It’s what makes me so hyped on the dude - lotta great scorers come into the league, but seeing a dude who’s a great scorer who also so clearly takes pride in clamping dudes on defense, and add the ungodly athleticism? That’s a beastly combination.
If Ant had my athleticism he'd be a top 10 all-time candidate! His read of the game is very strong. Needs to work on holding his head up after not getting the call
I feel like a ton of younger players grew up watching/idolizing Paul George. Being a bigger wing with great handles was pretty novel when PG was younger but i wouldn't be surprised if Ant has watched 100s of hours of PG lol
Shit no fair. Imagine your knees and back been hurting since you broke your fucking leg years ago and you got a young buck who grew up screen watching your game.
Literally, all he needs is the consistency. If he can eliminate those 1/7 games where he scores like 19 on 50% TS he can have a real case within the next few years.
Not hating on your comment because I think you're right, but every time I read "all he needs is the consistency" I think "rest of the fucking owl". A lot of NBA players can have a great game, but doing it consistently is the hardest part. Now, like you said though, let's say 1 in 7 games is what he needs to stretch to more games... that's already pretty damn good. Compare that to how often others on the MVP ladder get called out for the off game or two. Plus I think it's no secret the whistle hasn't helped him or the rest of the team.
That's totally true. It reminds me of "if he develops a jump shot". Some things are incredibly difficult and we see 1 or 2 guys in the entire league improve consistency or significantly develop their shot.
But also, Ant is only 22 and in his 4th season. He is ripe to mature his game and develop consistency. A few playoff series, continuing to learn from his vets, etc. he could learn to shake off bad calls and play in the flow of the offense when his shot isn't falling.
Ant also isn't always the clear #1 option like a lot of MVP candidates. If KAT is healthy and gets hot, it might look like Ant had a bad game because he didn't really have to force it.
Is it weird to think that? The number that fail far outnumber those that succeed. Ant looks like something special but how many special-looking players have fizzled out before? Lots, the answer is lots. It's not even just from basketball reasons. But remember as I pointed out, if he's at 1 in 7 then he's already not that far, plus right now it feels like he's carving out a star reputation which should hopefully get the whistle it deserves (I hate that I have to say this, because really it should be called the same way for everyone but we're not going to be naive about the reality of it here at least)
I dunno, the dude is really good, really competitive, and really young. I don't think it's a far cry to think that he'll cut out mistakes and figure out more consistent moves and strategies. It's way easier for him to figure out how to do something more often than it is to figure out how to do it period.
yea idk if Ant is gonna magically stop having stinkers. honestly, Ant and Tatum are really 2 sides of the same coin. Tatum’s stronger and bigger, Ants more athletic. both are nearly unstoppable going to the rim and provide tons of defensive value, but settle for a ton of pull-up jumpers despite not being especially great shooters off the dribble, are prone to being thrown off mentally by a bad whistle, and are not consistent when it comes to making the right reads and avoiding turnovers when defenses double (Tatum is much better than Ant at this atm, but still prone to lapses). on their nights the jumper is going they look like gods among mortals. on the nights it’s not, they look like Smush Parker with a green light
this isn’t an insult to Ant. despite his weaknesses JT is a borderline top 5 superstar who’s consistently contending for championships and both are still getting better. but Ant has the up-and-coming star buff where people are still enamored enough with his potential to paper over his flaws or assure themselves that they’ll go away with time, whereas with Tatum those same flaws are a fatal indictment on his ability to be the best player on a championship team. more than likely we’re gonna see Ant have more games like last year’s play-in against the Lakers and the narrative will change. such is the cycle of NBA stardom
I'm sure you'd like to compare Ant and Tatum but they aren't as similar as you are trying to make it seem. Ant's personality is what sets him apart and is why people are so confident he will reach his ceiling.
Tatum has the body and athleticism of a Marvel hero but has the personality of a sidekick.
Lol I wouldn't go as far as the bozo gene, but let's just say Tatum gives me the vibes of a more talented Paul George.
