Imagine having had to play with the Timberwolves all year, and remembering the Timberwolves performance in the playoffs last year... Now imagine that all you had to do to get out of playing in the playoffs with them this year was break your hand. Who isn't punching a wall or two?
I think this is the way. Have the Lakers win their series with Memphis, but with life-sucking 40 minute games for Lebron. Then spring Wiggs and Kuminga on him. :)
I am not as afraid of LAL as some seem to be. With our new defensive perimeter players (GPII and Wiggs), the only guys that can really destroy us are Lebron and Davis. Let Davis go for 30 on mediocre efficiency, exhaust Lebron, and try to keep the rest of the team under control.
I'd have to watch more puppies games (not gonna happen), but does Finch usually spend entire games with his ass glued to the bench? I'm also not re-watching that debacle that some will claim was a basketball game, but it seems like there was a serious "whelp, this is what we've got and there ain't a damn thing I can do about, so I'm just gonna sit here and watch the shit-show" vibe from what Minnesota calls coaching. My eyetest said there didn't seem to be much active coaching going on.
I'mma need to re-watch Game 4 of last years finals to cleanse my spiritual palette.
As others have said we are so blessed to generally watch good basketball and as a bonus it is also usually entertaining even when it isn't being executed particularly well .
I thought he was standing often enough. But other than that, it was striking to see Minnesota run the same actions that weren't getting any looks at all over and over again and see him pacing the sidelines looking... unruffled? Not sure exactly what I'd call it.
It was classic 'do the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.' I believe that's the definition of either madness or stupidity - maybe both. Did not work the first time & they were stupid enough to think it would work after two dozen more times. Whatever it was is not getting Finch a second head coaching job. If not for Minnesota, he would never have gotten his first one.
Lakers and Wolves, the game you've just played is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever seen. At no point in your rambling, incoherent play were you even close to anything that could be considered an actual NBA game. Everyone in this chatroom is now dumber for having watched it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
It's one reason why I was pissed we lost those games lol. Also to be fair to Min, they were playing some pretty good passing defense and a few of their steals looked similar to the things they did playing us
I’m very pleased by a Lakers v Memphis matchup. I actually hope LBJ & AD beat down Memphis, well at least for the first two games, but then it evens out and goes to 7 games where Lakers close it out, dance on their logo and chant RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. And then have no hamstrings for our potential match up
I'd love 7, but I personally think unfortunately Grizz in 5, even without Adams.
Who does LAL have to prevent Ja from . . . doing absolutely anything he wants? Ja is assuredly not going to play like Anthony Edwards, (not drive, and just jack up bad threes). Those double teams that left all the MN shooters open anyway won't work against him. This is the series where we find out whether Pelinka is actually the genius everyone apparently suddenly thinks he is or whether LeBron just finally got healthy for a month and a half. As part of Pelinka's "brilliant" reworking of the Lakers he and "defensive guru" Darvin Ham literally ran off noted Ja-stopper (5 of 8 games Ja v. Beverly is under 35 percent fg and only once over 43) and hardcore 16-game-player Patrick Beverley in return for . . . Mo Bamba?
LAL also doesn't have a single legit point guard to handle the ball against one of the better on-ball playoff defensive teams of the last 10 years and the 5th best team defense this year, with the length and strength to make Lebron work really, really hard to get his. If LAL runs offense like they did last night they could have 30 turnovers in the first half of game 1.
And I think most NBA teams have realized by now that the way to neutralize AD is get physical with him early. MN almost won despite playing like a bad junior high team in the 4th quarter because AD got an owie on his shoulder early in the third and stepped six feet further out from the basket for a quarter and a half. There was no sign of an actual real injury when he started to assert himself again in the 4th and KAT hit him in the ribs on a drive. At which point he went back mostly to fading to the three point line again for 10 minutes because "mom, the bad man hit me." There's no world in which a Taylor Jenkins coached team won't use AD as a speed bag (and then troll him mercilessly in post-game press conferences).
Finally, Lebron (particularly) and AD looked awfully old and tired in overtime. Memphis will not bail them out by taking their foot off the pedal like MN did.
