(04-29-2024, 11:26 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: Lakers eliminated. 27-9 FTA not enough to win in Denver. Murray with another game winner.

(04-29-2024, 11:39 PM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1785106359660462476

KP down...

(04-29-2024, 11:44 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: That final possession where Jokic got raked across the arm and got a no-call. Immediately next possession Lebron barrels down and gets hit with arguably less contact and it's 2 FTs to tie the game.

Insane the bias. 

SO glad I can forget about Lebron for the next 5 months.

(04-29-2024, 11:45 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Celtics called it right calf soreness. That looked worse than just soreness. 

I hope it wasn't anything more serious than that. First major KP injury in a while.

(04-30-2024, 06:29 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: Thunder looked great.  Really disappointed in the Pelicans..even beign shorthanded.  Outside of the first game, they did not look like a serious playoff team.  I expect we are going to see some changes with their roster and possibly coaching staff.

On the other hand, I feel good about the Lakers.  They just ran into an all time closing team.  They were in every game and lost on two brutal buzzer beaters.  I am not sure the Mavs beat this current Laker team if they matched up in the playoffs.    They also have big decisions to make.  I think they need another guard.  Dinwiddie just ddn't cut it.  But do they make a bigger move using draft picks?  It is always dicey counting on a 40 year old to be great throughout the regular season like he was this year.  AD was also healthy.  Are their younger players ready to get some minutes?  Is their coach back?

KP injury looked odd.  Even if it is not serious, it all liklihood he is going to need time to get back to full strength.  I don't see anyone in the East who is going to beat Boston without KP though.  They just need to get him healthy for the finals.

(04-30-2024, 06:44 AM)omahen Wrote: NO: They have a huge amount of young 3-D wings. in my opinion their stars are a problem. They just don't fit together. Zion and Ingram are not great shooters. Add a non shooting centre and I really don't understand how they finished top 8 in the West. Personally I didn't believe in them at all. Neither Ingram or Zion are likely to be able to lead the team to true competitor status. Zion is a non shooter, weak defender and always injured. He is cetainly a freak of nature as far as his physicality goes, but I think he has enough weaknesses in his game you can always scheme against. Ingram is imho far from an alpha. Number two or three on a serious team - as a weak shooter he is a questionable fit next to Zion. JV can be good, but he will always be a playoff liability imho. NO imho has to decide which of Zion or Ingram they keep and use the other with assets (they have plenty) to bring in a better fitting player, probably an alpha level. Of course that is easier said than done.

Lakers: all indications are they will go hard after a second tier star. They have Reaves and three picks to offer. Trae Young probably tanked his value enough to be not worth more than that. Mitchell could also force his way out of Cleveland and has a lot of power to say where he wants to be. Both would be probably great fits for this team.

Thunder do look great indeed. Tough defense, athletic, fast pace, good shooting (even Giddey is shooting it well lately). Mavs (if they make it), will face a very different opponent. Their weakness is their lack of size.

(04-30-2024, 06:44 AM)omahen Wrote: NO: They have a huge amount of young 3-D wings. in my opinion their stars are a problem. They just don't fit together. Zion and Ingram are not great shooters. Add a non shooting centre and I really don't understand how they finished top 8 in the West. Personally I didn't believe in them at all. Neither Ingram or Zion are likely to be able to lead the team to true competitor status. Zion is a non shooter, weak defender and always injured. He is cetainly a freak of nature as far as his physicality goes, but I think he has enough weaknesses in his game you can always scheme against. Ingram is imho far from an alpha. Number two or three on a serious team - as a weak shooter he is a questionable fit next to Zion. JV can be good, but he will always be a playoff liability imho. NO imho has to decide which of Zion or Ingram they keep and use the other with assets (they have plenty) to bring in a better fitting player, probably an alpha level. Of course that is easier said than done.

Lakers: all indications are they will go hard after a second tier star. They have Reaves and three picks to offer. Trae Young probably tanked his value enough to be not worth more than that. Mitchell could also force his way out of Cleveland and has a lot of power to say where he wants to be. Both would be probably great fits for this team.

Thunder do look great indeed. Tough defense, athletic, fast pace, good shooting (even Giddey is shooting it well lately). Mavs (if they make it), will face a very different opponent. Their weakness is their lack of size.

(04-30-2024, 01:17 AM)Knutsen Wrote: I completely agree, the bias is brutal. 
But you won’t be able to forget about LeBron for 5 months if he signs with us in 2 months I fear - which I‘m not sure I‘d like, but it is our best chance to become a tier 1 contender for the next seasons because surely 2 or 3 cheap, good veterans would follow to round out our squad.

(04-30-2024, 01:26 AM)Luka77 Wrote: That does look more serious than a pull/muscle strain.  KP already had tape on the calf he injured so whatever he did extubated a previous injury.

(04-30-2024, 08:52 AM)DallasMaverick Wrote: I’ll take LeBron on a vet min contract. So he can chase a ring with Luka and Kai.

(04-30-2024, 09:54 AM)michaeltex Wrote: Not sure if even that is worth it, given the baggage he'll bring along. Plus the expectation you'd sign his kid, even thought he's not even worth a GLeague spot.

Mavs signing Lebron is like Jerry Jones resigning Zeke, more about publicity than performance.

(04-30-2024, 10:10 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: My only thing with Lebron is that defensively he's a sieve now. He constantly lets back door cuts happen to him. Doesn't really move around on the perimeter. He's too old. Replacing DJJ with him seems like a mistake. 

Offensively he'd be 10x better there. But do we really need what Lebron brings when you have Luka? 

I guess one could make an argument that Lebron would be a 3rd option here and wouldn't be asked to do a lot at all. That'd give him more energy to work on defense. Hard to imagine taking not 1 but 2 steps back behind Luka and Kyrie and accept a role player role.

(04-30-2024, 09:54 AM)michaeltex Wrote: Not sure if even that is worth it, given the baggage he'll bring along. Plus the expectation you'd sign his kid, even thought he's not even worth a GLeague spot.

Mavs signing Lebron is like Jerry Jones resigning Zeke, more about publicity than performance.

(04-30-2024, 10:28 AM)mvossman Wrote: I'm sorry but that is a really bad take.  Lebron is still easily a top 20 NBA player (Zeke is toast).  The idea that Lebron is not worth a min contract and a burnt second round pick is absurd.

(04-30-2024, 10:57 AM)michaeltex Wrote: No knock on his skills, although he's starting to slide. My comment was about the baggage and circus he'll bring with him. Plus the resources devoted to bringing Bronny into the fold.

Even on a vet min contract, which we all know is a vanishingly low probability. 

Personally, I like the culture DAL is building and, IMO, they don't need that kind of (temporary) distraction to continuing to build something significant.

(04-30-2024, 11:14 AM)mvossman Wrote: I don't disagree with concerns over Lebron bagging given what he will actually cost (burning a second to get his son is a negligible part of that).  But comparing Lebron to Zeke is massive disservice to Lebron.

(04-30-2024, 11:23 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: I suppose a better question (and one I was trying to raise), is does this team NEED Lebron? 

And would you even take him for relatively free, say THJ+Green+Hardy (and we draft Bronny)?