Handing the Lakers a title

[da ThRONe]

The real issue was there was never a good enough team built with A.D a bunch of wasted years on a dude who is going to go down as one of the greatest big men in history. Jrue Holiday was his second option who is looking more like a guy who should be a number 3 on title team. Got to wonder what this team could of been with a better number 2

In fairness AD still doesn't look like a number 1. He's a number 2 right now right were he belongs.

[da ThRONe]

Also I'm so tired of hearing we failed to build around, in this day and age of the NBA you can't build around AD. AD is a great player but he is a number 2 on a championship team. His skill set is to limited, to when a championships your best player has to be a wing that can create their own shot and can create for other while handling the ball. That is not Ad's game but hopefully Zion can keep improving on the glimpse we saw in preseason of his ability to do just that.

I just said this. We should have taken our time to find another player to be the 1 or 1A to Davis' 2 or 1B.

[Mythrol]

We always knew the Lakers were going to be amazing this year and we wouldn't.

This seems to be the point OP is missing. We didn't even take their draft pick for this year because we knew they'd be good this season. Maybe they win a title, maybe they don't but what the Lakers do this year never really was a bearing on our trade. Someone HAS to win a title. We took the best deal on the table and have a ton of future assets.

[PELICANSFAN]

It's hard to trust those numbers when they have Pelicans at 22 and you could hear a pin drop in the arena, in some of our games. They've always said we had pretty good attendance numbers but it doesn't look like it at all.

Edit: They say our attendance is 16,222 out of a possible 17,791. Nobody who watches our games believes our arena is 91% full.

And you think Memphis does not report sold seats as well? I have seen only a few of their games, but I know you cannot believe they pack the house.

[AusPel]

I still think Milwaukee has a better team than the Lakers overall.

[SoCal4Pels]

In fairness AD still doesn't look like a number 1. He's a number 2 right now right were he belongs.

This is true. He has the skillset to be number 1, but I don't think he has that killer hyper-aggressive mindset to be a real number 1. I don't see it in his eyes or his play or his passion or the things he says, compared to the likes of Lebron, Curry, Harden, Durant, Kawai, Giannis, even Luka. And then you have guys with the #1-guy mindset who probably don't have the skillsets/domiance to be a #1 that leads their teams to a championship like Lilliard, Kyrie, Westbrook.

The only other guy I would put maybe into the category with AD as far as having the skillset but not the absolute killer mentality necessary would be Paul George.

My 2 cents.

Also, being in LA and watching lots of games, the Lakers are trying waaaaay harder right now in the regular season than the Clippers. Playoff time comes, it is possible the clippers will be much fresher and have less injuries. And, anything happens to either AD or Lebron for even a short stretch in the playoffs, you can chalk those games up as automatic losses. The clippers go without PG or KL for a bit, they can more than keep their heads above water with their team depth.

[da ThRONe]

This is true. He has the skillset to be number 1, but I don't think he has that killer hyper-aggressive mindset to be a real number 1. I don't see it in his eyes or his play or his passion or the things he says, compared to the likes of Lebron, Curry, Harden, Durant, Kawai, Giannis, even Luka. And then you have guys with the #1-guy mindset who probably don't have the skillsets/domiance to be a #1 that leads their teams to a championship like Lilliard, Kyrie, Westbrook.

The only other guy I would put maybe into the category with AD as far as having the skillset but not the absolute killer mentality necessary would be Paul George.

My 2 cents.

Also, being in LA and watching lots of games, the Lakers are trying waaaaay harder right now in the regular season than the Clippers. Playoff time comes, it is possible the clippers will be much fresher and have less injuries. And, anything happens to either AD or Lebron for even a short stretch in the playoffs, you can chalk those games up as automatic losses. The clippers go without PG or KL for a bit, they can more than keep their heads above water with their team depth.

I don't know if he has the skill set. IMO the main problem that I've always had with him is he's the ultimate trash guy. Way too many of his made attempts are assisted. Which makes him the prefect number 2. But the number one guy (especially during the playoffs) has to be able to have the ball in their hands consistently and be able to create for themselves or teammates. It why perimeter are having so much value in the league.

