The Lebron Thread | 2021 (Pt. 3)

[Statlanta]

On a scale from 2020 Clippers to 2017 Warriors, where’s everybody on their fear of Brooklyn?

2019 Raptors

Can steal a chip if there’s injury or complacency. Don’t have the chemistry or defensive talent to beat this team healthy.

[MisterHibachi]

Read on Twitter

[MisterHibachi]

On a scale from 2020 Clippers to 2017 Warriors, where’s everybody on their fear of Brooklyn?

2019 Raptors

Can steal a chip if there’s injury or complacency. Don’t have the chemistry or defensive talent to beat this team healthy.

I would rank them a bit higher than "can win if there's injury". I think they're a legit contender, and would prove difficult to beat even if the Lakers are at full strength. They're kind of what a hypothetical Cavs/Warriors sans Durant series would've been like in 2017.

[letskissbro]

Read on Twitter

Why are the Lakers so thirsty for Drummond? Or any center for that matter? Dude is shooting like 42% on layups this year. He's awful. He's a huge negative on offense which is where they're lacking and they're already #1 on defense.

How is it not clear enough already that this team needs shooting and just shooting? Like jfc Pelinka you have 2 of the most dominant interior scorers ever and you've surrounded them with a bottom 5 shooting cast the last couple years. If they even had an average shooting cast LA would be a historically dominant team. They were already borderline there last year with KCP and his 1.3 makes a game as their best shooter

[Greyhound]

I wouldn't have thought 36 year old LeBron would be a better defensive player than 2021 Kawhi and PG but here we are lol

Not sure if he is a better man defender still, likely more versatile though, but obviously a much better help defender and really makes a lot of plays each game when helping

Anyone wish we could have gotten Tucker?

Kieff coming alive a bit, but still poor IQ and not as good of a defender (if PJ can get back to what he was a year or 2 ago and play with effort)

One sharpshooter is still my #1 want to replace Wes

I would rather they hold onto Wes instead of flipping him for “shooter guy”.

His toughness, strength and iso defense will be valuable in the playoffs.
He has been a poor shooter so far, but he is due. He is a better shooter then he has shown. I can see him having a random hot shooting game and winning a playoff game.

Honestly, I like this team.

I am hoping they focus on securing their final big on the buyout market and just letting this team grow from within.

Priorities:

1.) Get AD as close to 100% as possible.
2.) Get that final big off the buyouts, or stick with the new kid.
3.) Focus on unity and internal growth.
4.) Find shooter guy off the scrap heap/ buyouts/ GLeague.

[dreamshake]

Haven't watched too much of the Pelicans this year. Does JJ Redick still have some gas in the tank? Could see him being a buyout candidate.

[picko]

Haven't watched too much of the Pelicans this year. Does JJ Redick still have some gas in the tank? Could see him being a buyout candidate.

The problem with Redick, even though he fills a need, is that he may not be playable against the best teams in the playoffs. The Nets, for example, would hunt him off the court.

As a cheap buy-out guy it is worth a punt but it shouldn't be a priority signing.

[MisterHibachi]

Might be a special night. He looks really spry and aggressive looking to score too. And Hayward's teams tend to play LeBron's pretty close, I feel. He has 12 points already.

[IG2]

Might be a special night. He looks really spry and aggressive looking to score too. And Hayward's teams tend to play LeBron's pretty close, I feel. He has 12 points already.

All gotta do with LaMelo. He's always highly motivated against the next-big-thing (Giannis, Doncic, Zion, LaMelo).

[nzahir]

I wouldn't have thought 36 year old LeBron would be a better defensive player than 2021 Kawhi and PG but here we are lol

Not sure if he is a better man defender still, likely more versatile though, but obviously a much better help defender and really makes a lot of plays each game when helping

Anyone wish we could have gotten Tucker?

Kieff coming alive a bit, but still poor IQ and not as good of a defender (if PJ can get back to what he was a year or 2 ago and play with effort)

One sharpshooter is still my #1 want to replace Wes

I would rather they hold onto Wes instead of flipping him for “shooter guy”.

His toughness, strength and iso defense will be valuable in the playoffs.
He has been a poor shooter so far, but he is due. He is a better shooter then he has shown. I can see him having a random hot shooting game and winning a playoff game.

Honestly, I like this team.

