MechaZain

Was at the game and NYCFC honestly outplayed CLT the whole way. Khalina and Zaha carried the team. Zaha's wife on IG making it sound like he's gone come July. They're going to have to pay him or find a big time replacement because the team looks like pretty lost without him.

No one's saying LaMelo has no blame we're responding to you acting like he's the reason they lost. The scapegoating and blaming the teams woes on his personality is where it's like Cam Newton all over again. It was a failure on multiple fronts and primarily Lee's. Dude said ON AIR pregame that they had to protect the paint and if that was his gameplan going in he couldn't have botched it more. As the commentators said Ball's a rhythm guy and Orlando was preventing him for getting any kind of flow going. I'm a normie watching on TV and said they needed to bait them into fouling to combat that. They didn't even try until the 2nd half when it was too late. I think it's fair to expect the star to overcome whatever but LaMelo was not the problem in that game and he's not what is holding the team back. He's the only reason they're flirting with being a great team. I kinda put the center play on Lee too. Moose is great until he's up against a big who can body him. We've always known that and that's what Kalkbrenner is for. I don't know if it would have changed much but Kalkbrenner should have had more minutes than him. And moving forward with the center position, I just think it's the time to trade Diabate while his stock's high and that's not an indictment of his game. He's like an evolved combination of Biyombo and PJ. He's a great rim protector and the strength issue is just what you're going to have to deal with if you want that. But Kalkbrenner is perfectly capable of protecting the rim and we gotta get away from the undersized centers or it'll always be a problem for us.

sometimes I wonder if I’d care as much after a championship or if I’m just in it for the chase

Now everyone whose been acting like it’s Kon and Brandon’s team all year is hitting me up to blame LaMelo lol

I’ve seen enough

Magic noted that the refs let Miami brawl

They should be trying to draw the magic into fouling more if they’re getting bullied but Lee has lost control

Return of the Bobcats

I don’t see the similarities outside of their frame tbh. Mingo was supposed to be a slot YAC guy who was great at route running, XL a jump ball bully whose big weakness was routes, and McMillian a dynamic receiver who lacked physicality.

It was reckless and worthy of a fine by Melo but the internet is acting liked he grabbed Bams by the ankles like Hulk did Loki, give me a break. Ridiculous how many people are convinced it was "obviously intentional" and comparing to Draymond, who got suspended in part because he had a history. Seems like a lot of people are just looking for an excuse to hate on him and Bridges for their behavior off the court. On the other hand it going to be a dark cloud over the rest of the playoffs and maybe LaMelo's career if they don't suspend him so I kinda hope they just get it over with.

He drove at the end for you @frankw lol

That wasn’t a fuging foul

BEZOS FIX YOUR poo

Eric would have died calling this game

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOBYYYYYYYYYYYYGGGYHHGGYDUYDYDHD

said awhile back we can only afford one of LaMelo/Kon/Brandon to go cold to have a chance.

where is the perimeter defense

Still close. Still time.

I hope Kon is getting it out his system. Real rookie hours.

Coby for mayor

You're being a bit hard on him here bro. He drives plenty but he uses it to draw defenses and assist/lob more often than not and it's working. It's not a fluke that so much of the team is shooting well. The game revolves around LaMelo and he's feeding them. We also have a lot of guys who are good at driving to the basket so we don't need him to be Derrick Rose out there. You may have a point with the three chucking but it's too early to call that a huge problem. This is the best the team has looked since Shinn left town.

I can't name another QB who has gotten the benefit of doubt because of their protection, Cam being the big one. Bryce is just the GOAT at getting free passes and I don't think there's any way around that.

Boston's a top team and Embiid is like if someone designed a basketball player in a lab specifically to beat to Charlotte. I would not get too hung up on those

A QB friendly offense would be nice so that we don't have to spend 4 years evaluating the next guy. As a bonus there's nothing that would help shortstuff more than a TE who can catch his quick dinks through contact. If you don't think Bryce is the future it really shouldn't matter which way we go because we're not making a run at the Super Bowl next year.

Would be happy with Lomu or Iheanachor at 19. Fano is intriguing but I don't think he makes it.