asianspec

iTrader: (1)

Westbrook is getting manhandled on First Take. lol

rxj27

That's what you get for playing like A.I. without a jumper...

BraveDemon

Westbrook is a 2 guard posing as a 1.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Harden took a lot pressure off of Westbrook but now that he's gone I can see the Thunder losing a lot of the close games they won last year.

CarbonGray Earl

...and looky what happened when Harden joined a point guard that passes....heck, he even got more assists than Rin!

rxj27

Unless Maynor can miraculously learn how to jump again...

Was it just me or did it seem that Westbrook didn't seem to want to mesh with KMart? By my count, didn't meaningfully pass him the ball once...and even shrugged him off as KMart was helping him off the ground.

CarbonGray Earl

didn't see that part....but I do know Westbrook is motivated by his anger. Just look at the way he celebrates after good plays.

I wouldn't put it past him.

BraveDemon

Agreed - Westbrook has the "I want to get mine first" mentality, which is what you want from your #1 option on a team - meaning Durant, not Westbrick. He needs to get it through his head that he needs to look to create, provide spacing and get the offense in rhythm.

And so much this. Lin is not even 1/3 the physical specimen that Westbrick is, but he looks to create options and spacing, and gets his offense in rhythm. Lin's +/- is always great despite his performance because he's looking to create.

Add Harden, who's unselfish, and you have a dynamic back court that makes plays for the entire team.

The last true PG's remaining in the league IMHO is Rondo and Nash... Nash cause he's unselfish and looks for the best opportunity to score, and Rondo mainly because he is a terrible jump shooter.

CarbonGray Earl

If anyone is in LA tonight, go ahead and throw a ball at any rim. Chances are, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, or DeAndre Jordan are going to come from out of nowhere and dunk the ball for you....

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

I like Harden and even though he went to the Olympics the kid had only 7 starts, averaged 12.8 points a game and no All Star appearances and the Rockets give him 80 million. I guess we will find out soon enough if this was a smart move.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

Heat isn't looking so hot right now. I blame Sally.

Rick_TL-S

Well, it's still too early to say, but he's off to a fantastic start in 2 games.

The Battle of LA should be a good game tonight. Clippers are doing well & the Lakers don't want to go 0-3 at home.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

80 points in 2 game is insane. OKC is missing him now. they couldve used that against the spurs.

Rick_TL-S

Only up by 5, but anyone can see the Clippers are clicking very well. Kobe is starting to do his thing, but where the fuck are Gasol & Artest's involvement?

BTW, what happened to Miami tonight? Off-game or has NY really gotten that good? Surprising difference in points.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

Heat didn't man up and the refs were just letting them play. 3 pointers killed the Heat. Can't win them all (despite Yummy's accusations)

Rick_TL-S

I predict Brown getting tossed out of the game at this rate. Things are getting chippy & there's still another quarter to go.

rxj27

Kyrie Irving, D Rose, CHRIS PAUL, Parker aren't true PGs?

Blake playing like ish tonight...2 block play by Dwight was just stupid.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

0-3 and I hope one more game closer to Brown getting fired. Kobe was just showing that he had his teams back when he said everyone should just shut up but the difference of the situations he was comparing the first time around you had the best coach of all time and now you have one of the worst so there is no comparison.

This is not typical Laker basketball besides for Kobe and sometimes D12 the other players don't look like they care no boxing out, too many turnovers, bad defense, lazy passes, no aggression, the bench non existent etc. How ironic this is like watching the Clippers when they weren't any good.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Another thing is this year the Lakers started their own channel with TWC cable and I think this is working against them because all they have done from day 1 is overhyped everything, the C list announcers aren't keeping it real its almost like the powers that be told them not to say anything negative even when anyone who knows basketball can see whats happening. It's sad because other than Nationally televised games and away games against the Clippers we have to listen to this bull.

TheChamp531

iTrader: (3)

Sadly, I stopped watching basketball religiously because the Rockets has sucked in recent years. Hopefully Harden is the real deal with his past two performances, and we can get a decent-to-dominant 3 & 4s.

Yumcha

Laker guys...it's early! Wow. The season is 82 games and even then, who cares. Get in the playoffs. That's it.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

thats what yummy is wishing for his team as well.

