The LeBron James- 23-24 NBA Playoffs & Off-Season Thread -(NO PERSONAL ATTACKS & BAITING)

[tsherkin]

How do people see DeMar as an MLE target? Or in an SnT?

Lakers would need to be hard capped to have DeMar..

I wouldn’t mind him if the price isn’t high. Low turnover, efficient at his brand of shots and can play as a primary ball handler. We really do need depth though, a better 6-10 than Vincent, Prince, Reddish and Hayes would be nice.

He'd be a nice boost in the RS. Very much less so come the playoffs, but then again, he's also never played on a team with the type of offensive talent LA has, which might change things. If he could be had for a reasonable price, that would be an interesting move.

[falcolombardi]

How do people see DeMar as an MLE target? Or in an SnT?

Lakers would need to be hard capped to have DeMar..

I wouldn’t mind him if the price isn’t high. Low turnover, efficient at his brand of shots and can play as a primary ball handler. We really do need depth though, a better 6-10 than Vincent, Prince, Reddish and Hayes would be nice.

He'd be a nice boost in the RS. Very much less so come the playoffs, but then again, he's also never played on a team with the type of offensive talent LA has, which might change things. If he could be had for a reasonable price, that would be an interesting move.

Throwing the dice at a derozan experiment instead of a westbrook experiment would have made a lot of sense back in 2021

[tsherkin]

I wouldn’t mind him if the price isn’t high. Low turnover, efficient at his brand of shots and can play as a primary ball handler. We really do need depth though, a better 6-10 than Vincent, Prince, Reddish and Hayes would be nice.

He'd be a nice boost in the RS. Very much less so come the playoffs, but then again, he's also never played on a team with the type of offensive talent LA has, which might change things. If he could be had for a reasonable price, that would be an interesting move.

Throwing the dice at a derozan experiment instead of a westbrook experiment would have made a lot of sense back in 2021

Yeah, I mean, almost anything would have been better than trying out Westbrook. Everyone and their mom knew that was a ridiculously stupid idea except the LAL front office.

[Colbinii]

Ya'll really thought you were beating Minnesota

It's called matchups for a reason.

Who is guarding ANT? Who is guarding Towns?

[donnieme]

Ya'll really thought you were beating Minnesota

It's called matchups for a reason.

Who is guarding ANT? Who is guarding Towns?

Probably, but it's not always automatic. AD and the Lakers are infinetly more suited for guarding any big or slasher over a Jokic. What happens when the best help defender meets the generation's greatest passer. Jokic just nullifies AD plus the Laker's already shaky defensive capacity.

[McBubbles]

Off topic, I love Ant-man approach to the game. I don’t think his off the court image will be as polished and carefully crafted as LeBron’s, but I don’t think people will question his competitiveness and “killer instinct” as much as they did LeBron. Wemby, Ant-Man, Giannis, etc, they all have that 80’s and 90’s “We’re not friends, I’m going to **** kill you” mentality when they step on the court, and I love every minute of it.

.

That sounds more like valuing the performative-ness of the whole act or persona than actual competitiveness

Lebron just had the best 3 point shooting season of his entire career in his 21st season, yet his dedication to the game and competitiveness is still being questioned

[Colbinii]

It's called matchups for a reason.

Who is guarding ANT? Who is guarding Towns?

Probably, but it's not always automatic. AD and the Lakers are infinetly more suited for guarding any big or slasher over a Jokic. What happens when the best help defender meets the generation's greatest passer. Jokic just nullifies AD plus the Laker's already shaky defensive capacity.

Well Gobert may not be the best help defender but he is in the 99th percentile of help defenders.

The Lakers issues against Denver are different and bigger against Minnesota.

[donnieme]

Who is guarding ANT? Who is guarding Towns?

Probably, but it's not always automatic. AD and the Lakers are infinetly more suited for guarding any big or slasher over a Jokic. What happens when the best help defender meets the generation's greatest passer. Jokic just nullifies AD plus the Laker's already shaky defensive capacity.

Well Gobert may not be the best help defender but he is in the 99th percentile of help defenders.

The Lakers issues against Denver are different and bigger against Minnesota.

I mean, that may very well be true. I can't know without a series between the two. What we do know is Lakers and Nuggets have played 13 times in the last year and don't need hypotheticals. 12-1 doesnt leave much room to conclude Nuggets as being by far one of their worst matchups.

[donnieme]

Next season Lakers really need to drop the cocky approach and start taking seeding more serious. Don't care what anyone says but it matters. No 8 seed has won a title for a reason. A high seed puts you in the direct line to benefit off of any upset in the other series. Like how the Lakers didnt have to play the Clippers in the bubble. Not saying they lose but it's just such a gruelling run to the finals without lucky breaks here or there.

[ardee]

Next season Lakers really need to drop the cocky approach and start taking seeding more serious. Don't care what anyone says but it matters. No 8 seed has won a title for a reason. A high seed puts you in the direct line to benefit off of any upset in the other series. Like how the Lakers didnt have to play the Clippers in the bubble. Not saying they lose but it's just such a gruelling run to the finals without lucky breaks here or there.

