POLL How far will these misfit Lakers go?

[flyerhawk]

No. Have you? I didn't think schedules were released yet. I thought they came out next week.

Just looked they haven't released the schedule. Tomorrow they are releasing the Christmas games. 3 of them were leaked. Celtics-Sixers, Lakers-Warriors, Knicks-Bucks.

 

[DJ Fieri]

No. Have you? I didn't think schedules were released yet. I thought they came out next week.

No. I was asking a ?

 

[flyerhawk]

No. I was asking a ?

Ahh. No the schedule isn't out. My point was largely independent of the schedule. It's more about getting the Lakers to all fit together. There are a lot of new pieces.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Ahh. No the schedule isn't out. My point was largely independent of the schedule. It's more about getting the Lakers to all fit together. There are a lot of new pieces.

But, the schedule will in fact matter.....

If they play a bunch of games vs GS, Houston, OKC, Boston, Philly, etc....it'd be much different than games vs Atlanta, Sacramento, Dallas, Phoenix, Orlando.....

 

[flyerhawk]

But, the schedule will in fact matter.....

If they play a bunch of games vs GS, Houston, OKC, Boston, Philly, etc....it'd be much different than games vs Atlanta, Sacramento, Dallas, Phoenix, Orlando.....

Sure. That doesn't really change my point. It's a speculative statement. I'm not predicting that they will go 12-18.

 

[DJ Fieri]

^ All this is fine... I don't so much disagree with it as have a firm belief that we coud put LeBron James on any team in the NBA... pick one... and that team would be in the playoffs.

IOW: Sacramento is a playoff team if you add LeBron James. So is Atlanta. Or any other lowly team you could pick out.

Yeah... I'd put my money on team LeBron in any such hypothetical scenario.

Orlando and Atlanta wouldn't.

 

[Gman]

Orlando and Atlanta wouldn't.

I don't know... both teams you mention suck, of course... but they are in the East...

• Orlando would have some crazy length and athleticism with LeBron, Gordon, Issac and Bamba. Is that enough? They could take many opponents by surprise with a big team that runs counter to current trends... but they would still be athletic enough to match-up reasonably well on defense.
• Assuming Trae Young is ready to ball at all, they could lean on a formula that has served LeBron well... give LeBron the ball and surround him with shooters. I think such a team sneaks in the playoffs with ease. I really like Taurean Prince, btw.

 

[DJ Fieri]

I don't know... both teams you mention suck, of course... but they are in the East...

• Orlando would have some crazy length and athleticism with LeBron, Gordon, Issac and Bamba. Is that enough? They could take many opponents by surprise with a big team that runs counter to current trends... but they would still be athletic enough to match-up reasonably well on defense.
• Assuming Trae Young is ready to ball at all, they could lean on a formula that has served LeBron well... give LeBron the ball and surround him with shooters. I think such a team sneaks in the playoffs with ease. I really like Taurean Prince, btw.

Sacramento wouldnt either.

 

[Gman]

Sacramento wouldnt either.

^ This might be the toughest go... yeah.

Theoretically, though... that old "LeBron surrounded by a bunch of shooters" plan... Bogdanovic, Hield and Bjelica can flat out shoot...

... Willie Caulie-Stein can fill a Tristan Thompson-ish role... dirty work, versatile defender...

... and Fox would be a wild card. Plenty of ability there going into year 2.


I tell you what... you put LeBron on any team... and I can talk my way into it.

 

[DJ Fieri]

^ This might be the toughest go... yeah.

Theoretically, though... that old "LeBron surrounded by a bunch of shooters" plan... Bogdanovic, Hield and Bjelica can flat out shoot...

... Willie Caulie-Stein can fill a Tristan Thompson-ish role... dirty work, versatile defender...

... and Fox would be a wild card. Plenty of ability there going into year 2.


I tell you what... you put LeBron on any team... and I can talk my way into it.

Those are the only 3 teams that wouldn't make it IMO.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Pretty much how I see. I would probably put their chances closer to 75% though.

The big issue for the Lakers, IMO, is going to be those first 30 or so games. The Heat started .500 or so their first year with Lebron and the Cavs were .500 after 40 games with him. Both of those teams had significantly better talent than this Lakers team.

Given that it seems, at least for the moment, that this team is going to be structured very differently than the previous teams, I think it is entirely possible that this team could be sub-.500 after 30 games. If they start 12-18 to start the season, as an example, they would need to play .700 ball to finish out the season with 48 wins. That's a big ask for this team.

I think thats some sound analysis.

The golden number of wins should be 46-48 to make the playoffs.

45 wins and you are probably on the outside looking in...maybe even at 46........I think 75% is a good estimate- and that includes a little allowance in case LeBron gets into an issue like he did with the Cavs their first year and has to sit out a couple weeks or so.

 

[Gman]

Those are the only 3 teams that wouldn't make it IMO.

The more I think about Atlanta... the more I think they not only make the playoffs, they easily make it.

That team fits LeBron perfectly. Shooters and ready made role players everywhere... they are Cinderella and the glass slipper.

 

[flyerhawk]

The more I think about Atlanta... the more I think they not only make the playoffs, they easily make it.

That team fits LeBron perfectly. Shooters and ready made role players everywhere... they are Cinderella and the glass slipper.

Well you are assuming that 2 rookies would become effective shooters immediately.

 

[Gman]

Well you are assuming that 2 rookies would become effective shooters immediately.

Well, those 2 rookies were mainly drafted on their shooting ability... but leave them out, Atlanta has decent shooters throughout their line-up...

• Bazemore is overpaid, but he is a good shooter and great 3&D fit next to Bron
• Taurean Prince can ball, and shoot.
• Their bigs are shooting threats. Dedmon shot 36% from 3, Collins 34%... and Collins is an up and comer who should improve on that number.

Like I said, if Young is ready to ball at all... they got a ready made offense for LeBron to step into and do what he does.

 

[trojanfan12]

Just looked they haven't released the schedule. Tomorrow they are releasing the Christmas games. 3 of them were leaked. Celtics-Sixers, Lakers-Warriors, Knicks-Bucks.

I heard Thunder/Rockets as well.

I thought Spurs/Raptors would be interesting for Christmas day.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Just looked they haven't released the schedule. Tomorrow they are releasing the Christmas games. 3 of them were leaked. Celtics-Sixers, Lakers-Warriors, Knicks-Bucks.

haha lebron has to travel on xmas again.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

haha lebron has to travel on xmas again.

Yeah a whole 365 miles. If only they had invented planes so that the journey would take an hour.

 

[shopson67]

Yeah a whole 365 miles. If only they had invented planes so that the journey would take an hour.

Is he going to get a copter for home games?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah a whole 365 miles. If only they had invented planes so that the journey would take an hour.

prob about 360 more than if he played at home--- he always bitched about that.

own fault- win the finals you get to play at home on Xmas!

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

prob about 360 more than if he played at home--- he always bitched about that.

own fault- win the finals you get to play at home on Xmas!

So by your logic if the cavs had won the finals the Lakers would be playing at home for Christmas?