Overreaction: Game 10/82 - Starters' Chemistry + Defense FTW (aka Baka is my Father)

I thought I should change up my posts about the game, so I made some sort of a running commentary as I remember to type:

1st Half

• The Lakers started big with LeBron-Lonzo-Ingram-Kuzma-Javale 28-10 start. Interesting strategy, not having pure shooters out there with LeBron and Lonzo being the smaller player on the floor (who's way taller than Lowry)
• Kyle picking the Lakers defence apart early. This is a clinic.
• Lakers went small LeBron-Kuzma-Stephenson-Rondo-Hart and Ibaka just "sonned" them.
• Ibaka 18 points in just over 8 minutes. WTH. Lowry with 9 assists.
• sorry, but Walton is trying to get fired here by fielding Rondo-KCP-Hart-Kuzma-Stephenson with them down 25 with 3mins left in the first half.
• Not liking the defensive effort of the second unit. Allowed the Lakers get some offensive rhythm. CJ Miles. Oh well CJ Miles.
• Lebron started to impose his will when he came in around 8mins in the 2nd quarter. Interesting to see how the Raps respond. Nurse slowly added the starters in.
• Raptors bend but did not bend that much in the 2nd quarter. The defensive intensity went back up when the starters came back.
• Ibaka picked up his 3rd chasing a 3pt shot late in the 2nd. something to keep an eye on.

2nd Half

• Rough defensive trips to start the 2nd half. Ibaka also picked up his 4th.
• Loving Lowry's intensity to keep the crew focused. He refused to let the complacency to sink in and become the norm.
• Ibaka crossed 30pts 4 mins into the 3rd quarter. what.
• Raptors need to get this lead bigger to make this a short night for LeBron.
• Nick Nurse's timeouts are on-point so far. Borderline too early, but so far they're the right call.
• Raptors got the lead up to 24-26, but LeBron started to make a push again. Hitting back to back threes. Nurse with another timeout. Let's see how the team respond.
• Kyle Lowry went to the bench late in the 3rd, really important how the bench who'd start to come in respond and maintain this lead. up 22.
• Bench barely protected the lead with 7 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The offence is dead outside of JV destroying Ivica at every possession that he's got the ball. CJ, Powell, FVV are all cold. The defence is not as good as the starters, even against a crappy lineup of Rondo-Stephenson-Rondo-Ivica-Mikhailuk
• Ingram and Kuzma came in with 7mins left, probably a feeler whether they can get back into the game without LeBron.
• Not liking how FVV and Delon were milking the clock before trying to get the ball to JV
• Lead down to 14 off a Lonzo back-to-back three-pointer. This bench outside of JV is trash right now. If I were Walton I would put Lebron back in there right now.
• Nurse's only bad decision tonight was to keep the bench for too long. I know he was trying to get them more reps, but if they are not playing D, they have to be out of the court.
• Kyle and the starters came back stiff, but after a few possessions and a charge, he's warmed up again.

Parting shots:

• If CJ can't shoot and can't provide a passable defence, he shouldn't be on the court, period.
• LeBron James obv a primadonna trying to make a statement, left the game immediately without shaking hands. This is a protest for sure.
• Kyle Lowry and Chris Bosh talking. Bosh probably wants in on that "Kawhi-home-games-only" contract.
• Excellent defence and chemistry by the starters, horrible outing for the bench players.
• I don't know if Nick Nurse was right on keeping FVV to close the game, he hasn't done much -- if anything, I would have kept Delon Wright because you need defensive closers. The Lakers got their shots too freely in the 4th quarter.

Overreaction: Game 6/82 - "The Lorenzo Brown Game"

• What a fourth quarter for our 4th PG Lorenzo Brown. I was ready to write him off after the third quarter. I went to the garage to get my groceries during the intermission, feeling a bit down because the closing lineup blew the lead, and not really looking forward to Lorenzo Brown play the beginning of the 4th. Lo and behold, I came back a few minutes into the fourth quarter and the Raps were up 10 again. I had to re-start the 4th quarter because I literally missed something amazing, which is, Brown, playing like the G-League version of himself.
• Serge and Kawhi got too trigger happy in this game -- I thought that both players had at least 3 shots where they could've moved the ball to an open teammate.
• Kyle's evolving into a much more complete, efficient version of himself. Looking at the games this season, it looks like the game is coming to him very easily -- he's pretty much cruising along that 3rd or 4th gear and still end up as the teams top 2 if not top 1 player on a nightly basis. This is without him going super-Saiyan mode that we're accustomed to in the past.
• I'm really impressed by Siakam's court vision. He finished the game with 3 assists - which should've been 6 or 7 if the recipients did not screw up their bunnies. Siakam needs to be more of a threat as a scorer and it should open up more passing lanes for him if he can do that.
• It's great to see CJ Miles play like his old self tonight. His 10 points tonight might be the most in-rhythm streak of points he's had this season.
• Could be just me, but I cringe every time Kawhi would get whacked and end up on the floor, which is what happened several times tonight.
• Six games in and we still haven't seen FVV and Delon Wright share the floor. I'm really intrigued how the bench rotation and what the actual product on the floor would look like once Delon and FVV are back and healthy.
• I saw a few posts on twitter about Celtics' DEFRTG. I don't really care who's number one. As long as the Raps are in the top 10 and winning with some sort of defensive showing, that's all I care at this point. I'm more interested to see whether the Raps have holes on their defense -- i.e. last year, even though the Raps are top 5 in defense, the defense is weak when it comes to the LeBron/KD/Giannis type, and JV was just a 1/5 PNR nightmare on defense (for our team). I see some slippage on defense every now and then like what happened tonight, which is just a bunch of guys getting accustomed with each other.

