Game 10: LAL at CHA

[Eastley]

Game chat: Chat #Game 10: LAL at CHA

INJURIES: Hornets: Grant Williams: day to day (acl), LaMelo Ball: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (neck), Brandon Miller: out (shoulder), Josh Green: day to day (shoulder).

Lakers: LeBron James: out (sciatica), Austin Reaves: day to day (groin), Gabe Vincent: out (ankle), Adou Thiero: out (knee).

Should technically be an away game but we are sleeping in our own beds so there’s that. Here’s to hoping for a great rookie class showing.

[system]

Originally sent in Game 10: LAL at CHA

Eastley

Visitors in our own land

Mich_Mercer

Where was the foul?

Should have called an offensive foul on Luka just jumping into us.

Eastley

Lol, I'm an absence of LeBron

Mich_Mercer

I’m so thankful I don’t have to watch LeBron play. The league is so much better without him.

Eastley

Ryan seems really out of sorts, I'd put in Moussa just to let him take it in for a beat

Mich_Mercer

Coach Lee read your mind.

Get KJ Simpson out of the game already

1

powellrmp

I very much don’t care for KJ. He picked it up a little at the end of last year and had his moments. I thought he looked steady in summer league. And so far from KJ immediately reminded me why I truly disliked him so much last season. I’m over it

Mich_Mercer

You were so right about Moussa.

I wish we could play like this all game…. But we know that won’t.

powellrmp

Kon is pretty okay

This is my last negative comment about KJ because I cringe every time I see him check in. So I will censor myself

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Mich_Mercer

What??? How is that a foul on Moussa???

Eastley

That made zero sense. There was a book in the sixties by Milan Kundera about this, The Unbearable Lightness of Touch Fouls

Mich_Mercer

Such BS.

Miles will have quarters where he can’t miss… then just disappear.

I’m happy that we are up but I don’t think we’ll keep this up.

Miles is one of the few guys on the team that plays hurt…

Eastley

These fouls are so stupid

Mich_Mercer

Unless we get touched. They won’t call that. If you breathe on a Laker…. Foul!

Reeves literally pushed Moussa over a bit ago and they called a foul on Moussa?!

What!? Luka threw his body into KJ!

powellrmp

I’m streaming the game from my usual free sources. So I have the lakers broadcast. They also love Moussa

And I normally really don’t like their crew. But they also love Moussa and Kalk haha

Chef

Does that mean that they will start making fake trades for moussa that get reported as real

2

Mich_Mercer

That… then just change their mind, so we then have to trade the guy for less down the road.

powellrmp

Exactly. Charlotte sends Diabate, lakers send a 2054 3rd round pick. National media: brilliant move by the lakers

1

Mich_Mercer

Awesome. I’m going to have to use those free sources again. I’ve ran out out of trials. Haha

Eastley

This one going our way?

Mich_Mercer

It should…. Can’t beleive he didn’t challenge several earlier.

This one isn’t as obviously bad as a few earlier.

But I guess if you step on a guys foot, it’s a foul on the player you step on. Got it

Chef

Kon is really proving himself

2

Mich_Mercer

But Kon is such a good overall player. I love his midrange game as well. No chance he won’t be good player. He already is. How good can he be though?

Eric Collins cracks me up with his sounds.

powellrmp

I’m going to be vulnerable and say something that may be unpopular. I love kon and was a huge proponent of drafting him. He’s going to be very good.

But I still wish we were able to draft VJ edgecombe

GoBobcats24

Halftime thoughts. Holy shit Kon might be a star

Also KJ Simpson belongs in the G League

1

1

powellrmp

Kon is so freaking crafty. I love the way he can snake to the basket. He doesn’t settle for fade aways. He goes to the cup

1

Chef

Edgecombe looks really good too.

powellrmp

I feel so bad for saying it, but I still wish we got VJ

GoBobcats24

We couldn't have possibly gotten VJ

So I'm not worried about that

Chef

Tre mann has been really meh this year. I liked him last year but he just doesn't really impact anything this year

powellrmp

but it’s hard to make any kind of opinion without Melo and Miller on the floor. So all of this is hard to really project

And yeah, I’m incredibly disappointed with Mann. I’m hoping it clicks for him as the season continues and he gets back into the flow after missing a lot of time

Lukewarm take: lakers hit the accelerator in the 3rd quarter. And the hornets stop hitting threes. We get ourscored 40-21

Chef

I think we need a hornets planet shorthand like lol for the first sentence

powellrmp

Yeah, how about we just say: “fuck.” And then not have to extrapolate lol

Eastley

I'll be the contrarian and sat that Tre has played bigger than he is defensively, and once he got going after game 4 or 5, he's been a plus all around.

powellrmp

Contrarian to what? Do you not feel that Tre Mann has been a bit disappointing compared to what we saw when he was healthy?

