Nets wont win a title with the garbage they have at center

[Hello Brooklyn]

Yeah, by shutting down I'm not meaning KD will average 15 on dysmal efficiency, but of course AD can bother him a lot, KD isnt overly explosive, AD is bigger, stronger, smart and nimble for his size, at least he will be able to bother him a lot. And as role players go, I'm pretty happy to throw KCP and Caruso on your stars, they have size and speed to at least be in condition to bother them. The Lakers can throw good level players without wearing their man defendind the Nets trio. Yeah, I'm pretty sure no one has the power to score more than this nets, but for sure the Lakers is the team that can bother the offense more than any other. They are the best defense in the league, number wise, eye test, and they dont have some dicey situation as the Gobert fit in a great defense that can adapt to play the nets Hydra.

On the other side the Nets have absolutely zero answer for Lebron and AD, adding that to their defense I dont think its unfair to assume the Lakers are the most balanced team, for me this balance is enough to overcome the talent gap. And if talent weighs so much, having the best player in the series, Lebron, will help a lot.

But all of that will only matter if those 5 guys can get to the finals and healthy

AD can certainly help on KD.

But putting KCP or Caruso on Harden is a death sentence. Hes taller and stronger than both of them.

Saying we have "zero answer" for the Lakers is also not true. We can certainly put Jeff Green and KD on LeBron. And Claxton is not a bad match for AD either.

The Lakers also have no shooting which is a huge concern. Last year Rondo and Dany Green made some huge 3s for them. Lets see if Schroeder and Wes Matthews can do the same thing.

I have my doubts.

You seem to totally forget about Mclemore dude. When the guy is hot, he shoots lights out and unstoppable. He needs Lebron to further get used to the team and the system. He is an underrated addition and we will see it throughout the playoffs.

Also overall everybody other than Drummond can shoot threes in an OK fashion. Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Caruso, Gasol, THT, Morris and even Mckinnie can all shoot over %40 throughout the streches. Lakers team is not a very good shooting team but they have the personnel and they can get hot at the correct time.

Lol Mclemore has been a 33% shooter this year and has never played in an important game in his life. We will see if he has an impact.

I personally would not trust him in a playoff game. But he does help.

[lecola]

AD can certainly help on KD.

But putting KCP or Caruso on Harden is a death sentence. Hes taller and stronger than both of them.

Saying we have "zero answer" for the Lakers is also not true. We can certainly put Jeff Green and KD on LeBron. And Claxton is not a bad match for AD either.

The Lakers also have no shooting which is a huge concern. Last year Rondo and Dany Green made some huge 3s for them. Lets see if Schroeder and Wes Matthews can do the same thing.

I have my doubts.

You seem to totally forget about Mclemore dude. When the guy is hot, he shoots lights out and unstoppable. He needs Lebron to further get used to the team and the system. He is an underrated addition and we will see it throughout the playoffs.

Also overall everybody other than Drummond can shoot threes in an OK fashion. Lebron, AD, Kuzma, Caruso, Gasol, THT, Morris and even Mckinnie can all shoot over %40 throughout the streches. Lakers team is not a very good shooting team but they have the personnel and they can get hot at the correct time.

Lol Mclemore has been a 33% shooter this year and has never played in an important game in his life. We will see if he has an impact.

I personally would not trust him in a playoff game. But he does help.

Don't underestimate the Lebron effect on 3pt shooters He will benefit a lot from playing with Lebron I guess.

[kamaze]

Update - Heat Centers combine for 31 points and 25 rebounds yesterday. Heat grab 16 offensive rebounds and enjoy a 15 rebound advantage for the game.

Those stats are telling going small doesn't work for rebounding. Problem is Mike D'antoni has too much influence and his style doesn't work in the playoffs.

[ThePersianFreak]

Yeah obviously we don't want AD at the 5 but have to take advantage of Drummond while hes on the floor.

Hes a defensive liability on switches and at the FT line.

