WCSF: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs (4) Houston Rockets, Part 1 | Series Tied 1-1

Young_Fashioned · Post #101 » by **Young_Fashioned** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 8:50 am

Lakers in 5, with ease.

Can't wait to see LeBron lock up Harden in the clutch if that'll even be necessary.

Raps in 4 · Post #102 » by **Raps in 4** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 9:18 am

Statlanta wrote:I'm ready for LeBron to finally play a non-Warriors Western Contender since the 2014 Spurs.

This series will answer the question on whether or not the East was weak, 2011-2018.

Houston is barely a contender. That team sucks outside of Harden. They were nearly eliminated by 35 year-old CP3 + college kids. This isn't the same team from a few years ago that almost beat GSW (would have if not for injuries).

I'd be surprised if this series goes past 5 games.

Statlanta · Post #103 » by **Statlanta** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 9:30 am

Raps in 4 wrote:
Statlanta wrote:I'm ready for LeBron to finally play a non-Warriors Western Contender since the 2014 Spurs.

This series will answer the question on whether or not the East was weak, 2011-2018.

They were nearly eliminated by 35 year-old CP3 + college kids.

The Magic took a game off the Bucks, Doncic took 2 games off the favorite and Portland took a game off the Lakers.
What's your point?

Most of the core from that 2017 team is there. I trust Houston way more than the entire Lakers roster who outside Quinn Cook and Danny Green didn't even make the playoffs last season.

Raps in 4 · Post #104 » by **Raps in 4** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 9:33 am

Statlanta wrote:
Raps in 4 wrote:
Statlanta wrote:I'm ready for LeBron to finally play a non-Warriors Western Contender since the 2014 Spurs.

This series will answer the question on whether or not the East was weak, 2011-2018.

They were nearly eliminated by 35 year-old CP3 + college kids.

The Magic took a game off the Bucks, Doncic took 2 games off the favorite and Portland took a game off the Lakers.
What's your point?

Most of the core from that 2017 team is there. I trust Houston way more than the entire Lakers roster who outside Quinn Cook and Danny Green didn't even make the playoffs last season.

Losing 1-2 games to an underdog, versus nearly losing the series. Two very different things.

And the only members of that 2017 core still there are Harden and Gordon. Capela is gone. CP3 is gone.

fbalmeida · Post #105 » by **fbalmeida** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 9:37 am

Recalling how the Lakers got wrecked in their only genuinely competitive hyper-small-ball era game... Rockets in 5.

I don't understand hyper-small-ball, have zero clue as to why it works (e.g., a shooter of Gallinari's length should've been dominant instead of dormant) but if it brings the purple and gold arrogance machine crashing to the ground this season, I'm perfectly fine with that.

_Game7_ · Post #106 » by **_Game7_** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 11:05 am

Rockets are not a real team, Harden is not a real superstar. Been saying this for a while. They just wanna jack up threes and Westbrook doesn’t wanna be here. I would never want someone like him on my team. That was disgraceful basketball that was played last round. They will get a game or two, I’m thinking gentleman sweep, next round is when the Lakers get tested. Lakers in 5

Btw I’m not that comfortable with everyone siding with the Lakers, as a LeBron fan I’m used to being the “underdog”. :lol:

Liam_Gallagher · Post #107 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:08 pm

AD is gonna feast against the Rockets - Vogel will just put him at C to match up with D’Antoni’s small ball.

Dupp · Post #108 » by **Dupp** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:15 pm

hoosierdaddy34 wrote:

Read on Twitter
?s=21

Said this about a billion times. That was wide open...

Dupp · Post #109 » by **Dupp** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:22 pm

And Houston have no chance unless Westbrook plays about a billion times better than the series just gone. Even still they’ll be lucky to go 6 games

Forte IV · Post #110 » by **Forte IV** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:22 pm

Lakers in 5 or Rockets in 7 there will be no in between.

MisterHibachi · Post #111 » by **MisterHibachi** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:24 pm

Forte IV wrote:Lakers in 5 or Rockets in 7 there will be no in between.

