard to find those "notable" moments from them on a consistent bases.

Overall, his production in the playoffs saw no drop off compared to his regular season play. He was a good playoff performer who had some good and bad moments just like any other player, but was dealt with injuries at the worst possible moments that you don't see in most players.
Always funny when people would be screaming at CP3 for not averaging 30 PPG in a series or whatever when he generally scored like 19 PPG even in his prime. He actually has increased his scoring in the playoffs tbh.

[1987_Lakers]

Off the top of my head, this has me recalling big moments from other previous point guards. Magic, I can only think of 1980 in that Finals game when Kareem was out, but he had to change his style of play for him to have that performance. Also in 1987 when he hit the game winner in Boston, that's pretty low for a guy who won 5 chips and been to like 9 Finals.

Isiah has game 6 in '88 vs the Lakers, but that was in a loss.

Stockton has that game winner vs Houston in '97, that's about it.

Kidd made the Finals in back to back years, don't recall a game where he tore it up or made a game winner in those runs.

Nash had a couple of huge scoring games during his '05 playoff run, but that's about it.

Again, this is off the top of my head.

[RRR3]

Off the top of my head, this has me recalling big moments from other previous point guards. Magic, I can only think of 1980 in that Finals game when Kareem was out, but he had to change his style of play for him to have that performance. Also in 1987 when he hit the game winner in Boston, that's pretty low for a guy who won 5 chips and been to like 9 Finals.

Isiah has game 6 in '88 vs the Lakers, but that was in a loss.

Stockton has that game winner vs Houston in '97, that's about it.

Kidd made the Finals in back to back years, don't recall a game where he tore it up or made a game winner in those runs.

Nash had a couple of huge scoring games during his '05 playoff run, but that's about it.

Again, this is off the top of my head.
CP3 gets held to a weird standards for a top 20-25 guy. No one cares that Barkley doesn't have a ring for instance. Social media era I guess, because Harden gets the same stuff. Yeah Harden has been worse in the playoffs but so were Karl Malone, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, but no one brings that up about them the way Harden gets it brought up.

Past players are really lucky they played when they did, because it allowed their legacies to be way better than they would have been now.

[tpols]

Off the top of my head, this has me recalling big moments from other previous point guards. Magic, I can only think of 1980 in that Finals game when Kareem was out, but he had to change his style of play for him to have that performance. Also in 1987 when he hit the game winner in Boston, that's pretty low for a guy who won 5 chips and been to like 9 Finals.

Isiah has game 6 in '88 vs the Lakers, but that was in a loss.

Stockton has that game winner vs Houston in '97, that's about it.

Kidd made the Finals in back to back years, don't recall a game where he tore it up or made a game winner in those runs.

Nash had a couple of huge scoring games during his '05 playoff run, but that's about it.

Again, this is off the top of my head.

You conveniently forgot Curry in the 2022 NBA Finals and 2024 Olympics. :lol

[RRR3]

You conveniently forgot Curry in the 2022 NBA Finals and 2024 Olympics. :lol
Curry is top 10, no one is saying CP3 is that good. Counting the olympics is weird af for NBA discussions, especially since you shit on Melo.

[1987_Lakers]

You conveniently forgot Curry in the 2022 NBA Finals and 2024 Olympics. :lol

He doesn't qualify. He's not a traditional point guard like the players I listed. He's more of a LeBron & KD tier as a scorer. And even then he didn't have a big playoff moment until 2022.

[SouBeachTalents]

He's not the scorer LeBron, KD, & Durant were. Most of the big names who have these moments are big time scorers, it's unfair to hold CP3 to that standard. When you look at pass first point guards throughout history, it's hard to find those "notable" moments from them on a consistent bases.

Overall, his production in the playoffs saw no drop off compared to his regular season play. He was a good playoff performer who had some good and bad moments just like any other player, but was dealt with injuries at the worst possible moments that you don't see in most players.


CP3 has maintained his level of production compared to the regular season in the playoffs just as much as LeBron has, LeBron is just a better player to begin with. If your argument is well he's not as good as LeBron, that's a pretty bad one for saying he's not one of the best players ever.
RRR3 was the one who brought up the LeBron comparison, which was misguided from the jump. I'm in agreement with you both, CP3 maintained his regular season play in the playoffs, and I'm not knocking him for not averaging 30 a game or even knocking him for being ringless.

