Rockets doing a much better job spreading out the bench minutes it seems. Jalen Green continues to prove to be a problem though.
NBA Playoffs
- Thread starter FtWorthCat
- Start date
I feel like all this is doing is setting up for a 24pt golden state victory next game to close out the series.
But ill be on a bach party this weekend and will be repping my Reed Sheppard Houston jersey 100%.
But ill be on a bach party this weekend and will be repping my Reed Sheppard Houston jersey 100%.
Guy has been fighting for his career for the last half of a decade lol. But being a bench player for GSW isn't terrible.
Some above were talking about LeBron, his legacy, retirement, etc.
I think this is a pretty pivotal game. You might not need to win the title this year as Luka is still new to the team.. but you have to get out of the 1st round.. or hell actually put up a fight.
If Lebron/ Luka can't even get to the 2nd round, thats a problem. And maybe Luka does need more time with the organization.. but to me that does not bode well for their ability to work off of each other and win a title.
I think this is a pretty pivotal game. You might not need to win the title this year as Luka is still new to the team.. but you have to get out of the 1st round.. or hell actually put up a fight.
If Lebron/ Luka can't even get to the 2nd round, thats a problem. And maybe Luka does need more time with the organization.. but to me that does not bode well for their ability to work off of each other and win a title.
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Also, how is Luka already look gassed? This game has been on for like 5 minutes. Lol.
They still lost? lol Anthony Edwards was trying to throw that game. He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn for a long time second half. They were killing them in the post and he was shooting bricks from the perimeter every trip down. I thought for sure they would lose after the Lakers too the lead pretty late in the game.
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People are rambling about what lebron did at Miami and Cleveland. I'm a lakers fan and couldn't give 2 craps about that. He sure hasn't taken the Lakers to 7 straight finals. I'd personally rank him top 5 all time and id even argue 2nd behind mj to me but I'm talking about team success n 2025, not what he did back n the day.
Another pathetic lakers season over. And that dumb jj hire looks even dumber today. Guy had no experience and was a reach and bizarre choice.
Another pathetic lakers season over. And that dumb jj hire looks even dumber today. Guy had no experience and was a reach and bizarre choice.
Rudy dominated due to LA literally not playing a big man . Julius also balled out this entire series .
Funny thing was JJ throwing Maxi Kleber out there so I don’t think has played a single minute since he was traded there .
Yeah he was killing them up until I turned it off, but with how many dumb shots they were taking and missing from outside I didn’t think they would win. Pretty crazy the Lakers couldn’t beat a team who shot 7-47 from 3, an all-time worst percentage in the playoffs.
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Luka was hurting, he could barely move. Looked like me getting out of bed in the morning moving so slow.
It has to be something, because he looked totally wiped after just 5 minutes in. But to me, he just looked tired. He really isn't conditioned all that well.
The big 3 just doesn't work, especially when your 3rd option is pretty "meh" Austin reeves. Lakers have to get a big man for cheap and get a bench. They have one off season to figure this out, that's it. If it doesn't work next year, they simply don't have enough time to make it work for 2027. I think this is their last chance to out together a team around LeBron and *maybe* compete for a title or two.. but it has to be done asap.
He hurt his hip in the game on a nasty fall. You could tell after that he could barely move, Anthony Edwards should have attacked him off the dribble all night but instead he jacked up 11 bricks from 3. I agree he needs way better conditioning and to gain muscle but he plays 40 minutes all the time so it works for him so far. He needs to cut the baby fat before he gets older though.
He always looks like that. Luka is 26, and plays like he's 36. I don't see that changing at this point. Lebron is 40 and is typically the most active player on the floor, in terms of energy expended, when he is in the game.
If AD was healthy, that trade would have looked at a little differently by now. Through Christmas Day of 2024, AD had played in 105 of the Lakers last 112 games. On the day the trade was made, AD had played in 118/140 regular season games over the last two seasons, Luka had played in 92 regular season games at over the same period. IF Davis comes back healthy and motivated, the Mavs probably have a better chance going into next year than the Lakers. If Lebron retires, the Lakers are in trouble if they only have 4 guys they trust putting in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.
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This post turned out to be 100% spot on. Luka looked gassed (out of shape), gave up more points than he scored, and his body is breaking down because of 2 things, 1. he is in terrible shape, and 2. the Lakers have no depth so he and Lebron play wayyyy too many minutes. Dallas' depth will make them be a better threat in the future.
Lot of decisions to made for LA. But for these playoffs it’s very simple, Minnesota is just better than them. And it was evident early. The players on both teams knew it too.
I’m surprised now that LA won one game.
Minnesota had a historic off shooting night and still won. No team had ever shot so bad from 3 and from the field and won a playoff game.
36/89 40%
7/47 15% on 47 attempts from 3.
36/89 40%
7/47 15% on 47 attempts from 3.
I think what people see in this trade, wasn't the immediate impact, but the long term aspect of it. I think for the next 2 or 3 years, its pretty even trade on the surface. But where many people thought it was a bad trade was that there's a very real chance the oft-injuried Anthony Davis just likely doesn't have a lot of years left playing at the high level he is. 6 years older than Luka, big injury concerns. The idea is, you have AD for maybe 3 or 4 more years (and I think you'd be lucky to get that), but you should have Luka for another decade.
