NBA 2014-2015

bloody hell, how are the other Lakers fans so patient...
it's painful
Five rings in eleven years, we've been spoilt as of late. I'm looking forward to building a strong team again after Bryant retires, LA will always be an attractive destination so it won't be too long before we're able to challenge again, imo.
 
Five rings in eleven years, we've been spoilt as of late. I'm looking forward to building a strong team again after Bryant retires, LA will always be an attractive destination so it won't be too long before we're able to challenge again, imo.
Forgive the naive questions etc, but why can't we use our star power and just sign the mega players like James, etc?
 
Forgive the naive questions etc, but why can't we use our star power and just sign the mega players like James, etc?
I think we were robbed from another ring or at the very least a decent title challenge when Stern nixed the Paul trade. There has been talk about Anthony, Love, even George joining the Lakers since then so it's always a possibility, but we should be looking to build a solid team first with Randle, Clarkson and our second pick this year. Of course there are also cap space issues to be looked at but I don't know the specifics about those rules.
 
Lakers are good for cap space. Can afford a big free agent this summer and next summer with the cap increase and Kobe coming off the books, we'll be in a strong position financially.

Next year the goal is to show we are on the right track. Get Clarkson, Randle and #2 pick showing good promise, let Kobe do his thing one more time, maybe Tarik Black in as well. Try and get a solid piece at a decent price, Tobias Harris or Demarre Carroll and show that we are not so far away.

Be an attractive proposition for FAs next summer.
 
@Danny1982


Here. I know it's a scatter plot and some people won't look past it but you should. I used Oklahoma City's data for the season and Cleveland's data for this series.

ELfSo1l.png



Like usual, the top right corner means they score efficiently and score a lot. The bottom right means the score efficiently but not as often. The top left means they take lots of shots but they are bad them. The bottom left means they don't take many shots but even then, they are terrible at it. They are color coded by team. I think a picture is worth however many words I would have spent typing it up. It just shows the huge gulf in the supporting cast of Lebron during the finals and Westbrook during his run.
 
This was a good finals. If we saw this Warriors team play a full strength Cavs squad it could have been a great series. The Warriors have had an unbelievable season and they deserve this. Sadly I really see the hot takes about LeBron coming out the oven
 
Best team won! Amazing brand of basketball, quick, unselfish and exciting. They were great all season.
 
I love Iggy and he's been a big influence on the Warriors in the Finals but no way he should've gotten Finals MVP instead of Lebron. This means that from now on, Finals MVP will always be a player from the winning team. A shame really.
 
I love Iggy and he's been a big influence on the Warriors in the Finals but no way he should've gotten Finals MVP instead of Lebron. This means that from now on, Finals MVP will always be a player from the winning team. A shame really.
You mean apart from Jerry West being the only exception over the years haven't told you so?
 
You mean apart from Jerry West being the only exception over the years haven't told you so?
West did it once so it was possible and actually still is, but in reality it's never going to happen anymore now they've passed on Lebron. I really thought he was going to get it.
 
For me the MVP should come from the winning team. Iggy obviously didn't put up the numbers James did but when he was inserted into the line up they won 3 game straight and were comfortable in doing so. He was the catalyst, the spark, he made some big shots and defended James brilliantly. Well deserved imo.
 
I agree with that but James was more valuable to his team than any other player on both rosters in the Finals, which is why I think he should've gotten the award (and regular season MVP as well imo).
 
Chart of all the shots GSW have made this season. Beautiful.
CHtr9UCUcAA5LN6.png:large
 
Definitely think the MVP should be .... the best player in the finals regardless of the team. It was LeBron easily, yes, Iggy made a difference, but GSW were always the faves, LeBron made it a series, on his own, and played endlessly. He had Jordon esque finals stats, except maybe his %, but he was forced into shooting while being overdefended.

37-15-9 or something. 2 steals per game too. Mad shit.
 
@Danny1982


Here. I know it's a scatter plot and some people won't look past it but you should. I used Oklahoma City's data for the season and Cleveland's data for this series.

ELfSo1l.png



Like usual, the top right corner means they score efficiently and score a lot. The bottom right means the score efficiently but not as often. The top left means they take lots of shots but they are bad them. The bottom left means they don't take many shots but even then, they are terrible at it. They are color coded by team. I think a picture is worth however many words I would have spent typing it up. It just shows the huge gulf in the supporting cast of Lebron during the finals and Westbrook during his run.
Nothing wrong with stats, if they're put in perspective. The main problem with that plot is that it's missing Westbrook and Lebron. When you add Westbrook (TS%=53.6% for the season) and Lebron (TS%=46.7% for the last 5 games without Kyrie, with a FG% of 38.0%) it looks like both players will get closer to their teammates (with Lebron being closer to the left corner than the right corner).

Also, this chart measures performances, not players. IMO J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are better players than Jeremy Lamb and Morrow, even though they didn't perform well in the finals (J.R. Smith's TS% during the regular season with the Cavs is actually 56.5%). MozGOD and Thompson are very solid players too, and the chart actually shows that the Cavs' problem with Thompson was in fact that they used him far too little.