Topic: 2019 NBA Pre-Season - page 2152. (Read 902510 times)

I would rather take the Wizards at home against the best team in the NBA as a I feel they have a better chance with the crowd cheering for them.
They played the bulls and loss, they'll travel back home to play with the Bucks, but they should try to win this since they are out of the playoff picture now.

Will it be a battle of two rookies for the 8th seed or will it be the veteran coach who still have his magic of getting another playoffs spot.  
Exciting to see how they will push through to win every game.

Some great odds for later games without handicaps.
Wizards (home) @9.00 vs Bucks
Knicks (away) @ 10.00 vs Rockets
T'Wolves (away) @7.80 vs Dallas

The demon of me is telling something again.  

I have been trying to analyze their plays but yes, it seems like they don't rely with one another.
Is it Kawhi? He had been thru 3 teams and it had always been the problem. Is there really a locker room problem to these guys?

Bucks had it since like 3 years ago so it won't be any issue to them.
The Lakers team though is something to be amazed at. They put in different players with just a year of contract and yet they seem to have the chemistry of playing with each for 10 years. 
I think that is one of Lebron's power. I am not sure though. It could also be that this guys just want the championship.

They might have a chance with Dallas and Heat but Lakers are too strong, and if every they'll get to that top 8 spot, they'll have to face the Lakers which could possibly give them an early exit.

Yeah, they still won against Pistons despite Lillard's injury.
But, they are going to have a lot of problems since the list of injured players from the Blazers team is getting longer.

Pelicans schedule will be hell.
Two games against the Lakers then Dallas and Heat.
But they need to win all of this games. They are at the 10th now and they don't want to be at losing streaks.
Snatch one of that games against the Lakers then also try to win over the Heat.

Yes of course they are a championship contender team since they fought the Cavs in the 2018 ECF. Though they lost to a more experienced Cavs team with LeBron leading the team, but they showed how good this young bloods are. With Walker as an addition, I think they are ready to go against the Bucks or the Raptors in the ECF in the playoffs.
Tatum is a future hall of famer, and Jaylen too.

What a great start I saw in the NBA today, Lakers vs Boston have some classic match up and it ended up really an entertaining game.
Tatum goes for 41 points from an losing effort but this young man has showed he can be better against a good team like the Lakers, last time it was the Clippers. Anyone here think Celtics are a championship contender this season?

Hopefully they'll start winning a game tonight, they have an easy opponent and soon Lillard will be back in the line up and they'll be more confident again.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/damian-lillard-injury-update-blazers-star-expects-to-miss-the-next-three-or-four-games-with-strained-groin/

start winning with the Pistons tonight and we will see if they can actually do it without Lillard.. the last time they failed against the Pelicans which might be their best rival going to that 8 spot.

Grizzlies might slide down from the 8th seed, their second leading-scorer Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to miss a few weeks with a sprained knee.

Out of three teams chasing MEM, Blazers have the easiest schedule at least on paper (next 10 games).

Clippers also just lost to Kings once again, not saying Kings are better compared to Clippers (not a chance) but we are seeing why Clippers are no longer seen as the favorites for the championship by many people. They are a disgruntled bunch of players and even though they are all talented and even though they definitely have the roster to challenge for a cup, they also do not have neither the team chemistry nor the mentality to work together and create that synergy.

Look at Lakers and Bucks, those two teams definitely deserve the Finals both because they are very talented just like Clippers, but also they are a great team and they play amazingly together as well, they have fun together, they spend time together after the games and practices, you need that type of brotherhood for a championship.

And they failed on their test, they can't stop Zion and it looks like the Pelicans are now having a chance to be in the playoffs, although not in the standing yet. Tonight, Blazers will be facing the Pistons, playing still at their home court so since Pistons are also a banged up team, let's see if the Blazers can win here.

Actually it was the Clippers who first add a Morris, the Lakers just try to compete with that by signing his brother, but the Marcus has a better record compared to his twin brother so the Clippers has the edge on this one, IMO.

I am with Cousins for long term only. But they want this year to be the champion so Morris will do fine.
Injuries really bring his value down and I think he needs to think about that too.
Coming back strong like how he had always been had been a large wall to him.

Lakers management is pouring their rosters with known players, even the 2nd team can win against a lower seed team. 
Can the Clippers still win with this gigantic line up?

I believe they'll be able to reach in the playoffs this season, they'll take out the Memphis in the standing and I am afraid that Spurs might also miss this season's playoffs, that's based on the way they play games recently.

Pelicans have a 7-3 record in their last 10 games, they are tied with the Lakers, Rockets, and the OKC, this means they are really doing well.
I don't have a complete stats of the OKC from the moment Zion played but based on observation, they are really doing well.

currently rank number 10 but a lot of things will happen, and looks like they are destined to go forward.

They really need that win to get away from the 10th and 11th seed which is the Spurs(24) and Pelicans(24).
Grizzlies is at 28 at 8th seed and 25 for Blazers.
It is not that far. There is a chance for those three team. This injuries though is killing the Blazers.
Zion on the other hand, is really on trail of something. He want that playoff spot.

Pelicans are losing against strong teams like Bucks and Thunders but never with the lower seeds.
As of their 10 games, they only lose against the Rockets, Bucks and Thunders. They really got stronger with the addition of Zion.

Much better than an injured Boogie, if they will waiving Cousins and get Morris they interior help will be much solid. His addition fits the lakers
system together with AD and Lebron power from inside paint is expected, Morris is a role player so he can help the lakers in their rotations
it's not hard for him to adjust.

This game for blazers was quite important to actually see how the others play and not if they could win or not. Pelicans are not really a great team of course so they could have still won the game however when your best player is out (and I wish CJ was out resting as well, would emphasize this better) you get to see who are the other players that you know that could help the team out, Lakers literally did that last year and kept Kuzma while sending all others, sure there were other things involved but they could have easily sent Kuzma as well.

Here blazers saw that they could rely on other players as well when Dame is not on his best day or he is guarded extra etc etc, we all knew CJ was good but seeing Melo still playing well really helped them and hopefully their playoff chase is not just over yet.

 This is one of those days when you see basketball is a business just like any other business. Cousins was just in a interview type of thing with I think Matt Barnes and another person and he was talking about how the team spirit was high and how everyone was friends and "if one guy goes to movies, we are all going to movies" and that type of thing nad mentioned how he has never been part of a team like that etc etc. Now he is gone. Of course if you look at it from Lakers point of view, now they got a player who may or may not play, he is a decent guy but I have no idea if he will be a 10 minute guy or a 20 minute guy or 9th guy that comes in only on blow outs, but it is still miles better than having a player that will certainly not play at all, Lakers signed him when he wasn't injured, it is a marvel that they kept him so long.

 The silver lining here, Cousins (if he wants to) can continue his rehabilitiation at Lakers buildings, use their doctors, use their trainers, use their practice courts etc, he just can't go to the games (well in uniform, he could buy a ticket like any other viewer) but aside from that he could be part of the team while he is getting better until the off-season which I am sure Lakers already said to him anyway even without any rules. So he will get the best care in the world while getting better, certainly much better than doing it on your own, but since he is waived, maybe he may want to leave, that would be understandable as well.

Comparing their stats, it's Marcus who has a better record compared to his brother, rough start with the Clippers but I am sure he will get his usual average over time. If the Lakers will be able to acquire Markieff, let's hope he will perform well in this team and his stats will improve.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/morrima03.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/morrima02.html