2019-20 NBA Season Discussion

[parsnips33]

Looked like Lakers went away from Bron/AD pick and roll when Denver put Millsap and Grant on them. Basically just matchup hunting Jokic, which I'm not sure is really the best way to go. I think you gotta trust those two to make a play in the 2 man game no matter who's guarding it. Also as good as Rondo's defense was, not sure you can have him in there in crunch time when you want the ball in Lebron's hands.

[Dr Positivity]

The Lakers really need the good version of Danny Green.

[limbo]

The Lakers really need the good version of Danny Green.

He's shot... Honestly, he's been shot offensively since 2016, outside the odd hot shooting game. Right now he's strictly a defender, and even there, he's getting picked apart more often than not at this point. He also doesn't look to be in top physical shape as far as i've seen.

The 'good' version of Danny Green is gone. You can only pray he can hit wide open threes at this point and be a body the Lakers can throw at Jimmy Butler/Jaylen Brown or someone...

[yoyoboy]

The Lakers really need the good version of Danny Green.

He's shot... Honestly, he's been shot offensively since 2016, outside the odd hot shooting game. Right now he's strictly a defender, and even there, he's getting picked apart more often than not at this point. He also doesn't look to be in top physical shape as far as i've seen.

The 'good' version of Danny Green is gone. You can only pray he can hit wide open threes at this point and be a body the Lakers can throw at Jimmy Butler/Jaylen Brown or someone...

He's still a good team defender. His on ball defense is pretty much done though. And offensively, he's really hurting you when he's not hitting 40% of his threes because he gives you nothing else. It's frustrating seeing him pass up layups after attacking closeouts.

[HeartBreakKid]

I'm mad Denver is not up 2-1 now. Seeing both LA teams crumble back to back would be all time great media frenzy.

[Dr Positivity]

From reddit

Let this be a lesson for everybody that nobody NOBODY beats Paul Millsap 11 straight games in the playoffs

[Orin]

I don't understand Jamal Murray. He is one of the most widly inconsistent player I've ever seen. His averages in a series don't mean anything. He plays like a fringe starter one game, and like an Mvp player the next one. Hell, he can look totally different even within a single game, He is so fun to watch.

[MyUniBroDavis]

Ahaha I can't blame you for that take Doc. Part of me wonders if he's the guy you dangle as the ultimate trade piece for the perfect 3&D wing or like Jrue Holliday lol, but I do have to give him the benefit of the doubt after watching the way he came at LeBron's neck tonight.

There's times when Murray gets LeBron switched onto him and he just seems rushed by LeBron's mere aura. But MPJ wasn't afraid at all, he was out there to depose the King. And ya know what, just on a primal level I respect that cuz that's some alpha dog s*** right there.

Lowkey why dont they put bron on murray, it might tire him out but bron on jokic on a switch late shotclock isnt nearly as bad as caruso or rondo on jokic

I'd rather the Lakers just consistently scram switch but I think that's asking too much of Vogel. I don't think AD has the IQ to make that decision in real time the way Bron does. Watch how it unfolds, a lot of the time those guards are stuck on Jokic it's when AD is near them and doesn't call for the switch. Bron is complicit of being lazy on scram switching too tho, I've gotten plenty frustrated at him for that this series; but AD NEVER reads it in time or just plain chooses not to.

How much of it do you guys think it's an effort thing vs a schematic thing. Cuz if more energy isn't enough of an answer for this Nuggets squad then I'm kinda worried about the Lakers chances.

So some of it is def effort, but at the same time they werent defensing the jokic murray pick and roll the way they were with switches in games 1 and 2 which was wprkinf overall

Offensively the paint packing thing is scheme and the way they are aligning. Teams tried to do this vs the cavs but lue was pretty good at adjusting to that and countering really fast. Vogel really isnt

Vogels been good at adjusting through lineups but his on court adjustments arent the best. They arent like tragic but their like low-mid tier

They should be fine alot went wrong that game but still.

Id vouch for some looks with bron vs murray and davis on jokic, that would shut down their pick and roll since neither switch generates as much advantage as youd want. I wouldnt want jokic on bron in the post but switches often get him high key or on the perimeter anyway, and AD can check murray.

