The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 6)

[xb3at band1tx]

I think if the Lakers can play Zubac off the floor, they'll have a great shot at the Clippers. Their defense without Zubac can be pretty weak.

You don't need the Lakers to do that.

Doc will do it himself.

He will die on the hill with Montrez instead of playing Zubac like he should.

Those Lou + Trezz runs are gonna be key if Lakers want to catch up, take the lead, or run it up.

[Heej]

Y'all worry too much. Me n Bron got this in 5. BOOK IT.

Didn't I tell y'all? No need to worry!

I'm not even gonna cap that post convinced me to choose Lakers in 5 after Game 1. Lmaooo the backdoor sweep after how reckless the Rockets fans were talking.

[GSP]

I think if the Lakers can play Zubac off the floor, they'll have a great shot at the Clippers. Their defense without Zubac can be pretty weak.

I expect the Lakers to go back to their standard lineup versus the Clippers, but I am certain that their best starting unit against the Clippers and whoever comes out of the East would be:

KCP
Green
James
Morris
Davis

What about Caruso?

[Dupp]

Today was the perfect balance rotation wise too.

[trickshot]

Are the Lakers a better team with Morris and Davis at the 5? Seeing actual frontcourt production these last 2 games really made it clearer how much dead weight Mcgee is in the starting lineup. It's just really unfortunate AD's aversion to playing the 5 will always keep the team from reaching it's offensive ceiling.

The best thing Spoelstra ever did for the Heat was convincing Bosh to play 5 and Lebron to play 4 but in this day and age you can't piss off a star unless ownership is behind it.

[mademan]

Are the Lakers a better team with Morris and Davis at the 5? Seeing actual frontcourt production these last 2 games really made it clearer how much dead weight Mcgee is. It's just really unfortunate AD's aversion to playing the 5 will always keep the team from reaching it's offensive ceiling.

The best thing Spoelstra ever did for the Heat was convincing Bosh to play 5 and Lebron to play 4 but in this day and age you can't piss off a star unless ownership is behind it.

It's definitely the Lakers death lineup. It opens their offense so much, and with Lebron playing like this, it doesnt hurt their defense. It also allows them to play faster

[trickshot]

Are the Lakers a better team with Morris and Davis at the 5? Seeing actual frontcourt production these last 2 games really made it clearer how much dead weight Mcgee is. It's just really unfortunate AD's aversion to playing the 5 will always keep the team from reaching it's offensive ceiling.

The best thing Spoelstra ever did for the Heat was convincing Bosh to play 5 and Lebron to play 4 but in this day and age you can't piss off a star unless ownership is behind it.

It's definitely the Lakers death lineup. It opens their offense so much, and with Lebron playing like this, it doesnt hurt their defense. It also allows them to play faster

It does. He's a great defensive coach but the thing that always made the least sense with Vogel's rotations is he previously mostly used AD at the 5 when Lebron was on the bench. Then he'd subsequently bring in Lebron, sit AD and put in Rondo and Dwight. Like he's actively trying to make the game harder by avoiding his best lineup

[MisterHibachi]

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[GSP]

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This is why the depth issues were always overstated.

You look at the role players around 01 Kobe/Shaq they werent exactly top tier guys

With Bron and Ad playing at this level the depth is more than enough. Itd have to have been complete scrubs around them for it to have been an issue

[trickshot]

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Is there some irony in the fact the present number 2 lineup wouldn't even have seen daylight if the Rockets didn't force the Lakers to go small?

[MyUniBroDavis]

I think if the Lakers can play Zubac off the floor, they'll have a great shot at the Clippers. Their defense without Zubac can be pretty weak.

You don't need the Lakers to do that.

Doc will do it himself.

He will die on the hill with Montrez instead of playing Zubac like he should.

Those Lou + Trezz runs are gonna be key if Lakers want to catch up, take the lead, or run it up.

Zubac is playing more minutes than harrell rn lol

[Slava]

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?s=19

This is why the depth issues were always overstated.

You look at the role players around 01 Kobe/Shaq they werent exactly top tier guys

With Bron and Ad playing at this level the depth is more than enough. Itd have to have been complete scrubs around them for it to have been an issue

No one expected Morris and Rondo to be this good. Morris especially has been a pleasant surprise considering he was picked off of the scrap heap while his brother was traded for assets and he seems the more useful pick up so far while Marcus keeps picking a fight every other game.

[Slava]

I haven't seen such crisp defensive rotations in my time watching the NBA. Its like clockwork, no mistakes even from players like Kuzma, who has never shown to concentrate at this level.

[xb3at band1tx]

Still weird to see Bron play only 31-32 min in a close-out game. Still used to that last Cav year where they needed every minute from him lol

[The High Cyde]

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This is why the depth issues were always overstated.

You look at the role players around 01 Kobe/Shaq they werent exactly top tier guys

With Bron and Ad playing at this level the depth is more than enough. Itd have to have been complete scrubs around them for it to have been an issue

No one expected Morris and Rondo to be this good. Morris especially has been a pleasant surprise considering he was picked off of the scrap heap while his brother was traded for assets and he seems the more useful pick up so far while Marcus keeps picking a fight every other game.

Marcus has been fairly good for us though, he’s been like our second to third best player these playoffs. Basically stepped up and filled in when PG took a vacation in the first round.

[MyUniBroDavis]

So, playoff bron is real, and playoff AD is having an ATG big man playoff run

[JulesWinnfield]

This postseason only 8.8% of Lebrons shot attempts come in the 10-23 foot range. That’s down from about 29% in his playoff career. It’s all either 3 ball or at the rim for him right now. Hardly attacking mid range at all

[xb3at band1tx]

This postseason only 8.8% of Lebrons shot attempts come in the 10-23 foot range. That’s down from about 29% in his playoff career. It’s all either 3 ball or at the rim for him right now. Hardly attacking mid range at all

It's crazy, he's essentially playing D'antoni ball but is by no means bog down by those strict rules.

[ardee]

A Lakers-Celtics Finals would be the 8th time LeBron has played the Celtics in 13 years.

[ardee]

Rating out James/Davis

James +5.5 O / +1.5 D
Davis +3.5 O / +3.0 D

Both right around +6.5-7 range.

Don't know if we've had two guys at that level simultaneously before. 01 Shaq/Kobe and 91-93 Jordan/Pip combined were better, but that's off the back of Shaq/Jordan being at their peaks and ahead of either 20 James/Davis, so those duos were slightly more imbalanced. Here we might have two +6/7 guys at the same time.

Maybe KAJ/Magic in 1980, that might be a close comp.

1980 Magic is nowhere close to +7 level, though. Rating LeBron and Davis so highly I can't see how the others are better, unless you go to +9 for peak Jordan or something.

You're right. Looking at my own old notes I have Magic nowhere near that level in 1980.

Jordan/Pip I have at +8/+5 in 91/92 so they're close. Shaq/Kobe at 8/4.25 in 00 and 7.5/5.25 in 01 so right under the Bulls.

I guess I'll re-evaluate with more distance from this season, but I don't think my ratings for James/Davis seem wild. I have Lebron way off from his 14/17/18 offense and below 09-13/16 on defense. Maybe I'm giving Davis a bit too much credit on O, but even if I dock half a point he's +6 overall.

What about '86 and '87 Bird/McHale, if you discount McHale's broken foot in '87?

Peak Bird for me is in the ballpark with Jordan and Shaq: 7.5 or so. If you rate 2000 Kobe at 4.25, what about 1987 McHale who averaged 26/10 on 60% from the floor and was 4th in MVP voting behind only Magic/Jordan/Bird?