The NBA Thread.

Reminds me of the fulk convo his first 2 years. People just now think he can play because his offensive game exploded. He always made winning plays and affected the game, before he became a scorer. My guess is indy wanted him sent packing as a soph.

 

Dwight Howard is similar to Rondo. Well past his prime, and hasn't stuck with a team for more than a year in the last 4. He's known as a cancer in locker rooms and has reached the point of becoming more trouble than he's worth. I think people forget that the Lakers only picked him up after Cousins went down with an injury. If that doesn't happen, Dwight Howard isn't even a part of this team.

He's been a solid contributor for them, but he's far removed from his best years. I think the fact that he hasn't caused locker room problems says a lot about LeBron and the other leaders on that team.

 

It worked because Houston didn't have anyone to guard Lebron or AD, and because the Lakers locked it down defensively (and because honestly, Harden kind of mailed it in).

Obviously Caruso played a role in that, but you're still not answering my question of who the Lakers can give Caruso's minutes to. If Avery Bradley was in the bubble, he'd be getting a large chunk of those minutes, but there's no one else on the roster to take them. It's not like there are a ton of PG/SG's on the roster going after those minutes, and Caruso's play is demanding that he take 29 of them in a WCF game. The Lakers just don't have a ton of options.

And I'm still not sure what teams you think would be trying to pick him up. He's in a unique situation where he's not really counted on at all to score because AD and LeBron are giving you 50-65 points on any given night. He wouldn't have that luxury on most other teams.

 

Wait, so do you have an example of me saying I wanted to send Fulky packing as a sophomore? Or are you just making up a fake stance that I never actually took?

 

Im saying by the way you evidently watch a game, i assume you watch through a kaleidoscope, then look at the stat sheet.

 

I wanted him to play over Kyle Alexander.

 

By the way anyone watches the game, Alex Caruso is not a guy anyone wants getting 29 minutes in a close Western Conference Finals game unless you really just don't have a better option. You can keep referencing your experience from the 70's and pretending that I don't look at anything but a box score before posting. It doesn't change the fact that not a single team in the league wants Alex [uck fay]ing Caruso playing 29 minutes in a close Western Conference Finals game.

 

the locker room cancer stuff can be circumstantial. He seems like a good teammate on this squad.

 

Theres one person here talking about caruso playing 29 minutes, several times, and its only you Indy. Where do the made up arguing points for you appear, in a bubble above your head? Pages and pages in this thread well before i chimed in.
I havent mentioned anything except whats happening on the floor. Aka, Greek to you

 

I'm not answering your question because it is a presupposition that they would play anyone else that they could. it isn't really a question, so much as a statement. that's why I pointed out that he wasn't a liability, and in fact in that series was part if the strategy. I'm rejecting your presupposition as not having supporting observational evidence. the dude is effective in his role.

 

Again, I think him fitting in with this Lakers team is a major credit to Bron and their other leaders. This Lakers squad is full of big personalities, and they're meshing very well. That doesn't just happen. The Clippers are a perfect example of what it looks like when you don't have that leadership bringing everybody together.

And still, there have been negative reports about Howard:

https://heavy.com/sports/los-angeles-lakers/2020/09/lakers-dwight-howard-free-agent/

 

The evidence is Avery Bradley starting nearly every game while he was available and Caruso only getting 18 minutes per game in the regular season (6 less than in the postseason). If Bradley was available and Rondo was healthy from the beginning, Caruso's minutes would have shrunk to 15 or less per game. Instead, they had to increase because other guys weren't available.

The guy has played fine, but the bottom line is that the Lakers would prefer to have his minutes shrink in big time postseason games. Instead, they're increasing. And the Lakers are winning anyway.

 

I commented that they gave 29 minutes to Caruso last night (implying that that was a shit ton for a player of his caliber), and you commented shortly after about how Caruso is a solid player.

I never said Caruso wasn't a solid player, so how else am I supposed to take your comment, other than you saying that his game demands the 29 minutes he got?

Is Alex Caruso good enough to demand 29 minutes in a close Western Conference Finals game? Or are the Lakers having to play certain guys a certain number of minutes because they don't have better options?

 

Not watching, but am I reading correctly that AD has 0 rebounds with 8 minutes left in the game? What the [uck fay]?

 

Poor Nuggets. Up 99-83, and the Lakers are now on a 13-0 run to make it a 3 point game.

 

What a meltdown by Denver.

 

Looks like they weathered the storm.

 

I literally only watched the last 3 minutes of this Game, but when you’re down 5, then 8, why on earth are Rondo and Caruso on the floor? Even Kuzma is questionable at that point. Nuggets gave you 3 wide open looks, and you didn’t capitalize on any of them because you had a bunch of dudes who can’t shoot on the floor.

 

Rondo nearly single handedly wiped out a 20 point Nuggets 4th quarter lead with his defense.

 

First, cool. I’m not sure what that has to do with him being in the game with under 3 minutes when you need people to hit open 3’s. He’s not and has never been that guy.

Second (and I will preface it by saying I did not watch this one, so I am legitimately asking), what did Rondo do to “nearly single handedly” wipe out a 20 point lead? I didn’t see that watching the play by play, and the box score gives me 9 points, 3 steals, and -13 on the night. I don’t see how those numbers align with “nearly single handedly” wiping out a 20 point lead. Again, I’m not saying it didn’t happen. I’m just asking how. Or were you exaggerating?