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

[Slava]

If Lonnie can give some offensive kick, that eases the pressure quite a lot on the starters.

[trickshot]

The FT whining is mad. I don't think Warriors fans realise how handsy their defense is. They attempt a strip on every drive, every layup they try to force a jumpball. There are plays where 2 players foul on one shot attempt. It looks great when Klay strips Lebron or when Dray blocked VDB. It's also how they are able to defend bigger stronger teams but it's straight up undisciplined defense when you're trying to guard Lebron or AD. These guys are allergic to staying vertical.

[zimpy27]

Christie has been a boss.in the minutes he's played in the playoffs. Kid could be something

[zimpy27]

The FT whining is mad. I don't think Warriors fans realise how handsy their defense is. They attempt a strip on every drive, every layup they try to force a jumpball. There are plays where 2 players foul on one shot attempt. It looks great when Klay strips Lebron or when Dray blocked VDB. It's also how they are able to defend bigger stronger teams but it's straight up undisciplined defense when you're trying to guard Lebron or AD. These guys are allergic to staying vertical.

I think some of the main Warriors fans get it. But yeah the whinging is kind of funny. A last ditch attempt to save face maybe?

[trickshot]

Lakers finally scrapped the drop coverage on handoffs and it showed. Turns out AD is just as good at disrupting passing lanes. In future it might be awkward trying to explain how Lakers both played elite D and gave up 42 threes in 2 games. It was always counterintuitive to let Klay and Poole walk into lightly contested 3s. Poole especially should be forced into passing and making decisions.

[Homer38]

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[PistolPeteJR]

Checking in from Milos, Greece on the beach. Seems like a wild series with each team blowing the other out in Games 2-3. Reminds me of the 2013 Finals.

Fingers crossed that the Lakers take Game 4 and end the series early in Game 5.

[Fadeaway_J]

If we beat the warriors you better give this man his props lol

If you beat the Warriors I’ll admit he’s better than Budenholzer. But I won’t admit he’s good or even average until he consistently makes good decisions.

I’m sorry but calling him below average if he outcoaches Kerr is crazy lol, and he’s done that 2/3 games so far. We’ll see how it goes

He’s objectively been great so far, he completely out coached memphis and so far is holding his own vs Kerr

He’s had about 2 genuine bad defensive gameplan and has been adjusting extremely well since, maybe the only criticism is how we use Vando on offense and that’s it

He’s been about the level vogel was defensively while adjusting pretty perfectly on offense, we couldn’t beat ice last game? We beat it perfectly this game.

He’s one of the best defensive coaches in the league and has been a good offensive coach at responding to what the defenses are doing and game planning

Like at some point you need to stop hating, getting outcoached by arguably the best coach in our generation does not make him trash, and completely out coaching 10th place in COY voting, and so far doing very well against a legendary coach that outcoached the coach of the year at the end of the day?

A bad decision here and there does not make him a bad coach it means he’s human. Is lue a bad coach for not playing Covington? Is Kerr a bad coach for playing lamb most of the season? Is brown a bad coach for not playing mitchell much in game 7?

I think we (and I absolutely include myself in this) tend to fixate on things like rotations because we can easily see them and propose what we consider obvious solutions (without ever having to test them to see if they would actually work). When I'm commenting in here, I tend to lose any sense of perspective when I see LeBron/Rui at the 4/5 for the umpteenth time.

[Homer38]

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[picko]

If we beat the warriors you better give this man his props lol

If you beat the Warriors I’ll admit he’s better than Budenholzer. But I won’t admit he’s good or even average until he consistently makes good decisions.

I’m sorry but calling him below average if he outcoaches Kerr is crazy lol, and he’s done that 2/3 games so far. We’ll see how it goes

He’s objectively been great so far, he completely out coached memphis and so far is holding his own vs Kerr

He’s had about 2 genuine bad defensive gameplan and has been adjusting extremely well since, maybe the only criticism is how we use Vando on offense and that’s it

He’s been about the level vogel was defensively while adjusting pretty perfectly on offense, we couldn’t beat ice last game? We beat it perfectly this game.

He’s one of the best defensive coaches in the league and has been a good offensive coach at responding to what the defenses are doing and game planning

Like at some point you need to stop hating, getting outcoached by arguably the best coach in our generation does not make him trash, and completely out coaching 10th place in COY voting, and so far doing very well against a legendary coach that outcoached the coach of the year at the end of the day?

A bad decision here and there does not make him a bad coach it means he’s human. Is lue a bad coach for not playing Covington? Is Kerr a bad coach for playing lamb most of the season? Is brown a bad coach for not playing mitchell much in game 7?

