Game #40: vs. Grizzlies 12:30pm PST

[LamarWho]

Eric Bledsoe - 0 pt, 0 reb, 1 ast
Reggie Jackson - 0 ast

That's right, our two "floor generals" combined for 1 assist today. This game would have been over at half time if MMSr didn't get hot.

[og15]

Like I said last week the problems with this team are deeper than x amount or x type of guys being out.

I can’t get over these guys making millions of dollars and then talk about how they’re disappointed in their effort.

But don’t worry. If Lue says it enough times it’ll come true. Just gotta play better. Hmm. You think?

Effort is one of those constant / default NBA complaints for sure.

They definitely have problems, they were building the team and committed money in previous seasons to players who were to compliment the two stars. When one of the stars is being suggested out for the season, you can't easily pivot in one off-season where you are an over the tax team with the tax payer MLE to then build a roster that should succeed without not just one, but both those stars.

You also definitely don't go making big trade type moves to make the current team succeed that season if those same moves won't also merge seamlessly with the rotations and fit when the star returns. Of course no one has been making big trades so far this season either since the Simmons and Lillard situations have put people on hold, so that isn't even something that is happening.

You take out Kawhi and PG, and then every little player that's out becomes a bigger deal because you don't have stars to just take on the extra load, and then you have to use depth that usually wouldn't even play.

This gets made "worse" (not actually worse because you have to think long term not just now) when you a trying to balance vets and youth in your roster. This means that some of that depth you are forced to play 15, 20+ minutes some nights are young inexperienced, net negative players who technically were not supposed to be playing important rotation minutes.

The players who play most of your minutes are going to determine your record. So far this season, the top 8 players in total minutes (before last game):
1) Jackson / 1129
2) Mann / 1124
3) Bledsoe / 1047
4) Kennard / 1015
5) George / 924
6) Zubac / 876
7) Morris / 548
8) Batum / 511
9) Hartenstein / 477
10) Coffey / 436

Basically the record has primarily been determined by Jackson, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard and George this season. With George they are 14-12. Without George they are now 5-9. This team so far is playing the pace of a 29-30 win team without George.

Take out George, and the 5 players minutes wise who so far primarily determined whether they won or lost has been Jackson, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard and Zubac.

Nothing against those players, but take out fav team bias and I'm looking at a team led by or with a combination of any of those guys and thinking they will win around 3/10 games. That's around what team like the Pelicans, Blazers, Pacers are at, and I would consider them better than this group.

Then I also think, why should I be surprised? Why should they be better than that with around $80 million in salary on the bench? I'm expecting lottery team results right now, if one can convince me why I should look at this talent and expect more, I'm up for it. Effort, yea, effort is great, I expect it to wane with some players here and there, but as a team you gotta work through it and figure it out, but they will still generally "suck" right now regardless.

In the 8 straight games without George they are 2-6, it's been a stretch of relatively tougher opponents. Denver with Jokic, BKN twice (won one), Raps with Fred, OG and Siakam, Celtics, Wolves, Suns and Grizz. All teams fighting for the playoffs. I would have predicted 2-6 with possible wins vs Celtics and Wolves with no KAT, but those would be 50/50 games still.

The rest of January is Hawks, Denver again, then 10/11 games on the road with 8 straight, so yea, the effort tends to not be as strong when the long road trip comes around and guys are sleeping in hotels for 2.5 - 3 weeks, so it is probably going to get worse, but are least they get teams like the Pacers, Knicks, Wizards, etc in there.

Eric Bledsoe - 0 pt, 0 reb, 1 ast
Reggie Jackson - 0 ast

That's right, our two "floor generals" combined for 1 assist today. This game would have been over at half time if MMSr didn't get hot.

"Floor generals" is exactly right.

[esqtvd]

Basically the record has primarily been determined by Jackson, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard and George this season. With George they are 14-12. Without George they are now 5-9. This team so far is playing the pace of a 29-30 win team without George.

Um, end of story. And Senior missed half those games. The boyz are not doing bad.


OG--you obviously put an hour+ of work into the below. Well written well thought out

I wish we had a separate pinned thread where deep analyses like these are given the respect and audience they deserve. Your piece here is on par with Flom and Hann and frankly the professional 'beat writers' at the LA Times etc. Props, bro.

Like I said last week the problems with this team are deeper than x amount or x type of guys being out.

I can’t get over these guys making millions of dollars and then talk about how they’re disappointed in their effort.

But don’t worry. If Lue says it enough times it’ll come true. Just gotta play better. Hmm. You think?

Effort is one of those constant / default NBA complaints for sure.

They definitely have problems, they were building the team and committed money in previous seasons to players who were to compliment the two stars. When one of the stars is being suggested out for the season, you can't easily pivot in one off-season where you are an over the tax team with the tax payer MLE to then build a roster that should succeed without not just one, but both those stars.

You also definitely don't go making big trade type moves to make the current team succeed that season if those same moves won't also merge seamlessly with the rotations and fit when the star returns. Of course no one has been making big trades so far this season either since the Simmons and Lillard situations have put people on hold, so that isn't even something that is happening.

You take out Kawhi and PG, and then every little player that's out becomes a bigger deal because you don't have stars to just take on the extra load, and then you have to use depth that usually wouldn't even play.

This gets made "worse" (not actually worse because you have to think long term not just now) when you a trying to balance vets and youth in your roster. This means that some of that depth you are forced to play 15, 20+ minutes some nights are young inexperienced, net negative players who technically were not supposed to be playing important rotation minutes.

The players who play most of your minutes are going to determine your record. So far this season, the top 8 players in total minutes (before last game):
1) Jackson / 1129
2) Mann / 1124
3) Bledsoe / 1047
4) Kennard / 1015
5) George / 924
6) Zubac / 876
7) Morris / 548
8) Batum / 511
9) Hartenstein / 477
10) Coffey / 436

Basically the record has primarily been determined by Jackson, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard and George this season. With George they are 14-12. Without George they are now 5-9. This team so far is playing the pace of a 29-30 win team without George.

Take out George, and the 5 players minutes wise who so far primarily determined whether they won or lost has been Jackson, Mann, Bledsoe, Kennard and Zubac.

Nothing against those players, but take out fav team bias and I'm looking at a team led by or with a combination of any of those guys and thinking they will win around 3/10 games. That's around what team like the Pelicans, Blazers, Pacers are at, and I would consider them better than this group.

Then I also think, why should I be surprised? Why should they be better than that with around $80 million in salary on the bench? I'm expecting lottery team results right now, if one can convince me why I should look at this talent and expect more, I'm up for it. Effort, yea, effort is great, I expect it to wane with some players here and there, but as a team you gotta work through it and figure it out, but they will still generally "suck" right now regardless.

In the 8 straight games without George they are 2-6, it's been a stretch of relatively tougher opponents. Denver with Jokic, BKN twice (won one), Raps with Fred, OG and Siakam, Celtics, Wolves, Suns and Grizz. All teams fighting for the playoffs. I would have predicted 2-6 with possible wins vs Celtics and Wolves with no KAT, but those would be 50/50 games still.

The rest of January is Hawks, Denver again, then 10/11 games on the road with 8 straight, so yea, the effort tends to not be as strong when the long road trip comes around and guys are sleeping in hotels for 2.5 - 3 weeks, so it is probably going to get worse, but are least they get teams like the Pacers, Knicks, Wizards, etc in there.

Eric Bledsoe - 0 pt, 0 reb, 1 ast
Reggie Jackson - 0 ast

That's right, our two "floor generals" combined for 1 assist today. This game would have been over at half time if MMSr didn't get hot.

"Floor generals" is exactly right.