12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

[Majingir]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Oh man, I didn't realizes that! That really sucks. I guess you'd want it to be right. I've just always loved the visual of former teammates hug it out over something they did year ago.

By time he gets it, there might not be anyone left he knows.

There's only 4 guys still on the Raptors who was on the 2019 team.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

https://twitter.com/michaelcorvoNBA/...835737094?s=20

Dude gives too much thought to those triple doubles. He has played like **** for most of the season but his stats are still decent so he thinks he’s fine.


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He puts too much stock in those and fans act like he’s the biggest on court cancer that destroys every team he’s on.

[dubcity]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

I don't think fans expect 25/15/15. That's only the gauge for success in his mind. Why the **** would we care how many rebounds he gets? Lol. He just needs to play smart not angry.

[jfsolo]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

I don't think fans expect 25/15/15. That's only the gauge for success in his mind. Why the **** would we care how many rebounds he gets? Lol. He just needs to play smart not angry.

Is he really clueless or intellectually dishonest, I can't tell which, but I'm erring on clueless.

[Master Live 013]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

I love it, gift that keeps on giving.

[ProfessaPackMan]

12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

He just needs to play smart not angry.

Has he not been doing this at all this year?

Out of all the issues with that team, where would he rank on that list?

I saw this on SIlver Screen and Roll(Lakers’ SB Nation site):

https://youtu.be/Klxg8gQtCkw

Is this true? (I’ve watched like 2-3 Laker games all year , FWIW)

[ojandpizza]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

IMO, and keep in mind I'm on of the few who wasn't as hard on him in the past either, I don't think Westbrook is anywhere near the biggest Lakers issue.

For one AD needs to be available, and when he is available he needs to be better. I wouldn't say he's their biggest issue either (like Chuck claims) because he has been "good" it's just the expectation is for him to be great. Like it shouldn't be a discussion whether Davis is an issue for them or not because he should be playing like an MVP level guy so that discussion doesn't exist. It shouldn't be "well he's been better than Westbrook at least" because the expectation for him to be damn near better than any player on either team. He's not been that.

Their biggest issue to me is whichever of Bazemore, Ellington, Bradley, Monk are on the floor is an instant disadvantage because LAL has the worst player on the floor. Monk has moments where he hits shots, but he does nothing else and has Bron pointing out to him mid game how to just make a basic extra pass. It's a mess. Frank insists on playing AB, dude wasn't even supposed to be on the roster. Bazemore looked good in game 1 guarding Steph, but that was it, just 1 game. Frank's offenses before this year were always mehhh at best to begin with, it's worse with so many players who aren't multi-skilled and/or have old legs.

Defensively they are a mess. Rotations are slow, AD seems to be about half the defender he was when they had more defensive pieces around him. Westbrook gets lost on defense, but that's always been his game and he always makes up for it by winning gambles, turning defense into transition offense, pushing off the rebound.. The problem is the Lakers don't get enough stops for any of Russ's strengths to be effective. It's not that he's been bad it's more so that the team around him isn't good enough for him to succeed. He's not really making them worse in most areas, he's just not really helping either. That said his rebounding and playmaking does have value on a team that keeps sticking Bron at center and has a roster full of guys you don't even want to dribble.. We can "LOL triple double" all day long but those are holes LAL has right now that he helps fill.

Regardless they currently sit in a spot where they need THT to breakout, Nunn to be the best signing of the off-season, and Reaves to be a contributor as an undrafted rookie... All things highly unlikely to happen for obvious reasons..

Because of that I think it does make sense for them to be openly shopping Russ. Not because I think he's the problem but because they don't have any other way to fix their problems. Other than trading Bron or AD, which isn't happening. I still think it's possible he could be worked into a 4,5,6 team move as the matching salary for some team to get all the young pieces they want. But even if that's not the case a Westbrook for Wall swap could be beneficial if it were to land the Lakers another player they could use. Gordon, Wood, a 3rd team to get Grant, Turner, Lamb, Ross... Money wise it would work by adding Nunn and another min salary, obviously other teams and picks involved, but then again the Lakers didn't sign Caruso because they didn't want to take on that extra luxury tax.. Would they do it now mid-season when it's clear the odds of them fixing all this on the fly and winning it all are extremely low? I have doubts.

[3304Life]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

I don’t think he’s their biggest issue, I think they have a lot of similarly sized, smaller issues compounding into one big issue.

But my criticism of Russ has always been that he’s too hasty and still hasn’t learned not to play in control. When he’s the underdog and is able to feed off the emotion he gets from a crowd or his teammates it works but he’s a Laker and not an underdog. It’s great for him that he still has his athleticism and the ability to play at full speed but when the game needs to slow down, he can’t slow down with it.

AD, the construction of the roster, the over-reliance on LeBron, a lack of reliable production from anyone outside of their ‘big 3’ and the general sort of apathy that seems to be surrounding them at the minute are all as big of problems, if not bigger, than Westbrook. I just think he is always aware of his stats and that’s a problem.


