Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 35750 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:08 pm Post subject: Which was better: last year’s team or this year’s team?
Definitely lost size with Howard/McGee, perimeter defense in Green and Bradley, and playmaking in Rondo. But does the scoring of Schroeder and Harrell make up for it? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
This year’s team. Last year’s team wasn’t a sustainable model imo.
We desperately needed scoring outside of Lebron and AD.
Last year’s team was hungry and focused from training camp. This team is more of “we will be fine, we can turn it on when needed.” which is dangerous and a slippery slope tbh.
We are "better" if you consider that we are better offensively, but we learned last year that a strong offensive game plus an effective defense is what is necessary to be champions.
I think DS is better than Avery, offensively and defensively, but he's untested in the playoffs/finals, unlike Rondo. Green was competent defensively, but nothing special. Harrell is better than McGee, but Gasol is a huge drop-off versus any of our bigs. Gasol is not effective offensively or defensively, which would be okay if he wasn't a starter. Harrell might make up some of the points Gasol will give up, but that's a big if.
Despite our having Harrel and DS, two very good additions, the fact that we don't have athletic centers on this team may prove our undoing.
This year's team may be better, but last years team is more apt to repeat than this year's team solely due to the presence of Gasol and absence of both Dwight and McGee.
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 4369 Location: Lake Nacimiento
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 6:02 pm Post subject:
Yeah, with McGee as our starting center and our severe lack or offense outside of Lebron and AD I would not be feeling nearly as comfortable about winning it all again this year.
I think we have a much better team overall this season on both ends but we have to win it all to really be compared.
McGee was terrible in the playoffs and pretty much unplayable after the first round. Dwight was key against Nuggets especially in crucial game 4 when he killed them with offensive rebounds. Gasol is an upgrade on McGee. Harrell should be a positive against most teams in playoffs except Jokic, Embiid etc where AD will have to play 5 alot. Dwight looked slow and ineffective against Bam. Trezz will be a better option in that match up and will make Bam work hard defensively too. _________________ Showtime 2.0
This year team for sure, we all remember the struggle our team had when LeBron sits, now there’s so much more fire power that we not even utilizing them at 100 cause there’s better option (Kuz, THT, Marc) but the contender list grew with the nets (next to clips, others are a level or two below)
This year's team is better on paper. But I absolutely *loved* last year's team, they were humble, had each others' backs, played with pride, had a lunch-pail mentality, left everything on the floor, and were a huge redemption story.
I don't yet have that same degree of affection for this year's team.
This team this year is much better regular season wise as offense tend to shine at this time of the year and we do have abundance of that. But comes playoff, that’s when the real challenge happen.
Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 1377 Location: Santa Monica
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 2:05 pm Post subject:
Cant really call a team that has not won a championship (yet) better than a team that did. _________________ Everyting negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.
-Kobe Bryant
Joined: 25 Apr 2015 Posts: 31789 Location: Anaheim, CA
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2021 12:09 am Post subject:
For all of my Gasol-bashing, I am confident that Pelinka will add another big before the playoffs. Give me this year's team over last year's team, although if we fall short of the title I reserve the right to change my mind!
Key difference from last year was the growth of kcp, caruso and kuzma. The deep playoff run last year helped a lot in giving them confidence and cementing their role in the squad. These three is showing they can comfortably replace last year’s green+bradley+rondo.
Addition of Schroder and trez is just for lbj and ad’s in game load management. Schroder’s defense is a bonus.
Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 8518 Location: Left coast
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:38 am Post subject:
Rondo was a better fit at pg than DS, running fast breaks, probing defenses to get others involved offensively, scoring inside and out, and seeing the floor. DS is primarily looking for his shot when he gets the ball. AD, Lebron, or Montrez are generally afterthoughts, and the rest might as well crash the boards or get back on D.
Last year’s AD was much better than this year. Lebron is having to do more because AD is doing less. AD frustratingly likes to post up his man 20 or more feet away but he lacks blinding foot speed, so that often turns into awkward jump shots that aren’t going in as often this year.
Danny Green contributed much more than Matthews has shown he can. Defensively he affected taller players’ shots in ways that Caruso, KCP, or Matthews can’t.
Montrez can score and do some things on both sides of the court, but against legit sized centers he’s overmatched coming off the bench, unlike D12.
Avery Bradley virtually single handedly locked up Doncic, and punked and shut Patrick Beverly up, something even Lebron couldn’t do. He also had a decent/effective shot.