Nets can also play KD at the 5 for maximum spacing if need be. Harden/Kyrie/Harris/Green/KD

That works great for the Lakers. Now you have no rim
Protection against LeBron and AD. That’s the type of game the Lakers want to play against the Nets, who honestly have no defenders on the floor with that lineup.

What "rim protection" did the Warriors ever have in their death lineup?

Bogut, and Dray were good enough. Also when you have Iggy, Klay and Dray not many people would get to the rim in the first place.

[Run DLC]

Bully-ball all day

[Hello Brooklyn]

That works great for the Lakers. Now you have no rim
Protection against LeBron and AD. That’s the type of game the Lakers want to play against the Nets, who honestly have no defenders on the floor with that lineup.

What "rim protection" did the Warriors ever have in their death lineup?

Bogut, and Dray were good enough. Also when you have Iggy, Klay and Dray not many people would get to the rim in the first place.

Bogut wasn't on the 17-18 Warriors.

Draymond is not "rim protection" lol.

[kamaze]

What "rim protection" did the Warriors ever have in their death lineup?

Bogut, and Dray were good enough. Also when you have Iggy, Klay and Dray not many people would get to the rim in the first place.

Bogut wasn't on the 17-18 Warriors.

Draymond is not "rim protection" lol.

What are you arguing the warriors were the best team in history. They were tops in offense and defense.

[GYK]

Better hope so. Nets convert way too much for teams to reasonably think they can keep up with. 2nd chance points to make up that difference is the best option. You’re not winning without taking significantly more shots. Bucket for bucket there’s no chance.

EDIT: while hoping the NETS win I do hope a healthy scare is put into Sean/Nash/MDA. Next season the reshaping of the team should be focused on cleaning up where they lacking.

[Benedict_Boozer]

Nets next year will roll easily with Lebron aging out and a full offseason to build out the team. This year they have some flaws which create an opening, but people are forgetting how good Kyrie is under pressure and KD scores and scores easy. You will have a hard time beating them in close games. You will have to totally dominate the glass and interior against them.

[Tha King]

The DJ/Claxton combination is perfectly fine, the issue is they play limited minutes.

The bigger concern is perimeter defense. Harris is a complete liability on and off the ball. Brown is solid but will likely play limited minutes in the playoffs. So if KD and Green are playing most of their minutes at PF, Harden and Kyrie would be the best perimeter defenders for the Nets.

[ThePersianFreak]

What "rim protection" did the Warriors ever have in their death lineup?

Bogut, and Dray were good enough. Also when you have Iggy, Klay and Dray not many people would get to the rim in the first place.

Bogut wasn't on the 17-18 Warriors.

Draymond is not "rim protection" lol.

Who said i was talking about 17-18?
Also even if we're talking about 17-18 i still take KD/Klay/Steph offensively over this Nets team. All those three guys are elite offball players and didn't need the ball in their hand all the time unlike Harden and Ky. Atleast Harden's playmaking is all time great but i'll take Steph over him overall offensively. Klay is a much better fit next to KD/Steph than Ky for this Nets team.
But the point is when you have those type of defensive players (Not even talking about KD which was so good defensively in 17-18 and is nowhere close to that level this season) not many wing players can get to the rim to make you worry about rim protection. Also Dray absolutely WAS a decent rim protector, Much better than anything this Brooklyn team has, that part is certain.
Those GSW teams were better offensively and much much much much better defensively, overall it's not even close.
Sure, Brooklyn can win even if they're not at that level, but to use those teams as an example? Nope.

[TheNG]

You don't need a center when you have Mike James.

[jc23]

You would think 3 mega stars on one time would mean title but i feel both Philly and the Lakers are better. Especially the Lakers, best thing to happen to them this year is the nets.

[Johnny Bball]

This crossed my mind as well, but I would just pkay Durant at C And see who can match up. I think this might be only the one series that it matters so..

