AD: 32 PPG, 13 RPG, 2 BPG on 62% FG

[ShawkFactory]

But that's what chemistry does.

What would Aaron Gordon be on the Lakers? He was a nobody before he came to Denver outside a dunk contest, and he can't shoot at all. He'd be seen as a bum on LA but with denvers ball movement offense and chemistry he looks like a star. And on the flip side Dlo would probably look like Jamal Murray junior with Yolk constantly setting picks for him and setting him up.

The chemistry and teamwork is winning Denver this shit. Jokic is egoless and he's constantly quarterbacking "the other guys" perfectly and not just spamming kickouts for 3s.

Again, the Lakers offense other than a few random spurts throughout the game has been very good. They’ve moved the ball well. I mean they were 5th in team assists this year for you guys who want to talk about low assists or whatnot.

Russell is playing bad basketball. He’s being hunted on defense, is going off-platform and taking terrible shots. Not hitting open ones. Etc

Gordon would provide tremendous value for the Lakers in this series. They’re getting dominated on the boards and he’s a great play-finisher.

[hold this L]

Empty stats?

AD just doesn't have the impact that his stats suggest and he can't guard Jokic at all, too small, not physical enough.

He's also more of a play finisher than a play maker.

AD is one of the best defenders in the league. Him not being able to guard the most unguardable offensive player in the league doesn't diminish that, nobody is able to slow Jokic down except for maybe Minny who has two centers on the court at once. Asking him to playmake and create his own shot for the best defensive player on the team who is averaging 33/13 on 66% TS is comical.

[tpols]

Again, the Lakers offense other than a few random spurts throughout the game has been very good. They’ve moved the ball well. I mean they were 5th in team assists this year for you guys who want to talk about low assists or whatnot.

Russell is playing bad basketball. He’s being hunted on defense, is going off-platform and taking terrible shots. Not hitting open ones. Etc

Gordon would provide tremendous value for the Lakers in this series. They’re getting dominated on the boards and he’s a great play-finisher.

Gordon would be sitting on the wing or in the corner with LA bricking wide open jumpers. And you guys would say he's trash.

The Lakers don't have any mastery of the hockey assist. Lebron teams in general don't. It's just physical domination and when too much help comes one off passes to the open guy. It's checkers. The Nuggets are playing chess and breaking down the defense with an extra dimension.

That's why AG is always so wide open under the hoop when they KNOW that his only offense is catching it around the rim and finishing. The problem is they have to worry about 3 or 4 different dimensions before that action is executed but with LA you only have to worry about 2 dimensions. Lebron or AD are gonna force a bucket or there's gonna be a kickout. That's it.

[j3lademaster]

Empty stats?

AD just doesn't have the impact that his stats suggest and he can't guard Jokic at all, too small, not physical enough.

He's also more of a play finisher than a play maker.

He’s done a fantastic job on Jokic this series. What do you want him to do, stop one of the greatest offensive players the game has ever seen?

[j3lademaster]

Gordon would be sitting on the wing or in the corner with LA bricking wide open jumpers. And you guys would say he's trash.

The Lakers don't have any mastery of the hockey assist. Lebron teams in general don't. It's just physical domination and when too much help comes one off passes to the open guy. It's checkers. The Nuggets are playing chess and breaking down the defense with an extra dimension.

That's why AG is always so wide open under the hoop when they KNOW that his only offense is catching it around the rim and finishing. The problem is they have to worry about 3 or 4 different dimensions before that action is executed but with LA you only have to worry about 2 dimensions. Lebron or AD are gonna force a bucket or there's gonna be a kickout. That's it.

This. Before Denver AG was seen as an undersized big who can’t shoot or anchor a defense, which is a death sentence in the current league. Jokic has an uncanny ability to fit into any system a la Steph, allowing AG to do what he’s best at. Lakers tried to answer by putting Rui on him, an average rebounder at best for his position. Complete misuse of personnel, of course Rui’s gonna look like a lost scrub. Should have tried Jaxon Hayes, honestly. He would have helped to clog the lane on Jokic, too.

[FultzNationRISE]

Empty stats?

AD just doesn't have the impact that his stats suggest and he can't guard Jokic at all, too small, not physical enough.

He's also more of a play finisher than a play maker.

Have to agree.

Also, Jokic basically doesnt play one on one defense for most of the game. Hes giving AD free buckets by design. He knows that if the Nuggets win the turnover battle and the three point battle and the easy points at the rim battle, they’re ultimately gonna score more than the Lakers will by riding AD’s post game. So I give AD credit for making the shots but he’s getting very little resistance. It’s not like if he was going against Bam or someone specifically looking to limit him 1 on 1. What AD’s doing is nice, but it’s not huge, it’s not gutsy. If he went out and exploited this set up to get 50 then you could say hes going above and beyond and putting his stamp on it. But the way the Nuggets are setting up 30 is the minimum he should be doing. Nobody’s even contesting his shots. And still in the fourth quarter hes a straight ghost.

Thats why just using stats for everything without explaining things is pointless. Stats never tell the whole story.

