What If... James Harden stayed with Oklahoma City Thunder instead of Russell Westbrook?

by Matthew Wellington from http://www.sixthmanjournal.com/2014/11/12/when-the-mighty-fall/

          The arrival of James Harden to the Houston Rockets has made him an All-Star if not a Hall of Famer. He has revived the city of Houston thanks to his ability to break down defense averaging over 25 points per game in each of the three seasons with the Rockets. My question is what would his impact  if he stayed and played alongside Kevin Durant instead of Russell Westbrook. Would they have been a better duo than Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook? Let's think about it and see the differences between the two dynamic superstars. Both players are ball dominant meaning they're effective when the ball is in their hands. They can create their own shots and there has been many controversies in a few instances when Westbrook attempts more shots than Durant. But when Westbrook is on his A game, there is no one who is as fast and aggressive as he is. On the other hand, James Harden has numerous isolation moves making him hard to predict what's his next move. If I have to pick which player would be better, there is so many other factors to take into consideration.

          Let's compare Russell Westbrook and James Harden side by side. From a free throw standpoint, James Harden is a better free throw shooter and goes to the line more often. But that's not to say Westbrook doesn't go to the line as much. On average, Harden attempts 9.0 attempts per game and Westbrook attempts 8.6 per game. Both players are always in attack mode and as a result, this category would have to go to James Harden by a small margin because he has the ability to create space with his fancy footwork. Durant would be glad whomever is his sidekick because there is less pressure and knowing there's another player he can kick the ball out when he a double team comes to him. Moving on, the fast -break department would be in Westbrook's favor. As Steve Smith of NBATV quotes "little rage", Westbrook is fearless on the break. He can stop on a dime and pull up for a jumper. His ability to blow by two or three players and score with his speed is amazing to watch and soak in. Sometimes people refer to him as the one man's fast-break. They are special in their own ways which is why both players earned a spot on the All-Star roster.

          When it comes to the other categories, Westbrook is the better rebounder especially playing the point guard position. He can really get up there and one of few point guards who has an inside and outside game. As for passing, both players can distribute the ball, keeping their teammates involved. They can also get you a couple of steals a night which shows you James Harden can play defense. When James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets, people were noticing more on his defense than offense. On several occasions, he can be a little tired but that's because he consumes his energy on scoring. His defense is undervalued and he has improved over time. Overall it's tough to say which is the better teammate for Kevin Durant if he had to pick one. Who would you pick?

What If... you can choose the top 5 exciting players to watch?

by Ryan McNeill from http://www.hoopsaddict.com/interviews/catching-up-with-giannis-antetokounmpo/    

          Russell Westbrook has been my number one priority because he is always in attack mode and of course is my favorite player. After him, I have to put my thinking cap on. I would have to base this topic on younger guys because they are quicker and can blow by a defender with their moves. Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic, is an rising young point guard/ shooting guard who in my mind will end up as an All-Star at one point of his career. He can finish in the paint and his ball handling moves are what makes you want to watch his game. Next up, I'll take Stephen Curry due to his high volume of three-point shooting and dribble moves. If you blink too fast, you will miss one his fancy dribbling skills. The Golden State Warrior's team in general, are fun to watch, not just him. We need a big guy on this list. Let's go with Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers. Every night, there is always a highlight dunk or a posterizer. That man can literally destroy the other team's momentum with a powerful dunk Griffin does on a nightly basis. The fact Griffin is developing an outside shot is scary for other teams. And for my last player on the list, I would have to go with second year player out of Greece, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who, plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. His name may be hard to pronounce but not his nickname. Known as the "Greek Freak", he can play multiple positions and his skillset is yet to be known, He has so much potential and as head coach of the Bucks, Jason Kidd has a really special player. Antetokounmpo is an 6 feet 11 guard who can run the lane and is a solid defender. We will see what he becomes after a few years in the league. My top five players to watch are Russell Westbrook, Victor Oladipo, Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

What If... There was one NBA player who you can hang out with for one day, who would it be?

by Dan Feldman/ Getty Images from http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/11/report-nick-young-signing-four-year-21-5-million-contract-with-lakers/

          For me, it would have to be either Russell Westbrook or Nick Young. Westbrook is such a dynamic player who attacks the basket none other than Derrick Rose in his healthy years. He has a very serious demeanor on the court and competitive at all times. On the other hand, Nick Young fools around and jokes with his teammates on and off the court. He has an unique personality who differs from the rest of the league. Sometimes his basketball plays can be questionable but overall he is a teammate that will support you and certainly his scoring has helped Kobe Bryant while coming off the bench. Nick Young is often seen goofing around on the bench even if the team is losing or winning (which may not be good idea when losing). But he enjoys the game and handles the media so well which is why the interviewers asks him many questions. So if I were to pick one player to hang out for one day, it would be Nick Young. Sorry, Westbrook, but you're still my favorite player.

What If... the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Victor Oladipo instead of Anthony Bennett as the first overall selection of the 2013 NBA draft?

by John Dodderidge from http://hoopshabit.com/2013/12/18/cleveland-cavaliers-weekly-kyrie-irving-shines-cavs-drop-2-3/2/

          Point guards are an essential part of the league. Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, are very effective when they are on the floor together. Fast, relentless, and can attack the paint. Many teams are running the two points guards back court such as the Miami Heat with Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, Oklahoma City Thunder with Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson. It's worth pointing out how well Victor Oladipo was going to play out of Indiana University. That goes for every college player in general. But how exciting would it be to see Victor Oladipo and Kyrie Irving on the floor at the same time? Every game could have involved a spectacular play with "ooo's and ahh'"s. Too bad we can't turn back the clock. Instead, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett as the first overall pick. Bennett saw limited minutes and was eventually traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, part of the Kevin Love trade. Since the trade to the Timberwolves, he has played inconsistent minutes and comes off the bench. Would Victor Oladipo and Kyrie Irving be a bad/good/great backcourt for the Cleveland Cavaliers?