NBA: I am a master dealer

No. 12 Cousins, the last time the Kings made it to the playoffs was ten years ago, but there is no problem with Cousins' personal ability at all.

Especially his offensive ability. In this era of zero centers, his scoring ability is definitely the first among centers. Last season, he averaged 26.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He is a monster that ravages the inside, and he also has A very good three-pointer.

As for why the Kings are sinking all the way?
That's hard to describe.

There are too many factors.

For example, the management changed their minds and selected Tyreke Evans in 09. In his rookie season, Evans used his tall stature, strong body, and excellent sense of rhythm to dominate the world, averaging 20.1 points and 5.8 assists per game. 5.3 rebounds and 20+5+5 data directly made him elected the best rookie without any suspense.

Logically speaking, as long as he polishes it well, Evans' future can be said to be bright.

As a result, in the second season, after the management selected Cousins, they immediately changed their strategy and trained Cousins ​​as the core of the team.

In particular, head coach Westphal had a sudden idea to put Evans in the shooting guard position.

Evans, who originally had an advantage in physical confrontation, found it difficult to gain advantage. As confrontations increased, injuries also followed.

Then in the third season, Westphal went even more bizarre, directly setting up a set of Thomas, Marcus Thornton, Evans, Salmons, Cousins, four guards + one center. line-up.

Such a lineup structure, even in the current small ball era, is a very explosive existence.

What's even worse is that Marcus Thornton plays more offensive roles than Evans at this time, making Evans the third choice.

As the first core, Cousins ​​is just the second choice.

This is simply unbelievable.

What's even more surprising is that this season, Evans played from the No. 1 position to the No. 4 position, then from the No. 4 position to the No. 1 position, and finally settled at the No. 3 position.

The Kings have had another bad season.

Then the next season, the Kings management reacted, killed Westphal, and supported Keith Smart, now the Miami Heat's chief assistant.

But Keith was a complete rookie. He was in a panic when he took office. He just wanted to produce results to prove himself, and he had no clear training standards.

As a result, all players take similar shots. What stands out is balanceism, and even Cousins ​​is no exception.

In season.

Cousins ​​averaged 13.8 shots per game and averaged 17.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Evans averaged 11.8 shots per game and averaged 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Thomas averaged 10.5 shots per game and averaged 13.9 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds per game.

Marcus Thornton was put on the bench, averaging 10.8 times per game and averaging 12.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

He is really treated like a prince. He takes more shots than Thomas, but the points he contributes are more than 1 point less than Thomas.

Such an inefficient performance, but still being entrusted with important tasks, I have to say that Thornton is indeed lucky.

of course.

The most important thing is that Thornton produces three-pointers in large quantities and is the team's most stable three-pointer.

Then there is center Jason Thompson, who took 9.1 shots and averaged 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Salmons took 8.1 shots, averaging 8.8 points per game and shooting only 39%.

Other role players also have good shot rights.

There is no doubt that this season, even Cousins' core position is gone, and Evans is completely useless. He is still at the small forward position, messy in the wind.

But the problem is, if you want to play team basketball, you must at least achieve results.

The result is that the Kings' record is still last, and the potential new stars in the team have all become big sweet potatoes.

What's more, this is obviously putting the cart before the horse.

For a bad team like the Kings, the first task is to establish the core and then cultivate the core, not to achieve any record.

Got it...

After doing this, nothing was accomplished.

The following season, Evans left, wasting four valuable years with the Kings.

The Kings changed coaches again and replaced them with Mike Malone. The Kings began to correct the chaos. Cousins ​​finally came forward. He averaged 22.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game that season, playing the statistics of a top center.

Thomas Jr. is established as the core outside line, averaging 20.3 points, 6.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.

They also got Rudy Gay, and they have a serious forward.

Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson, who had been vigorously cultivated before, both fell.

Especially Marcus Thornton, who played 46 games with the Kings that season, averaging 8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1 assist per game, and his shooting percentage was an astonishing 38.1%.

The Kings management couldn't bear it, and finally gave it to the Nets like garbage before the trade deadline.

So, after cultivating it for so long, I finally cultivated loneliness.

Many fans said they couldn't understand the King's brain circuit. Evans has already figured it out, so you can train it well, and others can be used as screws.

result.

The King turned his attention to Thornton, moved Evans' position around, and directly trained Thornton.

And Cousins ​​also wasted three precious years with the Kings.

Originally, he and Evans were both internal and external, but as a result, he became the co-ordinator of Thornton and Thomas.

It was nothing more than half-hearted, and it made the supernova he selected unable to play.

Evans and Cousins ​​are actually victims.

The Kings have not made the playoffs in ten years, and it can be said that the Kings' president of operations Dumars is indispensable. He has completely forgotten about long-term team building ideas, and his main focus is to do whatever he wants.

No. 11 Lillard, as the Blazers' first five generals, began to take the lead last season.

