Lakers vs Celtics

[PELICANSFAN]

LoL are you watching Kuzma right now? Do you ever watch Kuzma? I watch every game and this kid has the potential and skill set to be a PF version of Klay Thompson. He has a great release that is very quick like Klay. Just put up 23 points in 1st quarter. He’s going to be a better version of Tobias Harris who he is playing right now and I’ll take it.

I have seen many of his games. You pick one game and make that his norm? He is not in the same area code as Thompson and his release is not nearly as fast as Thompson. He is very good, but not the superstar you are making him out to be. He is not quite Harris either as Harris is a very good defender (although it is a decent comparison on offense if he became more accurate from long range).

[Tinman]

Thompson is also a really good defender..kuzma not so much

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

Yes, but other than those 2 things, he just like Klay. Huh!

[PELICANSFAN]

Kuzma finished with 39 points going 14-21 FG and 5-8 3pt. Yes he is still young and has a ton of talent. He has plenty of room to keep improving and no most NBA players aren’t even near their peak at 23-24 years old which is flat wrong. There is case after case I can point to with players continuing to develop becoming stars/superstars. Just a few quick examples are Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Gordon Hayward, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymon Green, Jrue Holiday, and the list goes on and on.

At 23 years old Klay Thompson was averaging 18 ppg while Stepth Curry was averaging 15 ppg with Kuzma at 19 ppg. Draymon Green wasn’t near the player he is today at 23 either. Kuzma in just 1 off season has completely transformed his body dripping body fat and developed a nice 3 point shot that is only going to get better. I simply said he is going to be a PF/SF version of Klay Thompson offensively not the same defensively and there isn’t much argument against that. His defense has improved since he became stronger and more athletic this offseason as he should continue to progress in this area. Just funny how people count Kuzma and Ingram out so quickly at 23 and 21 years old while having shown they are far ahead of many super stars we are watching today.

There is a huge difference between shooting 31% from 3 and over 40% from 3 as Klay was doing even at a young age. Kuzma looks good statistically as he is playing on a bad team with little other offensive options. While i think he can be a very good player, but not to the level of Thompson.

[Pelicanidae]

Kuzma finished with 39 points going 14-21 FG and 5-8 3pt. Yes he is still young and has a ton of talent. He has plenty of room to keep improving and no most NBA players aren’t even near their peak at 23-24 years old which is flat wrong. There is case after case I can point to with players continuing to develop becoming stars/superstars. Just a few quick examples are Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Gordon Hayward, Victory Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymon Green, Jrue Holiday, and the list goes on and on. .

Look at this year's Western all-stars at age 23 compares to Kuzma. To save you the convenience of having to compare, I will bold any stats which are better than Kuzma.

Kyle Kuzma, age 23: 18.7pts, 5.7rbds, 2.4asts, 0.6stls, 0.4blks, 46% from the floor, 31% from 3, -5 Net Rating, -1.4 BPM, 0.2 VORP, 14.7 PER, 2.6 WS

Stephen Curry, age 23: 14.7pts, 3.4rbs, 5.3asts, 1.5stls, 0.3blks, 49% from the floor, 46% from 3, +4 Net Rating, +3.4 BPM, 1 VORP, 21.2 PER, 2.2 WS
James Harden, age 23: 25.9pts, 4.9rbs, 5.8asts, 1.8stls, 0.5blks, 44% from the floor, 37% from 3, +10 Net Rating, +5.5 BPM, 5.7 VORP, 23.0 PER, 12.8 WS
Kevin Durant, age 23: 28pts, 8rbds, 3.5asts, 1.3stls, 1.2blks, 49% from the floor, 39% from 3, +13 Net Rating, +5.2 BPM, 4.6 VORP, 26.2 PER, 12.2 WS
Paul George, age 23: 21.7pts, 6.8rbds, 3.5asts, 1.9stls, 0.3blks, 42% from the floor, 36% from 3, +10 Net Rating, +4.7 BPM, 4.9 VORP, 20.1 PER, 10.8 WS
Lebron James, age 23: 30pts, 7.9rbds, 7.2asts, 1.8stls, 1.1blks, 48% from the floor, 32% from 3, +12 Net Rating, +11.2 BPM, 10.1 VORP, 29.1 PER, 15.2 WS

That's just the starting lineup. Now, what does this information tell us? Aside from the fact that Lebron has been insanely good for a very very long time, it also tells us that all of this year's Western all-stars were all pretty much universally better than Kuzma by the time they were his age. There are some exceptions, such as Curry's scoring, and Paul George's overall efficiency from the floor, but in almost all cases, for all of them, they surpass Kuzma.

Does that mean Kuzma sucks? No, it doesn't. Does it mean he won't ever improve? No. But when I said that NBA players are usually who they're going to be by around 23, that's what I meant. Look at all of them at age 23. We knew, by then. 4 of the 5 scream all-star, superstar at you. Lebron, KD, and Harden basically explode with the signs of their ability. The only one who is somewhat questionable is Curry, and as I said, his slow start is unusual (and was hampered by injuries). That is not to say that they were DONE growing at that age, only that by that age, we knew what they were going to be.