[90sgoat]

AD is one of the best defenders in the league. Him not being able to guard the most unguardable offensive player in the league doesn't diminish that, nobody is able to slow Jokic down except for maybe Minny who has two centers on the court at once. Asking him to playmake and create his own shot for the best defensive player on the team who is averaging 33/13 on 66% TS is comical.

Embiid can play him well head to head and has done so.

[90sgoat]

Have to agree.

Also, Jokic basically doesnt play one on one defense for most of the game. Hes giving AD free buckets by design. He knows that if the Nuggets win the turnover battle and the three point battle and the easy points at the rim battle, they’re ultimately gonna score more than the Lakers will by riding AD’s post game. So I give AD credit for making the shots but he’s getting very little resistance. It’s not like if he was going against Bam or someone specifically looking to limit him 1 on 1. What AD’s doing is nice, but it’s not huge, it’s not gutsy. If he went out and exploited this set up to get 50 then you could say hes going above and beyond and putting his stamp on it. But the way the Nuggets are setting up 30 is the minimum he should be doing. Nobody’s even contesting his shots. And still in the fourth quarter hes a straight ghost.

Thats why just using stats for everything without explaining things is pointless. Stats never tell the whole story.

Yeah, AD's offensive game to me is like with KG, it just doesn't seem to create big moments in games. It's a putback there, a lob finish here, a semi open midrange there. It's basically mostly shots that role players can make.

If you compare to Dirk and why he is better than both, it's because you throw him the ball in the post, early game, midgame or clutch and he hits those fadeaways at rates that only MJ has done better. And you could have him run the break, pull up, hit a 3 pointer.

Even someone like Duncan, you could always feed him the ball in the post for a high probability bank shot in a tough stretch of game.

To me, AD seems to dissappear not take over, when the game gets through tough stretches.

[hold this L]

Embiid can play him well head to head and has done so.

Ahh yes, the same Embiid that ducks out of Denver every single season for half a decade only to be fit some bum team the next day. What a warrior.

[ImKobe]

Putting up peak Shaq numbers and Bron can't win a game??? A game??

I thought Bron stans told me that rookie Bron would win 5 with Shaq from '97-'04

this mfer a fraud

[3ba11]

Gordon would provide tremendous value for the Lakers in this series.

You can't possibly think this.

So just give Lebron another rebounder and dunker and it should be all good?

How about Drummond, one of the best rebounders ever.. oh wait.. Lebron already had him and was lottery.

Only elite shooters look good next to Lebron, or elite-producing franchise players that can lead the team in scoring if needed (AD, Wade, Kyrie).. Virtually everyone else will underperform expectation in Lebron-ball - that's the historical record.

[FKAri]

Empty stats. A product of LeGOAT. He'll be hooping in Fiji after Bron retires.

[j3lademaster]

Empty stats. A product of LeGOAT. He'll be hooping in Fiji after Bron retires.

He'd be long retired before Lebron. I'm convinced James is playing until he's 57.

[ShawkFactory]

You can't possibly think this.

So just give Lebron another rebounder and dunker and it should be all good?

How about Drummond, one of the best rebounders ever.. oh wait.. Lebron already had him and was lottery.

Only elite shooters look good next to Lebron, or elite-producing franchise players that can lead the team in scoring if needed (AD, Wade, Kyrie).. Virtually everyone else will underperform expectation in Lebron-ball - that's the historical record.

Correct. They’re getting dominated on the boards and are smaller at almost every position. A big athletic rebounder, defender, and finisher would do wonders for the Lakers right now.

Their offense isn’t the problem.

[3ba11]

Correct. They’re getting dominated on the boards and are smaller at almost every position. A big athletic rebounder, defender, and finisher would do wonders for the Lakers right now.

Their offense isn’t the problem.

Denver is shooting 27% from three in this series but they aren't sitting there saying "we need more 3-point shooting"... So you're just making overused excuses at this point that you've used for decades with every cast Lebron has ever had (aka it's the defense) - it isn't the ever-changing cast that is the problem - history shows that lebron is the constant presence to the bad chemistry seen on both ends of the floor, while his teammates change by the weather.

Regarding Aaron Gordon - Lebron cratered ready-made stars like Love or Bosh, so what do you think he does to young studs like Rui, Kuzma, or even Drummond, Vanderbilt or Wood - what happened to all these guys - he had a million Gordon's on this Laker team but his horrible chemistry didn't develop anyone just like his entire career.. Zero young players went from low producer to meaningful producer on his watch in 21 years.. Ball-dominators like Luka and Lebron have bad fits with Porzingas, Brunson, Wood, Rui, Kuxma Bosh or Jamison, while jumpshooters that allow the ball to move like MJ or Curry have great fits with everyone.

Ultimately, the Lakers' offense is nowhere near Denver's, while their defensive personnel is superior as well with great athletes like AD, Rui, Prince, Vanderbilt and others - it's Lebron's fault for not working these guys in properly and developing them into impact players like the real goat candidate did, while the Bron-ball has never worn out ball movement teams more than vice versa.. Bron is just a bum and stinks at basketball compared to the goat standard.
.