Sports Talk 2018: Lebron to Brady and Everything in Between

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
LeBron is done, and so are the Lakers.
LeBron is going to have a great year and the Lakers will be in the playoffs.

The Laker's franchise is currently a circus.
Well, it certainly has attractions.

From 1949 to 2013 (65 seasons) the Lakers missed the playoffs a total of 5 times, and went to the NBA Finals 31 times. Counting this season, the Lakers have missed the playoffs the last 6 seasons in a row.
They wouldn't have if LeBron hadn't had an uncharacteristic injury. But I think part of that was due to how much of the load he was carrying. Speaking of loads, I was interrupting yours. By all means, continue.

The entire Laker organization is nothing of what it used to be. Signing Lebron was a desperation move by the Lakers, and now the Anthony Davis trade is an even bigger desperation move by the Lakers.
They've always made splash moves. Shaq was one of those. Worked out pretty well for them. No reason to think this one will be all that different. You have two of the greatest basketball players on the planet under the same banner. The rest is a few pieces in support and health.

As someone who hates the Lakers
Well, knock me over with a basketball. Do tell. :chuckle:

I'm enjoying every minute of their demise from what they used to be.
Demise? They haven't been relevant in years. Now they are. If you missed that you missed the train.

By the way, FYI, I'm a Celtics fan...so I've got my own problems these days. :mmph:
 

tetelestai

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
By the way, FYI, I'm a Celtics fan...

I was a huge Celtics fan in the 80's because of Larry Bird.

I still consider myself a Celtic's fan, but it's hard because of how much I hate Boston sports fan's.

I still haven't gotten over the Celtics blowing the 2010 Finals against the Lakers.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
Lebron is in decline. He's almost 35 years old and is already 17th all time in minutes played in NBA history. He's climbed to #7 if a he plays a full season next season. He's already the career leader in postseason minutes played about 700 minutes ahead of the #2 guy. He had a serious injury last season. Players at this age start to fight constant nagging injuries. Many of the game's legends where in steep decline or retired at this age. Lebron is a still a great player of course.

Kareem and Karl Malone are #1 and #2 all time in minutes played. LeBron has far more minutes played through age 34 than either of them.

46235 Lebron
40567 Kareem
39829 Malone


Att this age players can lose it quickly. So the Lakers are fighting Father Time in regards to Lebron every season they don't win the NBA title is one more season into Lebron's decline phase of his career.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
Lebron is in decline. He's almost 35 years old and is already 17th all time in minutes played in NBA history.
And yet he was at his averages this year even with a great deal more attention being paid to him as the only serious scoring option for the team.

So no one could play the qb position well after 40 until someone did. That sort of thing.

And next year, as I said, he'll have help. I look for a banner year from him and suspect he'll be effective for four or five years, with the next couple at typical rarified LeBron air.

He's climbed to #7 if a he plays a full season next season. He's already the career leader in postseason minutes played about 700 minutes ahead of the #2 guy. He had a serious injury last season. Players at this age start to fight constant nagging injuries. Many of the game's legends where in steep decline or retired at this age. Lebron is a still a great player of course.
No, my biased friend. He's still a great and arguably the greatest playing the game. This year. The only thing that got in the way of that was an injury that sidelined him until the Lakers decided to, which was a good call. Is it the wear and tear beginning to show or just a thing that could and does happen to younger players too. There's only one way to know.

Kareem and Karl Malone are #1 and #2 all time in minutes played. LeBron has far more minutes played through age 34 than either of them.

46235 Lebron
40567 Kareem
39829 Malone
True during his great last year in Cleveland. And yet.

Att this age players can lose it quickly.
True. And it might not happen quickly. And it might not be happening in any meaningful sense at the moment.


So the Lakers are fighting Father Time in regards to Lebron every season they don't win the NBA title is one more season into Lebron's decline phase of his career.
If you're the best, a marginal decline over a year isn't going to mean that much. We'll see what happens next. :) One thing is certain, he won't have to worry about the mini-Dream Team next year.
 

tetelestai

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
They've always made splash moves. Shaq was one of those. Worked out pretty well for them.

Kareem, Magic, Kobe, James Worthy, Elgin Baylor, George Mikan, and Jerry West were all draft picks by the Lakers.

Shaq was the only free agent that ever worked out for the Lakers. Wilt Chamberlain came via a trade, as did Robert Horry, and Pau Gasol. Other than those four, the Lakers haven't had much success with all their "splash moves".

Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman, Dwight Howard, Smush Parker, Luke Walton, Vlad Divac, Steve Nash, and Gary Payton were "splash moves" that didn't work out so well for the Lakers.