Lebron needs to use lobs as a threat more, jokic is going hella out on his rotations and leaving them open but bron isnt hitting them, he wasnt against houstan either

If theyvlose game 4 im sure theyll adjust by then, but their gameplan has been pretty sinple in that its let jokic score on mismatches and stop his playmaking, and its worked when they did that in games 1-3 and switched, theyve gone Way feom it at times which has led to them getting cooked

This should be a series where AD is getting easy buckets but they refuse to run the lebron and AD pick and roll. Jokic and plumlee dont have the athleticism to guard AD off ball but hes getting the toughest shots hes ever had right now and its mad annoying

Im pretty sure we win in 5 or 6. The lakers will adjust at some point, and even if not at times that talent dispairty is fonna just wear rhem out

[MyUniBroDavis]

Cont.

Theres a prerty big difference between sending help and building a wall. Lebron and pretty much all iso superstars are great at defending against help but when you build a wall, particularly if team alignment (think functional spacing) or just overall spacing is off, its insanely dificult to make that pass in that short of a time

The rockets and mavs pretty much always have perfect alignment. Part of it is the genius of bron ans harden but lebrons shown hes the best ever at those kickouts

During this series hes been kicking it out late, compared to normally and thats not been great but alot of times the open guy ends up rotating to brons blindspot or you gave guys too close together meaning one guy can kind of guard or occupy both those spots

Like wheb skmeone sends help anyone that plays organized basketball can somehwat see the right passes to make, obviously its harder agaibst nba defenses, but these are nba players making these decisions

When they build a wall thats just suddenly there, it becomes a, oh crap whose open rather than lets see whose open, and with how the nba defenses rotate and off ball movement its alot harder than just seeing where the help comes from. If no ones open or no one can be found its a possession reset

As good of a passer bron is, it doesnt matter if people genuinely arent getting open. He should kick it out earlier but the lakers shootwrs arent reliable for rhat to work for sure

[Jordan Syndrome]

Bill Simmons is going to be complaining about the coin flip for the next 15 years.

[Dr Positivity]

Smart is the reverse 2019 Vanvleet. He was too hot for a few rounds now he has to go ice cold.

[Heej]

Smart is the reverse 2019 Vanvleet. He was too hot for a few rounds now he has to go ice cold.

I was wondering should Danny Green's name be "Icy Hot Icy" cuz the trend looks like he'll suck the first 1.5 rounds, be decent halfway thru round 2 all the way thru the conference finals, be ok for some 1-3 games early in the Finals, and suck for the majority of the Finals

Another random thought I've had:

I see tonight's game as a bit of a litmus test for Lebron and ADs historical greatness as a duo. Shades of Wade and LeBron's legendary Game 4 in 2012 vs the Pacers. Like if they put out a statement win they're definitively putting their stamp down as a legitimate contender for the 'iconic team of the early 20s' title. Maybe somewhat along the lines of what the Lakers established over the Kings in the early 2000s.

If the Nuggets win but still lose this series I'm gonna remember it like the Warriors series vs the Clippers in 2014 where they were on the cusp of greatness but by next year they became all time and a problem for the rest of the decade. Because this team with Jokic and Murray looks like it has dynastic potential with the level these 2 have reached at such an early age. Someone said it's almost like a remix of what we had with Dirk and Nash, and I couldn't agree more.

[GSP]

Smart is the reverse 2019 Vanvleet. He was too hot for a few rounds now he has to go ice cold.

Fvv was at least playing strong defense when he was cold. Smart defense this series been kinda ass outside of the Dragic matchups

I remember Fvv dogging it against Jimmy and even Giannis in possessions. Smarts defense kind of correlates with his confidence on offense. Not surprising the best defensive series of his career was when he was hot from the field too

His ball watching and off ball defense have been getting exposed this series. He's not the only one but it shows the limits of having a guard being your best defensive player

[Heej]

Am I crazy for thinking Mitchell is still better than Murray?

[GSP]

Am I crazy for thinking Mitchell is still better than Murray?

Mitchell has already made allstar and outplayed him in their series so prolly not.

I want to see how Mitchell and Murray both do in the playoffs with travel, crowds etc.

I think both are good but it was just last playoffs where Derrick White beat the **** out of Murray on both ends and Eric Gordon forced Mitchell into one of the worst playoff series of alltimes

younger players make jumps but i dont think i buy this level both of them have shown in the playoffs

[freethedevil]

davi's rim protection has been non existent these last 2 games

[freethedevil]

lebron has been protecting the rim more than davis. this is pathetic from ad

[SideshowBob]

And with that - Denver goes down 3-1.

[TheGOATRises007]

And with that - Denver goes down 3-1.

If they somehow pulled it off again...

[yoyoboy]

I would need to actually go back and watch the tape, but it does feel like Davis hasn't been there at the rim to provide any resistance at all. Not sure if it's just having his hands full with Joker or what.