I thought, if you could look past Kira's 0 / 8 from the floor and JAXSON's 5 personal fouls and 3 turnovers, you'd have to admit they showed a lot of promise tonight, no?
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I thought, if you could look past Kira's 0 / 8 from the floor and JAXSON's 5 personal fouls and 3 turnovers, you'd have to admit they showed a lot of promise tonight, no?
I honestly can understand the offense slowing down in the 4th. Being able to execute in that quarter is a learned skill. We've got babies still stepping out of bounds and staring at each other for 15 seconds.
But on defense, that was about as much a PnR clinic as I've ever seen. And this team was not prepared for that basic play over and over and over. Bigs staying to help too long. Rotations getting lost.
Then when they do it all correctly, CP3 pops a 3 in Lonzo's face.
This is a demoralized team and it's going to be ugly for a while.
You're also clever at reframing an argument when you're on the losing end. Here's what you did.. You said something that clearly wasn't true. I called you out on it. Now you're trying to say that all you're saying is that he's thin. Well duh. We all know he's thin. But that wasn't what you stated. Nor would anyone rebut you on that. You said.. "for about 6 years now and it just hasn't happened." Which is a lie.. I respect you but I'm going to keep correcting you when your commentary warrants it on Ingram. It's pretty bad at times.
Ingram came in to the league desperately needing to put weight on, and he's now in his 5th season and he desperately needs to put weight on. I don't really care if he's actually 10lbs heavier than he was when he was drafted because the actual effect of it has been minimal.
I'll rephrase, if it makes you happy: I've been being told that he's going to put on enough weight for it to actually matter in any significant manner for years now, and it hasn't happened.
There, better?
Basketball.
I honestly feel like BI is the type of guy who will hit a point and just work on it harder than anyone else. He'll figure out whatever protein issues his body has, he'll dedicate the time in the off season to work on gains and if he gets the right people around him he'll be fine.
On an unrelated matter I actually think JJ should start over Bledsoe and you give Bledsoe the green light off the bench. I really like what I'm seeing with Zion/Redick figuring out a 2 man game and I feel like there is an evolution to that whereas JJ sets the pick for Zion inside the 3pt line and bails to the 3pt line, Zion gets a step and maybe a mismatch coz someone has to follow Redick, Zion collapses the D coz he only needs half a step on someone to explode, if he doesn't have a lane there's Lonzo on the wing and BI is ready in the post if Lonzo feels the close out.
I'm really seeing efficiency with Zion handling the ball and having shooters screen for him. What needs to happen is when that collapses the D we have JJ or Ball open for 3 or Ingram is in the post. Ann I'm fine with and Ingram turnaround mid range J.
Only issue is you'd want Zion to move to the dunkers spot if he passes up the drive so therefore you need a 5 who's can spot up in the corner and we don't have one.
Somewhat better lol.. Problem is you're wrong.. He's a lot better at absorbing contact now. First season or two he'd be all over the place with a slight bump. The added weight has helped him a lot actually. =)
On a more cheerful, less combative note - now that our respective positions are all clear on this - here's a question:
If you could trade for any player in the league*, who would it be?
*Here are the restrictions, to stop everyone just naming Steph Curry or whatever
- Player can't be over the age of 30
- Player can't be on a max deal
- Player can't be a perennial all-NBA type talent
Basically you can probably tell but what I'm saying is don't just name top 15 players, make it at least semi-plausible.
For me, I think I still go either Duncan Robinson or Matisse Thybulle.
Edit: removed the post. I said I'm being less combative, no need for me to be snarky. Done arguing for now lmao
A move is coming. The best, non-ridiculous conversation to have right now is who will this team get for JJ Redick?
He's not walking off this team for nothing. Playoff teams will be clamoring for him.
Don't think they want or need anymore draft assets. It has to be a 6'7"+ 3&D type player out there.
As for Lonzo, I wouldn't be shocked if he stays or also gets traded. I honestly have no idea what they'll do with him. I want the trade.
Sorry man but I'm seeing and hearing all the right things about BI... I actually didn't like him as a Laker and saw some personality issues.. But I'm seeing genuine leadership from him on nuanced things that give me reason to believe he's a keeper. And I hear Joel and Ant Dan talk about his work ethic being right up there. I know what it's like being a skinny guy who couldn't put on muscle, and you can get tests done to figure out what the missing piece is. I'm not saying he's going to be buff, I'm saying for a skinny guy even 4kg of core muscle makes such a huge difference you feel like a new person and can do things you couldn't do before.
I really don't know if I'm just buying our own hype too much with our shooting development but I really feel like Thybulle could be so legit for us. If he could just be a decent shooter, like league average on 3 or 4 a game, that would be enough not to totally ruin the offense with him out there and hte D would be so valuable.
The defense would be a bit of a concern but frankly we're already damn near bottom of the league, it can't get much worse and at least he's the kind of piece that would still be valuable in a year or two once we've started addressing those defensive issues.
... I hope we address those issues
Yea there are flashes of good NBA players there and I'm probably the biggest Kira fan on the board. There have been moments where I see how Kira/Lonzo would actually be fine as a starting NBA backcourt (in a year or two) but then I look at the issues we have closing games and I really wonder if a vet floor general is actually the best thing for the team. The team desperately needs a guard who can get to the rim and finish. Kira can get to the rim, so can Lonzo, but neither is showing they can finish there, yet.
I think the important thing for Kira is the decisions he's making, rather than the result, at least right now. Obviously eventually that needs to start materialising into results but I'd much much rather a guy of his age and experience be making the right plays at the right times and being inefficient than shooting the lights out stupidly.
Cause most of the time, making the right play is the right thing to do, and dumb-but-hot shooting is always a false friend in the long run.
He's an okay team defender, but he's certainly nothing particularly positive. He'll be in the right place at the right time more often than not, but he's not very physically strong or laterally quick so he's not really going to stop anyone, especially if you're trying to make him guard actual forwards (which he's the height for).
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