The LeBron James All-NBA (2nd) and Luka Doncic - 24-25 Thread

EmpireFalls · Post #2361 » by **EmpireFalls** » Sun Apr 13, 2025 10:37 pm

I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

xb3at band1tx · Post #2362 » by **xb3at band1tx** » Sun Apr 13, 2025 10:44 pm

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

IMO, This is a team the Lakers small ball can take advantage of and do real damage to them.

As good as edwards is Im still not sold on Randle as a pressure-type player and Gobert is someone Luka has shown to abuse multiple times in their history.

The wildcard is randle, if he's really really good than yeah I can see them beating us but I think the Lakers are a bit more cerebral than the wolves and can go strength for strength.

The Master · Post #2363 » by **The Master** » Sun Apr 13, 2025 11:04 pm

xb3at band1tx wrote:IMO, This is a team the Lakers small ball can take advantage of and do real damage to them.

As good as edwards is Im still not sold on Randle as a pressure-type player and Gobert is someone Luka has shown to abuse multiple times in their history.

The wildcard is randle, if he's really really good than yeah I can see them beating us but I think the Lakers are a bit more cerebral than the wolves and can go strength for strength.

Yeah, this is a great matchup for the Lakers:

- Wolves have size, but Gobert has never been good in punishing smallballs on O,
- Randle is a well-known playoff choker, so the size advantage probably won't be that significant,
- top defensive team, but 4-out lineups with dominant ballhandler or 5-out lineups have always been a kryptonite on Gobert,
- Edwards can be lethal, but I don't think that they have enough depth on perimeter to target Doncic and to lesser extent Reaves.

The differences in the West in general isn't that big, so I can imagine Wolves playing perfect series and going toe to toe, but Lakers are favorites here.

xb3at band1tx · Post #2364 » by **xb3at band1tx** » Sun Apr 13, 2025 11:16 pm

The Master wrote:
xb3at band1tx wrote:IMO, This is a team the Lakers small ball can take advantage of and do real damage to them.

As good as edwards is Im still not sold on Randle as a pressure-type player and Gobert is someone Luka has shown to abuse multiple times in their history.

The wildcard is randle, if he's really really good than yeah I can see them beating us but I think the Lakers are a bit more cerebral than the wolves and can go strength for strength.

Yeah, this is a great matchup for the Lakers:

- Wolves have size, but Gobert has never been good in punishing smallballs on O,
- Randle is a well-known playoff choker, so the size advantage probably won't be that significant,
- top defensive team, but 4-out lineups with dominant ballhandler or 5-out lineups have always been a kryptonite on Gobert,
- Edwards can be lethal, but I don't think that they have enough depth on perimeter to target Doncic and to lesser extent Reaves.

The differences in the West in general isn't that big, so I can imagine Wolves playing perfect series and going toe to toe, but Lakers are favorites here.

I think too for as talented as Ant is, Bron and Luka are a tier above as decision makers. As a pure scorer and raw talent he'll make things close but if LA can just mitigate their own mistakes and play smart I think it shouldn't go to 7.

dcstanley · Post #2365 » by **dcstanley** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:04 am

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

Wolves don't really have anyone capable of bullying them. They're big but it's not like they have a Jokic or even Zubac that is proficient at paint scoring.

DFS, LBJ, Rui, and Hayes can all guard Randle, Gobert, and Reid straight up.

Jurassic_Park · Post #2366 » by **Jurassic_Park** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:08 am

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

If it goes past 5 games, it just means Luka was having too many pre game beers.

Lakers in 5 or 6.

Gobert once again will be useless. Randle, don’t need to say more. Ant will get his and thats it.

TroubleS0me · Post #2367 » by **TroubleS0me** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:18 am

Read on Twitter

xb3at band1tx · Post #2368 » by **xb3at band1tx** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 12:55 am

Read on Twitter

nzahir · Post #2369 » by **nzahir** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 2:42 am

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

We will double or focus in on Ant a lot

Who is their #2 guy? Randle.....