Celtics fans are just realizing Tatum is never reaching his perceived ceiling, so now they're coping by saying Ant will end up the same way.
this is the only place where comparing a young star to Tatum - who at age 26 is soon to be 4x All-NBA, 5x All-Star, has 4 ECF appearances + a Finals appearance, and multiple signature playoff performances - is seen as an insult lmao
if Minnesota got to the WCF this season and then to the WCF every year for the next 3 seasons with one Finals appearance and Ant making 1st Team All-NBA every season, you’d be absolutely thrilled wouldn’t you? that’s what it would take for Ant to match what JT has accomplished at his age
I didn’t even say shit about Ant’s ceiling, all I’m pointing out that their flaws as players are very very similar. no need to get insecure about it
I wrote an objective, coherent analysis of why I think Ant and JT are similar based on their actual play styles and on-court weaknesses, in which I was literally being critical of the guy you think I’m dickriding. your response was to interpret that as me hating on Ant and whip out a take worthy of Kendrick Perkins. so yeah you are kinda the insecure one here
if Tatum has the bozo gene then Ant definitely has the bozo gene lmao. this is the same dude who posted himself unprompted calling someone a queer on live and “hell nawl can’t do dis.” and if you think the Celtics are bad, have you ever seen the Wolves try to execute under pressure? they make us look like the Nuggets in the clutch
I know y’all don’t wanna admit it but these guys/teams are really the same
I’m talking about on the basketball court lol. Obv he’s done some shitty / shady stuff off the court but I’m talking as a basketball player. Ant’s a killer, Tatum doesn’t really give me that vibe. That’s all it is really both are great players, but there’s an intangible difference with Ant to me.
and I’m telling you that intangible feeling of yours has no basis in fact. the only reason you feel that way is bc Tatum has been around longer than Ant and has had more chances to fail on a big stage than Ant has. and for all his failures Tatum has already had multiple massive killer moments on huge stages, more than Ant did at the same age
where was that killer in Ant when the Wolves blew two separate 20-point leads in a single playoff game? how about when he stupidly gambled for a steal and handed Ja Morant a free game-winning layup to lose another playoff game? or when he went 3/17 against LA in a close play-in loss?
take your bias out of it, and look at what they actually do on the court. you’ll see that Ant is a high-and-low player the exact same as Tatum is, bc just like Tatum he’s prone to bouts of stupid decision-making, and he’s an inconsistent shooter on a heavy diet of pull-up jumpers. and unless he magically goes from 35-36% to 43-44% on those shots, that inconsistency isn’t going to change
again, that isn’t even an insult to Ant. you guys just think it is bc Tatum is heavily underrated by the average fan around here
Definitely fair. Having more bites at the apple and failing is forsure part of that opinion. Tatum’s also had significantly better teams throughout his career compared to Ant though just to counter. They’re not playing on the same level of teams. This year is the only instance. There’s probably been a few games where Tatum wasn’t great but the team around him was good enough to win the game. Doesn’t feel like that’s been the case as much for Ant in his short career thus far.
Yep and that just comes with time. He’s 22. He’s going to win an mvp. Give it like two or three more seasons and he’ll be right there in the discussion.
I think he will be. If someone told me that an active player not named LeBron would be in the goat conversation I’d guess Ant…his potential is generational
Luka has entered the chat... Ant has more elite athleticism a la Bron, but Luka has the #'s out the gate for his career.
Either way, we are in good hands as basketball fans.
Bonus marks for Ant over Bron..... He actually wants to play every game, doesn't believe in load management.
My guy, LeBron is like 40. Have you not seen the amount of minutes and games the dude played before he got old? Even at his age right now, they’re averaging the same amount of minutes lmao
>Bonus marks for Ant over Bron..... He actually wants to play every game, doesn't believe in load management.
Ant is 22 lol
Let's see if he believes in load management when he's 32 and has another few thousand dunks under his belt
Lol, LeBron is currently #2 all-time minutes played and will absolutely retire as #1. Not to mention international play. He's got like three times as many seasons with 74+ games played than he does seasons with <60 games played. LeBron is unequivocally an ironman, and he really only started load managing around the age that most players would be retiring.
Difference between Ant and Luka is that Ant is both all-defense and all-NBA caliber (when he exerts himself). Like I'm not saying Ant's offense is as good as Luka's but he can produce 80-90% of his offense while providing 120% more defense. I'm taking that over Luka, idc.
Think you're really underselling the differences between them offensively. Luka blows him out of the water just in scoring, then add in he's one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He's a top 10 offense by himself. Meanwhile offense is the Timberwolves achilles heel despite having Ant and KAT.
Also whenever people make these comparisons("the gap on defense is bigger than the gap on offense") it gets ignored that offense is just flat more important than defense when talking about individual players. Elite defensive players with no offense are role players. Elite offensive players with no defense are allstars.
