AROUND the NBA:

[HoosierDaddyKid]

And he's rarely injured.

Set an NBA record for most pts in OT with 18. Dude is amazing. Dallas actually did well to hold him to 29-7-14 the other night.

[SleepingHero]

https://x.com/Lukarg77/status/2004428064260817395

@Lukarg77
Luka Doncic post derrota: “No estoy de acuerdo con el entrenador. Es facil ver las cosas desde afuera y sin estar dentro del juego”

Translation: I do not agree with the coach's opinion. It is way easier to see things on the outside of the game vs. inside playing the game.

Has Luka ever said such things when he was on the Mavs? Looks like things are on fire in La La land.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/Lukarg77/status/2004428064260817395

@Lukarg77
Luka Doncic post derrota: “No estoy de acuerdo con el entrenador. Es facil ver las cosas desde afuera y sin estar dentro del juego”

Translation: I do not agree with the coach's opinion. It is way easier to see things on the outside of the game vs. inside playing the game.

Has Luka ever said such things when he was on the Mavs? Looks like things are on fire in La La land.

It will be really interesting to see what happens to their roster this offseason.  I still think they can have a good season.  Win one or two rounds in the playoffs but I don't see anything more.  I think things would be more interesting if the Buss family still owned the team.   Much more likely chance of things going sideways.  Although with the new ownership group on board they are suppose to be great.  With competant owners and things falling right for the Lakers generally they probably figure things out.

The tricky part is there are 4-5 teams in the West who are probably better positioned moving forward.  How does LAL close that gap?   Maybe Luka plays to he is 40, but I would view the next 4 years as probably his true prime.  

I did not watch the game last night but saw some Lebron rebound issues online.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau. He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible. You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out. Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough. They are tired of getting yelled at. Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit: That roster is just bad. Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault. Not a single two way player on the roster. Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league. Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Also, that fanbase is already turning on Luka. They are used to Kobe and Lebron.

Many comments last night about why Luka's face has been so red to start the last two games. Looks like he's been out drinking the day before.
He will never stop yelling at the refs and run back to play defense.
Quit shooting so many step back threes on nights your shot isn't going in.

[Winter]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau.  He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible.  You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out.  Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough.  They are tired of getting yelled at.  Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit:  That roster is just bad.  Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault.  Not a single two way player on the roster.  Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league.  Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

Completely agree with all of this.

Redick will probably be the first one out the door. 

Thinking about which team you'd rather be now (Mavs or Lakers) is an interesting exercise.  In some ways, it would actually be easier to build around Flagg than Luka. On the other hand, there's a lot tied up in LeBron's salary. Both teams need to shed some players.

LA fans may catch up with Mavs fan in their degree of disappointment.

[mvossman]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau.  He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible.  You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out.  Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough.  They are tired of getting yelled at.  Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit:  That roster is just bad.  Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault.  Not a single two way player on the roster.  Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league.  Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

Sounds like the Mavs for most of Luka's tenure.

[Knutsen]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau.  He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible.  You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out.  Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough.  They are tired of getting yelled at.  Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit:  That roster is just bad.  Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault.  Not a single two way player on the roster.  Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league.  Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

Would be funny if they fire him and replace him with the real Tom Thibodeau. Either Luka will break down or become Iron Man, there’s no middle ground.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Sounds like the Mavs for most of Luka's tenure.

Yeah, they have a lot of work to do.

Decision 1:  Keep Reaves or trade him for a guy that's a better fit with Luka.

I don't know (literally) if they have enough assets to keep Reaves and still put the right guys around Luka.

[Mavs2021]

Yeah, they have a lot of work to do.

Decision 1:  Keep Reaves or trade him for a guy that's a better fit with Luka.

I don't know (literally) if they have enough assets to keep Reaves and still put the right guys around Luka.

LeBron is the problem. You get rid of him, otherwise you risk losing Luka in 2028.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I have to assume Bron is not there next year.

Their bigger problem is they don't have a single role player that is a plus on both ends of the court (3 and D). And they don't have a Lively/Gafford/Powell type rim rolling center either. It seems to be they're 2-3 very good role players away from being in the conversation.

[Mavs2021]

I have to assume Bron is not there next year.

Their bigger problem is they don't have a single role player that is a plus on both ends of the court (3 and D).  And they don't have a Lively/Gafford/Powell type rim rolling center either.  It seems to be they're 2-3 very good role players away from being in the conversation.

