Lakers are now in serious danger of missing the play-in

[Goomba3666]

If the league cared about competition, they would've tried to figure out how to get Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, or San Antonio moved to the East Conference when it was 100% dumpster juice (2009-2018).

Like someone said above, if Lakers sneak in and actually get past the first round, this bullish will not stop. League actually switched the All-Star format because Lebron kept losing loooong before they would acknowledge conference competition disparity.

All this is about money and recreate an "Any Given Sunday" feel.

[JonFromVA]

If any team ever wins the title from 9th or 10th seed it’ll be completely illegitimate..

That's dumb. It would be extremely impressive.

Imagine winning AND getting the top pick

Not currently possible given that the lottery is no longer by record, but rather consists of the teams that did not get past the play-in and enter the real playoffs.

The odds are miniscule, but there is a slightly higher chance a near 50-win team might some day win the lottery.

[mplsfonz23]

I like the play-in, and not because my team has a chance to make it. I think of the teams near the bottom of seeding, the most interesting matchups aren't going to be who was better all year, but who is playing the best basketball at the current time. I think it also stops teams who had secured a good record early on but are limping into the post season and completely injured from going in over teams that are getting healthy and dangerous at the right time.

Overall, for bottom seeds, I'd rather the team that is hot go in than the team that is limping.

You mean like a team that is 15 games ahead of LA and could get bounce because of a 1-2 games letdown.
Seems like the playin teams have been limping all year. It's never been rigged before has it? We all know who the owners/fans want to see, so they made it possible.

[R-DAWG]

Lol @ Nunn this year smh. Straight 6 million dollar robbery.

Kendrick Nunn and Luol Deng have each cost the Lakers $5MM this year, and each have not played a single minute.

[R-DAWG]

What? Last yrs team..no one is saying this yrs team

He only said that to have a reason to use his Mercury joke no one has actually said they'd beat the Suns.

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

[RoundMoundOfRebound]

If San Antonio surpasses the Lakers, that means the Pels will get their top 10 pick and have a 25% chance of getting a top 4 pick from the Lakers. Im going to laugh so hard if that pick ends up in the top 4.

Funny thing too is, I think at first popovich was tanking. They were sitting their starters on back to backs with phantom injuries. But we all know how much he hates the Lakers, and he sees that he has a good chance to stixk it to them so now he's gonna go balls-out trying to get in

[SkyBill40]

He only said that to have a reason to use his Mercury joke no one has actually said they'd beat the Suns.

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

[LordCovington33]

That's dumb. It would be extremely impressive.

Imagine winning AND getting the top pick

Not currently possible given that the lottery is no longer by record, but rather consists of the teams that did not get past the play-in and enter the real playoffs.

The odds are miniscule, but there is a slightly higher chance a near 50-win team might some day win the lottery.

I didn’t know that.

[SkyBill40]

Imagine winning AND getting the top pick

Not currently possible given that the lottery is no longer by record, but rather consists of the teams that did not get past the play-in and enter the real playoffs.

The odds are miniscule, but there is a slightly higher chance a near 50-win team might some day win the lottery.

I didn’t know that.

It depends on the protections, if any, a team trading away a first round pick tacks onto it and when it can be or must be conveyed.

[Wallace_Wallace]

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

This Suns team felt like a bunch of old souls that actually have the energy and youth to do what they said they were going to do. Anthony Davis already tried to write a check that his teammates couldn't cash last month (without Chris Paul, scored 119 in 3 quarters). Knowing how petty Chris Paul is and Devin Booker doesn't have exactly the buddy buddy personality, I believe the Suns wants to go to LA to kick them down.

[kwsqd]

He only said that to have a reason to use his Mercury joke no one has actually said they'd beat the Suns.

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

Lakers aren't scary this year, even with James and Davis. I'd prefer that the Suns play them in the first round, Davis or not. It took a Chris Paul injury for the Lakers to even be competitive last year. Suns are deeper and better this year and the Lakers are much, much worse.

