2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

[cima]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

It's surreal and sad to see that LeBron is indeed human and father time is catching up.

You can pin so many different things to why the Lakers are struggling this year. The injuries, the poor roster construction, the coaching.

Most of the blame should fall on Magic and Pelinka. I think they built a team that was designed to try and compete with GS (a bunch of athletic guys that can switch on D) when fully healthy but no one else (bigs keep killing them).

Bron is still mostly Bron (but the injury has put him in arguably the worst shape of his career) but what's amazing is Lonzo Ball appears to be the second most important player on this team. They were a **** defensive team in the beginning of the year but really started to gel near the end of December before Bron's injury. Then once Zo got injured, things just fell off a cliff.

Bron, Ingram, and Kuzma seem to be the only ones who can do anything. The bench put up a whopping 7 points last night...beyond pathetic. In fact, the whole starting 5 was net positive, it was the bench that was net negative and lost them the game. The fact that Bron, Ingram, and Bullock all had to play 38+ minutes to try and beat Memphis is alarming.

I'm blindly faithful to my guy and will be the last one to count him out...but unless Zo gets back this week...I don't think Bron is conditioned well enough to carry the team at this point.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

The specific calculation involving Ben Wallace is dubious considering it only measures results since the 73-74 season. Does everything that transpired before simply not count?

I don't want to keep posting in the game thread about something that happened 2-3 seasons ago, but of course what happened before matters. "Ever" was meant to be taken more loosely than that literally as the stat didn't actually encompass every single season. But regardless the point would be the same. Say going back adds Russell's name to the list, arguably makes it look better rather than worse.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Its dope how the Clippers stopped the game to celebrate Dirk and gave him time to be applauded by the arena before they proceeded with the final inbound with about 9 seconds left.

I hope Cuban pays him back all that money he gave up over the years. Dallas owes him big time.

Was pretty awesome to see that.

Nowitzki really should have retired at the end of the 15-16 season. His shuffling movements are painful to watch.

Adam Silver erred in selecting Nowitzki (and Wade too) as an honorary All Star however. His performance is simply not commensurate with All Star status. If the fans really wanted to "say goodbye" to him they have had many regular games already and more to come.

Dirk has still indicated that he may return next season. What is Silver to do then? Award him with another 'farewell' selection?

According to Basketball Reference they have 'counted' Nowitzki and Wade's undeserved All Star elections. Nowitzki is now cheaply tied with MJ and Jerry West in this category and has surpassed John Havlicek and Wilt Chamberlain.
Similarly, Wade now has more All Star selections than Bill Russell.

Dirk's movement is bad, but I'm glad he's been able to stick around since it seems this is truly what he loves to do.

I liked the gesture from Silver, most don't put much stock into who makes All-Star games, a lot of great players have a year or two they arguably didn't deserve. Had they taken a spot from someone else rather than being added after the fact it would have been harder to accept.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Most of the blame should fall on Magic and Pelinka.

Bron is still mostly Bron (but the injury has put him in arguably the worst shape of his career) but what's amazing is Lonzo Ball appears to be the second most important player on this team. They were a **** defensive team in the beginning of the year but really started to gel near the end of December before Bron's injury. Then once Zo got injured, things just fell off a cliff.

Bron, Ingram, and Kuzma seem to be the only ones who can do anything. The bench put up a whopping 7 points last night...beyond pathetic. In fact, the whole starting 5 was net positive, it was the bench that was net negative and lost them the game. The fact that Bron, Ingram, and Bullock all had to play 38+ minutes to try and beat Memphis is alarming.

I'm blindly faithful to my guy and will be the last one to count him out...but unless Zo gets back this week...I don't think Bron is conditioned well enough to carry the team at this point.

Tough to put most the blame on them when at full strength they were winning games though. I would say more blame could be placed on them for the way the deadline went than for the roster construction itself.

Been saying that about LeBron and about Zo, and I'm not so sure the reports from a few days ago about them being concerned with Bron's health don't hold a little weight after seeing him move, or not move, since coming back.

Like I said, unless something changes I don't see them getting in. Which might be best for them in the long term anyways. But obvious fuel for the anti-LeBron annoyance that never ends.

