tristancale98

[tristancale98]

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will Fail as a Duo

Welcome Basketball fans of Brooklyn, 

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant both have issues when playing alongside other all-stars. Kevin Durant also has a torn ACL which means he will not only be missing a full year of basketball, but he will more than likely not return to the 2x finals MVP that he was. While Kevin Durant does have two rings with other all-stars, it is no secret that he has issues getting along with them. It was known that Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Kevin Durant had feuds with each other while playing on the same team. If we go even farther back, Kevin also left the Oklahoma City Thunder because he felt as if he could not win with All-star and former MVP, Russell Westbrook. Kyrie Irving has also been known to be trouble in the locker room. This first appeared relevant when Kyrie Irving requested a trade when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers because he did not want to play alongside LeBron James. After getting traded, he found himself in Boston playing for the Celtics. What initially seemed like the best option for Kyrie would soon turn up really bad. The Celtics had a lot of young talent, some that could shoot then ball, and really needed a veteran player to lead them. Kyrie Irving was all of what they needed. Soon after the trade, it became clear that Kyrie Irving was not a great leader for their team. The team overall under performed and what looked to be a dynasty fell apart. When off season came, Kyrie Irving signed with the Brooklyn Nets. 

Now that we discussed why they will more than likely fail, lets talk about why they could succeed.

With both players having won a at least one championship, they both know what it takes to get there. They could succeed if they do two things. One thing would be for either Kevin Durant to return as his former self (Which is not likely at all because he is 6′10 with an ACL tear) or for Kevin Durant to except a shooting roll and play outside. The second thing would be for both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to adjust their attitudes towards their players. They will have to realize that players are humans or they will both go down on a sinking boat in Brooklyn. 

[tristancale98]

Steph Curry and DeAngelo Russell Will fail as a Duo

Hello Basketball lovers of San Francisco/Oakland, 

Neither player of the newly duo can play solid defense which will keep the Golden State Warriors from being a championship level team. Although both Steph Curry and DeAngelo Russell are lethal shooters from beyond the arch, they will struggle against teams with good ball movement. The Golden State Warriors also lost a couple assets to the team with Kevin Durant going to the Brooklyn Nets and Klay Thompson suffering from an ACL tear. Although the Warriors do expect Klay Thompson to return by the end of the season, the vast majority of players who suffer from a torn ACL do not come back the same. With the lose of two all-star players, it is all upon former MVP Steph Curry and all-star DeAngelo Russell to carry the weight. Although Draymond Green is an option, he is one defensive player when this team requires more. 

Although the duo is prone to fail, what do they actually have going in their favor?

Steph Curry and DeAngelo Russell are both elite shooters and playmakers. With Steph Curry being a veteran player and DeAngelo Russell being relatively young, Steph Curry can teach him how to be a better player which can lead to them being a better team. 

In two days, I will explain why the duo between Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will fail.

[tristancale98]

The Duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard Will Fail

 Hello Basketball lovers of Los Angeles. 

Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are injury prone which will lead to several years of failed attempts to get a championship. Just out of the last three years, Paul George has been out of the games 10 times due to injury and 1 time due to illness. He has also broken a leg in the past and just had surgery over the summer to repair his shoulders. Kawhi Leonard is less injury prone but still has suffered a major quad injury in the past that he still has to be careful with to this day. As you probably know, Zaza Pachulia purposefully put his feet in the landing space of the shooter, other wise known Kawhi Leonard. The cause Kawhi Leonard, who was playing for the Spurs at the time, to injure the left quad. This was during the third quarter of game one of the Western Conference Finals which would help the Warriors beat the Spurs. Another reason the could fail is because Kawhi Leonard has never shared the ball with a player of Paul George’s caliber. When Paul George was playing for OKC Thunder just last year, he was ranked third in the MVP talks by many people. With both players moving to the LA Clippers, they will need to learn chemistry with each other to play high level basketball. 

Now lets talk about if they stay healthy.

If they stay healthy, it is very possible that they could be a very dominate team. Kawhi Leonard just won a championship and Paul George is hungry for one. Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George has changed their game to fit teams in the past and it isn't impossible for them to change now, but it will be very difficult. Paul George changed his game for OKC and Kawhi Leonard changed his games for Toronto. They have a chance to win it all, but it requires the duo to stay healthy and to learn to play with each other. 

Come back in two days to hear why Steph Curry and Deangelo Russell will fail as a duo.  

[tristancale98]

The Duo of James Harden and Russell Westbrook will Fail

Hello Basketball lovers in Houston,

Both Westbrook and Harden play for stats and their chemistry is outdated. Russell Westbrook has been known to put up numbers and average a triple double, which has only ever been done by one other player ever. James Harden has been know to be an elite scorer who seems to have some of the best numbers since Michael Jordan. With this said, they both have the ball in their hand a vast majority of the game. The issue will soon be apparent when the newly duo hits the floor for the first time in less than a month for their first season game. The stats look amazing on paper with Westbrook averaging 22.9 points, 10.7 assist, and 11.1 rebounds and Harden averaging 36.1 points, 7.5 assist, and 6.6 rebounds. These stats look amazing but the new duo will have to learn to share the ball with each other. This will be a challenge to come. Another issue that will be prominent is turnovers. Last years stats show Westbrook averaging 4.5 turnovers and Harden averaging 5 turnovers a game. This leads to the possibility of 18 to 27 points made. This is assuming that nobody fouls to create a four point play. It should also be noted that I rounded down the 4.5 to just 4 in order to make it a real game scenario. As you know, you cannot score have a point. There is also the minor issue of defense. James Harden has lacked defense for many years and cannot seem to keep the opponent in front of him. Although Russell Westbrook’s defense has improved over the years, he is still lacking a little on keeping the man in front of him. Both players will have to play solid defense for this new duo to work. When it comes to their former chemistry, it is all outdated. The last time they played together was 2012 and neither player is near the same level as they are now. 

Now let us talk about the potential that they could possibly work out. 

Both players are good at steals and both players are explosive when scoring. With bother players on the court, many teams will have to fave the issue of having at least two elite defenders on the court. If they fail to have to have at least two elite defenders, both Harden and Westbrook can make it to the baskets for easy points. Although their chemistry is very much outdated, with a little bit of time and effort, it could be revived. 

Tune in in two days to hear my take on why Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will be a bust as a duo. 

Thank you.