The LeBron James All-NBA (2nd) and Luka Doncic - 24-25 Thread

nzahir · Post #2321 » by **nzahir** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:00 am

Big 1st half by Luka and a huge 4th by Lebron to seal it and give us a nice cushion

Having Luka (and AR at this level) lets Lebron have more in the tank for defense and to score/playmake late in the game when we need it

Now, who do we want to play in rd 1?

Who are we rooting for to win/lose?

Everyone is so close, I really dont want GS or Den in rd 1

Give us Memphis, LAC, or maybe even Minny?

IG2 · Post #2322 » by **IG2** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:11 am

Watching AD clank mid-range jumpers and struggle to create out there while Luka drops an effortless 45.

All I can say is, thank you Nico.

NbaAllDay · Post #2323 » by **NbaAllDay** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:17 am

Luka 'revenge' game couldn't have been any sweeter for him.

Could see he was out to prove a point.

Made all the more rough by AD having a stinker.

dcstanley · Post #2324 » by **dcstanley** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:18 am

nzahir wrote:Big 1st half by Luka and a huge 4th by Lebron to seal it and give us a nice cushion

Having Luka (and AR at this level) lets Lebron have more in the tank for defense and to score/playmake late in the game when we need it

Now, who do we want to play in rd 1?

Who are we rooting for to win/lose?

Everyone is so close, I really dont want GS or Den in rd 1

Give us Memphis, LAC, or maybe even Minny?

Lebron being able to blow by Lively and finish at the rim bodes well for the playoffs. He hasn't been able to beat bigs off switches for some time now.

If Murray is really out for the playoffs I'm comfortable with Denver, Memphis is my preferred matchup otherwise. GSW is the only team I really don't want to face.

DorianRo · Post #2325 » by **DorianRo** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:28 am

Mehh.. I dont put much stock into games like that with Irving out for the season.. that was an instant season ender for the Mavs whether they kept Luka or not LOL. You aren't going anywhere without Irving. AD has already packed it in and I don't blame him. Whats the point if you lose your key guy that makes the team go? :-?

This season is a wash for the Mavs. Bad luck. They would have had a huge playoff run with irving though

tone wone · Post #2326 » by **tone wone** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:35 am

nzahir wrote:Big 1st half by Luka and a huge 4th by Lebron to seal it and give us a nice cushion

Having Luka (and AR at this level) lets Lebron have more in the tank for defense and to score/playmake late in the game when we need it

Now, who do we want to play in rd 1?

Who are we rooting for to win/lose?

Everyone is so close, I really dont want GS or Den in rd 1

Give us Memphis, LAC, or maybe even Minny?

Clippers would be the worst matchup imo. I know Luka kills that team but I just don't want get into a series against Lue. Hardens actually making shots now and Leonard seems to be in a groove. Zubac may avg 20rebs.

Easiest, Memphis. Hardest, Clippers. Most satisfying, Golden State.

PistolPeteJR · Post #2327 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 2:36 am

DorianRo wrote:Mehh.. I dont put much stock into games like that with Irving out for the season.. that was an instant season ender for the Mavs whether they kept Luka or not LOL. You aren't going anywhere without Irving. AD has already packed it in and I don't blame him. Whats the point if you lose your key guy that makes the team go? This season is a wash for the Mavs. Bad luck. They would have had a huge playoff run with irving though

Definitely a different team with Kyrie.

That said, AD showed up in typical “where’s AD” fashion tonight, and I’m not a betting man, but I’m 99% sure he’d show up like that every few games in the playoffs as well.

As for the Lakers, LeBron looked real good tonight, like the groin injury and its effects are completely behind them.

homecourtloss · Post #2328 » by **homecourtloss** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 3:40 am

IG2 wrote:Watching AD clank mid-range jumpers and struggle to create out there while Luka drops an effortless 45.

All I can say is, thank you Nico.

Lakers were 28th in the league in total % of points coming from 3-pointers and 28th in the league in total % of FGA being threes before the trade. They’re 3rd in the league in both since. The offense is now organically hunting threes off the playmaking genius of two players along with Reaves. They no longer feel obligated to give the ball to AD to shoot 17 footers.

LikeABosh · Post #2329 » by **LikeABosh** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 4:01 am

nzahir wrote:Big 1st half by Luka and a huge 4th by Lebron to seal it and give us a nice cushion

Having Luka (and AR at this level) lets Lebron have more in the tank for defense and to score/playmake late in the game when we need it

Now, who do we want to play in rd 1?

Who are we rooting for to win/lose?

Everyone is so close, I really dont want GS or Den in rd 1

Give us Memphis, LAC, or maybe even Minny?

