The NBA Thread (79 Viewers)

[Osman]

You guys still talking about irrelevant guy like Lonzo Ball, when you have so many other interesting players to talk about.


Like how Towns is low-key turning into a dominant force in more ways then just offense, has had a crazy 2-3 months. Becoming more of a leader and turning into a respectable force on D, just recently had a crazy 27pts/27 rebounds and 5 blocks vs Pelicans. 3 of those blocks was on AD lol. Just smarter and more high effort help defender now, alters plenty of drives/shots now. The only weakness he has left is staying out of foul trouble. Worst at it the leg, most of it ill disciplined offensive fouls.

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[zizinho]

You guys still talking about irrelevant guy like Lonzo Ball, when you have so many other interesting players to talk about.


Like how Towns is low-key turning into a dominant force in more ways then just offense, has had a crazy 2-3 months. Becoming more of a leader and turning into a respectable force on D, just recently had a crazy 27pts/27 rebounds and 5 blocks vs Pelicans. 3 of those blocks was on AD lol. Just smarter and more high effort help defender now, alters plenty of drives/shots now. The only weakness he has left is staying out of foul trouble. Worst at it the leg, most of it ill disciplined offensive fouls.

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OK, lets talk about him. he ever gonna make the playoffs without Butler carrying his ass?

 

[Post Ironic]

You guys still talking about irrelevant guy like Lonzo Ball, when you have so many other interesting players to talk about.


Like how Towns is low-key turning into a dominant force in more ways then just offense, has had a crazy 2-3 months. Becoming more of a leader and turning into a respectable force on D, just recently had a crazy 27pts/27 rebounds and 5 blocks vs Pelicans. 3 of those blocks was on AD lol. Just smarter and more high effort help defender now, alters plenty of drives/shots now. The only weakness he has left is staying out of foul trouble. Worst at it the leg, most of it ill disciplined offensive fouls.

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Towns was really awesome while your Wolves were losing by 42 to the Sixers the very next game. 13 points, 3 rebounds, and was a team worst -42 while on the floor. Towns is just the new Kevin Love.

 

[Osman]

OK, lets talk about him. he ever gonna make the playoffs without Butler carrying his ass?

He just turned 23 and will finish his career as clearly superior to Jimmy, has more talent and overall tools. The closing and overall two top quality of Jimmy is missed, but the fact is not only he is good enough to warrant the drama (even if he was a first option super star level, which he ain't), but both Towns and team are playing way better after he left. Jumped up to top 10 in both offense and defense after him (Covington is better defender, it's quite surprising how much more impact he offers there). That's what matters. And whoever or however they build the team around Towns, that's out of his control. But rest assured the team is super lucky to have him.


Seriously just watch past couple months, he is so much better post trade, and giving so much to the team.

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[Osman]

Towns was really awesome while your Wolves were losing by 42 to the Sixers the very next game. 13 points, 3 rebounds, and was a team worst -42 while on the floor. Towns is just the new Kevin Love.

This is such a short sighted casual fan thing to say. I watched the game, the whole team basically didn't show up at all, worst game of the season, they got bullied and stopped dead mentally, zero excuses, Embiid has his number and the Sixers team physically tormented them into lots of turnovers.

But one game doesn't change the amount of dominant games he has had past 2 months. Against all type of opponents. Super efficient on offense, blocking and defending like a pro, leads the league in rebounds and 2nd in post ups after Aldridge in that period.


You are not seeing enough of him if you haven't seen the stark improvement.

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[Post Ironic]

This is such a short sighted casual fan thing to say. I watched the game, the whole team basically didn't show up at all, worst game of the season, they got bullied and stopped dead mentally, zero excuses, Embiid has his number and the Sixers team physically tormented them into lots of turnovers.

But one game doesn't change the amount of dominant games he has had past 2 months. Against all type of opponents. Super efficient on offense, blocking and defending like a pro, leads the league in rebounds and 2nd in post ups after Aldridge in that period.


You are not seeing enough of him if you haven't seen the stark improvement.

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I'm not a T-wolves fan, so I don't watch them much. I'm mostly teasing.

But I am a Lakers fan, and if you haven't seen the marked improvement from Lonzo this season, I could say the same about "short sighted casual fan thing to say" that he's "irrelevant".

Especially in this 12 game stretch that Lebron has been out.

He's averaging 12.9 ppg - 6.2 rpg - 6.9 apg - 1.4 spg - and shooting 38.9% from 3. And he's only getting better

 

[zizinho]

He just turned 23 and will finish his career as clearly superior to Jimmy, has more talent and overall tools. The closing and overall two top quality of Jimmy is missed, but the fact is not only he is good enough to warrant the drama (even if he was a first option super star level, which he ain't), but both Towns and team are playing way better after he left. Jumped up to top 10 in both offense and defense after him (Covington is better defender, it's quite surprising how much more impact he offers there). That's what matters. And whoever or however they build the team around Towns, that's out of his control. But rest assured the team is super lucky to have him.


