Around the League - 2019-2020

[VDT]

He plays defense at least.

But yes we are not the only team with bad contracts.

Hayward is a bad contract and Kemba will soon be one.

[DT RAW]

Kemba isnt going to be a bad trade next year or likely the year after.. dude is still an elite pg. Yall r just trying to wishing things into existence

[VDT]

He already has injury issues and he is 30. He was never an elite pg but he had a good year on a more loaded team. As his athleticism further declines due to age and injuries people will not like his contract.

[Negrodamus]

I’m cheering for the Nuggets to win this thing. Their team is a lot of fun to watch.

[76ciology]

So did Masai Ujiri finally mess up with this Siakam contract?

Doesn't look like a max player. Looks like another Tobias Harris out there.

Ok.

Horford and 21st pick for Siakam.

Since im feeling generous today, I’ll add another first rounder.

[mithrandir17]

So did Masai Ujiri finally mess up with this Siakam contract?

Doesn't look like a max player. Looks like another Tobias Harris out there.

Ok.

Horford and 21st pick for Siakam.

Since im feeling generous today, I’ll add another first rounder.

Imagine the smile on Brad Steven's face when all he has to do on defense is let Embiid, Simmons and Siakam shoot jumpers.

[76ciology]

So did Masai Ujiri finally mess up with this Siakam contract?

Doesn't look like a max player. Looks like another Tobias Harris out there.

Ok.

Horford and 21st pick for Siakam.

Since im feeling generous today, I’ll add another first rounder.

Imagine the smile on Brad Steven's face when all he has to do on defense is let Embiid, Simmons and Siakam shoot jumpers.

Exactly. This is why Raptors has to do the deal i proposed

The trade either makes them a better team or removes one less team to compete against

[76ciology]

Just watched G2 of Rox vs Lakers.

AD and Bron got a ton of open shots in the paint via lay-ups and drives. There are times when guys like Harden will be up against AD around the rim.

That is how you can win against small ball. Hunt for high volume of high % shots (LAL made 56FG%). Mix of transition baskets & bully ball. Rox made 22 3pts on 41%, 10 more 3s made than the Lakers.

Rox also made 5 more FTs. But it’s just not good enough to compensate for the made baskets.

If Lakers would get more possessions with ORebs and defense or Bron&AD carry their offense by scoring a ton of easy baskets around the rim, they can win this series.
At some point it’s going to be demoralizing for the Rox.

That is how you beat small ball by playing big.

[76ciology]

Lakers starting unit of AD and McGee is has a 20+ NetRtg for the playoffs. But that 5 man unit is just horrible against the Rox.

Vogel went to a lot of Bron-Morris and AD-Bron 5 man units, and this worked well. They can keep up in speed with the Rox, but they can play better interior defense and also get easy baskets.

Thinking about it, Vogel was a smart hire because he’s one guy who knows how to play big with how he coached that pacers squad. He’s also not good enough so he can’t step on Bron’s shoe

[Kobblehead]

So did Masai Ujiri finally mess up with this Siakam contract?

Doesn't look like a max player. Looks like another Tobias Harris out there.

Ok.

Horford and 21st pick for Siakam.

Since im feeling generous today, I’ll add another first rounder.

Honestly, I might pass. I'm not a big Siakam guy.

My biggest issue with him is that I don't think he's a guy that can get his own shot in the halfcourt so that dissuades me heavily from pairing him with Embiid.

Would you rather have Simmons or Siakam as your 3rd banana? I might take Ben and I'm not even a huge Simmons fan. Siakam's a more productive scorer and better/more willing shooter, but I think Simmons defense is the better playoff trait than anything Siakam brings to the table.

[Kobblehead]

The Lakers happen to be loaded with wing defenders so that helps them greatly in dealing with a small ball team. Not many teams can throw as many different looks with strong defenders at Harden/Westbrook as the Lakers can. Maybe only Lakers and Raptors in the whole league.

[eyeatoma]

The Lakers happen to be loaded with wing defenders so that helps them greatly in dealing with a small ball team. Not many teams can throw as many different looks with strong defenders at Harden/Westbrook as the Lakers can. Maybe only Lakers and Raptors in the whole league.

I wouldn't consider any of the Lakers defenders as above average apart from AD. Bradley had a stretch where he was decent this year. They just have a lot of players at that size and play good team defense. LeBron brought it a few times this post season.

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[stormi]

Herro is a menace

[Kobblehead]

I wouldn't consider any of the Lakers defenders as above average.

Caruso and Green are phenomenal defenders.

LeBron and KCP can be really strong when they dial in. As can Rondo on a smaller, even less consistent scale.

