The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 7)

[Baski]

Just watched the highlights and these are my thoughts:

1. Does this Lakers team really need to retool at all? More shooting is always good but looking at how unstoppable they are when locked in, is there really any shooter you'd risk hurting this team's chemistry for?
Provided noone declines rapidly due to being a year older, I can't see any team that beats these guys led by Lebron and AD 4 times. It's got nothing to do with the Heat being outmatched. The Heat players did the best they could and tried to make great plays, but the Lakers just looked on another level, and I think that would've happened regardless of who the opponent was.

2. Giannis is basically done winning MVPs. Is there anyone who stands in AD's way of winning it next year? I guess Luka but the Lakers will probably have the advantage in wins

3. Somewhat related to 2., AD's love of the midrange/fadeaway jumper still bothers me a lot. Feels like the imminent regression to the mean will lead to a far less impressive RS than I expect.
Not an exact comparison but I saw the same thing during Westbrook's 2017 season. The quality of his shots was as mindnumblingly terrible as ever, but they went in at a decent rate, which galvanized his resolve to just keep doing the same thing over the next 3 years. We saw how that turned out.
If AD maintains this efficiency from there though, yikes.

4. Are we watching peak Jae Crowder? Literally everything he does on the court is smart and his 3ball is water. Can anyone weigh in on his Celtics days?

5. This is gonna be a sweep

[Arman_tanzarian]

Man never seen a LeBron team this dominant. Even the heat from 2013 didn't gel like this.

LeBron remains a basketball savant and completely controls every game these playoffs. AD might just be the best talent in the league right now. What he's doing to DeMarre Carroll right now is straight disrespectful.

[Baski]

Man never seen a LeBron team this dominant. Even the heat from 2013 didn't gel like this.

LeBron remains a basketball savant and completely controls every game these playoffs. AD might just be the best talent in the league right now. What he's doing to DeMarre Carroll right now is straight disrespectful.

I have the same problem. For a while all these stocky guys with braided ponytails all looked the same to me. Faried, Crowder, Carroll, Prince and Harrell could swap jerseys and I wouldn't notice.

[Slava]

Its kind of interesting noticing some skill developments late in career but while Rondo's shooting is getting a lot of notice, Dwight's passing on the move has been sensational as well. In previous years, if you give him the ball near the free throw line it was either an offensive foul or turnover but now its one of the zone busting plays for the Lakers. He's going to get paid by someone like Dallas, Houston or even the Clippers.

[dcstanley]

I made the mistake of browsing the GB and man the delusional Lebron hate is palpable. Someone compared him to Trump

[The Master]

Giannis is basically done winning MVPs. Is there anyone who stands in AD's way of winning it next year? I guess Luka but the Lakers will probably have the advantage in wins [...] AD's love of the midrange/fadeaway jumper still bothers me a lot. Feels like the imminent regression to the mean will lead to a far less impressive RS than I expect.

AD in post-season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 28,8% - 81,6%
3-10ft - 19,5% - 54,2%
10-16ft - 18,2% - 41,8%
16ft-3p - 18,2% - 56,4%
3points - 15,2% - 39,1%

AD in regular season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 34,3% - 75,8%
3-10ft - 17,2% - 41,3%
10-16ft - 15,5% - 41,2%
16ft-3p - 13,0% - 32,2%
3points - 19,9% - 33,0%

AD in his career (without first two years):

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 33,5% - 73,5%
3-10ft - 20% - 43,3%
10-16ft - 16,3% - 43,4%
16ft-3p - 19,7% - 39,0%
3points - 10,5% - 32,2%

AD's shooting is unsustainable - yes, he may be the best player in postseason this year (it's 1A-1B with LeBron), but he's 27yo, so this may be his ~peak year - I think he'll be back to his ~75%FG around a rim (still elite-elite) and streaky jumper. It's an absurd that he was ~37% from midrange in regular season, 41% in his career (without first two years) and then he's 49% midrange shooter in playoffs.

Maybe he'll improve his shooting, but I don't think small sample in playoffs is any premise that he has improved his jumper already. I bet he'll be back to ~top5 production with 26-27 PPG on ~60%TS and elite defense in regular season, especially when Rondo comes back to regular season Rondo (and LeBron naturally so).