Of course.

Eastley

No, that's why I used the term

Chef

You think. Admittedly I haven't watched every game but it just seems like everything bogs down when he isnin

Eastley

Yeah, disagree

powellrmp

Do you think Tre Mann has played close to his level when he was healthy?

Of course he’s picked it up some, but the “Tre/AI” version was quite different

Chef

You think?

powellrmp

Not hard to pick it up from how he started the year. So there’s no disagreement there

Mich_Mercer

Well time for the regular Hornets. We can’t play 4 good quarters.

powellrmp

I agree he’s picked it up, but he has not looked good compared to how he played before. But I could say anything and you’d find a way to disagree with it. Love you boo.

Mich_Mercer

I agree. He’s not as good as he was last season. He dribbles around…. Sure. But then drives in and makes a bad decision.

Eastley

The only real drop of left at this point to me is the middy. But the three and the drive is back. Unfortunately the middy is really really off

powellrmp

He’s not nearly as assertive as I remember. He plays a bit more passive. Less of the quick twitch moves. He has a great in and out dribble

Eastley

That ball was out

Argh

GoBobcats24

31-15 quarter lol

powellrmp

Damn I was close!!! I said 41-20!!

Damn I know this stupid team!

Eastley

What was it? 31 15?

GoBobcats24

Hey guys KJ Simpson is a +3 if you wanna know why ± matters little

1

powellrmp

Nice miles!! Cool shitty shot at the end. That’s my miles! Remember guys, he has a good contract, and teams will want to trade for him at the deadline.

Between Bryce young finally showing people how much he actually sucks (finally people are over it), and Melo heading towards another extended absence, the Charlotte sports franchises are finally in an immediate crash course path with reality

I was never with Bryce young and was waiting for people to wake up, and I’ve been in the Melo camp. But I just can’t do it anymore man

Mich_Mercer

Why is everly screen foul called on us tonight?

But the thing with Lamelo… I just know when we trade him, for less than he’s worth, he’ll suddenly be healthy.

powellrmp

Another low IQ basketball play by miles

Diabate says no

Mich_Mercer

Is Miles your favorite player?

powellrmp

That’s the exact matchup I want against Luka. Miles Bridges

Oh yeah, miles is a great guy all around.

He dunks as hard as he hits women.

Mich_Mercer

Man… we’d be at the top of the league this season so far if these bums could stay on the court.

dnbman

Fanboy for Kon getting rebounds.

powellrmp

Holy shit ayton sucks

Ayton plays likes he’s tiny

Mich_Mercer

I wish we could get Kon more shots.

Crazy he’s messed around and almost has a triple double as well.

Does Kon a good NBA comparison of who he can be.

dnbman

Play making Dan Majerle

Mich_Mercer

That’s a good one. I do hope he can be better though.

dnbman

Upside: Dan Majerle meets Klay Thompson

Which would be amazing

Vet_Picksetter

Kon is Chris Mullin with a touch of Mitch Richmond strength. Not nearly as skywalking as Majerle, in my humble opinion.

dnbman

May be true, but I think Thunder Dan was more strength than flight at the rim.

Vet_Picksetter

Thunder Dan throw down some nasty stuff.

Mich_Mercer

Love all of those comparisons.

powellrmp

Nice comps

Mich_Mercer

Well… I would say it was a fun game… but the 2nd half was not. Maybe Lamelo will be back next game or next year.

[system]

Originally sent in Game 10: LAL at CHA

powellrmp

Sure!

Mich_Mercer

Yes?

dnbman

I'm not saying I don't want Melo and Miller back (i do for sure), but it is cool to see Kon getting used right away. Proves he's more than just an expensive role player.

powellrmp

Kon is definitely legit. I like his ability to get to the basket

Unlike the rest of the league, who doesn’t know how tall players are on our roster are…Kon is aware that he is his actual height of 6’7. And uses it

I was worried he would settle for jumpshots

Vet_Picksetter

I was able to watch much of the game. One takeaway is that, minus LaMelo and Brandon, Moussa is about the only rotation guy with BOTH length and mobility for his position. You can't have KJ Simpson and Sexton trying to get a hand in Luka's face on the rotation. And frankly, Scion James is strong, but he doesn't have the length to guard Luka either. Scion and Kon are largely skill and physical strength.

powellrmp

So Sion James has the exact same measurables and athleticism measurements as Lu Dort

If you put their various data beside each other, they’re the same player. And dort would normally carry that assignment on Luka.