I'm still not loving this McGee not even getting 20 minutes of court time to trot out line-ups that are continuing to prove they are ineffective. Bullock starting still looks iffy as well, Rondo has been absolutely awful aside from his game back "home", McGee doesn't look the same since his time out with pneumonia..

Like I mentioned last night, I couldn't watch that game in particular because often Grizz games are blacked out for me, but I'm struggling to wrap my head around Josh Hart being -15 in only 5 minutes of time.. Although, outside of the first couple weeks of the season, he's mostly looked like a G-League superstar who shouldn't really be taking minutes from anyone in their rotation.

[cima]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Tough to put most the blame on them when at full strength they were winning games though. I would say more blame could be placed on them for the way the deadline went than for the roster construction itself.

Been saying that about LeBron and about Zo, and I'm not so sure the reports from a few days ago about them being concerned with Bron's health don't hold a little weight after seeing him move, or not move, since coming back.

Like I said, unless something changes I don't see them getting in. Which might be best for them in the long term anyways. But obvious fuel for the anti-LeBron annoyance that never ends.

I'm still not loving this McGee not even getting 20 minutes of court time to trot out line-ups that are continuing to prove they are ineffective. Bullock starting still looks iffy as well, Rondo has been absolutely awful aside from his game back "home", McGee doesn't look the same since his time out with pneumonia..

Like I mentioned last night, I couldn't watch that game in particular because often Grizz games are blacked out for me, but I'm struggling to wrap my head around Josh Hart being -15 in only 5 minutes of time.. Although, outside of the first couple weeks of the season, he's mostly looked like a G-League superstar who shouldn't really be taking minutes from anyone in their rotation.

Looking back at their schedule though, they peaked above .500 at 18-11 which isn't great but much better than now obviously. I think their thrashing of GS overshadowed things. They seemed to be on the rise at that point but who really knows, I think it was just easier to say that because that's when Bron got injured.

Not having Zo shouldn't make them as bad as they are. They should be getting more production from their vets. Pretty crazy to think they could have Brook Lopez but chose the likes of Beasley instead.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Looking back at their schedule though, they peaked above .500 at 18-11 which isn't great but much better than now obviously. I think their thrashing of GS overshadowed things. They seemed to be on the rise at that point but who really knows, I think it was just easier to say that because that's when Bron got injured.

Not having Zo shouldn't make them as bad as they are. They should be getting more production from their vets. Pretty crazy to think they could have Brook Lopez but chose the likes of Beasley instead.

Same could be said for Randle and DLo as well though. I don't know how great of a fit those two would have been in addition to everything else, it already feels like they have a bit too many mouths to feed and too many guys shot hunting as it is, but if it would had been predictable that LeBron and Lonzo would miss so much time with injury having guys like those could have kept the scoring load afloat.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

IMG_6051.JPG


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[The 24th Letter]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Lol so yall saying Luke Walton is the Vince McMahon of coaches?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Counter programming all this loser Laker nonsense..

24, I told you that time would come didn’t I? It should’ve came the first time when y’all Refs screwed us out of a W in SA but it’s all good.

We might give y’all permission to use our colors for next year though. I’ll let you know for sure by the summer.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Counter programming all this loser Laker nonsense..

24, I told you that time would come didn’t I? It should’ve came the first time when y’all Refs screwed us out of a W in SA but it’s all good.

We might give y’all permission to use our colors for next year though. I’ll let you know for sure by the summer.

We thought the Atlanta Hawks were going to be the next Spurs under Bud and then they made Tristian Thompson look like Willis Reed. Yall got the colors and some Spurs influence but tread lightly my friend. We ain't handing that crown over yet.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

A lot of the Luke slander is a bit unwarranted at times. He was basically handed a whole new team, with a whole new amount of expectations, with lots of injuries, lots of line-ups changes, rumors going back to last season that management doesn't particularly want him, going back to last year that some of the players aren't responding well to him. I actually think he's handled it all pretty well.