A Dub victory over either Memphis/Lakers would be sweet. But a loss... I'd prefer a loss due to injury (Toronto Finals) over a loss due to whistle (Cavs Final.) I might prefer to play Memphis... but an accidentally injury (Klay/Durant) is not nearly as bad as a purposeful injury (GP2) so I can clearly not chose the wine glass in front of you.
Darvin Ham said the Lakers chose to prioritize Anthony Edwards defensively, and did effectively limit him to really tough attempts, as he went 3 for 17.
LAL did pay in other ways, giving up open shots elsewhere that Minnesota punished them with, up until the 4th Q and OT.
At least we won’t have to see a team stacked with big men and Naz Reid for next two rounds. Wolves are dookie but they really did give us match up troubles.
If the Lakers make it to 6 games against the Grizzlies, it will be an achievement.
The Lakers do not have a defensive answer for Ja Morant. Not. One. Not to mention they still give up a ton of open 3’s.
And offensively, their execution is complete garbage. They make the stupidest turnovers under no pressure and the dumbest decisions. If the Grizzlies D is even half as good as what they showed against us last year, the Lakers will be lucky to crack 100 points in any game in the series.
I think you are underestimating the Lakers size. With Adams and Brandon Clarke out, they've got Xavier Tillman and JJJ to deal with Davis and Vanderbilt.
If JJJ has his hands full with Davis, he's going to be much less effective on defense, I think.
If you stopped watching when Minnesota was up... you missed the part of the game that shows you why the Grizzlies are probably going to sweep the Lakers... both teams were trash, but Minny's play initiators were completely useless.
LeBron bobbling the ball out of bounds... the Lakers turning the ball over twice in late game SLOB situations (and having to take a timeout to avoid a 5-second turnover on another time)... there's absolutely non-transitive failures in sports... but the end of game was filled with transitive ones too.
LeBron was drafted in the same year as Willie Green (and Luke Walton and Zaza and Barbosa and David West). EDIT: My fault, Memphis was the 7th-worst, leaped up to 2nd, but had to give their pick to Detroit, who of course took Darko.
What an awful game! Wouldn't be worried about either team moving forward. T'wolves don't make a bucket in the last 6:01 of regulation (their only points were the three Conley FTs with 0.1 second left after the stupid foul by AD) and then only get an Ant Man dunk and layup in OT. 3 turnovers in the last 6 minutes of regulation and 4 turnovers in OT.
And the Lakers weren't much better. They kept clanking up open shots and had two late-game turnovers on inbounds plays after timeouts.
Grizz are probably thrilled to be playing the Lakers - maybe they can thump their chests bigly as they show complete disrespect for LeBron, and then wonder what happened to them once the Dubs come to town. And I'm guessing Denver must be rooting for the Wolves in the final play-in game since they simply don't have what it takes to win on the big stage.
Imagine having had to play with the Timberwolves all year, and remembering the Timberwolves performance in the playoffs last year... Now imagine that all you had to do to get out of playing in the playoffs with them this year was break your hand. Who isn't punching a wall or two?
At least Bron played 45 mins. And the first game was good.
I think this is the way. Have the Lakers win their series with Memphis, but with life-sucking 40 minute games for Lebron. Then spring Wiggs and Kuminga on him. :)
I am not as afraid of LAL as some seem to be. With our new defensive perimeter players (GPII and Wiggs), the only guys that can really destroy us are Lebron and Davis. Let Davis go for 30 on mediocre efficiency, exhaust Lebron, and try to keep the rest of the team under control.
Vanderbilt seems like just the kind of guy who kills us. And while DLo has lit us up the last couple games, he doesn't scare me.
I'd have to watch more puppies games (not gonna happen), but does Finch usually spend entire games with his ass glued to the bench? I'm also not re-watching that debacle that some will claim was a basketball game, but it seems like there was a serious "whelp, this is what we've got and there ain't a damn thing I can do about, so I'm just gonna sit here and watch the shit-show" vibe from what Minnesota calls coaching. My eyetest said there didn't seem to be much active coaching going on.
I'mma need to re-watch Game 4 of last years finals to cleanse my spiritual palette.