So, besides a fact he has clearly stepped up a level of his game: 1) he's hot with his jumper; 2) he's benefited with his percentages around a rim from overall level of Lakers offense with playoff Bron and playoff Rondo and missmatches he faces, but I don't expect Lakers offense to be as good in regular season games, and exploting particular missmatches is a specific thing for playoff basketball.

[Baski]

Giannis is basically done winning MVPs. Is there anyone who stands in AD's way of winning it next year? I guess Luka but the Lakers will probably have the advantage in wins [...] AD's love of the midrange/fadeaway jumper still bothers me a lot. Feels like the imminent regression to the mean will lead to a far less impressive RS than I expect.

AD in post-season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 28,8% - 81,6%
3-10ft - 19,5% - 54,2%
10-16ft - 18,2% - 41,8%
16ft-3p - 18,2% - 56,4%
3points - 15,2% - 39,1%

AD in regular season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 34,3% - 75,8%
3-10ft - 17,2% - 41,3%
10-16ft - 15,5% - 41,2%
16ft-3p - 13,0% - 32,2%
3points - 19,9% - 33,0%

AD in his career (without first two years):

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 33,5% - 73,5%
3-10ft - 20% - 43,3%
10-16ft - 16,3% - 43,4%
16ft-3p - 19,7% - 39,0%
3points - 10,5% - 32,2%

AD's shooting is unsustainable - yes, he may be the best player in postseason this year (it's 1A-1B with LeBron), but he's 27yo, so this may be his ~peak year - I think he'll be back to his ~75%FG around a rim (still elite-elite) and streaky jumper. It's an absurd that he was ~37% from midrange in regular season, 41% in his career (without first two years) and then he's 49% midrange shooter in playoffs.

Maybe he'll improve his shooting, but I don't think small sample in playoffs is any premise that he has improved his jumper already. I bet he'll be back to ~top5 production with 26-27 PPG on ~60%TS and elite defense in regular season, especially when Rondo comes back to regular season Rondo (and LeBron naturally so).

So, besides a fact he has clearly stepped up a level of his game: 1) he's hot with his jumper; 2) he's benefited with his percentages around a rim from overall level of Lakers offense with playoff Bron and playoff Rondo and missmatches he faces, but I don't expect Lakers offense to be as good in regular season games, and exploting particular missmatches is a specific thing for playoff basketball.

Yeah that's where I am too. Highly doubt he shoots that well next RS, but it's very likely he still takes a lot of em buoyed by the confidence from this PS run. There'll be a lot of those games that prompt the "AD is soft" threads on the GB.
On the flipside though he'll get a whole lot of benefit of the doubt due to how this run has gone. For me and probably the majority of us he's officially entered the tier where bad regular season games are meaningless because we know what to expect on the biggest stages. If the MVP is on the Lakers next year it's most likely gonna be AD.

Also, there's almost assuredly gonna be an "The Anthony Davis 2021 thread" next season, possibly with 100 pages, with the real AD posting in it once in a while. Whoohoo!

[MyUniBroDavis]

Giannis is basically done winning MVPs. Is there anyone who stands in AD's way of winning it next year? I guess Luka but the Lakers will probably have the advantage in wins [...] AD's love of the midrange/fadeaway jumper still bothers me a lot. Feels like the imminent regression to the mean will lead to a far less impressive RS than I expect.

AD in post-season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 28,8% - 81,6%
3-10ft - 19,5% - 54,2%
10-16ft - 18,2% - 41,8%
16ft-3p - 18,2% - 56,4%
3points - 15,2% - 39,1%

AD in regular season 19/20:

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 34,3% - 75,8%
3-10ft - 17,2% - 41,3%
10-16ft - 15,5% - 41,2%
16ft-3p - 13,0% - 32,2%
3points - 19,9% - 33,0%

AD in his career (without first two years):

Area - % of FGA - FG%
0-3ft - 33,5% - 73,5%
3-10ft - 20% - 43,3%
10-16ft - 16,3% - 43,4%
16ft-3p - 19,7% - 39,0%
3points - 10,5% - 32,2%

AD's shooting is unsustainable - yes, he may be the best player in postseason this year (it's 1A-1B with LeBron), but he's 27yo, so this may be his ~peak year - I think he'll be back to his ~75%FG around a rim (still elite-elite) and streaky jumper. It's an absurd that he was ~37% from midrange in regular season, 41% in his career (without first two years) and then he's 49% midrange shooter in playoffs.