Sion is just a rookie having to play too many minutes in too big of a role

Vet_Picksetter

Actually Lou Dort and Scion James do not have the exact same measurable. Dirt gas a slight edge.

Dort

powellrmp

Where?

Vet_Picksetter

In standing reach.

For starters.

powellrmp

I did a deep dive, check out my post from draft season

Technically sion has a 8’4 standing reach and dort has a 8’3.5 standing reach. I promise. I went down the rabbit hole on this and wrote up a hole thing on it

Vet_Picksetter

Dort has over 2 inches of wingspan on Scion. I'm check the combine measurables, but James is not long.

powellrmp

I have not found that

Dort: 6’4
Sion: 6’5

Dort: 220 pounds
Sion: 220 pounds

Dort: 6’8 wingspan
Sion: 6’7 wingspan

Dort: 8’5 standing reach
Sion: 8’4 standing reach

Dort: 38" vertical leap
Sion: 39.5" vertical leap

I’m 99% sure I took this straight from the nba combine website in draft season

Even their progression in improving their three point shooting was the same

Vet_Picksetter

Dort 6'8.5" wingspan to Scion's 6'6.5"

powellrmp

Anyways, I wrote at length about it over the summer and did a big deep dive. Wrote about it in my stupid thread. A 0.5” difference between different sources doesn’t really change my opinion. I spent a week on dort vs. Sion before I wrote it up. So I don’t want to repeat myself

Vet_Picksetter

I double checked and you are correct that Dort measured half an inch less in standing reach. But the problem with Kon and James on the court at the same time provides subpar to par length at the wing. Don't get me wrong. I love those guys, but when you combine them with Bridges at the 4 and KJ/Sexton at the 1, there is not enough length on the floor.

powellrmp

Yes, I’m with you

But OKC makes it work

Vet_Picksetter

It's somewhat common for wings to have a 6'8" to 6'10" wingspan with an 8'6"+ standing reach. That's why I love the fact that Kon and James can compensate somewhat with their length.

STRENGTH

powellrmp

SGA and Dort. 6’4 and 6’4

Vet_Picksetter

I mean.

SGA's wingspan is insane though

powellrmp

They both play defense .

And Cason Wallace is 6’2

Vet_Picksetter

SGA has close to a 7 foot wingspan if memory serves

powellrmp

The difference in my opinion is the budding superstar they have in J Williams.

Vet_Picksetter

And Chet Holmgren is the personification of supreme length and mobility

The problem is the Hornets aren't built correctly once again. They would be fine if lamelo and Brandon provided their length for 70 games a year. But we know it's not going to happen.

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powellrmp

SGA and dort are great defenders. I agree the extra inch or two helps, but they’re just plain good defenders

I’m with you

We’re both perpetually stuck in the “what if”

Vet_Picksetter

If LaMelo and Miller won't play, we need poor man versions of them, not this arsenal of little players. They simply don't pair well with Scion and Kon, who I DO believe in. They're the ones keeping me watching.

GoBobcats24

We really actually should have gotten Kon about 5 more shots 2nd half

With that being said, guy just about messed around ang got a triple double in his 10th NBA game.

powellrmp

I think everything is irrelevant if Melo and miller aren’t playing

And that’s the problem

GoBobcats24

Drafting a stud at 4 isn't irrelevant

If we are in the lotto due to injuries it is a lot better than being in the lotto healthy

And the lotto this year is LOADED

powellrmp

Not saying that Melo missing some games here and there, but missing 50% of the games he’s been in the league for. I don’t know how to build a roster around that. And miller has been just as bad

I love Melo. Without a doubt, but we just can’t build a team around a guy who doesn’t play. And it pains me to say that

GoBobcats24

I mean if Lamelo actually basically has a degenerate right ankle at 24 I mean you just gotta do the best you can with it

Whether that means trading him tog get what you can or keeping him to try and reap the benefits when he gets right, IDK

Vet_Picksetter

We thought Collin Sexton would be nice insurance for LaMelo. But throwing him AND KJ out there with Kon, Scion, and Bridges means you're just not going to bother many shots. You've got to run and gun and outscore teams to have any chance.

GoBobcats24

Right now his value is all over the place. And yeah KJ is a ball killer