As others have said we are so blessed to generally watch good basketball and as a bonus it is also usually entertaining even when it isn't being executed particularly well .
I thought he was standing often enough. But other than that, it was striking to see Minnesota run the same actions that weren't getting any looks at all over and over again and see him pacing the sidelines looking... unruffled? Not sure exactly what I'd call it.
It was classic 'do the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.' I believe that's the definition of either madness or stupidity - maybe both. Did not work the first time & they were stupid enough to think it would work after two dozen more times. Whatever it was is not getting Finch a second head coaching job. If not for Minnesota, he would never have gotten his first one.
Time for Dillon Brooks to get a taste of that Bron + Reaves whistle…
Reaves did not get a whistle tonight… he was pretty invisible
As it should be.
And the children and the creatures of the earth were spared the atrocity of his foul-baiting superpowers, amen.
Finally got home and watched the twolves blow the chance at my perfect west bracket, oh well I think the Grizzlies are gonna beat them anyways.
We are all dumber for having seen this game.
Forgive me if I may...
Lakers and Wolves, the game you've just played is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever seen. At no point in your rambling, incoherent play were you even close to anything that could be considered an actual NBA game. Everyone in this chatroom is now dumber for having watched it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
I choose Flopping Ethics!
I hope the Warriors watched the Heat-Hawks game instead. The Hawks were swooping in and grabbing a ton of rebounds in that game.
Capela was a rebounding machine. He's a player I've always coveted for the Dubs.
We lost to the Lakers three times in the regular season. Were they this bad or better then? Or were we just bad?
It's one reason why I was pissed we lost those games lol. Also to be fair to Min, they were playing some pretty good passing defense and a few of their steals looked similar to the things they did playing us
That was all us.
how many times was with gp2 and wigs? Steph couldve been out a game too.
We were ugly
I would actually peg the Lakers as slight favorites over Memphis - with the whistle the Lakers get, JJJ is fouling out of every single game.
Their whistle is strong, but Memphis should put them down in 6.
In playoff refs whistle different
Those whistles disappear a bit in the playoffs tho...
I’m very pleased by a Lakers v Memphis matchup. I actually hope LBJ & AD beat down Memphis, well at least for the first two games, but then it evens out and goes to 7 games where Lakers close it out, dance on their logo and chant RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. And then have no hamstrings for our potential match up
I'd love 7, but I personally think unfortunately Grizz in 5, even without Adams.
Who does LAL have to prevent Ja from . . . doing absolutely anything he wants? Ja is assuredly not going to play like Anthony Edwards, (not drive, and just jack up bad threes). Those double teams that left all the MN shooters open anyway won't work against him. This is the series where we find out whether Pelinka is actually the genius everyone apparently suddenly thinks he is or whether LeBron just finally got healthy for a month and a half. As part of Pelinka's "brilliant" reworking of the Lakers he and "defensive guru" Darvin Ham literally ran off noted Ja-stopper (5 of 8 games Ja v. Beverly is under 35 percent fg and only once over 43) and hardcore 16-game-player Patrick Beverley in return for . . . Mo Bamba?
LAL also doesn't have a single legit point guard to handle the ball against one of the better on-ball playoff defensive teams of the last 10 years and the 5th best team defense this year, with the length and strength to make Lebron work really, really hard to get his. If LAL runs offense like they did last night they could have 30 turnovers in the first half of game 1.
And I think most NBA teams have realized by now that the way to neutralize AD is get physical with him early. MN almost won despite playing like a bad junior high team in the 4th quarter because AD got an owie on his shoulder early in the third and stepped six feet further out from the basket for a quarter and a half. There was no sign of an actual real injury when he started to assert himself again in the 4th and KAT hit him in the ribs on a drive. At which point he went back mostly to fading to the three point line again for 10 minutes because "mom, the bad man hit me." There's no world in which a Taylor Jenkins coached team won't use AD as a speed bag (and then troll him mercilessly in post-game press conferences).
Finally, Lebron (particularly) and AD looked awfully old and tired in overtime. Memphis will not bail them out by taking their foot off the pedal like MN did.
