Series Thread: 1st Round: LA Lakers vs Portland Trailblazers

[WiggyRuss]

I look at some of these teams- and to be honest- i think the Blazers and Lakers might be 2 of the, if not the most, top heavy teams in the league.

I look at the Blazers and i see 3 players who are solidly above average players- Lillard, McCollum and Nurkic.

I look at the Lakers and seriously only see 2- LeBron and AD - can you say Kuzma is solidly above average? ehhhh Green?

The Bucks id say have Bledsoe, Middleton, Giannis, Lopez.
The Celtics have Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Heyward, Smart--- 5
Philly has 4 or 5-- Harris, Horford, Embiid, Simmons and maybe Richardson
Raptors--- Lowry, Gasol, Siakam, Ibaka------ and of course McCaw lol --OG? yes? no?
Pacers are loaded if healthy--- Turner, Sabonis, Warren, Oladipo and Brogdon are all well above average players---- but with Oladipo not clicking yet and Sabonis out they are not what they could be
Utah- Gobert, Conley, Mitchell, Ingles
Rockets might be the only team with their whole starting lineup- though RW being out kills them.

 

[trojanfan12]

thats some major hyperbole.

Golden State was better when they upset the Mavs- the Knicks were better--- the West almost always has a good team in the 8 seed.


The Blazers are good but lets keep in mind they were just fighting their balls off with the Grizz and Suns for the last playoff spot. LAst year the Clippers won 48 games as the 8th seed- year before Minne won 47. The '13-'14 Mavs were the 8th seed- and won 49 games and were a helluva team. The RW/Durant Thunder, when they were young, won 50 games and were the 8th seed and pushed the eventual NBA Champion Lakers to 6 games.


the Blazers are good but this is a team that starts Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. Who is their best bench player? Gary Trent Jr? Their bench is ATROCIOUS.


they have 3 players who are at least solidly above average NBA players.

Those are some solid points. Maybe the Blazers are a little overhyped because of Dame and how much fun they are.

I made the point in this or another thread that they had to have Dame go for 61, 51 and 42 points to barely beat some pretty average teams.

That doesn't bode well for them against good teams.

 

[tlance]

thats some major hyperbole.

Golden State was better when they upset the Mavs- the Knicks were better--- the West almost always has a good team in the 8 seed.


The Blazers are good but lets keep in mind they were just fighting their balls off with the Grizz and Suns for the last playoff spot. LAst year the Clippers won 48 games as the 8th seed- year before Minne won 47. The '13-'14 Mavs were the 8th seed- and won 49 games and were a helluva team. The RW/Durant Thunder, when they were young, won 50 games and were the 8th seed and pushed the eventual NBA Champion Lakers to 6 games.


the Blazers are good but this is a team that starts Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins. Who is their best bench player? Gary Trent Jr? Their bench is ATROCIOUS.


they have 3 players who are at least solidly above average NBA players.

I disagree.

The Blazers made the WCF last year and I think the bubble version might be better than last year’s team.

No, they don’t have much depth. But Lillard and CJ are unguardable and Nurkic is a really good 3rd.

Melo has actually been really good in his role, Trent is a good 3 point specialist to play off the 2 guards and if they had Ariza and Hood, there would be no depth issues.

The “we believe Warriors” just got hot at the right time and happened to match up well with the no defense playing Mavericks. The really weren’t anything special.

The Knicks underachieved greatly during the strike shortened season and figured it out at the right moment in the weak post Jordan East. They might have been the best 8 of all time, but I think this Blazers team is comparable

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Blazers without F Collins for Game 1 vs. Lakers

 

[bksballer89]

Blazers without F Collins for Game 1 vs. Lakers

This isn't a terrible thing

 

[trojanfan12]

This isn't a terrible thing

Doesn't help much either. They were probably counting on him to get in AD's way a little.

 

[bksballer89]

Doesn't help much either. They were probably counting on him to get in AD's way a little.

His replacement is solid on defense and IMO he is more athletic to stay with AD. Probably can't bring much to the table on offense as Collins have but he may help their defense

 

[DJ]

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

The Hyperbole over this Blazers team has gotten out of control.

