**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[pmatic]

As always, AD will be the key. The guards will run the shooters off the three point line, so it'll be up to AD (and to lesser extent Bron) to shut down the paint.

Vando will get a shot at Curry first. Reaves will guard Klay and D'Lo will guard Wiggins. I could see Schroder being inserted into the starting lineup if Vando isn't up to it.

AD and Bron should be able to get downhill. Looney and Draymond won't give be easy though.

Warriors love turning the ball over, so there should be opportunities for transition baskets.

Warriors also love fouling their opponents and don't get to the line much, so be prepared to hear the Internet whine about a big disparity in free throws.

This is another series where Ham will probably be okay with going small because the Warriors don't play anyone above 6'9.

 

[MVP]

Who they going to try and hide Steph on defense on? I would imagine Reaves but that may get him into foul trouble early.

 

[pmatic]

Who they going to try and hide Steph on defense on? I would imagine Reaves but that may get him into foul trouble early.

Vando or Schroder, I imagine.

Should be opportunities for offensive rebounds if Vando so chooses.

Real question is what happens when the Lakers go big with AD, Bron and Rui up front with D'Lo and Reaves.

 

[had pants]

 

[mrdieselfuel09]

What’s the +\- when Wenyen and AD are on the floor together

 

[James_O]

My boi got it right

 

[MVP]

This is the series where D'Lo earns a payday

 

[darthska]

Holy hell...

 

[cruzair13]

Looney been beasting the boards. Second chance points will be crucial.
Lakers just need to play defense- need to control the game bully the paint.
Bron locked in.

 

[tay1]

We get game 1 and it's a wrap.

 

[trynafeelmink]

Yea game one is up for grabs, they just coming off game 7 in a tough series & we've had some rest..

For some reason the narrative that the Lakers are old (it’s literally just Bron & AD’s injury issues) but Steph,Klay, Dray have just as many miles & injury concerns

We have the advantage game 1 imo.. no feel out for Bron he knows everything in their arsenal, AD has played an iteration of this team twice in the playoffs.. D’lo played there for half a season

Punch em right in the mouth from jump, they’ve NEVER had an answer for these guys

 

[moonman818]

There’s no JJJ up front for the Warriors, so Bron & AD should be living at the rim.
DLO, Schroeder and Vando should all be able to get better looks close to the basket.
I don’t see this series being close if we can match/exceed their effort.

Lakers in 5.

 

[tupac003]

Who they going to try and hide Steph on defense on? I would imagine Reaves but that may get him into foul trouble early.

Reaves has not been getting calls though and I doubt they will call them against Steph...

 

[darthska]

There’s no JJJ up front for the Warriors, so Bron & AD should be living at the rim.
DLO, Schroeder and Vando should all be able to get better looks close to the basket.
I don’t see this series being close if we can match/exceed their effort.

Lakers in 5.

My fear is that we go in thinking since there's no big time defensive presence at the rim like JJJ, AD should be living at the rim... but then he turns into Anthony Sam Perkins Davis where he lives behind the arc, or loves those 1-footed fadeaways on under size guards.

 

[tupac003]

My fear is that we go in thinking since there's no big time defensive presence at the rim like JJJ, AD should be living at the rim... but then he turns into Anthony Sam Perkins Davis where he lives behind the arc, or loves those 1-footed fadeaways on under size guards.

And we try to force the ball sometimes which just leads to bad offense.

 

[tupac003]

17 years...

Was in Staples for this too...

 

[tay1]

17 years...

Was in Staples for this too...

I hated the Suns all throughout this era.

 

[noblekane]

looks like christie and lonnie won battle of garbage minutes last game

 

[Maximus Meridius]

17 years...

Was in Staples for this too...

Tim Thomas

Bums couldn't help Kobe and move on in that series.

 

[moonman818]

17 years...

Was in Staples for this too...

We really could have been in the WCF that year if it wasn’t for Kwame ****ing Brown

 

[kingjaffejo]

No no no Vando will not be guarding Steph. Or shouldn’t. He is not good with off ball screens. Actually pretty bad. He’s not that type of perimeter defender. Not good with the Steph & Klay types.
IF he starts. The most sense would be have him guard Wiggins. But I would actually start Rui on Wiggins. Can hold his own defensively & not the offensive liability Vando is.
DLo will be forced to guard Steph with AR guarding Klay. Bron on Dray and AD on Looney.

I believe Troy Brown, Dennis and Wenyan can make a big impact on this series.

 

[grittyman]

For a small team, the Warriors can rebound the hell out of the ball at times… it can’t just be AD and Lebron the only two getting down in the paint.

 

[thasoleful1]

Born and raised in SF and didn’t give a damn about the Warriors my whole life. Been rocking with Lakers since day 1. Seeing how warriors got their ships I got nothing but respect for them but I was sick of them after they won 1st ship. Non stop **** talk i had to deal with these garbage *** fans. That being said I been waiting for Lakers to get a chance to knock these fools out. Tuesday can’t come any faster. Let’s step on their throats. 12 more!

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

The Warriors are going to tempt the Lakers to get into a three-point shootout with them.

Lakers must focus on winning the rebounding and points in the paint battle, and avoiding a 3-point contest at all costs

 

[DLF]

This will be a Troy brown series. He’s great chasing screen heavy guards