(LOCK THREAD) The LeBron James- 23-24 NBA Thread - 40K POINTS+(Part 1)(NO INSULTING)

[donnieme]

It's just so hard to get behind anyone who still spams drop coverage in 2023. The math behind that coverage went obsolete since the 10s. The biggest distinction of the modern era is the explosion of efficient pull up shooting skill, especially off of picks. Literally the current Nba meta.

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

[Homer38]

It's just so hard to get behind anyone who still spams drop coverage in 2023. The math behind that coverage went obsolete since the 10s. The biggest distinction of the modern era is the explosion of efficient pull up shooting skill, especially off of picks. Literally the current Nba meta.

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

Drop coverage can be good against several team but not against the warriors or other great 3 points shooting team

[itsxtray]

It's just so hard to get behind anyone who still spams drop coverage in 2023. The math behind that coverage went obsolete since the 10s. The biggest distinction of the modern era is the explosion of efficient pull up shooting skill, especially off of picks. Literally the current Nba meta.

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

Game 1:
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2023/5/3/23709226/warriors-lakers-game-1-steph-curry-anthony-davis-lebron-james-film-breakdown

This is wrong, especially about game 1. The Lakers defense was widly discussed and it was called "drop & top" AD was in a drop cheating off Looney so he could stay in the paint while the Lakers "Top Locked" Curry & Klay to take away their 3's so they'd have to go in the paint and get stifled by AD. That **** worked perfectly in game 1 with Vando chasing Curry.

Game 2:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.silverscreenandroll.com/platform/amp/2023/5/5/23711981/nba-playoffs-lakers-vs-warriors-final-score-recap-steph-curry-anthony-davis-austin-reaves

The adjustment was to put Curry on ball because Vando can't navigate ball screens and sub Jamychal Green in for Looney so in theory AD couldn't just sag off him. The Lakers for some reason started Hedging Curry's ball screens in game 2 and that destroyed their defense, not the drop.

Game 3:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goldenstateofmind.com/platform/amp/2023/5/6/23714153/warriors-lakers-game-3-steph-curry-draymond-green-anthony-davis-film-breakdown

Game 3 they switched Vando off Curry and put him on Draymond and put Reaves on Curry so they could switch any Curry/Draymond actions while Ad wen't back to the drop cheating off Jamychal Green. AD being able to hang near the paint in Drop is what makes any coverage the Lakers choose to do successful. They had to make some minor tactical adjustments but it all stems from AD being a deterrent in the paint.

Some videos as well:

https://youtu.be/babxc4dsch0?si=w85RWLvXuaQ7WyCc

https://youtu.be/mKHvsg3JdhY?si=1fZNvlMDiCfeky76

[donnieme]

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

Game 1:
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2023/5/3/23709226/warriors-lakers-game-1-steph-curry-anthony-davis-lebron-james-film-breakdown

This is wrong, especially about game 1. The Lakers defense was widly discussed and it was called "drop & top" AD was in a drop cheating off Looney so he could stay in the paint while the Lakers "Top Locked" Curry & Klay to take away their 3's so they'd have to go in the paint and get stifled by AD. That **** worked perfectly in game 1 with Vando chasing Curry.

Game 2:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.silverscreenandroll.com/platform/amp/2023/5/5/23711981/nba-playoffs-lakers-vs-warriors-final-score-recap-steph-curry-anthony-davis-austin-reaves

The adjustment was to put Curry on ball because Vando can't navigate ball screens and sub Jamychal Green in for Looney so in theory AD couldn't just sag off him. The Lakers for some reason started Hedging Curry's ball screens in game 2 and that destroyed their defense, not the drop.

Game 3:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goldenstateofmind.com/platform/amp/2023/5/6/23714153/warriors-lakers-game-3-steph-curry-draymond-green-anthony-davis-film-breakdown

Game 3 they switched Vando off Curry and put him on Draymond and put Reaves on Curry so they could switch any Curry/Draymond actions while Ad wen't back to the drop cheating off Jamychal Green. AD being able to hang near the paint in Drop is what makes any coverage the Lakers choose to do successful. They had to make some minor tactical adjustments but it all stems from AD being a deterrent in the paint.

