***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]

Here is every shot he’s taken in that situation.

Obviously add the 2 he missed vs the Lakers in G4 pic.twitter.com/lwR8fnVE8g

— Omar �� (@omar_badaSS) May 9, 2023

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But you think Jokic will routine go 30-20-10 with Murray dropping 30 and Bruce Brown drilling massive shots?

Because the game simply couldn't have gone better for Denver for 43 minutes and they were still a James make from losing that one.

I'd leave that game a LOT more concerned than I entered it if I'm Denver.

I don't know that anybody was watching that game too closely if they came away thinking that positively about Denver.

AD and LeBron can easily post those lines again (40-10-3 and 26-12-9). It's not like Denver's defense was stopping anybody. What I'd be less sure about is guys like Jamal Murray, KCP, and Porter hitting all those shots again.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

But you think Jokic will routine go 30-20-10 with Murray dropping 30 and Bruce Brown drilling massive shots?

Because the game simply couldn't have gone better for Denver for 43 minutes and they were still a James make from losing that one.

I'd leave that game a LOT more concerned than I entered it if I'm Denver.

I think Jokic will get his and as they say the others always play better at home. IMHO there is no difference between Murray\KCCP scoring and Reeves (23)\Hachimura (17) scoring.

Game 1 is always tight it seems then the blowouts start happening.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I think Jokic will get his and as they say the others always play better at home. IMHO there is no difference between Murray\KCCP scoring and Reeves (23)\Hachimura (17) scoring.

Game 1 is always tight it seems then the blowouts start happening.

Murray isn't going for 31 points every game of this series on 60% shooting. He's not that guy.

[Iconic]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Except that isn't true at all. He has a 20-year knack for making the right play routinely in such spots (which is why idiots have criticized him for years and years for passing instead of shooting in the clutch).

He had an open 3 there to tie the game. He just missed it. I'll take my chances there given his propensity for clutch shot making in general.

Sure. Knack is probably not the best word choice, it's just something I have noticed happening frequently enough.

The shot itself was poor judgement though. He had Murray with 5 personals on him and he chose to pull up. Like let's just be honest, he's shooting near 25% from 3 right now, made 0 from deep all night, like no one actually believed for a second that shot was going in lmao.

[KC_Connection]

The Jokic/Murray absurd wing 3s with zeros on clock were the difference, despite the Lakers playing their worst half of defensive basketball since the deadline.

It’s pretty clear what the Lakers defensive adjustment is. I’m not sure what the Nuggets defensive adjustment can be.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) May 17, 2023

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Murray isn't going for 31 points every game of this series on 60% shooting. He's not that guy.

Not every game but look what he did against Phoenix

34
10
32
28
19
26

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Iconic

Sure. Knack is probably not the best word choice, it's just something I have noticed frequently enough to comment on.

The shot itself was poor judgement though. He had Murray with 5 personals on him and he chose to pull up. Like let's just be honest, he's shooting near 25% from 3 right now, made 0 from deep all night, like no one actually believed for a second that shot was going in.

I would have preferred his usual drive in that spot rather than a shot (the defense probably collapses to prevent him from getting to the rim and he might get Reaves another open three instead), but it was open and he does have a track record for making those. Given they were down three, I can live with it.

[dirk digler]

Reeves shot 90% from 3. You expect that every game?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Not every game but look what he did against Phoenix

34
10
32
28
19
26

Shot 45% and averaged 24 a game. That's probably more what you can expect from him consistently and even that dropoff should be enough to get the Lakers to win if they can maintain that 2nd half effort.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Reeves shot 90% from 3. You expect that every game?

No, but I also expect Russell to do more than absolutely nothing in a few of these games too. As useless as he often is, he goes on streaks. He may go on one in game 2.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Shot 45% and averaged 24 a game. That's probably more what you can expect from him consistently and even that dropoff should be enough to get the Lakers to win if they can maintain that 2nd half effort.

Lakers had 3 days rest and now are going to have to play every other day. I don't make predictions but I am thinking Game 2 is a blowout by Denver, I don't think the Lakers will have the legs after they gave Game 1 their best shot.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Lakers had 3 days rest and now are going to have to play every other day. I don't make predictions but I am thinking Game 2 is a blowout by Denver, I don't think the Lakers will have the legs after they gave Game 1 their best shot.

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.

[DrRyan]

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.

Far more a product of them continuing to switch Murray onto James and getting backed into the paint. They also made the mistake of not making AD defend the pick and roll late in the 4th. Allowing him to play rim protector makes defense much easier than him playing 20 feet from the basket.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DrRyan

Far more a product of them continuing to switch Murray onto James and getting backed into the paint. They also made the mistake of not making AD defend the pick and roll late in the 4th. Allowing him to play rim protector makes defense much easier than him playing 20 get from the basket.

Lakers targeted Murray all over the floor defensively in the 2nd half and they will continue to do so. Like Curry last series, you can’t really hide him anywhere.

AD also didn’t have to defend the pick and roll because he was guarding Gordon or Green for most of that quarter. If Denver wants to send one of those non shooters into ball screen actions rather than Murray and Jokic (which they are likely gonna have to do), the Lakers will take that trade off.