I don't think the seeding had anything to do with cockiness, it was terrible coaching.

They started the season 14-9 and finished 23-10. Combined, that's 37-19, which means there was a 10-16 stretch in the middle which was largely due to Ham deciding to bench Reaves AND Russell for some reason when those 2, LeBronthony and Rui were the 5 that got them to the WCF last year.

If the best guys continue to start all year, no doubt in my mind they're the 4 seed.

[K9J]

Who is guarding ANT? Who is guarding Towns?

Probably, but it's not always automatic. AD and the Lakers are infinetly more suited for guarding any big or slasher over a Jokic. What happens when the best help defender meets the generation's greatest passer. Jokic just nullifies AD plus the Laker's already shaky defensive capacity.

Well Gobert may not be the best help defender but he is in the 99th percentile of help defenders.

The Lakers issues against Denver are different and bigger against Minnesota.

Jokic is >>>> efficient than Towns..Davis stay with gobert (who is not able to make a shoot from >3feets) and could impact much more on defense staying in the paint to help each play the ball handler and block or change shoots

At the same time rui or lebron could defense and handle the matchup better vs Towns than Jokic..

If vanderbilt would get healthy for 2nd round he is a better defender than anyone from Denver for ANT..anyway vs reaves-prince or rui/lebron ANT dropping u 40pp is not a big problem when wolves plan is too less resilient than denver and could fall more easily

Obvioulsy if all secondary players play as **** as they did with denver (Dlo, Rui, Gabe, SD,prince) you can loss a 7 series game with denver, wolves or any team ..if lebron-davis combined for 60-70pp but doncic-irving tie it 60-70pp but all secondary miss layups or open 3pt you can loss, but is too more probable that lakers could beat a 7 game series with lebron and davis 100% healthy against wolves or other west team than denver.

[Ian Scuffling]

Off topic, I love Ant-man approach to the game. I don’t think his off the court image will be as polished and carefully crafted as LeBron’s, but I don’t think people will question his competitiveness and “killer instinct” as much as they did LeBron. Wemby, Ant-Man, Giannis, etc, they all have that 80’s and 90’s “We’re not friends, I’m going to **** kill you” mentality when they step on the court, and I love every minute of it.

.

That sounds more like valuing the performative-ness of the whole act or persona than actual competitiveness

It's also a myth they were ever that way. There just wasn't any twitter or camera phones to show them playing golf or clubbing with each other in the middle of a series. Behind the scenes these guys have always been buds. It only looks new because of overexposure.

Absolutely nailed it. It's a fraternity and it always has been. Nothing wrong with that, either. It's been pretty obvious for the past 21 years that Lebron has wanted to win against anybody, including his friends.

[nzahir]

Anyone know what jacket Bron wore here? Yes I know its off topic

[The High Cyde]

Anyone know what jacket Bron wore here? Yes I know its off topic

https://www.lc23.it/en/apparel-jackets/lc23-printed-nylon-jacket/1267

Tried with Google Lens, it’s sold out. Don’t know if the site is legit or whatever haha

[nzahir]

Anyone know what jacket Bron wore here? Yes I know its off topic

https://www.lc23.it/en/apparel-jackets/lc23-printed-nylon-jacket/1267

Tried with Google Lens, it’s sold out. Don’t know if the site is legit or whatever haha

That site looks sketchy haha, but thanks man

Good to know it can be somewhat found. Now I need to figure ot if thats the actual brand or a replica

[IG2]

I knew LA was ass defensively this season but Minnesota is somehow making them look even worse. They're about to sweep Denver....

[rk2023]

There's 0 doubt in my mind Lakers would beat every team in the WC besides Denver. They'll also remain Denver's toughest opponent until Boston in the Finals.

Besides Denver and Minny*

Yeah

[homecourtloss]

I knew LA was ass defensively this season but Minnesota is somehow making them look even worse. They're about to sweep Denver....

They won’t sweep I don’t think, but they have absolutely taking Denver out of all of their sets. Jokic looks useless out there. Also, while the game was within reach, Murray and Jokic were so careless with the ball, just clowning around.

[eminence]

I knew LA was ass defensively this season but Minnesota is somehow making them look even worse. They're about to sweep Denver....

They won’t sweep I don’t think, but they have absolutely taking Denver out of all of their sets. Jokic looks useless out there. Also, while the game was within reach, Murray and Jokic were so careless with the ball, just clowning around.

They just might if Murray eats a (deserved) suspension for that heat pack toss.

[Heej]

Darvin Ham gave everyone the secret sauce on Joker. High strong side double bump over in the post. Play drop and and chase Murray over top in PnR. He doesn't like to shoot and can't create consistently from outside. Then just spam PnRs at him and leverage his unexpectedly high foul rate. It's too bad Ham wasn't a good enough coach in actually executing his gameplan, but his gameplans were always elite and likely why he was a desired assistant.