2 of Amerika’s Most Wanted: The Official GOAT franchise Boss Angeles Lakers 2019-2020 season thread

[ALonelyDad]

On another note, Kuzma is really a defensive liability.

Looks funny now with that clip of him pushing Lebron last season.

I have a strong feeling we will lose to the Suns on Tuesday

Raps isoed him to make their comeback, now imagine this vs Clippers. Lou, Kawhi, and PG will take turns..you cant have him on the court in the end if his defense is this bad.

 

[Oldschooler]

When the game slows down AD needs to play in the post everytime

 

[threattonature]

It's a long season and every team has off night so not tripping too hard off of this loss. Toronto is one of those high energy teams that just brings the effort every night and it's easy to get caught slipping against them if you're ready for it.

 

[Osmosis]

you want that to be true but it’s too early. Kuz is coming back from an injury and didn’t play preseason. Give him at least 25 games to show something.

You acting like they both weren't on the same team last season. I've seen them both play enough to evaluate them. BI is a better defender, ball-handler, playmaker, midrange shooter, and now he's looking like a better three-point shooter (still early but Kuz shot 30% last season).

Kuzma has to be A LOT better offensively to justify treating him like the third option because he's such a liability on defense. I can't see a scenario where the best lineup on this team involves Kuz, he's just too much of an easy target.

 

[THE MACHINE]

This transition defense though could be something that needs addressing with these huge lineups

 

[Lakerman0834]

This is concerning Clips and Tor play same way and both blasted us in the 4th.

 

[Barnett114]

Should've just kept Bullock

He had neck surgery in July.

 

[Miggs]

Kuzma will have to learn to bury those open 3s. Lakers should have been ahead but now 8pts behind

You dont learn how to bury 3s sometimes they dont go in but what he has to learn is to get back on D cuz him losing Siakam twice in transition cost them 2 baskets late when theyre trying to comeback....You cant do nothing about missed shots you can do something about losing ur man.

 

[THE MACHINE]

He had neck surgery in July.

Should've kept Bullock

 

[Paper Boi]

missed most the game because i been sick as fukk this weekend.

what i saw wasn't very good.



at least it wasn't a completely trash team. i can't say we got the best record in the league for a few days though.

 

[finallyjames]

Where are the Bron stans at

Quote me and get this rep

Probably the funniest post i've read here so far aside from OP.

GG's on the game tonight, btw. Was only able to catch the highlights but was surprised to see that not only did we keep it competitive, but we won too despite the injured players. Glad it was competitive throughout. AD seemed to be making it rain from 3 and Lebron did his thing with the assists, so how did the Lakers give up a 10 point lead? Did they slow down in the second half? Motor problems again?

 

[murksiderock]

Didn't get to see much of the game but I had a feeling this would be the one we'd lose. Schedule about to tighten up. On to the next one...

Lakers got all these shooters and can't hit threes. Cook is a 41% career 3pt shooter, shooting 30% this year; Daniels is a career 40% 3pt shooter, shooting 27% this year; Bradley is a career 36% 3pt shooter, shooting 33% this year; LeBron, AD, and Kuz, Caruso aren't known as "great" shooters, but they can shoot, and all of them are struggling with the 3 so far...

If anything looks like it'll doom the Lakers right now, it's their inefficiency to nail the 3 consistently, they like bottom 5 in The League. And in the two losses it seems like we struggled to find a closer...

The good news is these aren't unfixable. There are real shooters here and that can turn itself around in a snap, and all of the other guys can shoot, there really is no "bad" shooters in the rotation right now. So you gotta think some of these guys will shoot themselves into consistency....

But the biggest weakness right now is the struggle to hit the 3 pointer!

 

[Professor Emeritus]

I hate when lebron goes assist hunting, it is quite obvious to......

Isn't getting your team buckets the whole point of the game??

LeBron was shooting like shyt and he's the only guy on the team who can create shots for other players at an elite level. So isn't that exactly what he should be doing? LeBron's "assist-hunting" nearly won the game for them, on a night where he's not making anything from distance or at the rim what else would you like him to do?