[Parataxis]

Basically every team is doing their job to keep helping us. Still time left, but LETS GO

Haha pretty much this. Wizards, Knicks, and Spurs have been winning. If Spurs can just win the games that they should win and the Knicks or Wizards dont completely throw in the towel. A very very good chance that Lakers pick is sitting at 8th going into lotto night.

Would be absolutely brutal for the Pels if the Lakers pick starts at 8th going into the lottery, and then three teams jump them.

[Parataxis]

That's dumb. It would be extremely impressive.

Imagine winning AND getting the top pick

Not currently possible given that the lottery is no longer by record, but rather consists of the teams that did not get past the play-in and enter the real playoffs.

The odds are miniscule, but there is a slightly higher chance a near 50-win team might some day win the lottery.

It's never been strictly by record though, and always been based on playoffs. Even before the play-in, you could theoretically have been the team with the 9th best record in the league and still been in the lottery. (If the 8 teams better than you were all in your conference)

[R-DAWG]

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

It only takes one injury to swing a series. I would much rather face the Zion-less Pelicans than Lebron/Davis.

[Karate Diop]

If the league cared about competition, they would've tried to figure out how to get Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, Houston, or San Antonio moved to the East Conference when it was 100% dumpster juice (2009-2018).

Like someone said above, if Lakers sneak in and actually get past the first round, this bullish will not stop. League actually switched the All-Star format because Lebron kept losing loooong before they would acknowledge conference competition disparity.

All this is about money and recreate an "Any Given Sunday" feel.

Moving teams between conferences is just a bandaid for eliminating conferences all together...

[SkyBill40]

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

It only takes one injury to swing a series. I would much rather face the Zion-less Pelicans than Lebron/Davis.

I'm totally understanding of that point. We've faced adversity through injury for half the year and done well, so I'm not all that worried about it. We have a very well rounded and complete team and that is what makes the difference. Sure, it's hugely tough to replace the output of Booker, Paul, or Ayton... but we've done it. In the playoffs, losing one of those would be truly tough and test the mettle of this team.

[mplsfonz23]

Go check out the two Suns threads. People claim that a healthy Lakers could beat the Suns if they make it out of the play in because AD and Lebron are better than any Suns players.

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

You left out Westbrick.

[SkyBill40]

I think Suns fans would admit that they would prefer to NOT go up against Lebron James and Anthony Davis. It's not that they don't think they can beat them, but you would much rather not have to play greatness if you can avoid them.

And yes, when Lebron James and Anthony Davis walk on the court against any team, they have a chance to win.

As a Suns fan, and strictly in my individual opinion, I would more than welcome the Lakers again even with Davis. We've shown we can beat them and have more tools at our disposal to do so again. Also, beating them with their two key guys on the floor would silence (or perhaps diminish) a lot of the naysayers. To the point of having to "play greatness", I think it's the other way around and the Lakers and their fans should be the ones to avoid us until such a point down the road.

LeBron and Street Clothes are but TWO guys. They cannot do it all. It takes a team and the Lakers don't really have much to talk about in that regard.

You left out Westbrick.

That was on purpose. He's been largely invisible and actually a detriment to that team.

[LAL1947]

Funny thing too is, I think at first popovich was tanking. They were sitting their starters on back to backs with phantom injuries. But we all know how much he hates the Lakers, and he sees that he has a good chance to stixk it to them so now he's gonna go balls-out trying to get in

I am actually very pleased about this. For awhile, I was quite worried that the league's usual dumbass teams might do their usual dumbass things and let the Spurs finish lower than them... giving the Spurs a shot at nabbing Jabari Smith Jr. Thank goodness for Pop trying to stick it to the Lakers though, lol, thus losing a shot at putting the perfect modern PF alongside Murray, Vassell and Keldon. That one addition could've made them pretty formidable going forward IMO, if you consider their individual characteristics working together in a group. Alas for Spurs fans, it's not to be... but AFAIC, YAY!

[magicman1978]

I know Russ has been bad, but similar to last year - he has played better after the all-star break. He has a +13.5 net rating since the break. LeBron has been even since the break.