Quote Originally Posted by nightmarefish View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Kalam View Post

Yeah. Looks like Stanley Johnson is going to be a starter until Davis comes back, and be a rotation player after. Basically taking the Kyle Kuzma role. And it looks like Monk is taking over the KCP role, and Austin Reeves (and maybe Nunn at some point) the Caruso role. All clear downgrades, but that is a given when you get Westbrook and lose all your cap space.

The problem of course is Westbrook (especially his decision making and shooting in the 4th) and the elephant in the room no one is talking about yet (Davis seems to be breaking down and doesn't seem to be the player he was even a couple years ago). And this is all taking for granted that Lebron will continue to play at the same extremely high level all year at age 37 without wearing down or getting injured.
Not sure the problem is Westbrook, he’s played exactly how he was supposed to play, FG and 3P percentages are slightly higher than career averages actually.

Here’s the Lakers year:

They get off to a slow start mainly because Lebron missed 12 games.

Lebron comes back and they start playing a little better and figuring things out. Overall record goes to 16-13, not great but after the slow start it’s good enough for 4th in the west.

Then AD gets hurt and 6 players and their coach go out with Covid. Lakers go 1-5 in this stretch and every analyst in the world loses their mind, mostly blaming Russ for the losing, ignoring that the Lakers are playing with several bums literally off the street.

Last night, they great they’re coach back many of their important role players and all of a sudden play better. Shocking turn of events.

AD Lebron and Russ have played like 10 games together all season.

I watch the end of pretty much every close game. You are right, Russ is who he always has been, which means a complete liability on a Lebron team in the 4th Q of a close game, on offense and defense. Whatever the stats say, the eye test says he is a big part of losing winnable games with his play down the stretch. And the eye test hasn't been kind to Davis either. It seems he misses every high leverage wide open 3 point shot he takes (and the numbers actually back this as he is currently at 17%).

Last night was a layup line all night, as Portland (who has bad defense under the best of circumstances) was playing a mostly G League roster and had no defense all night. I wouldn't take much from that.