They're not that defensive team of last year w/o Ja anymore though - not without Adams and Clarke. We could very well lose G2 even w/o Ja - but by it being a trap game where the Lakers play down, not because Memphis is still a monster w/o Ja, they're not anymore.
Jones is arguably the best backup PG in the league and very capable, he certainly can and has filled in for them very well. This is a very different team than the one who beat GS in that game though. This one doesn't have Adams or Clarke. They're now without 3 of their 5 best players.
Yeah, they have some of the same issues we used to have with Westbrook, and sometimes still with Vando. They can't, or shouldn't, play Looney, GP, and Green all together. Starters are okay, with Steph/Klay/Wiggz/Dray/Looney, but still not ideal shooting wise, and they may have to try going small more with Steph/Klay/GP/Wiggz/Dray. eta: that said, GP has been solid from 3 on low volume the past 3 seasons, and was 2-3 last night, so maybe they can still make it work.
Golden State isn't the same team as last season, and the circumstances in the West are different. I just don't see them beating Sacramento in 4 out of 5 games. The Kings can score and the only way Golden State is going to beat them, is to outscore them. They aren’t capable of "locking down" Sacramento for 4 games IMO. Anything is possible but it's highly unlikely.
Bring on whatever Memphis can bring, I didn't think that we would lose this series if Ja was completely healthy anyway. So If he's dinged up some, so be it, we have too much firepower for that bunch regardless.
no ligament damage; he'll play. for sure. i'd test his shooting all series, though. make him make a bunch of shots. if he does, hats off. i might have done that anyway, tbh.
I don’t want to see Ja out. Hope he’s back. But yes, let’s force him to make shots with that sore hand for sure.
I neither want to see him out nor in - I just want the Lakers to play well and win. If they don't fall into any traps and don't take it easy or for granted - if they play up to their potential - I think they will win, Ja or no Ja. That said - going into Memphis, all I really wanted was a split, and we at the least got that already. I'm optimistic we can go 3-1 and take the series. Still a lot of work to be done though.
I’m late to the Draymond/Sabonis discussion from earlier today but I don’t think Sabonis purposely grabbed Dray’s foot. It looked like he was trying to protect himself after falling. And these two got tangled up in similar fashion in game one
No way. Frame by frame it. Sabonis is already on the floor when he grabs Dray, and then he hangs on and tightens around the leg then foot. Post-game he says "it's the playoffs", not the falling excuse. RJ said Sabonis knew exactly what he was doing, trying to prevent Dray from getting out in transition. It's an intentional non-basketball play, to prevent a basketball play. And the 2nd clip of them tangling makes things worse. It's Sabonis's fault there too, he's grabbing Dray, so Dray leans into him, and then Sabonis falls down.
They have Jamychel Green to replace Bjelica and Kuminga in the Otto porter role. They’ve also added DiVicenzo who is a nice piece for them. They’re just shooting 32% from three. If they hit 2 extra threes it’s 1-1. Wiggins in particular could have won them both games from his 3pt shooting if he was hitting at 40% like last season.
I agree, and if they were 1-1, I think they'd be big favorites to win the series. But down 0-2, it's gonna be a slog for them although I think it's still possible. But - if they do make it through, they will be scary, because it will likely mean that Wiggins is getting back into form. They should only get stronger as they progress. So I guess we hope Sac takes them out. Except those who want to face the best.
