The fact that you would even try to argue this proves how much you don't know. It isn't even debated in NBA circles that playing the second of a back-to-back results in a marked decline in performance for teams and players.

There was a guy who made a killing in the lockout season. You know why? He bet the under in every game. His philosophy was that with teams playing more games back to back and more four out of fives that scoring would be depressed. He was right.

Mark Cuban's blog:

Back to Backs in the NBA
Posted on December 21, 2005
I dont think anyone questions the perspective that teams playing on the 2nd game of back to backs are at a
disadvantage. Beyond fatique, the impact of travel, trying to adjust to time zone changes and more add up to make it
difficult for players and teams. Heck, I get tired from them, I cant imagine how tough it is on the guys.

Opinion aside, I decided to do some homework. With the help of Elias Sports and our stats gurus from Indiana
University, we were able to quantify the impact of both back to back games and 4 games in 5 nights.

Rather than providing the statistical mumbo jumbo, which wouldnt make sense without all the background and other
data, suffice it to say, that our analysis provides us with a comparison between any given team and what we feel to be
an average team. The best teams would be expected to win by 5 to 8 points at home against this average team. Less on
the road. THe worst teams would lose to the average team by 7 to 10 points at home.

For this season, through december 15th, the 2nd game of a back to back makes a team 3.5 points worst. In other
words, the best teams are still good, but on the 2nd game of back to back, particularly on the road, they become much
closer to average. Making them beatable.

Its far worse for the 4th game in 5 nights. ON those nights, a team is 8 points worse. Again, more on the road. So
basically, a team should lose to just about any but the worst teams if they are on the road.

Meaning, that the schedule gods can have a HUGE impact on the standings. That the day the Circus or a concert
is scheduled at your arena could block out a night, that would in turn force the schedule to create multiple 4 game in
5 nights situation and possibly cost a playoff seeding !

I dont have the number of either for this season as a whole yet. Im sure someone out there can get it done if so
inclined.

What i did get back from our friends at Elias are the W L records per team for the 2nd game of a back to back over
the last 5 years and through the 15th of dec for thisyear.

