THEE OFFICIAL 2019-2020 NBA OFFSEASON THREAD: VICTORY LAP

[P C H]

Metrics are one thing but they haven't looked like a cohesive unit for most of the season and especially recently. Even doc has echoed the same sentiment. Health can only be an excuse for so long. If they get bounced in the playoffs it's going to be because they couldn't build any cohesion in the regular season. That's what I mean when I say you can't just dismiss it, you can't just get that missed time back once it's already wasted. None of these other teams are taking the regular season lightly and it will help them prepare for the playoffs. A team like Utah is coming into their own and is gonna be hungry AF after getting bounced in the first for consecutive years. Kawhi hasn't looked great overall in any of those games and we know Joe Ingles still claims Paul George on his taxes. They're tied for the 2 seed but more importantly they're a game out of the 5 seed. That's a thin margin to play with.

It's a thin margin to play with, but every team out west is playing in that margin except...the Clips two best players have missed 10 and 13 of their 39 games. I'm not making excuses for them, in fact that should tell you how good they really are. They're right there with everyone else, except the Clips have the best playoff performer in the league not named KD, I'm rolling as long as they're healthy.

Listen, the games you're talking bout against Utah, two happened in the first week of the season bro, what ? The Clips have played the Jazz with Kawhi and PG 1 time Lol you talking about Joe Ingles and PG when Mitchell is 39/29/83 in the offs so far in his career and Mike Conley looking washed. Come on fam.

The cohesion thing is valid, and again, their failure to build cohesion because of health is a thing.

My point is that they're still really damn good, even better when healthy, and if they're healthy in the offs they'll be straight. That's my only real concern.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

I been on the Jazz . They're not winning a chip or anything but they can knock some teams out if they don't have a big to matchup with Gobert

Good to know, I feel like it's been off and on depending on who you tryin to slander Conley gotta pull his weight and then maybe they can finally get by Houston. They will be easier to gameplan for with Russ

 

[P C H]

Health, lack of playmaking and lou will not being as effective, I kinda saw all of that coming and I think those will continue to be issues.

Lakers are winning but its still apparent that back up pg is an issue that needs to be fixed before playoffs.

I think it would be a mistake to dismiss these games and think this team is fine as is.

The clips playmaking is fine. More than Fine. I don't agree with that.

But All you're saying is that the Clips aren't a perfect team, which they aren't.

Do you think their flaws are fatal is the question? I don't. Not for a second. More importantly, where is the solution to fix these issues that the clips have? It's not a dismissal, I just don't see a trade or a buyout guy that can radically change the Clips fortunes. They are who they are.

 

[P C H]

Donovan Mitchell's playoff splits are 39/29/83 and Mike Conley looks every bit of washed (so far),

They got no smoke for the LA teams in a playoff setting unless Mike Conley snaps out of it.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Donovan Mitchell's playoff splits are 39/29/83 and Mike Conley looks every bit of washed (so far),

They got no smoke for the LA teams in a playoff setting unless Mike Conley snaps out of it.

Having Bojan can hopefully alleviate responsibilities in the playoffs for Mitchell. You of all people shouldn't ignore context

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

It's a thin margin to play with, but every team out west is playing in that margin except...the Clips two best players have missed 10 and 13 of their 39 games. I'm not making excuses for them, in fact that should tell you how good they really are. They're right there with everyone else, except the Clips have the best playoff performer in the league not named KD, I'm rolling as long as they're healthy.

Listen, the games you're talking bout against Utah, two happened in the first week of the season bro, what ? The Clips have played the Jazz with Kawhi and PG 1 time Lol

The cohesion thing is valid, and again, their failure to build cohesion because of health is a thing.

My point is that they're still really damn good, even better when healthy, and if they're healthy in the offs they'll be straight. That's my only real concern.