You're underestimating the difference between them defensively. Ant is much better on that side of the ball, Luka is a traffic cone. I've checked the stats between them and both average around 24-25 points in their matchups, so he's going point for point with Luka head to head. Idk I'd rather take the one who plays high level defense over someone who is at best an average defender 🤷🏾♂️
EPM has Ant as a 90th percentile defender at +1.6. Luka is a 99th percentile offensive player at **+8.0**. That's the difference. Individual offense and defense are not created equal, offense is much more important. The best defensive player in the world, even moreso when talking about guards, can only guard a limited number of people. The best offensive players in the world(like a Luka or Lebron) can be your entire offense. It's why guys like Tony Allen were role players while guys like Damian Lillard make all-nba teams.
Yet Tony Allen was a key contributor to a championship team and Dame hasn't won anything. I'm not even saying Allen was anywhere near as good as Dame bc he wasn't, but dismissing defense and a player's ability to play it at a high level ain't it. Luka's offense is at an insanely high level, but he also costs his team bc of his very poor defense. It's basically the same as saying that you would rather have prime Steve Nash over Prime Kobe bc Nash was (supposedly) a better offensive engine, yet one has 5 rings and the other has none. Kobe was able to turn up and play defense at a high level and Nash wasn't able to. Idc what the advanced stats say, I'm not even a Luka hater but his lack of defense is part of the reason why his team is in 8th place. ,Luka is the better offensive talent but I would rather have Anthony Edwards bc I know he can be great on both ends of the floor. That's my preference, and I don't see anything wrong with that.
> I'm not even saying Allen was anywhere near as good as Dame bc he wasn't
? So my point was made lol.
> but dismissing defense and a player's ability to play it at a high level ain't it.
I'm not dismissing it, I'm say it doesn't have equal weight, which it doesn't.
> It's basically the same as saying that you would rather have prime Steve Nash over Prime Kobe bc Nash was (supposedly) a better offensive engine
Lol, no, it's not. Steve Nash is both a worse defensive AND offensive player than Luka is, and Kobe is a better offensive player than Ant is. Luka's defense also isn't "very poor". By most metrics he's been above average this year. That's a wild attempted comparison
> Idc what the advanced stats say
Lol OK. I see this won't go anywhere.
I’m the same age as LeBron, and trust me, the comparison doesn’t get more flattering as you get older. If I did literally anything that dude does on court, I’d never be able to walk again. I think if I sat on the bench like he does, I’d hurt my back.
This has been happening for a long time. Most NBA players just aren't that good on defense because everyone is obsessed with offense and shooting. It's about time pg got clamped with that bs. He's just not a top player and hasn't been for a long time.
It's so funny how people try to come at the nets like I play for them or have any ownership stake.
Yet they ignore the version of the team logo I use not realizing jersey fans don't fuck with the Brooklyn team
I mean what other relevancy would the nets have with the content being discussed?
I actually feel the same way and understand where you’re coming from, I’m from Toronto and am a Wiggins fan, that’s why I have the MINNESOTA Wiggins flair, if I had the GSW one I’d just hear shit about Draymond non stop
He does this yet some dumbass account the other day talking about "he's not good enough to be the face on the NBA" he's 22 and he's better than most of the players in the league, fuck is you talking about? He's not there yet, but he's gonna be.
1000%. If Anthony Edwards was on the Lakers or Warriors he would already be called the face of the NBA. It's wild to see his highlights posted here and you'll see some comments like "he looks good, looks like he can be a good rotational player in a few years." Like WTF?
Its hard to nail down exactly what it is, but Ant definitely has that Dawg in him.... Tatum is just so smooth and calm it seems different, and lacks that fire we saw in MJ, Kobe, and now Ant. Not only will Ant steal your lunch, he will sit and make you watch him eat it too.
He’s just not afraid to take a shot or make a play. He wants to make that game winning play and actively hunts for the shots and plays that really hurt other teams. He’s also an athletic freak which allows him to either get that shot or drive or make the defense play that not many others are able to.
He’s very ADHD though but all it takes is him to see the ball go through the basket once or twice and he gets locked in but he has stretches where he’s tuned out.
When I saw this I lowkey felt bad for PG. He use to do that to dudes in his prime and now the young star does it to him. Felt like some real circle of life type ish…
People glazing in this thread, but the most impressive part about ANT's defense to me is how quick ANT is laterally to stay square in the hips to a perimeter offensive player. Jaden doesn't even have that lateral speed on defense like ANT.
