New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[Steve williams]

Yeah but Phil, looks like the Wizards are better w/o him, no?

and IMO the Lakers are worse with him. It was a $45M snafu to bring him in (he's the highest paid Laker) thinking it would spell off LeBron whereas the reality is that when Westbrook is playing the 1 position and LeBron is out, Westbrook misses shots, or throws up a brick or an airball. There really isn't much to say about the Lakers this year except that the aging LeBron is the only Laker who is putting up big numbers. The Lakers simply don't have the stamina to play hard for the entire game and they typically lose big leads in the 3rd and they totally cave in the 4th. Westbrook seems not to be proficient playing for Houston, Wizards and the Lakers. And I believe that D is not the same player who helped win the championship 2 years ago So big decisions this year for the Lakers front office. Is Westbrook even traceable. Does any team want him?

 

[jadis]

Yeah but Phil, looks like the Wizards are better w/o him, no?

Well, yes Bob. But we have to consider the Wizards got 3 good players in Kuzma, Harrell, and Pope plus 3 draft picks. In the eyes of LeBron, 1 Westbrook was better than 6 players. He's still bullish game after game on Westbrook, and who knows what happens come playoffs.

 

[Steve williams]

Well, yes Bob. But we have to consider the Wizards got 3 good players in Kuzma, Harrell, and Pope plus 3 draft picks. In the eyes of LeBron, 1 Westbrook was better than 6 players. He's still bullish game after game on Westbrook, and who knows what happens come playoffs.

they will be lucky to make the "play in" round

 

[jadis]

and IMO the Lakers are worse with him. It was a $45M snafu to bring him in (he's the highest paid Laker) thinking it would spell off LeBron whereas the reality is that when Westbrook is playing the 1 position and LeBron is out, Westbrook misses shots, or throws up a brick or an airball. There really isn't much to say about the Lakers this year except that the aging LeBron is the only Laker who is putting up big numbers. The Lakers simply don't have the stamina to play hard for the entire game and they typically lose big leads in the 3rd and they totally cave in the 4th. Westbrook seems not to be proficient playing for Houston, Wizards and the Lakers. And I believe that D is not the same player who helped win the championship 2 years ago So big decisions this year for the Lakers front office. Is Westbrook even traceable. Does any team want him?

Maybe the good thing is Westbrook will stop being a Laker after next season when he rakes in $47m.

 

[Steve williams]

to me the bigger stories is watching the young and upcoming stars on teams that used to be bottom dwellers'

Bulls win again last night and are 1.5 games out of first

The big news of the night was the buzzer beater 3 point shot by Ja Morant to beat the Suns

Full Focus: Morant hits game winner vs. Suns | NBA.com

Full Focus: Morant hits game winner vs. Suns

www.nba.com

 

[Steve williams]

oh and lest we forget the Lakers have lost their last 5 games. Steven A got it right when he said LeBron will never win another ring as a Laker

 

[rblnr]

The Bulls looks great -- they play as a team, no egos, and have two closers which makes them tough to guard in the 4th.

Do the Lakers have the patience for an actual rebuild?

 

[Steve williams]

The Bulls looks great -- they play as a team, no egos, and have two closers which makes them tough to guard in the 4th.

Do the Lakers have the patience for an actual rebuild?

The Lakers always field a team that they say will qualify them. They were listed as potential final four this year. That’s laughable. They gave up on their chance to rebuild when thy traded their entire youth for AD plus future draft choices It will take a complete blow up of the team and years of draft picks before they can rebuild. They can’t rebuild as long as they have James on the team

 

[rblnr]

The Lakers always field a team that they say will qualify them. They were listed as potential final four this year. That’s laughable. They gave up on their chance to rebuild when thy traded their entire youth for AD plus future draft choices It will take a complete blow up of the team and years of draft picks before they can rebuild. They can’t rebuild as long as they have James on the team

Well then, we'll see who's on the FA mkt next year.

 

[Gregadd]

According to nba.com Westbrook averages 20 ppg. if he relaxes he could push that to 30 without taking that many more shots. That would take some pressure off LBJ andAD.

 

[Steve williams]

to me the bigger stories is watching the young and upcoming stars on teams that used to be bottom dwellers'

Bulls win again last night and are 1.5 games out of first

The big news of the night was the buzzer beater 3 point shot by Ja Morant to beat the Suns

Full Focus: Morant hits game winner vs. Suns | NBA.com

Full Focus: Morant hits game winner vs. Suns

www.nba.com

Does anyone doubt Ja Morant will be a future MVP. I’m betting within 5 years

 

[Steve williams]

At the half Lakers up 67-59 to the lowly Rockets. LeBron playing the 5 and doing ok.
Lakers have played 22 different players this year using 12 different starting lineups. The entire team is either injured or in protocol

 

[Steve williams]

As usual Lakers have 3rd period woes and give up a 9 point lead
End of 3rd Westbrook makes a 3 Lakers up 97-92

 

[Steve williams]

Typical 4th period as Lakers give up an 11 point lead but Carmelo hits a 3 and Lakers hold on to finally win

132-123

 

[christoph]

Here’s the read of the day. I love it

Former teammate on LeBron James: 'He ruined basketball'​

Former teammate on LeBron James: 'He ruined basketball'

LeBron James didn’t just ruin Space Jam, he also ruined basketball, according to former teammate Iman Shumpert. James, who’s made a habit of cherry-picking teammates and home teams, shaped Shumpert’s opinion when he initially left Cleveland for Miami in the summer of 2010.

www.foxnews.com

Have you read the comments below?
A LOT of people really seem to be fed up by LeBum

 

[Steve williams]

Have you read the comments below?
A LOT of people really seem to be fed up by LeBum

no kidding???

 

[Gregadd]

Have you read the comments below?
A LOT of people really seem to be fed up by LeBum

Not me.

 

[Steve williams]

reading the reports today as well as hearing sportscasters in last night's games commenting that virtually every team has been over run with Covid protocols
Lakers are decimated and I heard they have suited up 22 different players and have used 12 different starting line ups and Vogel is still in protocol

I read Monty Williams and Ayton from the Suns whist Atlanta has 13 players in protocol.

I saw Lakers play yesterday, over half of whom Ive never heard of before. All these guys are coming from the G League and some are OK whereas others are an embarrassment. Sad when a team is looking to qualify and is replaced with rookies who have never played an NBA game

This allows teams to suit the minimum 8 players so the game can go on. Two weeks ago Lakers were so depleted that Tevor Ariza who had not returned to play yet was suited up so he can be counted as one of the 8 required

So my question is.....is this really basketball and we are seeing the best of the best. I've heard some talk of returning to the bubble but nothing recently.

I can only imagine the Final 4 this year consisting of either teams we would never have expected and/or players we have never heard of playing for the title.

I would have to think that not only injuries affect final results but the biggest negative now is that all good teams are getting beaten by far less capable teams who remain healthy . So as I see it, the way players are in and out of protocol anything is possible from here to the end of the season and the finals would consist of two teams playing out the season with replacement G League players. I love the game but in reality this year there are so many sub 500 teams in both conferences that I cannot remember a similar such scenario

BTW, KD cleared protocol and is back to play agin and Kyrie has also cleared protocols to play in the away games. My guess it won't be long before Kyrie is playing and then enters covid protocols. No one is immune from the omicron mutant and it will find everyone

 

[christoph]

no kidding???

I always thought Phil and I were the only ones to not unconditionally and eternally love his LeBum-ness

 

[Steve williams]

Game to watch for me is Ja Morant vs Lakers tonight. I love watching that kid play