Anthony Davis Discussion: Only Player On Both All NBA + All Def

I'm not sure how much is this is how AD is awesome particularly on defense to the Lakers/Ham not playing any backup bigs in the playoffs.
I think the Lakers might have swept this if they had gotten plumlee instead of the Clips

 

it's mostly AD is awesome, but yes, the lack of a backup has hurt.

that said, i think the vision was bamba, and he just never got to play.

the hornets probably would have taken bev for plumlee, too. conley/plumlee looks better today, but i think the moves were made for later as much as now.

 

It's both.

Lakers could have and should have swept...if they had just tried harder in G2. Of course, if they had won G2, they probably would have let G3 or 4 go, that's just how they are. Now they're in a dogfight...but I still believe they take it down in G6.

 

Memphis is being discounted: they are very good defensive team (rim protection, good secondary big, good defensive wings) plus good offensive talent - rim attack plus post play plus good wing shooter.

They are exploiting weaknesses - yes the Lakers could have played better in game 2 and stolen game 5 (thanks Ham for game 5 I thought they had him on the ropes) but the Lakers also could have easily lost game 4

 

yeah, i said it before the series. memphis is good. if we beat them, it's an accomplishment. if we lose in seven, it was probably still better than expected.

anyway, we gotta figure out non-AD minutes for at least one night here.

 

I think we have to have at least one of AD or Reaves playing at all times. When AD sits, our defense vanishes. When Reaves sits, our offense goes to hell.

 

i would like to see us at least try another center when AD sits, and have rui eat into brown and beasley's minutes. especially beasley, as he doesn't bring anything on defense that rui doesn't.

but yeah, reaves or lebron on the floor at all times offensively, for sure.

 

That’s true and insane that Austin is now thought about in those terms.

SCOREBOARD LA Scouting operation

 

Why the hell did we sign TT? Play him Bamba or Gabriel when AD takes a breather. No more of this Brown, Beas, Bron, Rui CRAP!

 

Ham is pig headed about not even trying it so far except a tiny few minutes for Wenyan which do show stat wise we give up less points when AD’s out.

 

I know it's not happening but I would have loved to see what AD could do back at the 4 with a Turner at 5. Having another rim protector who can shoot while AD can truly roam I think gives you a chance to have to maybe the defensive pair in the history of the league. It's not hyperbole as what AD is doing on defense is just ridiculous right now. He's playing against the DPOY who is having a great defensive series and every one and their mother see AD is a better defender then him

 

It's not Ham's system to play AD at the 4, much less to be the starting and closing lineup

 

soon as i heard ham was crazy about the 4-out, i knew a) AD was the center and b) we weren't going to play any other center much.

 

ham comes from the Bucks where they played a floor spacing 5 at C spot. Considering the Lakers past success with AD at the 4: it's odd that the Ham/Lakers have no interest

 

Hopefully the 4-out thing was mostly because of trying to Westbrook in. He better change up his tactics this summer.

 

i think he's a true believer, like phil was with the triangle. i don't think westbrook was the reason. i just think he thought westbrook could play in it.

yeah, but the 4 out really wants not just shooters but drivers, right? i think that's why ham loves the small guard lineups--more ballhandlers. giannis is that at the 4, but AD isn't. you don't want him handling out at the arc and trying to make plays from that spot. we've have that problem with lopez or another stretch big here.

but i'm with you. we won a title playing AD next to a big to start halves (a non-shooting big, too). i just don't think ham wants to do this.

relatedly, very curious to see what happens with bamba this summer. seems like it's at least worth a shot to see what he could look like playing center next to AD given that he's at least a reasonable standstill three point shooter. assuming we keep everyone, we'd be a huge team again. could still close halves with AD/bron/rui or vando/reaves/russell.

 

I am not sold on Ham. Eggs and bacon, sure, but not ham!

 

Makes me even more insane watching that very good Center who can shoot threes and play excellent defense be the exact player we already had in the Purple and Gold! SMH.

 

i was flabbergasted when we let lopez walk for 3 million per that year, and i continue to lament this choice.