Aloha,
Well that was a good game. I knew it would be a tough one. 3rd game in 4 days, on the road, against a good team, is not easy. Fortunately
We have a very good team. Luka was coming off the birth of his daughter and a 10 hour plane ride. He was still good but not the Luka we had been seeing. And Austin, after carrying the team the last couple of games looked tired. No problem because LeBron looked like LeBron again.
Up to to yesterday LeBron was basically in his training camp after missing all of the summer, training camp and the first 14 games. However yesterday he was the LeBron we have come to expect and he did not disappoint.
Then there was DA. He was 7 for 7 from the field, with 12 boards, a block and a steal. He is looking more and more like out center if not only the present but the future. He has been one of the best centers in the league so far and it seems like he realizes how good he has it here and his attitude has been perfect.
Other players made various contributions but Rui Rui stood out with his 17 points and solid defense. We are still way to top heavy offensively and I would love to see Nick Smith get a standard contract so he could be available every game instead of spot minutes as they manage the 50 games he is allowed as a two way player.
Is Embid washed? I don’t see them play enough but Ayton completely out played him. Actually Jackson stepped up against him as well.
Paul George is a cautionary tale for us and the rest of the league. Do not give an aging player with an injury history like him a boat load of money for several years. He will be an albatross for the 76ers for years to come.
The Lakers may not be an analytical darling but they just find a way to win. And we haven’t lost a game in crunch time yet. All things considered they actually could be the 2nd best team in the NBA. And if LeBron is truly back, the analytics will begin to look better as well.