My beef with him is that seemingly every time his team had the opportunity to secure a massive win, they always found a way to blow it, in pretty spectacular fashion. RRR3 then tried to argue that virtually every star player has choked in the playoffs, which is definitely true, but on the flipside, you can't really point to any instance where CP3 had some notable playoff performance or moment to offset all those disappointments outside of that one shot against the Spurs.

My only point was I feel like people use injuries for CP3 to excuse a pretty lengthy sample size of disappointing playoff performances.

[tpols]

He doesn't qualify. He's not a traditional point guard like the players I listed. He's more of a LeBron & KD tier as a scorer. And even then he didn't have a big playoff moment until 2022.

You said this:



Off the top of my head, this has me recalling big moments from other previous point guards.


Steph Curry doesn't qualify as a point guard now?

:biggums:

Youre just making shit up.

[RRR3]

RRR3 was the one who brought up the LeBron comparison, which was misguided from the jump. I'm in agreement with you both, CP3 maintained his regular season play in the playoffs, and I'm not knocking him for not averaging 30 a game or even knocking him for being ringless.

My beef with him is that seemingly every time his team had the opportunity to secure a massive win, they always found a way to blow it, in pretty spectacular fashion. RRR3 then tried to argue that virtually every star player has choked in the playoffs, which is definitely true, but on the flipside, you can't really point to any instance where CP3 had some notable playoff performance or moment to offset all those disappointments outside of that one shot against the Spurs.

My only point was I feel like people use injuries for CP3 to excuse a pretty lengthy sample size of disappointing playoff performances.
Just off the top of my head CP3 erased the largest lead ever in the fourth quarter versus the Grizzlies in 2012. You can't focus on the bad ones and forget something like that. Stop listening to the media about CP3, they are ****ing lemmings about this stuff.

[1987_Lakers]

You said this:



Steph Curry doesn't qualify as a point guard now?

:biggums:

Youre just making shit up.

Did you miss my previous post?


When you look at pass first point guards throughout history, it's hard to find those "notable" moments from them on a consistent bases.

Why are you so autistic?

[tpols]

Saying Steph Curry isn't a point guard and dismissing Magics NBA Finals performance is just... absurd. The caveats you apply to your arguments to excuse Paul's choking are arbitrary and nonsensical.

And I like Chris Paul. He was a brilliant player... but facts are facts. He frequently and almost iconically disappeared @ crucial moments. He had all the ability and intelligence and skill in the world but shriveled when he had so many chances to win on the higher stages.

[RRR3]

Saying Steph Curry isn't a point guard and dismissing Magics NBA Finals performance is just... absurd. The caveats you apply to your arguments to excuse Paul's choking are arbitrary and nonsensical.

And I like Chris Paul. He was a brilliant player... but facts are facts. He frequently and almost ironically disappeared @ crucial moments. He had all the ability and intelligence and skill in the world but shriveled when he had so many chances to win on the higher stages.
So your argument is he's not as good as Magic and Steph Curry. Wow, no one knew that. Skip Bayless-tier analysis as usual. Seriously, you should work for ESPN, you spew corporate nonsense perfectly.

[RRR3]

Tpols legit thinks Pascal Siakam is better than Giannis btw.

[Stephonit]

I understand not mentioning Steph with the other point guards. Steph is one of the greatest scorers ever perhaps the only one among point guards. But the comment that Steph didn't have a big playoff moment until 2022 shows brain damage.

Steph flurries in the pivotal games of the 2015 finals won the championship. Steph set an overtime record after coming back from injuries against Portland and his domination of the Trail Blazers surpasses the much ballyhooed LeBron domination of the Raptors. Steph knocked out two MVPs in one series and his two greatest rival guards of the era in two others. These series involved comebacks in multiple elimination games and a defining game when he went scoreless in the first half but still won. But media plays up more an inferior player taking out Oladipo, DeRozan and Lowry and a Celtics team led by a rookie so that's what posters around here remember.