Memphis, Minny, and Denver in that order

TroubleS0me · Post #2330 » by **TroubleS0me** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 4:20 am

Read on Twitter

LikeABosh · Post #2331 » by **LikeABosh** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 6:33 am

Don't see many scenarios where the Clippers get the 6th seed now. It's basically 5th or the play-in

nzahir · Post #2332 » by **nzahir** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 6:48 am

LikeABosh wrote:Don't see many scenarios where the Clippers get the 6th seed now. It's basically 5th or the play-in

Whats the most likely scenarios now?

Too many scenarios to map this out looks like

falcolombardi · Post #2333 » by **falcolombardi** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 7:19 am

nzahir wrote:
LikeABosh wrote:Don't see many scenarios where the Clippers get the 6th seed now. It's basically 5th or the play-in

Whats the most likely scenarios now?

Too many scenarios to map this out looks like

Clippers own thw head to head tie breaker vs most teams below them so if they dont lose out and win at least another game they are guaranteed a 4th/5th spot

Lakers are guaranteed 3rd if they dont lose out for the same reason

So is basically

1-okc
2- rockets
3- lakers (all but guaranteed)
4/5 - clippers (all but guaranted)

Memphis vs minny game and memphis vs denver games will be particularly relevant to determine the order of the last 4 teama

Post #2334 » by **zimpy27** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 11:55 am

This is effectively the teams with certains wins and then the only uncertain games they have left:

Lakers 50-31 + vsHOU
Minnesota 49-33
Clippers 48-32 + vsSAC, @GSW
Nuggets 48-32 + vsMEM, @HOU
GSW 48-33 + vsLAC
Grizzlies 47-33 + @DEN, vsDAL

Ainosterhaspie · Post #2335 » by **Ainosterhaspie** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 3:46 pm

TroubleS0me wrote:

Read on Twitter

James cleared Kareem by nearly 4,000 points in the same number of games.

Ian Scuffling · Post #2336 » by **Ian Scuffling** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 4:41 pm

This Luka starts things and Lebron ends things is working pretty well. Last few games, it seems Lebron is really deferring in the first half to both Luka and AR. I guess, yesterday it was going to be the case given the situation to let Luka feast right away. And damn, did he ever.

Doug_12 · Post #2337 » by **Doug_12** » Thu Apr 10, 2025 8:28 pm

homecourtloss wrote:
IG2 wrote:Watching AD clank mid-range jumpers and struggle to create out there while Luka drops an effortless 45.

All I can say is, thank you Nico.

Lakers were 28th in the league in total % of points coming from 3-pointers and 28th in the league in total % of FGA being threes before the trade. They’re 3rd in the league in both since. The offense is now organically hunting threes off the playmaking genius of two players along with Reaves. They no longer feel obligated to give the ball to AD to shoot 17 footers.

The DFS trade was huge in that too. Having a reliable 3pt shooter who cannot be run off the floor on the other end was missing from our lineup for years.

Post #2338 » by **zimpy27** » Fri Apr 11, 2025 3:35 am

zimpy27 wrote:This is effectively the teams with certains wins and then the only uncertain games they have left:

Lakers 50-31 + vsHOU
Minnesota 49-33
Clippers 48-32 + vsSAC, @GSW
Nuggets 48-32 + vsMEM, @HOU
GSW 48-33 + vsLAC
Grizzlies 47-33 + @DEN, vsDAL

Based on this I think the order will end up:

3. Lakers 50-31
4. Clippers 49-33
5. GSW 49-33
6. Grizzlies 49-33
7. Minnesota 49-33
8. Nuggets 48-34

jalengreen · Post #2339 » by **jalengreen** » Fri Apr 11, 2025 4:38 am

Man if GS really ends up as the 6 seed after all that lol

LikeABosh · Post #2340 » by **LikeABosh** » Fri Apr 11, 2025 5:41 am

zimpy27 wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:This is effectively the teams with certains wins and then the only uncertain games they have left:

Lakers 50-31 + vsHOU
Minnesota 49-33
Clippers 48-32 + vsSAC, @GSW
Nuggets 48-32 + vsMEM, @HOU
GSW 48-33 + vsLAC
Grizzlies 47-33 + @DEN, vsDAL

Based on this I think the order will end up:

3. Lakers 50-31
4. Clippers 49-33
5. GSW 49-33
6. Grizzlies 49-33
7. Minnesota 49-33
8. Nuggets 48-34

3. Lakers 51-31
4. Clippers 50-32
5. Timberwolves 49-33
6. Grizzlies 49-33
7. Nuggets 49-33
8. Warriors 48-34

That's my guess.

Hindsight: Would you trade Luka back to Dallas for Anthony Davis?