The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 5)

[Greyhound]

Are the votings for MVP only before the bubble related?

If yes... then what is there to play for LeBron? Slow start, no injury, look to see how his teammates play... doesn't seem like the wrong approach. Everything will depend on how he plays in the playoffs. That will determine if the season is a success, if the Davis deal is a success and if going to the Lakers was a success. A lot on his shoulders in this playoffs. Let's see if he still has it in him, or if father time caught him.

Keeping his record of consecutive 25 ppg scoring season’s going would be nice. As would securing his only double digit assist season.

Winning it all is the ultimate goal, but securing those little milestones along the way has value as well.

LeBron's going to play a maximum of 68 games if he plays all 4 remaining games, but that's probably unlikely imo. If he plays all 4 he needs 79 points and 19 assists over those 4 games, averages of 20/5. I think it's highly unlikely he misses out on those marks even with his current level of play.

That’s good news.

Hopefully there is not some type of unforeseen occurrence (like a single digit scoring game).

I make no qualms about it, I am all about the milestones. The finishing touches on a storied career (in numbers) is why I still keep tabs on LeBron.

Once this journey is over I will probably retire my basketball fandom.

[limbo]

Denver is probably easier because the Lakers can play their big men in those games, whereas I doubt Howard and McGee could even get 10 mpg combined against Houston. In their latest game against Denver in February, Dwight played 30 min and had 14/11 - he has no shot at providing that production against Houston.

Eh, it's not like the Lakers want to be playing McGee/Dwight regardless of matchup... If anything, Houston allows AD to take on less of a toll playing the 5, since he doesn't have to bang with big bodies on both ends... Davis/LeBron should be the crunchtime C/PF combo against the Rockets and that's pretty much ideal for the Lakers, as it allows offensive flexibility/spacing while not conceding rim protection against Harden and Westbrook... The rest of the minutes there will just have to be filled by Kuz and Kieff... Heck, even Danny Green could probably do a decent option at PF against the Rockets.

The Rockets are also kind of thin. Eric Gordon has ahad a pretty miserable season, and their only options off the bench consist of Brn McClemore, Jeff Green and Austin Rivers, lol.

[PistolPeteJR]

The Lakers aren't winning a title if this Lebron shows up in the playoffs.

He will need to be way more aggressive in his scoring.

Lakers arent using their best sets. Its a telling sign they arent playing their A game when there are barely any Lebron postups

Absolutely agree. I mentioned that the other day when talking about how they looked. LeBron has barely gotten any postups and I'm sure that'll change in certain playoff matchups.

[PistolPeteJR]

Houston can outright beat LAC. If you’re a LeBron fan you want MEM/SAS/NOP to fluke it out into an 8th seed.

Portland is defensively limited but offensively like one of those old WW2 mines people find. Probably won’t, but easily could kill you if you aren’t careful.

Phoenix is insanely athletically imposing. And possibly just as dangerous as Portland on offense. They have crazy athletes and defensive savants like Rubio and Bridges to round it out.

I’ve seen enough of what OKC did in their primes to know what kind of skill gaps athleticism closes.

There’s a real chance Baynes/Oubre come back.

I’d actually rather see Portland than them if I’m LAL.

All this is to say, I think LAC is perfectly capable of beating the Lakers. Like just soundly going 4-2.

And Milwaukee is clearly better than everybody regardless. It’s theirs to lose.

LBJ fans should be ready for the reality of that. This is a tougher year than 2016 on the whole. Easily tougher than any year outside 2017 and 2018.

They could see 3 straight good offensive and defensive teams just to face a +12 juggernaut in the finals.

You can't be serious with preferring Portland rather than Phoenix in the playoffs if you're the Lakers...

[MisterHibachi]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

Lakers are 19th in Net Rating in the bubble, last in ORtg (only team below 100), and third in DRtg.

Good news is that the offense can't go anywhere but up.

[trickshot]

The Lakers aren't winning a title if this Lebron shows up in the playoffs.