Maybe he'll improve his shooting, but I don't think small sample in playoffs is any premise that he has improved his jumper already. I bet he'll be back to ~top5 production with 26-27 PPG on ~60%TS and elite defense in regular season, especially when Rondo comes back to regular season Rondo (and LeBron naturally so).

So, besides a fact he has clearly stepped up a level of his game: 1) he's hot with his jumper; 2) he's benefited with his percentages around a rim from overall level of Lakers offense with playoff Bron and playoff Rondo and missmatches he faces, but I don't expect Lakers offense to be as good in regular season games, and exploting particular missmatches is a specific thing for playoff basketball.

Davis, at least up to the finals, was having the least off ball baskets at the rim in his career, less than any other big in the nba actually iirc, and approaching mid 2000s levels. While it intuitively makes sense that rondo and bron are making it easier for ad they havent really. Rondo might get him on one or two good passes a game but he isnt consistently good enough scorer in the pick and roll for him to be a good partner there compared to the good ones in the nba, sven playoff rondo (altho still better than regular rondo). Bron and ad dont run it at all, and ad mostly benefits frim those transition passes.

Agree on the jumper, although tbf his three has def improved overall and his midrange game isnt that much better than pre shoulder injury davis but still thats prolly hot hand. Hes also taking different types of middies than before, although i wouldnt say rhey are easier at all.

Ad still has a fee things to work on before he peaks, although i think its important to note his playstyle has changed both from last year to this year and this year to this years playoffs

[Dupp]

Its kind of interesting noticing some skill developments late in career but while Rondo's shooting is getting a lot of notice, Dwight's passing on the move has been sensational as well. In previous years, if you give him the ball near the free throw line it was either an offensive foul or turnover but now its one of the zone busting plays for the Lakers. He's going to get paid by someone like Dallas, Houston or even the Clippers.

Yeah dwights passing the first two games has been sensational. From a technical and unselfish aspect.

[Baski]

I made the mistake of browsing the GB and man the delusional Lebron hate is palpable. Someone compared him to Trump

There are some hilarious gems though. For example:

His passively in last 1.5 or so quarters makes one think is klutch behind that decision. No way anyone else than LeBron is allowed to play well in finals. He rather take a loss than give up FMVP to another player.

If Lebron were ever revealed to be the head of Al Qaeda or some evil mastermind trying to take over the world, there are posters in the GB who would 100% not be surprised.

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

[Joey Wheeler]

Just watched the highlights and these are my thoughts:

1. Does this Lakers team really need to retool at all? More shooting is always good but looking at how unstoppable they are when locked in, is there really any shooter you'd risk hurting this team's chemistry for?
Provided noone declines rapidly due to being a year older, I can't see any team that beats these guys led by Lebron and AD 4 times. It's got nothing to do with the Heat being outmatched. The Heat players did the best they could and tried to make great plays, but the Lakers just looked on another level, and I think that would've happened regardless of who the opponent was.

I don't think so, no major retooling needed, just some surgical additions. I think being an above average 3-point shooting team would make the Lakers undisputably the best team of all-time, they should focus on that in the off-season, get a couple good shooters who can play some defense. That's their only weakness. With Lebron and AD they'll maul everyone in the interior on both ends.

[KTM_2813]

Game 3 will essentially decide the series. If Bam comes back and the Heat win, then the Lakers will still be in control, but there will be tension. If the Lakers win, then Game 4 is likely a blowout en route to the championship. Can't wait for tomorrow.

[thebigbird]

Read on Twitter

On one hand, I wish they didn’t take so many threes because they have such a size advantage inside. On the other hand, so many of those threes were wide open because they were carving up the zone. Whatever works!

[Joey Wheeler]

Playoff numbers:

Lebron - 27/10/9, 1 steal, 1 block, in 35 minutes. 64% TS
Davis - 29/10/4, 1 steal, 1 block, in 36 minutes. 67% TS

This is absolutely insane. Predictable, but still insane. Those numbers don't even account for Lebron being the best floor general/offensive orchestrator in the world and Davis the best defensive anchor.

