The LeBron James - 21-22 Regular Season Thread - New Thread Soon Part 2

[The Master]

So, is this wrong what I shared?

Wrong, I don't know, I didn't fact-check it, irrelevant - yeah.

AD in games without LeBron (12 games): 24.3 - 10.2 - 3.2, 56.6 TS%, -49 (Lakers were -38, so +11 without AD)
LeBron in games without AD (8 games): 34.3 - 8.9 - 6.7, 67.0 TS%, +21 (Lakers were -8, so -29 without LeBron)

The one is 37yo old guy in 19th season, the other one is 29yo superstar in his prime.

[homecourtloss]

Lakers could have stumbled into decent contributors in Collison and Johnson. Johnson is playing like his life depends on it which was sorely lacking on this team. Collison just plays the game smartly and has the highest bball IQ out there other than James, something that’s evident when comparing him to THT, Westbrook among others.

Ariza, Reaves, Collison can provide three players who understand rotations, and can hit the occasional shot. LeBron small ball with Reaves and Ariza could be decent.

Against - 0,9 MOV teams in 12 games with AD, without Lebron,
- 0,3 MOV teams in 7 games with Lebron, without AD.

So, is this wrong what I shared?

Yes.

[McBubbles]

Broke the record of oldest player with a 30 point table-double (his own).

Has the most 30 point games in the league even though he’s only played 23 games.

27.6 ppg. on 61.8 TS%.

And doing this basically playing an old man game.

remember when people thought Carmelo would be a lot better once both were past 30?

Was reading an old thread just yesterday about people debating who was a better scorer between Melo and LeBron. So many fans are so dumb. Even when something is a lay up from a "how difficult is this analysis" perspective they still **** it up on account of nothing but aesthetics lol.

[trickshot]

Russell's good at finding LeBron on the screen n roll. I'll give him that. Nice redemption game from him.

Westbrook has been bad at most things but he’s been good at this. Coming into this game, LeBron was shooting 60.8% on two pointers after passes made by Westbrook.

Also, LeBron’s field goals made unassisted % is current the third lowest of his career, and a lot of that is because of Westbrook.

1. 2020: 71.1% FGs made unassisted (completely unsustainable as LeBron was creating all their offense)
2. 2018: 69.0%
3. 2006: 68.0%
17. 2022: 57.3%

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

[thebigbird]

Russell's good at finding LeBron on the screen n roll. I'll give him that. Nice redemption game from him.

Westbrook has been bad at most things but he’s been good at this. Coming into this game, LeBron was shooting 60.8% on two pointers after passes made by Westbrook.

Also, LeBron’s field goals made unassisted % is current the third lowest of his career, and a lot of that is because of Westbrook.

1. 2020: 71.1% FGs made unassisted (completely unsustainable as LeBron was creating all their offense)
2. 2018: 69.0%
3. 2006: 68.0%
17. 2022: 57.3%

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

[trickshot]

Westbrook has been bad at most things but he’s been good at this. Coming into this game, LeBron was shooting 60.8% on two pointers after passes made by Westbrook.

Also, LeBron’s field goals made unassisted % is current the third lowest of his career, and a lot of that is because of Westbrook.

1. 2020: 71.1% FGs made unassisted (completely unsustainable as LeBron was creating all their offense)
2. 2018: 69.0%
3. 2006: 68.0%
17. 2022: 57.3%

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

Well I guess it's also to Westbrook's credit some of these players put up big production...or maybe it's actually a statistical illusion because his teams are so bad and chronically underperform. Winning games with him always seem to be a lot of work. I don't think a Lebron would need so many 30 point games if he got to sit a 4th quarter here or there, like in his 20 or 21 seasons, was leading the mvp race last season with less stats and minutes. For Westbrook these numbers need to start translating to team success. Regardless of the state of the team 2 max stars shouldn't always have such a low ceiling. If he gets traded then that's fin on his title chances because it won't be to the Nets.

[Montezz81]

Remember when folk said LeBrons game would age horribly...

[homecourtloss]

Remember when folk said LeBrons game would age horribly...

He’s been adding to his game every year and people haven’t noticed it since they’re so entrenched in their little bite sized narratives. His quickness, burst, and overall athleticism is a far cry from 2018 and less than it was in 2020 even, yet he’s become a better shooter, better shooter out of the post, better spot up shooter, and has worked on his footwork.

Look at the increase in step through/Eurostepping he employed in in his second Cleveland stint, especially in 2017 and 2018 when driving the ball or our in transition. His strength obviously helps when you see him do the same thing today but more slowly and with less burst but he keeps his balance and defenders fly off of him and he stays calm while finishing.