However it does seem like Luka is a bad fit for the Lakers, and has his own issues with conditioning and playing defense. Maybe Nico was right.
Julius Randle doesn't get enough credit nationally. That is a trade that worked out for both teams. T'wolves are better with Randle instead of KAT, and the Knicks are a lot better with KAT over Randle. KAT and Gobert weren't great together, and you don't get Randle if you trade Gobert. Gobert had 27/24 in the close out game.
AD is signed through 2028. So unless they trade him, he is the face of the Mavs for the next 3 years. I've always thought AD was best at C, but with the Mavs roster he is better at PF. Defensively, the Mavs front court could be one of the best ever assembled with Gafford/Lively at C, AD at PF, and PJ at SF. PJ was one of only about 10-15 players this year to average over 1 steal and 1 block per game. But the Mavs have no PG, and even when he is healthy Kyrie (World B Flat) Irving is better at the 2.
Lakers are looking at a complete rebuild around Luka, and whatever time Lebron has left, probably 2 years tops. Maybe Reaves is a keeper, but the rest of their roster is expendable. I would keep Hachimura (sp?) too, but he is probably close to peaking now. Knecht didn't get much time in the playoffs, which was a little surprising to me.
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Brunson is amazing, one of the most fundamentally sound players I've ever seen. He was probably college player of the decade at Villanova too.
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LOL, Luka will NOT make it another 10 years. If he can't stay in shape and getting injured constantly now, imagine in 3/4 years he will look like. He is getting worse by the day on defense and will only go further down hill as he ages and loses any kind of cardio / movement he has now. People always like to like point at the dagger 3's, brash talk, and spectacular shot making and passing, but fail to see he gives up as much as he scores. Really as bad as he is on defense, how much of a net positive is he really for a team ? Not near as much as fanboys and media pretends it is. Also, he makes Duke players look like defensive studs with his flopping / Ole let his man go by defense. Worst crybaby in the league.
Well its all speculation. I think thats why many thought this trade was lopsided was because Luka simply has more of a career ahead of him. I don't think its crazy to assume that, at this point, Luka has about twice as many years left as AD.. maybe its less. Or maybe its more if AD were to sustain another big injury. Kind of silly to think Luka "wont" last long, when qere comparing him to AD.
Only part of the trade that was lopsided was the Mavericks didn't get enough in return for Luka, should have got 2 1st round picks (minimum of 1) in the deal. The whole key was they did not feel comfortable paying him $300+ million based on his condition and lack of controlling his weight. It was just smart business.
It was his back. And he didn't do that until late in the 2nd. He scored 12 in the 3rd quarter so I think it was more conditioning that injury. Either way, his lack of conditioning causes his injuries. Exactly why Reddick stated after the series, "next year, everyone needs to be in championship shape". It was a indirect, direct shot at Luka. Lebron did all he could do, he can't guard centers for 40 minutes, and he is in elite shape, even at 40.
One thing is for sure, Luka was far from the problem. Having ZERO center and Reeves no-showing are two huge reasons, however.
Brunson is pretty bad on defense too.Brunson is amazing, one of the most fundamentally sound players I've ever seen. He was probably college player of the decade at Villanova too.
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But he’s a player you want.
If Kat wasn’t so bad on defense Brunson would be ok.
Having both of them out there means they can play 5 on 3.
One thing really noticeable about Brunson, he doesn’t miss layups.
You would think that’s a given with high level players, but it’s not.
His defense was VERY much a problem. He was getting cooked left and right. He can't guard a fence post, even if he was in tip top shape. Just exactly what I posted previously, "people do not factor in Luka giving up as much as he scores". Fanboys just want to look at his offense. Well, there is two sides of the court. He is elite at one end, bottom of the barrel at the other.
He took the freaking Mavs to the finals. He is NOT the problem if they build around him. Good grief.
Cuban didn’t even know about the trade nor did Kidd. “They” is laughable.” The idiot GM knew not to tell anybody of his hairbrained decision. He’ll win one before the Mavs do and I hate the Lakers.
LOL at the Luka haters.
Kid knew.Cuban didn’t even know about the trade nor did Kidd. “They” is laughable.” The idiot GM knew not to tell anybody of his hairbrained decision. He’ll win one before the Mavs do and I hate the Lakers.
LOL at the Luka haters.
Cuban shouldn’t have sold out if he wanted to continue to make the decisions.
Nobody said Cuban was making the decisioins. You are jumping on hot coals to move the goalpost. Hilarious to watch. And it's spelled Kidd, not Kid.
No, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was not informed about the Luka Doncic trade before it was finalized.ESPN reports that Kidd learned about the trade at the "eleventh hour". Sports Illustrated states that Kidd reportedly resented the front office for the trade.
LOL at blaming the Lakers losing the series because of Luka. What a bunch of no-nothings. Go after Jaxson Hayes like you are Luka. You won't. Adios.
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