He will need to be way more aggressive in his scoring.

Lakers arent using their best sets. Its a telling sign they arent playing their A game when there are barely any Lebron postups

Think they're taking for granted the opportunity to gain rhythm before the playoffs. He had struck the right balance before the season was suspended but now he's missing shots at the rim, his jumper has been off and is prioritising facilitating. He hasn't even used his turn around fadeaway more than a couple times since the restart. We've been watching him for years and know by now his jumper won't suddenly spring to life when the playoffs start if it's broken beforehand

[LA Bird]

Anyone here paying attention to the west race?

What should we be hoping for?

I want Hou to be in the LAC bracket but that will be tough unless they win 4 or all 5 games and Denver plays poorly or Denver wins a game or 2 and Hou wins 2-3 of their remaining games

It's more likely the Rockets stay where they are currently at 6th than climb to 3rd.

Remaining schedule
Nuggets (45-23): Blazers, Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, Raptors
Jazz (43-25): Spurs, Nuggets, Mavs, Spurs
Thunder (42-25): Grizzlies, Wizards, Suns, Heat, Clippers
Rockets (42-25): Lakers, Kings, Spurs, Pacers, 76ers

Tiebreaker is Thunder > Rockets > Jazz if they have the same record.

I wouldn't be too worried about the Rockets anyway. It is not a given that they would even beat the Nuggets / Thunder and make it past the first round. The Bucks and Clippers are still the biggest threat to the Lakers and their record don't matter anymore with no HCA to fight for.

[Slava]

Read on Twitter

What's this about then?

[MisterHibachi]

Read on Twitter

What's this about then?

Some LA reporters are guessing it's the random practice times, and inability to use a court whenever they want. Vogel has expressed frustration too.

Read on Twitter

?s=19

[Slava]

Hopefully that's just that and nothing else, bad team chemistry inside the bubble is like farting in an elevator.

[nzahir]

Anyone here paying attention to the west race?

What should we be hoping for?

I want Hou to be in the LAC bracket but that will be tough unless they win 4 or all 5 games and Denver plays poorly or Denver wins a game or 2 and Hou wins 2-3 of their remaining games

It's more likely the Rockets stay where they are currently at 6th than climb to 3rd.

Remaining schedule
Nuggets (45-23): Blazers, Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, Raptors
Jazz (43-25): Spurs, Nuggets, Mavs, Spurs
Thunder (42-25): Grizzlies, Wizards, Suns, Heat, Clippers
Rockets (42-25): Lakers, Kings, Spurs, Pacers, 76ers

Tiebreaker is Thunder > Rockets > Jazz if they have the same record.

I wouldn't be too worried about the Rockets anyway. It is not a given that they would even beat the Nuggets / Thunder and make it past the first round. The Bucks and Clippers are still the biggest threat to the Lakers and their record don't matter anymore with no HCA to fight for.

So I looked at all this yesterday and it really seems like Hou will end up in that 4/5 spot, unless they win at least 4 or all 5 games.

Denver has a tough schedule and if they just win 2 games and Hou wins all 5 (maybe possible now with Lebron out tonight and Ben Simmons maybe out for some time), then Hou can overtake them

Unless Houston loses to us tonight, PHI, and loses 1 of those 3 middle games, I don't see them being 6

This blows

[yoyoboy]

I can at least deal with the reactionary takes that based on a few bubble games LeBron is losing a step. Because even though it's way too early to definitively say anything like that and we've seen him prove people wrong before after shaking the rust off, at 35 years old 4 months really can feel like 4 years physically. Even for a superhuman like LeBron who takes care of his body better than anybody.

But what's beyond stupid is the takes like "See! These 2 regular season losses to the Raptors and Thunder proved it! Now we can ignore the fact that he was playing at the 2nd highest level in the league up until March only behind a guy 10 years younger having one of the greatest seasons ever, we can ignore the fact they locked up the number 1 seed in the conference, and we can ignore the fact that he's already established himself as a - conservatively - top 5 player ever who may go down as the best. It's clear he's just not that good after all and by the way no killer instinct!"

