***Official 2024-2025 NBA Thread***

[KC_Connection]

Season starts tonight with Knicks and Celtics followed by Lakers and TWolves.

Will history be made early in the 2nd game?

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I just call out inconsistent arguments.

I hear you. That does happen a lot in sports arguments.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

LeBron went 26-11-7 and was the only player on the Lakers to play well in the game, so of course he is to blame.

He was a minus player on the night and looked to have put it in cruise for that disastrous 4 minute stretch at the end of the third.

I mean yeah, you can say if you want that Reaves getting tossed was the issue (and yeah, it was obviously the turning point) but when James came back in for him after that ejection, he was...indifferent. At best.

Doncic had come off the floor and it was James, Knecht, Vando, DFS/Rui and Vincent.

And those guys absolutely shit the bed.

You can box score scout that game all you want, but James seemed ready for his rest and when he came back into the game he really didn't seem to feel like playing.

Did Reaves getting tossed necessitate that? Yeah - but you're making $50 million my guy - another 3-4 minutes isn't asking a ton.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

I hear you. That does happen a lot in sports arguments.

There wasn't a damn thing 'inconsistent' about any argument he purported to be calling out.

He's just doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

There wasn't a damn thing 'inconsistent' about any argument he purported to be calling out.

He's just doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

I think if you put a picture of my asshole and a hole in the ground I would get it right.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

He was a minus player on the night and looked to have put it in cruise for that disastrous 4 minute stretch at the end of the third.

I mean yeah, you can say if you want that Reaves getting tossed was the issue (and yeah, it was obviously the turning point) but when James came back in for him after that ejection, he was...indifferent. At best.

Doncic had come off the floor and it was James, Knecht, Vando, DFS/Rui and Vincent.

And those guys absolutely shit the bed.

You can box score scout that game all you want, but James seemed ready for his rest and when he came back into the game he really didn't seem to feel like playing.

Did Reaves getting tossed necessitate that? Yeah - but you're making $50 million my guy - another 3-4 minutes isn't asking a ton.

And yet, literally the only guy who showed up even a little bit on the Lakers probably shouldn't be shouldering the blame for that loss when all of his teammates completely combusted.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

And yet, literally the only guy who showed up even a little bit on the Lakers probably shouldn't be shouldering the blame for that loss when all of his teammates completely combusted.

Again -- the entire game really came down to that 4 minute stretch at the end of the 3rd and James was absolutely central to that meltdown.

I'm not asking him to 'shoulder the blame' -- Luka and Rui carry plenty of it. They didn't play well either.

But that doesn't absolve James of any either.

When you come off the ASB and you're fighting for a chance at a 2 seed that would be HUGE in advancing to the WCF, you just cannot lose to the damn Hornets. And when you're the leader of the squad, you have to wear it when that happens.

Because it ain't Reaves and Luca's been there for like 3 weeks. This is James team for the duration of this season and yeah, he has to eat some shit for games like last night.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Again -- the entire game really came down to that 4 minute stretch at the end of the 3rd and James was absolutely central to that meltdown.

I'm not asking him to 'shoulder the blame' -- Luka and Rui carry plenty of it. They didn't play well either.

But that doesn't absolve James of any either.

When you come off the ASB and you're fighting for a chance at a 2 seed that would be HUGE in advancing to the WCF, you just cannot lose to the damn Hornets. And when you're the leader of the squad, you have to wear it when that happens.

Because it ain't Reaves and Luca's been there for like 3 weeks. This is James team for the duration of this season and yeah, he has to eat some shit for games like last night.

The "meltdown" was triggered because Austin Reaves decided he no longer wanted to play basketball yesterday and got himself ejected for no real reason. They win the game if he remains on the floor pretty clearly.

Blame LeBron (who, again, was the only Laker to show up even at all in the game) all you want but that won't change that fact.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The "meltdown" was triggered because Austin Reaves decided he no longer wanted to play basketball yesterday and got himself ejected for no real reason. They win the game if he remains on the floor pretty clearly.