I am hoping they focus on securing their final big on the buyout market and just letting this team grow from within.

Priorities:

1.) Get AD as close to 100% as possible.
2.) Get that final big off the buyouts, or stick with the new kid.
3.) Focus on unity and internal growth.
4.) Find shooter guy off the scrap heap/ buyouts/ GLeague.

Wes has been awful in RAPTOR and RPM

He is like a d offensive player and his defense has been avg to above avg, but nothing great

Decent in iso on those guards or wings, but he is a bit small for those architypes (Tatum, Kawhi, PG, KD, Butler, etc)

Also gotten slower and not a good chaser

Much rather have a shooter

Garrison Matthews, Grayson Allen, etc

I bet we can move Wes and a couple 2nds for someone decent

[Homer38]

Might be a special night. He looks really spry and aggressive looking to score too. And Hayward's teams tend to play LeBron's pretty close, I feel. He has 12 points already.

All gotta do with LaMelo. He's always highly motivated against the next-big-thing (Giannis, Doncic, Zion, LaMelo).

And he always play great against Charlotte because this is the team of Michael Jordan....Kemba Walker was like 0-28 vs LBJ with Charlotte I think

[picko]

Might be a special night. He looks really spry and aggressive looking to score too. And Hayward's teams tend to play LeBron's pretty close, I feel. He has 12 points already.

All gotta do with LaMelo. He's always highly motivated against the next-big-thing (Giannis, Doncic, Zion, LaMelo).

And he always play great against Charlotte because this is the team of Michael Jordan....Kemba Walker was like 0-28 vs LBJ with Charlotte I think

That stat seemed too ridiculous to be true

It's now 29-1 with Kemba breaking through with Boston last year.

[MisterHibachi]

Kuz is playing really great the past few weeks. That contract looks like a steal.

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

[Greyhound]

Not sure if he is a better man defender still, likely more versatile though, but obviously a much better help defender and really makes a lot of plays each game when helping

Anyone wish we could have gotten Tucker?

Kieff coming alive a bit, but still poor IQ and not as good of a defender (if PJ can get back to what he was a year or 2 ago and play with effort)

One sharpshooter is still my #1 want to replace Wes

I would rather they hold onto Wes instead of flipping him for “shooter guy”.

His toughness, strength and iso defense will be valuable in the playoffs.
He has been a poor shooter so far, but he is due. He is a better shooter then he has shown. I can see him having a random hot shooting game and winning a playoff game.

Honestly, I like this team.

I am hoping they focus on securing their final big on the buyout market and just letting this team grow from within.

Priorities:

1.) Get AD as close to 100% as possible.
2.) Get that final big off the buyouts, or stick with the new kid.
3.) Focus on unity and internal growth.
4.) Find shooter guy off the scrap heap/ buyouts/ GLeague.

Wes has been awful in RAPTOR and RPM

He is like a d offensive player and his defense has been avg to above avg, but nothing great

Decent in iso on those guards or wings, but he is a bit small for those architypes (Tatum, Kawhi, PG, KD, Butler, etc)

Also gotten slower and not a good chaser

Much rather have a shooter

Garrison Matthews, Grayson Allen, etc

I bet we can move Wes and a couple 2nds for someone decent

I submit this game as my Wes analysis in a nutshell.

Cannot make a shot, but does a lot of good (positive) things on defense.

I prefer Wes to shooter guy. We will not see eye to eye on that.

———-

This is going to be a grind team, reliant on superstar performances from its two stars (propped by their suffocating team defense).

Wes is already there defensively, hopefully the team will show patience with him and he will make a few shots in the playoffs.

I like this team.

[MisterHibachi]

22 points on 9 shots at half time.

[Homer38]

22 points on only 9 shots attempts in the first half for LBJ

[J Shuttlesworth]

22 points on 8/9 shooting, 3/4 from 3pt. Only thing negative is the 3 turnovers to 1 assist, but the team is looking good tonight. Good to see the role players stepping up since the ASB. This seems more in line of what we expected in the off-season, but they're even doing it without AD

[toodles23]

Great quickness on that drive and finish to end the half. Death, taxes, and Lebron looking much spryer post all-star break.

[homecourtloss]

Damion Jones makes better rotations than McGee and Drummond. Teams have come out and looked to pick on him but he hasn’t been an issue.

Also, love the fact James loves to roast Jordan’s team.