Chat with Michael Wilbon: I asked a question and got a decent answer.

Roddy (Portland)

Between LMA, Love and Griffin....who is the more complete player and out of these three, who would you want to be on your team Mike? I think Aldridge will be an all-star this year and makes perfect sense for team USA.

mike wilbon
(1:45 PM)

I love all 3. Kornheiser just ran into my office...I told him the question. He said he Blake and Love help him sell tickets if the team in question is bad, and Aldridge does not. Thing is, I think Aldridge sometimes has a bigger impact on the game than either of the other two. I'd take any of the three. Griffin is dependent on a point guard to set him up. Love isn't. Love can get a shot on his own. So can Aldridge...Aldridge is definitely the better defender. All three are All Stars, without a doubt. Look, the position is loaded. Guys like Garnett and Duncan, two first-ballot Hall of Famers, don't even get into the dicussion anymore at that position. Those three, to me, would be ahead of Dirk, if we're having a draft, though Dirk would be ahead of them if I have to win a game tonight and my life is on the line. It's a fun discussion, though...I might change my mind on the order of those three between now and the playoffs, especially if Love can carry the T-Wolves to the post-season.

4 months ago BlazerRoddy 20 comments 0 recs |

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it's cool that you got an answer from Wilbon, who I've always liked...

but this question has been recycled and regurgitated so many times with no discernible correct answer.

In my opinion, incorporating defense, LA is the best of the 3.
However, I think it simply comes down to the best fit for a specific team.

I’m not a big K.Love fan, though I understand he’s worked his butt off to improve his game and put up the numbers he has, but nonetheless, he’s not on an Aldridge level yet.
Blake Griffin- if he played defense whatsoever- would be leagues above LA and Love, but he doesn’t.

We should probably just agree that right now, there are several great PFs in the league, and specifically the Western Conference, but one plays only offense, one is on a barely .500 level team, and the other has an all-around game that makes him a top 15 player in the league.
You decide…

"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."

by thankyouforblaze on Feb 6, 2012 11:23 AM PST reply actions

"Love can get a shot on his own."

Huh? This guy thinks love is better at creating shots for himself than Aldridge or Griffin?
Griffin has better handles and athleticism, Aldridge has more moves. Of the three, I see Love as the most dependent on others to set him up. Unless Wilbon is referring to Love’s put-backs via offensive rebounding. But, Griffin is a great rebounder.

by byronirvin on Feb 6, 2012 11:30 AM PST reply actions

Love has a pump-fake, drive to the hoop move

that he gets fouled often on. Wilbon’s probably talking about that because yeah, Love does not have a post-game.

by jukelike20 on Feb 6, 2012 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

well, yeah. LMA is assisted 2/3 of the time, Love is assisted 1/2 the time, and Love scores more.

In other words, Love is better at creating shots for himself.

Not exactly in crowd pleasing ways, mind you. Lots of ugly throwing crap up at the basket from down low kind of moves, but they go in at a good clip.

by howlingfantods on Feb 6, 2012 2:50 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Offensive Boards

Are unassisted, and Love looks for his shots much more after getting one that LMA, who looks to reset the offense.

by NicoFTW on Feb 6, 2012 5:25 PM PST up reply actions

nice

Batum Shakalaka

by WesMoneyy on Feb 6, 2012 11:39 AM PST reply actions

Id say of the 3

Love is the better rebounder
Blake is the better dunker
LMA has a better overall game

And out of the 3, Id take LMA everytime to be on my team, hands down period.

by cavejunctionblazer on Feb 6, 2012 11:53 AM PST reply actions

same

LMA has an array of hooks, fades, up and unders, fake and drive, spin moves, spin lob, face up jumper…just a ton of counters. His post game is looking like one of the most polished in the league at this point. Add his mid-range game to that along with the ability to work effectively against double teams and be an above average defender at his position.