ATL 2001-02 Won-Lost: 8-14

ATL 2002-03 Won-Lost: 9-14

ATL 2003-04 Won-Lost: 7-14

ATL 2004-05 Won-Lost: 4-19

ATL 2005-06 Won-Lost: 0- 5

BOS 2001-02 Won-Lost: 7-13

BOS 2002-03 Won-Lost: 9-10

BOS 2003-04 Won-Lost: 8- 9

BOS 2004-05 Won-Lost: 12- 8

BOS 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 5

CHA 2004-05 Won-Lost: 6-17

CHA 2005-06 Won-Lost: 4- 4

CHI 2001-02 Won-Lost: 5-18

CHI 2002-03 Won-Lost: 5-18

CHI 2003-04 Won-Lost: 5-17

CHI 2004-05 Won-Lost: 13- 9

CHI 2005-06 Won-Lost: 4- 2

CLE 2001-02 Won-Lost: 6-17

CLE 2002-03 Won-Lost: 5-19

CLE 2003-04 Won-Lost: 8-12

CLE 2004-05 Won-Lost: 6-14

CLE 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 3

DAL 2001-02 Won-Lost: 13- 6

DAL 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11- 5

DAL 2003-04 Won-Lost: 12- 7

DAL 2004-05 Won-Lost: 12- 6

DAL 2005-06 Won-Lost: 3- 3

DEN 2001-02 Won-Lost: 4-16

DEN 2002-03 Won-Lost: 6-18

DEN 2003-04 Won-Lost: 11-12

DEN 2004-05 Won-Lost: 9-11

DEN 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 4

DET 2001-02 Won-Lost: 13-10

DET 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11-13

DET 2003-04 Won-Lost: 15- 8

DET 2004-05 Won-Lost: 12- 9

DET 2005-06 Won-Lost: 5- 2

GS 2001-02 Won-Lost: 5-18

GS 2002-03 Won-Lost: 10-10

GS 2003-04 Won-Lost: 9-13

GS 2004-05 Won-Lost: 9-11

GS 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 3

HOU 2001-02 Won-Lost: 4-15

HOU 2002-03 Won-Lost: 13- 8

HOU 2003-04 Won-Lost: 12- 7

HOU 2004-05 Won-Lost: 9- 7

HOU 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 4

IND 2001-02 Won-Lost: 10-13

IND 2002-03 Won-Lost: 12-11

IND 2003-04 Won-Lost: 15- 7

IND 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10-13

IND 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 3

LAC 2001-02 Won-Lost: 5-16

LAC 2002-03 Won-Lost: 6-13

LAC 2003-04 Won-Lost: 8-15

LAC 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10-12

LAC 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 3

LAL 2001-02 Won-Lost: 8-11

LAL 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11- 8

LAL 2003-04 Won-Lost: 10- 9

LAL 2004-05 Won-Lost: 5-14

LAL 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 4

MEM 2001-02 Won-Lost: 3-13

MEM 2002-03 Won-Lost: 6-14

MEM 2003-04 Won-Lost: 11-10

MEM 2004-05 Won-Lost: 12-11

MEM 2005-06 Won-Lost: 4- 3

MIA 2001-02 Won-Lost: 13- 9

MIA 2002-03 Won-Lost: 4-16

MIA 2003-04 Won-Lost: 10-13

MIA 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10- 6

MIA 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 4

MIL 2001-02 Won-Lost: 11- 9

MIL 2002-03 Won-Lost: 9-14

MIL 2003-04 Won-Lost: 10-10

MIL 2004-05 Won-Lost: 8-12

MIL 2005-06 Won-Lost: 4- 2

MIN 2001-02 Won-Lost: 10- 9

MIN 2002-03 Won-Lost: 12- 8

MIN 2003-04 Won-Lost: 13- 7

MIN 2004-05 Won-Lost: 9-12

MIN 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 2

NJ 2001-02 Won-Lost: 12- 8

NJ 2002-03 Won-Lost: 10-10

NJ 2003-04 Won-Lost: 7-13

NJ 2004-05 Won-Lost: 9-11

NJ 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 3

CHA 2001-02 Won-Lost: 8-11

NO 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11-11

NO 2003-04 Won-Lost: 11-11

NO 2004-05 Won-Lost: 5-18

NOK 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 4

NY 2001-02 Won-Lost: 7-10

NY 2002-03 Won-Lost: 2-17

NY 2003-04 Won-Lost: 10-10

NY 2004-05 Won-Lost: 5-16

NY 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 2

ORL 2001-02 Won-Lost: 6-15

ORL 2002-03 Won-Lost: 7-12

ORL 2003-04 Won-Lost: 5-15

ORL 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10-11

ORL 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 4

PHI 2001-02 Won-Lost: 9-12

PHI 2002-03 Won-Lost: 12- 8

PHI 2003-04 Won-Lost: 6-13

PHI 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10- 9

PHI 2005-06 Won-Lost: 3- 4

PHO 2001-02 Won-Lost: 6-13

PHO 2002-03 Won-Lost: 6-14

PHO 2003-04 Won-Lost: 6-15

PHO 2004-05 Won-Lost: 17- 5

PHO 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 4

POR 2001-02 Won-Lost: 10-13

POR 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11-12

POR 2003-04 Won-Lost: 9- 8

POR 2004-05 Won-Lost: 7-13

POR 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 3

SAC 2001-02 Won-Lost: 13- 9

SAC 2002-03 Won-Lost: 11- 8

SAC 2003-04 Won-Lost: 7-12

SAC 2004-05 Won-Lost: 7-10

SAC 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 5

