Road to a Championship start here, 2022 Draft.

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CJ had a good individual offensive game. People think Pels won because he put up 30

Pels were up 5 when CJ is the first sub of the game for Jose 5:24 (16-10). Pels go on a 18-0 run with Jose for a 24pt lead. When Jose is subbed out for CJ 2:55 Pels are up (35-11). They basically won the game in this 2 & a half minute stretch, with Jose. (Starters with Jose 1Q +18 in less than 3 mins). Kings split 2 FT's for that Pel 19-1 run.

The remaining 2:55 with CJ now in for Jose. Kings bench go on a 12-0 run to end the Q down only 11 (34-23). Granted JRE -9 was in for Jonas in his short run but these same fans claim Jonas wasn't playing well either lol.

After 1, CJ is -7 where Pels had a 24pt lead.

2nd Q Pels (64-58) CJ is +2

After 2, CJ is -5

3rd Q Kings cut the 12 pt lead to 4 (77-73), CJ is subbed for Jose 6:01. When he is subbed back in at the 1:21 mark for Murphy. Pels are back up 10 (93-83). Pels close the remaining 1 minute (98-89) up 9, CJ -1

After 3, CJ is -14 with Pels never trailing in this game.

Jose starts the 4th Q with CJ. When Jonas is subbed, Pels are up 14 in his 4 mins to start the Q (112-98). They end up opening a 23 pt lead at the 6:18 mark with Zeller on court, Pels had a nice little +9 run. Kings down 23 then cut the Pels lead to 12 (125-113) when Jonas is subbed back in 3:47. Pels end up -2 in the Zeller run after a strong start to it. Pels finish the 4th (135-123). The remaining 3 minutes played to a net 0. Bleeding stopped. CJ starting the 4th with Jose & Jonas was +5, -2 with Zeller, +3 overall.

After 4, CJ is -11, Jose +17

So while the 30 piece from CJ was nice & will grab the headlines & casuals, Jose's play is ultimately why Pels won out.

People say Jonas had an off game but in his 30 min matchup with Sabonis. Jonas +16, Sabonis -16. Fox was the only King starter +3. Lyes who was on CJ off the bench was +6 in 15 mins. 

This is a 5 player team sport & sum of parts, not individual play. Now tell me, what did you see ?.

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Low IQ.

Jonas has a size advantage is 2-2. Lets ignore that matchup to shoot 1-10 & now Jonas is the one subbed lol

Dumb as ****.

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Good thing CJ & Murphy are on fire. Refs letting GS foul like crazy to aid their lack of size in the post.

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Somebody get GS some wet naps, The refs wiping they ass a little to hard right now. lol fake ass league.

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Nice win 5 vs 8.

Props to CJ he balled after the first Q

Zion mauled in the post. Great defensive effort

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Green, how that Pel ass taste.

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With an even whistle, GS don't get this game under 10 let alone to a one possession game with a chance to tie/win.

Expect more of the same officiating for the Lakers tomorrow. League from a ratings point of view would need & want Suns at 6 so they can get GS & Lakers in at 7 & 8. (Durant, Curry, Lebron).

Pels need one more 5 vs 8 win either tomorrow or in the PI. Same with the Kings ... who ironically just got edged by the Suns.. Kings don't "choke" that game away, Pels take the 6 seed from the Suns which would mean the League would have to work to get 2 of 3 big names in with Kings only having to win 1 of 2 games against 2 teams they have played well against from that 7-8 seed position where Kings could potentially knock out 2 of the 3 golden tickets.

The last thing the league wants is Pels, Suns, Kings, 6, 7, 8.

They were hoping to push GS past the Pels last night for Suns, GS, Lakers, 6, 7, 8.

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Green is using Jonas as if he's Tyson Chandler, lol. He's in for his defense & rebounding. The offensive big man was in the game !0 mins & has 1 shot, while BI & CJ are a combined (5-17). They manage to play the Lakers even despite not playing well. The bench with Lebron off court manages to open an 8 pt lead.

With that 8pt lead, Greeb decides to put Daniels in with Nance which has the Pels playing 3 on 5 offensively & they cough up the lead because they can't score.

Coaching, like you don't know your own players or team.

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16 2nd Q points for the Pels. The Lakers defense, isn't that good. Cleanup the rotations & matchups, they're not balanced properly.

Lakers are just the smarter team.

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If you don't plan to utilize Jonas offensively, might as well come out 3rd Q with Nance & play Jonas with BI & Daniels off the bench.

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Breakup BI & CJ they both taking turns trying to shoot themselves into rhythm.

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BI & CJ 3 bricks & 3 TO's to start the 3rd. Lakers +3.

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Zion did some heavy lifting tonight & got injured for it. CJ comes in for his offensive replacement & instead, Lakers pick him apart defensively.

CJ 4-15 with 2 TO's while being the Lakers point of attack was Greens option as BI was no better.

