2022/3 season thread

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617034#Comment_120617034

Are you capable of your own analysis or do you just listen to podcasts and relay what they say?

I will listen to it at some point, but I'd be shocked if they said it was "his best defensive display in years" as you put it.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617047#Comment_120617047

@LuckyLloyd any comment on this?

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120616809#Comment_120616809

Good analysts just don’t seem surprised by the disparity. It’s a tabloid talking point. It’s about team offensive style and focus and then also about individual defenders involved. LeBron and AD have spent their careers fouling at relatively low rates.

I’ll just file the above with your years of posting about how much LeBron isn’t called for travelling.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617049#Comment_120617049

They said “best defensive game as a Laker”, infact. My own analysis is his defensive impact was obviously significant watching it live, and he left it all out on the court. Was completely out of juice at the end of the game, particularly after he made up the ground on that late steal but couldn’t make the subsequent layup.

I’m sorry LeBron is out there in a conference finals at 38 and impacting the game at a high level and this irks you. But it is what it is.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617051#Comment_120617051

My only comment is Jokic showed him how it was done next trip down the floor!

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617063#Comment_120617063

Oh so he doesn't travel? Seriously, you don't think LeBron gets away with travelling?

So Steve Kerr who accused the Lakers of flopping during the series isn't a good analyst now? Ok.

When Windhorst, MacMahon, and Bontemps openly joked about it recently they're not good analysts now?

Almost pointless referencing Simmons and Russell as you'll just label them Boston fans no doubt, but they also had a good rant about it and how ridiculous it is.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617081#Comment_120617081

You're the one bringing age into it. Doesn't irk me he's out there at all. Have no issue with that at all - why would I? Again, it's incredible what he's doing. AND AGAIN - I'm not in any way suggesting he's not good/great. HE ABSOLUTELY IS.

What irks (to use your word) me is the preferential treatment he gets; be that flopping, travelling, soft calls etc. Try and learn the difference. And at least be honest about if for once and admit he gets away so much more than any current player.

LuckyLloyd

We’ve been over this loads down through the years. All the star players get away with travels sometimes; all the star players flop sometimes. Only very few stars, and LeBron in particular, get hyper focused on for these things. It’s just boring man.

GS whining about working refs / gamesmanship like, come on now. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617093#Comment_120617093

So you won't condemn him for obvious flopping. Ok, got it.

Can he do anything wrong in your eyes? Has he ever flopped? Ever travelled?

Zero-Cool

I think it's incredible what Lebron has achieved and what's he's doing in year 20 but damn those flops are incredibly embarrassing. If you need to do that to get a foul called to gain an advantage, you are NOT the greatest to ever do it. *Hoping there isn't a Jordan flop tape out there :D

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617167#Comment_120617167

Such a hater! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

ButtersSuki

@LuckyLloyd 34th minute of today’s Mismatch podcast. Kevin O’Connor - who said LBJ is his all time favourite player btw- called LeBron’s history of flopping “disgusting”. Tabloid too no doubt. 🙄

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617110#Comment_120617110

Examples please of GS players flopping.

ButtersSuki

If you acknowledged he does flops and travels you’d at least have some credibility, but this “they all do it” approach is just laughable.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120615223#Comment_120615223

My view is the Nuggets are controlling things and just doing enough to get across the line. I think if they really wanted to, they could blow out the Lakers.

johnnyk29

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617323#Comment_120617323

I know it seems that way but apart from KCP they don't have anyone who has won a championship before...LeBron and AD have been there before and even I think the Lakers coach Ham was involved with the Bucks when they won two years ago

I think Apart from AD/LeBron obviously the Nuggets have a better starting 5 than the Lakers. But the bench and role players are better for the Lakers....Nuggets don't have someone on the bench that can come off and give them 15/20 points like Rui or Russell...I think the Lakers take game 3 and 4 then it's all up to game 5 in Denver that's the huge one ....

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617421#Comment_120617421

Are you forgetting their sixth man Bruce Brown? I don't think there's been a better sixth man this year besides Brogdan.

And as you say, they have an NBA champion starter and loads of experience on the bench.

