Lakers start tonight

[WiggyRuss]

@bksballer89 Heat had a gutsy game tonight-- they shot under 40% from the field and won. Prob because the Wiz were held to 26% from 3 and the Heat shot 34% from 3 and hit 12 three pointers.

In any game in the NBA on any given night- there is not a more important stat than 3 pt shooting nowadays. You want to predict the winner of a game- look at the 3 point shooting numbers.

Richardson with a nice bounce back game- 38 minutes, 5 hit 3's. Not a great % but when you hit 5 threes that can make up for a lot.

From what I read it seems like McGruder has earned playing time over T. Johnson and he showed why tonight.

 

[Inimical]

Lakers 23% from 3. Ingram 0/4. Kuzma 0/7.

Its obviously just one game- but when their "good" 3 point shooters dont shoot well- and no one picks up the slack- this is what will happen.

Lakers D actually held the Blazers to a respectable shooting %......44% from the field, 35% from 3.

Hart looked good and shot well.

Zach Collins with 6 blocks- Blazers with 10 blocks as a team. You cant let Nick Stauskas (of all people) go crazy.

No lakers d played good, did they have a historically bad 3 pt game? they were like 0-20

 

[WiggyRuss]

No lakers d played good, did they have a historically bad 3 pt game? they were like 0-20

7 for 30 on the game. That was with Hart having a great night going 3/5.

Kuzma and Ingram going 0/11 was rough.

Also- LeBron was the Heat's best rebounder in Miami and that took a toll on him I think. In Cleveland he had elite rebounders like Love and TT around him. On this Lakers team- he looks like he has to get a ton of rebounds again and is probably the teams best rebounder. Thats not ideal.

The Lakers do have good rebounding guards like Rondo and Ball- but their front court rebounding is just not that great. You dont want to have to rely on JaVale Mcgee.

 

[Inimical]

7 for 30 on the game. That was with Hart having a great night going 3/5.

Kuzma and Ingram going 0/11 was rough.

Also- LeBron was the Heat's best rebounder in Miami and that took a toll on him I think. In Cleveland he had elite rebounders like Love and TT around him. On this Lakers team- he looks like he has to get a ton of rebounds again and is probably the teams best rebounder. Thats not ideal.

The Lakers do have good rebounding guards like Rondo and Ball- but their front court rebounding is just not that great. You dont want to have to rely on JaVale Mcgee.

I watched very closely. Couple things, the Lakers didnt look like a complete team, as if they didnt have all the x's and o's down.
Lakers 3 ball was "god damn" lol
I thought they played extremely well but Portland just mad alot of crazy inside shot, least 5 times i was like damn


Not worried at all, i wouldn't be surprised if they spanked houston, cause honestly if they hit a few more threes, they win nicely.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I watched very closely. Couple things, the Lakers didnt look like a complete team, as if they didnt have all the x's and o's down.
Lakers 3 ball was "god damn" lol
I thought they played extremely well but Portland just mad alot of crazy inside shot, least 5 times i was like damn


Not worried at all, i wouldn't be surprised if they spanked houston, cause honestly if they hit a few more threes, they win nicely.

that will be an interesting game tomorrow night.

The Rockets dont have the bigs to punish the Lakers lack of size in the front court. I am sure the Rockets arent happy about getting killed in their first game though.

Carmelo looked like crap in his first game.

 

[Inimical]

that will be an interesting game tomorrow night.

The Rockets dont have the bigs to punish the Lakers lack of size in the front court. I am sure the Rockets arent happy about getting killed in their first game though.

Carmelo looked like crap in his first game.

they can win, i feel the Lakers core is being underestimated. I was so happy to see Brandon ball up. In fact i feel like no one ploayed bad but damn, they missed so many shots. Lots of open 3's

 

[Inimical]

that will be an interesting game tomorrow night.

The Rockets dont have the bigs to punish the Lakers lack of size in the front court. I am sure the Rockets arent happy about getting killed in their first game though.

Carmelo looked like crap in his first game.

If you really look at it, the Lakers have a ton of size at the guards, you will be surprised .

 

[bksballer89]

Compared to the east? West had always been the tougher route. Heat and wizards played tonight. This team easily beats both of them. Not gonna say no easier games beside kings. but definitely more in east

You totally missed my point kid.....

 

[WiggyRuss]

The difference in this game is simply the 3 ball.

Portland is +24 from 3.

the 3 ball is usually the difference in most games in the NBA nowadays.

 

[WiggyRuss]

If you really look at it, the Lakers have a ton of size at the guards, you will be surprised .

oh yah thats why i said they had some good rebounding guards- i was saying they lack size in the front court- not the back court-- well unless you want to count guys like McGee, Zubac and Wagner as viable players.

 

[Yo Tee]

The 2018-19 Los Angeles Lakers are overrated. I've said this all offseason long.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You totally missed my point kid.....

Suns, Mavs, are not exactly great - both are young teams that will struggle and while they might not be "easy" wins- any team that has aspirations to be a contender should beat them with regularity.

The Clippers and Grizz are not exactly great either.

In the East there are more "easy" teams I guess- but not a ton more.

The Nets have improved.

The only truly bad teams in the East seem to be the Hawks and Knicks if you ask me.

The Cavs, Pistons, Nets, Magic and Hornets are not great- but they are not pushovers either.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The 2018-19 Los Angeles Lakers are overrated. I've said this all offseason long.

they lack depth at rebounding and shooting. Two things you dont want to lack in todays NBA.

Ball-handlers are a dime a dozen in todays NBA.

 

[Yo Tee]

they lack depth at rebounding and shooting. Two things you dont want to lack in todays NBA.

Ball-handlers are a dime a dozen in todays NBA.

While LeBron severely upgrades the Lakers, I never thought of them as a NBA title contender in the first year. Maybe year 2 or 3, but not right away.

 

[Yo Tee]

The Lakers went 0-15 from 3 before they made one. You can't do that and expect to win the game. I mean Kuzma and Ingram were 1-11 from 3. It's the first game and they will get better but they need to fix whatever it was that was fundamentally wrong with their game.

 

[WiggyRuss]

While LeBron severely upgrades the Lakers, I never thought of them as a NBA title contender in the first year. Maybe year 2 or 3, but not right away.

I think most people agree with that.

The real question is- will they be a legit playoff team- as in a 4, 5 or 6 seed, or will they struggle to get a 7 or 8?

 

[Yo Tee]

I think most people agree with that.

The real question is- will they be a legit playoff team- as in a 4, 5 or 6 seed, or will they struggle to get a 7 or 8?

I wouldn't be surprised if they are in the 5, 6 seed range this year.

 

[bksballer89]

Suns, Mavs, are not exactly great - both are young teams that will struggle and while they might not be "easy" wins- any team that has aspirations to be a contender should beat them with regularity.

Yep that was my point. Had absolutely nothing to do with the East lol.

Had to do with the fact that I don't think the Suns, Mavs, or Grizzlies are all bad teams as well

 

[WiggyRuss]

Adrian Woj. seems to think that the chances that Kawhi is either a Clipper or Raptor for Game 1 next year are very very high and that any other team has little more than a very small chance to attract him.

 

[gordontrue]

that will be an interesting game tomorrow night.

The Rockets dont have the bigs to punish the Lakers lack of size in the front court. I am sure the Rockets arent happy about getting killed in their first game though.

Carmelo looked like crap in his first game.

Yeah I think it kind of sucks for the Lakers that the Pelicans took the Rockets to the woodshed.

You know Houston is going to be locked in looking to show something after that game.