SA 2001-02 Won-Lost: 17- 4

SA 2002-03 Won-Lost: 13- 5

SA 2003-04 Won-Lost: 13- 6

SA 2004-05 Won-Lost: 10- 9

SA 2005-06 Won-Lost: 0- 3

SEA 2001-02 Won-Lost: 9-13

SEA 2002-03 Won-Lost: 9-11

SEA 2003-04 Won-Lost: 11-12

SEA 2004-05 Won-Lost: 11- 8

SEA 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 2

TOR 2001-02 Won-Lost: 10- 9

TOR 2002-03 Won-Lost: 1-17

TOR 2003-04 Won-Lost: 4-12

TOR 2004-05 Won-Lost: 5-12

TOR 2005-06 Won-Lost: 1- 5

UTA 2001-02 Won-Lost: 10-11

UTA 2002-03 Won-Lost: 9-10

UTA 2003-04 Won-Lost: 8-12

UTA 2004-05 Won-Lost: 6-15

UTA 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 5

WAS 2001-02 Won-Lost: 7-13

WAS 2002-03 Won-Lost: 12- 9

WAS 2003-04 Won-Lost: 7-14

WAS 2004-05 Won-Lost: 11-12

WAS 2005-06 Won-Lost: 2- 3

Bosh could have played with Howard and would have opened his game up. Oh well. **** him. Hope they let Parsons walk now

Riley's true colors shown through with the Bosh contract.

1. Lebron
2. Durant
3. Bosh
4. Paul
5. Griffin
6. Rose
7. Joakim Noah
8. Melo
9. Love
10. Lowry
11. George
12. Stephenson
13. Rondo
14. Howard
15. Harden
16. Dirk
17. Curry
18. Thompson
19. Irving
20. Lillard

20 random players. Tell me which ones Wade is better than.

Thompson, Stephenson, and Lowry at least. Wade is a shell of his former self, but calling him top 50 is ridiculous.

LOLOLOL you have Bosh at #3. I still cant stop laughing

I think he meant random as random
Posted via Mobile Device

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Cavs in talks with free agent center Chris &quot;Birdman&quot; Andersen, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSportsOH">@FOXSportsOH</a>.</p>&mdash; Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/statuses/487789150993526785">July 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It isn't in any order you jackass.

:spock: Are you serious? You'd take Wade over those 3?

Here's 30 more players. I could also add some role players that have more impact on an everyday basis than Wade too. Wade isn't a top 50 player.

1. David Lee
2. Beal
3. Wall
4. Davis
5. MCW
6. Isaiah Thomas
7. Dragic
8. Aldridge
9. J. Green
10. Ibaka
11. Westbrook
12. Parker
13. R. Jackson
14. Deng
15. Ellis
16. Tyreke Evans
17. Pekovic
18. Parsons
19. Deron Willlliams
20. DeRozan
21. P. Gasol
22. Mark Gasol
23. Gortat
24. Danny Green
25. Leonard
26. Lopez
27. JR Smith
28. Ty Lawson
29. Al Horford
30. Holiday

Yeah, he might not even be top 20..probably closer to 25. But seriously listing people like Tyreke?

youre pushing it with this list. lot of overrated hot garbage on there

Yeah I've noticed he's basketball reeruned from this thread.

And what's Wade? Once again, we're talking about a guy that can't even play back to backs. A guy that was supposedly being saved for the playoffs, yet could only manage 15-4-3 in the Finals. What do you think he'd play like if he had to play a whole season? Or if the players on that list were given the same playing schedule he was?

He was pushing it with the first list. He's lost his mind with the second.

<iframe width="854" height="510" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/c4qBuEYciYc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Which names on the first list would you replace with Wade?

If we are talking about one year only, the trade for Brandon Haywood is going to give the Cavs well over $10M in monopoly money to spend above the cap.

It's more like Shaq needed Kobe for the first three. On the second two, Gasol was a top 5 player in basketball himself.

If Bosh is able to be the same efficient face-up player he was for Toronto, he'd be a decent #1 option offensively and could get them to the postseason (45 wins or so and a mid to low seed). But there's no real upside there and there's certanly no guarantee at all he can even be that same player again. From Miami's perspective, the contract makes little sense to me.

I actually read an article a few months back (it was one of those that talked about what a great #3/role player Bosh was for Miami) where Bosh basically said the old Bosh was dead and he was glad for it. So we'll see how it goes, but it likely doesn't end well at all.

Shell Wade isn't better than Lowry. At least not the 2013-2014 version of Lowry (who was one of the top 10-15 players in the NBA). I'd probably take Lance over him too.

