10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

[Master Live 013]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

Westbrook: solid member of the Gift That Keeps On Giving All-Stars. So many words wasted on him. I don't know if I actually typed this during the offseason or not but here it goes: considering all the mental space/stress (after games, during interviews, in the court) they have to spend on RW, Lakers would be better DFA/buying him out rather than keeping him. He is just a burden.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

Oh yeah if we are factoring in his salary he is hot garbage.



BUT, he's the same player he always has been in terms of how he plays and his strengths/weaknesses. This isn't some different Westbrook where we all go "man I didn't see this coming." The difference is just how age and roster fit are magnifying his weaknesses, but its not like he hasn't been the kind of player the Lakers thought they were getting.



The lazy media and casual fan is going to focus on WB going 0 for 11 as why they lost. Thats not why they lost. Its a part of it, the team as a whole lacks shooting, of which WB is a part of. WB is undoubtedly a part of their struggles, but just one part. But for most of the past year he has been singled out as the scapegoat and I'm not onboard with that.





TL;DR: "he pretty much takes their biggest weaknesses and doubles down on them."

Absolutely correct, but we knew that when they traded for him. Its like ordering your steak well done and then complain that it was tough.

[emoji1490][emoji1490][emoji1490]

Well said, sir.

[zello144]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

This doesn't help

https://twitter.com/JamCristopher/status/1583232300019351553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1583232300019351553%7Ctwgr%5E95878aebaa02fef84f062f72f17757ce3679cc96%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fhoopshype.com%2Flists%2Fnba-twitter-reacts-to-clippers-beating-lakers-the-lakers-might-never-win-again%2F

[The 24th Letter]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

Absolutely correct, but we knew that when they traded for him. Its like ordering your steak well done and then complain that it was tough.

but if it’s burned, That can we acknowledged.

Despite the fact that it once came from the butcher as a grade A piece of meat. You’re not going to say, “Sure I paid a lot for it, but I knew there was a risk of it being burned when I ordered it”

The Lakers expected/expect more production from him.

I wasn’t a fan of the scapegoating taking place last year either, but let’s not swing too far to the other side where we’re explaining away every bad performance…

Former MVP, Averaged a triple double, Plays hard as hell…all that. He’s still an offensive liability right now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[illwill10]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

You always would rather win, but to come down to the final seconds against the Bucks with Embiid looking terrible isn't that bad.

But Philly has got to stop pouting when they don't get calls and get back on D.
Doc has got to get a message across.

I'm not concerned with Joel. He started out on a slump then later picked it up. He essentially plays himself into shape to start the season. He just plays a perimeter oriented game too much at times. He does better when he establishes deep position earlier in the possession.

That bad transition defense has been an issue for years now. Embiid, Harden, and Harris always stay back and complain every time instead of getting back. The book has been out on Sixers flaws. They're bad on Transition D, Guarding smaller quicker players, not boxing out on rebounds, the ball sticking offense, and taking low % shots.

They'll get on track. I liked the small ball unit, they have to continue to feed Maxey throughout the game, Harden looks good so far, just need to execute better.

[Jeffx]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

This Lakers roster is built in such a weird way. They basically have a small lineup with 3 guards, LeBron, and AD. But with no shooting. How does that happen?

This. Lebron's at his best when he's surrounded by shooters, that's why the construction of this roster makes zero sense.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

but if it’s burned, That can we acknowledged.

Despite the fact that it once came from the butcher as a grade A piece of meat. You’re not going to say, “Sure I paid a lot for it, but I knew there was a risk of it being burned when I ordered it”

The Lakers expected/expect more production from him.

I wasn’t a fan of the scapegoating taking place last year either, but let’s not swing too far to the other side where we’re explaining away every bad performance…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The only thing is they seen a picture of the burned steak on the menu, ordered it anyway and now complaining(fans, not the team)that it tastes burnt. So yeah, it can be acknowledged but you can also not order it if you don’t enjoy it. And in this case, they could’ve got rid of him or gave him the John Wall/Rockets treatment and have him stay away from the team until they found a resolution since it’s obvious that he doesn’t fit on that team.

His play now has resembled his play when he was in DC so its not like there was no way to expect this when you had evidence showing you “Hey, this might be who he is going forward”.

