The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

PistolPeteJR · Post #1781 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:47 am

donnieme wrote:
PistolPeteJR wrote:
donnieme wrote:For sure, no doubt, but those teams wouldn't need a Duncan, remember even Roy Hibbert was enough for the Pacers. Many lesser bigmen can fill that role. Some teams just become exponentially harder to beat when their big can camp in the paint.

Not fully true. Hibbert was nowhere the passer Duncan was.

Don't do me like that man, read the establishing post. People are now going to think we were comparing Roy Hibbert to Duncan.

My bad misread. Thought it was about “role” in all facets.

homecourtloss · Post #1782 » by **homecourtloss** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:01 pm

It’ll be interesting to see how the Lakers use Westbrook. There was quite a discrepancy in the way the Wizards used him vs. how the Rockets used him.

% of shots at the rim (0-3ft)

2020: 41.5% (2nd highest of career)
2021: 19.4% (lowest of career by far)

% of shots 16-23ft

2020: 14.8% (3rd lowest of career after 2019 and 2016)
2021: 22.4% (highest of career.

Wizards really ran some archaic offensive sets while Houston tried to maximize true small-ball 5 out. Will be interesting to see where the Lakers will be with him.

Westbrook’s last 20 games before the bubble with Houston (most of them without Capela): 32/9/7 on 58% TS, 55% eFG and a whopping 36% usage. For the season, shot 29% on catch and shoot threes, 51.7% over the last 20 games in which he stopped shooting threes when they played center-less.

Last ~45 games last season with the Wizards he brought up his TS% to 52%—53%. Shot 35.6% on catch and shoot threes.

Lastly, he has to somehow find his FT stroke after it inexplicably going away:
First nine years, 82.3%
Next three years, 71.8%
Last year: 65.6%

Don’t see him raising the team’s ceiling when exchanging him for perimeter defense, but if he can be harnessed in optimal sets and play style while letting go of his ego, and concentrate on his strengths while also channeling energy on defense and the Lakers get a lucky FT and open threes shooting season, it could be interesting, though I’m not holding my breath.

jalengreen · Post #1783 » by **jalengreen** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:12 pm

homecourtloss wrote:It’ll be interesting to see how the Lakers use Westbrook. There was quite a discrepancy in the way the Wizards used him vs. how the Rockets used him.

% of shots at the rim (0-3ft)

2020: 41.5% (2nd highest of career)
2021: 19.4% (lowest of career by far)

% of shots 16-23ft

2020: 14.8% (3rd lowest of career after 2019 and 2016)
2021: 22.4% (highest of career.

Wizards really ran some archaic offensive sets while Houston tried to maximize true small-ball 5 out. Will be interesting to see where the Lakers will be with him.

Westbrook’s last 20 games before the bubble with Houston (most of them without Capela): 32/9/7 on 58% TS, 55% eFG and a whopping 36% usage. For the season, shot 29% on catch and shoot threes, 51.7% over the last 20 games in which he stopped shooting threes when they played center-less.

Last ~45 games last season with the Wizards he brought up his TS% to 52%—53%. Shot 35.6% on catch and shoot threes.

Lastly, he has to somehow find his FT stroke after it inexplicably going away:
First nine years, 82.3%
Next three years, 71.8%
Last year: 65.6%

Don’t see him raising the team’s ceiling when exchanging him for perimeter defense, but if he can be harnessed in optimal sets and play style while letting go of his ego, and concentrate on his strengths while also channeling energy on defense and the Lakers get a lucky FT and open threes shooting season, it could be interesting, though I’m not holding my breath.

I believe his initial FT% drop corresponded with the rule change that made his free throw routine illegal. Although I have no idea why it's dropped even more since then.

Russ was great with the Rockets during that stretch where he really bought into his role, but that was also a perfect situation for him in terms of team composition. I don't think we'll be seeing that Westbrook much this season although I hope I'm wrong.

Bergmaniac · Post #1784 » by **Bergmaniac** » Sun Aug 15, 2021 8:59 pm

A lot will depend on Westbrook's health, unfortunately he's had plenty of injuries in the last few years and he often tries to play through them too much and it shows in his play.

Greyhound · Post #1785 » by **Greyhound** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:51 pm

Are posts being purged?

My last post just went poof, and it was not offensive or anything.

What happened there?

Homer38 · Post #1786 » by **Homer38** » Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:39 pm

Read on Twitter

TroubleS0me · Post #1787 » by **TroubleS0me** » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:21 pm

lol Darren Collison rumors again lol

falcolombardi · Post #1788 » by **falcolombardi** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:11 am

https://youtu.be/Wtg_XBExIGA

i always forget how dumb/circlejerky basketball talk outside the PC board is lol but vídeos and comments like this are a good reminder lol, appeared on youtube recommendations today

wonder if it will be the same post retirement or if the usual nostalgia boost of retired players will apply like it does for 90's guys

PistolPeteJR · Post #1789 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:34 pm

Greyhound wrote:Are posts being purged?

My last post just went poof, and it was not offensive or anything.

What happened there?

Some content was lost either during the hack or the restoration from the hack.

McBubbles · Post #1790 » by **McBubbles** » Thu Aug 19, 2021 10:35 pm

falcolombardi wrote:https://youtu.be/Wtg_XBExIGA

i always forget how dumb/circlejerky basketball talk outside the PC board is lol but vídeos and comments like this are a good reminder lol, appeared on youtube recommendations today

wonder if it will be the same post retirement or if the usual nostalgia boost of retired players will apply like it does for 90's guys

"Kobe copied all of the GOAT's moves, and came closest to him" reading that always makes me cringe. No one over the age of 12 should be using such dumbass logic to evaluate a player.

