Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by therealdeal, Jun 20, 2016.

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  1. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers Legend -

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    :LLLLLebronlaughing::ADnaughty:Panel of experts
     
    KareemtheGreat33, Aug 4, 2020
    #6541
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  2. Kenzo

    Kenzo - Lakers MVP -

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    That's my dream job. Talk out of my a** about sports and get serious dough for it. Only thing that is better... being the NBA ref LOL.
     
    Kenzo, Aug 5, 2020
    #6542
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  3. Cookie

    Cookie The Dame of Doom Staff Member

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    Was this the most recent poll? If so, WTH?
     
    Cookie, Aug 5, 2020
    #6543
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  4. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers Legend -

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    Before the season Cook
     
    KareemtheGreat33, Aug 5, 2020
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  5. Kenzo

    Kenzo - Lakers MVP -

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    Either way, LOL.
     
    Kenzo, Aug 5, 2020
    #6545
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  6. raviator

    raviator - Rookie -

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    Kuuuuuuuzzzzz! I love it! Second favorite win of the bubble. I don’t care we won this one against their bench. Hell we used to beat the Warriors once in a while when we were very bad so a win is a win. I wanted this one.
     
    raviator, Aug 10, 2020
    #6546
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  7. The Rock

    The Rock - Lakers Starter -

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    Lakers 14/29 from 3 point land.
     
    The Rock, Aug 10, 2020
    #6547
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  8. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    sirronstuff, Aug 14, 2020
    #6548
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  9. Pioneer10

    Pioneer10 - Lakers All Star -

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    I think a finishing lineup of AD/Kuzma/Morris/Lebron/Caruso is going to be very difficult to score against and will have plenty of offense with good spacing.

    Throw all the trash lineups and players that Vogel was playing and I think folks who aren't following the Lakers weren't seeing what the goals were. Morris getting backing into shape and Kuzma continuing the defensive progression from pre-break was the keys to these teams (assuming Lebron isn't hurt and doing his usual possum play in meaningless games*)
     
    Pioneer10, Aug 15, 2020
    #6549
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  10. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

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    Bron definitely isn't hurt. I feel very confident in his ability to demoralize his opponents in the playoffs.
     
    karacha, Aug 15, 2020
    #6550
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  11. Pioneer10

    Pioneer10 - Lakers All Star -

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    Really hope they stop messing around and play AD at the 5 for the majority of the game. Lakers should really wreck teams once they get the spacing issues are resolved
     
    Pioneer10, Aug 15, 2020
    #6551
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  12. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    Hope LeGroin isn’t an issue, or it will be a short playoffs
     
    sirronstuff, Aug 16, 2020
    #6552
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  13. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

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    Didn’t past lebron championship teams frequently lose game 1s to inferior teams?
     
    Punk-101, Aug 18, 2020
    #6553
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  14. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    We shot horribly and made numerous bone headed plays but still had a shot at it. Gotta think we will shoot better at the very least.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2020
    ElginTheGreat, Aug 18, 2020
    #6554
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  15. SamsonMiodek

    SamsonMiodek - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Ever the optimist I am, I still expect the Lakers to beat the Blazers and go deep. This team is just not as bad as it looks now. I have no idea what is going on but NBA players just do not shoot this badly. My main reasons for optimism:
    1.Bron - I expect him to show once more why he's one of the best ever. As good as Lillard has been in the bubble, Bron is the better player overall and I'm fairly certain he'll show it.
    2. AD - he should be pissed as well and I just can't imagine him being happy with this standing around the perimeter and shooting bricks all game long. He should recognize that for us to succeed against this team, he has to punish the Blazers inside more. And we all know he can, even if it's not his favorite way to play
    3. Vogel - he's been very good throughout the season, which is why he has the benefit of the doubt as far as I'm concerned. That was a mighty stinker on his part, I hope he makes significant improvements as we go on.
    4. The 3pt shooting just has to improve, it literally can't be worse than it is right now.
    5. Hopefully once they start winning we get to see the chemistry this team was known for throughout the season and when we do, they should do a lot better on both ends of the floor.

    I am concerned after this horrible showing, but I refuse to accept the possibility of us being eliminated by the freaking Trailblazers. They are good, but they should never ever threaten a team built around Bron and AD. If they do, we have dark times ahead of us again and I'm not even sure I would like to build around AD anymore if he's not capable of putting this team on his back and defeating Portland.
     
    SamsonMiodek, Aug 19, 2020
    #6555
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  16. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    I think it’s just been too long since we had a playoff win, easy to get discouraged and down on this team. But let’s not forget we beat the Clippers and Bucks before the Covid shutdown, we were trending up. Shooting has been bad, yes, but I still think we have as much chance as anyone to win the title in this weird bubble.

    Dame HAS taken out the Harden Rockets and the George Thunder in series he wasn’t supposed to win, both with buzzer beating game winners, but I still think we have the better team. We also don’t have to travel to play in Portland, if we did I’d be worried for sure, but there is zero home court advantage here, best team will win each series without biased home court refs, the best overall team and best coaching will win out. Bucks lost game 1 of their series, Clippers lost game 2 of theirs, the playoffs are tough, and this is an extra weird scenario they’re playing in.

    I honestly kind of feel that without the crowd, the pressure of home court advantage or away disadvantage, this just isn’t the same product. I can’t see celebrating a title in this bubble format the same way we normally would, even if it’s us, and especially if it’s Houston or some other fluke team. But at least they’re trying to finish this out, and we get some basketball. All that said, again, we’ve been here before, we have struggled in first rounds, we have lost games we had no business losing, and those were in championship years, all that matters is you’re last team standing when it’s over. I definitely wish we had Bradley, but to be entirely healthy as a team aside from him and Rondo is huge, we have a legit shot at this. Just can’t get too up or too down after every game, this is a weird bubble situation and it’s going to produce some weird results.
     
    Weezy, Aug 20, 2020
    #6556
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  17. BangBoomPow

    BangBoomPow - Lakers Starter -

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    I wasn't surprised that we defended Blazers that well. I believe the Lakers can do that every game. It's the fact that our offense looked miserable. LeBron could have easily gotten 20+ assists in game 1 and if we just knocked down slightly below average in three point shooting, we'd blown the Blazers away by 15+ points. I don't think of these Lakers as the same as the one in March. Too much has changed. We're an inferior team compared to that but so are many other teams (Clippers don't look that good, Bucks don't look that good). Portland has been one of the hottest teams with Lillard playing like Kobe from 05-06 so he's been effectively the best player by far during this stretch of basketball. If Lakers keep this defense up and knock a few more shots down, we have no issues taking out the Blazers. AD needs to continue dominating the paint... they can't stop them anywhere out there. KCP was huge for us today. Danny Green, idk.. my expectations is incredibly low for him so anything he makes is extra credit at this point.
     
    BangBoomPow, Aug 20, 2020
    #6557
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  18. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

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    I know we can beat these guys. Just hit SOME outside shots. That's it.
     
    karacha, Aug 20, 2020
    #6558
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  19. raviator

    raviator - Rookie -

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    Much better. Even with LBJ scoring only 10 points Lakers still rout they Blazers. Hopefully they keep this intensity.
    Btw Green’s shot is still dead.
     
    raviator, Aug 20, 2020
    #6559
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  20. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    Whew! Return of Aggressive AD was huge for us today. He was monstrous and our guys played some serious D and actually made some shots (except for DG). Great to see KCP back from the dead as well. Oh yeah, and a Quinn Cook sighting, too. Good stuff all around. Now let's win three more and move on to round 2.
     
    lakerjones, Aug 20, 2020
    #6560
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