NBA Playoffs 24

[DeletedUser]

So to see yet another roster he hand-picked flame out it’s like lol

He hand-picked this roster?

Pretty sure the guys he was pushing for (like Kyrie) chose to go/stay elsewhere.

I am pretty sure he didn't "hand-pick" DLo, or Jared Vanderbilt, or Taurean Prince, or Rui Hachimura, or Harry Giles.

He may have hand-picked AD initially. And Austin Reaves now (after playing with him)....and maybe even Spencer Dinwiddie.......but a lot of those guys are simply just they best they could get/afford.

[pdub]

Russell and Reaves are decent players but the rest of their squad is trash.

They fucked it all up not getting more pieces when they could ( Buddy Hield ) and blowing everything up by going all in on fucking team wrecker Westbrook.

[DeletedUser]

The Lakers never figured out how to use Westbrook. You can't use him like he was used when he was younger. And even worse the Lakers tried to use him off the ball too much.

The Clippers are doing great at utilizing him in a positive way. Less minutes, but let him go full out when he's on the court. Played 23min the other night. 13pts 4reb 4ast 2stl on 5/8 shooting.

I liked Buddy Hield in college too, but he can't be the 3rd or 4th best player on a contender. He's being utilized well in Philly off the bench as a scoring punch on the 2nd unit. I am not sure what the issue is with Hield, but the fact he's on his 4th team in 8 years makes me wonder about him in the locker room.

[pdub]

He absolutely could have been the 4th best player on a contender - if that contender had LeBron and AD on it.
Just last season he was shooting 42.5% from 3 at 16.8 PPG - better numbers than Reaves and Hield didn't have James and Davis drawing attention and passing him the ball ( so you could assume better %'s ).

Westbrook was on a 200+ million dollar contact.
He also took up this to get:
Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 Draft.

[Shirley]

I admit I'm rooting for the Nuggets and I am rooting for the 6ers. Regardless of who I want to win the game/s, I HATE watching games for 2 plus hours only to have the refs determine or at least have a major bearing on the outcome of the game/s - in a negative way.
Happened twice yesterday.

^^^

[DeletedUser]

Maybe. He's coming off the bench for the 76ers. Behind Lowry Oubre and Harris on their depth chart. He only played 15min last night. Indiana has a good team and chose to move on from him.

I get it. You really like Buddy Hield. I think he's decent too. Definitely good enough to be a rotation pkayer on a contender. After that, I am not so sure. He's averaging 20min per game this month. He's an interesting case.

[DeletedUser]

Is it defense that holds Hield back? Like you pointed out, great shooter, can score points when he gets minutes and shots.

[pdub]

He's the exact kind of player the Lakers need for their 4th best dude - an absolute three point marksman - and he would have cost the Lakers so so much less in player assets than Westbrook who, checks notes, shot 29% from 3 when with them.

[pdub]

Is it defense that holds Hield back? Like you pointed out, great shooter, can score points when he gets minutes and shots.

He's had ups and downs when it comes to defensive metrics.
He was shitty on the Kings ( to be fair, everyone on those Kings was shitty on defense ) but has been better on the Pacers ( and better than Reaves and Westbrook ).
His DRtg is slightly better than the league average while on the Pacers and 6ers.

It's not his strength but not as a big a weakness as you'd expect.

[randylahey]

Russell and Reaves are decent players but the rest of their squad is trash.

They fucked it all up not getting more pieces when they could ( Buddy Hield ) and blowing everything up by going all in on fucking team wrecker Westbrook.

You must not watch much nba. The Lakers have one of the deepest teams in the leagues

[pdub]

Russell and Reaves are decent players but the rest of their squad is trash.

They fucked it all up not getting more pieces when they could ( Buddy Hield ) and blowing everything up by going all in on fucking team wrecker Westbrook.

You must not watch much nba. The Lakers have one of the deepest teams in the leagues

lol.
You have no fucking idea what you're talking about.

[randylahey]

Yeah I thought pdubs buddy hield comment was wild lol. He's been a frindge starter for most of his career, and teams have continually traded or moved on from him.

I like his game, but in no way shape or form would he have transformed the Lakers

[randylahey]

Pdub you're out of your element

[pdub]

randy you're a fucking moran per usual.

[randylahey]

Lakers have a deep team. Reaves and d lo are good combo guards. Then the Lakers have guys like dinwiddie and Gabe Vincent off the bench. And a plethora of 6'8 3 and D guys who fit the modern forward prototype (hachimura, prince, reddish, vanderbilt). Jaxson Hayes is a freakishly athletic young big with good nba experience already off the bench, and Christian wood is solid and been around a bit but still young. Was like a 20 ppg scorer at Houston

Why the hell would they want buddy hield? The guy is a shooter who can get hot sometimes but otherwise isn't great at anything at the nba level. The nba is full of 6'4 shooters

[randylahey]

The nuggets are just going to be hard to beat (defending champs hello) but right how the Lakers are giving them trouble and making the series interesting. Been 2 tough games in Denver

Lakers would have a good chance of advancing against most teams but drawing the nuggets first round is rough

And I dislike the Lakers and am saying this

[randylahey]

Is it defense that holds Hield back? Like you pointed out, great shooter, can score points when he gets minutes and shots.

He's not a great playmaker by nba standards. Not a great defender. Average athlete, 6'4 is kind of small for a 2 guard by nba standards

There just isn't anything special about him by nba standards.

There's a lot of 6'4 guys that can shoot out there.

The Pacers actually moved on from hield and got better

[randylahey]

He absolutely could have been the 4th best player on a contender - if that contender had LeBron and AD on it.
Just last season he was shooting 42.5% from 3 at 16.8 PPG - better numbers than Reaves and Hield didn't have James and Davis drawing attention and passing him the ball ( so you could assume better %'s ).

Westbrook was on a 200+ million dollar contact.
He also took up this to get:
Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 Draft.

Russ was a bad fit and risk but they gave up spare parts for him. All those dudes are easily replaced (and have been) by signing average free agents
And this late draft picks don't usually pan out anyways

[pdub]

Because Hield wouldn't have cost the Lakers a draft pick and all that depth, he plays better defense than Reaves and shoots better from 3.
Kuzma is better than Rui ( better on offense waaaaay better on defense ) so you don't loose him.
And, with the money you save not signing Westbrook, you keep depth pieces like Alex Caruso, one of the better defenders in the league.

1. They aren't one of the deepest teams in the league. I'd put them in the upper half but not top 5 certainly.
2. My argument was originally the amount they gave up for Westbrook and how bad a move it was. Hield would not have been the only move that season. I'm just saying it should have been ONE of them.

[pdub]

Kuzma spare parts.
Better season in Washington than Westbrook and far better defender.
OK.