***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?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED

He’s gonna need to learn to catch and shoot more in this offense. He was so used to being the focal point of the team in Dallas that he was able to create his own chances. He’s playing with Lebron now so he’s gonna be getting a lot more open looks for him to catch and shoot. He’s gonna need to learn to be more efficient as the #2 guy now.

Why?

He'll be the #1 guy next year.

This is an 'icing on the cake' season. I mean if he can get better as a '1b' on the fly as this season progresses -- fine, whatever.

Long-term, what he's going to be asked to do in LA isn't substantially different than what he was being asked to do in Dallas.

I'm not sure there's anything he 'needs' to do this season. The 2025 playoffs are found money for LAL. They were largely an afterthought a month ago -- now they have a strange punchers chance. And the only way that will come to fruition is if Luka TAKES the #1 role from Lebron and runs with it.

I wouldn't bet on it happening -- but it could.

[POND_OF_RED]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Why?

He'll be the #1 guy next year.

This is an 'icing on the cake' season. I mean if he can get better as a '1b' on the fly as this season progresses -- fine, whatever.

Long-term, what he's going to be asked to do in LA isn't substantially different than what he was being asked to do in Dallas.

I'm not sure there's anything he 'needs' to do this season. The 2025 playoffs are found money for LAL. They were largely an afterthought a month ago -- now they have a strange punchers chance. And the only way that will come to fruition is if Luka TAKES the #1 role from Lebron and runs with it.

I wouldn't bet on it happening -- but it could.

He’s gonna have to start showing way more efficiency on the offensive end and just a LITTLE efficiency on the defensive end to “take” the #1 role away from LeBron this season. The Lakers better hope LeBron’s extreme dedication and work ethic rubs off on him a little, but I just don’t see it happening. The Lakers best chance definitely rests in the hands of LeBron still. If Lebron doesn’t come back next season they’ll definitely need to add another big piece to the puzzle. Luka is never going to lead a team as its primary ball handler. It’s why he never won a playoff series before Kyrie came along.

[KC_Connection]

Left is LeBron's last MVP season. Right is LeBron since turning 40.

26.8 PPG 26.4 PPG
8.0 RPG 8.2 RPG
7.3 APG 8.3 APG
56/41/75% 55/44/76% pic.twitter.com/UpBeMcGGc0

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 28, 2025

The "washed" GOAT.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED

He’s gonna have to start showing way more efficiency on the offensive end and just a LITTLE efficiency on the defensive end to “take” the #1 role away from LeBron this season. The Lakers better hope LeBron’s extreme dedication and work ethic rubs off on him a little, but I just don’t see it happening. The Lakers best chance definitely rests in the hands of LeBron still. If Lebron doesn’t come back next season they’ll definitely need to add another big piece to the puzzle. Luka is never going to lead a team as its primary ball handler. It’s why he never won a playoff series before Kyrie came along.

Might want to check your facts there. Luka carried the Mavs to the West Finals without Kyrie and he's more than capable of doing the same with LeBron as his #2.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Might want to check your facts there. Luka carried the Mavs to the West Finals without Kyrie and he's more than capable of doing the same with LeBron as his #2.

Still crazy to me that after Porzingis broke and the Mavs went to the finals with Brunson running shotgun w/ Luka, they decided to go ahead and let Brunson walk.

I understand why Mavs fans or so upset right now. That's a dynamic young core that's just...gone. And it's never coming back.

[DJ's left nut]

We're 8 minutes into the game. The Lakers have taken 13 shots.

10 of them were from three.

They've made 3.

MODERN BASKETBALL!!!!!

[KC_Connection]

Lakers guard Austin Reaves will be day-to-day after MRI on his right calf revealed no serious injury, sources tell ESPN. His status is uncertain for Sunday against the Clippers, but great development overall after Reaves exited early in Friday's win.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 2, 2025

Championship dream still intact

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

We're 8 minutes into the game. The Lakers have taken 13 shots.

10 of them were from three.

They've made 3.

MODERN BASKETBALL!!!!!

Yeah I miss the good ole days of Isiah Thomas putting up bricks.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Yeah I miss the good ole days of Isiah Thomas putting up bricks.

Jack Sikma could make a ****ing layup.

[KC_Connection]

QB1 pic.twitter.com/bLtVrZcgH2

— ٓ (@LukaDoncic41) March 3, 2025

Imagine trading away a player as good as Luka in his prime

Happened a month ago

[KC_Connection]

Lakers move to the #2 seed. Only one team left to challenge LeBron and Luka and they have no playoff pedigree

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Lakers move to the #2 seed. Only one team left to challenge LeBron and Luka and they have no playoff pedigree

The addition of Luka has made my Lakers contenders again. The team seems to have a "new juice" to them. I will always hold Kobe over Bron but if we can, as James Worthy says, "GET THAT CELTIC ASS!!". I will roll with it. When we play Boston, all other petty arguments go out the window. My true purple and gold comes out. EFF that organization for life!

[ARROW2]

My wife already knows not to mess with me if LA is in the finals, especially against Boston and during Chiefs games, especially in the playoffs. LOL

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by ARROW2

The addition of Luka has made my Lakers contenders again. The team seems to have a "new juice" to them. I will always hold Kobe over Bron but if we can, as James Worthy says, "GET THAT CELTIC ASS!!". I will roll with it. When we play Boston, all other petty arguments go out the window. My true purple and gold comes out. EFF that organization for life!

Yes, it turns out putting two of the best/highest IQ players in NBA history on the same team was a good idea.

Thank you Nico.

The league really let the Lakers get Luka Doncic in his prime ��

(via @realapp_ ) pic.twitter.com/4lnSSU4Qv7

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 3, 2025

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Lakers move to the #2 seed. Only one team left to challenge LeBron and Luka and they have no playoff pedigree

Only because they are young. And they took their lumps last year. This team is poised and ready. The Cavs, Nuggets and Celtics are the only opposition. Maybe...the TWolves. But I doubt it.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the largest point differential in NBA history. Please sit down and digest what I just said.

NBA history.

1. 2025 OKC Thunder +12.72
2. 1972 LA Lakers +12.28
3.1971 Milwaukee Bucks +12.26
4. 1996 Chicago Bulls +12.24
5. 2017 GSW Warriors +11.63

Every team on this list won the NBA Finals. Not only did they win the NBA Finals they won them easily.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/lar...am-in-a-season