Random NBA Observations 2019 - 2020

Primetime

Primetime

Superstar
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
12,271
Reputation
2,684
Daps
40,375
Reppin
H-Town
Rhakim said:
Clippers are easily the deepest team in the NBA.

For me the big question for them (besides health) is chemistry/lineups. They have no real two-way center or point guard and some of their best offensive lineups create defensive holes. They still need to figure out what their ideal playoff lineup is and what their identity is when Kawhi and to a lesser extent PG13 are off the floor.
Click to expand...

It wasn't as much a lack of chemistry imo as it was their complimentary pieces were trash before the upgrades.

Prior to RJ and Morris, their bench was overrated (too much iso and gave up as many points as they scored) and it didn't matter who KL/PG guards if a team will just force the switch to the weakest link (Lou or Shamet) to close games.

But now RJ moves Lou to the 2 guard (no more facilitator role + easier to hide on defense) and Bev-PG-KL-Morris-Trez is their best and no brainer (closing) lineup if Doc has any sense. He may be too loyal to Lou tho, so I think their end of game identity is a big question mark.
 
Professor Emeritus

Professor Emeritus

Veteran
Poster of the Year
Supporter
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
51,330
Reputation
19,692
Daps
203,913
Reppin
the ether
Primetime said:
It wasn't as much a lack of chemistry imo as it was their complimentary pieces were trash before the upgrades.

Prior to RJ and Morris, their bench was overrated (too much iso and gave up as many points as they scored) and it didn't matter who KL/PG guards if a team will just force the switch to the weakest link (Lou or Shamet) to close games.

But now RJ moves Lou to the 2 guard (no more facilitator role + easier to hide on defense) and Bev-PG-KL-Morris-Trez is their best and no brainer (closing) lineup if Doc has any sense. He may be too loyal to Lou tho, so I think their end of game identity is a big question mark.
Click to expand...

By "lack of chemistry" I'm not just talking familiarity but also how their skill sets fit together. On paper everyone said the Clippers supporting cast was better than the Lakers' supporting cast before the season started. Lou better than Kuzma, Bev as good or equal to Danny Green, Shamet as good or better than Bradley, Zubac as good or better than McGee, Harrell better than Dwight, Harkless/Green/McGruder/Patterson should have been at least as good as KCP/Caruso/Daniels/Dudley.

Their issue is the same on the 2017 Cavs had, that they have too many one-dimensional players whose skill sets don't fit together. Lou/Harrell keep the offense buzzing but can't defend for shyt, Zubac is okay but not good enough to carry things in the middle, and the rest of the squad is all 3-and-D guys who could be great complimentary players but can't create anything. If PG13 is healthy and Kawhi is really a candidate for the top player in the league then they should make it work anyway, but only if they figure out how they fit together and carve out a clear identity and they never did.

Now by adding Jackson and Morris, they have a 4th shot creator to match with a load of solid 3-and-Ds (okay, Shamet might not have great D but his shot is wet). They should be stacked as fukk. But like you say, let's see if they figure out the lineups and identity or not.
 
D

Devil Plisken…CMS

Veteran
Joined
Jan 19, 2017
Messages
35,152
Reputation
-469
Daps
86,087
Rhakim said:
By "lack of chemistry" I'm not just talking familiarity but also how their skill sets fit together. On paper everyone said the Clippers supporting cast was better than the Lakers' supporting cast before the season started. Lou better than Kuzma, Bev as good or equal to Danny Green, Shamet as good or better than Bradley, Zubac as good or better than McGee, Harrell better than Dwight, Harkless/Green/McGruder/Patterson should have been at least as good as KCP/Caruso/Daniels/Dudley.