Some videos as well:

https://youtu.be/babxc4dsch0?si=w85RWLvXuaQ7WyCc

https://youtu.be/mKHvsg3JdhY?si=1fZNvlMDiCfeky76

So don't take this wrong way. I'm genuinely asking if you aren't confusing the terms. Drop coverage isn't the same as what you're presenting, It's supposed to be screen and roll defense especially as it concerns the PnR ballhandler and the retreating big. Take a look at Poole and Klay's shots coming off screens. In the PnR the Lakers drop their bigs to prioritise paint defense. The right highlights would have most of Klay and Poole's shots not Curry coming off screens without the ball. They were the main beneficiaries, not Curry who mostly started the first few games of the series off the ball.

Spoiler:

Here's an example

Watch on YouTube

Lakers in the first 2 games gave up a record number of 3s letting PnR ballhandlers walk into open shots. You don't give up a record number of 3s and say "all according to plan". You win in spite of it because of Lebron and AD being able to overcome opponents shooting that many open shots.

[itsxtray]

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

Game 1:
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2023/5/3/23709226/warriors-lakers-game-1-steph-curry-anthony-davis-lebron-james-film-breakdown

This is wrong, especially about game 1. The Lakers defense was widly discussed and it was called "drop & top" AD was in a drop cheating off Looney so he could stay in the paint while the Lakers "Top Locked" Curry & Klay to take away their 3's so they'd have to go in the paint and get stifled by AD. That **** worked perfectly in game 1 with Vando chasing Curry.

Game 2:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.silverscreenandroll.com/platform/amp/2023/5/5/23711981/nba-playoffs-lakers-vs-warriors-final-score-recap-steph-curry-anthony-davis-austin-reaves

The adjustment was to put Curry on ball because Vando can't navigate ball screens and sub Jamychal Green in for Looney so in theory AD couldn't just sag off him. The Lakers for some reason started Hedging Curry's ball screens in game 2 and that destroyed their defense, not the drop.

Game 3:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goldenstateofmind.com/platform/amp/2023/5/6/23714153/warriors-lakers-game-3-steph-curry-draymond-green-anthony-davis-film-breakdown

Game 3 they switched Vando off Curry and put him on Draymond and put Reaves on Curry so they could switch any Curry/Draymond actions while Ad wen't back to the drop cheating off Jamychal Green. AD being able to hang near the paint in Drop is what makes any coverage the Lakers choose to do successful. They had to make some minor tactical adjustments but it all stems from AD being a deterrent in the paint.

Some videos as well:

https://youtu.be/babxc4dsch0?si=w85RWLvXuaQ7WyCc

https://youtu.be/mKHvsg3JdhY?si=1fZNvlMDiCfeky76

Uh don't take this wrong. I'm genuinely asking if you aren't confusing the terms. Drop coverage isn't the same as what you're presenting, It's supposed to be screen and roll defense especially as it concerns the PnR ballhandler. Take a look at Poole and Klay's shots coming off screens. The Lakers drop their bigs to prioritise paint defense. The right highlights would have most of Klay and Poole's shots not Curry coming off screens without the ball.

Watch on YouTube

Lakers in the first 2 games gave up a record number of 3s letting PnR ballhandlers walk into open shots. You don't give up a record number of 3s and say "all according to plan". You win in spite of it because of Lebron and AD being able to overcome opponents shooting that many open shots.

I get what you're saying. That's why in my initial post i said it was a "high drop." Like the celtics used in the finals. They eventually brought AD up to the level but that's still a "Drop" just a high one. Also, the Lakers were fine with that because even tho the warriors hit a franchise record for 3's the Lakers still won and shut the paint down and that tradeoff is worth it in the long run. Warriors aren't gonna hit 20+ 3's every game.

[Mos_Heat]

Lakers getting Caruso back would make them favourites in my book

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

[zimpy27]

Lakers getting Caruso back would make them favourites in my book

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

I think Caruso as a starter would allow you to start the best offensive player out of DLo, Rui, Wood.

DLo, Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, Rui, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Wood, Davis

[rk2023]

Lakers getting Caruso back would make them favourites in my book

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

Barring injuries (which unfortunately might be wishful thinking atp), I think this team's offense could be fine come RS & PS time - though I guess we shall see.

[Heej]

Lakers look connected on defense. Offense looks outta touch

[homecourtloss]

Lakers look connected on defense. Offense looks outta touch

They are running some different sets tonight – the previous two games in which most of their rotation played, the offense looked really good.