We don't see any of that from Kuzma.

[Tinman]

Look at this year's Western all-stars at age 23 compares to Kuzma. To save you the convenience of having to compare, I will bold any stats which are better than Kuzma.

Kyle Kuzma, age 23: 18.7pts, 5.7rbds, 2.4asts, 0.6stls, 0.4blks, 46% from the floor, 31% from 3, -5 Net Rating, -1.4 BPM, 0.2 VORP, 14.7 PER, 2.6 WS

Stephen Curry, age 23: 14.7pts, 3.4rbs, 5.3asts, 1.5stls, 0.3blks, 49% from the floor, 46% from 3, +4 Net Rating, +3.4 BPM, 1 VORP, 21.2 PER, 2.2 WS
James Harden, age 23: 25.9pts, 4.9rbs, 5.8asts, 1.8stls, 0.5blks, 44% from the floor, 37% from 3, +10 Net Rating, +5.5 BPM, 5.7 VORP, 23.0 PER, 12.8 WS
Kevin Durant, age 23: 28pts, 8rbds, 3.5asts, 1.3stls, 1.2blks, 49% from the floor, 39% from 3, +13 Net Rating, +5.2 BPM, 4.6 VORP, 26.2 PER, 12.2 WS
Paul George, age 23: 21.7pts, 6.8rbds, 3.5asts, 1.9stls, 0.3blks, 42% from the floor, 36% from 3, +10 Net Rating, +4.7 BPM, 4.9 VORP, 20.1 PER, 10.8 WS
Lebron James, age 23: 30pts, 7.9rbds, 7.2asts, 1.8stls, 1.1blks, 48% from the floor, 32% from 3, +12 Net Rating, +11.2 BPM, 10.1 VORP, 29.1 PER, 15.2 WS

That's just the starting lineup. Now, what does this information tell us? Aside from the fact that Lebron has been insanely good for a very very long time, it also tells us that all of this year's Western all-stars were all pretty much universally better than Kuzma by the time they were his age. There are some exceptions, such as Curry's scoring, and Paul George's overall efficiency from the floor, but in almost all cases, for all of them, they surpass Kuzma.

Does that mean Kuzma sucks? No, it doesn't. Does it mean he won't ever improve? No. But when I said that NBA players are usually who they're going to be by around 23, that's what I meant. Look at all of them at age 23. We knew, by then. 4 of the 5 scream all-star, superstar at you. Lebron, KD, and Harden basically explode with the signs of their ability. The only one who is somewhat questionable is Curry, and as I said, his slow start is unusual (and was hampered by injuries). That is not to say that they were DONE growing at that age, only that by that age, we knew what they were going to be.

We don't see any of that from Kuzma.

Holy Canolie, that's quite impressive . Is their anything else to do in UK? Goodness gracious

[Pelicanidae]

Holy Canolie, that's quite impressive . Is their anything else to do in UK? Goodness gracious

It's midnight and I live in a small town

But really, this stuff doesn't take that long. You can do player comparisons on basketball reference and pick which years of their careers you'd like to compare. And obviously it's very easy to just see which numbers are larger than other numbers.

[Tinman]

It's midnight and I live in a small town

But really, this stuff doesn't take that long. You can do player comparisons on basketball reference and pick which years of their careers you'd like to compare. And obviously it's very easy to just see which numbers are larger than other numbers.

Oh, OK then, SLACKER!

[Tinman]

It's midnight and I live in a small town

But really, this stuff doesn't take that long. You can do player comparisons on basketball reference and pick which years of their careers you'd like to compare. And obviously it's very easy to just see which numbers are larger than other numbers.

Are you in GreAt Britain or Northern Ireland?

[Pelicanidae]

Are you in GreAt Britain or Northern Ireland?

Both Great Britain and the UK. England specifically.

[Tinman]

Both Great Britain and the UK. England specifically.

Yeah, I was really asking if you were from NI .Note: said NI, because you fine welcoming Brits happily let the Irish in, w/ certain stipulations of course. I kinda dig the Derry/LondonDerry kerfuffle.

[Mythrol]

When you only look at ppg, rpg, apg and try to rate the player. LOL.

[Pelicanidae]

Yeah, I was really asking if you were from NI .Note: said NI, because you fine welcoming Brits happily let the Irish in, w/ certain stipulations of course. I kinda dig the Derry/LondonDerry kerfuffle.

Not to get overtly political on the basketball forum, but I support full Irish independence.

[Tinman]

Not to get overtly political on the basketball forum, but I support full Irish independence.

Don't know the inner workings of it, but sounds logical. But you are correct Pels Forum. Brexit, Theresa May & the Irish The End.! Lol