He doesn’t get credit for it and probably won’t for at least another season but he really is the better all around player of the 3. He’s also arguably the best power forward in the league and his ability to play center effectively too adds to this.

LMA will also kill you from anywhere inside the 3pt line at about a 50% clip. Blake and Love can still be shut down or badly hindered by one solid defender. LMA has been torching double teams containing some of the better defenders in the league.

by poorwebguy on Feb 6, 2012 12:14 PM PST up reply actions

you have to double LA down low nearly every time

I’d play either of the other two guys straight up. they’ll both get their numbers of course. both have better motors than LA and go after every rebound with much more aggression. LA, due to his length among other things, is the superior defender of the 3.

"But if Ding Dongs and prime rib were the path to NBA pivot stardom we'd all be wearing the uniform." -Dave

by douglast on Feb 6, 2012 4:08 PM PST up reply actions

Also,

Any Love that Kevin Love got from me is now gone after the super dirty face stomp on Luis Scola. Thats just uncalled for. Its exactly why I dont like Shaq to this day, he was a dirty player. Ill never forget the time he mashed the ball into Joels face when Joel was down and Shaq was on top of him. Shaq put all his weight on the ball smashing Joels head when he got up. I just cant stand dirty players. Blake strikes me as a dirty player as well. Look what little ol Andre had to do to him after getting shoved in the back twice! Andre gave him the old linebacker move, it was the best. Both Love and Griffin strike me as flashy type players, more spot light types, less humble more conceited. They already think they are the best in their own minds.

LMA on the other hand is so far from being a dirty player. Nothing about his game is dirty. The dude has too much class and respect to even think dirty. His game is GAME! Hes all about finesse. He wants to beat you with skills not with elbows, shoves in the back, jersey grabbing etc… And hes incredibly humble.

I will take that any day of the week, 365.

by cavejunctionblazer on Feb 6, 2012 12:08 PM PST reply actions

Maybe I'm a little de-humanized after playing football so much

But that seemed like a huge meh moment. It’s not like he came out of nowhere with it, the chop/throw-down was as violent as the “face stomp”. It’s not like these players are randomly hurting other players, it’s just the highlighted play after many plays of pushing, shoving, elbows, smack-talking etc. Same goes for Shaq as well, he gets just as beat up, if not more so, than Dwight. You don’t think he gets frustrated?

And how can you get angry about these “dirty” moves, and then praise Andre’s blindside? Just because he was getting pushed around as well? Everyone’s being physical out there, you can’t love one guys hits and call the other one as dirty plays.

by Batumshakalaka on Feb 6, 2012 12:53 PM PST up reply actions

I miss PTI.

"It feels good to give the fans Taco Bell."
- Luke Babbitt, 1/23/2012

by halo_on on Feb 6, 2012 3:43 PM PST reply actions

Love sells tickets?

by Sabonis4Ever on Feb 6, 2012 3:58 PM PST reply actions

rebounds are highlight worthy

didn’t you know?

PHILLY!

by CleBlazer on Feb 6, 2012 4:20 PM PST up reply actions

Camby > Lebron

by Sabonis4Ever on Feb 6, 2012 4:38 PM PST up reply actions

Of the three, LMA is the only face I don't want to punch.

I’m not just saying that because he’s a Blazer either. Love and Griffen both just have particularly punchable faces—especially Griffen.

Griffen’s face was made for punching; it looks like it would just envelop a fist, and spring right back into shape without so much as a bruise, making it perfect for sustained punching. A person could spend hours punching that face.

Love’s face is pretty dang punchable too. He’s got the kind of face that would get punched, then make cuckoo clock noises while stars circle (he’d also make googly eyes). Unfortunately, after the second punch his teeth would make piano noises before falling out, and who wants to punch a toothless face?

Punching LMA would just be wrong. The man’s too pretty. I’d sooner punch the Venus de Milo.

Doers & Makers > Movers & Shakers

by Adam Randall on Feb 6, 2012 4:38 PM PST reply actions 1 recs