[1987_Lakers]

Saying Steph Curry isn't a point guard and dismissing Magics NBA Finals performance is just... absurd.

You missed the point completely. I consider Steph a point guard, but he isn't a pass first PG, which is what my list focused on. And I wasn't dismissing Magic's performance, I was pointing out he had to change his role in that game because Kareem was out with an injury. How can you be this dumb?

[tpols]

Steph knocked out two MVPs in one series and his two greatest rival guards of the era in two others. These series involved comebacks in multiple elimination games.



The funny thing is 1987 and RRR3 in this very thread are hyping the 2018 Rockets up as some GOAT team... and Curry vanquished them... but in the same exact thread saying he never did anything before the 2022 Finals. They're twisting themselves into pretzels with their stances.

[1987_Lakers]

The funny thing is 1987 and RRR3 in this very thread are hyping the 2018 Rockets up as some GOAT team... and Curry vanquished them... but in the same exact thread saying he never did anything before the 2022 Finals. They're twisting themselves into pretzels with their stances.

Durant was the best player in that series. Curry wanted no parts of CP3 in that series. He had a huge sigh of relief when he got injured


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxpRWczi4D0

[RRR3]

Durant was the best player in that series. Curry wanted no parts of CP3 in that series. He had a huge sigh of relief when he got injured


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxpRWczi4D0
He legit doesn't remember that series, Steph was getting clowned before CP3 got hurt.

[tpols]

That's called Karma. CP3 always had a big mouth but dipped out at the end of playoff series. Which is the point of this thread. It's not an outlier if it's a pattern. Curry got the last word though. Big time. :lol

[RRR3]

That's called Karma. CP3 always had a big mouth but dipped out at the end of playoff series. Which is the point of this thread. It's not an outlier if it's a pattern. Curry got the last word though. Big time.:lol
This doesn't make any sense. You don't get to claim you won a fight when a guy was kicking your ass if he slips and tears his ACL.

[dankok8]

I pretty much agree with SouBeachTalents. He had too many instances snatching defeat from the jaws of victory but never really the opposite. And getting hurt in 7 postseasons really hurts his value from a durability standpoint. He should easily be top 20/25 all-time based on talent but as is he's top 40 for me with just a case for higher than that. But still a guy that never won MVP and never led a team past the 2nd round kind of hits the ceiling around #30 because there are 30 guys in NBA history who led teams to championships. You can argue he's better than a couple of them but it's not an easy sell.

[RRR3]

I pretty much agree with SouBeachTalents. He had too many instances snatching defeat from the jaws of victory but never really the opposite. And getting hurt in 7 postseasons really hurts his value from a durability standpoint. He should easily be top 20/25 all-time based on talent but as is he's top 40 for me with just a case for higher than that. But still a guy that never won MVP and never led a team past the 2nd round kind of hits the ceiling around #30 because there are 30 guys in NBA history who led teams to championships. You can argue he's better than a couple of them but it's not an easy sell.
Yeah, but you're an idiot. Top 40 is a ridiculous ranking for CP3, you can't possibly rank 39 guys ahead of him without being incredibly inconsistent.

[dankok8]

Yeah, but you're an idiot. Top 40 is a ridiculous ranking for CP3, you can't possibly rank 39 guys ahead of him without being incredibly inconsistent.

I'd appreciate if you cease the personal attacks. Makes you seem very insecure.

[ILLsmak]

Yeah, but you're an idiot. Top 40 is a ridiculous ranking for CP3, you can't possibly rank 39 guys ahead of him without being incredibly inconsistent.

"Now known as the Michael Jordan Trophy, the MVP has been awarded to 36 different players in NBA history, but the list of players to win at least three such trophies in their career is even smaller."

That's a start ey.

I'm torn. I think CP is extremely overrated, but he does have some amazing moments, even as a scorer. Still he's won jack shit and won no MVP.

I feel he's kinda like David Robinson (except Drob has... MVP) in that he had a great impact, got amazing stats, but in the end, wasn't as good as his numbers indicated, and he was not able to get it done with great teams.

Where do you rate him?

-Smak

[RRR3]

I'd appreciate if you cease the personal attacks. Makes you seem very insecure.
Stop making ridiculous comments then. Seriously, name 39 better players all-time, it'll be laughable some of the names you list.