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[jfsolo]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Lakers starting a 3 guard 2 small forward lineup tonight including Stanley Johnson, should be interesting.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

I don’t think he’s their biggest issue, I think they have a lot of similarly sized, smaller issues compounding into one big issue.

But my criticism of Russ has always been that he’s too hasty and still hasn’t learned not to play in control. When he’s the underdog and is able to feed off the emotion he gets from a crowd or his teammates it works but he’s a Laker and not an underdog. It’s great for him that he still has his athleticism and the ability to play at full speed but when the game needs to slow down, he can’t slow down with it.

AD, the construction of the roster, the over-reliance on LeBron, a lack of reliable production from anyone outside of their ‘big 3’ and the general sort of apathy that seems to be surrounding them at the minute are all as big of problems, if not bigger, than Westbrook. I just think he is always aware of his stats and that’s a problem.


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We both know that ALL(Yes, all of them)players in every sport are always aware of their stats(they have to be since that’s how they’re getting paid)so how much of a problem is it to you when you take that into consideration?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Because of that I think it does make sense for them to be openly shopping Russ. Not because I think he's the problem but because they don't have any other way to fix their problems. Other than trading Bron or AD, which isn't happening. I still think it's possible he could be worked into a 4,5,6 team move as the matching salary for some team to get all the young pieces they want. But even if that's not the case a Westbrook for Wall swap could be beneficial if it were to land the Lakers another player they could use. Gordon, Wood, a 3rd team to get Grant, Turner, Lamb, Ross... Money wise it would work by adding Nunn and another min salary, obviously other teams and picks involved, but then again the Lakers didn't sign Caruso because they didn't want to take on that extra luxury tax.. Would they do it now mid-season when it's clear the odds of them fixing all this on the fly and winning it all are extremely low? I have doubts.

If this is the case, they’re better off keeping him for the rest of the year, bank on internal improvement and hope for the best. And then once the season is over, look to move him when he’ll be in the final year and the contract is “more attractive” than it is now.

[Majingir]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Embiid is getting outplayed by Boucher.

Embiid has 17 points and 6 rebounds and a turnover.

Boucher has 16 points and 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

If this is the case, they’re better off keeping him for the rest of the year, bank on internal improvement and hope for the best. And then once the season is over, look to move him when he’ll be in the final year and the contract is “more attractive” than it is now.

Yeah I can definitely see it both ways and I think what you said is the most likely outcome. Likely try to get healthy, keep building chemistry, and play the buyout market and see how they look at years end.

The benefit I see to now is all of the Indiana guys, Grant, Ben, Houston vets, some of those Kings players, likely some Pelicans guys, there is just a lot of available players to get now and lots of teams willing to make moves and piece something together. No guarantee the Lakers can land anything of value, but there is too much in the market as of now to not be heavily involved in that.

The thing with Westbrook is he has a player option. So even though he does have another year on his contract he’s probably not a lock to accept that knowing he can still sign another solid 3-4 year deal for longer term money unlike a guy like Wall who isn’t able to showcase he still has value. Also he’s more likely to take a buyout for those same reasons as well.

An expiring contract halfway through this year and an expiring contract this off-season likely isn’t much of a difference for the team receiving him. If the expiring contract is the draw for them it’s still an expiring contract at the end of next season regardless.

What sucks for the Lakers is the most probable outcome would be getting back 2-3 solid role players. Which is what they traded to get Westbrook. Knowing they could have kept all 3, paid to keep Caruso, and still use that tax MLE to sign Nunn, still use a minimum contract to get Monk/Ellington/Ariza whoever they wanted… they can’t be feeling to strong about that right now. Even if they didn’t want those guys long term and were seeking an upgrade they would have 3-4 viable trade chips right now instead of no moveable assets at all. If their main focus was wanting another playmaker to lessen that load on Bron, it could have been had for far cheaper.

I was one of the few who liked the move at the time, but if the team can’t get stops and can’t force turnovers and therefor Russ can’t use his pace and open floor ability to shine, well then he’s not much of a benefit for their current roster/coaching staff. I don’t think he hurts them, he’s not dragging them down or making them worse like some are saying IMO, but he’s not exactly making them better either. It doesn’t help that the Lakers keep playing small ball but acting as if they’re still a team that’s going to get defensive stops without rim protection. The offensive identity is of course still a mess.

[illwill10]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Embiid is getting outplayed by Boucher.

Embiid has 17 points and 6 rebounds and a turnover.

Boucher has 16 points and 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.

This is how the 76ers will be until do something via trade. In games they "should" take care of, they let those games be too competitive. They need someone other than Embiid to take over. Tobias is only good for his 16-22 points. I like Maxey, but as I thought before Joel went out with Covid, at this point he's better off as the 6th man this year. Sixers are too inconsistent as a team. It's like the 5th or 6th straight game where they faced a severely undermanned team and only one of the game they blew out the team they should have.

It's been frustrating watching Sixers this year. They can't afford to not get something for Ben

[jeebs9]

Re: 12/14 - 12/27 Games Discussion Thread

Greg Monroe looks fit out there.