When the Bulls won their first NBA title back in the 90's they had no previous champions on their roster. Jackson had two as a player twenty years previous but none as a coach.

Why do I mention the Bulls? Because of Michael Jordan, the reason they won. Greatest of all time. The Lakers before that won multiple titles with two of the greatest players Abdul-Jabar and Magic Johnson.

The Nuggets have a potential top five all time player in Jokic, in his prime. That's the most important thing.

johnnyk29

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617760#Comment_120617760

You are right the Nuggets have a couple of decent bench players but not scorers who can get hot regularly that's why I think the Lakers are a bit deeper

If you compare the two benches last night Denver had 14 off the bench with 12 coming from Brown and 2 from Jeff Green.

Lakers had 27 with 21 from Rui and 4 and 2 from Schroeder and Walker respectively...we seen Walker heat up against the Warriors and Schroeder can get 20+

We will see how it plays out in game 3 and 4 in Los Angeles which will be a big factor as well for the role players

ButtersSuki

I would be relatively confident Denver take one game in LA and go home up 3-1.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120617110#Comment_120617110

Do you not realize that the reason it’s focused on LeBron in particular is because he does it way more than anyone else, and it’s so utterly egregious and exaggerated when he does it that it becomes a running joke?

No-one flops like LeBron and no-one does it as often.

LuckyLloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120618083#Comment_120618083

Well that’s just nonsense to be fair.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120618120#Comment_120618120

Why is it nonsense?

There’s not many players with as many videos from many different sources dedicated to their flopping and travelling. Stick “LeBron flopping” or “LeBron travels” into YouTube and you get pages of replies for each.

He’s mockingly called “LeFlop” ffs, that’s how bad it is.

LuckyLloyd

Yeah I know, the hatred has never burned as bright or as deep for any prior NBA player. Those vids are every bit as valid as the myriad ones you can find saying he isn’t clutch or isn’t a great scorer, etc.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120618372#Comment_120618372

He's brought it on himself. If he learned to shut up and not dive then people would be praising him for being such a great player.

He's not a veteran now, he's even past that stage and he still hasn't learned how to acquire everybody's respect.

ButtersSuki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120618372#Comment_120618372

Lol. You can’t even admit what’s plain and obvious for every one to see.

Again, no one is saying he’s not great, it’s the “added extras” people dislike. But you’re such a fanboy you refuse to see any wrong in your hero. 🙄

i can admit to the many faults in my favourite players. For some reason you think LeBron is perfect. It’s hilarious. The fact you won’t admit to the flopping or the travelling undermines your takes as a whole - even on the rare occasion when you might have an actual point.

You see absolute all and any criticism of him as “hate”, which is lazy, and, frankly, bull💩.

eagle eye

For me the Heat are the Celtics nemesis. A win tonight is crucial. I expect they'll do it but playoff Jimmy and Adebayo are playing consistently at a high level. Jayson and Jaylen both have to step up tonight, we need both to play at their best to make sure they win tonight.

I've no doubt Smart will do his thing and Brogdon too.

I'm not liking Horford and Williams on the court at the same time, I think they lack pace when they are both in. You need four getting back to defend a counter.

Lowry was the difference the last night, he looked like the player he was six years ago. Hopefully that was a one night thing.

With every passing moment I'm convinced the Bulls are trying to horse into a top 3 pick.

Imagine Jordan being carried by Austin Reeves.

No shade on Austin, I'd take him at the Bulls.

eagle eye

Good end to the first quarter from the Celtics after being down by eight at one stage and then eight points in the first 1 minute 14 secs of the second forces a Heat timeout. Tatum in fire, 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists already.

eagle eye

Unbelievable, we opened up a lead I don't know how many times and let them back into it.

There's a bit of a team issue the last two games.

It's very individual, it's all on Tatum. Brown must have injuries of some sort. He spends a lot of time away from the ball.

I can't see us coming back now. Heat going to the finals and you can't take it away from them, they are a well organised clutch team.

White should have got more minutes, he was the glue tonight. We played better when he was on the floor.