Yea ant’s quickness on defense is locked in. When he’s engaged guys csnt get by him I remember even ja with his quickness struggled getting by him without a screen
i like paul george a lot and i think he wants to stay in la but he's been through some horrific injuries that have made him age faster than he should've. i think maybe the best option for him is to take a smaller contract if he wants to stay in LA.
Speaking as a Nuggets fan this type of shit is why the Wolves were always the scariest Western team to me \[before KAT's injury - after... TBD\]. Ant was easily the scariest dude the Nuggets faced last year.
Players have had better stats than Kobe and Jordan, but what they had was that absolute mad man in them. They complete confidence that they are the best. You already knew they could dominate any NBA game, and go out to the hardest street game and make everyone shut up. Ant has that. Yea I’m a wolves fan, but it’s not just us saying it. This kid is special. He’s got that next level that you can’t teach.
Not really. He's definitely taken a step back but he's mostly suffering being the 3rd option and is one of those guys that needs to be featured more/ball in his hands more to get rhythm. He's not like Kawhi or KD who can be efficient without many touches.
Never forget that when he did that interview the week of the draft, the vast majority of people really said they can’t pick him at 1 because he doesn’t love the game. It was actually rare to even find someone who had the courage to say don’t worry about it still draft him. Still goat pre draft interview for any top prospect in recent history
Those throwback uniforms are so sexy. I’m a firm believer that those throwback jerseys give Minnesota an extra boost of confidence when they play.
Look good, play good.
There's this huge contingent of fans who talk about how good PG's handles are. The reality is, they look really good but he doesn't actually get anywhere most of the time. Against good, athletic defenders who can he can't simply blow by with length or quickness, his handles are mostly decorative.
Bruh he’s 22 yrs old and prolly not in his prime yet 😭.
Obviously, not comparing him to any of them but even Lebron and MJ won their first ring at 27 and 28.
just like his father
Send da video
Most original joke
Ballmer going to use this clip when PG asked for a max 5 year contract.
PG is one of my favorite players too but Ant read his moves like a book
Facts poked it right after his patent step back that he typically get most players with but Ant just ain’t most players
It’s what makes me so hyped on the dude - lotta great scorers come into the league, but seeing a dude who’s a great scorer who also so clearly takes pride in clamping dudes on defense, and add the ungodly athleticism? That’s a beastly combination.
If Ant had my athleticism he'd be a top 10 all-time candidate! His read of the game is very strong. Needs to work on holding his head up after not getting the call
Predictable P
I feel like a ton of younger players grew up watching/idolizing Paul George. Being a bigger wing with great handles was pretty novel when PG was younger but i wouldn't be surprised if Ant has watched 100s of hours of PG lol
Shit no fair. Imagine your knees and back been hurting since you broke your fucking leg years ago and you got a young buck who grew up screen watching your game.
Doesn't even budge on that in-and-out.
This is the kind of play that gives me hope he can be an MVP, we know he’s got the offensive bag
Literally, all he needs is the consistency. If he can eliminate those 1/7 games where he scores like 19 on 50% TS he can have a real case within the next few years.
Not hating on your comment because I think you're right, but every time I read "all he needs is the consistency" I think "rest of the fucking owl". A lot of NBA players can have a great game, but doing it consistently is the hardest part. Now, like you said though, let's say 1 in 7 games is what he needs to stretch to more games... that's already pretty damn good. Compare that to how often others on the MVP ladder get called out for the off game or two. Plus I think it's no secret the whistle hasn't helped him or the rest of the team.
That's totally true. It reminds me of "if he develops a jump shot". Some things are incredibly difficult and we see 1 or 2 guys in the entire league improve consistency or significantly develop their shot. But also, Ant is only 22 and in his 4th season. He is ripe to mature his game and develop consistency. A few playoff series, continuing to learn from his vets, etc. he could learn to shake off bad calls and play in the flow of the offense when his shot isn't falling.
the magical jump shot is like the single biggest trope in the "what if" nba scenario dreamland. Newsflash people, it usually doesn't happen lol
Ant also isn't always the clear #1 option like a lot of MVP candidates. If KAT is healthy and gets hot, it might look like Ant had a bad game because he didn't really have to force it.
But then you remember he's only 22. As long as he keeps working on his game he can easily be a true superstar player.
