Who's the Better Team in Los Angeles?

[OkcSinceSGA]

How many minutes for PG on AD? Because AD is going throw a party on him.

AD actually struggled badly last year when Harrell guarded him and Zubac had his coming out party against AD too.

[KrisKringle]

Damn, you're right. IDK why I was thinking 38.

Still, sports science is FAR more advanced nowadays than it was back in the 90s, and LeBron invests a LOT into it. I'm still feeling comfortable (maybe an angstrom less comfortable).

Do we have proof players are having better longevity? I know what LeBron "invests" into his body that can only carry you so long.

Much like there isn't proof that current players are more athletic or "freakish" than they were in, say, the 70s, probably not.

It would be interesting though to see if anyone has any research on this?

There's simply too many variables (reliance on athleticism, injury history, mileage, etc) from player to player to even be able to try and guess when and how a guy's body will break down. You have guys like Karl Malone who maintained elite level play late into their 30s, guys like Tim Duncan who fell off from elite play in the normal timeframe (around age 33/34) but maintained really solid but more muted impact for seasons after that, and you've got guys like Kobe and IMO Westbrook currently who fall off a cliff rapidly whether it's due to injury or loss of athleticism that they heavily relied on.

Even for all-time talents like Lebron though, especially considering his mileage, it's hard to imagine a drop off not coming very, very soon if it hasn't already begun given his age. Question is whether it's slow but very steady like Duncan/KG or off a cliff like Kobe.

[blind prophet]

Clippers, and I don't even think it is close.

The Lakers health is a mega concern, so is depth. The west is tough and I think it takes a toll on them very harshly.

[OkcSinceSGA]

The amount of resources he puts into his body and the fact that Jordan was winning championships until he was 38 (and could have probably kept going), I'm not worried.

I'm a LITTLE torn because I LOVE Kawhi, but Kawhi doesn't come near LeBron when it comes to creating your own shot (I'd actually say PG13 is better than Kawhi at that).

With that being said, I think the Clips will be good, but not as great as people think. Kawhi and PG are way too similar with their styles of play, and PG can be a chucker, at times.

Jordan wasn't winning titles at 38...he was 35 in his last Finals.

Damn, you're right. IDK why I was thinking 38.

Still, sports science is FAR more advanced nowadays than it was back in the 90s, and LeBron invests a LOT into it. I'm still feeling comfortable (maybe an angstrom less comfortable).

People vaguely say stuff like this, but dominant superstars in previous eras somehow regularly played until 40 or close to at a high level. If anything today's guys almost never are good players by 38 years old. Lebron has more miles than any other 35 year old in the history of the NBA. PED's can only carry you so long.

[Bandwagon2019]

The amount of resources he puts into his body and the fact that Jordan was winning championships until he was 38 (and could have probably kept going), I'm not worried.

I'm a LITTLE torn because I LOVE Kawhi, but Kawhi doesn't come near LeBron when it comes to creating your own shot (I'd actually say PG13 is better than Kawhi at that).

With that being said, I think the Clips will be good, but not as great as people think. Kawhi and PG are way too similar with their styles of play, and PG can be a chucker, at times.

Jordan wasn't winning titles at 38...he was 35 in his last Finals.

Damn, you're right. IDK why I was thinking 38.

Still, sports science is FAR more advanced nowadays than it was back in the 90s, and LeBron invests a LOT into it. I'm still feeling comfortable (maybe an angstrom less comfortable).

I'm not advocating one position over another, but it should also be noted that Lebron has many more miles on him at 35 than Jordan did at 35

[Official]

The Clippers Depth is overstated. Just because you put Harrell and Williams on the bench and have more sub-par players in Zubac and Bev starting does not mean you have more depth. Your depth includes the strength of your starting lineup.

You would be a terrible coach. The point of depth is to give your starters rest. You shouldn't be starting all of your best offensive players just because they are the best. The Clippers offense won't miss a beat when they rest Kawhi and PG and have Lou and Trez come in. The Clippers of the past would get killed because they couldn't rely on their bench keeping the min the game. That changes now.