I will say, though, that playing cam reddish ahead of Max Christie (and having cam reddish first off the bench) is egregious. Cam Reddish is not good at a single thing as far as team basketball is concerned—I do not think he has had a single positive stent in preseason, and probably very few in his entire career. I hope this is just because Gabe Vincent is not playing.

Jaxson Hayes has looked much better than Christian Wood.

[IG2]

LeBron looks great

Him and KD dueling like it's 2018

[nzahir]

Lakers getting Caruso back would make them favourites in my book

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

I think Caruso as a starter would allow you to start the best offensive player out of DLo, Rui, Wood.

DLo, Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, Rui, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Wood, Davis

1st lineup is way too small and I do worry a bit with the shooting and offense in general with Caruso, Bron, and AD. We got by in 2020 where there were less stacked teams, a better Bron, and a much better shooting AD. But we didn't have anyone like Dlo or Reaves to be fair on offense

Why are you skeptical how Reaves would be on offense in the playoffs? He was great this last postseason

If Lebron looks more like his regular season self from last year, then I am not worried. I am worried if he looks like he did these playoffs, where he was clearly not 100%

AD is always pretty damn inconsistent now since that achilles injury in 2021, but even in 2020 playoffs he had some wild swings too

A defensive idenitity is fine if we can't get a top end offensive talent, but at the end of the day in crunch time it comes down to your best option or two.

Do we have enough to go up in crunch time in a close game vs Jokic, Murray, and their core? Dame, Giannis, and Middleton? Tatum, Brown, and KP? KD, Booker, and Beal?

We do have physicality on our side though with AD and Bron vs most teams

Luckily we have some good tradeable contracts, some decent young assets, and picks and swaps if we want to push in the chips

[ardee]

I think they should go all in for Caruso. Murray killed them in the WCF and the other elite West teams are GSW and the Suns, who have Steph and Booker.

The biggest need for this team is an elite guard defender and Caruso fills that role.

Caruso-Reaves-Rui-LeBron-Davis is a MONSTER closing lineup.

[ardee]

Lakers getting Caruso back would make them favourites in my book

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

Reaves will hopefully make another leap this season. As for LeBron/AD, if they're healthy I think you'll get enough offense from them come Playoffs.

If they're not, you're not winning the title regardless of what other players you have on the roster, so I think you should team build based on your best case scenario.

[Heej]

Lakers look connected on defense. Offense looks outta touch

They are running some different sets tonight – the previous two games in which most of their rotation played, the offense looked really good.

I will say, though, that playing cam reddish ahead of Max Christie (and having cam reddish first off the bench) is egregious. Cam Reddish is not good at a single thing as far as team basketball is concerned—I do not think he has had a single positive stent in preseason, and probably very few in his entire career. I hope this is just because Gabe Vincent is not playing.

Jaxson Hayes has looked much better than Christian Wood.

It sucks cuz you can see how easily and fluidly he moves on the floor too. He needs to simplify his game I fear. Sucks cuz his body control is so rare for his size

[MyUniBroDavis]

It's just so hard to get behind anyone who still spams drop coverage in 2023. The math behind that coverage went obsolete since the 10s. The biggest distinction of the modern era is the explosion of efficient pull up shooting skill, especially off of picks. Literally the current Nba meta.

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

This is extreme cap

I went through every single three poole made in the first two games (and he only made threes in game 1) and almost all of them were handoffs with looney taking advantage of the fact that AD isn’t gonna be right on looney so it turned into a really deep drop which is different from pick and roll coverage. The one he made on ball in the pick and roll was from like 30+ feet out

Klays were mostly off ball I think he made two vs drop over AD who was right there

We got burned when we tried more aggressive coverages cuz our team aint built like that

It’s fine to have diversity there there’s nothing wrong with that, but drop coverage is the default for most of the league and generally speaking it’s completely as viable as everything else other than certain matchups, but saying it doesn’t work because Curry is like run a show and recover vs ja

Switching is probably the best default one of you can do it but it’s also the one most people can’t do

Curry killed the Celtics version of it though fs, he just wasn’t hitting those 30 footers vs us

[donnieme]

The Celtics & Lakers have used drop to great effect against the team with the greatest drop killer (Steph) granted it's a "High Drop" now but the alternative of trapping and letting Draymond go 4v3 is even worse. The rockets stalled them with a switching scheme but you gotta have the right personnel for that.