Back to back nights, dumb ****. Jesus christ.

Right. Chris "0 points in Game 7 of the Finals" Bosh is a max contract guy and Dwyane Wade doesn't have a three foot fork sticking out of his back.

Your hardon for Wade makes you completely irrational.

Truth is, if those guys were merely 80% of what they were before all three of them joined together Miami likely wins at least three titles. As is, neither Wade nor Bosh was capable of carrying that team for any real stretch of time and Miami rode LeBron so hard that he started sputtering.

Bosh is Ryan Anderson with a worst outside shot and more opportunities for cheapies at this point in his career.

Vince signing with the Grizzlies. Love the signing, it's a great fit. With a healthy Gasol, they're just as good as anybody in the West.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Vince Carter has agreed to a three-year, $12M deal with Memphis, league source tells Yahoo Sports.</p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/487805373039247362">July 12, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

So Bosh didn't sign with Houston after they cleared room? Wow!

I figured Thunder would miss out on Pau. Still hoping for an upgrade at the 2 or a shooter. People are jumping off the bridge here, but I think they forget they were 5 seconds from a game 7 with a one legged Ibaka in the WCF and are just replacing 3 shit players.

Jackson and Lamb will be better.

McGary looks ready to contribute now.

Don't need an all star just a couple of role players. The Perkins contract will just **** them this one last year. Hopefully they can deal him and act by the all star break.

Would have loved to have Gasol, but can't make him want to come here. Lots of good options for him.

Hoping they can just get Miller or Morrow and maybe trade for someone like Dunleavy.

No shooters on this team. It's been a need for 6 years.

You have Kyrie Irving on your top-20 list yet he has averaged only 60 games per season and is a career 45% shooter (it's declined each year he's played).

You have Rose on your list yet he's played 49 games total in the last 2 years. Yet Wade's the broken down trash.

You have Rondo on your list yet he hasn't played more than 68 games in a year over the last 4 years. He's only played 68 games in the last 2 years combined.

If you want a list of 50 players better than Wade at this point in their career, here it is, in no specific order:

1. Kawhi Leonard
2. Tony Parker
3. Tim Duncan
4. Kevin Durant
5. Russell Westbrook
6. Serge Ibaka
7. Dwight Howard
8. James Harden
9. Chris Paul
10. Blake Griffin
11. Steph Curry
12. Klay Thompson
13. Damien Lillard
14. LaMarcus Aldridge
15. Boogie Cousins
16. Isaiah Thomas
17. Goran Dragic
18. Eric Bledsoe
19. Marcin Gortat
20. Kevin Love
21. Zach Randolph
22. Mike Conley
23. Marc Gasol
24. Ty Lawson
25. Gordon Heyward
26. Anthony Davis
27. Jrue Holliday
28. Paul George
29. Lance Stephenson
30. LeBron James
31. Chris Bosh
32. Kyle Lowry
33. DeMar Derozan
34. Deron Williams
35. Brook Lopez
36. Joe Johnson
37. John Wall
38. Bradley Beal
39. Al Jefferson
40. Rajon Rondo
41. Kyrie Irving
42. Carmelo Anthony
43. Derrick Rose
44. Joakim Noah
45. Luol Deng
46. Al Horford
47. Paul Milsap
48. Andre Drummond
49. Monta Ellis
50. Dirk

I could maybe only argue against 5-10 of those. And even then, those guys play the full season.

Agreed. Nice signing for them.

And that's not factoring in a lot of the young players and still ascending players. If you were to look at it from the perspective of current and future value, Wade is even further down the list.

If pau goes to SA you might as well sign them up for another nba finals

Who are the Thunder getting for their trade exception?

You realize trade exceptions are rarely used right? Of course you don't.

Agreed.

Yeah I just saw that. Pau is Tiago Splitter on performance enhancers. Would be a great system fit and a great signing overall.

Spurs dont have the money. They want pau on like a 5 million a year. Im hearing he wants more then that, at least 9-10.

