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

[zimpy27]

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.

Yeah that's if LAC beat GSW. Probably the most important non-Lakers game to watch.

[Joao Saraiva]

Is anyone really afraid of Denver??!! Aren't they collapsing? I get they have Jokic... But if you can't beat a dead horse you're not winning a championship.

[PistolPeteJR]

Is anyone really afraid of Denver??!! Aren't they collapsing? I get they have Jokic... But if you can't beat a dead horse you're not winning a championship.

I don't think most teams are afraid of them, but at the same time, there's a bit of an unknown with them right now, and the unknown can cause fear.

On top of that, Murray is supposedly due back tonight vs Memphis, which is interesting.

[Jurassic_Park]

Memphis on a b2b at denver. 7pt underdogs. Need mem to win for lakers to have any chance at facing them in rd 1. Definitely the easiest first rd matchup

[TheGOATRises007]

Lakers playing the Nuggets or Warriors in round 1 seems like destiny.

[Jurassic_Park]

Den wins. So its either lakers minny or lakers gs in round 1.

[tone wone]

Hurt his groin. Didn't look too bad (didn't even go back to the lockeroom) but not a good sign.

[IG2]

Game is not meant for 40 year olds. Odds of him getting through the postseason healthy are pretty much 0. Shame. Just when he was starting to look good.

[EmpireFalls]

Hurt his groin. Didn't look too bad (didn't even go back to the lockeroom) but not a good sign.

Their season is now over, though it’ll take a couple weeks for people to realize it. Any chance of a run ended with that injury.

[TheGOATRises007]

Hurt his groin. Didn't look too bad (didn't even go back to the lockeroom) but not a good sign.

https://www.reddit.com/r/lakers/comments/1jx9ncy/lebron_celebrating_with_savannah_and_family_after/

I know he's going to be happy regardless celebrating with the family, but I think he'll be fine.

[xb3at band1tx]

Feel like if it was serious he wouldn't have gone back to the bench and acted jolly.

Also his offense has been steadily getting better again post-injury, thank goodness.

[TroubleS0me]

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[xb3at band1tx]

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[Mos_Heat]

It's gonna be hard to watch Curry hunting Luka for 7 games. Fortunately GSW doesn't have overwhelming amount of shooting, I think they can erase Hield and Post through out the series

[jalengreen]

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[nzahir]

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We want the Wolves over GS right?

Gobert can't punish us much by switching

And we can double/focus in on Ant

If they had KAT still I would have been more worried due to their size

I would still take us over GS as well, but I feel like Wolves would be easier

[The Master]

Anyone getting last dance vibes?

- Lakers will be fully healthy (?) starting the playoffs, it didn't even happen in 2020 (Bradley),
- 3rd seed, potential 2nd round matchup against the Rockets - whom I find as a preferable matchup (young team, average on offense, relatively weak perimeter players offensively),
- young Thunder team as this behemoth in the regular season (+12.8 SRS), but actually have similar record against top10 team in the West to Lakers; solid matchup (mediocre team on the offensive board); Luka with an experience of eliminating them already,
- the best player in the league (Jokic) on mediocre team,
- Luka getting back to shape in the late RS games.

I'm not saying Lakers will win a championship, but I do believe that there was no point since 2021 where Lakers were actually in realistic position to at least win the Western Conference, and I think that's the one.

Re: 1st round - I don't wanna go another round of Curry vs LeBron and media running narrative for 2-3 weeks about Curry vs LeBron legacies, but I don't think it matters for the Lakers - loss against anyone but Thunder will be a disappointment, if they're too weak to come out from the 1st round, let it be, at least we won't have false expectations.

[LikeABosh]

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We want the Wolves over GS right?

Gobert can't punish us much by switching

And we can double/focus in on Ant

If they had KAT still I would have been more worried due to their size

I would still take us over GS as well, but I feel like Wolves would be easier

I like the Wolves roleplayers (Reid, McDaniels) a lot more than the Warriors', but after Anthony Edwards, I don't see anyone else really punishing the Lakers. Jimmy butler as a 2nd option is light years better than Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert. So yeah, Golden State would be the tougher match up

[IG2]

Minnesota it is!

Besides Memphis it's the team I would've wanted to face most. Edwards is great and they do have the speed that often gives LA a lot of trouble, but it's still not a team that scares me. LA should take it in 6. Glad we get to avoid Curry.

[thebigbird]

I’m happy with the Wolves because the “Steph will pass LeBron if they beat the lakers” think pieces would’ve been infuriating.