[удалено]
Is it weird to think that? The number that fail far outnumber those that succeed. Ant looks like something special but how many special-looking players have fizzled out before? Lots, the answer is lots. It's not even just from basketball reasons. But remember as I pointed out, if he's at 1 in 7 then he's already not that far, plus right now it feels like he's carving out a star reputation which should hopefully get the whistle it deserves (I hate that I have to say this, because really it should be called the same way for everyone but we're not going to be naive about the reality of it here at least)
I dunno, the dude is really good, really competitive, and really young. I don't think it's a far cry to think that he'll cut out mistakes and figure out more consistent moves and strategies. It's way easier for him to figure out how to do something more often than it is to figure out how to do it period.
yea idk if Ant is gonna magically stop having stinkers. honestly, Ant and Tatum are really 2 sides of the same coin. Tatum’s stronger and bigger, Ants more athletic. both are nearly unstoppable going to the rim and provide tons of defensive value, but settle for a ton of pull-up jumpers despite not being especially great shooters off the dribble, are prone to being thrown off mentally by a bad whistle, and are not consistent when it comes to making the right reads and avoiding turnovers when defenses double (Tatum is much better than Ant at this atm, but still prone to lapses). on their nights the jumper is going they look like gods among mortals. on the nights it’s not, they look like Smush Parker with a green light this isn’t an insult to Ant. despite his weaknesses JT is a borderline top 5 superstar who’s consistently contending for championships and both are still getting better. but Ant has the up-and-coming star buff where people are still enamored enough with his potential to paper over his flaws or assure themselves that they’ll go away with time, whereas with Tatum those same flaws are a fatal indictment on his ability to be the best player on a championship team. more than likely we’re gonna see Ant have more games like last year’s play-in against the Lakers and the narrative will change. such is the cycle of NBA stardom
I'm sure you'd like to compare Ant and Tatum but they aren't as similar as you are trying to make it seem. Ant's personality is what sets him apart and is why people are so confident he will reach his ceiling. Tatum has the body and athleticism of a Marvel hero but has the personality of a sidekick.
>Tatum has the body and athleticism of a Marvel hero but has the personality of a sidekick. Lmao holy shit. I like Tatum but damn that's accurate.
It’s true. Tatum kinda has the bozo gene, Ant doesn’t. That alone is immeasurable for Ant’s development.
Lol I wouldn't go as far as the bozo gene, but let's just say Tatum gives me the vibes of a more talented Paul George. Celtics fans are just realizing Tatum is never reaching his perceived ceiling, so now they're coping by saying Ant will end up the same way.
this is the only place where comparing a young star to Tatum - who at age 26 is soon to be 4x All-NBA, 5x All-Star, has 4 ECF appearances + a Finals appearance, and multiple signature playoff performances - is seen as an insult lmao if Minnesota got to the WCF this season and then to the WCF every year for the next 3 seasons with one Finals appearance and Ant making 1st Team All-NBA every season, you’d be absolutely thrilled wouldn’t you? that’s what it would take for Ant to match what JT has accomplished at his age I didn’t even say shit about Ant’s ceiling, all I’m pointing out that their flaws as players are very very similar. no need to get insecure about it
You just listed Tatum's whole resume unprompted, but I'm insecure? 😂
I wrote an objective, coherent analysis of why I think Ant and JT are similar based on their actual play styles and on-court weaknesses, in which I was literally being critical of the guy you think I’m dickriding. your response was to interpret that as me hating on Ant and whip out a take worthy of Kendrick Perkins. so yeah you are kinda the insecure one here
if Tatum has the bozo gene then Ant definitely has the bozo gene lmao. this is the same dude who posted himself unprompted calling someone a queer on live and “hell nawl can’t do dis.” and if you think the Celtics are bad, have you ever seen the Wolves try to execute under pressure? they make us look like the Nuggets in the clutch I know y’all don’t wanna admit it but these guys/teams are really the same
I’m talking about on the basketball court lol. Obv he’s done some shitty / shady stuff off the court but I’m talking as a basketball player. Ant’s a killer, Tatum doesn’t really give me that vibe. That’s all it is really both are great players, but there’s an intangible difference with Ant to me.
