Oakland Raiders 2016 NFL Draft Selections (Rounds 4-7) + Final Thoughts

Round 4, Pick 100 (TRADE UP from 114): Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State

Highlights:

Comment: I was following Day 3 of the draft on my phone while I was in S.F. with family. When I saw that the Raiders selected a quarterback in Connor Cook, I'll admit I was holding my head in confusion. My initial reaction was "what are we doing?" We already have Derek Carr. We have a solid backup in Matt McGloin. Why trade up, lose the extra 5th rounder, and waste a fourth round pick on a position that we don't need? Then as I researched more through my phone, I realized the bigger picture. McGloin will be an unrestricted free agent next year and he likely wants a shot as a starter to another team and the Raiders will eventually pay Carr top-tier money once his rookie contract was up. That's one of the few reasons why this pick makes sense. Before the Raiders traded up, Cook was on the boards of the Cowboys, Chargers, and Chiefs and they're looking for someone to groom when Romo, Rivers, and Alex Smith eventually call it quits. Cook was the best quarterback available after Goff, Wentz, and Paxton Lynch went in the first round and the Raiders scooped him up before they do. Another reason is that Cook can be used as trade bait, so if he develops to be one heck of a backup to Derek Carr and fills in admirably if Carr were to get hurt, another team could use his service and will probably "give up the farm" to the Raiders for Connor Cook. This can be a genius pick or it could backfire. Remember Tyler Wilson from three years ago? Raiders let Wilson go for nothing since he wasn't a fit and McGloin beat him out. Hopefully, this works this time around because this is a risky pick and a highly questionable one for the Raiders.

Round 5, Pick 143: DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech

Highlights:

Comment: So, the Raiders missed out Devontae Booker to screw up some other teams' draft boards to take Connor Cook. We're screaming for a running back and finally, in the fifth round, the Raiders select DeAndre Washington out of Texas Tech. The expectation is that he'll be the complementary back to Latavius Murray. I heard Paul Perkins out of UCLA was still on the board, I thought he would be a better pick, but I'll live with Washington since he fills a need as a change-of-pace back. He had quite a productive year as a senior for the Red Raiders, racking up 1,455 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs and 304 receiving yards and 2 receiving TDs. Based on his highlights, he is capable of running in between the tackles, he has pretty quick acceleration once he sees a hole even though he needs to be quicker because defenses in the NFL are much faster closing in at running backs. He reminds me of Maurice Jones-Drew. The funny thing is Washington is almost the same size as MJD and did pattern his game after him. So, I think I'll live with this pick even if we passed up on some better prospects. Murray has a partner-in-crime and it looks like Roy Helu will be shown the door after Washington's selection.

Round 6, Pick 194: Cory James, LB, Colorado State

Highlights:

Comment: The Raiders use the 6th round to stock up some depth at the linebacker position and possibly at special teams. Looking at Cory James' draft profile, he was mainly used as a pass rusher on passing downs, the sack totals are pretty decent: 7.5 sacks (2013), 8 sacks (2014), 6.5 sacks (2015). James was one of Colorado State's most consistent playmakers and he was converted to play the middle linebacker position just last season. Essentially, he can play at any position. I heard the Raiders actually worked James to play either strongside or weakside linebacker. Again, versatility is emphasized here in this pick. Cory James is likely going to be a special teamer and a project at best.

Round 7, Pick 234: Vadal Alexander, G, LSU

Highlights: 

Comment: With the Raiders' final pick, they addressed depth on the O-line by selecting this big man out of LSU, Vadal Alexander. 300+ pounds, definitely, he's a fit in the power running game. Again, versatility is considered here and Alexander was capable of playing Left Guard and Right Tackle during his tenure with the Tigers. However, according to his draft profile, he has slow feet and slow change of direction against defenders. He'll get the benefit of a doubt in being coached by one of the best O-line coaches in the NFL in Mike Tice and he's going to be essential as insurance if one player of the Raiders' potential elite O-line goes down (which we hope doesn't happen).

Conclusion

After evaluating each selection, this was a pretty okay class for the Raiders. It's not as legendary as the 2014 class nor is it as great as the 2015 class, but it's just average at best. I liked the Karl Joseph pick. The Jihad Ward pick was "meh." The Shilique Calhoun pick was a solid steal. The Connor Cook pick will continue to make us scratch our heads unless he actually beats out McGloin because McGloin won't go down without a fight and he knows the system well. DeAndre Washington fills a need for a complementary RB. Finally, Cory James and Vadal Alexander are selected to stock up depth. With the way the Raiders built this roster with the 2014 and 2015 draft class and with the 2016 free agency, they've addressed every glaring need on their roster and they used this draft to take the BPA (Best Player Available) in the first round and stock up on some depth. Yes, to the casual fan who doesn't follow college football too much, it's underwhelming, but we'll see how they pan out as the season progresses. Right now, this team is stacked with young talent and this draft is used to add more "nuts and bolts" to this team.

Grade: B-

Lakers Hire Luke Walton

So while I keeping track of the Raiders' 2016 NFL Draft selections, I got an alert on my Team Stream App and I received a text from my friend, Stillmattic that the Lakers have hired Luke Walton to become the next head coach. I thought this wasn't a surprising hire. Ever since the Lakers fired Byron Scott, Luke has been the hot commodity in terms of candidates in the Lakers' head coach search. We've seen what he's done, coaching the Warriors in Steve Kerr's absence and leading them to a 39-4 start. We hear the pundits saying that Luke inherited a stacked Warriors team, but with or without Kerr, the Warriors respected Luke Walton as a coach. Yes, the transition will be a lot different because he's inheriting a core of Russell, Randle, and Clarkson who are still developing as players and their chemistry is a work-in-progress. Even though it's nice to see Luke come back to L.A. and the Laker brass knows how to take care of their alumni well, the question is will he bring over the Warriors' offensive system and replicate that system to this current Laker squad? Because Luke has played and excelled in the Triangle Offense under Phil Jackson and he might want to bring that as the Lakers' full time offense. In my honest opinion, the way the Lakers' roster is structured without Kobe Bryant in terms of talent, they're more suited to run an offense similar to what the Warriors are running: running the floor, unselfish ball movement, setting multiple screens to give players open looks. Again, I'm not surprised at Luke Walton's hiring, but he's definitely a better option over Byron Scott. It's going to be interesting to see how Luke will develop this young roster and how he will tailor offensive and defensive sets to fit the personnel of this Lakers team. Other than that, welcome home Luke!

Oakland Raiders 2016 NFL Draft Selections (Rounds 2-3)

Round 2 Pick 44: Jihad Ward, DE, Illinois

Highlights:

Comment: Now keep in mind, I don't follow college football a lot. Last year I did because I was high on Amari Cooper coming to Oakland, so I kept following some Alabama games. Since I don't follow too much college football, this pick was a head scratcher to me even though Mike Mayock loves his story and how he worked his way up. The Raiders value good stories, but there were a couple of better defensive end/defensive tackle prospects on the board like A'Shawn Robinson, Jarren Reed, Andrew Billings; they could've waited in the 3rd round to select Sheldon Day out of Notre Dame (I'm just following what mock drafts say, scouts, PFF, etc.). When I saw his highlights and game tape against Perdue and Iowa, it was a little "meh." Like I said, Reggie and Jack love versatile players and Ward can play both the DE and DT position on the defensive line. PFF graded him high in terms of run stopping. Pass rush? I heard his pass rush fell off and according to the NFL draft profile, he's not a counter pass rusher because when one technique doesn't work, he'll just give up on the fly. But I have full faith and confidence that he'll be coached up under Del Rio, Norton, and Jethro Franklin. A lot of people are comparing this pick to the Mario Edwards, Jr. pick last year, but I thought MEJ's highlights and tape were more convincing to see when he the Raiders drafted him. Again, this is my opinion, this pick was a little "meh." I wasn't too convinced on his tape and highlights, but I trust the coaching staff to coach him up to his potential. 

Round 3 Pick 75: Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State

Highlights:

Comment: I've seen Shilique Calhoun's name pop up in a couple of 7-round mock drafts. So, for Day 2, the Raiders decide to use Rounds 2-3 to beef up the defensive line. And like the old saying goes in football: "you can never have to many pass rushers." Calhoun had quite the production in the sacks department with 27 sacks in his four-year collegiate career at Michigan State. He finished amassing 100+ tackles, five fumble recoveries, and an interception. When you see his highlights, he looks like an absolute beast in getting after the quarterback, but the more game tape you see of Calhoun, there's a mismatch. Even though he's good in pass rushing, he has a hard time stuffing the run. So, most likely, he'll be a situational pass-rusher as 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB and the Raiders run a hybrid of both. This pick, I can live with even though I was hoping the Raiders would use a 3rd round pick for a complementary running back to Murray like a Devontae Booker. This is a solid pick. I would say I like this pick more than Jihad Ward selection in the 2nd round, but they're both good depth picks to beef up the D-Line and make this pass-rush even more scary with Mack, Irvin, and Aldon Smith.

Oakland Raiders 2016 NFL Draft Selections (Round 1)

Round 1, Pick 14: Karl Joseph, Safety, West Virginia

Highlights:

Comment: Early on this year, I was looking at a couple of highlights of 1st round prospects the Raiders could take with their #14 pick. It ranged from Mackensie Alexander to Ezekiel Elliot to Sheldon Rankins and to Myles Jack. And during that span, I did come across some highlights of Karl Joseph and saw a little bit of tape of him in an actual game against Oklahoma. During this draft, I liked the idea that Myles Jack would fall to us, then when I heard that Karl Joseph was the selection, I had somewhat of a mixed reaction, but it's mainly positive. I thought he would've been still available during the 2nd round because his stock dropped off after the ACL injury, but the Raiders were comfortable drafting him at the #14 spot. When I saw Karl Joseph's highlights, my first impression was that this guy is a hard hitter. He's also a solid tackler in the open field against the run and he has a nose for the football. I heard he had three interceptions in one game, lead the nation in with five interceptions before his ACL tear; he's always around where the football is at. Joseph could be that hard hitting enforcer-type Safety that the Raiders haven't had in a long time since "The Assassin," Jack Tatum. Albeit he's a little small in size, I heard he can play anywhere from Free Safety to Strong Safety to Nickel Safety. Keep in mind, McKenzie and Del Rio love versatile players. The number of selections that the Raiders made on players who can play anywhere on the field is evident: Mack (OLB/DE), Carrie (CB/S), Cooper (Outside/Slot Receiver), Edwards, Jr. (DT/DE), Ball (OLB/ILB), Feliciano (T/G/C) to name a few. Add Karl Joseph to the list of versatile players. Even though Charles Woodson retired, Joseph will still benefit playing behind veteran safeties Reggie Nelson and Nate Allen. Not to mention, he also has Marcus Robertson and the Hall-of-Famer Rod Woodson coaching him up. Good pick, a little bit of a reach at the 14th spot, but he can be the guy patrolling the secondary on the defense for a very long time. 

Lakers Fire Byron Scott

Laker Nation, this might be the most relieving news that we could get. Tonight, Byron Scott is relieved of his duties as the Lakers head coach per Adrian Wojnarowski. I'm not going to go much into this to give my reaction, but like I said, this is the best news we could get. I have a lot of respect for what Byron Scott contributed to as a player for the Lakers, but as a coach? He hasn't contributed much other than giving the Lakers a chance for a top 3 pick. 38-126 overall in his tenure with the Lakers says enough. Not to mention, his coaching slide dates back to his coaching days in Cleveland. Throwing players under the  bus, erratic rotations, implementing an offense that does not fit the personnel, defensive inefficiencies, there's no question that Scott's days were eventually numbered. Now onto coaching options, there isn't much out there. As I said in my "Season in Review" post, the Lakers missed out on an opportunity to land Scott Brooks or Tom Thibodeau. However a guy like Mark Jackson is available for hire. We'll see which direction the Lakers go for their next head coaching candidate, but the Byron Scott fiasco is finally over in LA.

A Season in Review: 2015-16 Lakers

Alright, Laker Nation, welcome in to the long-awaited annual "Season in Review" post for the 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, I promised this post sometime after the final season game or the week after at the earliest. It's almost the end of that week after and I apologize for not putting this up yet. The university life as a senior is starting to hit at this point of the year and I have two papers to write up plus a spreadsheet project. But, I'm hanging in there and taking my time to put this up while the playoffs are on. As usual, I reflect on all 82 games in a condensed format possible and address personnel changes and offseason needs.

Well, unlike other "Season in Review" posts I've made in the past, this one is going to be real short because let's be honest, this is yet another season to forget about. The Lakers finished a franchise worst 17-65 under 2nd year head coach Byron Scott. Then again, all this losing was done to tank and protect a spot at a top 3 pick for this year's draft. From the beginning, the Lakers had a crisis as to whether they want to develop their young core of rookie D'Angelo Russell and 2nd year players Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle or celebrate Kobe Bryant's 20th season with the Purple and Gold. In this case, they chose the latter and it became more evident when Kobe subliminally announced he was retiring at the end of the season by writing "Dear Basketball" on the Players' Tribune. It turns out both options were a lose-lose either way because D'Lo, JC, and Randle struggled to gel early on and Kobe was struggling mightily to find his shot. Add in the ineptitude of Byron Scott's coaching, an erratic offense, and an atrocious defense? You have the makings of a total disaster. However, in the opening game vs. Minnesota, the Lakers did look good until they threw the game away in the 2nd half. Although, I'll give the T'Wolves credit since they were playing with a heavy heart for the late Flip Saunders. Then as the season progressed, things got progressively worse. If you go through the losses, a couple of those losses the Lakers had, they lost in an embarrassing blowout. Let me throw in some examples: Nov. 24 @ Golden State 77-111, Dec. 19 @ OKC 78-118, Dec. 23 vs. OKC 85-120, Mar. 4 vs. Atlanta 77-106, and Mar. 28 @ Utah 75-123. Understandably, those blowout losses were against playoff teams, but still, "embarrassing" is an overused word to describe these games with these large margins of defeat.

Even though this was a season that will live in infamy, there is a small sample size of positives to take away from this season. The Lakers did pull off an amazing upset early in March against the defending champion, record chasing Warriors. Jordan Clarkson didn't hit a sophomore slump. Julius Randle showcased he can be a double-double player in the stats sheet. The verdict is still out there for D'Angelo Russell, but there were some games where he showed us that he can be an explosive scorer that the Lakers saw when they drafted him. The home game against the Orlando Magic in March was arguably their most complete game that they had playing together as all three players racked up 20+ points in the 98-107 victory over Orlando. Of course, Kobe Bryant, despite not being the same player he once was, put up some throwback performances sporadically in games to give us that nostalgia factor, turning back the clock to when he dominated the league as one of the best players in the world. In particular, the 60 point performance in his final game vs. the Utah Jazz will be the the one game we'll be talking for a long time from a season that was shrouded in absolute atrocity.

With Kobe Bryant gone, a boatload of cash to spend, and a top 3 pick hanging in the balance, now it becomes a lot interesting for the Lakers to usher in a new era. The only bad news that is still a reality is that we're probably stuck with Byron Scott as Head Coach for another year or two. Scott Brooks going to the Wizards and Tom Thibodeau going to the Timberwolves were signs of missed opportunities for the Lakers to get a coach who their young players can buy into and who can possibly help land them some top-tier free agents like a Kevin Durant. We can only hope that the Lakers keep that top 3 pick and that they use that selection to draft either Ben Simmons out of LSU or Brandon Ingram out of Duke and hopefully they can strike a diamond-in-the-rough in the 2nd round. In terms of free agency, I've emphasized on this to the Lakers last season: do NOT rely on or wait on a star player's decision during the free agency period. Find some quality players and veterans in the meantime that can help develop and mold the young Lakers core in the first season of the post-Kobe Bryant era (*hint* *hint* Hassan Whiteside). If we miraculously land KD, great! But the Lakers have to stock up on depth and add some veteran presence to guide the young Laker squad.

I'd consider this upcoming offseason as the official "Year 1" of the Lakers' reclamation project since the young core is taking over and hopefully, some new faces come over to help. It's definitely going to be an interesting offseason and an interesting transition from 20 years of Kobe Bryant to Russell-Clarkson-Randle or whoever is going to be staying on board during the rebuilding process. We'll see if Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak have the mettle to field together a competitive roster. Laker Nation, once again, thank you for following my coverage of the 2015-16 season. Here's to a fresh start in 2016-17.

The Night That Was: Kobe Bryant Drops 60 in Finale

This game will certainly be one of those games you tell your grandchildren about. It's 9:04 AM in the West Coast, in the Bay Area and I'm still hyped after watching this game and covering this game with you guys on the blog. The Bay Area is hyped for another thing though. The Warriors breaking the '95-96 Bulls' record and setting the mark at 73-9 and kudos to them, Last night was hands down the best night for basketball fans regardless of which game you watched. Last night was special for me as a Laker fan as Kobe rode into the sunset, guns blazing, and willing the Lakers to one last victory. The NBA put this video together as noted above this post of every field goal Kobe made and the last two free throws to put him at 60 points in the Lakers' 96-101 win over the Utah Jazz. The funny thing is I remember when Kobe became the youngest player to reach 30,000 points, his first points were from the free throw line and it all came full circle last night that his last points in the NBA would be again from the free throw line. Like I said, a fitting end to an illustrious 20-year career.

Goin' Out Mamba Style: Kobe Scores 60, Notches Win in Final Career Game vs. Utah

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Utah Jazz, the final game of Kobe Bryant in his 20 year career where Kobe goes out in style, the only way that Kobe know when to go out. Kobe went out guns blazing, putting up one more 60 point game and rallying the Lakers to a 96-101 win.

There are so many adjectives to describe this finale: amazing, awesome, fantastic, legendary, unbelievable. I said it during the season, Kobe Bryant was not the same player as he once was, but you can't deny the competitive drive and the will to win. The heart of a champion was still beating (a reference to my old Kobe vignette) and Kobe delivered one final performance for the ages. 60 points, hitting the go-ahead jumper for the Lakers to get the win against the Jazz who were already eliminated from playoff contention with Houston's win today, but they still competed their butts off. Hats off to them. But you can't write a better ending than this.

(+)

Kobe Bryant, 60 points, 22-50 shooting. Are you kidding me? 37 years old. A major achilles injury, multiple knee and shoulder injuries throughout the season at the twilight of his career. He struggled all season long and he puts up this kind of performance in his final game! As a longtime Laker fan, we know Kobe is capable to pull off a performance like this, but at 37 years old! I guess Father Time allowed him to go off for this one game. Every shot Kobe put up, I was on my feet like I was a kid/teenager during his prime and during the championship years. Yes he started slow, yes he missed a lot of shots, but he single-handedly got this team to a victory. His arsenal was on full display, blowing by defenders, hitting impossible shots, hitting impossible three pointers, something Kobe did night in and night out during his prime. Awesome, vintage performance from the Black Mamba! And I enjoyed every moment of it.

Jordan Clarkson, 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6-10 shooting. I emphasized this on my halftime post that the Lakers' young players have to find a way to get involved. This storybook ending wouldn't have been possible without guys like Clarkson, who has been the overall constant among the young three of the Lakers. Clarkson made a couple of big buckets, clutch rebounds to give the Lakers and Kobe Bryant a shot at a victory. That and he honored Kobe with a 360 dunk of his own in the third quarter. Props to Clarkson for answering the bell.

Larry Nance, Jr., 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3-3 shooting. I've always looked at Nance as a high energy guy for the Lakers off the bench. When he gets involved, the Lakers get a spark. Nance displayed a couple of highlight dunks to rile up the Staples Center crowd and give the Lakers new life and he hustled his butt off out there to get to the ball. Solid play from Nance.

(-)

I am going to let the negatives fly. Despite how bad the Lakers started off this game and how they were down for the most part, getting the win for Kobe was all that matters. If they did lose, of course there would've been negatives to note out. But, I'll let this pass.

Conclusion

For the Lakers, this season has been atrocious from the start, but us Laker fans were rewarded at the end to see Kobe Bryant have the game of his life one more time. His performance tonight brought us nostalgia. It brought us happiness, joy, and at the same time, tears that he's going to be gone next season. I've had a lot of memories of Kobe from my childhood to my teenage years and now to my adulthood. I've witnessed him rally the Lakers to a victory in game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals without Shaq on the floor,  drop 81 points against the Raptors, nail a game winner against the Phoenix Suns during the 1st round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs, drop 61 points at MSG, nail a 3-pointer in J.R. Smith's face in front of a hostile Denver crowd during the '09 Western Conference Finals, hit a total of 6 game winners during the '09-10 season, hit two free throws despite a ruptured achilles against the Warriors, and most of all, I've witnessed him help deliver 5 championships to the Lakers. He's added one more performance to my memories and I'll look back at this game for a long time. Thank You Kobe Bryant for giving me a lot of memories as a Laker fan. Someday, numbers 8 and 24 will be hung from the rafters and Staples Center will unveil a statue of you doing one of your most disrespectful poster dunks on another player (it could be Dwight). As tough as it was to see you play the last couple of seasons since the awful achilles injury, whether we've watched you live or on TV, there's no doubt that I and the rest of Laker Nation have enjoyed every single moment of you being on the court whether it's at Staples Center or on the road.

Thank You!

What are your memories of Kobe Bryant's 20-year career? Share in the comments below. A Season in Review post for the Lakers' 2015-16 season will be posted up sometime this week or next week depending on my schedule. I'll see you guys later. 

Kobe! Kobe! Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!

04/13: Farewell Kobe LAKERS vs. Utah Jazz Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

UTA 96 LAL 101

Allow me to clear my throat for a bit...KOBE!!!!!!!!!! You cannot write a storybook ending to an illustrious career better than this! 60 points, the most scored by any NBA player this season and a win to go out on top. That 60 points though, who else to do it by the Black Mamba! He's done it before and for the first time in a long time, he's done it again! He also showed that clutch ability too, hitting the go ahead jump shot in the final minute to pretty much seal the deal for the Lakers. Laker Nation, I am going to remember this performance for a long time. A fitting end to a great career. Thank you Kobe! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

UTA 75 LAL 66

37 points and counting for Kobe Bryant! The good news is that the Lakers are still in this game. I said in my halftime post, I thought the rest of the team was kind of hesitant in the first half to take a shot and resorting to Kobe to take those shots since it's his final game. They woke up a little bit this quarter. Jordan Clarkson pulled a little Kobe move with a 360 dunk on the break during the quarter. D'Angelo found his shot a little bit. Small steps, but Kobe is continuing to turn back the clock in his final game. One more quarter.

Q2:

UTA 57 LAL 42

It's understandable that it's Kobe's last game and they're giving him every shot that he gets, but the young guns of the Lakers need to find a way to step up their game. The only time they showed up was when Kobe created a turnover in the final minute, passed to Russell, and Russell passed it to Randle for the easy dunk. The players have to find a way to get themselves in this game. More to come in the halftime report.

Q1:

UTA 21 LAL 19

Talk about a tale of two halves this quarter. Both teams could not buy a bucket. The Lakers started 0-7 from the field. Kobe looked like he had some early jitters, starting 0-4, but man did he turn back the clock mid-quarter with a couple of jump shots, 3 pointers. Byron Scott let him play the full quarter. Let's see how many minutes he play the next quarter. Lakers managed to capture the lead briefly, but Utah came storming back for a two point lead.

LAKERS-Jazz Halftime Post

UTA 57 LAL 42

Welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup and Kobe Bryant's final game vs. the Utah Jazz where

(+)

Kobe Bryant, 22 points, 7-19 shooting. It's his farewell game and deservedly so, Kobe has the spotlight in this. However, the first quarter the Lakers started 0-7 and Kobe accounted for 4 of those first 7 shots. The haters like that, but then Kobe Bryant started to heat up in the mid-quarter, putting up a vintage sequence down the stretch, hitting five shots, one from deep (3 points). He's also blowing by defenders, which is impossible for a normal 37 year old coming off from an achilles injury three years ago. Overall, I thought the Laker offense came alive once Kobe got it going after an 0-4 start from the field.

(-)

The supporting cast. I said it in the Q-by-Q reaction in my 2nd quarter post, it's understandable that they're giving Kobe the ball to delight the Staples Center crowd, but they have to find a way to step up. Julius Randle, 2 points, D'Angelo Russell 4 points, and Jordan Clarkson 4 points. The future of the Lakers hinges on these three and it's starting off like a repeat the last time they played the Jazz when the Jazz blew them out in Utah a few games back.

Bottom Line

The adjustments are self-explanatory. The other thing I forgot to note out is that they held Rodney Hood to 2 points. Last time, they let Hood burn them for 30 in a half and they've done a good job keeping him in check. But, the Jazz are playing team ball. The Laker young guns have to find a way to make this game about them even though this about Kobe playing his final game. They have to get involved. Even if Kobe is having his way with his vintage performance in the first half, we don't know how long that will last and that should urge the other players to find their game. We'll see how the final chapter unfolds.

Kobe's Final Road Trip: Lakers Hammered in OKC

Kobe Bryant scored 13 points in his final road game, but the Lakers were outmatched by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Thunder in a 79-112 rout. Both Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell added 11 points despite woeful shooting nights from both players, in fact the whole team had a woeful shooting night. MWP lead all scorers off the bench with 12 points and Robert Sacre added 11 points.

Final Score: @ Oklahoma City 79-112 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160411/LALOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Utah (04/13) <= Q-by-Q, Halftime, and Full Recap Posts

TrueRaiderLaker Productions Entry #5: Thank You Kobe!

Standard size: 1280 x 720

Alternate size 1: 1366 x 768

Alternate size 2: 1920 x 1080

Laker Nation, an era is about to end this week and I've cooked up something special while fighting back a wave of emotions in the process. Here, I present to you, the first Laker-related multimedia content since I formed TrueRaiderLaker Productions last summer and the first multiple resolution wallpaper of TrueRaiderLaker Productions: a thank you to a Laker legend and future 1st ballot hall of famer. One of the all-time greats, the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant!

For 20 years, we've been spoiled to witness the legend of Kobe Bryant unfold from our very eyes, whether we've watched him on TV or seen him live in person. Some grew to hate him, while most of us, we grew to love and admire him. He has engaged in some legendary battles against all-stars, legends, and hall of famers. From the GOAT, Michael Jordan to Tim Duncan to Allen Iverson to Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry. Kobe Bryant has battled them all and provided a lot of timeless memories for us Laker fans, fans of the opposing teams, and fans of the NBA in general. 

The traits we'll remember the most about Kobe Bryant is his competitive drive to get better every single day, his will to win, and his killer instinct to break the hearts of the home team on the road. There may be promise in the future for the Lakers, but there is no player in my opinion that could replicate the competitive fire of the Black Mamba. We could go on and on reminiscing about the fond memories we have of watching Kobe throughout the years. Now that two games remain in Kobe's illustrious career, all we can do is watch, savor every moment, and appreciate the time Kobe has left on the court. This wallpaper shall serve as a memento of all the memories Kobe has provided us throughout the years, donning the purple and gold. 

"This season is all I have to give. My heart can take a pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye." ~ Kobe Bryant, "Dear Basketball"

Kobe's Final Road Trip: Vintage 35 Point Performance in Loss to Rockets

After seeing the highlights, let me pull out something WWE commentator Michael Cole would say (JR is still better): "vintage Kobe Bryant!" The Black Mamba had his arsenal on full display in his final game in Houston, scoring 35 points, nailing a couple of treys from deep, but the Lakers couldn't play spoiler against a playoff desperate Houston Rockets team, losing 110-130 behind James Harden's 40 point performance. Jordan Clarkson added a near double-double of 21 points and 8 rebounds and Julius Randle added 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Final Score: @ Houston 110-130 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160410/LALHOU/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ Oklahoma City (04/11)

Kobe's Final Road Trip: Loss @ New Orleans

The Lakers begin their three-game road trip, but above all, Kobe Bryant begins his final destinations of his farewell tour. Kobe scored 14 points in his final game in New Orleans in the Lakers' 102-110 defeat to the Pelicans. D'Angelo Russell was the top scorer for the Lakers, erupting for 32 points with Jordan Clarkson following behind Russell with 26 points.

Final Score: @ New Orleans 102-110 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160408/LALNOP/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ Houston (04/10)

Lakers Bested by Clippers Again

Julius Randle had a monster game, cleaning up the boards, grabbing 20 rebounds, but the Lakers couldn't avenge their loss to the Clippers on back-to-back matchups, losing 91-81. Kobe Bryant recorded 17 points in his penultimate game at Staples Center and the backcourt duo of Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell both chipped in 13 points. Tarik Black lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points.

Final Score: vs. LA Clippers 91-81 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160406/LACLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ New Orleans (04/08)

Raiders Sign Reggie Nelson

The final piece is inserted in transforming the Raiders' defense into a monster. The Raiders have agreed to terms with former Cincinnati Bengals safety, Reggie Nelson to a 2-year deal. Nelson is coming off a Pro Bowl season and a career year with the Bengals, leading the league in interceptions with 8 picks. He is expected to take Charles Woodson's place in providing veteran leadership in the secondary.

I'm not going to lie, when I saw that Reggie Nelson left the Raiders' facility without a deal last night, I thought that the deal was dead even though a lot of sources say he was expected to sign after his workout. There were a lot of speculations that he probably failed his physical, he was demanding a lot more money than he's worth, especially since he's in his 30's, or he still had beef with Jack Del Rio during their time in Jacksonville, which I didn't know of. But, who cares about, we have our safety and this will ease up the void of veteran leadership that Charles Woodson left behind since announcing his retirement. No question, safety is still a priority in the draft, but signing Nelson will take pressure off a rookie safety for us. The Raiders lost out on Eric Weddle to the Ravens last month. Reggie Nelson was the next available veteran safety on the board. Once again, Reggie McKenzie is making big-time moves when the market is all dried up during this month of April. Last season, he signed Michael Crabtree. This season, he locked up Aldon Smith to a 2-year deal and today, he locked up Reggie Nelson to a 2-year deal. Raider Nation, the transformation of this defense is on a whole different level of epic proportions. Can't wait for the season to start. Welcome to the Raider Nation Reggie Nelson!

Lakers Fall to Clippers

Once again, I apologize for the little confusion earlier. I thought this game was going to be nationally televised, turns out it didn't. I'm surprised Kobe Bryant got an actual tribute video even though the game's in L.A. and inside Staples Center. Maybe because the Lakers are the designated road team here, but still, I thought that was surprising to see. Luckily for me, I avoid covering a rout. Metta World Peace, MWP, of all people, was the Lakers' top performer with 17 points and 5 rebounds off the bench, but Chris Paul razzle dazzles the Lakers' defense again, notching 25 points to help the Clippers defeat the Lakers 81-103. Ryan Kelly was the 2nd leading scorer off the bench with 12 points. The starters did not play well today as D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson were the only players in double figures as Russell chipped in 12 points and Clarkson chipped in 10 points. Yeah, terrible game, nothing new. The Lakers get them again tomorrow night, this time as the designated home team.

Final Score: @ LA Clippers 81-103 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160405/LALLAC/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. LA Clippers (04/06)

No Lakers-Clippers Coverage

Alright, the official Lakers website indicates that this game is going to be live on the team's local TV station, Time Warner Cable SportsNet. Warriors-Timberwolves will follow the Pistons-Heat game on TNT. That means there will be no coverage for this game on the blog. Sorry for the inconvenience guys. Definitely, I'll see you guys next Wednesday for Kobe Bryant's final game in his illustrious 20-year career against the Utah Jazz. A TrueRaiderLaker Productions Wallpaper paying tribute to the Black Mamba is in the works.

*Lakers-Clippers game is scheduled to be on TNT, but my DirecTV guide says Warriors-T'Wolves follow the Pistons-Heat game. Hmmmm....*

Q1:

LAL 0 LAC 0

The Three Headed Beast

This November...death and destruction awaits every team that stands in the Raiders' way towards playoff glory.

Raiders Re-Sign Aldon Smith Despite Suspension

It didn't take that long for the Raiders to re-sign Aldon Smith. Today, the Raiders have inked Aldon Smith to a two-year deal with some incentives added into the mix. Even though Smith has been suspended for one calendar year and won't be available till late November, Reggie McKenzie assured that he is in the long-term plans for the Raiders.

Getting Aldon Smith now before some other team jumped in on the opportunity and signing him to a minimum of a two-year deal  are both wise moves by Reggie McKenzie. Obviously, he needs to serve his lengthy suspension and we can't see him in action until late November when teams are gunning for the playoffs. This could spell both good news and bad news. We don't know if Aldon Smith has a full grasp of the defensive playbook. He might since he played 10 games before his suspension and of course, we gotta look out for rusts since he's out of football for a year. The good news is he's going to be fresh and healthy when every other team's roster is spent and fighting some injuries. He'll provide much needed relief for Khalil Mack, Bruce Irvin, and the rest of this Raiders defense. The Raider defense with Aldon Smith on the field is going to be a terrifying sight to see for opposing teams and their QB. Luckily for them, they have a 10 week head start before Del Rio and Norton, Jr. turns this three-headed monster of Mack, Irvin, and Smith loose to bring pain and destruction to offensive lines and quarterbacks.

Kobe Scores 34, but Lakers Fall to Celtics

Perhaps we could learn a thing or two from our arch rival about rebuilding a team after this season. In his final game against the hated Celtics Sunday night, Kobe Bryant poured in 34 points on 11-28 shooting, but it wasn't enough to rally the Lakers against a confident Celtics team that snapped the Warriors' long home winning streak Friday night, losing 107-100. Julius Randle added another double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds and Jordan Clarkson chipped in 17 points.

Final Score: vs. Boston 107-100 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160403/BOSLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ LA Clippers (04/05) <= Q-by-Q, Halftime, and Full Recap Posts

April Fools Prank Recap

Alright, it's time to get back to reality. To all my fellow Raider fans and Laker fans who are not interested in the whole Anime fiasco, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for completely shunning you guys away from this blog and because of that, I may have lost a few readers who stop by and read my content. Anyway, if you guys hadn't seen my blog by now, this was what it looked like this afternoon before I changed everything (well, almost everything) back to normal:

I could hear the reaction of "what the hell is this *expletive* Anime *expletive* I'm seeing?" Also, something along the lines of "you sold out MechG" when I announced that this blog would turn into raidersxninersxlakersxwarriors.blogspot.com. First off, the whole raidersxninersxlakersxwarriors thing is completely false. It will still be trueraiderlaker.blogspot.com, then, now, forever (WWE reference). If you guys don't know, my friend, Stillmattic of bleachzealot.blogspot.com, is a huge 49ers and Warriors fan and we have a playful, trash-talking rivalry, when it comes to that. Stillmattic if you're reading this, I'm sorry for framing you, but hey, come reach out to me if you want something to do once Bleach is done and you have nothing else to post (even though you haven't posted in ages and it looks like you've moved on). 

Left to right (character name and Anime title): Raiderettes: Kurumi Tokisaki (Date A Live), Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan), Mine (Akame ga Kill!); Laker Girls: Sinon (Sword Art Online II), Lilith Asami (Trinity Seven), Jibril (No Game No Life)

Now, onto the Anime background and banner. You guessed it, but if you haven't, I lied through my teeth when I said a buddy I know did this Photoshop color swap work for me with my anime harem and it looks way better than my Iron Man mascot. Clearly, I'm a Photoshop veteran and I did this myself. Yeah, wasted effort, but to be honest, I've done these color edits of my anime harem with my sports teams a long time ago and just did the whole background just this morning. If you guys don't know, anime is a secondary interests (along with video games, wrestling, monster movies, etc.) of mine away from the sports universe. Remember my wallpaper a couple of months back with the Raiders vs. Broncos week 5 matchup and the whole Attack on Titan theme? That was like once in a blue moon, until now, where I would unite my sports passion and anime fandom. Although I admit, the banner with my edits turned out good and maybe it will warrant being on this blog for some occasional purposes. But, that won't be for a long time and I'm still considering dropping the Iron Man unofficial mascot for a whole new banner.

The next step in my prank is a classic, but with a little twist: the old, but gold "Rick Roll." I took a page out of my friend, Stillmattic's Bleach blog of using the Wikplayer and added this awesome mashup of Avicii's "Wake Me Up" and Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down)" with Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" courtesy of mashup artist, nilsofficial. There were two other tracks on that playlist: Billy Gunn's old WWF theme song and the Why the F you Lying (parody of Next's "Too Close), but mostly I wanted to get you guys with the classic Rick Roll mashed up with Avicii and Chumbawamba. 

Anyways, it's all clear now, but I'm keeping the changed layouts on my sidebars and on my posts and I have big plans to come up with a new banner and a new background for the blog. Stay tuned for that. 

New Changes to the Blog

Good morning Raider Nation, Laker Nation, if you passed by this blog overnight, you might've noticed some changes in the blog in terms of the layout. In addition, I've changed the background and the banner. I didn't think the whole Iron Man mascot didn't fit what I envisioned and I just wanted to see my anime harem. To be honest, I think they make me feel at home more. If you guys are big on anime and I know sports and anime don't go hand in hand together all the time, you might know some of these characters. Somebody that I know Photoshopped this for me and man, I was so happy that this became a reality. I mean c'mon it's my favorite female anime characters all drenched in the colors of two of my favorite sports teams! They just fit better and it's totally more bad@$$ than my poor Iron Man mascot edit.

In addition, starting next year, I contacted my friend, Stillmattic and considering he doesn't have much to talk about on his Bleach blog. I offered him an opportunity on my blog and soon, we will become raidersxninersxlakersxwarriors.blogspot.com. I know this is not a favorable outcome for my readers who know that I bleed silver and black and purple and gold for life because then we'll have an all-out war between raiders-niners fans and lakers-warriors fans, but we'll work it out and because of common interests between Stillmattic and myself, we'll find a way to tie in some anime here in there with color edits of our favorite female characters in our team colors. How awesome that would be!

These are some changes to the blog. I'm looking forward to these changes, hopefully you guys look forward to this too. Let me know what you guys think in the comments section. I'll see you guys later.







(April Fools! I'll set it back to normal shortly.)