AD's pts last games: 13, 31, 12, 31, 16, 30, 11 ! How is that even possible?

[Nb1]

I've never seen such a talented guy who could potentially be the best player (if no health issues which is another problem), be this unreliable and have so many terrible games offensively. Even Zion, when he plays, he's consistent. It's not like AD has 1 average game and then has 3-4 amazing games and 1 bad game out of 50 like most stars.

Defensively till the last game (i give credit to Kerr and the Warriors here and he was gassed), he has been a real monster ofc! But offensively?

With his size, tools, physical ability and skillset? He should be averaging 40 without breaking a sweat in this soft era. I still don't get how in the flying fk do you end up with 11 pts while being guarded by a guy that is half your size last game, it's just unreal and unexplainable. He could literally just walk and drop the ball in the basket and no one could do anything about it when the Warriors play small (with Looney who is 100times slower ofc he has to move a bit faster, but Looney cant guard him either and then the Warriors wont have another offensive weapon on the floor).

Imagine if he had Giannis mindset? He would be averaging 70 pts a game in his sleep with these kind of mismatches.

Hope he wakes up from his coma and gives us at least a great performance for a few games in a row.

[hold this L]

He lacks what's known as competitive stamina. Not only is it not at the top, top level but he has it even less than average. We also see it in guys who win 1 or 2 titles and just aren't as hungry anymore. There's very few people who have that trait on overdrive, only two have it who play now. Only two had it who played in the 2000s (and a bit later than that).

[Nb1]

He lacks what's known as competitive stamina. Not only is it not at the top, top level but he has it even less than average. We also see it in guys who win 1 or 2 titles and just aren't as hungry anymore. There's very few people who have that trait on overdrive, only two have it who play now. Only two had it who played in the 2000s (and a bit later than that).

I get that it’s human nature to not be at 150% all the time. Like, it was expected for Steph not to have another 50 pt performance after game 7 vs the Kings, but Steph despite everything still had a good game vs Lakers in game 1. He didn’t totally fell off. AD goes from 100 to 0 all the time. Specially having a favourable match up vs Draymond, even with a lack of motivation he should be able to give way more offensively. I really don’t get how its possible to only have 11 pts in game 2 under these circumstances…

[Real Men Wear Green]

The Lakers give him a lot of rest through the year because he can't consistently dominate. If he could they would be a 50-60 win team. Winning a championship for LA is unlikely because they have to figure out exactly which games he's going to dominate and have James go all out to cash in on those performances to beat the elite teams. Sooner or later they will lose one of these golden games and then they're really screwed.

[Nb1]

The Lakers give him a lot of rest through the year because he can't consistently dominate. If he could they would be a 50-60 win team. Winning a championship for LA is unlikely because they have to figure out exactly which games he's going to dominate and have James go all out to cash in on those performances to beat the elite teams. Sooner or later they will lose one of these golden games and then they're really screwed.

I think last night they would have lost regardless. I even posted before they should have let AD and Bron rest. But then i saw the Warriors putting Draymond on AD and thought, well if AD just doesn 30% then it could be a game. Damn, dude gave us 11 points...

Has there ever been a player that inconsistent (or consistently inconsistent?)? I can't think of one. Everyone has up and downs, but the lows are never THAT low for most great players. They're acceptable lows usually.

Steph will also have 2 great games in the series, so idk how the Lakers can make it. Lebron isn't capable at this point to do much better and the others are just rookies that barely saw a playoff game from the bench before this season. And if we cannot count on AD? Its over...

[tontoz]

Half man, half a series.

[ArbitraryWater]

reccuring theme for him in the playoffs.

Even in the RS he at his best only had week stretches, then dips again.


The uber sidekick. Souped KG.

[Nb1]

reccuring theme for him in the playoffs.

Even in the RS he at his best only had week stretches, then dips again.


The uber sidekick. Souped KG.

I don’t know why i still expect him after every great performance to repeat it for a few times, but he always disappoints. So much wasted potential.

[Full Court]

It really must suck being a Bronie fluffer....having your hero's success or failure wrapped up in a fragile bitch.

[Taurus]

He lacks what's known as competitive stamina. Not only is it not at the top, top level but he has it even less than average. We also see it in guys who win 1 or 2 titles and just aren't as hungry anymore. There's very few people who have that trait on overdrive, only two have it who play now. Only two had it who played in the 2000s (and a bit later than that).

To be honest, I'm kind of worried about Poole in that regard. He had a breakout year, got his bag/ring, and has regressed this year. I can't tell if that's indicative of defenses being more keyed in on him, having a slump year, PTSD from Draymon's KO, or if he's just content.

Maybe he'll prove me wrong and then go on a tear for the remainder of these playoffs, but so far he's been either average or borderline unplayable. That injury he got might be affecting him more than people think.

[warriorfan]

To be honest, I'm kind of worried about Poole in that regard. He had a breakout year, got his bag/ring, and has regressed this year. I can't tell if that's indicative of defenses being more keyed in on him, having a slump year, PTSD from Draymon's KO, or if he's just content.

Maybe he'll prove me wrong and then go on a tear for the remainder of these playoffs, but so far he's been either average or borderline unplayable. That injury he got might be affecting him more than people think.

poole has the yips and he doesn’t have the character to deal with it

[Taurus]

poole has the yips and he doesn’t have the character to deal with it

I can see it. Honestly, that deep 3 brick he had at the end of game 1 might've shattered his confidence.

[jlip]

In his defense (no pun intended) AD was clearly the best player on the floor in game 6 of the last series despite only scoring 16 points. His defense controlled and dominated the whole game. But, yes he has been otherwise very inconsistent.

[RRR3]

In his defense (no pun intended) AD was clearly the best player on the floor in game 6 of the last series despite only scoring 16 points. His defense controlled and dominated the whole game. But, yes he has been otherwise very inconsistent.

He should be the best Lakers player in every game considering LeBron is playing injured and the rest of their teammates are role players.

[jmcwilliams]

I don't know why people are not getting it. AD is a big guy. To do what he did in game 1 he had to leave it all on the floor. Most big guys don't recover quickly. If they run everything through AD they are good for 1 game, but he will be burned out in the second. Its just his limitation.
Lebrons new limitations is he is only great in spurts. He can be great in the first half at the expense of the second.

Since the Lakers understand the AD limitation they have to play around it. When it comes to the warriors the Lakers cannot afford that kind of inconsistency. They barely made it out of game one with AD leaving it all on the court.