Lastly, he’s been highly effective off the ball.

He’s tied for highest points per possession (PPP) in the post for high usage players (was at 1.14 before last night): https://www.nba.com/stats/players/playtype-post-up/?sort=PPP&dir=1&CF=POSS*GE*2:GP*GE*15&SeasonType=Regular%20Season

He’s 98th percentile on PPP on cuts and as the roll man

[nzahir]

I wonder what we can still get for THT tbh

Clearly not going to work with this roster

[D.Brasco]

[homecourtloss]

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

Well I guess it's also to Westbrook's credit some of these players put up big production...or maybe it's actually a statistical illusion because his teams are so bad and chronically underperform. Winning games with him always seem to be a lot of work. I don't think a Lebron would need so many 30 point games if he got to sit a 4th quarter here or there, like in his 20 or 21 seasons, was leading the mvp race last season with less stats and minutes. For Westbrook these numbers need to start translating to team success. Regardless of the state of the team 2 max stars shouldn't always have such a low ceiling. If he gets traded then that's fin on his title chances because it won't be to the Nets.

The bolded has been the case with him for a while because a player who uses up as many possessions as he does, scores poorly and turns the ball over is going to have to muscle his way to winning margins as Westbrook has always been a plus player (even if marginally) before this season.

Westbrook helps James get better shots at the rim (not more)
but doesn’t seem to elevate others.

Lakers’ TS w/Westbrook On court and James Off court—>w/James On court and Westbrook Off court

‘Melo, 54.2%—>66.7%, +12.5%
AD, 53.1%—>56.5%, +3.4%
Monk, 53.7%—>63.8%, 9.9%
Bradley, 48.2%—>58.3%, +10.1%
THT, 51.8%—>44.9%, -6.9%
Ellington, 51.2%—>69.4%, +18.2%
Howard, 74.1%—>81.8%, +7.7%
DAJ, 51.1%—>92.3%, +41.2%
Bazemore, 29.6%—>50%,+20.4%
Reaves, 72.7%—>65.3%, -7.4%
Rondo, 25%—>55%, +30%

LeBron 58.6% TS without Westbrook, 63% TS with Westbrook. With Westbrook off court, James takes 31.7% of his shots at the rim, but is converting on 70% of these shots, while with Westbrook he takes 30.1% of shots at the rim, but is converting on 81.3% of these.

Westbrook 54.9% TS without James, 48.9% TS with James

Here’s what’s wild—with James on court, Westbrook takes 45.9% of his shots at the rim, but converts only 55.1% of the time (looks like many blown transition shots). With James OFF court, Westbrook only takes 34.5% of his shot at the time, but converts on 63.2%.

[trickshot]

Westbrook has been bad at most things but he’s been good at this. Coming into this game, LeBron was shooting 60.8% on two pointers after passes made by Westbrook.

Also, LeBron’s field goals made unassisted % is current the third lowest of his career, and a lot of that is because of Westbrook.

1. 2020: 71.1% FGs made unassisted (completely unsustainable as LeBron was creating all their offense)
2. 2018: 69.0%
3. 2006: 68.0%
17. 2022: 57.3%

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

Yes, for sure, Monk is a not so surprising one. Filtering by minimum of 100 minutes his name comes up in half of all the best 2 man lineups by net rating. As for James his best 2man partners are
Reaves 14.7 nrtg 136mins (who saw that coming right?)
anthony 8.3 404 mins
bradley 7.4 305mins
monk 3.3 257mins

Granted there might be some schedule selectivity, I may be wrong but I thought Ellington's name also used to come up high before he was brought into the starting lineup. He's now -5.2 Nrtg in 264mins with Lebron. Right now, going off numbers in a vacuum, with Lebron, Ellington=overrated, Bradley=overhated, monk=underrated. Unlike the rest Monk seems to never really get spooked and keeps shooting when the team needs it. For those wondering Westbrook is +0.8 with James in 600mins so he's= hated just right. All those stats should translate to more than barely neutral. Questions about what he adds to the established dynamic are well founded.

[thebigbird]

Their chemistry on offense has been surprisingly decent. Feel people need to get off the lazy one-ball thing that ruins every talk. Sure it might even become an issue if they get to the playoffs but in the season so far the Lebron-Westbrook chemistry has been anything but. Not even top 50 reasons the Lakers have struggled. I'd still move Russ for capping the team's ceiling among a bunch of things, namely everything else.

