| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
JerryWest_44
Retired Number
Joined: 22 May 2004
Posts: 25602
|
 Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 8:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| lakersfever714 wrote: | It's the rematch of the 2020 WCF but with a much improved Joker. But I think our supporting cast is better as well so overall, we still have the edge. Lakers in 5. Same story same ending.  |
we had Howard and Javale to bother the joker |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DrDent
Franchise Player
Joined: 30 Jun 2016
Posts: 12975
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 9:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Fascinating. Most of the "who the heck is this person?" poll-folks re who will win the series (eg ask 8 people at espn or CBS and I dont even know who most are) pick the Nugs. Reason: Better team all year. Lakers unpredictable. AD unreliable. LBJ old.
A number of players (eg Draymond) picked the Lakers. Hard to gauge if its out of respect for LBJ or actual analysis, as some will say "you can never count out LeBron, so going with the Lakers."
More in depth analysis I've seen tends to breakdown play styles and position by position, and they give the Lakers a shot (eg JT on the Volume).
Nugs are no joke (Joker joking aside). Their front court of Jokic, Porter and Gordon is really good, and KCP and Murray in the back court is nothing to sneeze at.
Porter and Murray both shoot about 40% on 7 three point attempts a game.
We all know what KCP can do. He is inconsistent from 3 but if he gets going he can be a PITA. He is also usually good for one break away dunk a game. Otherwise brings consistent D.
Gordon brings strong D and a guy that can be a pain around the hoop.
And of course Jokic...dude almost averaged a triple double this year. And can operate anywhere on the court.
Big task ahead, but I see this coming down to this:
1. AD on Jokic? This is where you wish we had the 2020 version Javale / Dwight, our fellas were really equipped to take Jokic on then. We had the size and AD could be let loose on D. Not so now, and I do wonder if AD can handle Jokic for lengthy periods.
On the other hand, Jokic has had it pretty easy vs bigs. Ok, he faced Gobert, but Gobert cant take him off the dribble like AD. Neither could Ayton.
AD needs to really bring it on D, if he does, it will go a long way.
2. The guards. A number of folks I chat with sneeze at d'lo / AR back court. Here's the thing. If they play like they did vs the warriors (on the whole, especially the last 4 games), Lakers should be ok. They just cant get blasted.
I figure LBJ, DS and Vando will likely do their thing - or at least if they do, and the AD and the guards are ++ in the series...we have a shot.
Tall order. I honestly dont expect much in the WCF vs a team like this, so my expectations are relatively low. This is literally the one series where the "what if" trade of Myles Turner likely helps the most. 
_________________
"One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DrDent
Franchise Player
Joined: 30 Jun 2016
Posts: 12975
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| jodeke wrote: | I've noticed most of the focus is on Jokic. Denver is a deep good perimeter shooting team flying under the radar. Let's look at some of the other players. To name a few.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 10.8pts 46.2FG% 42.3 3pt%
Bruce Brown Jr. 11.5pts 48.3FG% 35.8 3pt%
Aaron Gordon 16.3pts 56.4FG% 34.73pt%
Jamal Murray 20.0pts 45.4FG% 39.83pt% 6.2ast
Michael Porter Jr 17.4pts 48.7FG% 41.43pt%
They're also playing at Ball Arena which is Mile High. The Lakers have their work cut out for them. Plus Denver is the #1 team in the West. |
Those 3 combined are about 18 3's a game. And hitting 8 of them on average. Scary
_________________
"One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
leking006
Star Player
Joined: 12 Oct 2018
Posts: 6457
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I watched the Nuggets and Suns game 5. Nuggets cant defend the PNR, and Booker easily blowing MPJ and Murray whenever they guarded him and once he is inside Joker can't do something about it, he's not really a rim protrctor. I think Warriors is a tougher opponent than the Nuggets.
We have 4 guys who can attack the rim like Booker. AR, DLo, DS, Bron. Heck Lonnie can also.
The only way Lakers will lose against the Nuggets is if they will not convert their layups and short jumpers coz they gonna get a lot.
