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Jimmy Butler 22 points with only 9 field goal attempts in the win over Denver, Philly are headed for the NBA Finals.
The Lakers will probably make the playoffs but I think Golden State or Houston will be Philly's NBA Finals opponent.
No way the Lake show is making the playoffs this year.
The LBJ experiment has failed miserably, and Magic needs to go he sucks royally.
The Lebron experiment didn't fail. They just couldn't come up with a deal that New Orleans was willing to take. Ball isn't working out, but most of us knew that early on last year. He's a role player at best, not a centerpiece or cornerstone. Rondo is head and shoulders better, he just can't stay healthy.
Ingram has really been the disappointing piece. I was high on him last season and coming into this season. He's been a bit of a letdown. At the same time, this team was rolling until Lebron missed 18 games. The team couldn't stay afloat when their best player misses nearly a quarter of the season. These are the same kids that we watched last season, with some additions here and there. Did we really expect them to do better with Lebron missing significant time?
Kuzma is still the best out of this bunch, but sadly, for Ball, Ingram, and Kuzma to reach their potential, Lebron won't likely be the same capable player he's been up to this point. Kuzma is the real deal, he just struggles to do it consistently. He is the closest to his potential, but I don't know where to put Ingram. Ball should no longer be that type of player in anyone's mind.
I think the Lakers had a chance if they could have struck a deal with New Orleans. Their bench would have been thin, but Lebron is showing that he plays well with Rondo and McGee. Anthony Davis may not have the best IQ, but he's also never played with Lebron. He did fine with Rondo running the point last season, before Rondo went down with a season-ending injury.
This is a lost season for the Lakers, because they didn't reach the potential we all thought. I picked them as finishing in the top 5, even as high as a 3 seed, and they were my dark horse candidate for the WCF. It was there, but Ball didn't really grow as a shooter and Ingram has fallen flat. The Lakers needed all of them to make the leap.
The Lebron experiment didn't fail. They just couldn't come up with a deal that New Orleans was willing to take. Ball isn't working out, but most of us knew that early on last year. He's a role player at best, not a centerpiece or cornerstone. Rondo is head and shoulders better, he just can't stay healthy.
Ingram has really been the disappointing piece. I was high on him last season and coming into this season. He's been a bit of a letdown. At the same time, this team was rolling until Lebron missed 18 games. The team couldn't stay afloat when their best player misses nearly a quarter of the season. These are the same kids that we watched last season, with some additions here and there. Did we really expect them to do better with Lebron missing significant time?
Kuzma is still the best out of this bunch, but sadly, for Ball, Ingram, and Kuzma to reach their potential, Lebron won't likely be the same capable player he's been up to this point. Kuzma is the real deal, he just struggles to do it consistently. He is the closest to his potential, but I don't know where to put Ingram. Ball should no longer be that type of player in anyone's mind.
I think the Lakers had a chance if they could have struck a deal with New Orleans. Their bench would have been thin, but Lebron is showing that he plays well with Rondo and McGee. Anthony Davis may not have the best IQ, but he's also never played with Lebron. He did fine with Rondo running the point last season, before Rondo went down with a season-ending injury.
This is a lost season for the Lakers, because they didn't reach the potential we all thought. I picked them as finishing in the top 5, even as high as a 3 seed, and they were my dark horse candidate for the WCF. It was there, but Ball didn't really grow as a shooter and Ingram has fallen flat. The Lakers needed all of them to make the leap.
New Orleans was never going to trade with the Lakers. I truly believe the rumors that the Pelicans were only stringing along the Lakers and trying to ruin their team chemistry, because they were upset at what they thought was tampering by the Lakers in regards to Davis previously. Magic Johnson got played. It didn't matter what the Lakers offered, they were never going to trade, period.
Lonzo Ball was doing really well until he got injured. When he's on, he's on, and if he can stay healthy he is definitely capable of being that guy for the Lakers. Ingram has really been turning it on the past few months. His first two seasons, you could tell he's a bit weak as he was still very young and doesn't have much size on his slim frame. This year I could tell he's gotten a lot stronger and he's fearless in taking it to the basket. He reminds me of Plasticman Augmon in his long, lanky frame and ability to weave around the defense with his long arms.
