NBA Season 2024-25

[celticsclay]

The Lakers problem isn't AD or LeBron. Their problem is their supporting cast isn't good enough. They need to make some moves to upgrade it in order to be a title contender. They do not necessarily need star talent but they do need stronger role players.

Bigs: Jaxson Hayes, C Koloko
Forwards: R Hachimura, Knecht, C Wood, C Reddish
Guards: A Reaves, D Russell, Max Christie, Bronny

There just isn't enough talent there.

(1) Their three best perimeter players are Reaves, Knecht and D Russell. None of them are good defenders. Their only good defensive guards are M Christie and maybe Bronny who are undependable offensive threats.

(2) AD is their only good defensive big man. Neither J Hayes or C Koloko are rotation caliber players for a title contender.

(3) Rui Hachimura is their best two-way role player. Cam Reddish is mediocre. A so-so defender with bad offense. C Wood has not fit in at all.

They need to use their far off draft picks and maybe Reaves / Knecht to better configure their supporting cast. If they do that, they could become a title contender again. Not before then.

Who you know bball too much to mention Bronny like this. He isn?t even performing in the g league. Maybe in a few years he could be a bench guy but he isn?t doing any in the nba this year on either side of the ball.

[byennie]

The Lakers problem isn't AD or LeBron. Their problem is their supporting cast isn't good enough. They need to make some moves to upgrade it in order to be a title contender. They do not necessarily need star talent but they do need stronger role players.

Bigs: Jaxson Hayes, C Koloko
Forwards: R Hachimura, Knecht, C Wood, C Reddish
Guards: A Reaves, D Russell, Max Christie, Bronny

There just isn't enough talent there.

(1) Their three best perimeter players are Reaves, Knecht and D Russell. None of them are good defenders. Their only good defensive guards are M Christie and maybe Bronny who are undependable offensive threats.

(2) AD is their only good defensive big man. Neither J Hayes or C Koloko are rotation caliber players for a title contender.

(3) Rui Hachimura is their best two-way role player. Cam Reddish is mediocre. A so-so defender with bad offense. C Wood has not fit in at all.

They need to use their far off draft picks and maybe Reaves / Knecht to better configure their supporting cast. If they do that, they could become a title contender again. Not before then.

I'm definitely not picking them to win it all, but they do have a pretty solid top-6 in their rotation (Davis, Bron, Russell, Knecht, Hachimura, Reaves) and then someone like Hayes is fine as a 9th or 10th guy off the bench. If they fill in a rotation vet and squeeze 8th man performance out of someone like Reddish or Christie, it can work in the playoffs.

Something will likely give, either with the lack of defense or dealing with any type of injuries, but the top line scoring is pretty up there: those 6 guys average about as much scoring as our own top 6 right now and with a very similar distribution.

I'd be more worried about the usual: Davis never finishes a season healthy and LeBron is about to turn 40.

[SparzWizard]

Celtics playing very little games these next couple of weeks. Two days off, then one game (Raptors), two days off, and another game (Cavs), and two days off before another game (Wizards). THen they get a Saturday off before a b2b at home and then 3 days off. Interesting stretch

[Birdman]

New Orleans team looks like a G league lineup

[Birdman]

Philadelphia look like a cluster who know what..reminds me of Brooklyn team with Kyrie, Durant & Harden

[celticinorlando]

Paul George contract already looks awful.

[Birdman]

Paul George contract already looks awful.

No way I would had signed him for that especially at his age and injuries history

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
3m
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has sustained a wrist injury and is expected to miss time, sources tell ESPN.

[Atzar]

What a brutal year for injuries so far. 

[Redz]

Solid  OKC debut for Hartenstein last night.

[kraidstar]

Philadelphia look like a cluster who know what..reminds me of Brooklyn team with Kyrie, Durant & Harden

That first Brooklyn team was good enough to win a title but things definitely deteriorated after that. They lacked the long, athletic, physical support guys who defend,  grab loose balls, fight around screens, etc. In short they were slow.

This Philly team looks similar in that regard. I know they haven't technically given up a ton of points, but they do have a lot of old, slow, undersized, or unathletic guys.

Oubre doesn't defend. Yabusele has physical limitations. Maxey is short. Lowry is short and very old. George is old and worn down by years of injuries. Gordon is old. Drummond is lumbering.

Martin is solid and I don't know enough about McCain to comment aside from the fact that he's only 6-3.

And Embiid has visibly declined. He doesn't move great nowadays. At least not consistently.

The Sixers are on BIG trouble. They're a lot like the bucks, actually,  but at least Dame is usually available and is pretty clutch with his outside shots.

[Phantom255x]

The Bucks are actually starting to gain some momentum. They are still 6-9 but now up to the 10th seed (play-in range) and the way the East is set up, they are a winning streak away from basically vaulting to a Top-5 spot.

Sixers are doomed though.

Idk about the Pacers, I thought they'd be a Top-5 seed but they just look very inconsistent and it's the same with Haliburton. Hard to gauge them.

Cleveland, New York and Boston seem to be the rightful Top-3 and I view those two as our biggest threats in the East currently. Originally thought it'd be NY, IND and PHI (if healthy)

[kraidstar]

The Bucks are actually starting to gain some momentum. They are still 6-9 but now up to the 10th seed (play-in range) and the way the East is set up, they are a winning streak away from basically vaulting to a Top-5 spot.

Sixers are doomed though.

Idk about the Pacers, I thought they'd be a Top-5 seed but they just look very inconsistent and it's the same with Haliburton. Hard to gauge them.

Cleveland, New York and Boston seem to be the rightful Top-3 and I view those two as our biggest threats in the East currently. Originally thought it'd be NY, IND and PHI (if healthy)

Yeah. Bucks have also been playing an easy schedule lately. I expected them to start climbing the standings. But they still have some significant underlying problems that should get exposed against better teams.

I think the Pacers will figure it out. If Haliburton is healthy. He hasn't looked great

[SparzWizard]

Joel Embiid claps back at Maxey, wasn't pleased who was leaking those things.

Tensions grow in Philly

[Phantom255x]

Joel Embiid claps back at Maxey, wasn't pleased who was leaking those things.

Tensions grow in Philly

Paul George meanwhile just did a podcast talking about it too.

Like this is hilarious lol. What a mess in Philly.

And the sad thing is, Embiid seems to care more about the social media and wondering who leaked the meeting information rather than actually playing games and winning