Jerami Grant: Trailblazers | Page 3 | Syracusefan.com

Jerami Grant: Trailblazers

I don't get dion not getting any run in that first series. Green/AC were struggling.

I really don’t understand why JR Smith was getting in before him.

Caruso isn’t going to score much, period. But he gets after it on defense and knows his role on offense.

Dion’s the better player IMO, but it’s tough to pass someone who’s played a nice role all year when he just joined the team. Still, AC doesn’t need to be in there for 30 minutes.
 
Dion’s the extra scoring LA will need in round 2. Its a joke Smith and Caruso get pt over him. Green’s been woeful too.
 
Dion isn’t in the same conversation as Caruso in regard to playing time nor should he be. Caruso has the 5th highest defensive rating of any player in the playoffs (small sample size).

But yes, JR absolutely sucks and Dion deserves those minutes.
 
Dion isn’t in the same conversation as Caruso in regard to playing time nor should he be. Caruso has the 5th highest defensive rating of any player in the playoffs (small sample size).

But yes, JR absolutely sucks and Dion deserves those minutes.
I still can't believe LJ signed off on being teammates with him again.
 
keep it up Jerami. Hate the Clippers
 
caruso plays good D but JR is higher than a giraffes @$$ 99% of the time. Dion absolutely should be playing over him and has played Welll when he has
Noooo...this guy?
25mzsn.jpg
 
So many laughed at me (not here) before the season when I said that Denver is the best team in the West, and will at least make the NBA Finals. Though I did say that Milwaukee would win it all, so that was way off, but now I don't see any squad taking down Denver. Almost there, but the Lakers are gonna be tough obviously. Still, I wouldn't bet against the Nuggets with your money. Great coaching staff, and an organization that did it the way that it used to be. Draft well, and develop talent, then add a couple in free agency, or via trade to shore up the roster. If it wasn't for the Gobert deal in 2013, then the Donovan Mitchell/Lydon mishap in 2017, they'd be damn near flawless when it comes to the crap shoot that the NBA draft is. But hey, every team is entitled to a screw up, or two, and getting Gary Harris for Dougie McD was another great move. Anyway, I was confident that Grant would be the piece that put them over the top, as he is exactly the type of player that they lacked last season. And then you basically have the rest of the roster still intact, so it's not all that hard to come together compared to a team like the Clippers. One that had to ship out a huge piece of their young core that was developing well, along with draft picks galore for a so-called superstar. You can tell which team has more trust in each other when the game, or season is on the line.

The Murray/Jokic combo is absolutely lethal, and I'm not sure there's any other duo that I'd want to roll with in crunch time over them. It's damn near impossible to stop that two man game when they need a bucket. Not surprising that they have had to comeback again, and again since you try to set the tone early getting everyone involved. But, when it's winning time then get out the way, and let them work. They thrive with their back against the wall. Murray is fearless, and can get any shot he wants, while Jokic is just so deadly with the ball in his hands, or setting up a teammate for an easy bucket. He is a bit too unselfish at times, but his play making ability is in a league of its own really, in my opinion. All this at only 25 years old, and Murray at 23. Unreal, and then throw in all the other complimentary pieces with guys like Millsap, and Harris. A steady backup PG in Morris, and the untapped potential of Porter Jr. All seem to have a high basketball IQ. They know how to play the game, and with that coaching staff, and organization...well, good luck to the rest of the West for years to come.

LeBron is gonna have to get his last ring this year in my mind, because that window is closing real quick with the squads around him only getting better, and better. The WCF is gonna be a battle though, no doubt. I really think that LeBron will be unwillingly passing the torch after Denver takes them down in game 7. Not sure to who, or if he even has one to pass, but the Nuggets are the future. It won't be an easy series by any means, but the Nuggets have about as complete a team you can hope for. While the Lakers still have a couple holes on their roster that can be taken advantage of, and Malone is not someone I'd want to go against in the Conference Finals, or ever. He has instilled a winning culture, and they really are what a team should be. The chemistry cultivated these past few years gives them that edge when the game is on the line that these other teams thrown together via trades, and free agency can't match. They truly live, and die together.

TL;DR: Nuggets have built a juggernaut for years to come, and LeBron better get his ring this year, or that's all she wrote.
 
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So many laughed at me (not here) before the season when I said that Denver is the best team in the West, and will at least make the NBA Finals. Though I did say that Milwaukee would win it all, so that was way off, but now I don't see any squad taking down Denver. Almost there, but the Lakers are gonna be tough obviously. Still, I wouldn't bet against the Nuggets with your money. Great coaching staff, and an organization that did it the way that it used to be. Draft well, and develop talent, then add a couple in free agency, or via trade to shore up the roster. If it wasn't for the Gobert deal in 2013, then the Donovan Mitchell/Lydon mishap in 2017, they'd be damn near flawless when it comes to the crap shoot that the NBA draft is. But hey, every team is entitled to a screw up, or two, and getting Gary Harris for Dougie McD was another great move. Anyway, I was confident that Grant would be the piece that put them over the top, as he is exactly the type of player that they lacked last season. And then you basically have the rest of the roster still intact, so it's not all that hard to come together compared to a team like the Clippers. One that had to ship out a huge piece of their young core that was developing well, along with draft picks galore for a so-called superstar. You can tell which team has more trust in each other when the game, or season is on the line.