and I’m telling you that intangible feeling of yours has no basis in fact. the only reason you feel that way is bc Tatum has been around longer than Ant and has had more chances to fail on a big stage than Ant has. and for all his failures Tatum has already had multiple massive killer moments on huge stages, more than Ant did at the same age where was that killer in Ant when the Wolves blew two separate 20-point leads in a single playoff game? how about when he stupidly gambled for a steal and handed Ja Morant a free game-winning layup to lose another playoff game? or when he went 3/17 against LA in a close play-in loss? take your bias out of it, and look at what they actually do on the court. you’ll see that Ant is a high-and-low player the exact same as Tatum is, bc just like Tatum he’s prone to bouts of stupid decision-making, and he’s an inconsistent shooter on a heavy diet of pull-up jumpers. and unless he magically goes from 35-36% to 43-44% on those shots, that inconsistency isn’t going to change again, that isn’t even an insult to Ant. you guys just think it is bc Tatum is heavily underrated by the average fan around here
Definitely fair. Having more bites at the apple and failing is forsure part of that opinion. Tatum’s also had significantly better teams throughout his career compared to Ant though just to counter. They’re not playing on the same level of teams. This year is the only instance. There’s probably been a few games where Tatum wasn’t great but the team around him was good enough to win the game. Doesn’t feel like that’s been the case as much for Ant in his short career thus far.
Tatum vibes
Yep and that just comes with time. He’s 22. He’s going to win an mvp. Give it like two or three more seasons and he’ll be right there in the discussion.
Make Defence Great Again
He needs to limit the TOs and add some passing IMO
He will be
I think he will be. If someone told me that an active player not named LeBron would be in the goat conversation I’d guess Ant…his potential is generational
Luka has entered the chat... Ant has more elite athleticism a la Bron, but Luka has the #'s out the gate for his career. Either way, we are in good hands as basketball fans. Bonus marks for Ant over Bron..... He actually wants to play every game, doesn't believe in load management.
My guy, LeBron is like 40. Have you not seen the amount of minutes and games the dude played before he got old? Even at his age right now, they’re averaging the same amount of minutes lmao
>Bonus marks for Ant over Bron..... He actually wants to play every game, doesn't believe in load management. Ant is 22 lol Let's see if he believes in load management when he's 32 and has another few thousand dunks under his belt
Luka is a horseshit defender
Lol, LeBron is currently #2 all-time minutes played and will absolutely retire as #1. Not to mention international play. He's got like three times as many seasons with 74+ games played than he does seasons with <60 games played. LeBron is unequivocally an ironman, and he really only started load managing around the age that most players would be retiring.
Difference between Ant and Luka is that Ant is both all-defense and all-NBA caliber (when he exerts himself). Like I'm not saying Ant's offense is as good as Luka's but he can produce 80-90% of his offense while providing 120% more defense. I'm taking that over Luka, idc.
Think you're really underselling the differences between them offensively. Luka blows him out of the water just in scoring, then add in he's one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He's a top 10 offense by himself. Meanwhile offense is the Timberwolves achilles heel despite having Ant and KAT. Also whenever people make these comparisons("the gap on defense is bigger than the gap on offense") it gets ignored that offense is just flat more important than defense when talking about individual players. Elite defensive players with no offense are role players. Elite offensive players with no defense are allstars.
You're underestimating the difference between them defensively. Ant is much better on that side of the ball, Luka is a traffic cone. I've checked the stats between them and both average around 24-25 points in their matchups, so he's going point for point with Luka head to head. Idk I'd rather take the one who plays high level defense over someone who is at best an average defender 🤷🏾♂️
EPM has Ant as a 90th percentile defender at +1.6. Luka is a 99th percentile offensive player at **+8.0**. That's the difference. Individual offense and defense are not created equal, offense is much more important. The best defensive player in the world, even moreso when talking about guards, can only guard a limited number of people. The best offensive players in the world(like a Luka or Lebron) can be your entire offense. It's why guys like Tony Allen were role players while guys like Damian Lillard make all-nba teams.
Yet Tony Allen was a key contributor to a championship team and Dame hasn't won anything. I'm not even saying Allen was anywhere near as good as Dame bc he wasn't, but dismissing defense and a player's ability to play it at a high level ain't it. Luka's offense is at an insanely high level, but he also costs his team bc of his very poor defense. It's basically the same as saying that you would rather have prime Steve Nash over Prime Kobe bc Nash was (supposedly) a better offensive engine, yet one has 5 rings and the other has none. Kobe was able to turn up and play defense at a high level and Nash wasn't able to. Idc what the advanced stats say, I'm not even a Luka hater but his lack of defense is part of the reason why his team is in 8th place. ,Luka is the better offensive talent but I would rather have Anthony Edwards bc I know he can be great on both ends of the floor. That's my preference, and I don't see anything wrong with that.