How the ASG Team Selection Went Down

LeBron: Alright Wardell, we've both given ourselves the night to think this over, let's get started and pick teams!

Inner Steph: What's this mofo up to now?

Steph: Leggo, let's get started and give the people what they want!

LeBron: are you guys all ready?

Inner Lebron: Alright King, let's think strategy.  Let's think big picture. Let's cause an internal rift so that we can divide and conquer the Warriors once we meet them in the Finals.

LeBron: For my first pick, I select KD!

Steph: 😱

Kevin Durant: On to my next chapter!

Draymond Green: KD, you snake! 🐍

Inner Steph: dammit, I knew it. At least he hasn't seen through my plan yet. It'll be fun to see LeBron ice Kyrie, and Kyrie tries to win the MVP over LeB***h. I know he'd rather have me pick Kyrie, but where's the fun in that?

Steph: Ok, my first pick is The Beard!

James Harden: Steph, you be the chef, and I'll be cooking all day! 👨‍🍳

Draymond: Imma call Myers and ask for the trade right now 😡!

Giannis: *Looks at the voting results* Dray only got... 41 player votes. I mean, he didn't make it as a starter, right?

LeBron: Good pick!

Inner LeBron: I see what you're doing here. This ni*** out here tryna make a fool outta me by having me pick Kyrie, putting me in a tight spot. Should I pick him over DeMar? Damn if I do, and damn if I don't smh.

LeBron: Since you picked "The Beard", my next pick is "The Brow"

Inner LeBron: Let's see you guys guard me, KD, and AD

Inner Steph: Crap, he just took my pick. Hmm, Bob said to enjoy the weekend, but use this opportunity for tampering 🤔. Let's get on the Greek Freak's ear so that he can force a trade next year.

Steph: Alright, since we are going with nicknames, I'm taking "The Greek Freak"

Inner LeBron: Boogie or Embiid. Tough choice here. Embiid's gonna play at the Rising Stars, party after the game, and will party the entire Saturday. Man, that's like a back-to-back-to-back. Jo-Jo's gonna suck, he's gonna play like Ibaka on the second day of a back-to-back, I can't have a starter with a DNP-Rest, so imma have to go with Boogie.

LeBron: I got Boogie next

Steph: Ok, so Jo-Jo's with me

Inner LeBron: Got an image to protect, so I can't look like the bad guy if I don't pick Kyrie. Oh well.

LeBron: My last pick would be Kyrie

Kyrie: Let's get this, brother!

Inner Kyrie: See, the earth is flat, and the sun and everything revolves around LeBron 🙄

Steph: Done, I got DeMar

DeMar: last pick FOH #proveem

LaMarcus: Why are you pissed DeMar? at least you're not the last pick overall

Draymond: Yooooo who invited LaMarcus? I thought this is for all stars only?

Steph: Ok, let's finish this up, I gotta go before Ayesha finds out that I'm not home.

LeBron: Aiite, make your pick Wardell

Inner LeBron: Please pick Kevin

Steph: I got KAT

Draymond: That's it, pick me LeBron! 😡 😡 😡

Inner LeBron: mofo stole my pick! WTF the next best player available is Russ, it'll be weird having KD and Russ on the same team. Hmmmm what to do? Alright, I'll just tell him that I heard rumours that the guys on the other team think that bush face should have won the MVP award last year.

LeBron: I got Russ

Everybody except KD: *whistles*

Kevin: What? Team LeBron rawr!

LeBron: Wait, where's Russ?

Victor: we were walking together and both got held up at the security. Apparently, nobody knows me nor heard of my name 😢 I got in after showing my youtube highlights.

Jimmy: Oh crap, I knew it was him! I saw a bunch of security guards arguing with a homeless guy that looks very agitated trying to make his way to the door. He keeps shouting "WHY NOT?!?!" when they wouldn't let him in.

Inner Steph: Wow, might as well name his team Team Cavs errr Team Dysfunction.

Steph: LeBron, since you've watched The Godfather a million times, I'll make you an offer that you can't refuse: Let me take Jimmy Buckets and Klay and I'll let you keep the best backcourt in the East, Kristaps, and Dipo. What do you think?

LeBron: But you already have DeMar, I don't think we're allowed to trade since Woj already leaked the starters 💣

Steph: Haha you're funny, I'm talking about the self-proclaimed best backcourt in the NBA - Wall and Beal.

Bradley Beal: Why do we have to be on the same team?

John Wall: LOL

Draymond: I swear if I get the chance to play against you, I'll kick you in the nuts!

Dame: that's not how you beg to get picked, Dray

Kyle: We're the best backcourt in the East!

DeMar: Wizards best backcourt? FOH #proveem!

Inner LeBron: That looks like a sweet deal, and besides, who would want these Raptors who can't shoot smh. Wardell should have 4 picks left to my 2 picks, and he should be able to get Kevin Love with one of those picks.

LeBron: Deal!

Inner Steph: oooh he fell for it! now, let's finish this up and complete his Team Wreckage 😏

Steph: alright, since you have 2 picks left, and since I get the pick first in this round, that means I get to pick 3 players before you get your turn again 😏

LeBron: I knew you're up to something!

Steph: here we go - Dame, Kyle, Draymond. Boom!

Inner LeBron: a**hole forcing me to pick Kevin. No point to make him the last pick, he'll just go emo on me all over again

LeBron: Ok, I got my brother, Kevin

Woj: LeBron's last pick is LaMarcus 💣

LeBron: F U Woj, how did you know that

Steph: Do I have to announce that I picked Al?

Woj: I ain't even tweeting that 💣