Blame LeBron (who, again, was the only Laker to show up even at all in the game) all you want but that won't change that fact.

I acknowledged that point already.

But James had every opportunity to step up as a leader and hold things together.

It's the same argument we have with Mahomes -- yes, I hold Mahomes to a higher standard than I hold anyone else. Because that's what comes with greatness. I expect Mahomes to be able to operate at his highest level even when things are less than ideal. You don't. You're always looking to blame his teammates.

It's no different with James. You'll call him great but never hold him to the standard of greatness.

I mean...credit is due for consistency, I guess.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I acknowledged that point already.

But James had every opportunity to step up as a leader and hold things together.

It's the same argument we have with Mahomes -- yes, I hold Mahomes to a higher standard than I hold anyone else. Because that's what comes with greatness. I expect Mahomes to be able to operate at his highest level even when things are less than ideal. You don't. You're always looking to blame his teammates.

It's no different with James. You'll call him great but never hold him to the standard of greatness.

I mean...credit is due for consistency, I guess.

Luka is the "Mahomes" on this team now, is he not? Is he not the Lakers' best player? If we're looking for people to blame for a shit loss, one would think it would go to their best player who shot them out of the game for its entirety and was the one who the Hornets repeatedly targeted on defense, no?

Again, blame the 40 year old who was the only one to even show up for the Lakers all you want, but it won't change what actually happened. LeBron was the least of their problems last night.

[KC_Connection]

Hornets strategy at the end of the game was to target Luka on defense every time pic.twitter.com/1bhAVUQzvG

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 20, 2025

I'm sure this is LeBron's fault too somehow.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Luka is the "Mahomes" on this team now, is he not? Is he not the Lakers' best player? If we're looking for people to blame for a shit loss, one would think it would go to their best player who shot them out of the game for its entirety and was the one who the Hornets repeatedly targeted on defense, no?

Again, blame the 40 year old who was the only one to even show up for the Lakers all you want, but it won't change what actually happened. LeBron was the least of their problems last night.

Next season - yes.

Potentially by the playoffs this season.

But right now, having gone 6 weeks without playing basketball and with a low body injury that pretty well prevents him from being able to stay in basketball shape -- of course not. That's silly. He's new to the system and working his way back into game shape.

James is still the Mahomes of this squad. In time, that will change. I don't think there's any reasonable way to argue that it already has. I certainly don't think Lebron thinks it has, any outward assurances to the contrary notwithstanding.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Next season - yes.

Potentially by the playoffs this season.

But right now, having gone 6 weeks without playing basketball and with a low body injury that pretty well prevents him from being able to stay in basketball shape -- of course not. That's silly. He's new to the system and working his way back into game shape.

James is still the Mahomes of this squad. In time, that will change. I don't think there's any reasonable way to argue that it already has. I certainly don't think Lebron thinks it has, any outward assurances to the contrary notwithstanding.

Speaking of making excuses for Mahomes-level players...

[TheGreatCassholio]

This is wild. 😭 pic.twitter.com/yKGX837XsZ

— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) February 20, 2025

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCassholio

This is wild. �� pic.twitter.com/yKGX837XsZ

— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) February 20, 2025

That’s not a real stat, completely made up by a Kobe propaganda account.

Here’s a real stat, as of 2023, LeBron was 7/12(58%) in his career in game tying/winning FGA in the final :01 of playoff games.

Kobe/Steph/Durant/Kawhi/Harden/Westbrook/Dirk/Wade/Jokic/McGrady/Nash are combined 6-50(12%)

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The "meltdown" was triggered because Austin Reaves decided he no longer wanted to play basketball yesterday and got himself ejected for no real reason. They win the game if he remains on the floor pretty clearly.

Blame LeBron (who, again, was the only Laker to show up even at all in the game) all you want but that won't change that fact.

What? The Lakers lost to the Hornets yesterday? Ur shitting me. Thats a shame.