NBA Season 2024-25

[Phantom255x]

Overall, the West is gonna be an absolute bloodbath this Spring. Very fun.

Meanwhile in the East, honestly I feel it's just Cleveland and Boston. *Maybe* Indiana as well. IND could play CLE in the 2nd round though which IMO is good for us. Let them and Milwaukee cannibalize each other. I'm fine with a NY 2nd round matchup

[Goldstar88]

Lakers are up on the T-Wolves 33-17 at the end of the first Q.

[Goldstar88]

Zion in 31 mins of play tonight: 27pts, 11ast, 10rebs, 2blks. 13-17 from the field.

[Phantom255x]

Ant with his second technical, and also 16 this season. So he?s ejected and will be suspended next game too

This guy is coming across as a clown this season. The guy the media proclaimed as the ?next Michael Jordan? isn?t elevating his team either like he should.

[SparzWizard]

Lakers with good defense

[jpotter33]

Luka still doesn't look right. Looks out of shape and laboring, and his awful shooting is showing it.

[jpotter33]

Lol 25-15 fouls in favor of the Lakers, of course. Refs doing their best down the stretch to give them every opportunity to pull this out.

EDIT: 26-15.

[celticsclay]

Lakers with good defense

Ya think they were easier to defend without Gobert, Randle and eventually Edwards?

[Birdman]

Waiting for lakers to play a top tier team since Luka trade, Minnesota had players out

[Who]

Waiting for lakers to play a top tier team since Luka trade, Minnesota had players out

Denver is the only top team they have played.

3 games against basement dwellers in Charlotte and Utah twice. 1 game against a Dallas team missing multiple guys that without them looks a sub .500 squad. Minny more like a .500 team without Gobert & Randle. Portland a sub .500 team.

6 relatively easy games. Only 1 difficult opponent in Denver who LAL did look very good against. They were able to create wide open shots ad nauseum against DEN.

I was listing to Jason Timpf's podcast and he was talking about how DEN couldn't take away the ball-handler in the PnR (Luka), the roll man (J Hayes) and the shooters spotting up (Hachimura) all at the same time. That DEN would have to change up their defense and stop Jokic showing on the PnR and return to drop coverage. Force Luka to beat them with contested 3s instead of giving wide open 3s to the Lakers supporting cast. I thought that observation was spot on. Not just for DEN but almost who will face LAL. You will need a top tier defense with quickness to cover all those help coverages without giving up open shots. That is the one thing that has been so impressive about LAL in these games. How easily and how often they have been able to create wide open scoring opportunities for everyone.

I am still not buying the Lakers as a title contender but I have to admit they are making a decent case for themselves. At least as good as they possibly could do against this recent underwhelming schedule. Their offense is incredible. Their defense hasn't been terrible. I am still not sold on how good it will be against better offensive teams ... but with that offense, even if they have a 20th ranked defense with a top ranked offense they will have a chance against most teams in a playoff series. And it looks like they can create a defense that good.

They might be a title contender ... Ughh!

[Donoghus]

Waiting for lakers to play a top tier team since Luka trade, Minnesota had players out

They have quite the March coming up with games against the Knicks, our beloved Celtics, Nuggets twice, Bucks twice, plus Grizz & Rockets to end the month.

[Who]

Jimmy is not involved at all down the stretch. Orlando's big defensive forwards have shut him down.

It is all Steph Curry. No help. GSW haven't look good playing this way. No 2nd option. No other shot creation. All on Steph's head.

Warriors are now 7-1 since adding Butler. Curry went nuts tonight, put up 56pts.

I was listening to some of these ESPN talking heads and they were pointing out that (a) Golden State is now only 1 game out of 6th spot in the West standins (b) GSW has the 2nd easiest schedule for the rest of the season.

Looks like GSW is going to be able to get out of those play-in spots and claim a top 6 seed.

[Phantom255x]

Waiting for lakers to play a top tier team since Luka trade, Minnesota had players out

They have quite the March coming up with games against the Knicks, our beloved Celtics, Nuggets twice, Bucks twice, plus Grizz & Rockets to end the month.

Sparz will tell you they are going 8-0 in that stretch 

[Donoghus]

Waiting for lakers to play a top tier team since Luka trade, Minnesota had players out

They have quite the March coming up with games against the Knicks, our beloved Celtics, Nuggets twice, Bucks twice, plus Grizz & Rockets to end the month.

Sparz will tell you they are going 8-0 in that stretch 

Just remember to fade him and you'll be fine.

[Who]

Hope I'm wrong, but if LAL somehow manages to not play any of DEN/OKC in the first two rounds, then they might have a chance to reach the Finals. I'm not sure who realistically can beat them in a 7 game series besides those two. I don't trust HOU, LAC and MEM. I mean maybe Memphis but Morant would have to actually ball out and not be inconsistent. If they are just relying on JJJ + Bane it's not enough.

I see this different. I view JJJ and Bane as enough. As in good enough to be 2nd and 3rd best players on a title team. It is Morant that I am not sure is good enough. Is he a #1 option? Or is he a 2nd or 3rd option?

Then on the supporting cast, Zach Edey is good enough to be the starting center. B Clarke and Aldama are good backup bigs. Scottie Pippen Jr is a good backup PG. Jaylen Wells has been adequate albeit limited starter at SF. Kennard is a good situational player. So there is enough talent in that supporting cast.

Complementary Stars = Check
Supporting Cast = Check
#1 Option = Questionable