The Indy Talks To Himself (NBA) Thread.

Yeah, interesting shift all around, but I think it's time. Their strategy of holding a million draft picks just hasn't really paid off for them, and they've had a number of acquisitions not work as expected (Kemba, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie).

They need to get things figured out so that they don't waste Tatum's prime.

 

I don't think the Lakers are done by any stretch of the imagination. LeBron is still an amazing player, although this has been the first time in 12-13 years in which I'm not entirely certain he's the best in the league. But, I'm reminded of the '85 Finals when I see a blowout of such epic proportions in the playoff and obituaries being written. If Davis comes back, the Lakers still have the two best players on the court and winning two wouldn't be unmanageable, at all.

 

I'm surprised you feel that way. I think they are legitimately in trouble. I don't see AD coming back this series, but I guess we will see. If he plays in the next 2, they will definitely have a good shot at winning.

Honestly, I think the high ankle sprain is holding Bron down a bit more than people want to believe at the moment. It's hard to find another reason for how passive he has felt in this series, and more specifically in the last couple games.

But as bad as he was, he still had 24-5-7 on 9-19 from the field and 6-10 from 3. Meanwhile, the other 4 starters went 3-17 from the field, and the team shot 34.5% from the field as a whole. The only other player on the team with a pulse seemed to be Kuzma. Meanwhile, a guy like Schroder, who turned down an $80 million extension goes 0-9 and drops a big goose egg for the game? Hard to believe.

LeBron definitely didn't play well, but even if he does for the next two games, they won't win if the supporting cast doesn't improve. I'm starting to wonder if chemistry issues are to blame. Schroder turned down the extension, and there's been talk all season about them moving on from him. Gasol was upset with his lack of PT and the Drummond acquisition. Harrell has been vocal about his lack of PT towards the end of the season and in the playoffs. Then you've got Kuzma, who sees guys like Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball all thriving elsewhere, while he remains wildly consistent off the bench. Just a lot of chatter all season, which is the type of stuff you don't usually hear about on LeBron's teams. I'm sure it's impacting the poor performance.

 

It's also gotta be frustrating playing with AD as your wingman. The dude can be a monster and completely take over a game when he feels like it, which makes you really scratch your head at performances like his game 1 stinker. And then he's just so damn injury prone. How do you count on a guy like that?

 

The Lakers could be done, but I don't think the Suns are so good as to be able to nail the Lakers' coffin with certainty. Phoenix strikes me as a team which made the jump a year or so earlier than they anticipated and beyond what they ever expected, a la Pearl's first year at UT. Paul is hurt and James has the ability to take over games, so there are some real uncertainties in the last, possible, two games.

 

God I hope the Grizz somehow fleece the Celtics this summer after they spent the past decade taking advantage of Chris Wallace.

 

Sure looks like James has a flat tire to me. Maybe it's age, maybe it's the high ankle sprain. Don't see it happening this year with AD banged up.

 

Is it too much to ask to make it through an NBA postseason without all of these [uck fay]ing injuries?

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...s-joel-embiid-meniscus-tear-right-knee-game-5

 

Spike Lee can eat an entire bag. Go Hawks!!

 

Luka started 5/5 from 3 tonight. Imagine if he shot like that regularly.

 

40-7-12 for Luka.... at the end of the 3rd quarter. We are witnessing an all time great playoff performance, and the rate at which this kid is putting up 40 point playoff games is unreal.

And the craziest part is that every single playoff game he’s played has come against the Clippers with 2 of the best wing defenders in the league. Imagine what he will do against a team not built to stop him?

 

Jesus.

 

Josh Richardson with the rebound to close the game. Also got 2 free throws as the icing on the cake.

 

Was hoping the Grizz could make it a 6 game series. But, showing promise for the future.

 

Rondo’s face... I’m dying

 

Blazers can’t even beat the Nuggets when Murray is injured. Sheesh. I hope Lillard goes somewhere else and teams up with another star soon. Way too talented to be wasting away in Portland.

 

AD pushing himself to go in game 6 when he very clearly wasn’t ready suggests to me that Bron isn’t confident in his ability to carry the team to game 7. Feels like the Lakers are in trouble.

 

Devin Booker, Jesus Christ

 

Lol, Devin Booker has 22 points in the first quarter on 6/6 from 3... Jesus

Meanwhile, the Lakers are shooting 26% from the field. This one feels over.

 

The Suns aren't going to shoot 10-13 from three the whole game. This is the NBA, leads are not safe. No AD is very tough for the Lakers, although no Paul may be in the cards for the Suns, too.