I don't think he gets enough credit for remaining competitive for most of the season despite being gifted a genuinely terrible roster - with key guys in and out of the lineup - and then getting the new guys up to speed quickly. This team plays like they have been together all season which is quite remarkable when you consider how few games the key guys played together before the playoffs.

[Baski]

The FT whining is mad. I don't think Warriors fans realise how handsy their defense is. They attempt a strip on every drive, every layup they try to force a jumpball. There are plays where 2 players foul on one shot attempt. It looks great when Klay strips Lebron or when Dray blocked VDB. It's also how they are able to defend bigger stronger teams but it's straight up undisciplined defense when you're trying to guard Lebron or AD. These guys are allergic to staying vertical.

Yeah I was surprised how bad they are at not swiping, while on the other end Curry, Klay and Poole were straight up twerking on Schroeder and Reaves just praying they would extend one inch so they can draw a foul.

Also Looney's rebounding isn't really that disciplined. He seems to just reach and jump for the ball regardless of where he or it is. Half the time he's committing over the back fouls and the other half he's pushing guys away so they can't box him out. Refs seem to let him get away with a lot of stuff because he's "the rebound guy".

[Homer38]

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[Colbinii]

38-10 run

[thebigbird]

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Team may legitimately be good. That’s a 55 win pace with Bron missing a lot of games and coming back diminished/hurt.

Also shows how absolutely garbage Westbrook is.

[iggymcfrack]

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Team may legitimately be good. That’s a 55 win pace with Bron missing a lot of games and coming back diminished/hurt.

Also shows how absolutely garbage Westbrook is.

He’s obviously not great, but given how he was OK with the Clippers, I think more than anything it shows how he was a terrible fit in LA and how the lack of depth just killed them. D’Lo being a better fit next to Bron and AD, Vanderbilt being a solid playable rotation guy and the emergence of Reeves, really help fill out this team so you don’t just have a bunch of guys that can’t do anything playing heavy minutes.

[Homer38]

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Team may legitimately be good. That’s a 55 win pace with Bron missing a lot of games and coming back diminished/hurt.

Also shows how absolutely garbage Westbrook is.

This is not far from the level the lakers were in 2020 and 2021 when LBJ and AD were healthy!

They are 16-5 with LBJ in the lineup too(9-7 without)

At this point,I am just happy to have a another playoff run,even if LBJ is not the same player right now.Of course I want more and I want to win the title but i don't think it was realistic 3 months ago that the lakers would be at 2 wins from the WCF.Even after the trade I was not sure since the lakers were such in a huge hole!

[RRR3]

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Team may legitimately be good. That’s a 55 win pace with Bron missing a lot of games and coming back diminished/hurt.

Also shows how absolutely garbage Westbrook is.

He’s obviously not great, but given how he was OK with the Clippers, I think more than anything it shows how he was a terrible fit in LA and how the lack of depth just killed them. D’Lo being a better fit next to Bron and AD, Vanderbilt being a solid playable rotation guy and the emergence of Reeves, really help fill out this team so you don’t just have a bunch of guys that can’t do anything playing heavy minutes.

He was only passable on the Clippers because he shot way above his head from 3-10 feet and the 3pt line. If you honestly think he can do that over a whole season, I have a bridge to sell you

[Heej]

Btw did y'all notice the ball skills Christie showed off in garbage time? If he locks in this off season he could legitimately jump Rui and Vando for the 3 spot. Kid had a saucy no look dime and a completely in control rim rocker from the perimeter. Like he can really ball wtf

Yeah Christie is nice

He crazy fast laterally and moves his feet well really too, theres a lot of defensive potential there.

Yea I've always seen the defensive potential but I think he's never gonna be strong enough to be elite. He just seems too easy to move. But his offensive skills really stuck out to me. Didn't expect him to be so smooth and under control

[Heej]

Well that's a relief. But he has to be ready for more Kerr adjustments.

If we beat the warriors you better give this man his props lol

If you beat the Warriors I’ll admit he’s better than Budenholzer. But I won’t admit he’s good or even average until he consistently makes good decisions.

Too late bucko he already has been

[Heej]

Lakers finally scrapped the drop coverage on handoffs and it showed. Turns out AD is just as good at disrupting passing lanes. In future it might be awkward trying to explain how Lakers both played elite D and gave up 42 threes in 2 games. It was always counterintuitive to let Klay and Poole walk into lightly contested 3s. Poole especially should be forced into passing and making decisions.

Actually they went back to drop. Just a higher one than normal. What they eliminated was the stupid hedging they did last game that never works on the Warriors. They played ball screens 2v2 and if went great

Edit: my b on handoffs