We shall see which group Lebron and Anthony Davis end up in.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
Kareem, Magic, Kobe, James Worthy, Elgin Baylor, George Mikan, and Jerry West were all draft picks by the Lakers.
Most teams in that era were built on draft picks, so sure.

Shaq was the only free agent that ever worked out for the Lakers.
Now you're just playing word games. Jabbar was a splash move by trade. He did pretty well by them. James and AD have "next."

Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman, Dwight Howard, Smush Parker, Luke Walton, Vlad Divac, Steve Nash, and Gary Payton were "splash moves" that didn't work out so well for the Lakers.
Only Howard sort of qualifies. Though the luster was off of him and the rest were past their prime and looking to be contributors, not principles. Add Ron Artest as a pretty good second tier acquisition and was instrumental in the 2010 ring. Mychal Thompson was brought in to help an aging Jabbar and contributed to the 87 ring. And, of course, they traded to get Kobe from Charlotte on draft day by dealing Divac.

We shall see which group Lebron and Anthony Davis end up in.
Should be exciting.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
You're right.

I confused Milwaukee with Minnesota.
Pretty good track record in LA.


i.e. Lebron James
In the case of most of those they were appreciably so, though not without the ability to contribute. James just isn't remotely in that category. Until his injury no one was playing better and the injury wasn't one that should impact his play next year, when, again, he'll have less pressure with AD alongside.

Absent that being the beginning of his wheels falling off, it should be a banner year for the once and perhaps future king.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
Most teams in that era were built on draft picks, so sure.


Now you're just playing word games. Jabbar was a splash move by trade. He did pretty well by them. James and AD have "next."


Only Howard sort of qualifies. Though the luster was off of him and the rest were past their prime and looking to be contributors, not principles. Add Ron Artest as a pretty good second tier acquisition and was instrumental in the 2010 ring. Mychal Thompson was brought in to help an aging Jabbar and contributed to the 87 ring. And, of course, they traded to get Kobe from Charlotte on draft day by dealing Divac.


Should be exciting.
Well, he was a splash move but the Lakers had middling playoff success with Kareem until Magic arrived. Kareem played four seasons with the Lakers before Magic arrived. Kareem won a bunch of MVP awards on mostly solid but unremarkable Lakers teams.

1975-76 40-42 missed playoffs
1976-77 53-29 Lost in Conference Finals
1977-78 45-37 Lost in the first round
1978-79 47-35 Lost in Conference Semifinals

Before Magic arrived the the Lakers were just another team, nothing special about them despite the great play by Kareem.
 

tetelestai

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
Before Magic arrived the the Lakers were just another team, nothing special about them despite the great play by Kareem.

The Lakers got really lucky in 1982.

It was the only time in NBA history that the reigning champion got the #1 overall pick in the following draft.

The Lakers took James Worthy.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
A couple days ago Shaq was on an awards show congratulating the Toronto Raptors on the NBA title they won. Shaq said, "Congrats to the Raptors. You had a great run to the NBA finals. You beat the Golden State Warrior. Yes, I meant Warrior, not Warriors. You only beat one of them. The rest of the team was all injured."

LOL!!
 
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The Berean

Well-known member
So the NBA free agent season has opened up and all sorts of craziness has happened. Kevin Durant has signed with the Brooklyn Nets to join Kyrie Irving and D'Andre Jordan. The Warriors have traded for point guard D'Angelo Russell. The Warriors have traded away Andrew Iguodala to clear cap space.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
So the NBA free agent season has opened up and all sorts of craziness has happened. Kevin Durant has signed with the Brooklyn Nets to join Kyrie Irving and D'Andre Jordan. The Warriors have traded for point guard D'Angelo Russell. The Warriors have traded away Andrew Iguodala to clear cap space.
Iguodala's book did him no favors. Neither did his commentary on the injury and his experience when injured, though GS has issues a statement that it didn't impact the decision.

:chuckle:

Now we wait and see if the Lakers are going to be the next big thing, or only one of the teams with a strong shot at making noise for a few years.

And, on another note, my Celtics managed to make a little lemonade out of things, so all hope is not lost as yet.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
I'm officially a Clipper hater.

If Kawhi had stayed with Toronto I'd have been a fan of his, erasing the negative I had about his leaving San Antonio. If he'd have gone to my old rival the Lakers I'd have been a fan, for helping to reestablish a crown jewel of the NBA, his childhood team of rooting choice. But this...this feels calculated. He lets the Lakers think they're in it while getting George to demand a late trade and holding up that Laker money from free agent acquisitions...I hope the Lakers beat him and his like red headed stepchildren for the next four.

