Is it just me, or are these early playoff games really spread out more than the used to be? 4/16 4/19 4/22 Three games in an 11-day span, from the play-in?
I'll believe that a Western Conference team, can beat a healthy Lebron and AD in a 7 game series when it actually happens. Until then ....Lakers in 5!
feel like it's been happening for a while. trying to get as many on tv as possible. by the next round, it starts getting closer to every other day. i think it's good for our old/injured stars.
Agreed. Lakers played 8 games in 14 nights. This will benefit them (Ad, Bron, Dennis, AR) tremendously. Triston signing was for him to get 5-6 minutes per game in this series to bang with JJJ and get JJJ to pick up another foul here and there and to take his energy. Doubt we see Gabriel or Mo much unless AD is in foul trouble.
The Athletic asked a scout, a coach, and an exec to weigh in on each series. Here's what the 3 of them had to say about our matchup Personally, I've got us in 6 tough ones. We have to steal one of the first two and i think we have a better chance of taking the first game due to rest. My keys: 1) attack the living s*** out of JJJ. He fouls more than anyone else in the league and is their frontcourt defense. If you take him out or force him to play conservatively, Bron and AD can feast and there's nothing Memphis can do about it. 2) Vando and DS are they keys against Ja. They're not going to stop him, but they have to make him work. Only thing that will stop him is a good time. Maybe leave some flyers for the best strip joints in LA taped to his locker? 3) AR and DLO have to be ready for playoff physicality. They weren't in the Wolves game. Brooks and Bane are going to make them very uncomfortable. They're not going to get the whistles they expect. How do they respond to that?
No one can stop Ja while he's allowed to carry the f***ing ball, all the f***ing time. Im a huge Ja fan, but dude takes 3 steps with every dribble. You can't guard that s***...
That is basketball. Shots are easier to make in the first half. As the game wears on there is muscle fatigue, the Lakers were desperate so their defense went into desperation mode. We played hard down the stretch even if not particularly smart at times. Despite people not liking the word most players feel that tightening referred to as "choking". Those easy shots in the first half are much different when your arms and legs aren't working right. Happens to pros the same as any level of basketball when the pressure is on. Conley was a statue till he made the first free throw. His arms would barely move. He got a really good bounce. He was smiling before the shot to keep from crapping his pants...lol. A big reason closers are so important they thrive on those feelings instead of shutting down. These are reasons I like Dennis and Austin so much. They may make a few plays through the game that aren't great but they don't freeze at the end of the game. Dennis's celebration after making that three was epic.
I'll root for the Lakers, but I also realize the reason why we are barely above .500 on the season. you never know what version of the team will show up.
Nothing at all to do with pre trades 2/3 of season still effed by Russ on the roster and after trades … him gone and replaced by useful players with needed size and skills, and 2nd best record in league since …. while still having to incorporate 5 new players into the roster?
In addition, I would say losing Gobert helped them a lot early - they could play 5 out with a Center who is a great shooter. Much harder to defend as you have no one to sag off of. Then it came back to bite them as they ran out of gas a bit. Probably things even out
If there’s ever been a case of one day/game at a time this post season is it. Denver, Memphis and the Kings are at the top but none have ever gotten to the Finals before and all are pretty young. The vets are all waiting in the wings.
538 calls it... Grizzlies: 1644 playoff rating Lakers: 1632 playoff rating 63% chance Grizz take game 1 62% chance Grizz take game 2 58% chance Lakers take game 3 58% chance Lakers take game 4 Sagarin calls it... Grizzlies 92.94 rating (20-19 vs. top 16 teams) Lakers 91.14 rating (12-15 vs. top 10 teams) Gonna be a good series. I'd be surprised if it doesn't go at least 6 games, but the Grizz have to be the favorites. Right?
Memphis was a significantly worse team after the Adams and then Clarke went down. Lakers significantly better after the trade deadline (admittedly against weak competition). Not sure these models take this into account. Really comes down to DLo and Reaves: are they the guys who played like borderline all star types after the trade deadline or the pretty much duds vs the TWolves? Lakers theoretically are a lot healthier even though lebron still doesn't look right
lots of focus on morant and the JJJ matchup with AD, but let's not forget memphis has 2 sharp shooters in bane and kennard. if the lakers defend the 3 like they did against the wolves, this series will be over very quickly
Ha...And the guys that were here before the trade, have been more impactful than Dangelo or Malik too. However I absolutely love me some Jarred Vanderbilt!!! HE made that trade a winner LT
They do. More recent performances count more in Sagarin, but you might think they're discounted anyway because there are so many games. But 538 explicitly uses current lineup, best lineup, and playoff rotations to calculate those things. Adams and Clarke are calculated at zero minutes. Nothing's perfect, of course. I think you're mostly right. I mean, more important than those guys is LeBron and AD staying healthy, but if the Lakers can get 30 PPG from DLo/Reaves, that would be massive.
Key is also Ham playing the right guys at the right time. Any time Ja is on the court, Vando should be on the court defending him if that's who he's going to take on this series. I also think we need to be thinking about playing Beasley and Rui a bit more this series...the Grizzlies are going to double AD and probably double Lebron too...we need to have our best shooters out there with them to make them pay for those doubles. As much as I love vando, he may have to play less this series if Rui/Beas are on
Looks like 538 is ranking the 3 headed star of Memphis higher (Morant, JJJ, Bane) over Lebron/AD. Interestingly the minutes projection is odd though for the Lakers. They have Beasley getting 22 mpg with none of DS/Dlo/Reaves getting above 30. That doesn't seem right and the other is Hachimura's +/- is season long not adjusted for latest which is a big difference. I don't know enough about Memphis to recommend adjustments but their best 4 are all above 30 mpg which makes sense. I think it's basically a statistical dead heat if you push Reaves to 35mp and the combo of either Dlo or DS going above 30 and Beasley gets knocked down