[Pelicanidae]

I don't know if he has the skill set. IMO the main problem that I've always had with him is he's the ultimate trash guy. Way too many of his made attempts are assisted. Which makes him the prefect number 2. But the number one guy (especially during the playoffs) has to be able to have the ball in their hands consistently and be able to create for themselves or teammates. It why perimeter are having so much value in the league.

Never understood that idea that in order to be dominant, you can't have shots assisted.

Obviously you need to be able to generate some significant portion of your own shots, sure, but what is that portion?

Over the last two seasons, 61% of ADs 2pt makes have been assisted on. That percentage becomes about 65% if you go back three seasons.

Shaq from 2000-01 to 2003-04 was assisted on 64.2% of his 2pt attempts. Pretty much identical to the percentage of assisted shots AD gets.

Was Shaq ''the perfect number 2'' because ''way too many of his made attempts are assisted''? Obviously the league has changed over the years to become more and more focused on the perimeter, but does that make AD less valuable, or does it simply change the arrangement of talent that you need to have around someone like that?

Does someone have to be like 2017 Kawhi Leonard, who was only assisted on 12% of his 2pt makes, in order to qualify as a number one guy? Or does Kevin Durant qualify, despite being assisted on 50.4% of his 2pt makes during his Golden State years? If 50.4% is fine, but AD's 61% is too much, where's the cut-off? No more than 55% of your shots may be assisted, or you are suddenly Demoted into ''Number 2'' Status.

Not even really arguing here, we all know that KD's skills at generating his own shot are far superior to AD's. My question is just why we should bother looking at the ast% of these shots when deciding who is allowed to be a number 1 vs a number 2.

[SoCal4Pels]

It's a fair point, as pretty much all the current superstars who have won championships or are title contenders can create their own shot.

But, yes, I think pretty much all '#1' big men not named Giannis (or possibly Dirk?), are probably going to have high levels of assisted baskets, since they are not going to be dribbling much. I haven't looked at Duncan, KG's, Malone's, Robinson's, or Olajuwon's numbers, but I would think a large % of their buckets are assisted.

[Pelicanidae]

It's a fair point, as pretty much all the current superstars who have won championships or are title contenders can create their own shot.

But, yes, I think pretty much all '#1' big men not named Giannis (or possibly Dirk?), are probably going to have high levels of assisted baskets, since they are not going to be dribbling much. I haven't looked at Duncan, KG's, Malone's, Robinson's, or Olajuwon's numbers, but I would think a large % of their buckets are assisted.

Career %age of assisted 2pt shots -
Duncan: 54.6%, reached his career high of 74% at age 38
Garnett: 67.6%, reached career high of 94.4% at age 39
K. Malone: 80.4% (only counts his final 4 years, as data prior to 2000 is not publicly available)
Dirk: 56.6%, reached career high of 81% at age 40
Giannis: 46.2%, career high of 62.1% came in his rookie year

So yeah, while the numbers aren't perfect here (cuts off a few early years for KG and Duncan, and cuts off the vast majority of Malone's career) it's a solid indicator.

[Wowowowow]

Because it’s nonsense.

What wins in this league is the value of your team versus the value of your competition.

AD as a first option with a good to great supporting cast is a better team than Lebron with scrubs.

Then if AD has a better coach it’s no question.

Build the team and execute at a championship level. If that’s points assisted, fine.

[ml wave]

Scorekeepers are much more generous with assists these days, also. Something to think about when comparing to 15-20 years ago.

[13 - 3]

One think we learned . They are not getting far if both are not healthy for playoffs. Don’t think Davis played in that loss to Pacers last night.

[13 - 3]

Lakers not getting title if they are playing healthy Bucks in June.

[luckyman]

With Lebron missing his first game, Lakers got curb stomped by the Nuggets, at home, despite Davis scoring 32.

On a nice 3 game losing streak, but they dont play again until Xmas...of course.

[13 - 3]

Looks like Oakley might be right

Charles Oakley Says Anthony Davis Is No Franchise Player, 'He Ain't That Guy' https://t.co/2zOvRYUU1G

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) December 21, 2019