Quote (Sixers @ Sep 17 2022 11:03am)
I've been having this discussion with Kim in discord chat for months now. The same exact convo, where he tries to tell me Rob has more of an impact than Middleton in recent years rofl. The same Middleton who was the clutch closer and #2 scorer for a championship team (and was the most clutch player in the playoffs that year by a large margin).
Now in the future is a different story. Middleton is 31 and Rob is 24. Williams could end up being the modern day Tyson Chandler.
Quote (Trust100Percent @ Sep 17 2022 12:26pm)
You mean when I said Tatum wasn't top 5 but top 10 was fair? Link me shitting on JB/JT as one of the best wing duos, doesn't sound like something I would say. Celtics getting out of the East I definitely would have disagreed with, and had Middleton been healthy they wouldn't have.
You were better off sticking with Rob>Middleton in terms of value to their team, now you're saying he's gonna be a straight up better player. I'll gladly hold onto that, that's a most improved player award and then some away from happening.
Quote (Nwotmik @ Sep 17 2022 02:14pm)
He was more valuable to his team last season
He will be a better player than Middleton next season
He legit adds another dimension to our team. Watch our games. He is the best weak side help defender in the league, that is a fact. Opposition are forced to play against us so much different when Rob is playing because he’s just going to erase any soft attempt at the rim. We didn’t have that presence against the Bucks and it allowed them to attack the rim so much easier. Obviously Giannis is always gonna be a factor inside, but guys like Lopez and Portis were doing some work inside and on the offensive glass during certain periods of that series, as well as Jrue getting his inside as well. That doesn’t happen with Rob. Tell ‘em ^zxfamily-guyxz
Also Middleton is a great player, but he’s a shot creating sharp shooter who plays okay defense and doesn’t do all that much else. Yes they needed some more easy buckets because Jrues outside shooting was streaky and Grayson Allen shit the bed. But he still doesn’t move the needle as much as Rob does. Bedsides, Smart would have gone to Middleton anyway, which would have allowed White to play on Jrue. Two far better matchups for us.
And let’s not even forget we also now have Malcolm Brogdan which imo at his absolute best, and healthy, is very close to Middleton as it is. If you can’t see the off-season acquisitions weren’t a net win to the Celtics then idk what to tell you. But we are the betting favourites for the championship, so that should tell you something?
Quote (Nwotmik @ Sep 17 2022 02:26pm)
In recent years?
Okay I never said that at all and you know it. Stop trying to win an internet argument by saying I said something that I didn’t.
Last season yes. Rob was more impactful than Middleton. I stand by that. Middleton slightly the better player overall, yes… but Rob was more important / impactful.
Rob is already more impactful than Middleton despite playing less game time. He’s always been a per36 god, putting up incredible numbers while he’s on the floor, but last season he turned into a defensive god too. There is not a better weak side help defender in the league. He makes the Celtics what they are, and had we been going into the playoffs without his bung knee then things may have been very different. You guys act like he’s just a nobody - it’s hilarious. He’s likely going to be a top 3 C next season (if healthy, but that’s obviously his biggest hurdle)
Also Rob has shown he is serious enough about basketball to improve his weaknesses, so that McGee comparison is silly. Rob was a terrible defender and a foul merchant when he entered the league, he worked on it and now he’s one of the best in the league. He was like a 60% free throw shooter too and then improved to 72% last season and was legitimately automatic in the playoffs. He has a nice midrange jumper, despite not showing it often, so I have zero doubt he builds a respectable outside shot. If Arron Baynes can do it, anyone can.
Didn't read.