Jonas defense on court with BI & CJ combining for 8 of 27 shooting with 5 TO's, which is 24 empty possessions between the 2 in what came down to a one possession game & of course fans will blame Jonas defense, not the volume inefficiency. Not many big men can cleanup 24 empty possessions from 2 players more less an offensively inclined big man. Not surprising the game turned when you finally decided to sit both BI & CJ for Jose's playmaking & energy.

Zion getting hurt, ended any chance of completing the comeback.

At least answers & solutions might come out of this epic collapse. That Spurs loss is looming large right now.

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Seeing the discussion of BI being upset about being benched & leaving early ...

I have one question that BI was most likely asking himself as well.

Was CJ playing that much or any better in this game to warrant getting the call ?.

They were both equally inefficient but in CJ's case Lakers were actively hunting him on defense... The first play, was Lebron getting switched on him. Then Reaves takes him off the dribble, where Dyson has to help to prevent a layup for the open Russell 3 ... CJ was & has been all year the Lakers point of attack to a blow out tune. Take a guess as to why Pels made their run to come back with Jose running point.

Said it earlier in the season. CJ to Green, is Temple to Green, on steroids. Too much unjustified reliance on the vet. CJ was not good in this game, start to finish & Lakers picked him apart defensively all game where all Lebron saw when Green went back to him was BBQ chicken.

I'm no mind reader but BI was most likely thinking to himself, was CJ playing better than me to get the call over me & the answer is no & while his actions were unprofessional you can see why he'd act in that manner..

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Congrats

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The time has come & as I have been saying for a while now.

If you don't want OKC to be able to run Jonas off court in a possible favorable matchup, You need to limit his minutes with CJ. Especially, if CJ is playing inefficiently.

Jonas - (Murphy/Naji) - BI - Herb - (Daniels/Jose).

Nance - Murphy - Naji - CJ - Jose

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I have one ask, no weak TO's... please & thank you.

We can only hope the refs won't give SGA the weak calls he generally gets but I know that's asking a lot out of a fake ass league but it would be nice to have a level playing field.

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Keep playing CJ with Jonas ..

Imagine yanking your leading scorer, rebounder & most efficient offensive threat because you refuse to put defensive compensation on court with him. Jonas starter best (-14)

Instead, turn to Nance to compensate the player that has 15 points on 14 shots & 4 TO's, (-27)

Do the math. If CJ is playing every minute with Jonas on court & he's twice the negative in more minutes, who's the issue ?

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SGA (4-8)
Giddey (4-7)
Williams (4-6)
Dort (3-6)
Chet (1-4)

Balanced effort & efficiency.

BI (2-7)
CJ (3-12)
= (5-19)

Jones (2-4(
Jonas (3-4)
Murphy (4-6)
=(9-14)

Early in the game Jonas rolled to the rim & was wide open to a CJ bricked 3..

Pels need a hero & he isn't on this team. Not sure if I should use the word team though. The ball is not moving

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Like Casey when he won a chip with the Mavs as a defensive assistant. He went to the Raptors & tried to emulate that formula with a rookie Jonas & different roster. Casey utilized the offensive big man as though he was Tyson Chandler, lol.

Now Green coming from GS is doing the same with Nance & CJ but they too are not Green & Curry.

CJ started a must win game out 0-7 & Pels lost the opening Q by 4pts as a result, where a lead could have built some confidence at home. Instead OKC got comfortable on the road playing poorly & coming out with the lead.

CJ ended with 16pts on (7-22) shooting with 6 TO's. That's 21 empty possessions from 1 player. X went (0-21) ... Where 50% from 2 on those 21 lost possessions, is a cool 21 points.

GIddy, Williams & Dort combined for (11-19) 3pt shooting. So on top the inefficiency, there was insufficient perimeter coverage. Greems solution bench Jonas, which is OKC's strategy to run the Jonas miss match off court. When Jonas was on the line about to tie the game on a missed FT, OKC coach made the adjustment to put his shooters on court they went 3-3, while Jonas didn't get an offensive touch, which ran him on a 9-0 run, which ended up a 14-0 run with Nance subbed in. It's almost as if to defend the perimeter you need perimeter defenders where Pels got lit up in conjunction with inefficient play.

When OKC easily gets Green to sub Jonas on 3 possessions, with no defensive counters to keep his own miss match on court (3-4). Green is now comfortably riding his preferred defensive choice Nance... OKC's coach then subs in Chet to which Green will not go back to Jonas, giving them another favorable matchup, lol. 3's were raining whether Jonas was on or off court

OKC is winning this series because they're getting CJ to dominate the ball & Green is playing directly into what they want.

Case in point -
BI & CJ combined for (14-36) shooting with 8 TO's, 30 empty possessions.
Rest of the starters (11-17) shooting with 6 TO's, 12 empty possessions.

OKC 27 assists to Pels 18.

Moooore defense. Pels held OKC to 106 points.
Problem, they scored only 85 points on poor efficiency & ball movement.