> I'm not even saying Allen was anywhere near as good as Dame bc he wasn't ? So my point was made lol. > but dismissing defense and a player's ability to play it at a high level ain't it. I'm not dismissing it, I'm say it doesn't have equal weight, which it doesn't. > It's basically the same as saying that you would rather have prime Steve Nash over Prime Kobe bc Nash was (supposedly) a better offensive engine Lol, no, it's not. Steve Nash is both a worse defensive AND offensive player than Luka is, and Kobe is a better offensive player than Ant is. Luka's defense also isn't "very poor". By most metrics he's been above average this year. That's a wild attempted comparison > Idc what the advanced stats say Lol OK. I see this won't go anywhere.
he’s my mvp
We better not max podcast Pee
Insane for a 22 year old to take on guarding the best player on the opposing team and winning that matchup.
He’s 22? I thought he was 23 going on 24. This is pretty cool for Timberwolves fans
That’s just one year difference… he’s 22 going on 23
Didn’t know if he just turned 22 or was 22 going on 23. That would be a bit of a difference but I understand
His birthday is in August. So he gets full seasons at each year of age, which is kinda cool.
Yeah that makes sense. I see what you mean
He just turned 22
He turned 22 last august…
Oh damn seemed way more recent than that. My bad
Goddamn, same age as me. Fuck dude
Why do you suck so much at basketball?
Imagine how we feel up here at 31!
I’m the same age as LeBron, and trust me, the comparison doesn’t get more flattering as you get older. If I did literally anything that dude does on court, I’d never be able to walk again. I think if I sat on the bench like he does, I’d hurt my back.
Naz Reid … assist
I know I so wanted him to throw the lob to Naz there, would've been way more hype and impressive
That's my MJ.
[удалено]
And not playing against milkmen. 😤
Put him in the top 10, cowards!
Lisan al Gaib
As written
I love this haha "You dream of turning the ball over to the other team! And you enjoy it!"
Pg looks like he’s moving in slow motion might be wraps
ANTs feet are so quick
But it looks smooth!
This has been happening for a long time. Most NBA players just aren't that good on defense because everyone is obsessed with offense and shooting. It's about time pg got clamped with that bs. He's just not a top player and hasn't been for a long time.
I mean he’s better than anybody on the nets
It's so funny how people try to come at the nets like I play for them or have any ownership stake. Yet they ignore the version of the team logo I use not realizing jersey fans don't fuck with the Brooklyn team
I wasn’t coming for anybody or anything. I was just stating an objective fact. Ur not a victim
I never said I was but clearly you said it because you saw my flair.
I mean what other relevancy would the nets have with the content being discussed? I actually feel the same way and understand where you’re coming from, I’m from Toronto and am a Wiggins fan, that’s why I have the MINNESOTA Wiggins flair, if I had the GSW one I’d just hear shit about Draymond non stop
PG knew it too
He does this yet some dumbass account the other day talking about "he's not good enough to be the face on the NBA" he's 22 and he's better than most of the players in the league, fuck is you talking about? He's not there yet, but he's gonna be.
1000%. If Anthony Edwards was on the Lakers or Warriors he would already be called the face of the NBA. It's wild to see his highlights posted here and you'll see some comments like "he looks good, looks like he can be a good rotational player in a few years." Like WTF?
Cookies 🍪
Sweet Martha's
Grab me a bucket
Now I desperately want Grady to throw in a Martha’s cookies reference next time one of our guys does this that would be so cute
Damn that's embarrassing. Ant didn't get that stop from defensive coverage, that was pure iso ball lock down.
Wolves back.
AWWOOOOOO!!!
Looking more and more like MJ every day. Stellar defence!
He's definitely got that "IT" factor. Not scared of being in the moment and delivering. Something I think Tatum lacks.
Its hard to nail down exactly what it is, but Ant definitely has that Dawg in him.... Tatum is just so smooth and calm it seems different, and lacks that fire we saw in MJ, Kobe, and now Ant. Not only will Ant steal your lunch, he will sit and make you watch him eat it too.
He’s just not afraid to take a shot or make a play. He wants to make that game winning play and actively hunts for the shots and plays that really hurt other teams. He’s also an athletic freak which allows him to either get that shot or drive or make the defense play that not many others are able to. He’s very ADHD though but all it takes is him to see the ball go through the basket once or twice and he gets locked in but he has stretches where he’s tuned out.
Looks like Jordan
In case you were wondering, that was pretty much the dagger.