We are suddenly annoiting this (35-39) 8 seed as the greatest one ever assembled.

They have some talent yes.
They played well in the bubble (as did SA/PHX fighting for the 8 seed vs. mostly non-interested playoff teams resting)
Sure, they might be able to take advantage of this neutral court rather than a hostile LA court.

But, there is a reason they are an 8 seed.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

His replacement is solid on defense and IMO he is more athletic to stay with AD. Probably can't bring much to the table on offense as Collins have but he may help their defense

The guy replacing him in the starting lineup is Wenyen Gabriel.

So far he hasn’t scored a single point against the Lakers.

1 assist, 1 block, 2 rebounds, 7 fouls in a total of 18 minutes over two games this season.

AD is going to humiliate him...

 

[bksballer89]

The guy replacing him in the starting lineup is Wenyen Gabriel.

So far he hasn’t scored a single point against the Lakers.

1 assist, 1 block, 2 rebounds, 7 fouls in a total of 18 minutes over two games this season.

AD is going to humiliate him...

He has size and speed which is what is needed to try and contain AD. Basically he isnt big and slow like Nurk and Hassan....and i think he's a little more athletic than Collins

He started the last game these two played and Portland one. If Ad need low to mid 20s shot attempts to score 30 something points then a solid job was done

 

[tlance]

The Hyperbole over this Blazers team has gotten out of control.

We are suddenly annoiting this (35-39) 8 seed as the greatest one ever assembled.

They have some talent yes.
They played well in the bubble (as did SA/PHX fighting for the 8 seed vs. mostly non-interested playoff teams resting)
Sure, they might be able to take advantage of this neutral court rather than a hostile LA court.

But, there is a reason they are an 8 seed.

No man.

We are saying they are one of the greatest 8 seeds ever.

8 seeds usually suck.

That is a pretty low bar.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Hyperbole over this Blazers team has gotten out of control.

We are suddenly annoiting this (35-39) 8 seed as the greatest one ever assembled.

They have some talent yes.
They played well in the bubble (as did SA/PHX fighting for the 8 seed vs. mostly non-interested playoff teams resting)
Sure, they might be able to take advantage of this neutral court rather than a hostile LA court.

But, there is a reason they are an 8 seed.

thank you.

a team that starts Carmelo Anthony and Zach Collins, and who's best bench player is Gary Trent Jr., and who's second best bench player is anyone's guess because i sure as hell dont see one- is just not that great.

Dame is prob somewhere around the 8th-12th best player in the league. McCollum MIGHT be a top 30 player- prob more likely top 40.

the lack of any kind of real wing talent is what hurts them in a league where wing players that can do a lot of different things are absolutely critical.

 

[WiggyRuss]

No man.

We are saying they are one of the greatest 8 seeds ever.

8 seeds usually suck.

That is a pretty low bar.

"suck"

maybe in the East

in the West the 8th seeds almost always win 45+ games---- a lot of them almost break 50 wins. Last year the 8th seed one 48 games. A team that wins 48 games in the West does not "suck".

 

[tlance]

"suck"

maybe in the East

in the West the 8th seeds almost always win 45+ games---- a lot of them almost break 50 wins. Last year the 8th seed one 48 games. A team that wins 48 games in the West does not "suck".

And I am saying that this year’s healthy Blazers team is better than most of those.

Also, pretty rare that the 8 seed wins that many.

 

[WiggyRuss]

And I am saying that this year’s healthy Blazers team is better than most of those.

Also, pretty rare that the 8 seed wins that many.

18-19: 48 wins Clips
17-18: 47 win Twolves
16-17: 41 win Blazers
15-16: 41 win Rockets
14-15: 45 win Pels
13-14: 49 win Mavs took #1 seed Spurs to 7 games
12-13: 45 win Rockets
11-12: 36 win Jazz (strike shortened) (Al Jefferson, Paul Milsap, Gordon Heyward, Favors, Devin Harris)
10-11: 46 win Grizzlies (Randolph, Gay, Conley, Gasol, Tony Allen, Battier, Mayo)
9-10: 50 win Thunder (young Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Jeff Green, Sefolosha) took eventual Champ Lakers to 6 games.


These are the last ten "8 seeds" in the West.