Everyone thinks the Trail Blazers are going to start a long rebuild.

As a result, the original reconstruction was completed.

As the absolute core of the team, Lillard can contribute first-class data of 25.1 points, 6.8 assists and 4 rebounds per game. The only flaw is that when facing huge defensive pressure, his efficiency is relatively low. His season shooting rate is 41.9%, which is really It hurts the eyes.

However, by the end of the season, Lillard has gradually adapted to this defensive intensity, and I believe he will definitely perform brilliantly in the new season.

Ranking in this position is definitely not excessive.

Next is the important top ten ranking.

No. 10 Paul George, the Pacers reached the playoffs at the buzzer last season, which gave George a very big bonus.

You know, last season was the first time that George led a team with a single core in a strict sense. He averaged 23.1 points, 7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, while Ellis, who was second in scoring, only had 13.8 points, which was almost 10 points behind. .

In addition, George returned from a broken leg and was even more inspiring. At the same time, he also showed top-level influence on the defensive end, which Lillard does not possess.

This is also the reason why George was able to overpower Lillard and reach the top ten.

After all, Lillard has reliable helpers. CJ McCollum averages 20+ per game. The contrast is still very obvious.

Ninth place Anthony Davis, the Pelicans did not reach the playoffs last season, but Davis's personal performance is top-notch, averaging 24.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 2 blocks per game, with comprehensive skills. The coverage area on the defensive end is rare in the league.

So no matter what, Davis, who is extremely dominant offensively and defensively, is qualified to become a top 10 member of the league.

What's more, Davis proved himself in the 14-15 season. Not only did he lead the team to the playoffs that season, he was also successfully selected to the All-NBA First Team.

No. 58 Chris Paul, with shots, has failed in the playoffs time and time again and has never made it to the finals, but no matter what, he is one of the top players in the league.

Last season, he averaged first-class data of 19.5 points, 10 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. While maintaining stable output, he also organized the team's offense in an orderly manner.

As a top star who has been famous for a long time, logically speaking, his position should not stop here.

However, because he has not been able to make further progress and does not have a very hard-core personal honor bonus, his personal strength recognition has never reached the TOP5 level.

Ok……

58 Paoji needs a championship or an MVP trophy, but for now, it seems a bit far away.

The Clippers simply don't have the strength to win the championship now, and they have no chance of hitting 60+ wins.

Take a look at this season's championship lineup. The Golden State Warriors, San Antonio and Germany, the defending champion Knicks, the Miami Big Three, the Los Angeles twin stars shine, and the Clippers can be said to be inconspicuous.

The combination of Paul + Griffin + DeAndre Jordan + Redick has been around for several years and has never made a breakthrough, and they have not made any major changes in the offseason.

So wanting to compete for the championship is indeed a bit too taken for granted.

Well, on the other hand, 58 Cannon's personal abilities are not enough to support a championship team.

this is the truth.

No. 7 Kawhi Leonard, as the new head of the Spurs, has been widely known as the "death entanglement", which is enough to show how terrifying his defensive intensity is.

As he has continued to grow on the offensive end in the past two seasons, especially last season, he averaged 21.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, and he has temporarily shown his talents.

Combined with his influence on the defensive end, he is about to approach the top five and become a true superstar in this league.

In the new season, his personal data may continue to rise. If the Spurs can maintain the momentum of last season and even make a breakthrough in the playoffs, Leonard will soon become the league's new forward leader, officially Charge to MVP.

第六名威斯布鲁克，14-15赛季拿到得分王已经证明了他的得分能力，上赛季场均23.5分10.4助攻7.8篮板更是炸裂。

If they had not been defeated by the Warriors in the finals, Durant would not have left. The Thunder have two top-level superstars and will be extremely competitive for many years to come. but.

Even if Westbrook leads the team alone, they are still very competitive in the Western Conference.

In the new season, let us wait and see what kind of incredible performance Westbrook will show.

obviously.

ESPN has been vaguely aware that Westbrook is going to cause trouble.

Or to be more precise, everyone had a premonition of this. After all, the data of 23+10+7.8 would be a triple-double.

This is a future that can be imagined infinitely.

That's why Westbrook occupies this position.

Finally arrived at the TOP5.

This TOP5 can be said to be the superstars with the strongest personal strength, the greatest personal influence, and the largest fan base in the league.

In short, it is the existence of the league's ceiling, which is even more convincing than the best first team.

After all, someone like Jordan can occupy a spot in the best lineup, which shows that he still has a certain degree of moisture.

But TOP does not.

These are the five strongest people in the NBA.

But in fact, everyone knows who they are, after all, there are only a few superstars left who have not been announced.

Fifth place is James Harden. The Rockets also made the playoffs at the buzzer last season. For this reason, Harden was not even selected for the All-NBA Team.

That's right.

Not even getting a third team, you can imagine how disappointed the public is with the Rockets' season performance.

It's also disappointing for James Harden.