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

Yes, for sure, Monk is a not so surprising one. Filtering by minimum of 100 minutes his name comes up in half of all the best 2 man lineups by net rating. As for James his best 2man partners are
Reaves 14.7 nrtg 136mins (who saw that coming right?)
anthony 8.3 404 mins
bradley 7.4 305mins
monk 3.3 257mins

Granted there might be some schedule selectivity, I may be wrong but I thought Ellington's name also used to come up high before he was brought into the starting lineup. He's now -5.2 Nrtg in 264mins with Lebron. Right now, going off numbers in a vacuum, with Lebron, Ellington=overrated, Bradley=overhated, monk=underrated. Unlike the rest Monk seems to never really get spooked and keeps shooting when the team needs it. For those wondering Westbrook is +0.8 with James in 600mins so he's= hated just right. All those stats should translate to more than barely neutral. Questions about what he adds to the established dynamic are well founded.

I wanted Ellington to start because we desperately needed a shooter out there, but he low key seems washed. Biggest question mark with Monk is his defense but we really need some young legs in the starting lineup. Honestly wouldn’t mind seeing both him and Reaves starting. I don’t particularly care for Bradley but he’s hitting his threes right now and playing pretty good defense, so I don’t mind him as much as I did. Mostly I just want THT out of the starting lineup permanently. He doesn’t fit at all next to Westbrook.

[trickshot]

LeBron can make it work with almost anyone, including Westbrook. I don’t think they’re a championship contender with him on the roster, but they aren’t this bad with him. They just need rotational players around them. Nunn, Monk, Ariza, Collison, Reaves, Melo, Johnson, Dwight (when the opponent has a real center), Bradley, Ellington. They can make it work while AD is out if they have those guys available. They just need to cut DJ and throw THT’s chucker butt out of the rotation. Monk needs a permanent spot in the starting lineup. Dude balls tf out when he plays with Bron.

Yes, for sure, Monk is a not so surprising one. Filtering by minimum of 100 minutes his name comes up in half of all the best 2 man lineups by net rating. As for James his best 2man partners are
Reaves 14.7 nrtg 136mins (who saw that coming right?)
anthony 8.3 404 mins
bradley 7.4 305mins
monk 3.3 257mins

Granted there might be some schedule selectivity, I may be wrong but I thought Ellington's name also used to come up high before he was brought into the starting lineup. He's now -5.2 Nrtg in 264mins with Lebron. Right now, going off numbers in a vacuum, with Lebron, Ellington=overrated, Bradley=overhated, monk=underrated. Unlike the rest Monk seems to never really get spooked and keeps shooting when the team needs it. For those wondering Westbrook is +0.8 with James in 600mins so he's= hated just right. All those stats should translate to more than barely neutral. Questions about what he adds to the established dynamic are well founded.

I wanted Ellington to start because we desperately needed a shooter out there, but he low key seems washed. Biggest question mark with Monk is his defense but we really need some young legs in the starting lineup. Honestly wouldn’t mind seeing both him and Reaves starting. I don’t particularly care for Bradley but he’s hitting his threes right now and playing pretty good defense, so I don’t mind him as much as I did. Mostly I just want THT out of the starting lineup permanently. He doesn’t fit at all next to Westbrook.

Tbf it's not just westbrook but the combined usage of Lebron and Westbrook. Either way he doesn't fit and should go back to being an every other game player. His true value is in being traded though. Gms around the league shouda been willing but coaches are wrecking his value and defeating the point. I actually also don't know Monk's value in the postseason because of how bad that 2 way play can sometimes be but right now he looks instrumental to getting there in the first place.

[MisterHibachi]

Could be a special night. LeBron's got 11, 4/4 from the field, 3/3 from 3 halfway through the first.

[dcstanley]

Lebron's scoring has been so effortless.

[toodles23]

Of course Fizdale glues Lebron to the bench after starting the first 6 minutes of the game scorching hot.

[MisterHibachi]

THT is just not a winning player right now. He still needs to develop a lot. I hope they're actively shopping him for a player that can help now. Makes even less sense now to let Caruso go.

Also, DJ needs to have been cut yesterday for Stanley Johnson.

[Fadeaway_J]

THT is just not a winning player right now. He still needs to develop a lot. I hope they're actively shopping him for a player that can help now. Makes even less sense now to let Caruso go.

Also, DJ needs to have been cut yesterday for Stanley Johnson.

If they cut him he releases the pictures

[toodles23]

THT is just not a winning player right now. He still needs to develop a lot. I hope they're actively shopping him for a player that can help now. Makes even less sense now to let Caruso go.

Also, DJ needs to have been cut yesterday for Stanley Johnson.

I don't even know what people see with this guy. He's got some crafty finishes in his bag (right handed only of course) but aside from that is a terrible shooter, doesn't have much of a passing game to speak of, and is unremarkable as a defender. What are people imagining he could become?