You misunderstood my statement. I am not suggesting the Clippers should start Harrell and Lou. People tend to focus on who is coming off the bench vs who is starting when talking about depth. Bev and Zubac are average starters. Their bench counterparts are better players. It would be like starting McGee (an average starter) and bringing cousins off the bench and bragging about depth - it doesn't matter who starts. It is about rotations. In other words the Lakers talent is equal to or greater than the Clippers.

[Not Suave Rico]

Lakers still lack shooting. Clippers have 4 guys in their starting lineup that can shoot 40%, and a couple of bench guys that can as well.

I'm not sure about starting AD and Cousins together. Pick and roll all day and those guys are going to get lit up. Clippers going to average 140 a game against the Lakers.

[mickie]

Now, he has a proper off-season where he reports that he is 100%, in great shape, and getting stronger.

of course he wll say he's a 100% or else no one will sign him. Boogie's just another ring chaser. #karma

You do understand he's already signed, right?

Nowhere in his contract does it say he HAS to be 100% at the start of the season.

Of course i know he's signed. The whole world knows he's signed. Wouldthe Lakers sign him knowing he's only 25% healthy?

[Not Suave Rico]

The Clippers Depth is overstated. Just because you put Harrell and Williams on the bench and have more sub-par players in Zubac and Bev starting does not mean you have more depth. Your depth includes the strength of your starting lineup.

You would be a terrible coach. The point of depth is to give your starters rest. You shouldn't be starting all of your best offensive players just because they are the best. The Clippers offense won't miss a beat when they rest Kawhi and PG and have Lou and Trez come in. The Clippers of the past would get killed because they couldn't rely on their bench keeping the min the game. That changes now.

You misunderstood my statement. I am not suggesting the Clippers should start Harrell and Lou. People tend to focus on who is coming off the bench vs who is starting when talking about depth. Bev and Zubac are average starters. Their bench counterparts are better players. It would be like starting McGee (an average starter) and bringing cousins off the bench and bragging about depth - it doesn't matter who starts. It is about rotations. In other words the Lakers talent is equal to or greater than the Clippers.

Clippers closing lineup. Lou, Shamet, Kawhi, George, Harrell. With Beverley substituted in for Lou on defense sometimes.

Clippers were already pretty good in clutch situations last season thanks to Lou Williams. Now they are even better.
http://www.nbaminer.com/clutch-time-stats/

[OkcSinceSGA]

You would be a terrible coach. The point of depth is to give your starters rest. You shouldn't be starting all of your best offensive players just because they are the best. The Clippers offense won't miss a beat when they rest Kawhi and PG and have Lou and Trez come in. The Clippers of the past would get killed because they couldn't rely on their bench keeping the min the game. That changes now.

You misunderstood my statement. I am not suggesting the Clippers should start Harrell and Lou. People tend to focus on who is coming off the bench vs who is starting when talking about depth. Bev and Zubac are average starters. Their bench counterparts are better players. It would be like starting McGee (an average starter) and bringing cousins off the bench and bragging about depth - it doesn't matter who starts. It is about rotations. In other words the Lakers talent is equal to or greater than the Clippers.

Clippers closing lineup. Lou, Shamet, Kawhi, George, Harrell. With Beverley substituted in for Lou on defense sometimes.

Clippers were already pretty good in clutch situations last season thanks to Lou Williams. Now they are even better.
http://www.nbaminer.com/clutch-time-stats/

Beyond pretty good. Lou was #1 clutch scorer last year, Clippers #1 crunchtime team.

[WestGOAT]

Don't think Paul George will play much at the 4, will be mainly J.Green, Harkless and Harrell probably. PG13 at the 2 with Shamet coming from the bench.

[Wo1verine]

Leonard is the best player in the game as far as i am concerned - So for me the Clippers.

[LakerLegend]

Jordan wasn't winning titles at 38...he was 35 in his last Finals.

Damn, you're right. IDK why I was thinking 38.

Still, sports science is FAR more advanced nowadays than it was back in the 90s, and LeBron invests a LOT into it. I'm still feeling comfortable (maybe an angstrom less comfortable).

I'm not advocating one position over another, but it should also be noted that Lebron has many more miles on him at 35 than Jordan did at 35

Not to mention less skill to cushion aging.

