Gm 54 - 02/06/17: Lakers at Knicks GAME THREAD

[KobeMVP888]

Any even the older kids are still kids.

Look at Draymond and Steph , you came in older but still are far better than they were in their first few seasons.

Russell is20...Ingram: a baby.

Oh absolutely about the older kids! You can tell that all three of them will most likely be solid role players for years to come, but none of them stars. That is perfectly fine with me because you know how important it is to have those kind of reliable players on the team. In my view, keeping these 7 kids + Lou and even Deng will revers the current W-L record of this team in 2-3 seasons, barring a deal they can't refuse.

[Julius Russell]

Nance has potential.

[KobeMVP888]

Nance has potential.

He can be an elite defender in this league and his IQ is through the roof.

[3Peatkb24]

I know Kenny, I have to be the AHOLE to get on Russell in here If I didn't nobody else would. Having said that this season has been much better than last season. At least we are showing some sort of cohesion and we are winning a little. I am happy we have Luke Walton as well, I think he is a Good Coach.

Mike, you can try as hard as you want, but one thing you are incapable of is being an asshole. Hell, you wouldn't even type the word! I just feel that giving any of these youngsters (Randle, Russell, Ingram, Zubac) less than 3 seasons is wrong. Randle and Russell are in the middle of Season 2. Ingram and Zubac are in the middle of Season 1. Clarkson, Nance and Black are "older" players, so I think we have a much clearer picture of who they are and who they will be as NBA players.

Thanks but I am harder on him than anyone in here and feel bad about it sometimes actually because I do like him and know he's young. It's probably that my expectations for him are so high that when he plays Bad it bothers me.

[KobeMVP888]

Thanks but I am harder on him than anyone in here and feel bad about it sometimes actually because I do like him and know he's young. It's probably that my expectations for him are so high that when he plays Bad it bothers me.

I understand what you are saying and see what you see, too. When I look at players like Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz, I see two point guards who are more naturally suited for the NBA at that position, but watching D'Angelo mature, especially these past four games, I am starting to get excited about him. I think the light bulb may be turning on and, if it does on a regular basis, he has All-Star potential in today's game because he's a combo guard. Look at James Harden as a template in terms of growth. At age 22 with OKC, he averaged 31.4 mpg, 16.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.0 spg with a 49.1% shooting percentage, up from 43.6% the prior season when he was only 21. DLo is averaging only 26.6 mpg at age 20 this season, his second. he is averaging 14.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.8 apg and 1.2 spg and a paltry 39.4 fg%. But he is only 20 and just starting to feel his oats. Granted, Harden did his damage at OKC as a third wheel from the shooting guard position, so arguably you can't compare the two guards. The point is that Harden really start to blossom until his fourth season when he was given the reigns of a veteran team. Will DLo be THAT type of player in his fourth season? That is where the jury is clearly out and I completely understand your side of the coin that says probably not. We'll see. He's definitely an enigma.

[3Peatkb24]

Thanks but I am harder on him than anyone in here and feel bad about it sometimes actually because I do like him and know he's young. It's probably that my expectations for him are so high that when he plays Bad it bothers me.

I understand what you are saying and see what you see, too. When I look at players like Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz, I see two point guards who are more naturally suited for the NBA at that position, but watching D'Angelo mature, especially these past four games, I am starting to get excited about him. I think the light bulb may be turning on and, if it does on a regular basis, he has All-Star potential in today's game because he's a combo guard. Look at James Harden as a template in terms of growth. At age 22 with OKC, he averaged 31.4 mpg, 16.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.0 spg with a 49.1% shooting percentage, up from 43.6% the prior season when he was only 21. DLo is averaging only 26.6 mpg at age 20 this season, his second. he is averaging 14.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.8 apg and 1.2 spg and a paltry 39.4 fg%. But he is only 20 and just starting to feel his oats. Granted, Harden did his damage at OKC as a third wheel from the shooting guard position, so arguably you can't compare the two guards. The point is that Harden really start to blossom until his fourth season when he was given the reigns of a veteran team. Will DLo be THAT type of player in his fourth season? That is where the jury is clearly out and I completely understand your side of the coin that says probably not. We'll see. He's definitely an enigma.

Yeah by season 4 we will definitely know. That is when Kobe actually broke out and we won the Championship. Paul George didn't get Great until his 4th season either when he took LeBron's 7 games. One thing I do hope is that DLo stays healthy and has no knee issues moving forward.

[Julius Russell]

Also it's more like year 1 bc last year was the Kobe show

[KobeMVP888]

Also it's more like year 1 bc last year was the Kobe show

It's Luke's first year from a culture standpoint, too. The Kobe Show must have confused the living shit out of these kids during most games and the games he sat, they would not have been in a normal rhythm.