2023 Western Conference Finals | (1) Denver Nuggets VS (7) Los Angeles Lakers (DEN leads 3-0)

[dhsilv2]

LOL he brought a team full of castoffs, bench players and mid-season acquisitions from the 11th seed to the WCF as a 38 year old with 50 years worth of mileage on his tires. If anything this was one of the most impressive things he's done since his Cavs championship.

That Laker team won most of their games post-deadline without him. Their success this season depended on Anthony Davis.

It really depends on what you value more. If we're looking at graph, both careers look like a bell curve. However, Lebrons is much closer to a flat line. He played at an extremely high level for a very long time. Truly amazing... but, if you put MJs career on the same graph, MJ's curve starts below but rises above LBJs between the ages of 27-28 up until about 34, before it plummets down. Higher peak/summit.

in a GAME THREAD, we got MJ and Lebron debates...

OK fine...I'm wrong. I guess lebron is the GOAT.

[psimanic1]

Really hope someway, somehow, Denver can find a way to keep Bruce.

will be tough, but if they win it all this season just give everyone that Haslem role when they get to 40 and enough contracts so maybe he picks up his PO

[drekwins]

People do realize that LeBron pre-injury and post-injury are essentially 2 different players? I'm sure he's tired, but that's not the biggest reason why he went from 30 ppg through March to 23 ppg in the playoffs.

So was Kobe after his achilles. That's life. Part of being washed is the fact that you get hurt a lot and heal much slower. That's called aging. I'm not going to make injury excuses for LeBron or any other Laker. LeBron used to never get hurt, now he missed 30 games a season. That's what being washed is lol.

I dont get that logic. He's been injured since Dallas. Thats not an excuse but a fact. He hasn't been the same since that game. Nobody will ever convince me that Lebron is OK with DLO schro handling the ball that much when he's on the floor.

The only guy i see Lebron being OK with making decisions is Reaves.

He's clearly injured because if he wasn't he'd have demanded the ball way more.

It is a fact that older athletes just don't heal or recover the same and injuries happen with more frequency. Every athlete goes in rehab longer chasing their old body and then it just never comes back. It's subtle and happens without warning. The athlete is usually the last to know.

[Goomba3666]

idk if it is serious but you guys really arguing lebron in 2023? dude is in his 20th year. he has been one of the best 3 players on the court for 20 YEARS. and even this season he was arguably a top 5 player in the league before the injury. 38 year old in his 20th year finally showing some regression and people acting like he is choking in his prime shows how great he is and how much he raised the bar to be goat.

These people don’t realize the harsher they judge a guy in year 20, the more it enhances that point that his standards as a player is unmatched. It’s actually doing the opposite of what they think it’s doing

Are you responding to your own ALT?

[xinxin]

Bruce Brown and KCP made them elite

which brings the lakers back to that stupid westbrook trade when they let go of KCP & Kuz to the Wiz..

granted that it was also a salary cap move.. but Russ????

[Pistol_Pete]

Congrats to Nuggets fans. Well played series and always stifled the Laker’s momentum in key stretches of the three games. I can’t even really be that upset. LA was 25-30 at one point this year. I never expected them to get this far. I just don’t know if LeBron and Davis can get them over the hump any longer. The former will be too old and the latter is too inconsistent.

A year from now, they’ll only be older, slower. Unless they add pieces to the puzzle, this team will not get it done for LA. Only downhill from here for Lebron, and quite possibly Davis as well.

[Marvin Martian]

Lakers should seriously consider shopping AD. Let Lebron have some peace and tank for his son next season.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

idk if it is serious but you guys really arguing lebron in 2023? dude is in his 20th year. he has been one of the best 3 players on the court for 20 YEARS. and even this season he was arguably a top 5 player in the league before the injury. 38 year old in his 20th year finally showing some regression and people acting like he is choking in his prime shows how great he is and how much he raised the bar to be goat.

These people don’t realize the harsher they judge a guy in year 20, the more it enhances that point that his standards as a player is unmatched. It’s actually doing the opposite of what they think it’s doing

If that's the Vicks you need to sooth yourself to bed, so be it.

[Phreak50]

Go Reaves.

Keep tricking people into thinking you’re a good player when you were clearly the worst on court by eye and also the plus/minus.

Probably the reason DLO isn’t getting involved more.

Trying to give stats to a borderline nba bench player in the conference finals simply because of the colour of his skin.

[GeorgeSears]

This was the gutsiest win in franchise history. In the past, we didn't win games like this. We got out-rebounded, out FTA'd, and committed more fouls.

However, we made 3s and we didn't turn the ball over. That was the difference.