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

This is extreme cap

I went through every single three poole made in the first two games (and he only made threes in game 1) and almost all of them were handoffs with looney taking advantage of the fact that AD isn’t gonna be right on looney so it turned into a really deep drop which is different from pick and roll coverage. The one he made on ball in the pick and roll was from like 30+ feet out

Klays were mostly off ball I think he made two vs drop over AD who was right there

We got burned when we tried more aggressive coverages cuz our team aint built like that

It’s fine to have diversity there there’s nothing wrong with that, but drop coverage is the default for most of the league and generally speaking it’s completely as viable as everything else other than certain matchups, but saying it doesn’t work because Curry is like run a show and recover vs ja

Switching is probably the best default one of you can do it but it’s also the one most people can’t do

Curry killed the Celtics version of it though fs, he just wasn’t hitting those 30 footers vs us

Well yes if you want to be specific theirs were screen and go handoffs. They create similar pnr defensive options (do we hedge? double? drop? tag?). You should never go into a game against a team like this predetermined to use this defense on every screen and go, pnr or handoff. Fortunately Lakers adjusted in game 3, a very late adjustment that would kill any team without Lebron and AD. There's no planet where giving any of Klay or Poole those shots was sustainable defense. That would be so silly to reason. Their numbers fell off a clliff once they adjusted. Poole would end up getting phased out of the series once they stopped giving him those free shots and he actually had to read the situation. Before that it was just so easy.

The real cap is saying Lakers needed it to not get buried. No they didn't, in fact they ditched it and won. GS were such a well oiled machine it might have been hard to notice but Lakers actually had very good secondary defensive support from Lebron who was a great paint defender when AD was pulled away. A lot of schemes people think are working are really just this two being amazing.

[MyUniBroDavis]

GS killed the Lakers' drop coverage in those first 2 games. It definitely didn't work against them. Once they mixed it up the likes of Poole never sniffed another good game. Poole would still be a Warrior today if they stayed in drop. The first 2 games, they were on fire, he and Klay were walking into open pull ups.

And the beef isn't drop per se, it's spamming or having it as a default. It's like making a zone defense your default. We all know it works here and there but it would be a bad idea long term. Just generally conceding huge spaces on the outside in the "pace and space" era. I mean it's even right there in the name.

This is extreme cap

I went through every single three poole made in the first two games (and he only made threes in game 1) and almost all of them were handoffs with looney taking advantage of the fact that AD isn’t gonna be right on looney so it turned into a really deep drop which is different from pick and roll coverage. The one he made on ball in the pick and roll was from like 30+ feet out

Klays were mostly off ball I think he made two vs drop over AD who was right there

We got burned when we tried more aggressive coverages cuz our team aint built like that

It’s fine to have diversity there there’s nothing wrong with that, but drop coverage is the default for most of the league and generally speaking it’s completely as viable as everything else other than certain matchups, but saying it doesn’t work because Curry is like run a show and recover vs ja

Switching is probably the best default one of you can do it but it’s also the one most people can’t do

Curry killed the Celtics version of it though fs, he just wasn’t hitting those 30 footers vs us

Well yes if you want to be specific theirs were screen and go handoffs. They create similar pnr defensive options (do we hedge? double? drop? tag?). You should never go into a game against a team like this predetermined to use this defense on every screen and go, pnr or handoff. Fortunately Lakers adjusted in game 3, a very late adjustment that would kill any team without Lebron and AD. There's no planet where giving any of Klay or Poole those shots was sustainable defense. That would be so silly to reason. Their numbers fell off a clliff once they adjusted. Poole would end up getting phased out of the series once they stopped giving him those free shots and he actually had to read the situation. Before that it was just so easy.

The real cap is saying Lakers needed it to not get buried. No they didn't, in fact they ditched it and won. GS were such a well oiled machine it might have been hard to notice but Lakers actually had very good secondary defensive support from Lebron who was a great paint defender when AD was pulled away. A lot of schemes people think are working are really just this two being amazing.

the warriors countering us sagging off of non shooters with them doing quick handoffs to shooters is not equivalent to us planning to do a high drop in the pick and roll lol.

