This and that

The Lakers just blew a 7 point lead with 2:00 left and lost in New York to the Knicks. Not in Brooklyn to the Nets, to the, now, 14-win Knicks. The worst team in the NBA.

Ingram and Ball are out, of course, but LeBron and Rondo and Kuzma and McGee and Reggie Bullock and Hart and KCP all played.

This is amazing to me.  Ball and Ingram should not have been the difference makers.  They are not only roadkill themselves, they lost to roadkill. I think the whole AD rumormill mess created by LBJ and AD's agent, Rich Paul, and stoked by Magic really hurt the team's chemistry, and I think that LeBron trying to get Walton fired isn't helping.

Remember when people were calling Rondo "a coach killer"?  Turns out it's LeBron, not Rondo.  The only coach he didn't get fired was Riley's fair haired boy, Spoelstra.


bob


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LeBron ...what can I say. The rumors are rampant about him out there, I heard Cedric Maxwell say, the night the Celtics played the Lakers, that the fans out there have not taken to LB, he was getting booed when missing free throws (which he does on a regular basis). Maybe VanGundy wasn't so wrong, maybe they should trade him. Think Doc would want him, I am sure he could block any trade they wanted to make. This is turning out to be a huge mistake.

As far as all the rumors that surrounded the Lakers and ruined chemistry, I feel that was an issue here also. Tatum can talk all he wants about not minding if he was traded as well as Rozier, but that has to be tough mentally, especially if they do not want to get traded. Rozier, I think, does, but I am not so sure about Tatum and I really think Brown wouldn't be too happy.

But, this is the game today. No one starts and finishes with the same team, or at least hardly ever. If I was Davis, I would be second guessing my wish to go West. LB is on his way down. Why go down with him.

I know you are a Davis lover Bob, myself? Nope, let him rot where ever. I don't want him. But I know I am on an island by myself.

Rosie you are not on an island, I know myself, worse, dboss and a few others all prefer keeping the young core intact and don’t want Davis....

cowens/oldschool wrote:Rosie you are not on an island, I know myself, worse, dboss and a few others all prefer keeping the young core intact and don’t want Davis....

Count me in as preferring to draft a couple of young centers and hang onto Tatum, Smart and Brown. I'd rather use the draft, free agency, or less spectacular trades to try and locate the centers needed. I think Williams has good potential, and Theis makes for a fairly decent bench type.

My guess is if Irving stays, AD is off the table, and a younger, developing center or two will be acceptable to the front office. Irving leaves, and all bets are off.

NYCelt wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Rosie you are not on an island, I know myself, worse, dboss and a few others all prefer keeping the young core intact and don’t want Davis....

Count me in as preferring to draft a couple of young centers and hang onto Tatum, Smart and Brown. I'd rather use the draft, free agency, or less spectacular trades to try and locate the centers needed. I think Williams has good potential, and Theis makes for a fairly decent bench type.

My guess is if Irving stays, AD is off the table, and a younger, developing center or two will be acceptable to the front office. Irving leaves, and all bets are off.

^This

Judging from the way he is talking, he is dying for Tatum to become a superstar. I read something on one website that said he would be willing to step aside for Tatum. ??????? Not so sure i believe that but he is like a big brother to him so you never know.. my feeling is that he stays, after all that foolishness a mouth or so ago. Why would anyone want to go th NY??????

Agreed Rosie, that the Duke connection is real, he’s known and been nurturing Tatum since high school, he wants nothing but success for his younger brother. There’s plenty of times Kyrie appears self centered and talks too much for my liking, but the Tatum little brother connection is real, he wants Tatum to join him for future all star games as many times as possible.

bobheckler wrote:The Lakers just blew a 7 point lead with 2:00 left and lost in New York to the Knicks.  Not in Brooklyn to the Nets, to the, now, 14-win Knicks.  The worst team in the NBA.

Ingram and Ball are out, of course, but LeBron and Rondo and Kuzma and McGee and Reggie Bullock and Hart and KCP all played.

This is amazing to me.  Ball and Ingram should not have been the difference makers.  They are not only roadkill themselves, they lost to roadkill.  I think the whole AD rumormill mess created by LBJ and AD's agent, Rich Paul, and stoked by Magic really hurt the team's chemistry, and I think that LeBron trying to get Walton fired isn't helping.

Remember when people were calling Rondo "a coach killer"?  Turns out it's LeBron, not Rondo.  The only coach he didn't get fired was Riley's fair haired boy, Spoelstra.


bob


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Here's the last handful of seconds in the Laker-Knick game.  Mario Hezonja blocking LeBron James' shot at the buzzer, near the rim.  Even one year ago we would never have seen that happen.




Here's a video of LeBron sitting far at the end of the Laker bench, away from everybody, during the game they lost to the Knicks.  If you remember he got called out for doing the same thing in the 40+ loss to the Pacers a month ago.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1107320952755548162


I think it's pretty obvious at this point that LeBron has given up on this year's experiment.  He isn't pleased with his coach, he isn't pleased by being surrounded by so much youth.  He's not making the playoffs for the first time since his sophomore year in Cleveland.  He missed the playoffs his first two years after being drafted out of High School and has been in the playoffs on every team he has been on since.


bob



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Here's an eye-opening bit of info: The record of last year's Laker team without Lebron through 70 games was 31-39. The record of this year's Laker team through 70 games is 31-39. Laker fans will have a heckuva time wrapping their heads around that.

bobheckler wrote:

bobheckler wrote:The Lakers just blew a 7 point lead with 2:00 left and lost in New York to the Knicks.  Not in Brooklyn to the Nets, to the, now, 14-win Knicks.  The worst team in the NBA.

