2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[DJ]

I love how people are acting like Pelinka and Magic have destroyed the Lakers....they stepped into a bad situation and what did they do? They landed King James......sure, they didn't add a 2nd star or better complimentary pieces but it's not fixable? They aren't in salary cap Hell, they'd be fucked if they were.....they can do a lot this summer to make it a better situation next season.

Stop with the drama.....

 

[Hambombs]

Cha boy called 60 wins for the bucks this season

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Damn right, no defense, all offense. The team defense for the Cavs is brutal.

It took you 76 games to conclude that?

 

[tlance]

Still would have been a better option, imo. At least there would be some up and coming young talent to watch instead of 1 year place holders and 2 way players against the champs.

The game sucked.

But I am sure it got better ratings than Cleveland Sacto would have. Nobody outside of those cities wants to watch 2 non playoff teams this time of year unless there is a compelling story line (isn't one here).

At least there was the Warrior star power to draw from in that one. Defintely the right game to televise from a business standpoint.

I watched a bit of the first half. If Cleveland/Sacto was on, I would have been watching Netflix.

 

[bksballer89]

I love how people are acting like Pelinka and Magic have destroyed the Lakers....they stepped into a bad situation and what did they do? They landed King James......sure, they didn't add a 2nd star or better complimentary pieces but it's not fixable? They aren't in salary cap Hell, they'd be fucked if they were.....they can do a lot this summer to make it a better situation next season.

Stop with the drama.....

Magic has done a terrible job....

 

[DJ]

Magic has done a terrible job....

I'm not going to say he's done a great job but he's learning on the job as is Pelinka but landing the best player on the planet and having a lot of cap space means it isn't all Dooms Day like some are acting.....this offseason is crucial however.

 

[shopson67]

Magic has done a terrible job....

The only thing he screwed up was letting the AD negotiations go public (if that was even on him). The intent was for holdover free agents when George decided to stay and they couldn't get the Spurs to trade Kawhi to LA, and that's what they did. Regardless of whomever the surrounding pieces were, injuries to essentially their top 6 players was going to tank the season in some way.

 

[CitySushi]

The only thing he screwed up was letting the AD negotiations go public (if that was even on him). The intent was for holdover free agents when George decided to stay and they couldn't get the Spurs to trade Kawhi to LA, and that's what they did. Regardless of whomever the surrounding pieces were, injuries to essentially their top 6 players was going to tank the season in some way.

I've said repeatedly that I was holding off judgement of the Laker's "process" until this off-season. It was clear that based on their free agents signing large-ish one year contracts that they were intending to have a big splash this year. If, however, they strike out this year then that will be really bad for their situation.

Also I still think they could have landed better players on one year contracts that fit the actual game plan of going forward. IMO, it made no sense to go after other major ball handlers when you had the #2 overall pick from the previous year trying to make his mark. If this year was a throw-away year, you need to let certain guys develop.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I know nobody likes the defensive rating stat, but take a look at the worst ratings. An awful lot of starting Cavs, including Sexton, TT, and Cedi at #s 509, 510, and 511 in the league. Chriss at 499, Clarkson at 489, Payne at 488, Love at 483, etc. Worst in the league as a team, 28th in dreb, 29th in steals, last in blocks.

Of course, if a team isn't really trying, that would be most evident on the defensive side of the ball...

When the entire team plays bad defense pretty much every player is going to have a bad defensive rating stats, there are exceptions though. Most of the players are either young or not known for their defense and they got their coach fired. But really the Cavs haven't been that great of a defensive team the last couple years but this year it is bad. If you look at the teams with the worst record most have bad defenses and the players have bad defensive ratings as well.

Sometimes, it actually does look like they aren't playing defense or they look lost. I don't fault one player individually on this team, I fault the coach not preparing them and the team as a whole to playing consistently decent defense. The only player that knows what he is doing is David Nwaba.

 

[shopson67]

I've said repeatedly that I was holding off judgement of the Laker's "process" until this off-season. It was clear that based on their free agents signing large-ish one year contracts that they were intending to have a big splash this year. If, however, they strike out this year then that will be really bad for their situation.

Also I still think they could have landed better players on one year contracts that fit the actual game plan of going forward. IMO, it made no sense to go after other major ball handlers when you had the #2 overall pick from the previous year trying to make his mark. If this year was a throw-away year, you need to let certain guys develop.

That's all well and good, but there are limitations to who was actually available and willing to take a 1 year deal.

 

[shopson67]

When the entire team plays bad defense pretty much every player is going to have a bad defensive rating stats, there are exceptions though. Most of the players are either young or not known for their defense and they got their coach fired. But really the Cavs haven't been that great of a defensive team the last couple years but this year it is bad. If you look at the teams with the worst record most have bad defenses and the players have bad defensive ratings as well.

Sometimes, it actually does look like they aren't playing defense or they look lost. I don't fault one player individually on this team, I fault the coach not preparing them and the team as a whole to playing consistently decent defense. The only player that knows what he is doing is David Nwaba.

I liked Nwaba a lot when he was a Laker and a bit upset when they let him go, but his offense was pretty lacking back then. Has that improved at all?

 

[Shanemansj13]

It took you 76 games to conclude that?

Nope, been watching it all season but the Cavs will have a top pick to reward them for it

 

[Shanemansj13]

I'm not going to say he's done a great job but he's learning on the job as is Pelinka but landing the best player on the planet and having a lot of cap space means it isn't all Dooms Day like some are acting.....this offseason is crucial however.

Cap space does nothing for you if you pick up players on bad 1 year deals and guys that don't fit on the team. Having Lebron doesn't mean as much if you can't get another star around him. Magic and Pelinka didn't inherit anything good but they have been terrible...terrible.

