NBA Playoffs, Round One

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Hey LeBron --- Welcome to the Western Conference in a full season!

He just suffered his first 1st round exit. And would have had many more had he not been tucked away safe in the East all those years.

His team missed the postseason altogether his 1st season. So 2 out of 3 times he's missed the postseason and been knocked out in RD1.

If not for the extremely disjointed 2019/2020 season which ended in March then picked up again in the lame "bubble" months later -- LBJ wouldn't have much to brag upon since coming out West.

It only gets harder next season when the Warriors should be returning more to form.
 
I'm not actually even arguing, at all. I'm just verbose. All I'm really saying is that I came into this season not believing in Devon Booker, and I have yet to see anything that's changed my mind about him.
I've never bought into that stock either. Don't ever plan to.

To me, he's just another dime a dozen volume chucker that isn't too interested in playing on the other end. I've seen many of those players over 40+ years.

The difference in PHX this season from their sub .500 seasons w/ Booker IS Chris Paul. He's changed the dynamic too many times in too many places for it to be a coincidence.
 
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Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Hey LeBron --- Welcome to the Western Conference in a full season!

He just suffered his first 1st round exit. And would have had many more had he not been tucked away safe in the East all those years.

His team missed the postseason altogether his 1st season. So 2 out of 3 times he's missed the postseason and been knocked out in RD1.

If not for the extremely disjointed 2019/2020 season which ended in March then picked up again in the lame "bubble" months later -- LBJ wouldn't have much to brag upon since coming out West.

It only gets harder next season when the Warriors should be returning more to form.
So, am I meant to conclude from this that you hate LeBron James so much, that you hold it against him that he even played in the eastern conference? Like, he didn't draft himself.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
Hey LeBron --- Welcome to the Western Conference in a full season!

He just suffered his first 1st round exit. And would have had many more had he not been tucked away safe in the East all those years.

His team missed the postseason altogether his 1st season. So 2 out of 3 times he's missed the postseason and been knocked out in RD1.

If not for the extremely disjointed 2019/2020 season which ended in March then picked up again in the lame "bubble" months later -- LBJ wouldn't have much to brag upon since coming out West.

It only gets harder next season when the Warriors should be returning more to form.
That season and this season also share the distinction of being the only times ever than Lebron has suffered a major injury and had to sit out a big chunk of the year so I’m not sure that this means what you think it means.


Also I wouldn’t take out a second mortgage on my house to bet on the Warriors storming back into the picture. Dray and Steph are getting older and Klay is coming back from two typical career-ending severe leg injuries. Also they’re in cap hell and losing Oubre in free agency and to top it all off Wiseman sorta sucks.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
That season and this season also share the distinction of being the only times ever than Lebron has suffered a major injury and had to sit out a big chunk of the year so I’m not sure that this means what you think it means.


Also I wouldn’t take out a second mortgage on my house to bet on the Warriors storming back into the picture. Dray and Steph are getting older and Klay is coming back from two typical career-ending severe leg injuries. Also they’re in cap hell and losing Oubre in free agency and to top it all off Wiseman sorta sucks.
If you talk to a Warriors fan they’ll tell you it’s all good, they’re just going to get Kawhi somehow and also trade Wiseman and their picks for another superstar.
 
So, am I meant to conclude from this that you hate LeBron James so much, that you hold it against him that he even played in the eastern conference? Like, he didn't draft himself.
You can conclude whatever you wish. You usually have a unique way of doing that.

I’ve explained my reversal on LBJ over the years, so I’m not going to repeat it here.

My sarcastic comments now are more about his high opinion of himself (and many in the media) as GOAT carrying weak teams in the East that wouldn’t have lasted past the 1st or 2nd round out West if they qualified for the postseason at all.

If you believe I’m blaming LBJ for where he was drafted, you’ve struck out.
 
That season and this season also share the distinction of being the only times ever than Lebron has suffered a major injury and had to sit out a big chunk of the year so I’m not sure that this means what you think it means.
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Funny you mention the “injuries” because I did just that when AD joined LBJ.

Neither can make it through a full season these days. The “bubble” situation after a long layoff — along with the Warriors and Nets being crippled with key injuries— were the only chance the LAL had to luck out a title.

It wouldn’t have happened under a full season with no prolonged breaks. AD has always been made of glass and LBJ can’t stay healthy anymore.

They better pray for more 1/2 seasons.

As for the past, healthy LBJ wasn’t taking those teams anywhere out West. I stand by what I said.

Furthermore, LBJ didn’t miss this playoff series against PHX with serious injury. He played. Every game. And they got ousted. In the 1st round. Something that never happened in the weak East.
 
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I'm not actually even arguing, at all. I'm just verbose. All I'm really saying is that I came into this season not believing in Devon Booker, and I have yet to see anything that's changed my mind about him.
What do you mean by "not believing" though? Not believing that he can be the #1 guy on a championship team? #1 guy on a playoff team? #2 guy on a deep playoff team? Not being an all star?
 
He's a wanna be tough guy. Thinks he's much better than he is. But so does LBJ, so there's that too.

Booker, like a lot of players these days, is streaky and can really get hot when he's on like tonight. But he plays next to no defense and relies upon a lot of bail out calls. Reminds me of Kevin Martin in that way.

