₦airaland Forum

KNIGHTBlaed:
My brother, we are talking about leBron's team here o. If the Lakers lose, I will be the happiest person, but since that team is unstoppable with leBron and AD, I better not stress myself and be neutral for once, I cannot be praying for someone to lose everyday and he only gets better. So better I relax and enjoy myself. Sincerely, Bron na cheat, 4 in 1

I know A40 and fellow haters association have been shook last couple of days

Man. I am not a celtics fan, but even I feel the shock and disappointment. Tatum and Jaylen look like they are about to fall out

Celtics got back the lead, got a cushion and mentally relaxed. Miami makes the expected run, and Celtics are caught pants down. Now they down 10 and confused. They got lazy and started dreaming of game 7 before game 6 was over.

A40:
How did Bam Adebayo fall to the 13th pick. He's literally the Heat's only playable big and he does it all. Olynyk is a defensive liability and Haslem is a mascot at this point

Its only this season that he has looked like he wont be a bust. Cant blame anyone for passing on him

DeeMain:
Unless he took that decision on a whim, if it was well thought out and he chose to stay with a sick and vulnerable child in the middle of a pandemic, he should have nothing to feel foolish about. People's values and priorities differ.

We are all different.

In normal times, if Lakers were playing on the road 2 weeks, what will he do? I can see leaving the bubble for a week or two for family reasons. But to say you wont play at all? It is still a job.

People weren't convinced NBA could hold a covid free season in the bubble, and that is probably his reason for saying no. I know Dwight feels mighty good for showing up in spite of his initial reluctance

WeissVonner:
As stifling as this Lakers defense has been, they're missing their best perimeter defender. Scary.

Others stepped up. Bradley feeling foolish right now

Champions are made, not born. Lets see if celtics can gut this through. It will be a character win

WeissVonner:
He has to be. This is arguably their easiest path to the finals. Next year, things are going to be so much more difficult. And the thing is there's not much they can do to improve except to trade key players which is counterintuitive.

True that. The east will be loaded up next year

I havent seen brad stevens this animated before

A40:
He groomed the team. Gary Harris was supposed to be a big deal but he stagnated and Jamal Murray has picked it up. Nurkic and Jokic could not coexist so he wisely moved him to Portland

He gets props for grooming and establishing a defensive identity. But the things Jokic does on the court, they are not taught by any American basketball system. A big man leaving the rebound to a guard and running to the 3 point line where is he wide open because his opposing big is still in the post, those are not standard playbooks for bigs. As the opposing big, you HAVE to stay and get that rebound obviously. But if you dont, thats 3 points for your opponent. Its like Popovich getting a Tim Duncan - yeah Pops is good, but he also got luck of the draw. Malone has two lucks of the draw - those Murray shots are not taught either, that is just the internal mamba in the kid rising.

Between Harris and Murray, it looked to me like Harris was the more legit superstar. Talent is so hard to call.

Not taking anything away from Nuggets, I thought they would make noise last year, if not for Warriors

etidy:
Doc rivers is a good coach, he's definitely not elite.
He has had several good teams with the clippers and can't even make a conference final.

I have at least Eric spo, nick nurse, Greg popovich, Rick Carlisle, Steve Kerr, Brad Steven's ahead of him

And right now Mike Malone is also doing a better job

I agree on Doc Rivers. Malone is not in that circle imo. He has the luxury of a Tim Duncan like payer, who can also shoot the 3. That alone distorts defenses. Then he has Murray, who can make impossible shots and keep them in the game. He is a good coach, but he has a really good team.

WeissVonner:
Okay. I'm going to root for the Celtics the next game. I need the Lakers to get some extra rest because it seems year 17 needs it. The old man is looking tired.

For real. Looking like papa smurf running around

WeissVonner:
Just so you know, they're not coming back from 3-1 down again. Certainly not against LeBron James. They've been a great test though. Worthy of the Western Conference. Their humiliation of the clippers was no fluke.

If they play like this every game, and they can, its going to game 7. Clippers pride prevented them from seeing this until the quiet moment in the locker room at halftime game 7. Then they paniced and it was over

steady986:
Oga we hear you. Nobody carry AD. Anything else?

Hahaha you beat me to it. AD got carried tonight. Others stepped up on offense and defense. But its ok, thats why its a TEAM

These playoffs have had some phenomenal games. I wish Kobe was alive to see Murray

aliondo:
Murray is a problem...

I tell uuuu... Those shots are spiritual

Props to Lebron for stepping up to guard him

WeissVonner:
KCP has easily been the most consistent role player for the Lakers this postseason.

