NBA Thread 2019-20 Season

[STEVEHOLT]

laker's simply NEVER got anything going in the half court offense...second denver stopped just giving them fastbreak after fastgreak on turnover after turnover, LA couldn't score.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

grant with the playoff game of his life.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

and Caruso showing the punk ass byotch he is by driving for an uncontest layup when denver just gave up the ball on a shot clock violation rather than try to score again...literally every other NBA player would have just dribbled it out.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Nuggies got the Lakers right where they want them now.

See, Lakers can't get to 3-1 without Denver getting the 1.

They got that now.

Be afraid, Lakers. Be afraid.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

My Lakers rooting interests aside, i like Denver bringing some excitement to this series. Runaways, sweeps — I’ll take ‘em if I have to, but I like a good, ol’ 5-, 6-game series.

Glad to see Jerami Grant play so well, score 26 points. Jerami was key in Denver going up 20 in the second half. Kid was a stud. I like his confidence.

Was getting ready to turn the game off until the Lakers woke up & cut Denver’s lead from 20 to 3 late. But LA was putrid on the boards, got out-rebounded by about 20.

The oldest player on the floor, a Laker, got a triple double — 30 points, 11 assists & 10 rebounds. His rebounding help wasn’t very helpful, though. Davis, Howard, McGee, Kuzma and Morris collectively had 5 rebounds. Not good.

Denver has every reason to be confident; a win tonight after a shoulda/coulda loss in game 2.

Glad to see the series do the tighten up, but, what, me worry? Lakers in 5, maybe 6.

I’m Fireball Jr & I endorse this message.

 

[Knicks411]

Halftime the odds are actually not bad for either side.
Lakers +120 or Nuggets -160 with the Nuggets up 10.

Took LA second half -6.5 to try and double scoop. didnt work

 

[Cusefan0307]

Since game one Denver has been the better team. Too bad AD hit that shot at the end of game 2, but I don’t think this series is over at all. After the top 2 on each roster the Nuggets have better players.

 

[Newhouser]

I thought he would wait for JB to retire. SMH.

That is funny - I'm surprised he jumped so fast. Must know something about the Bulls we don't.

 

[Newhouser]

I think the Lakers win the whole thing but man if you make them run an offense and make shots - not pretty.

 

[MikeSU02]

I think the Lakers win the whole thing but man if you make them run an offense and make shots - not pretty.

Three things:

1) AD only getting two rebounds is just unacceptable and why I've always kept him in the tier below the very very top guys. That can't happen.

2) When the Lakers supporting cast isn't hitting threes, which they're not great at, it puts such a huge burden on Bron and AD.

3) Rondo - I think the Lakers will win it all, but having to play Rondo 30 mins??? That isn't good.

 

[Horn88]

Since game one Denver has been the better team. Too bad AD hit that shot at the end of game 2, but I don’t think this series is over at all. After the top 2 on each roster the Nuggets have better players.

I’ve seen a few people say Denver’s been the better team since G1 and I don’t know if that’s really true. Lakers were up 16 in the first half of G2 and even had a 13 point lead in the 3rd quarter. Nuggets came back and the teams traded runs in the 4th but Lakers were up 5 with 3 mins to go and then obviously ended up winning on the buzzer beater.

Lakers looked like they weren’t that focused for a big chunk of last night and then made it pretty close before running out of gas late. The awful rebounding numbers are pretty indicative of how much harder Denver was playing.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I’ve seen a few people say Denver’s been the better team since G1 and I don’t know if that’s really true. Lakers were up 16 in the first half of G2 and even had a 13 point lead in the 3rd quarter. Nuggets came back and the teams traded runs in the 4th but Lakers were up 5 with 3 mins to go and then obviously ended up winning on the buzzer beater.

Lakers looked like they weren’t that focused for a big chunk of last night and then made it pretty close before running out of gas late. The awful rebounding numbers are pretty indicative of how much harder Denver was playing.

Denver's a really good rebounding team in general though. And they get stronger there as the game goes on.

They're just really tough to land a knockout on. Between how explosive the offense is, how well they rebound, and the depth, they can erase a lead in a hurry and put their own leads out of reach.

Now that they've drawn blood and their confidence is high, this series got a whole lot harder for the Lakers. The Nuggets are like Rocky - they're going to take their licks early, but they outlast you.

I'm excited.

 

[Horn88]

Denver's a really good rebounding team in general though. And they get stronger there as the game goes on.

They're just really tough to land a knockout on. Between how explosive the offense is, how well they rebound, and the depth, they can erase a lead in a hurry and put their own leads out of reach.

Now that they've drawn blood and their confidence is high, this series got a whole lot harder for the Lakers. The Nuggets are like Rocky - they're going to take their licks early, but they outlast you.

I'm excited.

Nuggets are definitely a real good team and rebound well but Lakers out rebounded them by 13 in G2. That’s a 32 rebound swing from one game to the next so I think a lot of that aligns with Lakers looking pretty lethargic and Denver coming out the aggressor last night.

I’m excited as well and think it will be a fun back half of the series. Like most of these series it’s probably going to come down to which supporting cast plays better. I thought Grant was the difference last night. Lakers role players seem to be pretty streaky and that usually burns teams deep in the playoffs.

 

[Alsacs]

Foster AND Brothers in one game.
Lol
Why not nWo ref Nick Patrick as well.

Or get one of Dick Bavetta or Bennett Salvadore out of retirement.

 

[jncuse]

Does one of the Refs have an evil twin like Dave Hebner?