New Orleans was never going to trade with the Lakers. I truly believe the rumors that the Pelicans were only stringing along the Lakers and trying to ruin their team chemistry, because they were upset at what they thought was tampering by the Lakers in regards to Davis previously. Magic Johnson got played. It didn't matter what the Lakers offered, they were never going to trade, period.
Lonzo Ball was doing really well until he got injured. When he's on, he's on, and if he can stay healthy he is definitely capable of being that guy for the Lakers. Ingram has really been turning it on the past few months. His first two seasons, you could tell he's a bit weak as he was still very young and doesn't have much size on his slim frame. This year I could tell he's gotten a lot stronger and he's fearless in taking it to the basket. He reminds me of Plasticman Augmon in his long, lanky frame and ability to weave around the defense with his long arms.
It really wasn't in the favor of New Orleans to trade with anyone, which is why they didn't. They have all the ammunition and time in the world. This team was outside of the playoffs pretty early in the season. This team continues to be fools gold.
Boston is the team they're eyeing; however, it's truly going to depend on how Boston competes in the playoffs. If they run into unforeseen trouble and get bounced in the first round, there's a chance a big trade is coming New Orleans' way. If they run deep and make the ECF again, or even the NBA Finals, what New Orleans receives in a trade from Boston is basically combos and a diet coke.
New Orleans was never going to trade with the Lakers. I truly believe the rumors that the Pelicans were only stringing along the Lakers and trying to ruin their team chemistry, because they were upset at what they thought was tampering by the Lakers in regards to Davis previously. Magic Johnson got played. It didn't matter what the Lakers offered, they were never going to trade, period.
Lonzo Ball was doing really well until he got injured. When he's on, he's on, and if he can stay healthy he is definitely capable of being that guy for the Lakers. Ingram has really been turning it on the past few months. His first two seasons, you could tell he's a bit weak as he was still very young and doesn't have much size on his slim frame. This year I could tell he's gotten a lot stronger and he's fearless in taking it to the basket. He reminds me of Plasticman Augmon in his long, lanky frame and ability to weave around the defense with his long arms.
I agree totally that the Pelican's played the Lakers, it fact it was obvious. Had I been Magic Johnson, I would have told (LeBron's and Anthony Davis's agent) Ron Paul that he was going to pull any offer made to the Pelican's due to fact the Pelican's were not serious about a trade and were only playing the Lakers.
Perhaps then, the team's chemistry might not have been affected.
It really wasn't in the favor of New Orleans to trade with anyone, which is why they didn't. They have all the ammunition and time in the world. This team was outside of the playoffs pretty early in the season. This team continues to be fools gold.
Boston is the team they're eyeing; however, it's truly going to depend on how Boston competes in the playoffs. If they run into unforeseen trouble and get bounced in the first round, there's a chance a big trade is coming New Orleans' way. If they run deep and make the ECF again, or even the NBA Finals, what New Orleans receives in a trade from Boston is basically combos and a diet coke.
If I were Boston, I would only offer "combos and diet coke" anyway, because he would only be a one year rental for them.
I'm sitting up looking at the poll and chuckling that the most popular selection was 50-55 wins for the Lakers this year.
I love Lebron (and Magic) but perhaps this gives some perspective as to why we shouldn't credit Lebron too much for making so many finals in the east....or ding him for losing so many finals once he got there.
You can't just carry a team of "meh" to 50+ wins and a high seed in the West like you can in the east.
Not a knock on Lebron, the opposite in fact as he made it look easy but rather a knock on how weak the east has been.
Currently the lakers are 29-29 and the Clipper are 33-27, projected as the 8th seed in the playoffs. To equal their record, the Lakers will have to go 16-8 the rest of the way, i.e. winning 2 of 3 remaining games.
'Activated' or not, this seems unlikely to me.
This guy breaks down the last 25 games (including the game they just won against the Rockets), and projects them to finish with 44 wins, which would project them just out of the playoffs.
AD to sit tonight for 'rest' as the Lakers take on the Pelicans in NO.
The only one that seemed to play with big energy throughout the game was Ingram, he had 29 points and he was aggressive. He just never gives up. You could tell how much difference a few years in the league has made, he used to be very gangly and weak but now is getting stronger.
They had too many turnovers and played zero defense.
LBJ can't even play any defense, not that he was great at that before but his mobility is still affected by his injury (looked like he tweaked it again in the fourth quarter).
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