Series Thread: Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs Nuggets

[bksballer89]

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Yeah, maybe if you include the restart and the first two rounds of the playoffs. But the cut-off point was as soon as the league took a break because of the pandemic.

Fact of the matter is Giannis was a beast.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

He did...but I'm not chalking it up to pressure, rested too much, etc. Just think he had a bad game at the wrong times. Happens.

The Clippers just never really looked comfortable in the bubble.

 

[Wamu]

It could be.

It could also go 5,6 or 7 games.

See what I did there?

To be fair when LeBron said not 5, not 6, not 7 he was talking about how many years he'd be in Miami.

 

[Wamu]

I doubt it actually.

A couple reasons:

1) Those other guys, McGee and Howard don’t match well with Millsap or and of Denver’s options who might play 4
2) This is a series where the Lakers can and will play their bigs.
3) I don’t think the matchup on Jokic matters as much as matchups on everyone else. He and the nuggets are at their best when he is drawing help and creating for teammates. I think the best game plan for the Lakers is to contain Murray, shut everyone else down and make Jokic try to be a scorer.

He can and will win a game or 2 exploiting those matchups, but I don’t think he can win 4 that way. Just not how he plays.

If they let Jokic be the scorer I don't think that would be a problem for him. In the first round he averaged 26.3 while shooting 51.2% from the field. In the semi's he averaged 24.4 on 50.6%. If he can hit 3's that could be a problem for the Lakers. 1st round 47.7%. 2nd round he wasn't so good- 35.2%.

 

[trojanfan12]

It could be.

It could also go 5,6 or 7 games.

See what I did there?

Made wiggy's head go

 

[trojanfan12]

If they let Jokic be the scorer I don't think that would be a problem for him. In the first round he averaged 26.3 while shooting 51.2% from the field.

Regular season against the Lakers he averaged 16 and 6 boards.

 

[Shanemansj13]

If they let Jokic be the scorer I don't think that would be a problem for him. In the first round he averaged 26.3 while shooting 51.2% from the field. In the semi's he averaged 24.4 on 50.6%. If he can hit 3's that could be a problem for the Lakers. 1st round 47.7%. 2nd round he wasn't so good- 35.2%.

Different teams, different series'. Just like every great player you aren't going to stop him but like I said before, if you attack him at the rim and get him in foul trouble, that could be a key.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Gotta go with AD for obvious reasons but I mean we are comparing a #1 pick and freak coming out of UK with a 2nd round pick that has transformed into a big we've rarely seen in the NBA...he can do everything and unathletic for the most part. Different players but Jokic is cementing himself as a top 2 center in the league imo. I would take him over Embiid for many reasons. I count AD as a PF but if we are putting him at center since he's playing that more...Jokic is top 3 still.

Anthony Davis agreed to play center for the playoffs because he wants to win and knows what it means for the Lakers.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Anthony Davis agreed to play center for the playoffs because he wants to win and knows what it means for the Lakers.

I still would label his position as a PF but that really doesn't matter

 

[Wamu]

Regular season against the Lakers he averaged 16 and 6 boards.

He wasn't really trying.

 

[Wamu]

Different teams, different series'. Just like every great player you aren't going to stop him but like I said before, if you attack him at the rim and get him in foul trouble, that could be a key.

Not gonna argue with that. Best way to neutralize any team is to get their best players in foul trouble. I want the Nuggets to win. But I expect the Lakers to take care of business.

 

[bksballer89]

so we're just going to assume how he's going to play based on games that were played 6-9 months ago?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I still would label his position as a PF but that really doesn't matter

It is, but in the center position for any team, he is far more effective - that was one of his gripes in the past before he came to the Lakers - He does not want to play the center - The Lakers agreed to that, but he agreed to do it when necessary - so far it's been a win win for everyone.

 

[trojanfan12]

so we're just going to assume how he's going to play based on games that were played 6-9 months ago?

Nobody is assuming anything. That's what we have to look at.

We could his stats from August 10 where he had 12 points, 4 assists and 1 rebound.

Would that be better?

 

[trojanfan12]

Welp, Lakers fucked. Barkley just GUARANTEED the Lakers will kick the Nuggets ass.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I'm definitely not predicting the Lakers to forsure win this series in quick fashion.

But I do think they absolutely roll tonight in Game 1.

 

[bksballer89]

Nobody is assuming anything. That's what we have to look at.

We could his stats from August 10 where he had 12 points, 4 assists and 1 rebound.

Would that be better?

I watched that game. None of the Nuggets played normal minutes. It was treated like a preseason game as the starters played limited minutes and didnt play a second in the 4th.

The regular season numbers is irrelevant because it was so long ago and also a game in the bubble that the Nuggets treated like a preseason game as they were locked in as the 3 seed is just as irrelevant

 

[tlance]

If they let Jokic be the scorer I don't think that would be a problem for him. In the first round he averaged 26.3 while shooting 51.2% from the field. In the semi's he averaged 24.4 on 50.6%. If he can hit 3's that could be a problem for the Lakers. 1st round 47.7%. 2nd round he wasn't so good- 35.2%.

He can obviously score at a high rate and score efficiently.

But, IMO the nuggets are at their best when Joker is distributing and getting easy shots for everybody else.

Hold the others down, make Joker try to get 40 and I don’t think the Nuggets can win 4 games playing that way.

 

[tlance]

It is, but in the center position for any team, he is far more effective - that was one of his gripes in the past before he came to the Lakers - He does not want to play the center - The Lakers agreed to that, but he agreed to do it when necessary - so far it's been a win win for everyone.

Playing center against the Rockets whose tallest player is like 6’7” is a lot different than playing center against Jokic and Plumlee.

Even then, the Lakers tried to play Houston with their big lineup. It didn’t work. So they pivoted to using AD as their “center”.