LeBron is first in NBA 2K17 Official Player Ratings!

NBA 2K17 Official Player Ratings!




96 - LeBron James (No Change)
94 - Stephen Curry (-2)
93 - Kevin Durant (-1)
93 - Russell Westbrook (-2)
93 - Kawhi Leonard (-1)
91 - Chris Paul (-1)
90 - Klay Thompson (-1)
90 - Draymond Green (+1)
90 - James Harden (-2)
90 - Anthony Davis (-1)
90 - DeMarcus Cousins (No Change)
89 - Paul George (-1)
89 - Kyrie Irving (+1)
89 - Damian Lillard (No Change)
88 - Carmelo Anthony (No Change)
88 - Karl Anthony Towns (+2)
88 - Jimmy Butler (No Change)
88 - John Wall (-1)

Derrick Rose Has Played More Games Over The Last Two Seasons Than Others

Derrick Rose has played more games over the last two seasons than Carmelo Anthony, Joakim Noah, Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant,Chris Bosh, Paul George, Tyreke Evans, Jabari Parker, Ricky Rubio and Eric Bledsoe.
Perhaps we should stop perpetuating a narrative from 4 years ago that is no longer valid.

Allen Iverson Top Players Of The All Time

Allen Iverson is being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next month, and recently sat down with rapper Jadakiss for a wide-ranging interview including his top five players of all-time -- though Iverson was hard-pressed to settle on a fifth.

"Mike [Jordan], Shaq [O'Neal], Kobe [Bryant], LeBron [James]. [The fifth one] could be a lot of dudes," he said.

Rather than pick one last player to fill out his roster, Iverson listed five active players in addition to James who impress him today, choosing Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Iverson's preference for scoring point guards is no surprise, given that he averaged 26.7 PPG in his career, the seventh-best scoring average in NBA history.

LeBron James Says Every Decision Is Different

"When I saw the news I was like, 'Wow' I think everyone had the "wow" thing. My [reaction] was no different from the average person who doesn't know basketball to the person who watches it or covers it every day.

So, I think it's all great for our league. Our league is very competitive.

Every decision is different. My decision to leave Cleveland to go to Miami and then go back is different from Kevin Durant leaving OKC and going to the Warriors.

It's different from Shaq leaving Orlando and going to the Lakers. It's different from Michael retiring, coming back, retiring, coming back, and then going to the Wizards. So I think every decision is different, and how much you have invested in that player, I guess, or how much you feel for that player is how you're going to react. So everyone is different."

- LeBron James on Kevin Durant joining the Warriors

Four Times Kevin Durant Has Led The League In Scoring

Kevin Durant is a scorer. Four times he has led the league in scoring. A greater player than he, LeBron James, has only done that once because James makes his teammates better by also drawing double teams and then finding the open man. At 6-9, with the wingspan of a man who stands 7-4 3/4, with NBA 3-point range (38 percent career average) and a release point so high that contesting his shot is almost a case of "Why bother?," Durant also has fast-twitch muscles that are a firestorm of neural impulses. He is explosive getting to the basket and powerful on his dunks

But if Durant doesn't change his mindset on sharing the ball, the Golden State Warriors are going to have trouble with their vaunted teamwork.

 Durant left Oklahoma City as a free agent, joining a Golden State team - perhaps you heard about this - that had a record 73-9 regular season, then lost the NBA Finals to the Cavaliers after becoming the first team ever to blow a 3-1 lead on the biggest stage. OKC would have been in the Finals had Durant not shot 10 for 31 in the lone home elimination game the Thunder had, when they themselves blew a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.

LEBRON JAMES FAVORITES TO WIN 2016-17 NBA MVP

LeBron James favorites to win 2016-17 NBA MVP 😂
Chris Walder Aug 7, 2016

Four of the last five NBA Most Valuable Player awards have gone to either LeBron James or Stephen Curry, and Las Vegas oddsmakers don't see that trend changing for the 2016-17 regular season.

The King and The Chef are the two heavy favorites to take home the Maurice Podoloff Trophy at the end of next season with 15-4 odds.

Russell Westbrook, who hinted Thursday that he has renegotiated his contract to remain with the Oklahoma City Thunder, ranks third at 4-1, while Kevin Durant, who ditched the Thunder to sign with the Golden State Warriors and play alongside Curry, is right behind at 8-1.