Ingram and Ball are out, of course, but LeBron and Rondo and Kuzma and McGee and Reggie Bullock and Hart and KCP all played.

This is amazing to me.  Ball and Ingram should not have been the difference makers.  They are not only roadkill themselves, they lost to roadkill.  I think the whole AD rumormill mess created by LBJ and AD's agent, Rich Paul, and stoked by Magic really hurt the team's chemistry, and I think that LeBron trying to get Walton fired isn't helping.

Remember when people were calling Rondo "a coach killer"?  Turns out it's LeBron, not Rondo.  The only coach he didn't get fired was Riley's fair haired boy, Spoelstra.


bob


.

Here's the last handful of seconds in the Laker-Knick game.  Mario Hezonja blocking LeBron James' shot at the buzzer, near the rim.  Even one year ago we would never have seen that happen.




Here's a video of LeBron sitting far at the end of the Laker bench, away from everybody, during the game they lost to the Knicks.  If you remember he got called out for doing the same thing in the 40+ loss to the Pacers a month ago.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1107320952755548162


I think it's pretty obvious at this point that LeBron has given up on this year's experiment.  He isn't pleased with his coach, he isn't pleased by being surrounded by so much youth.  He's not making the playoffs for the first time since his sophomore year in Cleveland.  He missed the playoffs his first two years after being drafted out of High School and has been in the playoffs on every team he has been on since.


bob



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Here's the last handful of seconds in the Laker-Knick game. Mario Hezonja blocking LeBron James' shot at the buzzer, near the rim.
" Even one year ago we would never have seen that happen."

http://bkref.com/tiny/azjdK

Now as the number 3 all-time scorer for a 34 year old ( with a fantastic 2 point shooting percentage ) - it will be interesting to see how well James does as a 35 year old.

swish

dboss wrote:Ex-Louisville coach Rick Pitino hoping to become NBA coaching candidate

Oh boy!

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25116516/former-louisville-coach-rick-pitino-hoping-become-nba-coaching-candidate

I heard he doesn't plan on dropping off his resume with the Celtics.

No? But let's send his resume out to LaLa Land. They deserve him!!!!!! Think of him and Magic working together, they will totally destroy that team. How many trades will happen if Pitino showed up there. Ingram ...gone, Lonzo...gone Kuzma....?????

Might be good for free entertainment

Rosalie, what did TJ ever do to you? He'd be miserable with Pitino as would everyone else in Laker nation.

What do you do when some high profile player does not like the way he is being coached?

If you play for NEP you get traded or cut no matter who you are.

Speaking of NEP. wait to you see their 1st rounder from last draft play. Isaiah Wynn, He will remind you of John Hannah. He was primary blocker for Sony at UGA

Worcester, I just want him to feel our pain, long ago as it was, but I really do not think Pitino is walking thru that door, LeBron would change the locks!!!!

LeBron and Giannis both sat out tonight.  LeBron had a "sore left groin".

Question:  are groin injuries something that happen more often with age?  He was out for a long time earlier with a groin and played well when he came back, so this is likely a new one and not an unhealed one.  Is it like shoulders or ankles or some other part of the body that just becomes that player's Achilles Heel (no pun intended)?

Paging Dr. Howard, Dr Worcester, Dr Howard...


bob


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Bob, groin injuries heal. Lebron is probably using the groin injury to opt out of playing time.

worcester wrote:Bob,  groin injuries heal. Lebron is probably using the groin injury to opt out of playing time.

Worcester,

So it's not an injury that recurs more often with age and weakness?

bob


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All injuries occur more often with age and weakness, but Lebron for sure will be 100% next season, at least his groin will be ok, and he'll be probably ok even this year.

DeAngelo Russell going off for 44 points and 12 assists in leading Nets to victory over Kings....great move Magic building up the Nets.

cowens/oldschool wrote:DeAngelo Russell going off for 44 points and 12 assists in leading Nets to victory over Kings....great move Magic building up the Nets.

cowens

You have to be cautious when labeling very young players like DeAngelo Russell as future stars or bust. It was just 2 years ago that some on this board were ridiculing the Lakers for taking DeAngelo Russell as well as Brandon Ingram as number 2 picks in the draft. A rush to judgment can often times lead to an ambarrassment.

swish

cowens/oldschool wrote:DeAngelo Russell going off for 44 points and 12 assists in leading Nets to victory over Kings....great move Magic building up the Nets.

cow,

And don't forget about Julius Randle dropping 45 on Portland Friday and 30 points on Dallas on Monday. Zubac is also doing a good job for Doc in Clippahland. I still do not understand the why of that trade. I understand the Russell trade and I understand letting Randle go, sometimes tough decisions have to be made and they don't always work out, but Zubac? Magic gave up Zubac AND Michael Beasley. They got Mike Muscala, ok, but they gave up an inside force and rebounds and a prolific scorer, for a scorer. The Beas is a Gerald Green type of player, a real McBuckets player. You don't need to feed him regular minutes or anything like that, he's a "break glass in case of emergency" player like Green was for Brad in the Chicago playoff series last year, and he's cheap at $3.5M!


bob


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btw, Congratulations to Dirk Nowitzki for passing Wilt Chamberlain for 6th place all-time NBA scorer.


bob


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