Rockets are not beating Lakers in 7. LeBron is the best game 7 player of all time, and Harden might be the worst. If the Rockets want to advance, they'll have to do it in 6 or less.

lotus123 · Post #112 » by **lotus123** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:25 pm

Rockets in 5.

TravisScott55 · Post #113 » by **TravisScott55** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:37 pm

AD gonna average 30 and 12 this series.

nikster · Post #114 » by **nikster** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 12:50 pm

Raps in 4 wrote:
Statlanta wrote:
Raps in 4 wrote:
They were nearly eliminated by 35 year-old CP3 + college kids.

The Magic took a game off the Bucks, Doncic took 2 games off the favorite and Portland took a game off the Lakers.
What's your point?

Most of the core from that 2017 team is there. I trust Houston way more than the entire Lakers roster who outside Quinn Cook and Danny Green didn't even make the playoffs last season.

Losing 1-2 games to an underdog, versus nearly losing the series. Two very different things.

And the only members of that 2017 core still there are Harden and Gordon. Capela is gone. CP3 is gone.

On Lebrons last playoff run he went to game 7 in the first round (and if he didn't play incredible they would have lost). Went to the finals

Not it mention Westbrook missed half the series

PistolPeteJR · Post #115 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 1:02 pm

evilpimp972 wrote:

Watch on YouTube

Might as well go big then

This was excellent. Thanks for this. I agree with his breakdown.

We as fans can be very arrogant at times with how we criticize professional basketball coaches and players for playing the game in certain ways, thinking we're just as if not more qualified than they are when it comes to the facets of offense and defense. It's absurd when you sit and think about it objectively.

The Lakers have been playing big for the most part of the season for a reason. It just benefits them largely. They are not a great 5-out team, pure and simple. The reason AD was getting killed by Houston double-teaming him in the post is because that largely happened when the Lakers would go small. Go big, and the defender can't help because if he does, it's easy money.

PistolPeteJR · Post #116 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 1:20 pm

Up-And-Coming wrote:
hoosierdaddy34 wrote:

Read on Twitter
?s=21

Lebron should be the one that’s the aggressor on offense, not AD imo. AD should just continue to play his game and move without the ball and have Lebron set him up. AD is not meant to be a big post up player. That hasn’t worked so far the first couple games and becomes too predictable

I agree with the bolded to an extent, particularly when it comes to AD on the left side. Doesn't post up but rather opts for the face-up, goes left, spins right, stripped.

PistolPeteJR · Post #117 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 1:21 pm

Dupp wrote:
hoosierdaddy34 wrote:

Read on Twitter
?s=21

Said this about a billion times. That was wide open...

I think just about every sensible basketball fan that saw this in real time was blurting out at their TV lol.

fbalmeida · Post #118 » by **fbalmeida** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 1:31 pm

Liam_Gallagher wrote:AD is gonna feast against the Rockets - Vogel will just put him at C to match up with D’Antoni’s small ball.

He got a measly 17 points here. I have no idea how, but that's what happened.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202008060HOU.html

K_chile22 · Post #119 » by **K_chile22** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 1:38 pm

going to be interesting. Rockets going from a team they're better than but match up terribly against (they struggle with quick guards creating penetration and Lu Dort is the best Harden defender I have ever seen) to a team they match up really well with that is better than them (opposite of reasons I just gave, Green used to slow harden down with the spurs, but since he's lost a step, Harden usually doesn't have issues, also think they'll be able to force all the switches they want, no one on LAL is fighting through 4 screens in a row like Dort)

Liam_Gallagher · Post #120 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 2:47 pm

fbalmeida wrote:
Liam_Gallagher wrote:AD is gonna feast against the Rockets - Vogel will just put him at C to match up with D’Antoni’s small ball.

He got a measly 17 points here. I have no idea how, but that's what happened.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202008060HOU.html

You mean in the meaningless bubble game?

Who ya got?