The only non-C that they play that sucks defensively is Kuzma. The rest of their rotation ranges from great to capable of being really strong.

[eagereyez]

Giannis looked pretty underwhelming for being a DPOY and likely MVP winner. He was outplayed pretty badly by Jimmer Butler. But luckily the Sixers let Jimmy go and signed the Giannis stopper in Al Horford.

[76ciology]

Just watched G2 of Rox vs Lakers.

AD and Bron got a ton of open shots in the paint via lay-ups and drives. There are times when guys like Harden will be up against AD around the rim.

That is how you can win against small ball. Hunt for high volume of high % shots (LAL made 56FG%). Mix of transition baskets & bully ball. Rox made 22 3pts on 41%, 10 more 3s made than the Lakers.

Rox also made 5 more FTs. But it’s just not good enough to compensate for the made baskets.

If Lakers would get more possessions with ORebs and defense or Bron&AD carry their offense by scoring a ton of easy baskets around the rim, they can win this series.
At some point it’s going to be demoralizing for the Rox.

That is how you beat small ball by playing big.

Haven’t watched game 3.

But looking at the numbers.

Almost same number of FGAs, 3pt made and ftm.

Big difference is LAL scoring 55%.

Ben and Biid doesnt have to be great 3 point shooters. They just have to be better in scoring 2s. That’s easier. They dont have to turn into someone they’re not.

If you look at James scoring in G2, Aside from the 1 3pt made, most of these shots are shots Ben usually makes in actual games. Like those side step with push off drives that most guys are doing nowadays.

But let’s see. Rox is like the extreme in terms of example in smallball. A team like the Clippers or Celtics should give them more challenge in maintaining the high volume high shooting rate of FGM.

[76ciology]

I wouldn't consider any of the Lakers defenders as above average.

Caruso and Green are phenomenal defenders.

LeBron and KCP can be really strong when they dial in. As can Rondo on a smaller, even less consistent scale.

The only non-C that they play that sucks defensively is Kuzma. The rest of their rotation ranges from great to capable of being really strong.

Defense is a factor but it’s not really the biggest factor. For instance, Harden scored 33pts tonight on 23 shots. G2, Harden got 27pts on 12 shots. They really dont have any answer for him that they usually send double or traps for him.

The key in the last 2 games is James and AD playing like modern day shaq. Scoring 30+pts on almost 50-60%. That way you can punish small ball defense with their lack of rim protection.

G3, Westbrook played great. He turned it around G2. But Rondo scored 21 pts on 71% shooting.

If Rox continue to play small, it’s easy for the LAL to have a third guy to step up on offense. This is their achilles heel, thats why they signed JR and Dion before the bubble started.

If you can’t do that, the next best thing is to control the ORebs and get more possessions and then take care of TOs to not waste those extra possessions.

[Bum Adebayo]

Well, so much for mocking the Heat "culture" lmao

[76ciology]

I wouldn't consider any of the Lakers defenders as above average.

Caruso and Green are phenomenal defenders.

LeBron and KCP can be really strong when they dial in. As can Rondo on a smaller, even less consistent scale.

The only non-C that they play that sucks defensively is Kuzma. The rest of their rotation ranges from great to capable of being really strong.

Defense is a factor but it’s not really the biggest factor. For instance, Harden scored 33pts tonight on 23 shots. G2, Harden got 27pts on 12 shots. They really dont have any answer for him that they usually send double or traps for him.

The key in the last 2 games is James and AD playing like modern day shaq. Scoring 30+pts on almost 50-60%. That way you can punish small ball defense with their lack of rim protection.

G3, Westbrook played great. He turned it around G2. But Rondo scored 21 pts on 71% shooting.

If Rox continue to play small, it’s easy for the LAL to have a third guy to step up on offense. This is their achilles heel, thats why they signed JR and Dion before the bubble started.

If you can’t do that, the next best thing is to control the ORebs and get more possessions and then take care of TOs to not waste those extra possessions.

Im wrong here. Just watched the game.

Rox scored on like 55-57% at the half. Then Lakers played great defense in the second half.

Defense lead to transition baskets then Rondo shot the ball like Steph Curry LOL

But Rox was just giving up easy baskets. While Lakers did their best to limit Rox easy halfcourt offense by great rim protection, lead by Bron who had like 4 amazing blocks in the 3rd quarter.

[76ciology]

I think Rox should adjust by playing bigger.

This micro ball allows Lakers to play with a more potent offensive line-up by replacing McGee or D12 with Morris or Kuzma.

So even when Lakers tries to play small, they’re still bigger than the Rox. There were several times when Bron can seal EG under the rim that lead to easy baskets. While I dont know about Jeff Green at AD on defense.