If you gonna say why suns lost then? Coz suns can't defend either, but Lakers can. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
leking006
Star Player
Joined: 12 Oct 2018
Posts: 6457
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| DrDent wrote: | | jodeke wrote: | I've noticed most of the focus is on Jokic. Denver is a deep good perimeter shooting team flying under the radar. Let's look at some of the other players. To name a few.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 10.8pts 46.2FG% 42.3 3pt%
Bruce Brown Jr. 11.5pts 48.3FG% 35.8 3pt%
Aaron Gordon 16.3pts 56.4FG% 34.73pt%
Jamal Murray 20.0pts 45.4FG% 39.83pt% 6.2ast
Michael Porter Jr 17.4pts 48.7FG% 41.43pt%
They're also playing at Ball Arena which is Mile High. The Lakers have their work cut out for them. Plus Denver is the #1 team in the West. |
Those 3 combined are about 18 3's a game. And hitting 8 of them on average. Scary |
lol they survived the splash bothers though. They're no way better than them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DrDent
Franchise Player
Joined: 30 Jun 2016
Posts: 12975
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 10:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| leking006 wrote: | | DrDent wrote: | | jodeke wrote: | I've noticed most of the focus is on Jokic. Denver is a deep good perimeter shooting team flying under the radar. Let's look at some of the other players. To name a few.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 10.8pts 46.2FG% 42.3 3pt%
Bruce Brown Jr. 11.5pts 48.3FG% 35.8 3pt%
Aaron Gordon 16.3pts 56.4FG% 34.73pt%
Jamal Murray 20.0pts 45.4FG% 39.83pt% 6.2ast
Michael Porter Jr 17.4pts 48.7FG% 41.43pt%
They're also playing at Ball Arena which is Mile High. The Lakers have their work cut out for them. Plus Denver is the #1 team in the West. |
Those 3 combined are about 18 3's a game. And hitting 8 of them on average. Scary |
lol they survived the splash bothers though. They're no way better than them. |
True, but Memphis was flawed (young, couple bigs out), as was this GS team in many ways (Poole vanished, Wiggins returning from injury but not that impactful).
This team is more than those guys...thats in addition to the best offensive center in the game. I wouldnt scoff at their 3 point guys and say we took out the splash brothers...Jokic alone is a huge issue. He basically lobs great passes to these guys for scores.
_________________
"One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
eddiejonze
Star Player
Joined: 19 Dec 2013
Posts: 7425
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 11:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Come to think of it, the Nuggets have not truly ben tested IMO, yet in these playoffs. Both of our series were tougher, plus the play in...
Lakers in 6.
_________________
Creatures crawl in search of blood, To terrorize y'alls neighborhood. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
leking006
Star Player
Joined: 12 Oct 2018
Posts: 6457
|
| Posted: Mon May 15, 2023 11:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| eddiejonze wrote: | Come to think of it, the Nuggets have not truly ben tested IMO, yet in these playoffs. Both of our series were tougher, plus the play in...
Lakers in 6. |
Lakers been tested for 2 months now where every game is a must win. Lakers been in survival mode since the trade deadline. I will never doubt what this team is capable of doing after what they've been through the whole season. Only way for the Lakers to be stop is for Bron or AD to go down. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
defense
Retired Number
Joined: 12 Jan 2010
Posts: 39743
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 4:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
| eddiejonze wrote: | | Troy brown is going to get a whole hell of a lot of PT, Mostly on Porter if Id have to guess. |
I think playing our bench a bit longer and going deeper can benefit our starters. I hope Ham does it to help the team cope with Denver.
8:30 game for me Yeeaaaahhhhaaa! This stuff really shouldn't get to me at my age, but man I am pumped! I can't believe we are actually in the Western Conference Finals!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
32
Retired Number
Joined: 04 Nov 2009
Posts: 73146
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 6:54 am Post subject: |
|
|
The line went up to Denver -6.
_________________
Nobody in the NBA can touch the Laker brand, which, like the uniform color, is pure gold. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Halflife
Franchise Player
Joined: 15 Aug 2015
Posts: 17297
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 7:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| leking006 wrote: | | eddiejonze wrote: | Come to think of it, the Nuggets have not truly ben tested IMO, yet in these playoffs. Both of our series were tougher, plus the play in...
Lakers in 6. |
Lakers been tested for 2 months now where every game is a must win. Lakers been in survival mode since the trade deadline. I will never doubt what this team is capable of doing after what they've been through the whole season. Only way for the Lakers to be stop is for Bron or AD to go down. |
What do you mean survival mode? We were slated for play-in and we made play-in. I too have confidence but the majority picked us over grizzlies. Our toughest matchup thus far was wolves because they had a functional big. I will always pick the lakers but let’s be honest about our path. The path everyone asked for.
_________________
Kobe.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Clw9scopegx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pio2u
Retired Number
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54709
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
defense
Retired Number
Joined: 12 Jan 2010
Posts: 39743
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 7:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Bubble didn't count, so this is the first meeting.