Id say the Blazers would DEFINITELY be behind the Mavs and Thunder, and should be behind the Grizz and Jazz.....the 12-13 Rockets are probably close as well.

So, in the last 11 years id say they are probably around the 5th or 6th best 8 seed in their conference (absolutely no better than the 4th).

no way in HELL are they one of the "best 8 seeds ever".

 

[WiggyRuss]

the Blazers had a losing record--- and i know Nurkic was hurt and how he is an astronomical upgrade over Whiteside, but a losing record is a losing record. That- and Dame and McCollum were both very lucky/healthy injury wise all season. Neither one missed many games.

 

[tlance]

18-19: 48 wins Clips
17-18: 47 win Twolves
16-17: 41 win Blazers
15-16: 41 win Rockets
14-15: 45 win Pels
13-14: 49 win Mavs took #1 seed Spurs to 7 games
12-13: 45 win Rockets
11-12: 36 win Jazz (strike shortened) (Al Jefferson, Paul Milsap, Gordon Heyward, Favors, Devin Harris)
10-11: 46 win Grizzlies (Randolph, Gay, Conley, Gasol, Tony Allen, Battier, Mayo)
9-10: 50 win Thunder (young Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Jeff Green, Sefolosha) took eventual Champ Lakers to 6 games.


These are the last ten "8 seeds" in the West.

Id say the Blazers would DEFINITELY be behind the Mavs and Thunder, and should be behind the Grizz and Jazz.....the 12-13 Rockets are probably close as well.

So, in the last 11 years id say they are probably around the 5th or 6th best 8 seed in their conference (absolutely no better than the 4th).

no way in HELL are they one of the "best 8 seeds ever".

I disagree.

But we will know soon enough.

If they push the Lakers to the brink, then the hype was warranted. If they sputter out in 5 or less then it was just unfounded hype based off a small sample hot streak.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Those are some solid points. Maybe the Blazers are a little overhyped because of Dame and how much fun they are.

I made the point in this or another thread that they had to have Dame go for 61, 51 and 42 points to barely beat some pretty average teams.

That doesn't bode well for them against good teams.

yah Dame and McCollum are both great players- but they both were very healthy all year- and they were 35-39.

the team is just not that deep and is very untalented on the wings- and having good wing players is just crucial in todays game.

Nurkic is a good player but he is not a special player- he cant stretch the floor.

they lost a lot of talent from last year- especially on the wing--- Harkless, Tutner, Hood, Aminu were all guys that were versatile and could make plays and had the length and athleticism to play some defense.

Kanter is gone who played well for them in the post season. Seth Curry is gone.

the guts of last years team that went as far as it did were all let go. Aminu is especially a big loss since he could have actually done a decent job on Davis. Harkless, Hood and Turner were at least bodies that could be thrown at Lebron.




the simple fact is that Carmelo Anthony is going to be guarding LeBron and Zach Collins is going to be guarding Anthony Davis- when last year it would have likely been Aminu and Harkless.

 

[trojanfan12]

yah Dame and McCollum are both great players- but they both were very healthy all year- and they were 35-39.

the team is just not that deep and is very untalented on the wings- and having good wing players is just crucial in todays game.

Nurkic is a good player but he is not a special player- he cant stretch the floor.

they lost a lot of talent from last year- especially on the wing--- Harkless, Tutner, Hood, Aminu were all guys that were versatile and could make plays and had the length and athleticism to play some defense.

Kanter is gone who played well for them in the post season. Seth Curry is gone.

the guts of last years team that went as far as it did were all let go. Aminu is especially a big loss since he could have actually done a decent job on Davis. Harkless, Hood and Turner were at least bodies that could be thrown at Lebron.




the simple fact is that Carmelo Anthony is going to be guarding LeBron and Zach Collins is going to be guarding Anthony Davis- when last year it would have likely been Aminu and Harkless.

Agree.

We know Dame can and will go off, especially with no Bradley or Rondo.
But no Ariza also hurts the Blazers. He was all they had to try and limit Lebron.

As you point out, they don't have much depth, so they can't really take advantage of the Lakers lack of depth.

The makes the series about each teams best players.

Lebron and AD are better than Dame and CJ.