Obviously he does plenty of things that in the moment I don't agree with, same could be said for even the best coaches in the league. But my biggest gripe is they have no semblance of an offensive identity. Part of the reason I was optimistic about them early, and Ingram more so in particular, is the offenses they were running early on were getting him so many easy looks. He was almost completely off ball, and they had plenty of capable passers to get him the ball when he found an opening, which like most slender wiry guys he was getting them whenever he wanted.

Watching him play like that, them play like that, made me hopeful they were going away from the Ingram-iso stuff that has led me to calling him 40% trash for the last 2 years lol. But they've went completely back to that, to him dribbling into the lane and getting absolutely nowhere, to him taking difficult shots instead of backdoor lay-ups or letting him get into position without the ball when he isn't strong enough to get there with the ball.

That on top of his non-defensive rotation habits make for a really bad mix. You can get away with being one or the other for stretches, but you can't have poor execution on offense and have poor execution on defense at the same time... Players make plays sure, but they were relying far too heavily on Lonzo/Bron pushing tempo on misses and turnovers. Now that one of those is out completely, and the other looks slower after coming back, those opportunities aren't as prevalent and Luke has done nothing to adjust.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Ouch. Not a good look when you’re calling people out

https://www.facebook.com/408320822597638/posts/2241552659274436?sfns=xmo

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[Smallville102001]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

That one was bad. This whole Lebron dosnt play defense and him being toxic I am sick of hearing about though. He may not be the defensive player he used to be but he is still an above average defender and defense takes a full team being on the same page to do. Kobe wasn't the same type of defender either after like 30 years old or so either. Lebron is not toxic and is not the reason the lakers are sucking. Bad coaching is killing them Walton's rotations are like beyond a joke should have been let go already. The team has had a lot of injures, up and down play like even before they really started to fall down. They have now lost to a Pelicans team with out AD, Grizzles, Hawks, Cavs, Bulls, Knicks. Those are 6 really bad losses I understand that that even good teams at times can have a bad lose as no game is like 100% a for sure win that is why you play the game but if they where just 500 in those 6 games at 3-3 instead of 0-6 things would look a lot better. Team cant make foul shoots and that is not just Lebron but like ever one if they where just like a average foul shooting team they would have I think around 5 more wins. With the up and down play there have been like 5 times they had a good win to only then come back and lose vs a crappy team the next game. The whole people not wanting to play with James is stupid people said the same thing with Kobe and over the last like 5+ years lakers where supposed to get like 20 all star players and got no one and James has only been there this year not the last like 5+. People dont trust the lakers management and after like 2010 or so lakers management has just made like one stupid move after another.

James dosnt really throw teammates under the bus over all and what he said is true and if Kobe was like there and called the team soft people wouldn't be saying Kobe is being a bad teammate but when James says what is true people say he is being a bad teammate. The trade stuff with AD did seem to hurt the lakers but those players need to get over it trade rumors and such are part of the game and even the AD thing is like another example of crappy management by the lakers in that they where going to give up like ever thing so they could have James and AD with like nothing else around it instead of just like keeping the young guys and trying to add some one this offseasons. I was hoping lakers could make the playoffs because I dont want to hear people being so hard on James and would like the young guys to get playoff experience but at the same time may be better to miss the playoffs so they can get a higher draft pick. With the draft though who knowns lakers management may screw that up to. People saying the James screwed the lakers up is funny yes they improved last year compared to the year before but they where still not a playoff team and considering they lost Lopez and Randall in the offseason out side of like getting James the team has less talent on the roster then the year before.

[areobee401]

2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

On second thought, never mind.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: 2/21 - 2/26 Games Discussion Thread

Uhhh yeah Kobe would get called out for being a bad teammate. That’s kinda Kobe’s thing homie, there’s no shortage of takes calling Kobe out for being a **** teammate and ball hog, that’s like his entire career he’s dealt with that. People go out of their way to tell us how horrible a teammate Kobe and Jordan were when discussing all the suspect stuff LeBron has done over the years with regards to his teammates.

Not calling Bron a terrible teammate or anything but as I said in the post, stuff like that is not a good look when you spend your weekend calling your guys out on effort and being used to losing, etc.


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