2019-2020 Official Regular Season Thread

[True Lakers Fan]

So first you say you looked at stats when regular season stats are all you have to look at, now you say the regular season means nothing.

There is a difference between getting swept in the regular season by a team you see twice all season and potentially getting swept by q team you will play 4 or 5 times in the regular season.

Not saying the Lakers potentially getting swept by the Clips in the off-season (they're currently 0-2) necessarily means everything as far as a playoff matchup, but it's not meaningless either.

If nothing else, it would show that the Lakers never figured out how to beat them in the regular season, which wouldn't bode well for the playoffs.



Look, I know the Lakers are playing well and that the guys they signed are playing better than anyone expected. I also agree that if the role players can continue to play the way they are playing now all the way through the playoffs...they could absolutely beat the Clippers.

However, the difference is...we don't know if the Lakers role players can sustain what they're doing all the way through the playoffs. But we do know that the Clippers role players can actually play better than they have been.

We don't know that the Clippers can sustain what they have been doing either for that matter. No one in here can say with authority that either team will be in the Finals. That's the reason the games have to be played. Hello!!!!

As I have said - I have seen the stats and looked at them for both teams - I acknowledge that doesn't make either team the better team in reality come playoff time. The stats, however have me convinced that the Lakers can beat the Clippers in a seven game series. I do not think it's an automatic loss for the Lakers or an automatic win for the Clippers as you and Mecca seem to think.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

That's great.

So, like I said, he's a hypocrite.

But, I'm confused on your overall point.

One guy has a degenerative, long-term injury and the other doesn't.

Nobody is disputing playing less minutes a game is better for fans.

That has nothing to do with what's better for KAWHI.

Last year when LeBron returned from injury, he sat out a game against the Warriors.

Why?

The Warriors found out shortly before tip off that James would not play in the prime time game for "load management" reasons. That's a technical term for he's sore.

......few weeks later.....

The Los Angeles Lakers announced star LeBron James will miss Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz as part of his load management.

This will be his third missed contest in a span of seven games.

Now, in fairness.... The Jazz quote was when you were dead in the water, playoff wise.

Still, this is par for the course for injured players.

Unless you don't believe Kawhi is injured?

Doesn't matter if Kawhi is injured right now really. Anyone with common sense would have to believe he and Paul George will be ready for the playoffs and will play good. Every team has some struggles in the regular season

 

[True Lakers Fan]

How do I envision the Lakers winning a championship?

When every player on the team contribute their portion. This is a team game and half of the Lakers squad not named Anthony Davis or LeBron James, fails to make good shots - they will lose. If they get hot and play good, make their 3 point shots - they can win.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

How do I envision the Lakers winning a championship?

When every player on the team contribute their portion. This is a team game and half of the Lakers squad not named Anthony Davis or LeBron James, fails to make good shots - they will lose. If they get hot and play good, make their 3 point shots - they can win.

Turnovers is a big thing.

Getting the 2nd unit to finish off games has been a problem too (although I have been impressed the last couple of games).

Guys like Kuz, Dwight, KCP and Caruso and playing quite well off the bench but aren't always consistent.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Lue still sour on Cavs firing: 'I won a title there'

Yeah because a 0-6 start to the season was only going to be a slight hiccup

 

[bksballer89]

Lue still sour on Cavs firing: 'I won a title there'

Yeah because a 0-6 start to the season was only going to be a slight hiccup

It should be. When you make 3 straight finals then you should be allowed a bad start or bad season.

Should the Warriors fire Kerr?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Turnovers is a big thing.

Getting the 2nd unit to finish off games has been a problem too (although I have been impressed the last couple of games).

Guys like Kuz, Dwight, KCP and Caruso and playing quite well off the bench but aren't always consistent.

For me - This is a new team - I get it - the Clippers are good, they have one of the best coaches in the NBA and I will even say that Rivers is a far better coach then Vogel. The Clippers also have two of the top five players in the NBA and they have an edge because most of their bench is the same as last year - so they have more continuity

The Lakers have a new team except for Kuzma and a new coach, new system new everything. They have a lot to do to build chemistry and step into their roles. The Lakers will need players to do what Robert Horry, Tyronne Lue, Derek Fisher and Rick Fox did for the Lakers - If they do that - then yes I think the Lakers can win.

As of right now - Kendrick Perkins believes that LeBron and Davis is the best duo in the NBA since Shaq and Kobe and Shaq Oneal believes the Lakers can win - so I don't think it's a stretch to say the Lakers have a good shot at winning a championship - If one doesn't believe they have that chance - then what would be the point of watching the games?