He knows his role. KCP does KCP

starnigeria:
scores update

game is moving too fast nuggets down by single digits

WeissVonner:
This team is legit. Maybe the bizzaro bubble situation has something to do with but nevertheless, I don't think the way they're shooting so far is sustainable in the second half.

It is, because those are quality shots. I think its time Lebron takes turn guarding Jokic

Weissvonner and A40 I take amadioha and unkulunkulu beg una, pls suspend dis fight. Roland17 abeg come separate your ppl lol

My goodness, the nuggets have been pretending. They have been a top 3 in the league for most of the year.what I just saw them do in the 2nd quarter, Lakers had to play crazy to keep a lead. Wow!

steady986:
Lol. It's Lakers in 4 until it isn't.
We were sleepwalking through the games? Really? That is the narrative now? I hope when we dismantle the Nuggets in the next 2 games you won't change the narrative and say the Nuggets weren't a match

Thats what I saw. The role players really didnt play with energy. The most active Lakers were the oldest. I understand why tho, this team is still new and still gelling. The younger players dont have that kill and go mentality... They haven't been in the league long enough to understand how hard it is to get this far, with few injuries.

So A40s best friend has returned

steady986:
I have no doubt one bit that we're taking this series. It took a combination of us getting thoroughly out-rebounded, us shooting abysmally from beyond the arc and Jerami Grant scoring his playoff career high for them to win. And it still was close at the he end. It would take similar occurrences for us to lose again and I don't see it happening. We won't make only 6 shots from 3 again, we won't get out-rebounded by 19 again, and Grant sure as hell ain't scoring 26 points on us again.

Lakers in 5

Lol! you are a true fan. from Lakers in 4 to to 5, just like that . The rim as tight for the lakers early on...they were sleep walking most of the game. On to the next one!

steady986:
But moving forward, we can't be sloppy like that. How did a 16-point lead go down to -1? Guys were just missing shots. But credit to Malone sha, he had the balls to play Dozier down the stretch. If he could shoot free throws I don't think we would be celebrating by now. And Murray is a legit baller, damn.

Nuggets are for real. They have a rotation that can come back from 20pts down any day. If not for big bodies Lakers threw at Jokic, this would be 1-1.

My goodness, this kin shot dey cut liver! Denver gon need a minute to recover

steady986:
So Covington took a swipe at LeBron after his fight. We bout to pull up in his front porch to have a word

He is always on their mind.. The hate knows no bounds, to see a bro be successful and speak his own mind. I understand MJ not wanting to go political during his career, cuz you need to bite off only what your personality can chew.

Hats off to Lebron, that's why I always rep that dude. The level of pressure is crazy. He has to watch his taxes, businesses, family, where he goes, what car he rides in etc because powerful people out to get him. But God pass dem...

Roland17:
Nothing to see here..

On to game 4.

Lol, haba we need some ketchup on these fries

I dont like this award for Giannis. Just like I hate the hype Harden gets. These guys have a loooong way to go to becoming legit superstars. All these accolades are entering these guys heads and they are not putting in the work in the summers. How is a 50 year old Lebron outworking you during the pandemic break?

As we speak theres one wicked black @ss spider in new jersey right now, feeling like he should get to the finals next year, minimum. If Giannis stays with bucks, he could be a permanent regular season performer. Can any older nba player reach this guy and talk to him nitori olorun. This life is not stronghead ooo

Marcus Smart getting into it with teamates. This is not the time to fold mentally

A40:
Same Stephen A is now backing him to stay. While I don't suggest he uses his platform to advocate for another black man to lose his job.

He will need to be called out on his hypocrisy the day he ever advocates for a white underperforming coach to lose his job. Because he did it with Brett Brown

Yep. That's the problem with pointing fingers all the time. Eventually you find you either stay consistent or become a hypocrite.

After the shock, in hindsight, I realize the clippers did not have a defensive answer for a skilled big man like Jokic. Just watched some clips of how Harrell was trying to guard Jokic. Several times he gets lost in defensive rotations and leaves Jokic open at the top of the key.

Guys like Harrell are very good at traditional big man defense, as in put a body on the opponent in the post, make him feel you. But once you start to throw screens and move the ball, the game becomes more mental and bruisers like Harrell can blow your defense. And a skilled big man will make you pay. We already saw signs of it in the matchup with Dallas when Porzingis played.

Bottomline, this was a bad matchup for Clippers. They loaded up their team in anticipation of a matchup with Lakers - I could see Harrell bothering Lebron all day. They really didnt think any other team could give them problems. Doc Rivers made the matters worse, as in no adjustments. Even when Nugets were leading in the fourth, he was like CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN. Nah, that was the time to go into overdrive!

Lakers cant look down on this team - they are for real