NBA 2019-20 thread.

/tangentially approves

 

Rex Chapman just burst a blood vessel and knows not why.

 

I think the Lakers are winning this series -- I just don't trust the Blazers against the Lakers in a playoff series -- but I'm not nearly as sold on the Lakers as a championship team as I was pre-bubble. They have no third scorer and no threat from outside. Kuzma just isn't that good. Danny Green isn't doing it.

I really like what Javale McGee, Alex Caruso and Dwight Howard can do, but if LeBron and Anthony Davis are responsible for all of the offense they're going to struggle.

 

I think Clips are more reliable and deeper than Lakers. If LeBron’s not making something happen, AD can go awfully cold. Whereas George, Lou and Montrez are really good. Plus, even with no O, the Clips can go do D, but only if they want to.

 

I’m wondering if not having fans will make it easier to shoot threes and longer shots?

 

Blazers have been playing meaningful games for weeks - not a shock the Lakers looked rusty in comparison. The question is how much the refs get involved. Does anyone think the NBA would allow the Lakers and LeBron to be out before September?

 

Refs did reverse a blocking call against LeBron upon review. Didn't help.

Ironic considering a charging foul LeBron took from Durant in the 2018 Finals was reversed to a blocking call on LeBron, changing the course of that game against the Cavs.

 

I've seen the studies that say "home crowds" influence officials into calling games more in favor of the home team - perhaps an unconscious bias. But how that plays out in the bubble where the "home team" will have no fans will be something to watch.

 

I would think it's a benefit for the underdog, since presumably the ref influence gets closer to "neutral" as opposed to favoring the home team, which gets four games to three. My knee jerk reaction would be that the Rockets and Lakers would be the most effected, because their stars have play styles that draw a ton of whistles (Harden, Westbrook, LeBron), but the sample size of this one weird bubble season probably doesn't allow for hard conclusions.