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Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich
His playoff numbers are actually a shade above his regular season numbers.
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Per 36, he's pretty much the same player, to his credit. But my point is more towards what you wrote here...
Quote:
Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich
The team around him through injury or age just struggle on offense. Especially in the half court.
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... in that his game - while he is able to essentially replicate his numbers in the playoffs - might be more suited to the grind of a regular season, whereas execution in the the half court offense is more important in playoffs. And when things tighten up in the playoffs, the support of his teammates becomes key, and he doesn't have a legit 1b to lean on... and, he's lacking anything better than an average-at-best shooting game.
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Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich
He is the best player in basketball.
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He's certainly in the conversation, but it's not, IMO, hands down. Personally, I'm not going to anoint a guy as the best in the game unless he's someone who I'd be eager to see taking a 15-foot jumper, game on the line. And if we're looking at the best handful+ players, he probably comes in last in that category if he's up against the likes of The Joker, Embiid, KD, Tatum, Shai, Steph, Luka... Not that those guys don't have holes in their game, too, but give me any of those guys (and dozens of others) over Giannis if it's one mid-range shot to win the game...