A Dub victory over either Memphis/Lakers would be sweet. But a loss... I'd prefer a loss due to injury (Toronto Finals) over a loss due to whistle (Cavs Final.) I might prefer to play Memphis... but an accidentally injury (Klay/Durant) is not nearly as bad as a purposeful injury (GP2) so I can clearly not chose the wine glass in front of you.
Unexpected Princess Bride reference. Nice.
Darvin Ham said the Lakers chose to prioritize Anthony Edwards defensively, and did effectively limit him to really tough attempts, as he went 3 for 17.
LAL did pay in other ways, giving up open shots elsewhere that Minnesota punished them with, up until the 4th Q and OT.
https://twitter.com/lakersreporter/status/1646020133750722560
Yeah, I think their trapping messed with Edwards and he/ the team didn't adjust and get Ant running with an opening
At least we won’t have to see a team stacked with big men and Naz Reid for next two rounds. Wolves are dookie but they really did give us match up troubles.
That foul by Davis on Conley’s three that sent game to OT…would the ref have called it if that was Steph instead of Conley?
Calling a foul for Curry on Davis on a last second game tying three? Hmmm...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DySFnBSUsrs
Yup, and Steph had two Pelicans falling on him. No call.
Steph fell on them... what are you talking about? He's lucky that wasn't an offensive foul
Clearly a foul on Curry. A flagrant 1 maybe for making the shot too. Total disrespect.
I'm disgusted that the Lakers are the 7 seed lol, when I stopped watching Minnesota was up double digits halfway through the third quarter. Hurts.
Oh well, we'll see them in the second round.
If the Lakers make it to 6 games against the Grizzlies, it will be an achievement.
The Lakers do not have a defensive answer for Ja Morant. Not. One. Not to mention they still give up a ton of open 3’s.
And offensively, their execution is complete garbage. They make the stupidest turnovers under no pressure and the dumbest decisions. If the Grizzlies D is even half as good as what they showed against us last year, the Lakers will be lucky to crack 100 points in any game in the series.
I think you are underestimating the Lakers size. With Adams and Brandon Clarke out, they've got Xavier Tillman and JJJ to deal with Davis and Vanderbilt.
If JJJ has his hands full with Davis, he's going to be much less effective on defense, I think.
If Memphis was at full strength, different story.
Anthony Davis parked in the paint will work well enough against Ja tho. But yeah, it'll be 103-98 type games.
If you stopped watching when Minnesota was up... you missed the part of the game that shows you why the Grizzlies are probably going to sweep the Lakers... both teams were trash, but Minny's play initiators were completely useless.
I don't believe in the transitive property in sports
Moving forward, old guys get more and more tired. Remember CP3 last year
LeBron bobbling the ball out of bounds... the Lakers turning the ball over twice in late game SLOB situations (and having to take a timeout to avoid a 5-second turnover on another time)... there's absolutely non-transitive failures in sports... but the end of game was filled with transitive ones too.
The Lakers basically reverted back to their beginning season form, it was uncanny
LeBron was drafted in the same year as Willie Green (and Luke Walton and Zaza and Barbosa and David West). EDIT: My fault, Memphis was the 7th-worst, leaped up to 2nd, but had to give their pick to Detroit, who of course took Darko.
And I like all of those guys except the first one.
What an awful game! Wouldn't be worried about either team moving forward. T'wolves don't make a bucket in the last 6:01 of regulation (their only points were the three Conley FTs with 0.1 second left after the stupid foul by AD) and then only get an Ant Man dunk and layup in OT. 3 turnovers in the last 6 minutes of regulation and 4 turnovers in OT.
And the Lakers weren't much better. They kept clanking up open shots and had two late-game turnovers on inbounds plays after timeouts.
Grizz are probably thrilled to be playing the Lakers - maybe they can thump their chests bigly as they show complete disrespect for LeBron, and then wonder what happened to them once the Dubs come to town. And I'm guessing Denver must be rooting for the Wolves in the final play-in game since they simply don't have what it takes to win on the big stage.
They've been hoping to end the reign of one of the faces of the league...
Sadly the NBA doesn’t deem Steph a face of the league
ANT played like A$$