Game Debrief: What Went Right And What Went Wrong?

this was my point. maybe they recycle and keep close, but the juggernaut they have now ends next year.

 

I'm a strong believer that the supermax contract is a negative for teams. Most teams are going to build up to the first apron which is roughly 125-130% of the cap. So when building a team out:

Supermax - 35%
Max - 30%

That's two players taking up half of your team salary and let's assume that the vet minimum is 2% and you have 5 of those, you're left with 50% of the cap to build out your 3-9 rotation of 7 players. That's really tough.

Most 3-5 rotation players in the NBA make 10-15% of the cap each and roughly 40% of the cap cumulatively. So if you have a supermax guy, you're hoping you can build our your bench with vet minimums at your 7 & 8 positions and a TPMLE as your 6th man.


Denver & the Bucks almost sunk themselves trying to build like this - even though they both have a generational player - because their 2nd guy isn't really a number 2 night in night out. It's also why both teams were so top heavy.

 

Well if OKC gets AJ with that Clips pick- goodbye Williams lol

 

Lakers win in New Orleans 118-104. They took 15-point leads and let them get back to 4 or 2, then pushed it back to 15. At one point Lakers were up 22 or 24, then of course relaxed and let the Pels back in. Start of the 4th: up 18. 3 mins later: 10 point game and JJ calls a TO to get the starters back in. Not a good look, esp against a decimated Pels team.

Refs let both teams play a hacking, physical game. The only Lakers to shoot FTs were Luka and AR, who went 20 of 26; 5 Pels shot FTs.

AR led team in mins: 31 (7 more than the Don), was 9 for 16: 31/4/7.

Willie Green's game plan seemed to be: double Luka. If it's AR only on the floor: double him. Make other guys beat us. Rui was 6 for 10; Ayton's offense seems pretty good: 11 for 12, but he still looks small to me on D.

Lakers had 13 steals and 5 blocks.

Marcus was almost too open from 3, because of doubling of Luka: 1 for 10 from deep. Get yer zen on, Smart.

Why did Willie Green start Kevan Looney at center, only to give him 11 mins?

NO missing Zion (of course), D'jounte, Poole.

Kinda of an ugly game, with spurts of who-gives-a-crap defense by both teams.

Tomorrow night on a BTB in MIL. Gonna be rough.

I'm already sick of the NBA Cup BS and those lousy looking courts.