2026 Playoffs: (4) Lakers Vs (5) Rockets - Discussion

I just heard what Jabari Smith Jr. said about KD. What a passive aggressive statement. IMO, that just means you have to blow it up. It's obvious the younger dudes don't respect KD and KD doesn't know how to lead them.

KD works best when you have a leader and a system in place and you can just plug him in and go.

He is horrible when you have to rely on him to lead your team and be the focal point of your offense.

Rockets have to trade him at this point. Jabari Smith Jr. telling KD he has to figure out how to solve the double teams is crazy lol

 

^^^^ I wouldn't play with a guy who talks s*** about me with a burner account . Would have asked a team vote to force the FO to trade him or asked for a trade .

 

I agree with this. The following may be a hot take that I get push back on, but this just means that KD is not a #1. Maybe the best #2 OAT, but not a #1. At best, he's a 1B who still requires a 1A. (Which is a nicer way of saying that he's a #2.) He did not lead the Warriors, and the only reason he was able to do what he did there was bc of Steph. Remove Steph, and it didnt work. Remove KD, and it still worked. One might say, they were built around Steph, so that's not a fair comparison. Which is fine, but it didnt work at any of KD's other stops, even with loads of talent.

It's not what a teammate is supposed to do, but it's true. KD can't pass out early, relocate, get the ball back, and shoot? Steph couldn't solve these double teams?

KD has been terrible in 3 games vs Lakers, outside of one half where JJ was playing rope and dope and then dropped the hammer in the 2nd half. (And where the Lakers led the entire 2Q, even with KD going off.)