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Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread

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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1461 » by BigSlam » Mon Mar 15, 2021 7:10 pm

James Gatz wrote:LaVar is far from a perfect man. I don't particularly like him very much. Yet to say that race wasn't a factor in his portrayal or our own perception is a falsehood. America (the media, the police, etc) treats black people more harshly than their white counterparts. It also tends to condemn especially harshly people of color who are outspoken. LaVar is a classic case of such.

The doesn't matter "black, white, red, green, blue" is a classic case of undiscovered basis. It does matter who is white, black, asian, latino. It might not in a huge way, but we all have racial basis. It's up to us to examine those basis to create a more just society. Merely saying "I'm not a racist" isn't enough.

The colour of someones skin absolutely matters - but it's not a catch all.

Sometimes a duck is just a duck. And LaVar has proven to be a duck.



But I don't want to pull this thread away from LaMelo and how wonderful he has been - on the court and off the court.

I do wonder if, being that this is his first season and he is already doing what he is doing, how much more room does he have to improve? Apart from maturing his body, how close is he to his ceiling?

Could be be closer than might have been 1st thought?
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1462 » by KembaWalker » Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:32 pm

yeah sorry didn't mean to start a race discussion but its just something i encountered today. i doubt it will be as big an issue as it was with Cam because those people generally stay out of NBA altogether. they sure are hyped about Kyle Larson being back in NASCAR though, gee I wonder why

anyway, I don't think Melo is anywhere close to near his ceiling. every half court rep he does he will start seeing new reads. a full offseason of tape to review, a real training camp, and hopefully a competent center will have him close to 10-12 assists per game in the very near future imo
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1463 » by Hornet Mania » Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:17 pm

You say 'apart from maturing his body' as if that's not going to lift him an entire tier by itself. Right now he's getting thrown around in the paint on defense and although his finishing through contact is better than expected it's still well below what it will be when he has some real muscle. I expect gains in weight/muscle can push his PPG and shooting % up a few points apiece, which should move him from borderline all-star at 19 to borderline all-nba over the next two years.

Aside from that, like KW said, the gains between the ears will be huge with his natural basketball IQ. Players like Lebron, Magic, Kidd, etc. soak up experiences like a sponge and every defensive alignment he sees is going to add to his knowledge base. I fully expect his assists to rise in the years to come simply because he's going to see one step ahead even easier than he does now.

I've pretty much given up on 'fixing' his shot. If he can hit at 40ish% with that form then **** it, let him shoot it however he wants. Maybe settle down with his foot positioning, but that's it.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1464 » by BigSlam » Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:23 pm

Hornet Mania wrote:You say 'apart from maturing his body' as if that's not going to lift him an entire tier by itself.

Don't get me wrong - I agree that a few years on an NBA training schedule and beefing up a little will do wonders for him.

It's just that as a starter over 17 games his averaging:
20/6/7 along with x3 three pointers made and 2 steals a game.

And that's all on:
46%/45%/86% shooting

I don't think even the most staunch pre-draft Ballievers predicted those sorts of numbers in his 1st year!

So now that the above has become his floor, what is his ceiling?

30/10/12 on 45%/40%/90% shooting with x4 three pointers made and 3 steals a game?

Is that realistic?
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1465 » by KembaWalker » Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:38 pm

i feel like its too hard to put box score stats as a ceiling, who knows if the league will or won't reign in this inflated #s era, no idea why they would but it wouldnt surprise me if people start tuning out of the current product. i would say that a beefed up fully unleashed 25 year old LaMelo at his ceiling could those numbers in todays league yes, maybe with a little less scoring, around 28ppg imo

its gonna come down to, are we gonna fully hand him the keys like a Harden/Doncic at try to get him at 40% USG at 36 mpg, right now he's just under 25% or try to keep him more as a team player and let some other guys handle the rock like we do now
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1466 » by Hornet Mania » Mon Mar 15, 2021 10:12 pm

BigSlam wrote:
Hornet Mania wrote:You say 'apart from maturing his body' as if that's not going to lift him an entire tier by itself.

Don't get me wrong - I agree that a few years on an NBA training schedule and beefing up a little will do wonders for him.

It's just that as a starter over 17 games his averaging:
20/6/7 along with x3 three pointers made and 2 steals a game.