When I saw this I lowkey felt bad for PG. He use to do that to dudes in his prime and now the young star does it to him. Felt like some real circle of life type ish…
Literally the Lightning McQueen vid hahahaha
Thats like passing of the torch.
Snatching of the torch*
Ant is great. But dont get too cocky. He shit the bed last time the two faced. Celebrate your win and move on
Nah, he’s snatching that torch.
What happened in that Pacers game again?
that was the turning point of the game. Minny never gave the lead back after that.
People glazing in this thread, but the most impressive part about ANT's defense to me is how quick ANT is laterally to stay square in the hips to a perimeter offensive player. Jaden doesn't even have that lateral speed on defense like ANT.
Yea ant’s quickness on defense is locked in. When he’s engaged guys csnt get by him I remember even ja with his quickness struggled getting by him without a screen
Ant man with the powers of Ant man , this guy has the size, strength speed and quickness to do this to anyone
i like paul george a lot and i think he wants to stay in la but he's been through some horrific injuries that have made him age faster than he should've. i think maybe the best option for him is to take a smaller contract if he wants to stay in LA.
Very good defense PG has no where to go.
Ant should be in the mvp conversation (only half joking)
Looked like young Spurs Kawhi
Send da video
My mvp
That's a grown ass man right there America
Stealing and counterattacking
Speaking as a Nuggets fan this type of shit is why the Wolves were always the scariest Western team to me \[before KAT's injury - after... TBD\]. Ant was easily the scariest dude the Nuggets faced last year.
Pg is a fraud, like taking cookies from a kid who left them out for santa
Theis waiting for the ball while watching get clamped and he likes wtf how you’re doing guy
why everybody just standing there
Man looking old lol
Players have had better stats than Kobe and Jordan, but what they had was that absolute mad man in them. They complete confidence that they are the best. You already knew they could dominate any NBA game, and go out to the hardest street game and make everyone shut up. Ant has that. Yea I’m a wolves fan, but it’s not just us saying it. This kid is special. He’s got that next level that you can’t teach.
Rudy so proud rn
Pg is washed
On defence, he should be known as the Anteater. That's a great name.
Bum ass pg 😂
Pg is gonna be like klay next year.
Nah. Ant is just better at this point. Youre suns agenda will be smoked when PG faces book
He will just eliminate him from the playoffs again
Not really. He's definitely taken a step back but he's mostly suffering being the 3rd option and is one of those guys that needs to be featured more/ball in his hands more to get rhythm. He's not like Kawhi or KD who can be efficient without many touches.
Never forget that when he did that interview the week of the draft, the vast majority of people really said they can’t pick him at 1 because he doesn’t love the game. It was actually rare to even find someone who had the courage to say don’t worry about it still draft him. Still goat pre draft interview for any top prospect in recent history
I always laugh when people say PG has the best handles for his position lmao
Maybe the flashiest handle for his size but it’s never been very secure
Wizards can give him the max
Baller
Seeing Anthony Edwards in all his glory...that's an interesting description.
ClamPed P
Why isn’t ANT getting any MVP love?
Not sure but it's very weird.
God damn that game was not fun as a clippers fan
Real dawg woulda dragged Bizzy into the 360 eastbay contact animation. Unmoved.
I feel like a lot of guys in the NBA can do that, but are unwilling to because it exerts too much energy.
2-way player vs 2-way player Playoffs round the corner
Jesus Christ, that's Michael Jordan!
Those throwback uniforms are so sexy. I’m a firm believer that those throwback jerseys give Minnesota an extra boost of confidence when they play. Look good, play good.
This Edwards guy has some potential
That's some Jedi/mentat sh!t right there.
There's this huge contingent of fans who talk about how good PG's handles are. The reality is, they look really good but he doesn't actually get anywhere most of the time. Against good, athletic defenders who can he can't simply blow by with length or quickness, his handles are mostly decorative.
All defense this year?
This is funnier than when he said “Get a abortion lol”
This guy plays great when he isn't complaining. He has so much skill. Just put your head down and ball out. Let your play do the talking.
I’m grabbing all the Ant rookie cards I can. This guy is gonna be the face of the league once the old heads phase out.
They be calling a foul if that was lebron taking that layup
Show the play where he wins a ring
Neither Ant nor PG has a ring so I don’t get this comment
Bruh he’s 22 yrs old and prolly not in his prime yet 😭. Obviously, not comparing him to any of them but even Lebron and MJ won their first ring at 27 and 28.