Regardless, glad PHX took out that overrated LA team.
This has been said repeatedly on this board about guys like Doncic, Young, Harden, Booker, and a whole host of other guys. I don't really understand what's the point of saying "yeah but he plays no defense" unless it's a conversation about who is the GOAT or best player in the league, discussions which these players are never in. They can clearly still be superstars and lead their teams to playoff or deep playoff runs.

Doncic drops triple doubles, carries his team. *Yeah but he plays no defense and the Mavs have to hide him*
Trae drops 40 and Hawks win. *Yeah but he plays no defense*
Booker leads the #2 seed in scoring. *Yeah but he plays no defense*

Ok? What's your alternative? Fox leads the Kings to another playoff miss, *yeah but he plays defense*?
 
LeBron is overrated takes are some of the worst on the Internet. I cannot wrap my head around it.
Overrated as in he shouldn’t be in serious consideration for GOAT.

Why can’t you wrap your head around that very simple concept? (Btw, LBJ‘s name coming up in GOAT discussion or even top 5 is a far, far worse take on the Internet)

He can be a HOF and an all-time great player yet still be overrated.

He’s often lauded as one of the top 2 or 3 players EVER. He isn’t. That’s why he’s overrated.

A laundry list of reasons why can be cited and have been cited incessantly, by many, over the years. If you really want to debate the finer points, feel free to start up a dedicated thread and I’ll pile on.

I can list at least a dozen players that have made more of an impact and were straight up clutch when their teams needed it most in the biggest games.

LBJ historically ran from big shots and depended on others to close out or save games. Which is hilarious from a guy that might end up the highest scorer in the league history.

Forget the MJ comparisons. Dude isn’t better than Magic, Larry or Kobe let alone Wilt, Kareem or Russell. Not even close.

The only reason this generation thinks LBJ is better than those players is because they are bombarded 24/7 with pro LBJ propaganda on most media outlets and social media. Some outlets are worse than others (hello ESPN).
 
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If you talk to a Warriors fan they’ll tell you it’s all good, they’re just going to get Kawhi somehow and also trade Wiseman and their picks for another superstar.
I loathe the Warriors. And their bandwagon fans.

But be real. If Klay and Steph are healthy, with Draymond doing what he does on both ends, that’s a contender. No matter who else is on the team.

That core won a title and made multiple Finals appearances before KD played with them. Hell, they won 73 games and were a Draymond suspension away from possibly the greatest single season of all-time. With those three players leading the way.

Sure, they don’t have Iggy, Livingston, Bogut and other key role players from those teams — but they still have the potential to be among the top teams in the West. They don’t need to add Kawhi or another star player to do it. Just the right role players.

But most of all they need Steph, Draymond and Klay to be healthy. Or it’s a non-starter.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
I see there is a photo making the rounds of LeEgomaniac and Booker. LeEgomaniac has given Booker an autographed jersey and they are hugging. Got to make sure they get that out there to show people he’s a good sport. Spin control.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
I see there is a photo making the rounds of LeEgomaniac and Booker. LeEgomaniac has given Booker an autographed jersey and they are hugging. Got to make sure they get that out there to show people he’s a good sport. Spin control.
Because LeBron is the only athlete to ever do jersey swap photo ops. Lmao
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
Apparently every single soccer player and most football players and D-Wade in every single game of his final season are raging ego maniacs
Didn’t Frank Mason somehow score DWade’s farewell tour jersey to the Kings?

Respect that hustle from the mid/end-of-bencher.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
You can conclude whatever you wish. You usually have a unique way of doing that.

I’ve explained my reversal on LBJ over the years, so I’m not going to repeat it here.

My sarcastic comments now are more about his high opinion of himself (and many in the media) as GOAT carrying weak teams in the East that wouldn’t have lasted past the 1st or 2nd round out West if they qualified for the postseason at all.

If you believe I’m blaming LBJ for where he was drafted, you’ve struck out.
"If I believe"? All I did was take what you actually said, at face value.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
What do you mean by "not believing" though? Not believing that he can be the #1 guy on a championship team? #1 guy on a playoff team? #2 guy on a deep playoff team? Not being an all star?
I mean, Gerald Wallace was an All-Star.

Can Devin Booker be the #1 guy on a playoff team? Depends on who the #2 guy is. To me, Booker is just a more charismatic Joe Johnson, and I don't remember IsoJoeHive riding as hard for him as the B-Hive BookClub rides for him.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
I have said since day 1 Yogurt wasn’t the one to be sad about. Who cares about that guy, the bridge was getting burnt one way or another.

it’s always been Malone. That’s the one who got away.
PDA ignoring Petrie’s advice and drafting McBen over Giannis, PDA getting Malone fired, and the Luka thing are really the only three mistakes that really matter in the Vivek era.
Even keeping Luke for another season, Vlade spending two consecutive first round picks on big men while already having a star big on the team, or the time Vlade decided to trade Boogie while he was literally playing in the all-star game pale in comparison.
 
PDA ignoring Petrie’s advice and drafting McBen over Giannis, PDA getting Malone fired, and the Luka thing are really the only three mistakes that really matter in the Vivek era.
Even keeping Luke for another season, Vlade spending two consecutive first round picks on big men while already having a star big on the team, or the time Vlade decided to trade Boogie while he was literally playing in the all-star game pale in comparison.
The overriding issue is that Vivek is still apparently very easily duped by smooth talking politicians. That could be a problem that never goes away and if it doesn't we better hope the Abe Lincoln of basketball minds eventually finds his way to Sac.
 
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