And James still has some juice, but this is so completely Anthony Davis' squad at this point that it's a little bit terrifying. Because he's no sort of iron man and is going to take about 15% of the games he does play off in any given season.
And now they're getting just whupped on the glass.
I think they'll finish above .500. Maybe challenge 48 wins on the high side. But this team ain't very good.
LeBron was a top 10 player when healthy last year (and somehow doesn’t look like he’s lost much of a step still) but no way I’d pick him to play more than 60 games this year. 45 wins feels reasonable considering AD’s own injury issues. [Reply]
There’s also no way a 40 year old can continue to average 35 minutes a game so that will inevitably need to be cut down too. They don’t have the bench to really handle that. [Reply]
Feels like Davis and Edwards are about to make this a 1v1 showdown over the last 5 minutes.
I've said it a lot, but the Lakers cannot lose ANY games where Davis plays like this. He has maybe 35-40 games/season where he decides "Yeah, I'm just gonna be the best player in the world tonight. See if you can stop me..."
Gotta win all of 'em.
Because when he's not, you aren't winning many. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC_Connection:
There’s also no way a 40 year old can continue to average 35 minutes a game so that will inevitably need to be cut down too. They don’t have the bench to really handle that.
I think Vanderbilt was the plan to suck up some of those minutes and his injury messed that up.
They'll try to make those lower use minutes where they can by going through Rui a bit more when the starters are out there as well.
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
{and p.s. the Lakers have been better with James on the bench than they've been with him in the lineup tonight anyway)
That won’t be the case in the games where AD doesn’t try (which is most of them). [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC_Connection:
Randle just feels like an awful fit for this team.
Randle was our best player during some real bad years and always played hard. I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for him (same as I do for D-Lo).
But honestly, he's an awful fit on ANY team with designs on winning anything. There are just too many things he doesn't do well and the things he's good at, he's by no means great at.
I do like DiVincenzo for them, though. So, that's good I guess. [Reply]
"To understand that this isn't given to you and you'll have to earn it every single day..."
Honestly, I'm impressed as hell he managed to keep a straight face when he said that. Dude should fucking run for President with that kind of ability to shamelessly lie. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
"What did you say to Bronny before the game?"
"To understand that this isn't given to you and you'll have to earn it every single day..."
Honestly, I'm impressed as hell he managed to keep a straight face when he said that. Dude should ****ing run for President with that kind of ability to shamelessly lie.
Helps when the entirety of the league/media is keeping up the same lie…
Still waiting for the day where somebody prominent actually tells the truth about what Bronny is and I expect we will keep waiting all season long. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC_Connection:
Helps when the entirety of the league/media is keeping up the same lie…
Still waiting for the day where somebody prominent actually tells the truth about what Bronny is and I expect we will keep waiting all season long.
I mean...everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows its bullshit.
It's not even really gaslighting. Not a single person thinks they're convincing anyone of it.
It's like talking about Santa Clause around adults because there are children in the room. Nobody believes it, but everyone just kinda gets through it for the sake of the kids. [Reply]