[JulesWinnfield]

Playoff numbers:

Lebron - 27/10/9, 1 steal, 1 block, in 35 minutes. 64% TS
Davis - 29/10/4, 1 steal, 1 block, in 36 minutes. 67% TS

This is absolutely insane. Predictable, but still insane. Those numbers don't even account for Lebron being the best floor general/offensive orchestrator in the world and Davis the best defensive anchor.

Too lazy to go through the whole process of embedding the tweet, but I also saw they now have 7 games this postseason where both score 25+ on 50% shooting. The previous high for teammates was Jordan and Pippen with 5 in 1992

[Baski]

Just watched the highlights and these are my thoughts:

1. Does this Lakers team really need to retool at all? More shooting is always good but looking at how unstoppable they are when locked in, is there really any shooter you'd risk hurting this team's chemistry for?
Provided noone declines rapidly due to being a year older, I can't see any team that beats these guys led by Lebron and AD 4 times. It's got nothing to do with the Heat being outmatched. The Heat players did the best they could and tried to make great plays, but the Lakers just looked on another level, and I think that would've happened regardless of who the opponent was.

I don't think so, no major retooling needed, just some surgical additions. I think being an above average 3-point shooting team would make the Lakers undisputably the best team of all-time, they should focus on that in the off-season, get a couple good shooters who can play some defense. That's their only weakness. With Lebron and AD they'll maul everyone in the interior on both ends.

Seems like they'd have to get rid of some major rotation guys doesn't it? Like KCP, Rondo, Caruso, Bradley, maybe Kuz etc. Get rid of McGee great. How would the others work out though

[tone wone]

Just watched the highlights and these are my thoughts:

1. Does this Lakers team really need to retool at all? More shooting is always good but looking at how unstoppable they are when locked in, is there really any shooter you'd risk hurting this team's chemistry for?
Provided noone declines rapidly due to being a year older, I can't see any team that beats these guys led by Lebron and AD 4 times. It's got nothing to do with the Heat being outmatched. The Heat players did the best they could and tried to make great plays, but the Lakers just looked on another level, and I think that would've happened regardless of who the opponent was.

You really want a 36-year-old Lebron as a full-time PG with no viable 3rd scorer? Why? I can't believe people actually think this is good long term strategy. This team can get so much better offensively just by simply adding an actual PG.

I swear, I'm the only person who doesn't like Point-Bron. Limited offensive team who gets by because of dominant defense only works to this level cause AD and Lebron are explosive high volume-high, high-effienct scorers. But Lebron had trouble maintaing that level of shooting effeicency in the regular season for a reason. He should problems finishing in traffic at times. Had some real issues scoring against teams with multiple long-athletic wings. Like, the only rim protection LAL has seen this postseason was against an 8-seed that was terrible defensively everywhere else.

As a fan I think its crazy to want Lebron to continue in this role. The easiest way to preserve Lebron as he ages is the ease his burden as either a scorer or playmaker. This current roster does neither. Go get Schoeder from OKC and Lebron will sleepwalk to 24ppg 60ts% next year.

[Heej]

Game 3 will essentially decide the series. If Bam comes back and the Heat win, then the Lakers will still be in control, but there will be tension. If the Lakers win, then Game 4 is likely a blowout en route to the championship. Can't wait for tomorrow.

This is why I predict Game 3 LeBron to show up. He knows that Game 3 is usually the emotional breakpoint in the series. I'd wager 85% of your cards have already been played by Game 3. You might have minor tweaks on alignments and how you defend actions, or maybe a scheme or 2 or pet play you haven't run, or might decide to hammer a specific action more often, but the meat and potatoes of the chess match has been played by Game 3.

After that it shifts more to which team feels emotionally and mentally in control in terms of raw execution. LeBron knows this and it's why I kinda jumped the gun calling Game 2 the kill shot. This game right here is the one where the Heat make their last stand with their greatest confidence because they've had enough to hang their hat on in Game 2 and should feel like they got their most important player back. If LeBron crushes their confidence Sunday night they're gonna be dazed and ready for the knockout punch in Game 4. This is where he knows he can effectively end the series.