On the plus side, it does make my Celtics look a little better...maybe. :plain: And as an NBA fan, it's a good thing. Now we'll have GS, the Nets, Houston, LA, and that Clippers team all vying for who's best, at least in a year or two. Next year? Bucks, Philly, Houston, Lakers, Clippers...maybe Denver.

It could be a fun few years, all around.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
I'm officially a Clipper hater.

If Kawhi had stayed with Toronto I'd have been a fan of his, erasing the negative I had about his leaving San Antonio. If he'd have gone to my old rival the Lakers I'd have been a fan, for helping to reestablish a crown jewel of the NBA, his childhood team of rooting choice. But this...this feels calculated. He lets the Lakers think they're in it while getting George to demand a late trade and holding up that Laker money from free agent acquisitions...I hope the Lakers beat him and his like red headed stepchildren for the next four.

On the plus side, it does make my Celtics look a little better...maybe. :plain: And as an NBA fan, it's a good thing. Now we'll have GS, the Nets, Houston, LA, and that Clippers team all vying for who's best, at least in a year or two. Next year? Bucks, Philly, Houston, Lakers, Clippers...maybe Denver.

It could be a fun few years, all around.
Wha? You are a Celtics fan and you support the Lakers? The Lakers do not have a divine right to be an elite team. Let them suffer for another decade of irrelevance and lousy basketball. Why should the other teams have to suffer through long dry spells and not the Lakers? It's the Lakers turn to play crappy basketball for a long time. They will never win a title with LeBron. This will smack the arrogance out of Laker fans. Good. The Lakers have missed the playoffs six straight seasons. If they push that to 20 years it wouldn't bother me at all.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
Wha? You are a Celtics fan and you support the Lakers?
More a measure of respect and a sense of history. The Lakers and Celtics defined their greatness against one another in the Bird/Magic days.

The Lakers do not have a divine right to be an elite team.
It's better for the NBA when the Lakers and Celtics are strong, just as it's better for college football when Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Ohio State are strong, or the NFL when SF, the Cowboys, and Pittsburgh are strong.

More so with the Lakers and Celtics because they really built the foundation of the modern game's popularity.

Let them suffer for another decade of irrelevance and lousy basketball.
Why? It's bad for the game when that big a market isn't relevant, even beyond the history angle.

Why should the other teams have to suffer through long dry spells and not the Lakers?
No one has to suffer through it. And wanting storied franchises to remain in serious contention isn't wishing ill on the challengers. In fact, it makes, say, the Bucks overcoming all the more sweet, I'd think. I know I'd rather my Celtics beat a resurgent Lakers than a suddenly great Bucks team, or even your Warriors, though the Warriors at full strength and still sporting Durant would be sweet...ah, well.

Speaking of that, I heard there are some in your franchise feeling "betrayed" by Durant, which I found hard to figure. Meanwhile, those unfathomable Canadians are gushing over their newly minted favorite son even as he departs without much more than a backwards glance.

Go figure.

It's the Lakers turn to play crappy basketball for a long time.
Now you sound more like a Kings fan. :shocked: But they won't play bad basketball with James and Davis for the next few years. The Lakers are back in a competitive sense, regardless.

They will never win a title with LeBron.
Two reasons why that's not really a strong statement though. First, James has (absent recurrence of injury) likely two strong years left, with a couple of three more in support if he wants to do the aging Jabbar or Admiral bit. And given his nature he might. But that means he has to win within the next two while they're putting pieces around him. And given the level of competition out there, I'm not sure if there's time. With another top ten player, I think it's possible. But I don't know who will be out there in that time range.

Of course, they could win the whole thing next year. So much depends on so many factors we can't know at present it's up for grabs.

This will smack the arrogance out of Laker fans.
I don't care or ever think about Laker fans. But Dr. Buss was something and I like his daughter. More, I respect what he built and what his son nearly wrecked. I hope the daughter will manage better, for the sake that foundation, the importance of the Lakers to the NBA on a number of fronts (a couple of which I spoke to in this) and because I like James and would enjoy seeing him exit on a high note, like the Admiral. It rarely happens, but it's sweet when it does.

The Lakers have missed the playoffs six straight seasons.
And that's long enough. It would have been a better narrative for your Warriors to beat a great Lakers team in route to creating its dynasty, by way of example.

If they push that to 20 years it wouldn't bother me at all.
Then you're a fan of a team and not the game. It would be bad for that game.
 

The Berean

Well-known member
^^^^^Los Angeles has the Clippers as well. So if the Clippers are doing great that should give LA the attention it needs. The Lakers can pound sand. Shoot, If the Clippers win a title I would be very happy for them as it would take away even more attention from the Lakers. The longer the Lakers are terrible and the CLippers are good gives the Clippers more and more opportunity to turn the LA into a Clippers town.

