(Lock Please) The LeBron James - 22-23 NBA Playoff Thread - (Part 3)

[TheGOATRises007]

Lakers will win this series. There's no chance a LeBron/AD led team is being beat 3 times in a row.

I actually think the Nuggets are the easier match-up(despite Jokic's brilliance) for the Lakers. Murray blows too hot and cold and Denver's bench is worse. They can't really stick Jokic on AD. They can give a lot of different looks to Jokic with their frontcourt length.

Phoenix is the more dangerous team.

I don't think so: Suns are barely at 2-2 after some very competitive game 4 with Booker at 36-5-9 on 73 TS% - as soon as Booker is back to his normal self, Suns are done with their questionable defense and lack of depth. Clippers without George and Kawhi for majority of the series were at 118 ORTG.

Ideal scenario in my eyes is Suns advancing and Booker finishing his hot streak. Booker is now at 13 BPM, this is unsustainable. Nuggets should turn out as a better team in long run, they just have a better depth, so I'm much more afraid of them at this point.

Booker might not cool down that much. People thought he'd cool down after the Clippers and he ramped it up.

[TheGOATRises007]

Lakers will win this series. There's no chance a LeBron/AD led team is being beat 3 times in a row.

I actually think the Nuggets are the easier match-up(despite Jokic's brilliance) for the Lakers. Murray blows too hot and cold and Denver's bench is worse. They can't really stick Jokic on AD. They can give a lot of different looks to Jokic with their frontcourt length.

Phoenix is the more dangerous team.

Again I disagree. Lakers matchup very well on Suns defensively. I think you'll see some dud shooting games from Booker/Durant and they don't have much else outside those guys. Meanwhile, LeBron will get to the rim a lot.

We'll see I guess.

[Heej]

Putting AD on Wiggins might be the icing on the cake for this defense. Steve Kerr may be on his last legs as far as aces in the hole go. People expect Lakers to sell but there's an opportunity to blow up this team at Oracle.

Hedging is basically asking Steph to beat you by himself and as long as you keep it close he'll wear out and choke in the clutch. This would be so interesting if LeBron finally ends his most painful thorn in his side by beating the Warriors playing the defensive scheme that the Warriors built their entire dynasty off of annihilating.

[zimpy27]

Lakers will win this series. There's no chance a LeBron/AD led team is being beat 3 times in a row.

I actually think the Nuggets are the easier match-up(despite Jokic's brilliance) for the Lakers. Murray blows too hot and cold and Denver's bench is worse. They can't really stick Jokic on AD. They can give a lot of different looks to Jokic with their frontcourt length.

Phoenix is the more dangerous team.

Again I disagree. Lakers matchup very well on Suns defensively. I think you'll see some dud shooting games from Booker/Durant and they don't have much else outside those guys. Meanwhile, LeBron will get to the rim a lot.

We'll see I guess.

Maybe not, I expect Nuggets to win the series still. Home court a mile high. It's scary.

I also don't want lakers to play Nuggets, thats' the team that can beat the Lakers that's left in the playoffs IMO.

I got on Lakers at 50-1 odds with $300. My cash out is at $3500 right now. If Lakers end up playing Nuggets then I'm cashing out after game 2 if Lakers haven't won a game. Cash out will probably be about $1500 but if Lakers win that series I am in box seat for $15k

[J Shuttlesworth]

LeBron vs Curry in the playoffs (sans Durant)

9-8

[zimpy27]

LeBron vs Curry in the playoffs (sans Durant)

9-8

I wonder what LeBron vs Curry playoff record is like when they both have 1-2 all-stars on the team?


7-4?

[J Shuttlesworth]

Putting AD on Wiggins might be the icing on the cake for this defense. Steve Kerr may be on his last legs as far as aces in the hole go. People expect Lakers to sell but there's an opportunity to blow up this team at Oracle.

Hedging is basically asking Steph to beat you by himself and as long as you keep it close he'll wear out and choke in the clutch. This would be so interesting if LeBron finally ends his most painful thorn in his side by beating the Warriors playing the defensive scheme that the Warriors built their entire dynasty off of annihilating.

I remember someone saying that the coach to make the first in-game adjustment to get a b2b win will win the series. That was ham tonight with AD on Wiggins

[The Master]

Booker might not cool down that much. People thought he'd cool down after the Clippers and he ramped it up.

Booker will cool down/get eliminated/keep this level and score peak Jordan-level playoff run.

I just think the last option is the least possible, although yeah, he's impressive.

But Ayton is terrible and washed-up Paul is injured - I'm not saying this is a sure win series, who knows, but I'm completely fine with playing against Suns.

[J Shuttlesworth]

Booker might not cool down that much. People thought he'd cool down after the Clippers and he ramped it up.