In regards to your nostalgia boost, I doubt it. A lack of 24/7 media coverage via social media, dumbass debate shows and lowlights means that it's easier for players that retired pre social media explosion to be deified and mystified than their modern day counterparts. If someone says something dumb like "Kobe NEVER took plays off and guarded the best player every **** night!!!!11111!1, MAMBA!", One doesn't have the footage to counter that.

If on the other hand someone says "LeBron was a good defender", boom, 18 different LeBron Defence Exposed videos. Chris Paul is clutch? Boom, 6 different Chris Paul Choker videos. Joel Embiid is mentally tough? Boom, 10 memes of Joel Embiid crying. Players lowlights are glorified in a way they never were before, cat is kinda out of the bag on that one. Flaws are much harder to forget for modern players than former players basically.

TroubleS0me · Post #1791 » by **TroubleS0me** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:21 am

Watch on YouTube

thebigbird · Post #1792 » by **thebigbird** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:45 am

falcolombardi wrote:https://youtu.be/Wtg_XBExIGA

i always forget how dumb/circlejerky basketball talk outside the PC board is lol but vídeos and comments like this are a good reminder lol, appeared on youtube recommendations today

wonder if it will be the same post retirement or if the usual nostalgia boost of retired players will apply like it does for 90's guys

That is legitimately the worst basketball video I’ve ever watched. It’s like if the usual suspects on the general board put together a YouTube video.

Dude doesn’t even know what he wants to argue. He claims “here are six 90s players I’d take over LeBron,” and then he includes Magic and Bird. Magic played two seasons in the 90s before he got HIV. Larry Bird played three seasons in the 90s before retiring. He includes Michael Jordan, and then talks about the DPOY he won in 1988 as a reason why. Kobe played 3 seasons in the 90s, averaging 8 ppg, 15 ppg, and 20 ppg. Half of his “90s players” aren’t even guys who would be considered “90s players” by basically anyone.

GSP · Post #1793 » by **GSP** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:48 am

thebigbird wrote:
falcolombardi wrote:https://youtu.be/Wtg_XBExIGA

i always forget how dumb/circlejerky basketball talk outside the PC board is lol but vídeos and comments like this are a good reminder lol, appeared on youtube recommendations today

wonder if it will be the same post retirement or if the usual nostalgia boost of retired players will apply like it does for 90's guys

That is legitimately the worst basketball video I’ve ever watched. It’s like if the usual suspects on the general board put together a YouTube video.

Dude doesn’t even know what he wants to argue. He claims “here are six 90s players I’d take over LeBron,” and then he includes Magic and Bird. Magic played two seasons in the 90s before he got HIV. Larry Bird played three seasons in the 90s before retiring. He includes Michael Jordan, and then talks about the DPOY he won in 1988 as a reason why. Kobe played 3 seasons in the 90s, averaging 8 ppg, 15 ppg, and 20 ppg. Half of his “90s players” aren’t even guys who would be considered “90s players” by basically anyone.

Bron haters and intellectual dishonesty go together like pb&j :lol:

falcolombardi · Post #1794 » by **falcolombardi** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 3:00 am

the comment somehow are worse, sometimes you forget how dumb sports discussion is in most cases

nzahir · Post #1795 » by **nzahir** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:17 pm

Gasol may not be a lock to be back (Marc Stein)....I don’t like the sound of that

We need a stretch big with this team

Any options in case we lose Marc?

Boogie isn’t good

Meyers Leonard? Not great but at least he is a good catch and shoot Big

Gorgui trade with ATL maybe mid season?

Milsap to play with AD and Bron?

Greyhound · Post #1796 » by **Greyhound** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:30 pm

nzahir wrote:Gasol may not be a lock to be back (Marc Stein)....I don’t like the sound of that

We need a stretch big with this team

Any options in case we lose Marc?

Boogie isn’t good

Meyers Leonard? Not great but at least he is a good catch and shoot Big

Gorgui trade with ATL maybe mid season?

Milsap to play with AD and Bron?

I hope Marc Gasol comes back. He has a clear role on this team.

thebigbird · Post #1797 » by **thebigbird** » Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:31 pm

Speaking of absolute morons, this Paul Pierce take is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. And he’s made his fair share of idiotic LeBron comments. Imagine thinking an NBA player’s 19th season is “make or break” for his legacy. Dude is still so butthurt about LeBron essentially ending his career. In Pierce’s 19th season he averaged 3 ppg lmao.

Ursusamericanus · Post #1798 » by **Ursusamericanus** » Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:02 am

Didn't Pierce admit LeBron was top 2 following the 2020 title? Now he's backtracking? What an absolute clown.

homecourtloss · Post #1799 » by **homecourtloss** » Sat Aug 21, 2021 1:37 am

Hyaena wrote:Didn't Pierce admit LeBron was top 2 following the 2020 title? Now he's backtracking? What an absolute clown.

thebigbird wrote:Speaking of absolute morons, this Paul Pierce take is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. And he’s made his fair share of idiotic LeBron comments. Imagine thinking an NBA player’s 19th season is “make or break” for his legacy. Dude is still so butthurt about LeBron essentially ending his career. In Pierce’s 19th season he averaged 3 ppg lmao.

The clowns will be out in full force talking about legacy games in December.

Dupp · Post #1800 » by **Dupp** » Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:04 am

thebigbird wrote:Speaking of absolute morons, this Paul Pierce take is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. And he’s made his fair share of idiotic LeBron comments. Imagine thinking an NBA player’s 19th season is “make or break” for his legacy. Dude is still so butthurt about LeBron essentially ending his career. In Pierce’s 19th season he averaged 3 ppg lmao.

In 2020 playoffs he said if they lost to Portland it basically negates his legacy. He’ll just keep saying the same **** every year.