Play-In Tournament: Los Angeles Lakers(47-35) @ New Pelicans(49-33) at 6:30 pm on TNT. Deja Vu in da Bayou. (1 Viewer)

[Taker597]

Hadn’t heard anything that it’s a season ending hamstring injury.

Zion balled out 2nd half of this year and had solid availability with 70 games this season. Trey, Herb and Jose are all solid pieces never to be moved. CJ, BI and JV are the moveable pieces. Build around Zion and our young talent.

Assuming Zion returns for next play-in game, as much as I wanted to beat Lakers we match up better vs OKC than the Nuggets. Still a long shot but if Zion is fine we have a chance.

I was told hamstring... I wouldn't trust the organization. They make disingenuous or vague injury reports for one reason or another

 

[Nolan]

In a league dominated by shooting big men…. Of course not.

Giannis is not a shooting big man. He's a sub 30% shooter and teams will let him shoot a 3 on every single possession, just like they would let Zion.

He and Zion are very similar players despite being build different. They are both elite finishers at the rim.

The difference between the two teams is roster construction and scheme. They support with the right type of players, the Pelicans have struggled to do so.

 

[LAhotsauce]

The final spit in the face will be what I've dreaded the most. The finally lose to a team they've beaten 5 times to miss the playoffs. Ouch man. Ouch.

I'd much rather the Warriors come in here and put out this misery than the Kings.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I actually give Willie credit for benching CJ and BI, who were both terrible.

Of course, when you have to bench 2 of your 3 “Big 3” then your roster is pretty well forked.

Keep Zion, Herb, Trey, Dyson and Jose. And Hawkins. Clean out the rest and start over.

 

[Infoman]

Giannis is not a shooting big man. He's a sub 30% shooter and teams will let him shoot a 3 on every single possession, just like they would let Zion.

He and Zion are very similar players despite being build different. They are both elite finishers at the rim.

The difference between the two teams is roster construction and scheme. They support with the right type of players, the Pelicans have struggled to do so.

Dude. They have Brook Lopez and Portis. GA is 1 of 1 and Zion ain’t GA. He shoots enough to make you defend him outside the circle. Zion don’t. Is what it is.

Literally ever other real contender has a dominant shooting guy 3 inches taller than Zion.

And Yeah. Willie has to go too

 

[Nolan]

Dont believe me. Watch how guys like GA and Embid and Joker are defended. Then watch the hilarious defense Zion gets when he’s not 1 ft from the rim.

sheet matters.

If this team has a shooting Big instead of Zion with the exact same supporting cast. This is a 1 or 2 seed in the west.

Wait, what? Do you watch the Bucks? Teams play Giannis exactly how they play Zion.

Replacing Zion with a shooting big does NOT equal this team being a 1 or 2 seed in the west. You do realize that we have Jonas and Larry on the roster, right?

You also realize that Zion is our best facilitator, right? So you want to replace him with a "shooting big" with no true PG on the roster? CJ can't play the point, that's been proven.

Look I'm dumbfounded by this roster construction just like you are, but what you're suggesting ain't it.

 

[Nolan]

Dude. They have Brook Lopez and Portis. GA is 1 of 1 and Zion ain’t GA. He shoots enough to make you defend him outside the circle. Zion don’t. Is what it is.

Literally ever other real contender has a dominant shooting guy 3 inches taller than Zion.

Yes, Brook Lopez and Portis! They players that teams will defend behind the arc. Giannis shooting that number of 3s doesn't make teams guard him outside of the arc. They still don't guard him out there.

A Brook Lopez type are the bigs we need on this roster, not Jonas and Larry.

 

[Infoman]

Wait, what? Do you watch the Bucks? Teams play Giannis exactly how they play Zion.

Replacing Zion with a shooting big does NOT equal this team being a 1 or 2 seed in the west. You do realize that we have Jonas and Larry on the roster, right?

You also realize that Zion is our best facilitator, right? So you want to replace him with a "shooting big" with no true PG on the roster? CJ can't play the point, that's been proven.

Look I'm dumbfounded by this roster construction just like you are, but what you're suggesting ain't it.

I’ll bet you whatever you want that Zion never gets to GA’s level no matter who we put around him. And no matter the coach. And we are never a contender as long as he’s our best player. What ya got?

SGA is just as good as Zion in the paint. Know what the difference is? 1 guess. They are the 1 seed BTW.

 

[Nolan]

I’ll bet you whatever you want that Zion never gets to GA’s level no matter who we put around him. And we are never a contender as long as he’s our best player. What ya got?

When did I ever say that he is on his level, or would ever be? I just said that they're similar players stylistically. Elite finishers with no jumpshot. YES, Giannis has more to his game and freakish height and length that makes him a top 5 player in this league, but a jumpshot is not one of his qualities. It's just not.

Zion is who we have though, and if we were smart we would build a team around him similar to how the Bucks have built around Giannis.

And SGA is not close to being the same level of finisher as Zion is, I'm sorry.

 

[Infoman]

When did I ever say that he is on his level, or would ever be? I just said that they're similar players stylistically. Elite finishers with no jumpshot. YES, Giannis has more to his game and freakish height and length that makes him a top 5 player in this league, but a jumpshot is not one of his qualities. It's just not.

They are not. Zion has one trick. It’s a really good trick until he gets hurt. GA has so much more and takes 10x the shots outside the circle than Zion does. It’s not even debatable. It’s really not even a comparison.

Zion is simply never going to be a guy that can be the best player on your team in the modern NBA…. And make you a contender. If you are happy making the play in. Cool. Make him your focal point and pay him 200 mil.

 

[Madmarsha]

Lakers will lose to Denver. We can still make the 8th seed

So you're saying ..... wait, what ARE you saying?

 

[Madmarsha]

We’re done.

When did we begin?

 

[Infoman]

And SGA is not close to being the same level of finisher as Zion is, I'm sorry.

Guess he’ll just have to settle for the #1 seed and a likely MVP

 

[Taker597]

Getting told that Zion been downgrade from pulled hamstring to hamstring tightness. Take that from what you will. With how Pelicans operate. I would be a surprise if he's allowed to play unless Zion goes ham on recovery.

STILL NEEDS MR imaging.

 

[Nolan]

They are not. Zion has one trick. It’s a really good trick until he gets hurt. GA has so much more and takes 10x the shots outside the circle than Zion does. It’s not even debatable

I don't think you watch the Bucks. And again, him taking those 3s means nothing. Teams still don't respect it.

I don't want to harp on Giannis though.

You keep bringing up Zions health, but are going to bat for a guy who is also a walking injury in Brandon Ingram. And Brandon's style of basketball presents similar problems that Zion's game does.

I actually like both guys a lot. But this team has to make a decision to build around ONE of them, because they don't work together.