I wonder how many more below average games for him it takes for Lakers fans to completely turn on LeBron.

[GSP]

Wow Lebron is out for the Rockets game. Don't tell me he actually aggravated his groin again. Hopefully this is just a rest game

[Dupp]

I wouldn’t stress about too much. Lakers literally have nothing to play for. They’ll probably try the last few games for playoff prep

[MisterHibachi]

Wow Lebron is out for the Rockets game. Don't tell me he actually aggravated his groin again. Hopefully this is just a rest game

They've been listing him as probable with a sore groin for all seeding games. I think it's just their go to for resting LeBron.

[ShotCreator]

Houston can outright beat LAC. If you’re a LeBron fan you want MEM/SAS/NOP to fluke it out into an 8th seed.

Portland is defensively limited but offensively like one of those old WW2 mines people find. Probably won’t, but easily could kill you if you aren’t careful.

Phoenix is insanely athletically imposing. And possibly just as dangerous as Portland on offense. They have crazy athletes and defensive savants like Rubio and Bridges to round it out.

I’ve seen enough of what OKC did in their primes to know what kind of skill gaps athleticism closes.

There’s a real chance Baynes/Oubre come back.

I’d actually rather see Portland than them if I’m LAL.

All this is to say, I think LAC is perfectly capable of beating the Lakers. Like just soundly going 4-2.

And Milwaukee is clearly better than everybody regardless. It’s theirs to lose.

LBJ fans should be ready for the reality of that. This is a tougher year than 2016 on the whole. Easily tougher than any year outside 2017 and 2018.

They could see 3 straight good offensive and defensive teams just to face a +12 juggernaut in the finals.

You can't be serious with preferring Portland rather than Phoenix in the playoffs if you're the Lakers...

4-0 so far. 3 highly quality wins.

It’s just my intuition and seeing their team.

Put it this way, they have a by far more talented team than LA after LeBron.

Ayton really isn’t far off the AD archetype.

Guys like Bridges, Oubre, Johnson, and Booker were physically born to be better at basketball than LA’s 3-10.

It’s hard to overcome stuff like that in playoff series. You overcome it, but talent means something in playoff series.


I’ve seen it so many times.
Also, young player perennially have coming out parties in their first playoff games. You see it all the time. Tatum was a stud and then got shackles.

Jokic was better than everybody last playoffs.

Early Kyrie, Harden, Durant.

Davis first playoff series he outdid better players in Harden and LeBron.


They’re not as well scouted.

Lillard and McCollum have been figured out constantly since their first runs.


Booker first playoff series could be some sort of monumental, Miller-esque light show. Same for Ayton.

Rubio has tortured everyone he’s faced in the postseason.

It was physically painful to see someone out-CP3 CP3 last year.

Outplayed WB and George the year before.

They’ll be scary. I think they’ll make it too.

[GSP]

https://lakersdaily.com/report-lakers-skipping-shootarounds-because-lebron-james-anthony-davis-them/

WTF has this been talked about?

[MisterHibachi]

https://lakersdaily.com/report-lakers-skipping-shootarounds-because-lebron-james-anthony-davis-them/

WTF has this been talked about?

Think this is a season long thing, not just the bubble. I don't see a cause for concern.

[nzahir]

https://lakersdaily.com/report-lakers-skipping-shootarounds-because-lebron-james-anthony-davis-them/

WTF has this been talked about?

Wow kind of shocking to here

No excuse for these guys, especially the role guys who are relied on to hit shots (and are not atm)

AD and Lebron will get wide open shots for Danny, KCP, AC, Kieff, Kuzma, Dion, and maybe even JR and Cook. They all need to be shooting a minimum of a few hundred 3s and mid range shots a day

[MisterHibachi]

Kuz's defense continues to impress. He's been good on Harden so far.