[ILLsmak]

Yeah, but you can't find one notable CP3 moment in nearly 20 years besides his GW against the Spurs, trying to equate that to LeBron is just stupid :lol

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202204280NOP.html

that shit was pretty crazy

-Smak

[1987_Lakers]

I'd appreciate if you cease the personal attacks. Makes you seem very insecure.

Bruh, how are you gonna say CP3 barley cracks top 40 when in our all-time draft just a few days ago you drafted him at pick #22, ahead of other point guards like Jason Kidd, Stockton, & Isiah. :oldlol:

[jayfan]

He wins in 2018 if he doesn't get hurt and KD and Curry's legacies look completely different. LeBron might not have got another ring either because of the butterfly effect. That's why the way we determine legacies is so silly, so many guys are a few lucky bounces away from being perceived completely differently.

You talk as though the Rockets were up by 20 with 8 minutes left in Game 6 when Paul went down. It was 3-2, going back to GS. History tells us that GS would more than likely have gone on to win the series even if Chris Paul hadn't gotten hurt. Why? Because history tells us that Chris Paul and James Harden come up short more often than not when the pressure is really on.

His injury in game 5 allows you to fantasize about a result that probably wouldn't have happened, and saves you from having to defend yet another collapse.

[dankok8]

Bruh, how are you gonna say CP3 barley cracks top 40 when in our all-time draft just a few days ago you drafted him at pick #22, ahead of other point guards like Jason Kidd, Stockton, & Isiah. :oldlol:

All time drafts are based on peak play and assume 100% health.

Add Jordan/Lebron, add all players prior to 1980 and consider that he gets hurt a lot and I would draft him 10-15 spots lower.

[RRR3]

D-duhh-uhhh-uhhh-uhhh
:biggums:

[RRR3]

All time drafts are based on peak play and assume 100% health.

Add Jordan/Lebron, add all players prior to 1980 and consider that he gets hurt a lot and I would draft him 10-15 spots lower.
Where's those 39 players bub

[SouBeachTalents]

Personally, I'd rank CP3 in the 26-30 range, where his peak ranks would actually make for an interesting discussion, I'm sure you'd see a huge variance on that.

[RRR3]

People rank Karl Malone in the top 15, I don't see what case he has over CP3. You want to talk playoff choker, whew. Malone is so lucky he didn't play in this era.

[SouBeachTalents]

People rank Karl Malone in the top 15, I don't see what case he has over CP3. You want to talk playoff choker, whew. Malone is so lucky he didn't play in this era.
Malone's a 2x MVP, led his team to the Finals twice, is 3rd all time in scoring, and made more All-NBA & All-Star teams than all but a handful of guys in history. If not for Jordan he'd likely be in top 10 consideration just strictly off resume.

You really think CP3 should be ranked higher than Malone?

[RRR3]

Malone's a 2x MVP, led his team to the Finals twice, is 3rd all time in scoring, and made more All-NBA & All-Star teams than all but a handful of guys in history. If not for Jordan he'd likely be in top 10 consideration just strictly off resume.

You really think CP3 should be ranked higher than Malone?
Why am I supposed to care what round Malone made it too when he was generally choking the whole way and just winning because he had a better team? CP3 obliterates him as a playoff performer, Malone absolutely STANK compared to his regular season standard. I don't really care that he won awards MJ and Shaq/Duncan should have won. Derrick Rose won MVP. Are you even aware of how bad Malone was in the playoffs? He very likely has the perennial highest efficiency drop of any first option HOFer.

Malone's TS% went from 60.0 to 50.1 in the 97 playoffs and you want me to give him credit for making the finals :lol 50.1% is past his prime Westbrook territory.

[dankok8]

Alright here are the 32 players off the top of my head that one can easily rank over CP3.

Magic
Curry
Oscar
Nash
Jordan
Kobe
Wade
West
Harden
Lebron
Bird
Durant
Dr J
Kawhi
Baylor
Havlicek
Duncan
Garnett
Malone
Barkley
Dirk
Giannis
Pettit
Kareem
Russell
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Mikan
Jokic
Moses
Robinson

There's more guys like Isiah Thomas, Bob Cousy, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen that are in the same tier. So in the 30-40 range for me.