Signed da hataz! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pio2u
Retired Number
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54709
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 7:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
FYI:
The Lakers and Nuggets are both undefeated (6-0) at home in the 2023 Playoffs |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pio2u
Retired Number
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54709
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
unleasHell
Franchise Player
Joined: 16 Apr 2001
Posts: 11591
Location: Stay Thirsty my Friends
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 7:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
| LakerSD wrote: | | I would love to steal this one, it won’t be easy whatsoever as Denver has seen what has happened to Memphis and GS when they lost home court. |
Agreed, but there should be more pressure on the Nug's to win, since they have never advanced before and have few previous champs.
Hopefully, they "Pull a Thompson" for this series...
_________________
“Always remember... Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.” |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
BandwagonLBJhopper
Star Player
Joined: 07 Feb 2020
Posts: 3609
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 7:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
This series could expose our biggest flaw - the center depth.
Rob knew that we would need another big for a series like this and rolled the dice on Bamba, which in theory would have worked nicely and he showed some flashes - but with his leg/ankle issue we are sort of f%cked.
The refs can dictate the outcomes by how they ref AD pretty much. He gets in any foul trouble its game over. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pio2u
Retired Number
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54709
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
| BandwagonLBJhopper wrote: | This series could expose our biggest flaw - the center depth.
Rob knew that we would need another big for a series like this and rolled the dice on Bamba, which in theory would have worked nicely and he showed some flashes - but with his leg/ankle issue we are sort of f%cked.
The refs can dictate the outcomes by how they ref AD pretty much. He gets in any foul trouble its game over. |
W/O Bamba, TT may be forced into action, which may or may not be a good thing. We shall see. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lakers4life78
Star Player
Joined: 09 Apr 2012
Posts: 1987
Location: Southern California
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
Denver is an excellent team and I get why they'd be the betting favorite, but they haven't faced anyone so far. A dysfunctional shorthanded Minnesota team and basically a two man Suns team with a bunch of scrubs. Lakers aren't going to roll over like those teams did.
_________________
17 time World Champions |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pio2u
Retired Number
Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54709
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
| unleasHell wrote: | | LakerSD wrote: | | I would love to steal this one, it won’t be easy whatsoever as Denver has seen what has happened to Memphis and GS when they lost home court. |
Agreed, but there should be more pressure on the Nug's to win, since they have never advanced before and have few previous champs.
Hopefully, they "Pull a Thompson" for this series... |
Every game is a MUST WIN!!
.......... GO LAKERS!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joeblow
Star Player
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Posts: 3097
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
Laker keys to success for the first WCF game:
1. Relentlessly attack the paint
2. Play as big of a line up as you can for defensive purposes
3. Relentlessly attack the paint
4. Dominate the boards
5. Relentlessly attack the paint
6. Limit LeBron's three point attempts
7. Relentlessly attack the paint |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
27
Star Player
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Posts: 4503
Location: Los Angeles, CA
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
| the suns getting 2 games on them exposed them to be very obviously beatable. I get they are the odds on favorites but we're taking this series in 6 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dont_be_a_wuss
Franchise Player
Joined: 29 Mar 2012
Posts: 21615
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Wow, these referee assignments are such (bleep). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mad55557777
Franchise Player
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 23688
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
| BandwagonLBJhopper wrote: | This series could expose our biggest flaw - the center depth.
Rob knew that we would need another big for a series like this and rolled the dice on Bamba, which in theory would have worked nicely and he showed some flashes - but with his leg/ankle issue we are sort of f%cked.
The refs can dictate the outcomes by how they ref AD pretty much. He gets in any foul trouble its game over. |
Bamba has no chance against Jokic anyways. if you go back to the bubble, Lebron and Kieff was the guy that got rotated to the Joker a lot and they held their own. i think Ham would go with Lebron and Rui to guard Jokic a lot if he is at the perimeter and have AD be the help man. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
anth2000
Franchise Player
Joined: 16 Apr 2001
Posts: 12305
Location: Pasadena, CA
|
| Posted: Tue May 16, 2023 8:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
We need Rui and Vando to disrupt Jokic.
It's all about Jokic.
I don't care about giving up shots to Murray. Let him try to beat you.
Jokic does everything well. Pass, shoot, rebound, etc. You have to limit him and force him not to dominate in all three areas.
If Jokic dominates with passing, rebounding and shooting, this series is a sweep for the Nuggets.
I am hoping that Ham, coaching staff, and the team has studied Jokic very well.
He should have been clearly the MVP again this season. No way Embiid can touch Jokic's impact on the game. Not even close.... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