Acting as if poole killed us in game 2, where he scored 6 points doesnt make sense

You wanna know how many of klays made threes in the first two games (14 makes) we’re from our pick and roll coverage? 2 lol

Switching it up is fine but acting as if we completely changed our coverage from a high drop to great success is cap. Our aggressive coverages got torched because we didn’t have the personnel for it because it necessitates the team being on a string and we weren’t that good at that

Ur argument is we should anticipate that when we sag off non shooters one thing they’ll try to do is have those guys get the ball and give quick handoffs to get open threes, that’s fine, but extrapolating that to “and that’s why drop coverage is bad” doesnt make sense

Every coverage has strengths and weaknesses, drop isn’t more exploitable than hard or catch hedges in general it depends on who you’re playing and your personnel and how ur running it.

In handoff situations we were stuck in a deep one because of us sagging off of non shooters and them countering like that, completely different from our pick and roll coverages and those handoffs are quick hitters to catch the D off guard if they’re saggging off non shooters


^ edit: this was originally much meaner but I forgot this was the lebron thread so I edited out half of it myb lol

[MyUniBroDavis]

I get where you're coming from, pairing top 3 POA defender with the best rim protector would be awesome, I'm just skeptical about how good Rives, AD and Lebron will be in the playoffs offensively.

I think Caruso as a starter would allow you to start the best offensive player out of DLo, Rui, Wood.

DLo, Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, Rui, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Wood, Davis

1st lineup is way too small and I do worry a bit with the shooting and offense in general with Caruso, Bron, and AD. We got by in 2020 where there were less stacked teams, a better Bron, and a much better shooting AD. But we didn't have anyone like Dlo or Reaves to be fair on offense

Why are you skeptical how Reaves would be on offense in the playoffs? He was great this last postseason

If Lebron looks more like his regular season self from last year, then I am not worried. I am worried if he looks like he did these playoffs, where he was clearly not 100%

AD is always pretty damn inconsistent now since that achilles injury in 2021, but even in 2020 playoffs he had some wild swings too

A defensive idenitity is fine if we can't get a top end offensive talent, but at the end of the day in crunch time it comes down to your best option or two.

Do we have enough to go up in crunch time in a close game vs Jokic, Murray, and their core? Dame, Giannis, and Middleton? Tatum, Brown, and KP? KD, Booker, and Beal?

We do have physicality on our side though with AD and Bron vs most teams

Luckily we have some good tradeable contracts, some decent young assets, and picks and swaps if we want to push in the chips

ADs just been hurt lol, but he was consistent in 2020 idk what ur talking about he was the best player till the finals (caveat, bron wasn’t trying as hard)

[nzahir]

I think Caruso as a starter would allow you to start the best offensive player out of DLo, Rui, Wood.

DLo, Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, Rui, LeBron, Davis

Caruso, Reaves, LeBron, Wood, Davis

1st lineup is way too small and I do worry a bit with the shooting and offense in general with Caruso, Bron, and AD. We got by in 2020 where there were less stacked teams, a better Bron, and a much better shooting AD. But we didn't have anyone like Dlo or Reaves to be fair on offense

Why are you skeptical how Reaves would be on offense in the playoffs? He was great this last postseason

If Lebron looks more like his regular season self from last year, then I am not worried. I am worried if he looks like he did these playoffs, where he was clearly not 100%

AD is always pretty damn inconsistent now since that achilles injury in 2021, but even in 2020 playoffs he had some wild swings too

A defensive idenitity is fine if we can't get a top end offensive talent, but at the end of the day in crunch time it comes down to your best option or two.

Do we have enough to go up in crunch time in a close game vs Jokic, Murray, and their core? Dame, Giannis, and Middleton? Tatum, Brown, and KP? KD, Booker, and Beal?

We do have physicality on our side though with AD and Bron vs most teams

Luckily we have some good tradeable contracts, some decent young assets, and picks and swaps if we want to push in the chips

ADs just been hurt lol, but he was consistent in 2020 idk what ur talking about he was the best player till the finals (caveat, bron wasn’t trying as hard)

You are right, I did look back at the game log

He had like 1 meh game vs Hou and 1 bad game in the finals where Olynyk outplayed him

Had 2 games where he didnt need to do much where we blew our Portland and Hou, but those are fine

In 2021 we wasn't consistent in the reg season even pre achilles injury though

I wonder if a big 3 on offense of Bron, AD, and Reaves are enough considering how top heavy some teams are. Health and age are obviously a huge factor