Seriously just watch past couple months, he is so much better post trade, and giving so much to the team.

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just messing about the Butler part.

only saw him vs us where he looked great (Wiggins as well), and they won. but we were without Kuzma, James and Rondo so not sure how much i should read into it. other than that only looking at stats after games and occasionally highlights on youtube. but i noticed he has those games where he takes around 10 shots and has some role players on his own team outshoot him. i dont know if its him, retarded teammates or the coach, but that shouldnt happen.

 

[KB824]

Lonzo just turned 21, and is an elite passer, ball handler, rebounder and defender at his position. The hardest position to play in the NBA.

So, if he is irrelevant, what does that make someone who just turned 23 and was accused of being soft by former and current teammates? Asking for a friend here.

 

[Osman]

I actually watch every 3rd or 4th game you play, yours, Toronto and Mavs are the team's I tend to tune in on semi frequently. I seen enough to know Ball well in terms of what kind of ceiling he has, elite role player, but I call him irrelevant because he is not worth all this constant discussion (I don't mean just hear, also Real GM NBA forum) like he is a star level impact talent. He simply isn't in my humble opinion, he is and will become an exceptional team player and role player, but when I watch your games not only isn't his offensive good enough despite all the needed intangible things he does, but I don't think he is someone who fits playing with LeBron. He can have respectable hot streaks in shooting efficieny, but I doubt it will permanently improve with him. He doesn't seem to be that driven as a player to truly come to grips we that.


And he lacks the supreme all around talent of a Simmons to excuse away a sketchy or inexistent shot like in Simmons case (not excusable either for him because he will be punked in Playoffs again).

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[Bianconero81]

Towns is definitely improving, but he's still behind other dominant players in his age bracket (early 20s) like AD, Embiid, Giannis, and Jokic. I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't ever think he'll be at their level.

 

[Post Ironic]

We watch Lonzo every game. He's very clearly improving, and imo his upside is higher than "elite role player". His intelligence on the court, and the way he learns from his mistakes and improves from them will take him far. I could see him developing into a #2 or #3 player on a contender. It's fine if you think different.

But the same deal here. The occasional time I watch Towns, I don't see him as the dominant force you do. He'll be a top player on a mediocre/decent team, get lots of numbers, but doesn't look to me like he will be the player that is the centrepiece of championship contender. 2nd or 3rd best player, sure, but never the main man. I think his fitness levels are pretty poor for an elite player and have always been.

 

[zizinho]

Ball is in a different stratosphere as a shooter compared to Simmons though. and i dont see inferior talent overall to Simmons, just inferior physicality and athleticism

 

[KB824]

Lonzo needs to be the one that runs the offense. It's that simple. Lebron is going to need to start playing off the ball in order for the whole team to be more effective. At his age, and with the amount of minutes he has played, it should be something that he should welcome, as it will extend his career as an elite level player.

All you have to do is look at this team when Lonzo is engaged and able to do his job as a point guard. The ball movement doesn't stop. Every one is cutting along the baseline and to the rim. If people like us can see that, surely Lebron can too, right?

 

[Post Ironic]

Ball is in a different stratosphere as a shooter compared to Simmons though. and i dont see inferior talent overall to Simmons, just inferior physicality and athleticism

It's not like his athleticism is poor. His defence is superb due to his athleticism. He's not at the level of Simmons there, but he's not some lacking-in-athleticism bum.

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Lonzo needs to be the one that runs the offense. It's that simple. Lebron is going to need to start playing off the ball in order for the whole team to be more effective. At his age, and with the amount of minutes he has played, it should be something that he should welcome, as it will extend his career as an elite level player.

All you have to do is look at this team when Lonzo is engaged and able to do his job as a point guard. The ball movement doesn't stop. Every one is cutting along the baseline and to the rim. If people like us can see that, surely Lebron can too, right?

Why I was wary of Lebron coming to the Lakers, even if I like Lebron. I think at the start of the season he play off the ball a bit more, but with the poor start the team had, and the pressure of returning to the playoffs, Lebron went back to running the offence and taking over. Hopefully this stretch with him out gives the young Lakers another chance to get things going and improve to the point there can be some success with Lebron playing more off-ball down the stretch.

 

[KB824]

I'm gonna say this again.

Lonzo's shooting numbers are trending upward from last year to this year, and he's played nearly the same amount of games. FG and Effective FG% are up over 4%. His 3 point % is up over 3% per game. His 2 PT % is up over 5% from last year.