Booker will cool down/get eliminated/keep this level and score peak Jordan-level playoff run.

I just think the last option is the least possible, although yeah, he's impressive.

But Ayton is terrible and washed-up Paul is injured - I'm not saying this is a sure win series, who knows, but I'm completely fine with playing against Suns.

I like our depth against the Suns. Also, I think Suns can be a good preference just to not have to fly to Denver and win in their altitude.

Either way, the best hope is us closing in 5 and Denver/Phoenix going to 7

[ronnymac2]

Lonnie Walker is the first Laker to have 15+ points off the bench in the 4th quarter of a playoff game since Kobe Bryant, who did it 26 years ago to the day.

I know, I know, a ton of qualifiers making it extremely arbitrary, but how cool is that?

[dooki667]

Read on Twitter

Took the haymakers and still standing. Tough ass team. The Celtics folded against Steph playing like this last year

He couldn't make a shot and is a shell in general but I thought LeBron's determination was huge in LA's multiple comebacks in this game. He poured his heart out on the floor today. Probably the most determined I've ever seen him, honestly.

Game 6 Boston and game 1 2018 finals for me

[RRR3]

LeBron vs Curry in the playoffs (sans Durant)

9-8

I wonder what LeBron vs Curry playoff record is like when they both have 1-2 all-stars on the team?


7-4?

3-2. LeBron didn't have Kyrie for most of the 2015 finals

[homecourtloss]

Read on Twitter

[nzahir]

What defensive adjusments should we make?

Lakers played well defensively since like the middle of a 3rd quarter actually, Warriors scored 28 points in 18 minutes. Offense was the main problem today and I think Vando should be benched in G5, first and foremost.

I did think about Vando maybe coming off the bench, but not sure if we should make an adjustment like that yet

Who would even play?

Rui isn't fluid or quick enough to play a lot in this series, especially with them going small

Start Dennis?

Dennis, Dlo, Reaves, Lebron, AD
Lonnie, Rui, Vando/Gabriel

[nzahir]

LeBron vs Curry in the playoffs (sans Durant)

9-8

I wonder what LeBron vs Curry playoff record is like when they both have 1-2 all-stars on the team?


7-4?

3-2. LeBron didn't have Kyrie for most of the 2015 finals

How did you get to 3-2?

If you exclude 2015 when no Kyrie or Love and you exclude KD years its 2016 which is 4-3 Lebron and now 3-1 Lebron

Its 7-4 Bron

If you count the play in....which imo counts b/c GS got knocked out that year and we played a role, its 8-4.....

[RRR3]

Read on Twitter

Small sample size and some of those are undoubtedly last second shots which are very often misses.

[RRR3]

I wonder what LeBron vs Curry playoff record is like when they both have 1-2 all-stars on the team?


7-4?

3-2. LeBron didn't have Kyrie for most of the 2015 finals

How did you get to 3-2?

If you exclude 2015 when no Kyrie or Love and you exclude KD years its 2016 which is 4-3 Lebron and now 3-1 Lebron

Its 7-4 Bron

If you count the play in....which imo counts b/c GS got knocked out that year and we played a role, its 8-4.....

Oh **** brain fart. 7-5 because he had Kyrie in game 1 of 2015. 8-5 with playin.

[zimpy27]

3-2. LeBron didn't have Kyrie for most of the 2015 finals

How did you get to 3-2?

If you exclude 2015 when no Kyrie or Love and you exclude KD years its 2016 which is 4-3 Lebron and now 3-1 Lebron

Its 7-4 Bron

If you count the play in....which imo counts b/c GS got knocked out that year and we played a role, its 8-4.....

Oh **** brain fart. 7-5 because he had Kyrie in game 1 of 2015. 8-5 with playin.

Oh yeah I forgot that Kyrie played in a loss in 2015..

[nzahir]

How did you get to 3-2?

If you exclude 2015 when no Kyrie or Love and you exclude KD years its 2016 which is 4-3 Lebron and now 3-1 Lebron

Its 7-4 Bron

If you count the play in....which imo counts b/c GS got knocked out that year and we played a role, its 8-4.....

Oh **** brain fart. 7-5 because he had Kyrie in game 1 of 2015. 8-5 with playin.

Oh yeah I forgot that Kyrie played in a loss in 2015..

Well he played and then got hurt in early OT

Depends how you want to count it I guess

Lets just finish these guys out....can't afford to lose a 3-1 lead to the team he beat

Would sting a good bit to have blown a 3-1 lead

No its not the finals and we don't have homecourt...but casuals don't care too much about context

[Slava]

Everything Pelinka touched has turned into gold so far this season. Looking forward to Bamba putting up 12/10 against Jokic and Beasley hitting a dozen threes in the finals.