[hoosierdaddy34]

You really don’t see the difference between how the Rockets played small versus keeping Claxton on the floor

People talking like AD doesnt exist, Drummond is just ensurance, great one, he will rebound, roll, get you something, if he is too exploitable in switches and defending the perimeter the Lakers have a lot of other defensive stoppers plus FREAKING ANTHONY DAVIS, I'm pretty sure he can shut KD down in a playoff series, while there is Caruso, KCP, THT, the body of Weslley Matthews to throw at Harden and Kyrie, all while they have no freaking answer to AD on offense. Bam isnt the most aggressive center on offense, and his stats on the last games were 21/15/5. Imagine what AD can do to that center rotation

You're delusional if you think anyone can shut down Kevin Durant.

Anthony Davis could do nothing to stop Jimmy Butler and hes somehow going to shut down Kevin Durant

Alex Caruso and KCP on Harden AND Kyrie? Please stop.

I’m just fine with our number 1 rated defense against your three vs all the defensive liabilities you have on the floor trying to stop LeBron and AD.

[BallinBug]

Better hope so. Nets convert way too much for teams to reasonably think they can keep up with. 2nd chance points to make up that difference is the best option. You’re not winning without taking significantly more shots. Bucket for bucket there’s no chance.

EDIT: while hoping the NETS win I do hope a healthy scare is put into Sean/Nash/MDA. Next season the reshaping of the team should be focused on cleaning up where they lacking.

Why would you hope for the nets to win?

[GYK]

Better hope so. Nets convert way too much for teams to reasonably think they can keep up with. 2nd chance points to make up that difference is the best option. You’re not winning without taking significantly more shots. Bucket for bucket there’s no chance.

EDIT: while hoping the NETS win I do hope a healthy scare is put into Sean/Nash/MDA. Next season the reshaping of the team should be focused on cleaning up where they lacking.

Why would you hope for the nets to win?

Born and raised in Brooklyn.

[Hello Brooklyn]

People talking like AD doesnt exist, Drummond is just ensurance, great one, he will rebound, roll, get you something, if he is too exploitable in switches and defending the perimeter the Lakers have a lot of other defensive stoppers plus FREAKING ANTHONY DAVIS, I'm pretty sure he can shut KD down in a playoff series, while there is Caruso, KCP, THT, the body of Weslley Matthews to throw at Harden and Kyrie, all while they have no freaking answer to AD on offense. Bam isnt the most aggressive center on offense, and his stats on the last games were 21/15/5. Imagine what AD can do to that center rotation

You're delusional if you think anyone can shut down Kevin Durant.

Anthony Davis could do nothing to stop Jimmy Butler and hes somehow going to shut down Kevin Durant

Alex Caruso and KCP on Harden AND Kyrie? Please stop.

I’m just fine with our number 1 rated defense against your three vs all the defensive liabilities you have on the floor trying to stop LeBron and AD.

There are no defensive liabilities on the floor lol

I'm pretty sure Kyrie and Harden can handle guarding Alex Caruso and KCP

[Yeggo Poleggo]

You're delusional if you think anyone can shut down Kevin Durant.

Anthony Davis could do nothing to stop Jimmy Butler and hes somehow going to shut down Kevin Durant

Alex Caruso and KCP on Harden AND Kyrie? Please stop.

I’m just fine with our number 1 rated defense against your three vs all the defensive liabilities you have on the floor trying to stop LeBron and AD.

There are no defensive liabilities on the floor lol

I'm pretty sure Kyrie and Harden can handle guarding Alex Caruso and KCP

The Lakers will clamp the Nets in the playoffs. Lakers in 6.

[Hello Brooklyn]

I’m just fine with our number 1 rated defense against your three vs all the defensive liabilities you have on the floor trying to stop LeBron and AD.

There are no defensive liabilities on the floor lol

I'm pretty sure Kyrie and Harden can handle guarding Alex Caruso and KCP

The Lakers will clamp the Nets in the playoffs. Lakers in 6.

You wanna sig bet on it?