KCP has been lights-out from 3 in these playoffs.

[drekwins]

Congrats to Nuggets fans. Well played series and always stifled the Laker’s momentum in key stretches of the three games. I can’t even really be that upset. LA was 25-30 at one point this year. I never expected them to get this far. I just don’t know if LeBron and Davis can get them over the hump any longer. The former will be too old and the latter is too inconsistent.

A year from now, they’ll only be older, slower. Unless they add pieces to the puzzle, this team will not get it done for LA. Only downhill from here for Lebron, and quite possibly Davis as well.

Yeah, this is the type of team you either add stars around or you blow it up. It would be kind of unprecedented if they didn't do either.

[Chicagoat]

Lakers had a good run but it's over.

This might be their best chance in a while honestly. Keeping this core is gonna get expensive and it's a question if the Buss family have the stomach to afford a huge tax bill.

[dj20001]

idk if it is serious but you guys really arguing lebron in 2023? dude is in his 20th year. he has been one of the best 3 players on the court for 20 YEARS. and even this season he was arguably a top 5 player in the league before the injury. 38 year old in his 20th year finally showing some regression and people acting like he is choking in his prime shows how great he is and how much he raised the bar to be goat.

These people don’t realize the harsher they judge a guy in year 20, the more it enhances that point that his standards as a player is unmatched. It’s actually doing the opposite of what they think it’s doing

That's because just the other week the narrative was that ppl needed to respect Bron because of how well he was playing at 38, 20th season. Now we're being told that there shouldn't be any expectations for the same reason. Which is it?

The consistent inconsistencies when making excuses for LBJ doesn't help to enhance anything regarding his career standard either. Probably the most excuses made for out of anyone else in the "Top 10". The other team was either too good, his teammates not up to standard and now he's old so why expect him to lead even though this wasn't being said at all just weeks ago.

[KyRo23]

idk if it is serious but you guys really arguing lebron in 2023? dude is in his 20th year. he has been one of the best 3 players on the court for 20 YEARS. and even this season he was arguably a top 5 player in the league before the injury. 38 year old in his 20th year finally showing some regression and people acting like he is choking in his prime shows how great he is and how much he raised the bar to be goat.

These people don’t realize the harsher they judge a guy in year 20, the more it enhances that point that his standards as a player is unmatched. It’s actually doing the opposite of what they think it’s doing

Are you responding to your own ALT?

Bro I just noticed the name I swear that's not me

[KHRICH]

Still dont need Kyrie and want to resign dlo huh

[Wolfgang630]

The Lakers have 3 moral victories now btw. They got the Nuggets right where they want them

[metalinguss]

LOL he brought a team full of castoffs, bench players and mid-season acquisitions from the 11th seed to the WCF as a 38 year old with 50 years worth of mileage on his tires. If anything this was one of the most impressive things he's done since his Cavs championship.

That Laker team won most of their games post-deadline without him. Their success this season depended on Anthony Davis.

It really depends on what you value more. If we're looking at graph, both careers look like a bell curve. However, Lebrons is much closer to a flat line. He played at an extremely high level for a very long time. Truly amazing... but, if you put MJs career on the same graph, MJ's curve starts below but rises above LBJs between the ages of 27-28 up until about 34, before it plummets down. Higher peak/summit.

I’m not here for this GOAT talk. I don’t care. I was simply disputing the statement about LeBron “carrying” castoffs post-deadline

[Mickey8]

Murray playing like the other superstar on the team in these play off's is making Denver a dangerous team.

[Castle Black]

KCP was such a massive pickup by Denver. Dude has been huge for them in the Playoffs. Makes all the difference when you have a reliable third scorer.

[Liam_Gallagher]

Congrats to Nuggets fans. Well played series and always stifled the Laker’s momentum in key stretches of the three games. I can’t even really be that upset. LA was 25-30 at one point this year. I never expected them to get this far. I just don’t know if LeBron and Davis can get them over the hump any longer. The former will be too old and the latter is too inconsistent.

Very true. Denver has characteristics of a championship team. Very 2011 Mavs-esque with the way they hit timely shots.

Big picture: very successful season for the Lakers. They've been hitting the turbo button since February. It was a fun run and we'll see if we can be the first team in history to come back from 3-0 (haha).

They'll be a contender again next season. We basically made the WCF by just getting rid of Westbrook, as all three players who came in from that trade are basically unplayable. It just shows you how effective LBJ+AD+role players is. This offseason their priority should be size. I'm sick and tired of seeing AD as the only big on the team. I miss the days when we had guys like McGee, Dwight, Gasol, and heck even Drummond.