 

[jncuse]

ESPN put out an article with seven hypothetical trades for contenders this offseason. The reasoning for each is behind the paywall but here's the trades: Seven big trades we want to see for NBA contenders

Trade #1
Brooklyn gets: Bradley Beal
Washington gets: Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, #19 pick, Atlanta's 2021 2nd round pick

Trade #2
Milwaukee gets: Lou Williams
Clippers get: TJ McConnell, TJ Leaf, #24 pick
Indiana gets: Ersan Ilyasova, two of their own 2nd round picks back from Milwaukee

Trade #3
Milwaukee gets: Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick
New Orleans gets: Khris Middleton, George Hill

Trade #4
Milwaukee gets: Nemanja Bjelica, a 2020 2nd round pick (Sacramento has three of them and they don't specify which)
Sacramento gets: Robin Lopez, DJ Wilson, #24 pick

Trade #5
Milwaukee gets: Chris Paul
OKC gets: Eric Bledsoe, Ersan Ilyasova, Robin Lopez, DJ Wilson

Trade #6
Philly gets: Chris Paul
OKC gets: Buddy Hield, Mike Scott, Norvel Pelle
Sacramento gets: Al Horford, #21 pick

Trade #7
Houston gets: Blake Griffin
Detroit gets: Russell Westbrook

Everything seems somewhat plausible except for #6. Trade #6 seems like it was proposed by a Sixer Homer on a message board (not ESPN)

The Sixers get the best player by far. To get that player they give up the worst and longest contract in the deal (Horford) an overpaid role player in Mike Scott, and #21 pick in a so-so draft. Sounds reasonable. (EDIT - I missed that The Sixers also have to give up star Norvel Pelle -- that changes everything!!)



As an aside, I also think Trade proposal #3 underrates the value of Khris Middleton.

 

[Melancer46]

Everything seems somewhat plausible except for #6. Trade #6 seems like it was proposed by a Sixer Homer on a message board (not ESPN)

The Sixers get the best player by far. To get that player they give up the worst and longest contract in the deal (Horford) an overpaid role player in Mike Scott, and #21 pick in a so-so draft. Sounds reasonable. (EDIT - I missed that The Sixers also have to give up star Norvel Pelle -- that changes everything!!)



As an aside, I also think Trade proposal #3 underrates the value of Khris Middleton.

Yeah the Middleton one is just horrendous IMO. I love the CP3-Bucks one for us. The Bjelica one is good depending on the 2nd round pick that the Bucks are getting. I think the Lou Williams one is believable but I personally think it's a bad deal.

 

[Day2]

I think the Lou Williams one is believable but I personally think it's a bad deal.

For which side? I don't see why the Clippers would make that trade.

 

[jncuse]

Yeah the Middleton one is just horrendous IMO. I love the CP3-Bucks one for us. The Bjelica one is good depending on the 2nd round pick that the Bucks are getting. I think the Lou Williams one is believable but I personally think it's a bad deal.

Now that I look at the #5 Paul trade again (with the Bucks) I just done see the logic from OKC's end, unless they add a third and fourth team to swing some of those players they are getting for picks.

So I can see why you like that deal. Trade 5 is lopsided for the Bucks, trade 3 is lopsided for the Pelicans.

So 3 team deal.
With the big pieces being:
Bucks In - Paul, Holiday
Bucks Out - Middleton to NO , Bledsoe to OKC

Pelicans have to add some young pieces + picks to OKC.
Perhaps the Bucks add one first rounder as well.

It does hurt the Bucks size, but Paul and Holiday are still both very good defenders, and are capable 1-2.

 

[OrangeDW]

Jerami Grant ain’t scoring 26 every night. That was the difference. Their 3rd guy went nuts, and ours didn’t.

*And if Jerami keeps scoring 26, I’ll tip my hat and be proud of him.

 

[OrangeDW]

Three things:

1) AD only getting two rebounds is just unacceptable and why I've always kept him in the tier below the very very top guys. That can't happen.

2) When the Lakers supporting cast isn't hitting threes, which they're not great at, it puts such a huge burden on Bron and AD.

3) Rondo - I think the Lakers will win it all, but having to play Rondo 30 mins??? That isn't good.

I can’t remember if we’ve got a first round pick(as a Laker fan I’ve only ever cared about things like that from like 2014 to 2019), but if we do, I wouldn’t be mad if we picked Elijah Hughes. And not just for homer reasons. We could use a wing that plays off the ball but has enough handle to make some plays off the dribble, can shoot, and has the athleticism and height to defend.

 

[OrangeDW]

Loved Jeff Pearlman’s book on the Showtime Lakers that came out 5-6 years ago.

Now he wrote one on the Shaq-Kobe Lakers. Looking forward to reading it!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I can’t remember if we’ve got a first round pick(as a Laker fan I’ve only ever cared about things like that from like 2014 to 2019), but if we do, I wouldn’t be mad if we picked Elijah Hughes. And not just for homer reasons. We could use a wing that plays off the ball but has enough handle to make some plays off the dribble, can shoot, and has the athleticism and height to defend.

I think Elijah could help a lot of teams. He does enough of the things teams need these days to be really interesting.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think Elijah could help a lot of teams. He does enough of the things teams need these days to be really interesting.

IMO he’s poised to have the career that we hoped Malachi would. Malachi had some raw promise - he just had a long ways to go and didn’t progress enough to stick.

Hughes is obviously older, further along, and more polished and would seem to have similar promise but with a much higher floor.

 

[Melancer46]

For which side? I don't see why the Clippers would make that trade.

I wouldn’t want to do it from Milwaukee’s side personally.

Edit: I wouldn’t blame LAC for rejecting it as well but from the Bucks end, that’s all of our tradeable picks until like 2024 for a bench scorer. It just doesn’t move the needle enough for me to do that, especially when it seems reasonably realistic that we could get a player like CP3 or a lower quality starter with those picks instead.