(I’m also aware that a lot of the noise now is because he’s a Laker and playing with Lebron and of course those two fanbases just happen to the loudest fanbases in the NBA so that doesn’t help either)

I don’t even think it’s explaining away bad performances, moreso folks tossing aside context/nuance for every single thing he does on the court, which I’m *assuming* is what gg was trying to explain.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

They'll get on track. I liked the small ball unit, they have to continue to feed Maxey throughout the game, Harden looks good so far, just need to execute better.

Remember, he always looks good early on in the season. It’s from December and afterwards that he starts to look more sluggish and slow.

[illwill10]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

Remember, he always looks good early on in the season. It’s from December and afterwards that he starts to look more sluggish and slow.

As far as Harden, I'm just hoping that if they feed Maxey and Embiid gets it going, that it allows him to pace himself throughout the season.

I still want them to get a true backup PG. That way they don't have to stagger Maxey and Harden all game and allows ball to keep moving in those bench lineups

[The 24th Letter]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

The only thing is they seen a picture of the burned steak on the menu, ordered it anyway and now complaining(fans, not the team)that it tastes burnt. So yeah, it can be acknowledged but you can also not order it if you don’t enjoy it. And in this case, they could’ve got rid of him or gave him the John Wall/Rockets treatment and have him stay away from the team until they found a resolution since it’s obvious that he doesn’t fit on that team.

His play now has resembled his play when he was in DC so its not like there was no way to expect this when you had evidence showing you “Hey, this might be who he is going forward”.

(I’m also aware that a lot of the noise now is because he’s a Laker and playing with Lebron and of course those two fanbases just happen to the loudest fanbases in the NBA so that doesn’t help either)

I don’t even think it’s explaining away bad performances, moreso folks tossing aside context/nuance for every single thing he does on the court, which I’m *assuming* is what gg was trying to explain.

Like I said, the media coverage of Russ is ridiculous, it just reinforces the toxicity of the fans you mentioned

…..but unless we’re exempting every player on the back side of their prime from criticism, because they are who they are at this point, I don’t see why Russ should be excluded.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

This doesn't help
https://twitter.com/JamCristopher/st...r-win-again%2F

This points to the most head scratching thing when it comes to WB -- his complete dive off a cliff when it comes to free throws. Dude went from around 83% in OKC to 67% last year (year before with the Wiz was similar)

Thats not something you typically see. And thats the thing to me, lost in all the scapegoating is his struggles at the line and potential impact on his game (is he passing out of more drives in order to avoid trips to the line?)

Pack is 100% right in that my beef is that the criticism lacks any context or nuance. Its been just a blanket WB is trash line.

Anyway I'll move on from the WB talk. I just never really spoke on it last season so wanted to say my piece.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

This. Lebron's at his best when he's surrounded by shooters, that's why the construction of this roster makes zero sense.

I guess they’re hoping that Ryan and Reeves become those shooters for them.

(I haven’t watched them play at all so idk how good they are or if they have the potential to be decent shooters)

[Master Live 013]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

I do agree with Pack that Westbrook has been what he has been for quite some time now. So let it be known, that on the early post-prime of his career, when LeBron made a big move (maybe his last big move), he chose to trade for Russell mother****ing Westbrook. Oooofs.

[dubcity]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

The only thing is they seen a picture of the burned steak on the menu, ordered it anyway and now complaining(fans, not the team)that it tastes burnt. So yeah, it can be acknowledged but you can also not order it if you don’t enjoy it. And in this case, they could’ve got rid of him or gave him the John Wall/Rockets treatment and have him stay away from the team until they found a resolution since it’s obvious that he doesn’t fit on that team.

His play now has resembled his play when he was in DC so its not like there was no way to expect this when you had evidence showing you “Hey, this might be who he is going forward”.

Expect he was still hyped up as a great player in DC because he improved their record and got them into the play-in. The acceptance of him not being a great winning player only really started to hit wide last season. Before that it was still nonstop defending him as great because of hustle and triple double.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: 10/18 - 10/31 Games Discussion Thread

Expect he was still hyped up as a great player in DC because he improved their record and got them into the play-in. The acceptance of him not being a great winning player only really started to hit wide last season. Before that it was still nonstop defending him as great because of hustle and triple double.

It was more that his fit with DC was much better.

Russ not being a winner was always present. Thats why most of us knew the trade to Houston wouldn't work. People forget all the jokes made about that trade during the offseason.

I don't know what possessed LAL to say "thats our missing piece."