Lakers vs. NUGGETS

Hey db,
I no longer watch or listen to Draymond podcasts nor do I read his comments on line or anywhere i see his mugshot.
Besides, my parole officer emphatically stated that I should not be associating with War Criminals!

The Lakers are now down 0-3, and it hasn't felt close.

Their average MoV vs LA is +7.3.  That's how you dominate.  You win by an average > 3 possessions.

If there's a positive here it's that LA has virtually no chance of having a shot at #18, not that team and not down 0-3, while we still do.  It won't be easy, I'm not going to blow any smoke up someone's skirt, but we're certainly still viable.


Bob


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The Lakers got swept.  Credit to 38 year old LeBron James who had a 40/10/9 game in an elimination game.  He took 29% of the Lakers' fgas, shot 15-25. 4-7 from 3.  This is how it's done, Js.  LeBron's team still lost but it sure wasn't because of him (Rui Hachimura was a "Smart-esque" 3-12, except without the defense).

The Joker with a 30/14/13 triple-double.  11-24, 3-6 from 3.

Here's a list of all the players drafted before Jokic in the 2014 draft.

Round 1
Pick...........Team..........Player...................College
1...............CLE............Andrew Wiggins.....Kansas
2...............MIL............Jabari Parker..........Duke
3...............PHI............Joel Embiid............Kansas
4...............ORL...........Aaron Gordon.........Arizona
5...............UTA...........Dante Exum
6...............BOS...........Marcus Smart........Oklahoma State
7...............LAL............Julius Randle..........Kentucky
8...............SAC...........Nik Stauskas..........Michigan
9...............CHA...........Noah Vonleh...........Indiana
10.............PHI............Elfrid Payton...........Louisiana
11.............DEN...........Doug McDermott.....Creighton
12.............ORL...........Dario Šarić
13.............MIN...........Zach LaVine............UCLA
14.............PHO...........T.J. Warren.............NC State
15.............ATL............Adreian Payne.........Michigan State
16.............CHI............Jusuf Nurkić
17.............BOS...........James Young...........Kentucky
18.............PHO...........Tyler Ennis..............Syracuse
19.............CHI............Gary Harris.............Michigan State
20.............TOR............Bruno Caboclo
21.............OKC............Mitch McGary..........Michigan
22.............MEM...........Jordan Adams..........UCLA
23.............UTA............Rodney Hood...........Duke
24.............CHA...........Shabazz Napier.........UConn
25.............HOU...........Clint Capela
26.............MIA............P.J. Hairston.............UNC
27.............PHO...........Bogdan Bogdanović
28.............LAC............C.J. Wilcox...............Washington
29.............OKC...........Josh Huestis.............Stanford
30.............SAS............Kyle Anderson..........UCLA

Round 2

31.............MIL.............Damien Inglis
32.............PHI.............K.J. McDaniels..........Clemson
33.............CLE.............Joe Harris................Virginia
34.............NYK............Cleanthony Early.......Wichita State
35.............UTA............Jarnell Stokes...........Tennessee
36.............MIL............Johnny O'Bryant........LSU
37.............TOR............DeAndre Daniels.......UConn
38.............DET.............Spencer Dinwiddie....Colorado
39.............PHI.............Jerami Grant............Syracuse
40............MIN.............Glenn Robinson III....Michigan
41............DEN.............Nicola Jokic


Other than the obvious statement that picking James Young @ #17 was a ridiculously poor choice no matter who came after him I cannot help but look at all the first round picks ahead of Jokic that never really lived up to their potential.  In general this was a good draft, producing a lot of All-Stars, two MVPs and at least one DPOY we're very familiar with, but can you remember a 2nd round pick ever becoming the NBA MVP, much less 2X, and a 6 time All-Star?  And look at all the other 2nd rounders who made it!  Joe Harris (9 years), Johnny O'Bryant (4 years), Spencer Dinwiddie (9 years), Jerami Grant (9 years), Glenn Robinson III (7 years).  Drafted after Jokic was Jordan Clarkson (#46, 9 years).  And let's not forget about "The Legacy", Thanasis Atete-hanger-on, picked #51 and played for the Knicks G-League team for years before being released and picked up by Milwaukee to be Giannis' comfort blanket.   This is a TON of 2nd rounders to make it from a single draft and, not just make a team, but make it for more than a couple of years "just to see what they can become".  If you're a 2nd rounder and you're in the league for 4 years you aren't an object of curiousity anymore, you're an NBA player who had a contract renewal.  This draft also had its share of underwhelming picks who never lived up to their pre-draft hype.  Jabari Parker @ #2, Dante Exum @ #5, Nic Stauskas @ #8, Noah Vonleh @ #9, Euro-sensation Dario Saric @ #12.


Bob


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