Two massive advantages for us in the playoffs

[Natebishop3]

1. This is the first postseason since LMA left where Dame should be fully rested. In the past, Dame has had to go super saiyan post-All Star break to get us into the playoffs. I know many of us have lamented that Dame looked exhausted and beat up by the time we actually got the playoffs. This is the first time that I feel like Dame is in peak form at the right moment. He got four months off. He seems healthy. He's lighting it up. This is the absolute best chance for Dame to cement his legend in the NBA.

2. No such thing as home court advantage. There's no altitude. There's no traveling. There's no crowd or food poisoning or anything like. Zero distractions. I think this bubble plays right into our hands. It's just two teams in a gym. Now let's go play some basketball.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Agreed. Hopefully Dame playing hard in 9 games just warmed him up and didnt wear him out. Only one back to back and no traveling has to help.

Kevin Pelton showed the home team has a slight advantage at a neutral court. I still don't understand it....

Let's win game 1 and steal HCA.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/29666490/nba-upsets-which-top-playoff-seeds-fall-round-1

Remarkably, "home" teams in seeding games went 49-39 (.557) with an average margin of victory of 1.6 points per 48 minutes -- not dramatically down from the home-court advantage of 2.2 points per 48 minutes in games played at home arenas this season.

That might seem easy to chalk up to randomness over a small sample size. However, other evidence is pointing in the same direction. "Home" teams are an even better 38-25 (.603) with a 2.5 margin of victory at the WNBA's neutral site in Bradenton, Florida.

I also analyzed neutral-site games played internationally since 1996-97 and found that while home teams have gone just 13-14 in those games, when adjusted for teams' season-long point differentials, home-court advantage has been 1.0 point per game. (For whatever reason, the home teams abroad have tended to be weaker than the road teams.)

Given all that evidence, I tend to suspect there's something real here. That said, whatever home-court advantage exists is probably not big enough to move the needle in a playoff series -- particularly given home court really only can be said to make the difference when they go the full seven games. If we assume a home-court advantage of one point per game, that swings the odds in an otherwise 50-50 series to 51-49 in favor of the higher seed.

 

[Scalma]

I’d say a more tangible “advantage” would be the lakers lack of perimeter defense. They’re gonna miss Rondo and Bradley, especially against Portland’s backcourt. Don’t think it’ll be enough to lose the series, especially with how shitty we are defensively, but it is something to watch.

 

[e_blazer]

I’d say a more tangible “advantage” would be the lakers lack of perimeter defense. They’re gonna miss Rondo and Bradley, especially against Portland’s backcourt. Don’t think it’ll be enough to lose the series, especially with how shitty we are defensively, but it is something to watch.

Rondo is clearing quarantine today, but they haven's set a date for his return to play.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...rondo-clear-quarantine-monday-no-table-return

 

[handiman]

Kevin Pelton showed the home team has a slight advantage at a neutral court. I still don't understand it....

Pretty sure it's bad analysis of the data. I noted after day 3 (?) in the bubble that the home teams had won something like 12 of 14 games other than one day where it was a split. Take out those two days, and it's probably even everywhere else. The problem with a win-loss approach in that limited setting is, vastly uneven home-away strength of schedules.

 

[crandc]

Shorthand, Dame and Nurk.

 

[Chris Craig]

The Lakers can thank Beverly and George

 

[Orion Bailey]

The Lakers can thank Beverly and George

And that bitch Skip.

 

[STOMP]

Two massive disadvantages, Portland doesn't have anyone who can even sort of match up on AD or James. With little D in general, this Blazer club already has to win with superior offense but thats especially true in this series. Without Bradley, the purple and piss lack anyone who has much of a chance vs Dame either so here's expecting an entertaining shootout.

STOMP

 

[AldoTrapani]

I’d say a more tangible “advantage” would be the lakers lack of perimeter defense. They’re gonna miss Rondo and Bradley, especially against Portland’s backcourt. Don’t think it’ll be enough to lose the series, especially with how shitty we are defensively, but it is something to watch.

Rondo is going to play. Maybe not game 1 but he’s already back in the bubble quarantining

 

[handiman]

Rondo is going to play. Maybe not game 1 but he’s already back in the bubble quarantining

...with a broken thumb that's expected to keep him out 1-3 more weeks. Davis even said Rondo won't play in round 1.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

...with a broken thumb that's expected to keep him out 1-3 more weeks. Davis even said Rondo won't play in round 1.

Rondo practiced today and is medically cleared to play

"The Lakers' practice looked a little different Monday with Rajon Rondo back on the court with the team for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right thumb nearly five weeks ago.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said the veteran point guard is medically cleared to play but is "unlikely" to see court time on Tuesday."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...hony-ocean-rescue-ahead-lakers-blazers-series

 

[wizenheimer]

Dame average 42 minutes in the 9 games including 45 Sunday. I'm not sure how rested he will be, but it's not quite like the late season grind

 

[mook]

1. Damian Lillard's left testicle.
2. Damian Lillard's right testicle.

 

[handiman]

Rondo practiced today and is medically cleared to play

"The Lakers' practice looked a little different Monday with Rajon Rondo back on the court with the team for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right thumb nearly five weeks ago.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said the veteran point guard is medically cleared to play but is "unlikely" to see court time on Tuesday."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...hony-ocean-rescue-ahead-lakers-blazers-series

I saw that this morning. I guess we'll see which side of the story has it right...

 

[kjironman1]

You seem to have forgotten DEHYDRATION!

 

[kjironman1]

I simply cannot imagine Rondo being willing to sit out the first round unless the Lakers are handling the Blazers well enough without him. Which might happen but if this is close or the Blazers win game one my bet is Rondo will suit up.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I saw that this morning. I guess we'll see which side of the story has it right...

It's obvious if the coach said Rondo is medically cleared and he is practicing those statements are true.

I dont know what Davis report you are recalling, but he could've just been repeating a media report or making his own guess with a conservative timeline, who knows. That is now irrelevant.

 

[Natebishop3]

1. Damian Lillard's left testicle.
2. Damian Lillard's right testicle.

Would you be surprised if Dame had a third testicle?

 

[mook]

Would you be surprised if Dame had a third testicle?

I don't think he could walk without a wheelbarrow.

 

[handiman]

It's obvious if the coach said Rondo is medically cleared and he is practicing those statements are true.

I dont know what Davis report you are recalling, but he could've just been repeating a media report or making his own guess with a conservative timeline, who knows. That is now irrelevant.

I can't find it now, but it was an ESPN article maybe 2 days ago about Rondo re-entering the bubble. It said he was at 5 weeks from the injury, with a 6-8 week expected timetable, and AD was quoted as saying Rondo wouldn't play in the first round.

I'm more inclined to believe a player who's been his teammate for several years, letting slip the real intel, over a coach with incentive to throw up playoff smoke screens. Being medically cleared gives me pause, though.