If they had KAT, I would be more worried due to their size

Ant isn't a great decision maker yet with the ball and holds onto it too long

I trust JJ to figure this out

But who is guarding Luka or Lebron....?

Their defenders aren't strong or long enough for those two

They may be able to hamper AR a bit, but it depends on who they use for Bron and Luka

I got us in 5/6 games

Can I see Minny winning the series? Sure, but no series is gonna be easy in the West

Obviously rather would have played Memphis, but GS upside with Curry and Jimym foul baiting is a bit scary (although Curry almost never really outplays Lebron and I would have us as the favorite over GS as well)

LikeABosh · Post #2370 » by **LikeABosh** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 3:13 am

I think the Lakers' smallball presents just as many mismatches for the Wolves' size. Last year's Wolves probably beat this Lakers team (Towns would eat), but Gobert? Smallball negates a lot of his value. And this is a guy who was matched up against a SG playing C for an entire series and did nothing with it.

Unironically, Naz Reid could be more of a problem

Mos_Heat · Post #2371 » by **Mos_Heat** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 7:16 am

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

Obviously they won't guard him 1-on-1. If Conley can stay on the court Wolves have a shot otherwise they just don't have enough shot creation

Bob8 · Post #2372 » by **Bob8** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 8:24 am

EmpireFalls wrote:I think they have no hope of guarding Ant and the Wolves size will absolutely bully them inside. Going to be a 5 or 6 game exit.

Who had Mavs to guard Ant last year? Can we stop with the size in modern basketball. I will be very surprise, if Gobert can stay on the court in Lakers series.

There's another thing, Lakers small ball is that effective because they in reality aren't small. They're basically playing with 5 forwards. 2 of them generational floor generals. That's incredible advantage In playoffs, where everything is about half court offense.

Post #2373 » by **Slava** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 9:31 am

This strangely feels like a Rudy Gobert legacy series. If Luka continues putting him in the spin cycle at the top of the arc, bury three after three in his face and talk enough smack to make a sailor blush, he won’t ever be taken seriously in history for a 4 time defensive player of the year. Draymond would make sure if that.

TroubleS0me · Post #2374 » by **TroubleS0me** » Mon Apr 14, 2025 10:45 pm

Read on Twitter

CKRT · Post #2375 » by **CKRT** » Tue Apr 15, 2025 8:12 pm

I'm willing to eat crow if LA does wipe the floor with Minnesota, but they've been really good since the break. I am not seeing them just rolling over and this being less than a 6 game affair for LA winning and I think I would be surprised if the Lakers got to the second round in 6.

DorianRo · Post #2376 » by **DorianRo** » Wed Apr 16, 2025 2:00 am

Depends on Ant. If Ant is Ant, Wolves in 6. Too much length for LA. This is where AD will be missed. Luka will get his but the rest will struggle

TroubleS0me · Post #2377 » by **TroubleS0me** » Wed Apr 16, 2025 4:01 am

Read on Twitter

ShaqAttac · Post #2378 » by **ShaqAttac** » Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:56 am

time to chip up

mulhollandrive · Post #2379 » by **mulhollandrive** » Wed Apr 16, 2025 4:52 pm

Worried how rusty LeBron comes out in G1. Sure, the rest and avoiding the play-in is welcomed, but he needs some time to get to that extra gear esp at 40. Wouldn't surprise me if the Wolves steal HCA right out of the gate.

PistolPeteJR · Post #2380 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Wed Apr 16, 2025 9:14 pm

mulhollandrive wrote:Worried how rusty LeBron comes out in G1. Sure, the rest and avoiding the play-in is welcomed, but he needs some time to get to that extra gear esp at 40. Wouldn't surprise me if the Wolves steal HCA right out of the gate.

This is on my mind as well. I have to think it’s on his too, especially based on what he shared in Episode 2 of MTG with Nash last week, so we’ll see.

Hindsight: Would you trade Luka back to Dallas for Anthony Davis?