He is trending upwards. And at the lack of athleticsm comments. Yeah,. those 1 handed alley oops he throws down are a result of being a slug. You can't play the type of defense and run the fast break on the dribble the way he does, and make the full court passes he makes for assists if he weren't athletic.

 

[Osman]

just messing about the Butler part.

only saw him vs us where he looked great (Wiggins as well), and they won. but we were without Kuzma, James and Rondo so not sure how much i should read into it. other than that only looking at stats after games and occasionally highlights on youtube. but i noticed he has those games where he takes around 10 shots and has some role players on his own team outshoot him. i dont know if its him, retarded teammates or the coach, but that shouldnt happen.

It was a combination of stupid inexistent plays drawn up for him or enough post ups by Thibs (new young coach feeds him more and flows offense more freely). But also Towns bad habits of early foul trouble that limits his minutes some games.

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[zizinho]

im not saying he lacks athleticism, just that its inferior to Simmons

 

[KB824]

I'm gonna say this again.

Lonzo's shooting numbers are trending upward from last year to this year, and he's played nearly the same amount of games. FG and Effective FG% are up over 4%. His 3 point % is up over 3% per game. His 2 PT % is up over 5% from last year.

He is trending upwards. And at the lack of athleticsm comments. Yeah,. those 1 handed alley oops he throws down are a result of being a slug.

It's not like his athleticism is poor. His defence is superb due to his athleticism. He's not at the level of Simmons there, but he's not some lacking-in-athleticism bum.

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Why I was wary of Lebron coming to the Lakers, even if I like Lebron. I think at the start of the season he play off the ball a bit more, but with the poor start the team had, and the pressure of returning to the playoffs, Lebron went back to running the offence and taking over. Hopefully this stretch with him out gives the young Lakers another chance to get things going and improve to the point there can be some success with Lebron playing more off-ball down the stretch.

And that is where I find fault in the coaching and management. They should have stayed the course and played the long game. It's hard enough for veteran players to get adjusted playing next to Lebron, but people were expecting kids (Yes, KIDS) to suddenly be able to switch up the way they play, and then THEY are the ones that get criticized for it when things go wropng, and it ends up being 4 dudes barely old enough to drink end up standing around watching Lebron? Bullshit. People were crazy enough to start saying that the Lakers were suddenly WC Contenders. I would have been happy, and would be still be happy now, for them to get in the playoffs. It should have never been about THIS year. It's about next year and the next 2 years after that while Lebron is still here.

It was unrealistic expectations that Magic and Pelinka did NOTHING to temper that was the cause of the stand and watch offense. The same management team that told Lonzo last year that they expect his number to hang in the rafters and to break all of Magic's records. Yeah. No pressure there.

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im not saying he lacks athleticism, just that its inferior to Simmons

It definitely is inferior to Simmons. No denying that. But I hear so many people say that Lonzo ins't athletic. You can't do the stuff he does on the court if you are not athletic. He's not a speed demon, but he's very quick, especially with the ball in his hands

 

[zizinho]

I'm gonna say this again.

Lonzo's shooting numbers are trending upward from last year to this year, and he's played nearly the same amount of games. FG and Effective FG% are up over 4%. His 3 point % is up over 3% per game. His 2 PT % is up over 5% from last year.

He is trending upwards. And at the lack of athleticsm comments. Yeah,. those 1 handed alley oops he throws down are a result of being a slug.


And that is where I find fault in the coaching and management. They should have stayed the course and played the long game. It's hard enough for veteran players to get adjusted playing next to Lebron, but people were expecting kids (Yes, KIDS) to suddenly be able to switch up the way they play, and then THEY are the ones that get criticized for it when things go wropng, and it ends up being 4 dudes barely old enough to drink end up standing around watching Lebron? Bullshit. People were crazy enough to start saying that the Lakers were suddenly WC Contenders. I would have been happy, and would be still be happy now, for them to get in the playoffs. It should have never been about THIS year. It's about next year and the next 2 years after that while Lebron is still here.

It was unrealistic expectations that Magic and Pelinka did NOTHING to temper that was the cause of the stand and watch offense. The same management team that told Lonzo last year that they expect his number to hang in the rafters and to break all of Magic's records. Yeah. No pressure there.

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It definitely is inferior to Simmons. No denying that. But I hear so many people say that Lonza ins't athletic. You can't do the stuff he does on the court if you are not athletic. He's not a speed demon, but he's very quick, especially with the ball in his hands

yep, hes like a cheetah when he picks the ball up and starts pushing in transition, cant stop him without fouling. he got stronger during offseason as well, see him guarding George and getting physical with him, even bodying some PFs on switches.

 

[ALC]

Ball is in a different stratosphere as a shooter compared to Simmons though. and i dont see inferior talent overall to Simmons, just inferior physicality and athleticism

you’re right when you say they’re not in the same stratosphere and that stratosphere is otherwise known as basketball