I think what may have many in question is the fact that the Lakers have a lot of wins, but not good wins. They haven't won many of the games with consistency and the right plays, but I have the same mindset that Chick Hearns had back in the 2001-2002 season - He felt the Lakers wasn't the best team, but would be with the right preparation and work to build the team chemistry and that has been the Lakers Phil Jackson mind set when he coached.

So yes, I think the bench has been impressive - now we will see if the coach can keep them focused and on track for the entire season. Kyle Kuzma will be critical as the third man in my opinion and then Dwight Howard - If he continues to play with the same attitude, the Lakers are going places. To throw a monkey wrench into this - if Cousins can get healthy for the playoffs - he could really help the Lakers

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

It should be. When you make 3 straight finals then you should be allowed a bad start or bad season.

Should the Warriors fire Kerr?

Lue was 0-6 with a healthy, set team. There was no way it was going to get any better. The only reason the Cavs even made those finals was because of Lebron and Kyrie and neither was left on the team.

Kerr still has Curry and Klay. They're just injured.

Two completely different scenarios

 

[bksballer89]

Lue was 0-6 with a healthy, set team. There was no way it was going to get any better. The only reason the Cavs even made those finals was because of Lebron and Kyrie and neither was left on the team.

Kerr still has Curry and Klay. They're just injured.

Two completely different scenarios

And the Cavs was not expected to make the playoffs last season. Also Love played in only 4 of those games so they basically fired him because he went 0-4 without his best player for a team that O/U entering last season was 30.5

 

[trojanfan12]

And the Cavs was not expected to make the playoffs last season. Also Love played in only 4 of those games so they basically fired him because he went 0-4 without his best player for a team that O/U entering last season was 30.5

Yeah, never understood the point of firing Lue. Was the team somehow underachieving? lol

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

And the Cavs was not expected to make the playoffs last season. Also Love played in only 4 of those games so they basically fired him because he went 0-4 without his best player for a team that O/U entering last season was 30.5

So you're saying Lue is a good coach and should not have been fired?

How come he's not a head coach now then? Or even has teams mentioning his name?

 

[bksballer89]

Yeah, never understood the point of firing Lue. Was the team somehow underachieving? lol

Should have let him go when Lebon left if they were going to treat him like that.

It also not like they were playing teams they should have beat. 4 of those 6 teams made the playoffs. Played Minny who had Jimmy on the roster still. The only game of the 5 that you can say the organization should have expected to win was the Hawks game

 

[bksballer89]

So you're saying Lue is a good coach and should not have been fired?

How come he's not a head coach now then? Or even has teams mentioning his name?

It's not about being a good or bad coach. You don't fire a coach in the first 2 weeks after he just made 3 straight finals and is now coaching a bad team that was expected to be a lottery team.

Were the Lakers not ready to offer him the job had they come to some type of agreement on money/staff?

Also, just because you don't have a HC position at the moment means you can't coach. Is Thibs all of sudden some shitty coach because he is out of a job right now?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

It's not about being a good or bad coach. You don't fire a coach in the first 2 weeks after he just made 3 straight finals and is now coaching a bad team that was expected to be a lottery team.

Were the Lakers not ready to offer him the job had they come to some type of agreement on money/staff?

Also, just because you don't have a HC position at the moment means you can't coach. Is Thibs all of sudden some shitty coach because he is out of a job right now?

Lue is not a good coach. All his success was because of Lebron. In fact ever since Lebron returned to Cleveland from Miami, up until him going to the Lakers, the Cavs record without LBJ (because of injuries and/or load management) was 4-23.

Was his firing a bit premature? Sure. Would probably have made more sense to wait till at least Christmas.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[msgkings322]

I did not.

But on the same note pretty much everybody had the Warriors as a 6-8 seed this year and hardly anybody had the Thunder making any noise

I'm getting ripped on the NFL boards for predicting the Ravens would win it all with my usual snarky confidence. I mean, I deserve it, but its not like I was the only one LOL

 

[Black Adam]

I believe it. Harden was always a shit talker...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I'm getting ripped on the NFL boards for predicting the Ravens would win it all with my usual snarky confidence. I mean, I deserve it, but its not like I was the only one LOL

Well no. There isn't a single active poster in message board history that has a 100% record when making predictions far in advance.

I mean heck, thats what these boards are pretty much for, right?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Sports 2-5 in the West are only one game apart.

This could be a lot of fun if it remains that tight come April

 

[DJ]

Fuck...what a day.

Found out a co-worker and good friend of mine (since we started working together) has stage 4 mouth cancer.


He'll be 29 in June.....