My two biggest issues with the team last night: FT shooting and rebounding. They only had 5 more rebounds than us, if I didn't look at the box score and just went off what I saw, I would've guessed they outrebounded us by double digits. Often we had no one anywhere near the paint and we got beat to the ball repeatedly. You'd think we were the smaller team. The rest will come and work itself out.
Just thinking how awesome this potential roster would have looked like: AD/Dwight/Lebron/Ariza/Hield/Bazemore/KCP/Caruso/Rondo/THT. Best defensive team in the league hands down and you can't really leave any one open either. Plus a team with guys who would have played together for years so know each others tendencies and could execute complex schemes and defensive rotations because of years of trust built up
You're trading Kuz for Hield straight up? Not sure if it would work, I think KCP had to be there. Also think Kuz contract only kicked-in this year, don't know the mechanics of it. I also don't believe the Kings would do it.
My have lost KCP but all reports indicate that the Kings and Lakers were about to get the deal done when the Westbrook trade pivot went down. Looks like Kings/Hield were blindsided a bit at the last momemt Even without KCP strongly prefer that lineup to what we're seeing right now. I don't think the season is doomed and I respect people pointing out that Westbrook traditionally has come on strong in the second half of seasons. It just requires almost a complete rethink of the team and how ti plays (Westbrook as screener, AD at the 5 exclusively with Westbrook) that I don't think was worth the risk considering this team already had a championship formula built into ti with a culture to match
For sure. And KCP isn't a necessary piece anyway. Hield/Bazemore/Caruso/THT is a great backcourt when LeBron is running the show, and Rondo can give him a break from playmaking duties as needed. And Dwight & DeAndre are more playable at C next to AD when you have shooters in the backcourt and don't have opponents sagging off of Westbrook bc he can't shoot. If Nunn, Monk, etc sign anyway, the roster would be: Nunn/Caruso/Rondo Hield/Bazemore/THT/Monk LeBron/Ariza AD/Melo Dwight/DAJ
Terrible game overall. AD and Dwight getting heated. Baze who’s been pretty good couldn’t hit anything. AD looks totally disinterested at times until the 4th quarter run, Bradley missed all his shots and was the worst +/- at -25 in 21 minutes. That’s quite a feat in itself and we still can’t keep a lead when Bron goes to the bench.
Game 2 and I'm already tired of AD and LeBron taking turns taking plays off. Westbrook and Carmelo are super flawed at this point of their careers but at least they play like they give a damn. Between AD going at Dwight (a terrible look btw) and a bunch of weird actions by a few players, it really looks like this team's chemistry is in the toilet.
Refs were trash. Our response to the bad calls was worse. We pretty much quit in the second and the Suns took advantage. When we look bad we look really bad and it’s tough to watch.
So far this team hasn't been able to defend. Not at all. The chemistry looks like garbage but that was to be expected when you change 90% of the roster every off-season. We have been crying for shooting and Rob hasn't been able to get some great shooters. And he went after the WORST fit next to LeBron in the NBA which happens to be Westbrook. LA... We know drama. Figuring it out is one thing, losing home games to non contenders another.