Again why should the Lakers have the divine right to be elite? Did you care that the Warriors went 40 years between NBA titles? How has the NBA been damaged with the Lakers losing the last six seasons? The NBA is doing just fine. This is good as new teams have established themselves as top teams (Warriors, Bucks Raptors, 76ers, Rockets, etc.).

I never claimed to be a fan of the entire league. I want the Warriors to win as many titles as possible and the Lakers to be lose ans many game as possible. That makes me happy as s sports fan. :)

Obviously, Anthony Davis makes the team better. But it takes more than just two superstars and a bunch of scrubs to win a title. The league is way too deep for that. And the Lakers are racing against Father Time as LeBron gets older.
 

Town Heretic

Out of Order
Hall of Fame
^^^^^Los Angeles has the Clippers as well. So if the Clippers are doing great that should give LA the attention it needs.
It's a Laker town. The Clippers aren't going to be the same draw. Not their fault, mind you, but you could put a second NBA team in New England and it still wouldn't have the luster of the Celtics.

The Lakers can pound sand.
Okay. Is your team under that sand? :eek:

Shoot, If the Clippers win a title I would be very happy for them as it would take away even more attention from the Lakers.
If you were tea I'd say someone left the filter over the urn.

The longer the Lakers are terrible and the CLippers are good gives the Clippers more and more opportunity to turn the LA into a Clippers town.
Won't happen. It's history, gravitas. The Clippers would have to at least equal all of that WHILE the Lakers did nothing. I mean, look how long the Knicks have owned New York with far less reason. The Nets, unlike the Clippers, have a chance at that. The Clippers may get a bandwagon going for a bit IF the current team can win a ring or two, but that's a drop in the larger bucket.

Again why should the Lakers have the divine right to be elite?
Didn't I just answer this one? (checks) I did.

Did you care that the Warriors went 40 years between NBA titles?
God no. I couldn't have told you where the Warriors played before not too long ago. No reason to know or think about them.

How has the NBA been damaged with the Lakers losing the last six seasons?
By not having a real contestant in one of the largest markets in the NBA world, for starters. Beyond that, well, I've spoken to that too. The luster of traditional powerhouses and how much more satisfying it is to beat them or to watch the pretenders to that throne take their best shots.

The NBA is doing just fine.
It's not a question of that. The NBA is better with the Lakers as a serious challenger, as per my examples. And this years finals was the weakest rated in ten years, despite the overall health and growth of the sport. If the Celtics or Lakers had been in it the ratings would have been higher. Because those entrenched teams have more generational fans in the broader sports world then do teams no one cared about for generations, because they couldn't be consistently great.

This is good as new teams have established themselves as top teams (Warriors, Bucks Raptors, 76ers, Rockets, etc.).
Denver has a really good team too. The Rockets had a great team once. If they manage it again they take a serious step toward becoming one of those teams, teams with a separated history of dynastic runs. That changes the feel of them. Until they do they're that team that once had Olajuwon and company on it. The Bulls only have some residual luster because their single dynasty was driven by the Babe Ruth of the NBA.

I never claimed to be a fan of the entire league.
The sport. If you want basketball to be as big as it can be, part of that is found in the NFL lesson of celebrating the cornerstones and carrying the past into the present in terms of pitching rivalries and transcendence.

I want the Warriors to win as many titles as possible and the Lakers to be lose ans many game as possible. That makes me happy as s sports fan. :)
You mean as a Warriors fan who spent too many years looking up at an insurmountable challenge. I can understand how that must feel, being an old Bills fan back in the day. I mean, the last time your guys beat the Lakers in a playoff series was 1967. That has to sting a little.

Obviously, Anthony Davis makes the team better. But it takes more than just two superstars and a bunch of scrubs to win a title.
They have more than that. First, you shouldn't sleep on Kuzma. He's a really talented young player who if he keeps growing like he did over the past two years should be good for 20 pts or better, a handful of rebounds and a few assists. He needs to up his defensive game, but at his tender age and with that athleticism, there's no reason to believe he won't. And they just picked up Danny Green, who is both a good defender (a top tier parameter defender) and a terrific three point shooter. They've also signed DeMarcus Cousins, who could turn out to be the steal of the free agent gets. Rondo returns with his 8 assists and unselfish play. This will not be a team of scrubs.

EDIT: And they've picked up another outside shooter, taking Quinn Cook from your Warriors, along with his 40+% 3 pt prowess. Caldwell-Pope is under contract as well.

This is a playoff team (so they're going to play good basketball) and a contender for the vacated crown.

The league is way too deep for that. And the Lakers are racing against Father Time as LeBron gets older.
There's not a team this Lakers team can't play with and if James and AD are healthy come playoff time I won't bet against them.
 
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