[Not Suave Rico]

Don't think Paul George will play much at the 4, will be mainly J.Green, Harkless and Harrell probably. PG13 at the 2 with Shamet coming from the bench.

He played 56% of the Thunder's minutes at PF last season according to 82games.com

He was more PF than SF.

[Not Suave Rico]

You misunderstood my statement. I am not suggesting the Clippers should start Harrell and Lou. People tend to focus on who is coming off the bench vs who is starting when talking about depth. Bev and Zubac are average starters. Their bench counterparts are better players. It would be like starting McGee (an average starter) and bringing cousins off the bench and bragging about depth - it doesn't matter who starts. It is about rotations. In other words the Lakers talent is equal to or greater than the Clippers.

Clippers closing lineup. Lou, Shamet, Kawhi, George, Harrell. With Beverley substituted in for Lou on defense sometimes.

Clippers were already pretty good in clutch situations last season thanks to Lou Williams. Now they are even better.
http://www.nbaminer.com/clutch-time-stats/

Beyond pretty good. Lou was #1 clutch scorer last year, Clippers #1 crunchtime team.

Clippers as a team were #1 in 4th quarter scoring and #4 in +/-.

[WestGOAT]

Don't think Paul George will play much at the 4, will be mainly J.Green, Harkless and Harrell probably. PG13 at the 2 with Shamet coming from the bench.

He played 56% of the Thunder's minutes at PF last season according to 82games.com

He was more PF than SF.

Well from what I remember from the OKC games they mainly rolled out with Westbrook-Ferguson-George-Grant-Adams. With Grant guarding the bigger foward, so him basically playing the 4. That's what basketball-reference.com is also suggesting.

That said, the foward positions have become more fluid the past seasons, and maybe PG13 isn't as adverse to playing the 4 as he used to be in Indiana (he was quite vocal about that), so yea maybe he will see some minutes there as well. In the end it will be match-up depedent. If Cousins really makes a proper come-back, then I don't see George playing the 4 against the Lakers for example. But if the Lakers go "small" with Kuzma and AD then it should be okay.

[Forte IV]

Don't think Paul George will play much at the 4, will be mainly J.Green, Harkless and Harrell probably. PG13 at the 2 with Shamet coming from the bench.

He played 56% of the Thunder's minutes at PF last season according to 82games.com

He was more PF than SF.

Idk if those stats should actually be considered. Grant was always their PF, yet in all those lineups with Grant, 82games lists PG at the 4 and Grant at the 3. When it was actually the opposite.

[spikeslovechild]

Clippers. Lakers may not even make the playoffs the season is riding on the health of AD and Lebron.

[jpengland]

Clippers by some distance.

That depth is astounding on a team with two top 10 players.

They are still a rim protector away from being what they need to be, though.

Harrell is a great energy guy but his defense is hugely overrated and that's potentially an issue.

Kawhi, George, Harkless and Beverly with a rim protector would literally hold teams scoreless for several minutes at a time in the playoffs

[Doug_12]

Los Angeles Clippers Depth Chart:

G - Patrick Beverley | Lou Williams
G - Landry Shamet | Rodney McGruder | Jerome Robinson
F - Kawhi Leonard | Moe Harkless | Terance Mann
F - Paul George | JayMychal Green
C - Ivaca Zubac | Montrezl Harrell | Mfiondu Kabengele

Los Angeles Lakers Depth Chart:

G - Rajon Rondo | Quinn Cook | Alex Caruso
G - Danny Green | Avery Bradley | Troy Daniels
F - LeBron James | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
F - Anthony Davis | Kyle Kuzma | Jared Dudley
C - DeMarcus Cousins | Javale McGee

I think currently it is more like this:

Los Angeles Lakers Depth Chart:

G - Avery Bradley | Rajon Rondo | Quinn Cook | Alex Caruso
G - Danny Green | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Troy Daniels
F - LeBron James | Jared Dudley
F - Anthony Davis | Kyle Kuzma
C - DeMarcus Cousins | Javale McGee

Two things seems obvious for me:
-We will sign another small forward. And then move Dudley up to a 3rd string PF
-Rondo, Cook and Caruso will fight for the backup PG spot.