[RRR3]

Alright here are the 32 players off the top of my head that one can easily rank over CP3.

Magic
Curry
Oscar
Nash
Jordan
Kobe
Wade
West
Harden
Lebron
Bird
Durant
Dr J
Kawhi
Baylor
Havlicek
Duncan
Garnett
Malone
Barkley
Dirk
Giannis
Pettit
Kareem
Russell
Wilt
Shaq
Hakeem
Mikan
Jokic
Moses
Robinson

There's more guys like Isiah Thomas, Bob Cousy, Walt Frazier, Patrick Ewing, Scottie Pippen that are in the same tier. So in the 30-40 range for me.
I'll let 1987 deal with this, I'm too high

[dankok8]

I'll let 1987 deal with this, I'm too high

Yea. Go sleep it off and stop talking basketball for the good of everyone here.

[RRR3]

Yea. Go sleep it off and stop talking basketball for the good of everyone here.
meltdown.

[Im Still Ballin]

Off the top of my head, this has me recalling big moments from other previous point guards. Magic, I can only think of 1980 in that Finals game when Kareem was out, but he had to change his style of play for him to have that performance. Also in 1987 when he hit the game winner in Boston, that's pretty low for a guy who won 5 chips and been to like 9 Finals.

Isiah has game 6 in '88 vs the Lakers, but that was in a loss.

Stockton has that game winner vs Houston in '97, that's about it.

Kidd made the Finals in back to back years, don't recall a game where he tore it up or made a game winner in those runs.

Nash had a couple of huge scoring games during his '05 playoff run, but that's about it.

Again, this is off the top of my head.

Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets were incredibly clutch in those seasons. They even took the 2004 Pistons to seven games.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTTI--fYRno

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS4S1z4rMOE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5BqVuDst4

[Im Still Ballin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv54J-5MILA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOD8QKZgHfI

[Proctor]

You talk as though the Rockets were up by 20 with 8 minutes left in Game 6 when Paul went down. It was 3-2, going back to GS. History tells us that GS would more than likely have gone on to win the series even if Chris Paul hadn't gotten hurt. Why? Because history tells us that Chris Paul and James Harden come up short more often than not when the pressure is really on.

His injury in game 5 allows you to fantasize about a result that probably wouldn't have happened, and saves you from having to defend yet another collapse.

:applause:

This should just about end the thread.

[1987_Lakers]

Rockets were the perfect matchup for the Warriors because they had a bunch of 3 & D guys who could switch everything on defense which made the Warriors ball-movement less effective and turn them into an ISO team. They also had a bunch of defenders to throw at their best ISO player in Durant. The Warriors were also a team that switched everything on defense, but that was less effective vs a team like the Rockets because they were more of an ISO offense. Rockets were basically built to beat the Warriors.


They had a 2-1 record against the Warriors in the regular season as well.


All these low IQ posters who say "CP3-Harden would have still choked" are just casuals who are too lazy to look at the actual matchups of the teams and just go with lazy Skip Bayless antics. Isn't it weird how the stars are always brought up from each side when comparing each team while the critical role players get ignored? It happens with both fans and media. You saw it alot in the Celtics & Mavs Finals, people said Boston would lose because "they are chokers" while Luka is a proven stud, despite Boston being a superior team from top to bottom to everyone who was paying close attention.

[Axe]

In the Cs/mavs finals they didn't even seem to acknowledge that boston blew dallas in the rs h2h. Only the fact that they beat up okc and minny (both without hca) otw to the finals, after missing the playoffs last year (2023). They also overlooked that kyrie is still proven to be a cancer on different teams.

[RRR3]

Rockets were the perfect matchup for the Warriors because they had a bunch of 3 & D guys who could switch everything on defense which made the Warriors ball-movement less effective and turn them into an ISO team. They also had a bunch of defenders to throw at their best ISO player in Durant. The Warriors were also a team that switched everything on defense, but that was less effective vs a team like the Rockets because they were more of an ISO offense. Rockets were basically built to beat the Warriors.


They had a 2-1 record against the Warriors in the regular season as well.