Nico probably feels pretty good about himself. Screwed the Mavs, screwed Luka and collects checks sitting at home, while his dumb friends feel sorry for him on national TV.

[Winter]

Nico probably feels pretty good about himself. Screwed the Mavs, screwed Luka and collects checks sitting at home, while his dumb friends feel sorry for him on national TV.

Jason Timpf - who has a video up on the the Christmas games yesterday - just laid into the Lakers. Some on Luka, more on Lebron, and whole lot on Pelinka. He basically said Pelinka should be fired immediately. It all feels a bit familiar.

Lakers talk around the 29:30 mark, and Cooper Flagg talk at about the 40:00 mark (he's super high on Flagg needless to say)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olzanMt-bOg&t=2170s

[khaled1987]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau.  He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible.  You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out.  Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough.  They are tired of getting yelled at.  Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit:  That roster is just bad.  Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault.  Not a single two way player on the roster.  Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league.  Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

It is weird there in LALA, they had a bad team before and after Luka got there. They got Luka because, well, he is Luka. You don't pass on that opportunity. 

But it is like his early years with the Mavs, there is no supporting cast, no real sidekick, nothing. 

The Mavs eventually excelled because they traded for the right players through the years. But Luka now is almost 27 and I doubt they will get anyone significant this year.  

What is the plan next summer? Sure Lebron is off the books but what's next? They will have to pay Reeves or else start from the scratch. The West is brutal, many teams on the rise.

I also don't feel Lakers has been competent since dr Buss passed away, his daughter was saved by Lebron's decision to go there, and him convincing AD to join, then bringing all his old friends to join, the Covid title that has madsive asterik. That's it in past 13 years.

If Luka isn't super loyal, they will be on the clock next off-season, because without success in 2027 he can force out or just move in free agency.

[Winter]

"Lakers’ Reaves Out At Least Four Weeks With Grade 2 Calf Strain"

[loki]

It is weird there in LALA, they had a bad team before and after Luka got there. They got Luka because, well, he is Luka. You don't pass on that opportunity. 

But it is like his early years with the Mavs, there is no supporting cast, no real sidekick, nothing. 

The Mavs eventually excelled because they traded for the right players through the years. But Luka now is almost 27 and I doubt they will get anyone significant this year.  

What is the plan next summer? Sure Lebron is off the books but what's next? They will have to pay Reeves or else start from the scratch. The West is brutal, many teams on the rise.

I also don't feel Lakers has been competent since dr Buss passed away, his daughter was saved by Lebron's decision to go there, and him convincing AD to join, then bringing all his old friends to join, the Covid title that has madsive asterik. That's it in past 13 years.

If Luka isn't super loyal, they will be on the clock next off-season, because without success in 2027 he can force out or just move in free agency.

They can have one PJ Washington for an unprotected 1st that turns into the #1 pick when Luka goes down with a calf injury on Dec 25th, 2030. Not that I'm trying to speak anything into existence.

[mvossman]

They can have one PJ Washington for an unprotected 1st that turns into the #1 pick when Luka goes down with a calf injury on Dec 25th, 2030. Not that I'm trying to speak anything into existence.

PJ can't be traded this season.

[loki]

PJ can't be traded this season.

Yep, I'm aware. They should shop him around this offseason.

[Chicagojk]

Crazy times…OKC is losing and the clippers have won 3 straight.

[Chicagojk]

I was gonna post last night watching the Lakers play but was too lazy.

JJ Redick is Tom Thibodeau.  He grinds and grinds to try and get as many regular season wins as possible.  You could tell from the body language of the players last night, they are starting to tune him out.  Everyone on the Lakers knows they are not good enough.  They are tired of getting yelled at.  Their win totals are not reflective of where they are in the Western Conference hierarchy.

edit:  That roster is just bad.  Not Redick's fault or Luka's fault.  Not a single two way player on the roster.  Rui, Reaves, Luka are some of the worst defenders in the league.  Smart and Vanderbilts are zeros on offense.

I think Tom T is a good comparison.  Everytime I see him at a press conference after a loss I wonder how he lasts a long time as a coach.  It is not sustainable.  Some coaches adapt.  I had the same concerns about Carlisle when he first came to Dallas.  

I think JJ has done a real nice job so far but I am just not sure it works longterm if he continues down this path.  I haven’t seen their games so I can’t comment if the effort has been that poor, but I believe you have 4-5 times a year you can bring that response.  It seems like he has already reached that limit.