And that's all on:
46%/45%/86% shooting

I don't think even the most staunch pre-draft Ballievers predicted those sorts of numbers in his 1st year!

So now that the above has become his floor, what is his ceiling?

30/10/12 on 45%/40%/90% shooting with x4 three pointers made and 3 steals a game?

Is that realistic?


I get what you mean. I guess I'd just say that while I don't expect the increases in his box score to be quite as high as what you guesstimated at the end there (I'm thinking more like 25pts/10ast/8reb) I do expect that he will have more control of the game flow as he learns the nuances. Something like the difference between 88 MJ and 91 MJ, or 09 Lebron and 16 Lebron, though the stats are all superior in the former case it is the latter case that everyone fears most because they had it figured out. Not saying LaMelo will ever be comparable to those guys overall, but those were just the quickest examples that came to mind.

I think mastering the flow is LaMelo's potential final form. Right now he has stretches that clearly prove he has 'it', but in the future he will figure 'it' out and control the game. I hope that in the future he can control pace like the all-time greats. That's a big ask for any teenager, even one as talented as Melo, but from what I've seen thus far I think it's within the realm of possibility.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1467 » by Diop » Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:11 pm

BigSlam wrote:
Hornet Mania wrote:You say 'apart from maturing his body' as if that's not going to lift him an entire tier by itself.

Don't get me wrong - I agree that a few years on an NBA training schedule and beefing up a little will do wonders for him.

It's just that as a starter over 17 games his averaging:
20/6/7 along with x3 three pointers made and 2 steals a game.

And that's all on:
46%/45%/86% shooting

I don't think even the most staunch pre-draft Ballievers predicted those sorts of numbers in his 1st year!

So now that the above has become his floor, what is his ceiling?

30/10/12 on 45%/40%/90% shooting with x4 three pointers made and 3 steals a game?

Is that realistic?

the only person who would have predicted a start this dominant would have been his dad, and most would have ignored him.

LeMelo has just been ridiculous
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1468 » by Rich4114 » Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:55 pm

I don't know how you guys feel about the Ringer, but they've been pretty supportive of LaMelo so far. This one got me excited:

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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1469 » by KembaWalker » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:45 pm

getting pretty tired of watching this dude sit the last 7-8 minutes of the game except some offense/defense subbing in and out the last 1:30 of every game
just let him play

nothing justifies Devonte Graham getting anything more than a couple breather minutes early in the 4th for Melo
Kupchak needs to get DG away from JB for his own good
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1470 » by BigSlam » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:51 pm

Let’s keep this thread about LaMelo and not turn it into yet another Graham bashing thread.

We already have a dozen of those.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1471 » by HornetJail » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:52 pm

i need a Devonte' love circle avatar
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1472 » by Bassman » Sun Mar 21, 2021 11:15 am

Since we’re in a rough west coast stretch now, it’s time to appreciate our best rookie since Alonzo or Grandmama...and perhaps ever. This YouTube highlight compilation would be a CAREER’S worth for some, but it’s only half a season for LaMello!

I continue to wait...and hope...for the return to Hornet's glory.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1473 » by euphorbus » Sun Mar 21, 2021 1:21 pm

We should get an update on the wrist injury late today.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1474 » by Rich4114 » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:52 am

euphorbus wrote:We should get an update on the wrist injury late today.


They’re saying he may have a wrist fracture and is getting a second opinion :banghead:
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1475 » by DY_nasty » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:53 am

Read on Twitter
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1476 » by JDR720 » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:57 am

If he has a broken wrist he'll probably be out for the rest of the season.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1477 » by yosemiteben » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:57 am

Well ****, I'll own that. Dude shouldn't have been playing if that was a possibility.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1478 » by _tijo_ » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:59 am

We can't have nice things
Who I woulda took:
2022: Duren | 2021: Bouknight, Jones | 2020: Ball | 2019: PJ | 2018: Porter Jr | 2017: Monk | 2016: Damian Jones | 2015: Winslow | 2014: Vonleh, Napier | 2013: McLemore | 2012: MKG | 2011: Knight, Kawhi
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1479 » by JDR720 » Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:02 am

This may be an unpopular opinion, but if he is out for the season I fully support tanking our butts off.
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Re: Ball Don't Lie: The LaMelo Ball Thread 

Post#1480 » by chellis » Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:03 am

We can’t have nice things.

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