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Didn't get to see much of the game but I had a feeling this would be the one we'd lose. Schedule about to tighten up. On to the next one...

Lakers got all these shooters and can't hit threes. Cook is a 41% career 3pt shooter, shooting 30% this year; Daniels is a career 40% 3pt shooter, shooting 27% this year; Bradley is a career 36% 3pt shooter, shooting 33% this year; LeBron, AD, and Kuz, Caruso aren't known as "great" shooters, but they can shoot, and all of them are struggling with the 3 so far...

If anything looks like it'll doom the Lakers right now, it's their inefficiency to nail the 3 consistently, they like bottom 5 in The League. And in the two losses it seems like we struggled to find a closer...

The good news is these aren't unfixable. There are real shooters here and that can turn itself around in a snap, and all of the other guys can shoot, there really is no "bad" shooters in the rotation right now. So you gotta think some of these guys will shoot themselves into consistency....

But the biggest weakness right now is the struggle to hit the 3 pointer!

Do the Lakers really have shooters like that?

Cook is a fringe NBA player/role player, and only takes around two attempts per game against second units and/or in garbage time
Daniels is an NBA journeyman for a reason and has been playing on lottery teams against second units for his career
Bradley is about the most competent player of the lot (besides Green), but he too struggles with consistency.

Kuzma is only good for a 6th-man role due to his inability to have an impact defensively and the need to have the ball in his hands, and is a rhythm-shooter; AD is limited with his 3-pt shooting; Bron's shooting is all largely dependent on the rhythm and momentum of the game; Caruso's a non-factor.

And this is all compounded by the lack of spacing, 'cause there aren't enough shooting threats on the floor where there's a continuum in the lineups. I mentioned before the season that this was going to be one of the main issues, and I don't see it getting notably better; sure there's going be a period of games where they get hot, but there'll ultimately be regression toward the mean.

They've only been able to get away with this because of how dominant the defense has been.

 

[murksiderock]

Do the Lakers really have shooters like that?

Cook is a fringe NBA player/role player, and only takes around two attempts per game against second units and/or in garbage time
Daniels is an NBA journeyman for a reason and has been playing on lottery teams against second units for his career
Bradley is about the most competent player of the lot (besides Green), but he too struggles with consistency.

Kuzma is only good for a 6th-man role due to his inability to have an impact defensively and the need to have the ball in his hands, and is a rhythm-shooter; AD is limited with his 3-pt shooting; Bron's shooting is all largely dependent on the rhythm and momentum of the game; Caruso's a non-factor.

And this is all compounded by the lack of spacing, 'cause there aren't enough shooting threats on the floor where there's a continuum in the lineups. I mentioned before the season that this was going to be one of the main issues, and I don't see it getting notably better; sure there's going be a period of games where they get hot, but there'll ultimately be regression toward the mean.

They've only been able to get away with this because of how dominant the defense has been.

This is all fair...

The 3pt inefficiency is an albatross that could cost them seeding. I think it will make less impact in the postseason, where the premium is more on big shot makers in big moments, rather than 3pt specialization...

The problem is as of yet, there is no consistent big shot maker. LeBron's career tells us he will be that, Green has been that at times in his career and not at others. So that's what needs to change, there is no one else as of yet whose shown the ability to be that guy, and if LeBron is your only guy who can hit the big shot----->we've seen him be the only guy on his team like this several times before, and it doesn't work in his favor...

The good news is the season is young. Roster movements will be made, lineups and rotations will be tinkered until perfection, and the guys you do have, have a chance to play themselves into greater responsibility. So it's not all lost---->but it's something I've definitely concerned myself with as the year marches on...

I like your point on Kuzma too. I'm not sure he's ready to be the consistent #3 or in a closing lineup. We'll see how his year plays out, but I'm also not really if the opinion that the Lakers need Kyle Kuzma specifically to be good, in order to win a chip. Thru 9 games, cumulatively reviewing how Bron and AD have played, that's good enough to win you a title. They need guys who can consistently hit crunch time baskets, doesn't have to be a specific guy every night, but as I mentioned that's lacking completely right now...