Player Team Odds
Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors 15-4
LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers 15-4
Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1
Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors 8-1
Anthony Davis New Orleans Pelicans 14-1
James Harden Houston Rockets 16-1
Kawhi Leonard San Antonio Spurs 16-1
Paul George Indiana Pacers 22-1
Blake Griffin Los Angeles Clippers 22-1
Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers 28-1
Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks 33-1
Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks 33-1
DeMarcus Cousins Sacramento Kings 33-1
Kyrie Irving Cleveland Cavaliers 33-1
Chris Paul Los Angeles Clippers 33-1
Draymond Green Golden State Warriors 50-1
Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves 50-1
John Wall Washington Wizards 50-1
LaMarcus Aldridge San Antonio Spurs 66-1
Kyle Lowry Toronto Raptors 66-1
Isaiah Thomas Boston Celtics 66-1
Dwyane Wade Chicago Bulls 66-1
DeMar DeRozan Toronto Raptors 75-1
Hassan Whiteside Miami Heat 75-1
Jimmy Butler Chicago Bulls 100-1
Derrick Rose New York Knicks 100-1
Bradley Beal Washington Wizards 125-1
Andre Drummond Detroit Pistons 125-1
Andrew Wiggins Minnesota Timberwolves 125-1
Kevin Love Cleveland Cavaliers 175-1
Gordon Hayward Utah Jazz 175-1

KEVIN DURANT DESCRIBES 2016 TEAM USA EXPERIENCE AS 'THERAPY'

Kevin Durant ended an emotional summer in which he left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors by winning a gold medal in the Olympics.

USA Basketball provided Durant a sanctuary, playing basketball while bonding with new and old friends.

“It was therapy for me after making a big change in my life,” Durant said. “It made my life easier … I knew [a backlash] was coming. It was definitely different for me, but to come here in an environment where people accepted me and didn’t care about anything except being my buddy, that’s what I needed.”

Durant isn't sure if he'll return for Tokyo in 2020.

“I can’t say right now,” Durant told The Vertical. “I’ll be 31, going on 32 …”

COUSINS, DURANT, GEORGE LED USA IN OLYMPICS PER

DeMarcus Cousins led Team USA in PER with a mark of 26.4, slightly ahead of Kevin Durant's 25.5.

Team USA PER in 2016 Olympics
1. DeMarcus Cousins: 26.4
2. Kevin Durant: 25.5
3. Paul George: 24.8
4. DeAndre Jordan: 20.6
5. Kyrie Irving: 19.2
6. DeMar DeRozan: 18.2
7. Jimmy Butler: 17.3
8. Kyle Lowry: 17.0
9. Carmelo Anthony: 16.5
10. Klay Thompson: 11.3
*Harrison Barnes: 21.0 (fewer than 10 minutes per game)
*Draymond Green: 6.7

Team USA PER in 2012 Olympics
1. Carmelo Anthony: 41.6
2. Kevin Love: 40.0
3. Kevin Durant: 39.4
4. LeBron James: 35.9
5. Kobe Bryant: 27.4
6. Russell Westbrook: 26.4
7. Andre Iguodala: 25.9
8. Tyson Chandler: 25.5
9. Deron Williams: 24.3
10. James Harden: 23.9
11. Chris Paul: 23.0
*Anthony Davis: 28.1 (fewer than 10 minutes per game)

Team USA PER in 2008 Olympics
1. Dwyane Wade: 37.5
2. LeBron James: 28.9
3. Dwight Howard: 28.4
4. Chris Bosh: 28.4
5. Chris Paul: 22.3
6. Carmelo Anthony: 20.4
7. Kobe Bryant: 19.1
8. Tayshaun Prince: 17.1
9. Deron Williams: 13.8
10. Jason Kidd: 9.3
11. Michael Redd: 5.6
* Carlos Boozer: 15.6 (fewer than 10 minutes per game)

When Team USA sent a perceived B team to the World Cup in 2014, they still had four players with PERs above 30.0.

Team USA PER in 2014 FIBA World Cup
1. DeMarcus Cousins: 36.7
2. Anthony Davis: 31.6
3. Kenneth Faried: 31.0
4. James Harden: 30.2
5. Andre Drummond: 24.6
6. Kyrie Irving: 23.8
7. Klay Thompson: 22.1
8. Stephen Curry: 21.4
9. Rudy Gay: 18.7
10. DeMar DeRozan: 16.4
11. Derrick Rose: 7.3
* Mason Plumlee: 15.5 (fewer than 10 minutes per game)