If Nuggets beat Blazers Sunday and Lakers win out, then…
Lakers get #6 seed and Nuggets get #3 seed.
That would mean #6 Lakers vs. #3 Nuggets in first round.
The Nuggets can’t let that happen so they tank Sunday.
Blazers win and hold onto 6th, Lakers end up 7th.
If Clippers win, Nuggets drop to #4 and play #5 Mavs.
#7 Lakers are in Play-In vs. Sun winner of GSW vs, MG.
Then play #2 Jazz or Suns in first round.
The only fly in the ointment could be the Clippers.
What if they decide to tank to stay in 4th rather than 3rd?
They could tank and jump to #3 to play the #6 Blazers.
Rather than being at #4 and playing #5 Mavs.
Their tank today guaranteed they won’t meet Lakers in first round.
I respectfully disagree, Sean. Last season, McGee averaged 3.5 block per 100 plays, Howard 2.5, and Willie 2.4. This season, McGee has averaged 3.2, Howard 2.1, and WCS 1.9. By the way, Gasol this season has averaged 2.7 and AD only 2.4
While WCS may not be as good a shot blocker as JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard, what makes him a better fit on the Lakers than the two old school centers they dumped in the offseason is his ability to defend in space. That’s what makes him a modern center.
McGee’s and Howard’s inability to switch and rotate and defend on the perimeter like the Lakers did in the playoffs and like we saw them do last night against the Nuggets was what made them unplayable in last year’s playoffs.
The Lakers have made a strategic change in their defense. Rather than have their bigs play drop coverage on ball picks, they’re choosing to trap, hedge, and double ball handlers. That sometimes leads to easy baskets at the rim because they’re not packing the paint. They’re trying to disrupt other teams’ offenses and prevent penetration and cause chaos.
Having a mobile, long, athletic big who can move his feet and react and rotate quickly is a big key to that defensive strategy working. Morris did that in the playoffs and Trezz is learning how to do it in the regular season. It’s a ‘team’ defense that doesn’t just rely on one player to stop great scorers or protect the rim.
I think WCS would be a great fit on the Lakers and may be available, although the better option is probably Nerlens Noel, who’s a better shot blocker and is even more mobile than WCS. One thing for sure is, Dwight and JaVale were not and will not be the answer for the style and philosophy of defense the Lakers want to play. It’s more of a ‘small ball’ style of defense. Speed, quickness, athleticism, mobility, and discipline.
When it’s winning time, he’s usually on the bench…
Winning? Better check the Mavs record, Sean, because they’re not winning. In fact, they’re one of the biggest disappointments in the league at this point. With Kristaps back, WCS is expendable. He could be this season’s version of a reclamation project like Dwight was last season.
Listen, I agree that Willie has issues and has never lived up to his potential. He’s essentially a bust compared to what he could have been. Part of it is obviously mental as he’s a marvelous athlete. But we don’t have many options for bigs who are mobile enough to play our style of defense and might be available. It’s WCS or NN imo.
If WCS and NN were any good, they’d be on one team and not traded every other year. Just MHO.
Not necessarily, DJ. Like most role players, success depends on fit. Nobody else plays the kind of defense the Lakers do because there’s only one Anthony Davis, who can protect the rim and defend the perimeter. Most teams play drop coverage like the Lakers did last year, making sure their big does not let anybody get between him and the rim.
But a player like Noel or Cauley-Stein could be perfect fit defensively for the Lakers alongside AD. They’ll hurt offensively because they can’t shoot but the Lakers formula is defense because they can always count on LeBron and AD to score. Morris is a great alternative because he can defend and shot. Trezz is also a great alternative because he can score and is athletic.
Adding a third center like Noel would give us a third option besides Morris and Harrell, an option not as good offensively but a better matchup defensively against certain teams. Versatility to go with AD at the five. That’s what our goal should be for the 15th man on this team. I think the best option is trading for Noel because the Knicks are in the East. Nobody in the West is going to want to help the Lakers get better.
I agree DJ.