All these low IQ posters who say "CP3-Harden would have still choked" are just casuals who are too lazy to look at the actual matchups of the teams and just go with lazy Skip Bayless antics. Isn't it weird how the stars are always brought up from each side when comparing each team while the critical role players get ignored? It happens with both fans and media. You saw it alot in the Celtics & Mavs Finals, people said Boston would lose because "they are chokers" while Luka is a proven stud, despite Boston being a superior team from top to bottom to everyone who was paying close attention.
People who thought Dallas would win are the same people saying CP3 is a useless choker lol

[Im Still Ballin]

Rockets were the perfect matchup for the Warriors because they had a bunch of 3 & D guys who could switch everything on defense which made the Warriors ball-movement less effective and turn them into an ISO team. They also had a bunch of defenders to throw at their best ISO player in Durant. The Warriors were also a team that switched everything on defense, but that was less effective vs a team like the Rockets because they were more of an ISO offense. Rockets were basically built to beat the Warriors.


They had a 2-1 record against the Warriors in the regular season as well.


All these low IQ posters who say "CP3-Harden would have still choked" are just casuals who are too lazy to look at the actual matchups of the teams and just go with lazy Skip Bayless antics. Isn't it weird how the stars are always brought up from each side when comparing each team while the critical role players get ignored? It happens with both fans and media. You saw it alot in the Celtics & Mavs Finals, people said Boston would lose because "they are chokers" while Luka is a proven stud, despite Boston being a superior team from top to bottom to everyone who was paying close attention.

Who knows what would've happened?

I think what occurred in the 2019 WCSF cemented the hypothetical for many. Houston had the circumstances in its favor and blew it. Houston started the season 11-14 and then finished 42-15 - a 60+ win pace. They were still a great team. 24-5 over its last 29 games heading into the second-round matchup with GSW.

[1987_Lakers]

Who knows what would've happened?

I think what occurred in the 2019 WCSF cemented the hypothetical for many. Houston had the circumstances in its favor and blew it. Houston started the season 11-14 and then finished 42-15 - a 60+ win pace. They were still a great team. 24-5 over its last 29 games heading into the second-round matchup with GSW.

Ariza wasn't on the team anymore.

[Im Still Ballin]

Ariza wasn't on the team anymore.

And? They were still a great team. I'm not saying HOU would've won or lost in 2018 without the CP3 injury. Just that the outcome in 2019 sealed it for a lot of people.

[1987_Lakers]

And?

He was one of the best 3 & D guys in the league at the time and was a starter who played 34 mpg. That's a pretty big deal.

Rockets defense dropped from #6 in 2018 to #17 in 2019, that's a pretty big drop off & I'm sure losing Ariza had something to do with it.

[Im Still Ballin]

The game five choke was even greater than I remember. KD went down with the Achilles and Houston went up 1 with a minute left in the third. They would go on to lose that game by 5. Chris Paul was 3-14 FG and had 5 personal fouls. To his credit, he came up big in game 6 though.

Game six was even worse. At home, with a five-point lead heading into the fourth.

If there ever was an opportune moment for Houston, it was games five and six. That sealed the deal for a lot of people. If Houston couldn't get it done when the circumstances was in its favor, they were never going to best GSW.

I'm not necessarily saying I agree with that. Just that that's how many view it.


2018-19 Houston Rockets last 57 regular season games:

- 42-15 (70.37%)
- 118.0 ORtg; 110.4 DRtg; +7.6 Net Rating


2017-18 Houston Rockets last 29 games heading into WCF against GSW: 23-6
2018-19 Houston Rockets last 29 games heading into WCSF against GSW: 24-5


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVsz9_UGlWc


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g-l5oNHC_Q

[RRR3]

And? They were still a great team. I'm not saying HOU would've won or lost in 2018 without the CP3 injury. Just that the outcome in 2019 sealed it for a lot of people.
CP3 was not at all the same player after his hamstring injury lol.

[warriorfan]

https://i.postimg.cc/TYFHXTXN/IMG-4166.jpg

RRR3 spent his entire sunday having a hysterical meltdown about some guy ranking chris paul a few dozen slots higher than him



Jesus. :roll: