What's new

Lauri Markkanen Hype & Appreciation Thread

I'm kind of hyped, but also ready to be let down since he certainly wont be as good as he is in Eurobasket
This. Tempered expectations. He hasn't shown this in the NBA as of yet. Hopefully he takes exactly one more year to put it all together so we can get a great pick, then have Jättiläis Lauri coming at'em!!
 
Went back to watch the Cavs-Hawks play-in game last night (where the Hawks eliminated Cavs from playoffs).

Was kind of interesting. Markkanen was arguably the Cavs best player (he put up a team best 28 and 8, along with a key block and key steal late [though Bogdan made a great defensive play to steal it right back to more or less seal the game for the Hawks]).

But in the second half, the Cavs offense more or less devolved into Garland and Levert trying to create one on one or in pick and rolls. They weren't entirely unsuccessful at this, but their success rate was too low and allowed the Hawks to chip into a big Cavs lead. Markkanen was mostly relegated to standing in the corner the second half after having a better first half.

Trae Young also relentlessly targeted Markkanen by getting switches on him (it seems the Cavs switched way too easily from my retrospective viewpoint -- it was almost like they were fine if Lauri ended up on him). It didn't go well (though to be fair, Trae was cooking whoever, Mobley included, even if someone else switched on to him); the secondary rim protection from Mobley and Allen proved almost irrelevant in that game.

Will be interesting to see what kind of role/scheme Hardy has for Lauri.
 
Top