***Official 2022-2023 NBA Thread***

[dirk digler]

Can't believe the regular season starts tonight. Just seemed like the Finals ended a couple weeks ago.



Philly vs Celtics: 6:30PM CST TNT

GSW vs Lakers: 9:00PM CST TNT

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Lebron was pretty bad near the end there, but he did the real damage botching those 3 point attempts and letting the Nuggets get that insane burst of momentum.

Pretty bad near the end there?

He had a series of baskets, assists and steals in the last six minutes that got the Lakers back in it with a legit shot in the last minute. That was also probably the best defensive game he's had in years (he was guarding Jokic for large portions of the 2nd half).

No idea how the story here could be LeBron playing a bad game. He was 22-9-10-4-2 on 9/19 shooting. His wing man AD just completely no showed. That just can't happen if the Lakers were going to win that game.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Lebron was pretty bad near the end there, but he did the real damage botching those 3 point attempts and letting the Nuggets get that insane burst of momentum.

If they kept Westbrook and traded Lebron the Lakers are either up 2-0 or it's 1-1.

[Sassy Squatch]

Can't afford to lose games where the supporting cast plays so well. Reaves and Hachimura both played great.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

When the Lakers don't have AD to carry them they just aren't going to win.

I've said that all playoffs long actually. AD has to be the best player on the Lakers for them to advance. When he completely no shows like that (4 for 15), it really doesn't matter what LeBron does. He's not the same guy he was in 2016 or even 2020; he can't carry teams to Finals by himself anymore.

Series comes down to game 3 now. They'll both need to show up for that one or the sweep is coming.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Pretty bad near the end there?

He had a series of baskets, assists and steals in the last six minutes that got the Lakers back in it with a legit shot in the last minute. That was also probably the best defensive game he's had in years (he was guarding Jokic for large portions of the 2nd half).

No idea how the story here could be LeBron playing a bad game. He was 22-9-10-4-2 on 9/19 shooting. His wing man AD just completely no showed. That just can't happen if the Lakers were going to win that game.

Yeah, I'd say wasting possessions on prayer 3s, botching a routine layup, and getting stripped to seal the game all culminates in a pretty rough 4th quarter for him.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

If they kept Westbrook and traded Lebron the Lakers are either up 2-0 or it's 1-1.

LeBron is averaging 24-11-10-2-2 on 51% shooting through the first two games, but sure.

[Sassy Squatch]

Damn. Just take it out of the arsenal, man.

LeBron James has missed 19 straight 3-pointers in the 4th quarter dating back to Game 2 of the 1st Round this year.

That's the longest streak by any player in the last 25 postseasons. pic.twitter.com/xMzmc1sINI

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 19, 2023

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Lakers take game 2 comfortably. That 4th quarter was a disaster for Denver and it was the product of a Lakers adjustment defensively that will not be easily handled.

Comfortably.

Crazy stat: Murray scored all but 9 nuggets points in the 4th. Jokic got 0 on three shots.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Yeah, I'd say wasting possessions on prayer 3s,

Wasting possessions? The entire team wasn't scoring the whole 4th quarter (until he turned it on himself with 6 minutes left). Again, somebody has to shoot the ball.

botching a routine layup,

You're referring to the layup he had after the ridiculous steal where he came all the way across the floor to take it away from Jokic? The layup where Gordon came back and contested him right at the rim? That layup?

and getting stripped to seal the game

Stripped to seal the game?

They were down 5 points with 10 seconds left with no timeouts. The game was over.

all culminates in a pretty rough 4th quarter for him.

He was the best player on the floor for the Lakers, both in the entire game and the 4th quarter. Not even close either.

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Damn. Just take it out of the arsenal, man.

LeBron James has missed 19 straight 3-pointers in the 4th quarter dating back to Game 2 of the 1st Round this year.

That's the longest streak by any player in the last 25 postseasons. pic.twitter.com/xMzmc1sINI

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 19, 2023

Clutch. King.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by tyecopeland

Comfortably.

Would have been if AD showed up whatsoever. Denver didn't even play well and LeBron was good.

Crazy stat: Murray scored all but 9 nuggets points in the 4th. Jokic got 0 on three shots.

LeBron was guarding Jokic for a lot of that 4th Q, FYI.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Damn. Just take it out of the arsenal, man.

LeBron James has missed 19 straight 3-pointers in the 4th quarter dating back to Game 2 of the 1st Round this year.

That's the longest streak by any player in the last 25 postseasons. pic.twitter.com/xMzmc1sINI

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 19, 2023

Just watch the next one he makes be the biggest shot of the series. That would be so LeBron.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Lebron was pretty bad near the end there, but he did the real damage botching those 3 point attempts and letting the Nuggets get that insane burst of momentum.

He hasn’t been his usual self no doubt. Multiple turnovers late in the game for the 2nd straight game and missing easy shots. Said it a few pages back he needs to stop shooting 3’s and start backing down more. He is a horrible 3 pt shooter

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Would have been if AD showed up whatsoever. Denver didn't even play well and LeBron was good.



LeBron was guarding Jokic for a lot of that 4th Q, FYI.

We can play the would have been game all you want. You had no qualifiers in your statement though.

And... the nuggets scored 32 points. What's your point?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

He hasn’t been his usual self no doubt. Multiple turnovers late in the game for the 2nd straight game and missing easy shots. Said it a few pages back he needs to stop shooting 3’s and start backing down more. He is a horrible 3 pt shooter

Hasn't been his usual self? He's averaging a triple double at age 39 in the WCF while guarding the best player in the NBA, a guy who has 4 inches and 50+ pounds on him. What the hell is the expectation here?