Bulls and Lakers are completing a sign and trade for Gasol. Bullet dodged there :)

The Thunder are more interested in resigning Reggie than paying Gasol apparently. Hopefully they can do it before October because I have a feeling his stocks going up next year.

@chicagobullsbot: Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers are finalizing a sign-and-trade deal that will send Pau Gasol to the Bulls. (Source: Jesús Sánchez/Marca). Will help persuade Melo.

Really like Vince to my Grizzlies. It gives them a finisher at SF, something they haven't had in a while.

@BullsSource: Chicago Bulls basically offering Melo $15m-$16m/yr for two seasons, and then a full 4yr/$97m max the following season. This could happen tomorrow

FYP

Lol Melo is a paycheck player. If he goes to CHI I'll be shocked and proved wrong.

No, I didn't; that's why I asked you the question. I heard they had one and figured you, of anyone, might know.

What's with the need to be a dick?

I figure he takes the 120M+ that NYK can pay him. 2 yrs 32M would easily be the biggest paycut a star has taken in their prime or otherwise.

Bullet dodged?

It's been an odd market for guards so far. Pretty much everyone is getting paid more than you would expect and then the Kings let Isaiah Thomas go for 4 yrs 27M.

I don't understand why his max would only be 97 million after his first two seasons there. It would be 129+ mil.

Can someone explain to me how the Suns acquiring Isiah Thomas makes any sense?

Won't they run into the same problem with him that the Kings did?

The Kings didnt see him as a starter and Thomas thinks hes a starter so he wanted out, but goes to a team that has Dragic and Bledsoe that sees him as the third guard anyway, so he's still not a starter. Won't the cycle just repeat itself?

how do you have a guy who averaged 20 and 6 sit that much? I know his shooting his low, but like someone said in this very thread he looks similar on paper as Kyrie Irving

Meanwhile, 31 year old Channing Frye gets 4-31. Thomas needs to string his agent up.

The Bulls wouldn't have full Bird rights on him after two years, which affects both their ability to go over the cap for him, and the number of years they can give him. After year three, he could sign a full max extension.

Wow... I think Cleveland is giddy to have him back....

I don't know, it's strange. I'm a long time Suns fan and was excited about their season last year. I was also excited about the offseason since we have so much money available but, so far, they've done next to nothing. I like Thomas, but the move is bizarre. The last thing they needed was another PG. Unless, there is some kind of trade in the works, this makes little sense.

Bledsoe could be on his way out of Phoenix.

Bledsoe is a RFA. He's not going anywhere. If they traded for Thomas and someone is going, it's Dragic.

Since every post you make to me is a Thunder troll I assumed the same. It expired last night. Honestly there weren't a lot of players they could have acquired in a straight up deal. Here is a good article on it.

http://dailythunder.com/2014/07/the-...ay/#more-30358

Messing around with Gasol they let Carter and Miller slip on by. The only hope now is Morrow who they aren't even linking to OKC anymore. OKC will compete because they have Durant and Westbrook, but again aren't doing much to help them out. I expect them to bring in a couple of shells like Butler and Lewis. Extremely frustrating, but again they targeted the right players, and I have no clue what the negotiations looked like.

The Perkins contract haunts them. Without that they have the ability to either re-sign Harden or use the money more wisely. To attract free agents here you have to overpay them. Westbrook and Durant don't have that Lebron magnet. I think some of it has to do with them being seen as ball hogs, but I've seen them both try to be unselfish without teammates to finish the plays. Without a solid shooter or 2 I'm afraid this team won't get any further than its been. There is still hope I suppose if they can unload Perk by the all star break.

I think what I would do is overpay Allen or Miller to draw them from the Cavs. That is the kind of player they desperately need.

Presti has a very patient approach and it's been a big part of what has gotten them this far. They don't like to make panic moves to jeopardize their future. However, if they don't give them players they trust it will be all for naught and Knicks and Lakers fans can start to get excited. As I've always said I won't blame them one bit. If they can't finish the job in the next 2 seasons they should look at other options. OKC may still be the best at that point. It depends on how Jackson, Ibaka, Adams, McGary and Lamb develop.