Their issue is the same on the 2017 Cavs had, that they have too many one-dimensional players whose skill sets don't fit together. Lou/Harrell keep the offense buzzing but can't defend for shyt, Zubac is okay but not good enough to carry things in the middle, and the rest of the squad is all 3-and-D guys who could be great complimentary players but can't create anything. If PG13 is healthy and Kawhi is really a candidate for the top player in the league then they should make it work anyway, but only if they figure out how they fit together and carve out a clear identity and they never did.

Now by adding Jackson and Morris, they have a 4th shot creator to match with a load of solid 3-and-Ds (okay, Shamet might not have great D but his shot is wet). They should be stacked as fukk. But like you say, let's see if they figure out the lineups and identity or not.
Click to expand...

Lou is averaging the most assists he ever has but that Mothafukka looks like Kelly Bundy sometimes in terms of decision making & Trez the same. Reggie Jackson has been 5x better than anyone could have expected allowing those two to do what they do and exploit his own matchups when necessary.

Aside from the Philly game these guys are holding teams to about 90 or so points which is crazy.

I feel like if this team wins the title this year especially given the fact The Lakers/Bucks will have 65+ wins for the season it will really send a horrible message. lol
 
Primetime

Primetime

Superstar
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
12,271
Reputation
2,684
Daps
40,375
Reppin
H-Town
Rhakim said:
By "lack of chemistry" I'm not just talking familiarity but also how their skill sets fit together. On paper everyone said the Clippers supporting cast was better than the Lakers' supporting cast before the season started. Lou better than Kuzma, Bev as good or equal to Danny Green, Shamet as good or better than Bradley, Zubac as good or better than McGee, Harrell better than Dwight, Harkless/Green/McGruder/Patterson should have been at least as good as KCP/Caruso/Daniels/Dudley.

Their issue is the same on the 2017 Cavs had, that they have too many one-dimensional players whose skill sets don't fit together. Lou/Harrell keep the offense buzzing but can't defend for shyt, Zubac is okay but not good enough to carry things in the middle, and the rest of the squad is all 3-and-D guys who could be great complimentary players but can't create anything. If PG13 is healthy and Kawhi is really a candidate for the top player in the league then they should make it work anyway, but only if they figure out how they fit together and carve out a clear identity and they never did.

Now by adding Jackson and Morris, they have a 4th shot creator to match with a load of solid 3-and-Ds (okay, Shamet might not have great D but his shot is wet). They should be stacked as fukk. But like you say, let's see if they figure out the lineups and identity or not.
Click to expand...
thedevilyouknow said:
Lou is averaging the most assists he ever has but that Mothafukka looks like Kelly Bundy sometimes in terms of decision making & Trez the same. Reggie Jackson has been 5x better than anyone could have expected allowing those two to do what they do and exploit his own matchups when necessary.

Aside from the Philly game these guys are holding teams to about 90 or so points which is crazy.

I feel like if this team wins the title this year especially given the fact The Lakers/Bucks will have 65+ wins for the season it will really send a horrible message. lol
Click to expand...
Their next 2 games vs the Rockets and Lakers will probably shed more light but i think right now their skill sets are fine other than Lou Will being an enigma that Rivers needs to reign in bc of that relatively low IQ.

It's one thing to have 1 player like that (Harrell, who at least is a great paint finisher despite his tunnel vision) but to have a second player (Lou) with questionable decision making who also plays zero defense.. when you already have a great balance of 4 ball handlers (PB/RJ/PG/KL) who play good to great defense...

i think he's fine when it's just him, RJ and Trez vs an opposing team's 2nd unit. But end of games i think he needs to sit.

:manny:
 
FooFighters

FooFighters

Superstar
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
11,305
Reputation
628
Daps
25,045
Reppin
BKLYN
thedevilyouknow said:
Those bad fukking losses change everything this time of year. That Knicks loss for The Rockets was awful considering the better teams are usually making their push this time of year. Being behind a team by 2-3 games in December is wayyyyy different than in February-March. The Rockets will probably end up playing The Lakers assuming they win their first round
Click to expand...
Small Ball vs Length. Interesting matchup
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top