This is what I'm saying. They need to get healthy first in order to build that cohesion. If they just get healthy once the playoffs start it's not going to be enough and doc is going to run back to those same excuses. He's lowkey already setting the table. And it's not a guarantee that they'd be significantly better if they were fully healthy because we haven't seen it either way. They could still have the same problems or new ones for all anyone knows

 

[P C H]

Having Bojan can hopefully alleviate responsibilities in the playoffs for Mitchell. You of all people shouldn't ignore context

I'm not ignoring context, I just think Mike Conley matters more than Bojan, and I only went with Donovan's playoff history because lee said Ingles "Claims PG on his taxes" and what not lol

The Jazz's biggest issue in the offs the last 2 years has been making open shots so he SHOULD be able to alleviate some of that, but again, the playoffs are a different animal.

 

[B Sox]

Thoughts on the clippers record against Utah/Houston?

If the teams have been missing major pieces in any of those games, then they don’t really matter too much to me, unless those pieces are also going to be missing come playoff time.

For a Laker example, I really don’t think them losing to the Nuggets without Bron matters at all.

 

[P C H]

This is what I'm saying. They need to get healthy first in order to build that cohesion. If they just get healthy once the playoffs start it's not going to be enough and doc is going to run back to those same excuses. He's lowkey already setting the table. And it's not a guarantee that they'd be significantly better if they were fully healthy because we haven't seen it either way. They could still have the same problems or new ones for all anyone knows

That's the thing bro, they don't need to be 'significantly better' fully healthy. Them being marginally better than they are now fully healthy is a finals appearance. They're already just as good as anyone out west and they've been hurt. This boils down to how good one thinks the Clippers are. EYE believe that they're very good right now and even better when healthy.

They COULD still have the same problems or new ones, but they also...could take off. Again, the metrics suggest the latter. They've been ELITE with PG and Kawhi on the floor together so I mean...we gon see man lol

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

If the teams have been missing major pieces in any of those games, then they don’t really matter too much to me, unless those pieces are also going to be missing come playoff time.

For a Laker example, I really don’t think them losing to the Nuggets without Bron matters at all.

I've seen teams miss pieces and lose and then when they're at full strength they still lose. It's not a guarantee or all that indicative is all I'm saying. As far as the Lakers the lack of an additional playmaker and blowing leads even against bad teams are issues I'm gonna need to see them correct before I'm fully confident they can win it all. Can't just dismiss those kinda things like it doesn't matter

 

[tonelow]

The clips playmaking is fine. More than Fine. I don't agree with that.

But All you're saying is that the Clips aren't a perfect team, which they aren't.

Do you think their flaws are fatal is the question? I don't. Not for a second. More importantly, where is the solution to fix these issues that the clips have? It's not a dismissal, I just don't see a trade or a buyout guy that can radically change the Clips fortunes. They are who they are.

Are the turnovers not a product of the lack of
playmaking?

As far as potential moves, I actually think Lou Will is going to be a liability in the playoffs but they cant move him.

So yea I dont see a move that makes a big difference for yall. I see one or two for the Lakers tho.

 

[B Sox]

I've seen teams miss pieces and lose and then when they're at full strength they still lose. It's not a guarantee or all that indicative is all I'm saying. As far as the Lakers the lack of an additional playmaker and blowing leads even against bad teams are issues I'm gonna need to see them correct before I'm fully confident they can win it all. Can't just dismiss those kinda things like it doesn't matter

That’s fine and I respect that. Just don’t agree all the way with it.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

I'm not ignoring context, I just think Mike Conley matters more than Bojan, and I only went with Donovan's playoff history because lee said Ingles "Claims PG on his taxes" and what not lol

The Jazz's biggest issue in the offs the last 2 years has been making open shots so he SHOULD be able to alleviate some of that, but again, the playoffs are a different animal.

Pointing to Mitchell's splits as a first option as a rookie and sophomore seems to be ignoring a lot of context

You say Conley matters more than Bojan yet believe their biggest problems of the past has been making open shots. Bojan is their hopeful solution to this and he's also more than a spot up shooter. Regardless, Conley is most definitely one of the keys to raising their ceiling, they just need competent playoff players

 

[P C H]

\

Are the turnovers not a product of the lack of
playmaking?

As far as potential moves, I actually think Lou Will is going to be a liability in the playoffs but they cant move him.

So yea I dont see a move that makes a big difference for yall. I see one or two for the Lakers tho.