Yumcha

Nope. The Bulls should be losing all their games. I want another #1 pick cuz the LeHeat and Lakers are signing everyone else.

rxj27

Seriously, hope you guys know that after the OKC epic fail trade, every Laker player relaxed. They know that the West is theirs...they can just adaptive cruise control it. Gotta keep Nash's back, Dwight's legs, and Kobe's ego intact for the Finals.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

True its early in the season but the team as a whole is playing without passion like they don't care when they miss defensive assignments, or get outrebounded or when they are making careless turnovers. In every game they have a been down by 15 or more at some point in the game and last night they led once when they had 1 and the Clippers 0.

It's a ridiculous brand of basketball to watch

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

Harden is doing his best to show that he's worth 80 million and we will see if he can keep it up.

mystikk

I think everyone forgot that the Heat went through this when they formed their cute superteam as well .. wanted Spo fired, and Riley to replace him, etc. They eventually went to the Finals anyway and won it all last season. Relax.

Actually, now that I think about it, chemistry shouldn't be an issue as well. Dallas went through a near-complete overhaul themselves and they gelled right away to embarrass the Lakers.

Nash is a PnR guy, not a Princeton Offense guy. I doubt we'll ever see him be as effective as he was in Phoenix. I think Brown went on the record saying something like "Sure, Nash is a pick and roll guy. Why don't you ask him and his former team how far that's gotten them?" So you got two old guys with nonexistent D leading the offense in Laker land.

Nonetheless, it's been a crazy start. Harden leading the league in scoring, Durant leading the league in rebounding, Nuggets, Lakers and Celtics are winless, Bobcats finally get a win and are undefeated, and the dinosaurs on the Knicks trashed the champs.

Also, Damian Lilliard, the Blazers rookie, is fucking legit. He's leading his team in points right now.

Yumcha

Lillard will be a Laker or LeHeat soon.

Yumcha

Wait. Did the LeHeat lose?!?

Yumcha

It's all good. They'll win the rest.

Rick_TL-S

Lakers aren't even getting past the 2nd round with the bench performance they've shown.

Soon as that Starting 5 walks off the court, every team will take advantage. The Lakers bench must improve now & significantly. They got massacred against the Clippers bench.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

Jesus hit it.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

There's no comparison to what the Heat went thru and the way the Lakers are playing now. The Lakers are going thru the motions with playing with no passion or purpose and they rarely lead if at all in any of these games its almost like their playing this way to get a new coach (I hope so). On the other hand the Heat's games were always competitive.

Doom878

Lakers will figure it out. Too many vets and too much talent. The cream will rise to the top. I seriously doubt they fire Brown before until he was at least one postseason on his belt.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

I dunno man. If this "Princeton" Offense doesn't workout and dwigtmare is unhappy I would think they would fire him just to keep him happy. That is their future right there and people forget he is still on a 1 year contract

CarbonGray Earl

The Lakers will be fine. I still agree mostly that the coaching sucks, but I'm still on the fence about the Princeton. As I've said with the Heat, every team needs a system. The Heat are interesting because they are 'positionless' but there definitely is a method to how they work now. Mentally, they know where each is. It makes working in major cogs like Allen or Lewis much easier.

The Lakers have a new system AND major pieces. I know the basketball-heads at large wont cut em slack, but you have to.

My problem the Lakers is the rotation. I don't think the bench is bad, only that they are being played wrong. You have to mix the starters in with them. That all comes down to in-game coaching, of course. Looking at you, Mike Brown....

BraveDemon

I should clarify - by True PG, I'm going by floor general, pass first mentality, i.e. Stockton, Nash, Rondo.

All of the above guys have a shoot first mentality - most likely since 3/4 listed are the best player on their team.

Of course in today's NBA the "true pg" is a dying breed.

It's still early, but if Coach Brown doesn't get his act together by Thanksgiving, I will also be calling for his head.

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

xHz9D.gif

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_kN...e_gdata_player

BraveDemon

Man this Kyrie Irving cross over/spin move is sick... Must add it to my repertoire... although I'll be moving at a snails pace compared to Kyrie.