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Will the Warriors have the best offensive season in NBA history?
Marc Cantave: The Golden State Warriors posted another 140 point game the other night and the crazy thing about is, it's not the first time this season. The question that is on everyone's minds is: is this the greatest offensive season by an NBA team in history? That answer is yes! The Warriors have at least 10 games where they had 30+ assists, 50 percent field goal percentage, and 40 percent from three. Imagine Stephen Curry's offensive season from last year, but with the entire team. The Showtime Lakers were one of the best offensive teams of all-time, but we haven't seen anything like this. This is truly historic and I believe it will go down as the best offensive season ever for a team.
Kory Waldron: I can’t disagree with you on this one; I’d be lying if I even tried to make a counter argument. They’re something special, something I’ve never seen before in my life. A team that has two for sure, possibly even three number one scoring options on the same team. Those three being Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, we saw this display against the Pacers, that on any given night one of those three including Draymond Green at times, can explode offensively. This time it was Klay Thompson with 60 points in 29 minutes. It could’ve been a record game if the Warriors hadn’t been up by over 35 heading into the fourth.
When it’s all set and done, and this season comes to an end we’ll look back at the barrage of points this team scored and we’ll say that this was the best offensive team to this point in NBA history.
Are the Hawks in danger of missing the playoffs?
Marc Cantave: Yes it’s still early in the season, but the Atlanta Hawks haven’t really played well as of late. They are 10th in the Eastern Conference and are currently on a 7 game losing streak. They seem to be out of sync offensively and may have trouble keeping up with the rest of the East if they fall behind. Currently, the teams ahead of them are the Cavs, Raptors, Celtics, Hornets, Knicks, Bulls, Bucks, Pistons, and Pacers. That’s nine teams that are ahead of them with only eight spots available.
You can book the Cavs, Raptors, Celtics and Hornets. The Knicks should make the playoffs this year, but it’s the Knicks, you never know. Bucks or Pistons may fall off during the season, but as of right now the Hawks are in danger of missing the playoffs and have a great chance of missing it.
Kory Waldron: Any time a team's losing streak is nearing double-digits, you can generally assume their playoff hopes are in doubt. This time around it’s slightly different, we’re talking about the Atlanta Hawks who just a year ago were the four seed in the Eastern Conference. Since losing Al Horford and trading away Jeff Teague, there’s new faces in Atlanta. The biggest name being Dwight Howard. How this team finishes is heavily dependent on the direction the team wants to go in. Is this now a rebuild? Is this just a slump?
I do believe the Hawks will rally back from this and stay in the hunt for a playoff seed. I wouldn’t hit the panic button just yet the Hawks are still 11-12 that’s not a huge hole considering they’ve lost 7 straight at one point this season. However, if trade rumors start popping up revolving around Paul Millsap. Hawk fans, it’ll be time to accept a full on rebuild.
Marc Cantave: You should never count out the Hawks and Dwight Howard is definitely an upgrade over Al Horford, but I just believe that the Hawks will recover, but not enough to get a top eight seed. The Knicks are too good not to make the playoffs and the Bulls will get in this year. Without Teague, Hawks have had trouble scoring and they may not be able to keep up with the other teams in the league.
Kory Waldron: I do have the Knicks & Bulls making the playoffs as well, with that said between Millsap and Howard I think this Hawks team can find enough offense to slip into the playoffs and still possibly finish a five seed. I feel you’re forgetting this is a team that started 9-2 and on this seven game skid it’s noteworthy they’ve lost three games by five or less. With four of those loses on the road, it’s been a bumpy stretch, but it’s a long season.
Marc Cantave: The Hawks start off great every year, but always cool off a bit right around the trade deadline (minus the season they won 60 games). At 12-13, they will go on a skid, especially since their schedule will get heavier as it wanes on. The Hawks may get in, but they will be battling for eighth and can very well miss the playoffs.
Who is the better pick to this point Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins?
Kory Waldron: Going into 2014 draft; I was fully behind Andrew Wiggins as the guy to draft over Jabari Parker. Three years into their careers, I’m leaning towards Parker. Parker missed majority of his rookie season after tearing his ACL, yet still since that rookie season he has improved each season. From last year to this year, he’s already averaging five more points a game and has raised his 3-point shooting from 25 percent last season, to 35 percent this season. With far less NBA court time than Wiggins, Parker is statistically better than Wiggins in just about every category besides points per game.
Marc Cantave: Jabari Parker is averaging 19.4 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game with a PER of 18.75. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 22.2 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per game with a PER of 15.86. Wiggins’ Minnesota Timberwolves are 7-18 while Parker’s Bucks are 11-12, so the obvious choice would be Parker, but I have never been known to go with the obvious choice. Something tells me that Wiggins will eventually be the better player than Parker and just off potential alone, I’d pick Wiggins.
Andrew Wiggins has superstar potential, while Parker has all-star potential. I mean Parker is averaging the quietest 20 points I have ever seen. You could build a team around Wiggins, but I don’t know if you can say the same about Parker. Off the eye test alone, there is something special in Wiggins that you just don’t see in Parker. Both of these players are extremely young and their career can take off any minute. I see that happening more for Wiggins than for Parker.
Kory Waldron: When you look at both of their numbers how can you possibly say that Wiggins has “superstar potential” while Parker has “all-star potential,” how can you distinguish the two? They both have tons of potential. I’m not questioning that. To say you can’t build a team around Parker, I’m not sure how true that is. The Bucks are currently building their franchise on the backs of Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now for the quietest 20 points you’ve ever seen. The only other player I know who was productive and vastly overlooked was Tim Duncan, for pretty much the duration of his career. Now I’m not saying he’s the next Duncan. Parker is not. However, Parker is technically if you overlook his first year of injury is in his sophomore year. And his sophomore year numbers are pretty damn good. Parker may not be a guy you build your team around solely. When you look at the Minnesota Timberwolves; you can’t say for certain that Wiggins is their franchise player. Towns came into “town” and he’s put his face in front of Wiggins.
Marc Cantave: Numbers don’t always live up to the player’s potential (look at Kevin Love as an example). Yes Wiggins is playing with Towns and Parker with Antetokounmpo, but if you were to take them off of their current teams and put them on a team like the Orlando Magic, Wiggins would be more of a first option player while Parker is a second option. Wiggins would be better suited to lead a team. Parker is more of a strong complementary piece (like Kyrie Irving), while Wiggins is more of a go to guy. Don’t forget Wiggins is a two way player and as we are seeing lately, there is great value in that. It’s early in their careers, but to answer the question about right now, I am taking Andrew Wiggins.
Kory Waldron: Kevin Love is having a fantastic season coming off a very good postseason a year ago. There’s no evidence to support Wiggins being a go to guy or how being on the Orlando Magic makes Parker a second option compared to Wiggins. This is his first season where he has even developed a three point shot and his counterpart Parker has also added that to his game. In every statistical advanced stat, Parker is better. His TS%, EFG%, PACE and PIE are all better than Wiggins. Saying Wiggins is a first option doesn’t mean he is and he has never been a number one option to this point of his career. When it comes to being a two-way player Parker by the numbers is a better defender. So you can have Wiggins, I’ll put my money on Parker.