I won't lie. I'm extremely disappointed with this offseason so far. McGary is the only bright spot so far.

Didn't want Pau with the Spurs.

The market all around has beem crazy. I suppose the bright side is OKC hasn't committed themselves to a contract they'll regret. They are still paying for the one they agreed to four years ago though.

Yep. As is Bosh (nothing wrong with that) except Melo has never won anything...That's why I gained more respect for Dwight Howard - he told the Lakers to keep their MAX 5-year - deal and signed elsewhere for "less" all be it still a very significant MAX 4-year-deal.

Yeah, this. I think they're pretty high on Bledsoe, as they should be. I really like Dragic too, but there just isn't room for everyone. They made a pretty hard push to trade for Love at the deadline last year, but I haven't really heard much about that lately.

Would have liked him to stay in Dallas but not at that price.

Ray Allen and Mike Miller are signing with the Cavs. Cavs also in talks with the Birdman.

do the Cavs plan on going 15 deep or do they plan on trading some of the current bums on their roster (Waiters, Bennett, etc) because Lebrons pals arent signing so current Cavs scrubbies can play over them that's for sure.

Well if you insist they are just scrubbies, then they probably wouldn't play over these guys huh? Kind if common sense you play the best people, but yeah we still have fill out the roster now. LeBron doesn't take up five spots.

But yeah there's still a chance a few of those scrubbies go to Minnesota with picks.

Waiters is a bum?
Posted via Mobile Device

it's pretty clear it's going to be an entire team of all Lebrons longtime Cavs and now Heat pals and all Lebrons way with no Wade or Bosh or Riley.

PG- Irving
SG- Allen,Miller
SF - Lebron, Wiggins
PF - Thompson
C - Big Andy, Birdman

I think they trade Waiters/Bennett and fill out the roster with more Lebrons pals

not that that's a bad thing. Good mix of young and old talent now.

What is your beef with Cleveland? Serious question.

They already jettisoned Jarrett Jack, Alonzo Gee, Karasev, and Tyler Zeller. Hawes left in FA, and Hopson was just a D-League guy.

Even if they added Allen and Miller, with Wiggins and James that's a four player swap.

I don't have a beef with Cleveland, I like Lebron, Irving, Allen, Miller, Birdman, some of those vets were my favorite players in the early/mid 2000s.

I got into it because the Cleveland fans overrate things on here for whatever reason. You guys argue that Cleveland never screws up, Anthony Bennett was a good pick because there was nobody else, Dion Waiters is a future all star, etc.

For a shit team they get treated on here like they were an Eastern Conference impact team, and that just wasn't the case for four years. Now it's obviously different.

You can't really get mad at someone for thinking Anthony Bennett is a worse #1 overall pick than even Eric Fisher. Because it's sadly true.

Jazz matched the offer for big Gordon Hayward. Now I don't blame him for making a ton of money on a team that will be terrible anyway.

The Jazz bungled that. They could have signed him for 4-52 last year.

That cock sucker David Stern ruined the Lakers when he voided the Chris Paul trade.

If I was a Thunder fan I'd be happy that Pau Gasol isn't gonna end up in OKC. They don't need his soft old ass. He wouldn't be worth the contract they'd give him

I think you're confusing "you guys" with one person. The majority of Cleveland fans you talk to know everything about their sports city sucks. It's not like Raiders fans, who suck but always think they're great. Cleveland fans think their teams are terrible and rather than be surprised when good things happen, usually chalk it up to "it's not going to last." And most of the time, they're right.

I wouldn't base Cleveland fans on RustShack. That guy is the ultimate homer. Most Cleveland fans are probably even more jaded and cynical than KC fans.

Gasol's passing and post game is exactly what OKC needs. He'd make that offense damned near unstoppable.

Imagine a crunch time five of Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Durant, Gasol, and Ibaka. That gives you elite perimeter defense with an elite rim protector, a transcendent post passer, three great finishers, two guys who can get their own shots, and two bigs you can run the pick and pop with.

He's also not Kendrick Perkins. Then again, that probably still won't stop Brooks from giving Perkins 20 minutes a game.