The Murray/Jokic combo is absolutely lethal, and I'm not sure there's any other duo that I'd want to roll with in crunch time over them. It's damn near impossible to stop that two man game when they need a bucket. Not surprising that they have had to comeback again, and again since you try to set the tone early getting everyone involved. But, when it's winning time then get out the way, and let them work. They thrive with their back against the wall. Murray is fearless, and can get any shot he wants, while Jokic is just so deadly with the ball in his hands, or setting up a teammate for an easy bucket. He is a bit too unselfish at times, but his play making ability is in a league of its own really, in my opinion. All this at only 25 years old, and Murray at 23. Unreal, and then throw in all the other complimentary pieces with guys like Millsap, and Harris. A steady backup PG in Morris, and the untapped potential of Porter Jr. All seem to have a high basketball IQ. They know how to play the game, and with that coaching staff, and organization...well, good luck to the rest of the West for years to come.

LeBron is gonna have to get his last ring this year in my mind, because that window is closing real quick with the squads around him only getting better, and better. The WCF is gonna be a battle though, no doubt. I really think that LeBron will be unwillingly passing the torch after Denver takes them down in game 7. Not sure to who, or if he even has one to pass, but the Nuggets are the future. It won't be an easy series by any means, but the Nuggets have about as complete a team you can hope for. While the Lakers still have a couple holes on their roster that can be taken advantage of, and Malone is not someone I'd want to go against in the Conference Finals, or ever. He has instilled a winning culture, and they really are what a team should be. The chemistry cultivated these past few years gives them that edge when the game is on the line that these other teams thrown together via trades, and free agency can't match. They truly live, and die together.

TL;DR: Nuggets have built a juggernaut for years to come, and LeBron better get his ring this year, or that's all she wrote.
I’m glad I didn’t post this because I’m a huge Nuggets homer but I agree completely. The team is a year ahead of schedule and has Millsap and Plumlee coming off the books (40+ million). If Connelly spends that money as well as he’s spent his money so far this team can be a huge threat to come out of the west for the next few years. I hope they pay Grant, a shooter, and potentially another rim protector (unless Bol Bol becomes that guy).
 
I’m glad I didn’t post this because I’m a huge Nuggets homer but I agree completely. The team is a year ahead of schedule and has Millsap and Plumlee coming off the books (40+ million). If Connelly spends that money as well as he’s spent his money so far this team can be a huge threat to come out of the west for the next few years. I hope they pay Grant, a shooter, and potentially another rim protector (unless Bol Bol becomes that guy).
Holy crap, I didn't realize they were paying Millsap and Plumlee that much.
 
It's too bad that it looks like the NBA wants no part of a Finals without LeBron. Denver/Miami would be a great matchup, but they'd love another Boston/LA showdown. At least have to get one of em in there. Now I remember why I don't enjoy the NBA like I once did.
 
It's a yin and yang experience being a Cuse hoops and Laker fan. I go from one extreme of getting zero calls to getting all of them. Silver told the refs to let the Lakers play bully ball.
 
Denver can’t guard LeBron or Davis, so their interior players get in foul trouble. That’s the way it goes...

They should try zone IMO.
No 50/50 calls will ever go against LeBron in this series. He can drop his shoulder into anyone he wants and knows it's highly unlikely he'll get called for it.

Zone isn't a bad idea though. Make the Lakers shoot threes.
 
No 50/50 calls will ever go against LeBron in this series. He can drop his shoulder into anyone he wants and knows it's highly unlikely he'll get called for it.

Zone isn't a bad idea though. Make the Lakers shoot threes.

I think Davis is a bigger problem for Denver. Jokic’s cement feet certainly can’t guard him. They don’t have a mobile big on the roster that’s going to get any PT.

Yeah, if it were me I’d do whatever I could to make KCP, Green, Rondo, Caruso, and Morris fire away from outside and hope they miss enough. Grant is their only guy who has a chance on LeBron and the Lakers will just screen him and make them switch - LeBron is too big and strong for the rest of their perimeter guys. And they’ve got nobody for Davis.
 
Denver can’t guard LeBron or Davis, so their interior players get in foul trouble. That’s the way it goes...

They should try zone IMO.
Half of those fouls were just due to Dwight Howard being a piece of crap selling calls and the refs being addicted to calling off ball fouls. Howard is literally always shoving people down low and they only blow the whistle when guys brush him off and he flails around. So frustrating.
 
No 50/50 calls will ever go against LeBron in this series. He can drop his shoulder into anyone he wants and knows it's highly unlikely he'll get called for it.

Zone isn't a bad idea though. Make the Lakers shoot threes.
Nugs need to step it up offensively. Basically Jokic and Murray need to to outscore LA like they did Utah. If they have to depend on their defense fugetaboutit. Same for Jerami. His -25 +/- won't cut it. He needs to be the big 3rd option.
 
I’m glad I didn’t post this because I’m a huge Nuggets homer but I agree completely. The team is a year ahead of schedule and has Millsap and Plumlee coming off the books (40+ million). If Connelly spends that money as well as he’s spent his money so far this team can be a huge threat to come out of the west for the next few years. I hope they pay Grant, a shooter, and potentially another rim protector (unless Bol Bol becomes that guy).

He really will have no money to spend other than the MLE (about $9 million) for teams that are over the cap.

Millsap and Plumlee leaving will not clear any cap space to sign players when you consider
1) Denver is already $20 million over the cap. So $20m of the "salaries saved" on those two, is just clearing luxury tax room, which can't be used to sign players anyway. So that leaves $20 million to spend on free agents (40-20 = 20)

2) Then you consider that Jamal Murray is jumping from $4m to $29m, and that takes up $25 million of cap space, so that in itself now brings you back over the cap. (20-25 = -5)

3) The cap as far as I am aware will go down a bit in 2020/2021, so that in itself will take some further cap room. Say $5 million.

So I would not expect huge upgrades with cap space. That being said Denver is in tremendous shape anyway with what they will retain, and Millsap and Plumlee can be partially replaced with the MLE. But upgrades will not be possible through FA anyway.
 

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