I could see the Heat upsetting the Nets because their defense is so elite that they could take the Nets down in a series particularly if Harden Hardens.
As it currently stands, the Lakers are behind a bunch of teams imo.
GS, Nets, Heat, Suns, Jazz are all clearly above the Lakers.
Also the Lakers defense is so bad right now that they would struggle in a series vs. middle of pack western conference teams like Denver, Dallas, Portland, etc.
Lakers are nowhere near that top tier of league right now.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144573 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:41 am Post subject:
DrDent wrote:
Jury still out for me but this is the least excited ive been about this team in the lbj era
The Lebron era has been interesting. Season 1, injured until accessing “playoff mode”. Season 2, ended in March. Season 3 lasted 8 games then an amusement park tournament that no one watched. Season 4, injured again but TBD. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144573 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:43 am Post subject:
troy wrote:
Barely won against a Memphis team that was on the tail end of a back to back. Needed an unusually high scoring game from Melo, which likely won't happen again this season. Still not convinced.
If healthy that Memphis team likely makes some noise in the playoffs. I consider that a quality win. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 2084 Location: Jack's Crib
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2021 12:59 pm Post subject:
Yeah, as a 50 yr fan. Lakers have guys on the team I never wanted to see on this team. That being said, I know Russ is a heck’va competitive player but he needs to take his game speed down a notch in the last 3 minutes of the game!
Still a long season ahead, but every lost hurts us, maybe when & if everyone is healthy we can win 8 in a row to be generous? Frank doesn’t have a lot to work with now, but to me an NBA player should be able to play defense straight up with maybe a switch on screens but maybe Vogel’s defense has to take it down a notch because of newer players. It’s complicated, but basketball IQ is what it is & player decisions like Russ leaving his man in final stand against OKC is just stupid.
Rob went for it & probably is a fail & Buddy is so erratic & not defensive either so we gotta get & stay healthy. Once THT, Trev & Nunn get back, hopefully they don’t wear out LBJ & AD for the stretch run!!! Just get into the playoffs not the play in game!!! _________________ My Laker squad.
Mr. Clutch, Nixon, Eddie, Nick, Magic, Kareem,
Silk, Cooper, AC, Worthy, Horry, Shaq, Kobe.
HC: Riley
Oh, so it's okay to give up 26 and 19 point leads?! Why you making ridiculous excuses?
And who said that? It's ridiculous to overreact to things though. Especially without context.
The Lakers have three returning players: Lebron, AD, and THT. Lebron has missed 3 of the 9 games. THT hasn't played in any of them. Bradley, Rondo, and Dwight were on the title team two years ago, but it's a very different roster, Bradley missed training camp, Dwight missed 2 games and is only playing 14 minutes per game, and Rondo was a DNP coaches decision in 4 of the games, and likely wouldn't be playing at all if anyone were healthy. So you have a bunch of players still developing chemistry with one another.
Then you have a talent issue in some locations. Nunn was expected to play a large role with this team, he hasn't been available. Ellington just played his first minutes in the last game. Ariza hasn't played yet. Monk has played poorly after a strong start, and the guy who would probably be getting most of his minutes (THT) is unavailable. Without Nunn or THT available, and especially when Lebron is missing games, it forces you to play Rondo who would otherwise not be getting any minutes.
The Lakers haven't played great so far. But did you really expect them to get off to a fast start? It's not like the 9-8 Heat team did and that dynamic has been mentioned before the season even began. Here's another fun fact... When Lebron returned the Cavs, they started the season off 5-7. Both of those teams won the East and reached the finals.
Stop overreacting to every loss.
What excuse today? This team is nowhere good to that Cavs team. Doesn't matter what talent you have.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144573 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2021 11:49 am Post subject:
CandyCanes wrote:
chrisca91 wrote:
I see the warriors coming out of the west. Too good
How are the Warriors so good again without Klay?
Their management knows how to build a roster with complimentary players and aren’t cheap. Plus Kerr is a really good coach. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
I see the warriors coming out of the west. Too good
How are the Warriors so good again without Klay?
Their management knows how to build a roster with complimentary players and aren’t cheap. Plus Kerr is a really good coach.
Their management also doesn’t just dump 1st and 2nd picks. When you actually draft players, you have a chance to get someone that can change your timeline. Spurs did it with Tony Parker, Warriors may have done it with Poole.
Shades of 2013, except this team doesn't have Kobe coming to try to save the day. Age, injuries and chemistry problems are going to be this team's undoing.
Regardless of the chemistry in the beginning, teams with lebron that went on to win championships got decent results early in the season.
It doesn't bode well for the Laker's chances if they're struggling this badly to where it doesn't translate on the court.
So then they just need to win the next 8 games at minimum. No big deal. _________________ It was reminiscent of one of those Most Interesting Man in the World advertisements: "I don't always shoot 6-for-28 from the field, but when I do, I become the youngest player in league history to score 28,000 career points."
As long as we are healthy for the playoffs, i see us as favorites (behind Nets if they have Kyrie back). No need to panic yet _________________ 48 49 50 52 53 54 72 80 82
85 87 88 00 01 02 09 10 20
As long as we are healthy for the playoffs, i see us as favorites (behind Nets if they have Kyrie back). No need to panic yet
I’m not going to see the P word until I see them look competent against someone other than tanking, chaotic ownership Houston.
The upper echelon of the West has absolutely spanked the Lakers. We are lucky it was only 2 so far, could be something like 2-8 if we had more legitimate western conference opponents in the first 10 games. Pretty fortunate we only got 2 upper echelon opponents in the first 10 games.
I see the warriors coming out of the west. Too good
Curry is playing some unbelievably ball. Not to mention, they've made some great moves when their guys were injured. _________________ Music is my medicine
Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 19482 Location: The X-Files
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:54 pm Post subject:
The Lakers potential nemesis this season will be defense and/or health .... If potential problems in at least one of these two areas can be significantly mitigated and keep a reasonable lid on the remaining issue then it would appear a title is there for the taking. _________________ Rule = win titles
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers ...
Last edited by LA_Lakers_Rule on Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:57 pm; edited 2 times in total
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.... If potential problems in at least one of these two areas can be significantly mitigated and keep a reasonable lid on the remaining issue then it would appear a title is there for the taking. 