 

[trojanfan12]

IMO, this was a humbling experience for Pelinka, Magic, and Lebron. I really believe that they bought into the mystique of the Lakers and Lebron way too much. They had a "if we build it they will come attitude" about free agents and that the rest of the league would demur to them.

Agree with much of this. I think Lebron thought that with adding his "brand" to that of the Lakers, they'd be able to just do what they wanted. I think that's why Klutch felt like they could just bully the Pels into giving them AD.

I don't think Magic and Pelinka wanted the AD thing to be done publicly like it was...but maybe Rich Paul and Lebron were able to convince them that it was the best way.

I also think that Magic and Pelinka thought that signing other top FA's was going to be as easy as getting Lebron appeared to be,

And who knows? Maybe it will be. There's a lot of speculation, but I haven't seen anything directly from a player. Just a lot of talking heads saying what they "think" or "hear" that players are going to do.

There's a lot of smoke, so there's likely a fire of some sort. But there's nothing directly from a player that I've seen.

This could all work out just fine if Klutch, Lebron, Magic and Pelinka are truly humbled and learned from what happened. You's think they would, but when ego's that size are involved...

Paul George should have been the first indicator to all of them that things aren't going to be that easy. And the AD fiasco hopefully, for their own sake, made it clear that they can't just run rough shod over the league.

Agree. PG said he felt like they didn't try hard enough to get him and I think that, if Magic and Pelinka were convinced by Klutch that going public was right, that may be part of why.

I mean, AD certainly can't say that the Lakers didn't try hard to get him. lol

 

[trojanfan12]

I've said repeatedly that I was holding off judgement of the Laker's "process" until this off-season. It was clear that based on their free agents signing large-ish one year contracts that they were intending to have a big splash this year. If, however, they strike out this year then that will be really bad for their situation.

Agree with this. Once PG stayed in OKC and the Lakers only landed Lebron, it really didn't matter who else they signed as they were never going to get the players they needed to contend anyway. That's why I laugh at people who complain about the roster as if that's who they were going to take down the Warriors with.

I understood the guys they signed for the most part. Rondo has done well mentoring young players and I think that's what the Lakers wanted him for, specifically Lonzo. McGee is an athletic big who was brought in for defense. He's actually performed the best out of the 1 year guys and I wouldn't mind him coming back.

Agree for the most part that them striking out won't be good. I don't think it'll be the "disaster" that some do, but it won't be good. If they don't get any FA's, but can stay healthy, they can still be a playoff team next year. That should give them enough of an improved look to be able to land someone next off-season or maybe trade for someone (quietly this time lol) during the season.

If they don't get what they need this off-season, then it will be imperative that Lebron at least act like he is bought in 100%. If he can't do that, then they should probably look at trading him for what they can get and move forward with the kids.

Kobe was essentially forced to do that after he had made some disparaging comments re: Andrew Bynum and looked like he wanted out. He went in to the season committed and the Lakers ended up looking much better than anyone thought, they got Pau during the season and went to 3 straight finals.

Also I still think they could have landed better players on one year contracts that fit the actual game plan of going forward. IMO, it made no sense to go after other major ball handlers when you had the #2 overall pick from the previous year trying to make his mark. If this year was a throw-away year, you need to let certain guys develop.

Maybe. Maybe not. Once they only got Lebron, they were, at best, a 2nd round exit no matter what 1 year place holders they signed. We're talking about a difference of maybe 3-5 games which may have meant the difference between a maybe a 6th seed and a 4th seed...but would still mean a 2nd round exit at best.

 

[trojanfan12]

Cap space does nothing for you if you pick up players on bad 1 year deals and guys that don't fit on the team. Having Lebron doesn't mean as much if you can't get another star around him. Magic and Pelinka didn't inherit anything good but they have been terrible...terrible.

No they haven't. They landed Lebron (which is the real issue you have in all of this) and they are the reason that there was cap space for 2 max level guys and they still have the space for 1 more. Considering what they walked into, those things alone mean they haven't done a terrible job.

Who they signed on 1 year place holding deals doesn't matter, no matter how much you want to think it does. Once the Lakers only got Lebron, they were never going to be better than a 2nd round exit, no matter what 1 year players they got. When you aren't a contender, your choices for guys who are willing to play for 1 year deals are pretty slim.

The injuries are what has ruined this season and Magic and Pelinka aren't responsible for those. The AD debacle sure as hell didn't help matters, but even without it, they weren't making the playoffs with the number of injuries they had.

 

[DJ]

Saw a Tweet that says Juwan Howard is the surprise betting fave to be the next Laker HC.....


Fuck no......please.

 

[DJ]

No they haven't. They landed Lebron (which is the real issue you have in all of this) and they are the reason that there was cap space for 2 max level guys and they still have the space for 1 more. Considering what they walked into, those things alone mean they haven't done a terrible job.

Who they signed on 1 year place holding deals doesn't matter, no matter how much you want to think it does. Once the Lakers only got Lebron, they were never going to be better than a 2nd round exit, no matter what 1 year players they got. When you aren't a contender, your choices for guys who are willing to play for 1 year deals are pretty slim.

The injuries are what has ruined this season and Magic and Pelinka aren't responsible for those. The AD debacle sure as hell didn't help matters, but even without it, they weren't making the playoffs with the number of injuries they had.

The Cavs fans can't understand this.

Over their heads.

 

[bksballer89]

Saw a Tweet that says Juwan Howard is the surprise betting fave to be the next Laker HC.....


Fuck no......please.

What do you have against Juwan Howard?

He has gone through the system correctly. This isn't some guy who was an announcer on ESPN/TNT and just handed a job

 

[DJ]

https://sportshoop.la/betting-exchange/lakers-vs-clippers.5274/