It's time to start discussing it. You know it's happening this year. In fact I just realized we're #1 in the West right now!? And those Spurs are like cockroaches, they never go away.
I mean other than the T-Wolves - this looks like the top 8 when the season ends no? Obviously Clippers Rockets and Nuggets will be higher - and Portland likely takes the place of the Wolves. I hope we can maintain that #1 spot for some time - we shouldn't be any lower than 3 seed honestly.
great test tonight. the spurs are playing well and are at home. are we going to come out and spot them 15 points like we have the last few opponents? if so, i don't think it goes well. a win here would be pretty good. a loss is semi-expected. a blowout loss would be disheartening.
We're due for a loss, so I wouldn't be too upset if it was to the Spurs. I just don't want to see us lose to any garbage teams anymore. We should win the easy games, and beat all the bad teams on talent alone this season.
well, they're 4-1, brought back a team that made the playoffs last year (and nearly won a round) and returned their starting pg who missed that season. they have two allstar-level players who tend to stay healthy. they have probably the best coach in nba history. i won't be surprised at all if they're a playoff team yet again.
No way that Popovic is better than Phil,if Phoenix would be healthy ,they would make a playoffs ,and Dallas is already better than San Antonio ,but IMHO
And why Popovic best coach ever and his best ever assistant Kerr sucks at FIBA,roster still was better than France or Serbia,they barely beat and escaped Turkey who even didn't make a play -offs
Pop has rebuilt squads while remaining in contention, and with squads that had no business being there. His work across his career has been impressive. It’s easy to wonder how Kobe might have done under his tutelage. Players respect the hell out of him. Like a GOAT conversation, there is no perfect gauge, but tons of Laker fans rank him above Phil. and he’s a prickly old man who never worked for the Lakers. That speaks volumes. Plus he overcame bad acne as a kid.
Just updated the title with Power Rankings added. This should be fun: we start Week 3 @ #3. Video links included. Oh yeah, we are now NBA's #1 defensive team. 3. Last week: 6 Los Angeles Lakers Record: 5-1 Pace: 101.7 (18) OffRtg: 105.8 (18) DefRtg: 96.3 (1) NetRtg: +9.5 (2) Dwight Howard is 19-for-24 (79%) from the field this season, he had some vintage dunks as he shot 7-for-7 in the Lakers' win in San Antonio on Sunday, and the L.A. offense has been at its best with Howard on the floor. But this is now the league's No. 1 defense and it has allowed less than 80 points per 100 possessions (with its opponents shooting just 39% in the paint) in 63 minutes with Howard and Anthony Davis on the floor together. Kyle Kuzma's return (he played 35 total minutes in Dallas and San Antonio) gives the Lakers a greater ability to play small (with Davis at center), but both of the wins were close late, and Howard was on the floor (with Davis and LeBron James) down the stretch in both of them. He ranks second in the league (behind Kawhi Leonard) in total plus-minus at plus-67 in 128 total minutes.
They can celebrate it...but they are a team too good to get a good draft pick and too bad to play for anything... Not a contender but also not rebuilding...in other word: in no mans land.
They made some bad decisions ( Pau contract by instance) then lost Kawhi and gave Green to the Raptors for free . They should trade both DDR and LMA and rebuild imo
they continue to out-draft people at lower positions, so why tank? their real problem is that pop will retire eventually, and i don't think you just plug in one of his guys. that, and they don't have a superstar waiting for the first time in 25 years. wouldn't surprise me if they try to fix the latter by moving aldridge or derozan for a draft pick they think has huge potential (like when they moved hill for leonard).
Is it time to start talking about the Phoenix Suns and the job Monty Williams is doing down there without Ayton? Are they legit playoff team?
did NOT see them coming at all. i liked the rubio pickup and the trade for saric, but thought they botched the accompanying pick and didn't realize how much of an impact baynes would have. wonder if the C Bags want a do-over on that one.