But averaging 29 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game is absolutely impossible to ignore.

In terms of statistics, Harden has had the best season of his career so far, with record scores, assists, and rebounds. Throughout the season, it was basically Harden's own performance.

But the Rockets' record is really far behind.

Narrowly entering the playoffs, it was a galaxy far behind people's expectations.

Media reporters did not choose Harden to enter the best team, which is equivalent to venting their dissatisfaction.

With the Rockets management's actions in the summer, the Rockets should be able to regroup in the new season.

Harden will continue to maintain his strong output. As long as his record is stable, Harden's top statistics will become valuable.

Entering the TOP5, even if it is only fifth, is the greatest recognition for Harden.

ESPN is still somewhat authoritative in its selection at this stage.

The fourth one, Kevin Durant, was only selected to the second team last season, but no one dares to deny his strength.

He averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5 assists per game. His performance was very comprehensive, with a shooting percentage of 50.5% and a three-point shooting percentage of 38.7%. He is known as an indistinguishable singles player, which is definitely not just talk.

He teamed up with Westbrook and actually defeated the Warriors in last season's Western Conference finals. If it weren't for the poor lineup structure, Durant would never have reached this point.

But there is no doubt that the Warriors in the new season will be completely unstoppable. They have only one goal, and that is the championship.

Durant is really close to the championship this time. Once he wins, Durant will be recognized by the public.

This ranking was actually expected, but it still attracted a lot of criticism.

"You surrender to the enemy Du, can you be ranked fourth?"

"By defecting to Golden State, Durant personally ruined his reputation."

"Actually, if you don't go to Golden State, your momentum will still be huge. After all, four scoring champions and one MVP are no joke."

"We won the championship, but it was Curry's team. How confusing!"

But the reality is that everything has become a fact and nothing can be changed.

Just like the abusive fans, they can't change Durant's personal strength ranking of fourth.

The third place is Stephen Curry. As the leader of the small ball era, Curry's personal performance reached its peak last season.

It is a pity that he has been at a disadvantage in the competition with Xue Liancheng. He missed the regular season MVP twice. He lost the scoring champion last season and the three-point champion was also intercepted by Xue Liancheng...

However, he is still one of the best players in the league.

It is the most powerful opponent Xue Liancheng has ever encountered in his career.

And this last comment immediately raised Curry's figure.

That's right.

With Xue Liancheng winning two consecutive championships, two consecutive MVPs, two consecutive FMVPs, two consecutive assists kings, two consecutive best lineups, and winning the scoring title, it is already a great honor to be Xue Liancheng's opponent.

One can imagine how fierce Xue Liancheng's momentum is now.

It can be said that you are standing on the nine heavens, overlooking all living beings.

The second place is LeBron James, which is also no surprise.

Although he was carried away humiliatingly by Xue Liancheng twice in the playoffs, James is still the top player in the league. He is bad news for other players. It can even be said that he is an insurmountable mountain for many top stars.

Because 4 regular season MVPs, 2 championships, and 2 FMVPs are such iron-clad honors, they are still capital that other players can never touch.

James is ranked second, and there is absolutely nothing worthy of objection.

After all, Curry or Durant haven't even won a championship, let alone the others.

In the new season, James jumped to New York, which still surprised everyone. They were almost scolded and drowned in saliva.

But it still doesn't change the fact that James is the second best player in the league.

As for who is the TOP1?

Then there’s no need to guess.

It's Xue Liancheng.

As the new face of the league, he dominated the league as soon as he was born. This was not only reflected in the data level, but also in terms of honor, which overwhelmed others.

If you can't feel it intuitively, then the encounters between the top 3 Curry and the top 2 James in the past two years will let you know what suffocation is.

The first is Curry, who failed in the finals for two consecutive years and was defeated by the team led by Xue Liancheng.

And he was defeated again and again in the competition for personal honors, including scoring champion, three-point champion, and MVP.

This is what it feels like to be dominated.

As for James, it is more intuitive.

Strictly speaking, I have never won a direct duel with Xue Liancheng, not even once.

Whether they met in the regular season or in the playoffs, they never won a serious game.

What a complete loss!

He was completely trampled under his feet and could not turn over.

And what is James' identity?
The former number one player in the league, now the top two player in the league, has lost so completely.

This is the expression of dominance!

and so.

At present, no one can compete with Xue Liancheng.

Durant can't do it, Curry can't do it, and James can't do it either.

but.

There may be some changes in the new season.

Because there have been huge changes in the alliance structure.

Xue Liancheng came to the Lakers, Durant went to the Golden State Warriors, and James went crazy and defected directly to the Knicks.

of course.

James' calculation failed.

But Curry got the help of TOP4. It was like putting a nuclear bomb on the ballistic trajectory, and the universe brave was born.

They have a very high possibility of ending Xue Liancheng's dominance.

and so.

Next, new changes will occur in the alliance.

(End of this chapter)