I prefered Javale and D12’s lob dunks, inside finishes, rim runs, and many multiple block + intimidation games, over the few minutes Gasol spends on the court avoiding shooting, getting in foul trouble, and affecting defensive stat’s with very limited box score contributions.
Chick Hearn used to talk about former Lakers stiff Tom Abernathy saying “He doesn’t help you but he won’t hurt you. He plays with a lot of smarts.” That’s what Gasol looks like out there. How exciting. That’s why he’s not closing games while playing token minutes in each half.
Fewer fast breaks.
Those are just some thoughts off the top of my head.
Last edited by lakersboy on Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:52 am; edited 2 times in total
It's like a full tier of talent better, and LAL has just been messing around most of the season.
This. Last year's team was a bit easier to coalesce. Playoff Rondo (regular season Rondo was terrible) also organized the 2nd unit.
Talent wise, this year's team is much better. Just haven't coalesced like we want it to. And AD is just not playing with the same intensity he did last year, which is really noticeable and important since he is our 1B player. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
It's like a full tier of talent better, and LAL has just been messing around most of the season.
Seriously. Maybe that’s why they are frustrating in some of these games.
They may not win the chip because nothing is guaranteed, but last year’s team would have a tough time this season imo. Pelinka made brilliant moves to inject the much needed talent.
It's like a full tier of talent better, and LAL has just been messing around most of the season.
Disagree.
This year's team may be better, but not by much.
Last year's team had a proven vet at the PG (Rondo)
A competent and Finals champion wing defender (Green)
A core of the most intimidating centers in the league (Dwight/McGee)
A tough defender at the 1 spot (Bradley)
That team won the NBA Finals. It should not be dismissed so easily.
This year's team sees a down grade in defense and athleticism at the 5 spot, a downgrade in Finals experience at the PG, a downgrade at the wing (Green vs Matthews), and only an upgrade offensively at the 1 and at the 5.
Because of the presence of DS and Montrell, this year's team gets the edge. But it is not by a clear margin, and it all depends on how we do post season.
Last year's team had a proven vet at the PG (Rondo)
A competent and Finals champion wing defender (Green)
A core of the most intimidating centers in the league (Dwight/McGee)
A tough defender at the 1 spot (Bradley)
Regular season Rondo was terrible. Obviously Playoff Rondo was amazing. This year? Rondo has barely played.
Regular season Green was decent. Playoffs? His 3% was below league average.
Jav didn't play in the playoffs; Dwight I will agree.
Dennis more than makes up for Bradley's point defense.
I don't think we could win it running it back.
I think this year's team is more talented, but will need more time to put things together. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 11:33 am Post subject:
troy wrote:
Mike@LG wrote:
This year and it's not even close.
It's like a full tier of talent better, and LAL has just been messing around most of the season.
Disagree.
This year's team may be better, but not by much.
Last year's team had a proven vet at the PG (Rondo)
A competent and Finals champion wing defender (Green)
A core of the most intimidating centers in the league (Dwight/McGee)
A tough defender at the 1 spot (Bradley)
That team won the NBA Finals. It should not be dismissed so easily.
This year's team sees a down grade in defense and athleticism at the 5 spot, a downgrade in Finals experience at the PG, a downgrade at the wing (Green vs Matthews), and only an upgrade offensively at the 1 and at the 5.
Because of the presence of DS and Montrell, this year's team gets the edge. But it is not by a clear margin, and it all depends on how we do post season.
Yeah we evaluate talent and execution differently altogether.
You know that the average loss for the Lakers is within 6 points?
And just think, they had the #1 record in the NBA really early already. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2021 11:34 am Post subject:
yinoma2001 wrote:
Quote:
Last year's team had a proven vet at the PG (Rondo)
A competent and Finals champion wing defender (Green)
A core of the most intimidating centers in the league (Dwight/McGee)
A tough defender at the 1 spot (Bradley)
Regular season Rondo was terrible. Obviously Playoff Rondo was amazing. This year? Rondo has barely played.
Regular season Green was decent. Playoffs? His 3% was below league average.
Jav didn't play in the playoffs; Dwight I will agree.
Dennis more than makes up for Bradley's point defense.
I don't think we could win it running it back.
I think this year's team is more talented, but will need more time to put things together.
I think they're just waiting the season out tbh. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
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