Right, Lou Williams come playoff time could definitely be a liability. But EYE don't think that that's a fatal flaw. They don't need much out of the 4th guy in this Trez / Kawhi / PG / Pat Bev / x quintet, so it's not that much of a concern for me.

I could be wrong. I'm not a big Lou Will guy. We'll see.

 

[tonelow]

\


Right, Lou Williams come playoff time could definitely be a liability. But EYE don't think that that's a fatal flaw. They don't need much out of the 4th guy in this Trez / Kawhi / PG / Pat Bev / x quintet, so it's not that much of a concern for me.

I could be wrong. I'm not a big Lou Will guy. We'll see.

Well I feel like without lou will, you lose a little bit of trez also. I feel like that's part of the reason why they wouldn't move lou now.

Could be wrong tho.

 

[P C H]

Pointing to Mitchell's splits as a first option as a rookie and sophomore seems to be ignoring a lot of context

You say Conley matters more than Bojan yet believe their biggest problems of the past has been making open shots. Bojan is their hopeful solution to this and he's also more than a spot up shooter. Regardless, Conley is most definitely one of the keys to raising their ceiling, they just need competent playoff players

'

I wasn't ignoring context w/Mitchell's splits, I was going back at Leem for saying Ingles owns PG and what not, it was to be facetious. Not that deep. There's obviously nuance to that.

In the past, their biggest problems have been making open shots In my opinion.

But the reason why I say Conley matters more than Bojan here is that while Bojan can handle some secondary and tertiary playmaking duties, Conley's going to be relied upon more to do this, he presumably is going to play a lot of minutes, and if he's bad in those minutes, I don't see how the Jazz can overcome that. That's why I'm saying that.

 

[antidope]

Its really hard to gauge where the Clips are when every other game involves some sort of drastic lineup change. In the games where they've been full rostered, they've looked like the best team in the league to me, and I would expect them to be full rostered every game come playoff time.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

People laugh about the Lakers going all out to get homecourt advantage over the clippers . It's not about them, it's about Milwaukee. Having homecourt over every team in the west is a big reason I think the Lakers will pretty much skate to the finals. Blows my mind when I see people act like seeding doesn't matter. Only two teams below a 3 seed have ever won a championship. Only one team below a 4 seed has ever made the finals. The home team wins something like 70-80% of the time in playoff history.

If the Lakers get to the finals and they don't have homecourt over Milwaukee I'd be somewhat nervous, not gonna lie. Like I still think they could win but I know how difficult that would be

 

[B Sox]

Its really hard to gauge where the Clips are when every other game involves some sort of drastic lineup change. In the games where they've been full rostered, they've looked like the best team in the league to me, and I would expect them to be full rostered every game come playoff time.

Pretty much my stance as well.

 

[antidope]

People laugh about the Lakers going all out to get homecourt advantage over the clippers . It's not about them, it's about Milwaukee. Having homecourt over every team in the west is a big reason I think the Lakers will pretty much skate to the finals. Blows my mind when I see people act like seeding doesn't matter. Only two teams below a 3 seed have ever won a championship. Only one team below a 4 seed has ever made the finals. The home team wins something like 70-80% of the time in playoff history.

If the Lakers get to the finals and they don't have homecourt over Milwaukee I'd be somewhat nervous, not gonna lie. Like I still think they could win but I know how difficult that would be

Even if the Clips had "homecourt" those games in LA are all Laker home games.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Even if the Clips had "homecourt" those games in LA are all Laker home games.

Exactly. But it's not even only about the Lakers. They'd be at a disadvantage in every round, possibly even the first. To act like that's not a factor is wild to me

 

[P C H]

skate to the finals? Damn near crashed the whip on the way to the barbershop lol well alright

 

[B Sox]

Besides the LA teams, the only other team I could see potentially making some noise in the West is Houston because of the amount of variance their playing style brings to the table. Russ and Harden are too volatile for me to be willing to bet on them in a series against the LA teams though.

 

[P C H]

how tf hasn’t LAL played Houston yet man

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Utah hasn't played Houston, Denver nor Dallas