Lakers Beat Bulls Behind Julius Randle's Monster Game

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Double-Double Machine Randle! Despite the horrid field goal shooting, 4-13 from the field, Julius Randle notched yet another double-double with 13 points and he was a complete monster on the boards, grabbing 20 rebounds. I could be wrong, but that should be a career-high for Randle in terms of rebounding. Nonetheless, the Lakers rallied to beat the Bulls 96-90 behind the performance from "The Monster." Luol Deng added 10 points and 8 rebounds to round out the starters. Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams once again provided the scoring and were co-leaders in scoring off the bench with 18 points. Larry Nance Jr. also had double-double himself, notching 12 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Final Score: @ Chicago 96-90 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161130/LALCHI#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ Toronto (12/02)

Lakers Fall to Pelicans in New Orleans

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Anthony Davis has been a one-man wrecking crew so far this season. Lou Williams lead all scorers with 16 points off the bench to go with 3 rebounds and 4 assists, but the Lakers had no answer for the unibrow. Yes, I'm talking about Anthony Davis as his 41 points, 16 rebound performance powered the Pelicans past the Lakers 88-105. Julius Randle returned to the lineup after missing a couple games with a hip pointer injury, recording a double-double in his return with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Timofey Mozgov almost recorded a double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds to go along with 2 blocks.

Final Score: @ New Orleans 88-105 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161129/LALNOP#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ Chicago (Tonight 5:00 PM Pacific Time)

Lakers Sweep Hawks in Bounce Back Win

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Always a great feeling on this blog when the Raiders and Lakers win on Sunday. Jordan Clarkson, all-around was the top performer of the Lakers scoring 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench to help the Lakers get back on track with 94-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 21 points and Larry Nance Jr. grabbed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Nick Young returned to lineup and was the only starter in double figures with 17 points.

Final Score: vs. Atlanta 94-109 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161127/ATLLAL#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ New Orleans (11/29)

Raiders Hold on to Beat Panthers for First Winning Season Since 2002

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders Week 12 matchup vs. the Carolina Panthers where the Raiders pull it out yet again in a roller coaster thriller, beating the Panthers 32-35 and posting their first winning season since 2002, standing at 9-2.

I'm not lying to you when I say this, I have some tear drops falling while I'm posting this recap. I was 9 years old the last time the Raiders had a winning record. I've had blurry memories on those days with Rich Gannon, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, Jerry Porter, Zack Crockett, Tyrone Wheatley, Charles Woodson. Season after season, they've gone 4-12 and 5-11. Throw in some 2-14, 3-13, 7-9, and 8-8 when Lechler and Sebass were arguably the best players on the roster. Too many player turnovers with Randy Moss, Warren Sapp, Andrew Walter, JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski, Justin Fargas, Robert Gallery, Richard Seymour, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Roland McClain, Darren McFadden, etc. And too many coaching turnovers with Norv Turner, Tom Cable, Lane Kiffin, Art Shell, Dennis Allen, etc. Just looking at that list leaves you with some nostalgia and a lot of pain inside. Now, you can put that all to rest! Add this game to the list of polarizing victories this season. The first half, the Raiders looked dominant. They were gonna run the Panthers out of town. Then, the third quarter happened when Carr dislocated his pinky. Not the sight you want to see, but never underestimate his toughness in finishing the game out. The Raiders have overcome a lot of adversity in the 4th quarter. To them, this was normal. Blew a 17 point lead? No problem. Win the game by 3. Great win.

(+)

Derek Carr, 26 of 38 passes, 315 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT. Carr is a certified tough guy. That's the Mamba Mentality that Carr has. If you're a Laker fan and Raider fan like myself you'd understand how Kobe played. Didn't matter if he had foot injuries, knee injuries, finger dislocation, he still played through the pain and willed the Lakers to a victory. There's nothing that can hold this "Carr" down. He was solid throughout the whole game, especially in the first half. Then after that pinky injury, he did throw a pick to Thomas Davis, but he still kept playing and as usual, laid it all out on the field to keep this team rolling to their first winning season.

Khalil Mack, 5 tackles, 1 strip sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 TD. Whew, that's a lot of stats from Mack. Like I said, I was fired up when Mack had that pick 6 off a Cam Newton screen pass. He could've totaled a lot more sacks, but he kept feasting on the Panthers' O-line and applying a lot of pressure on Newton. There's nothing much to be said with Mack. He is a beast. And when Mario Edwards and Aldon Smith come back, he's definitely going to turn it on in the sacks. This game, he showed he can do it all.

Michael Crabtree, 8 receptions, 110 yards. Oh no, Crabtree has played like garbage the last two games. As Aaron Rodgers would say: "R-E-L-A-X." He did promise he was going to come back strong after the last game and he lived up to it. Crabtree, the best hands in the league, was back this game. And talk about a clutch catch from Derek Carr's deep ball to put Jano within field goal range to win the game. Give the "King Clutch" title back to King Crab!

Bruce Irvin, 3 tackles, 1 sack. Before Cam Newton goes to sleep, he checks under his bed for Bruce Irvin. Aside from Von Miller, Irvin has been a thorn on the side for Newton. This dates back to the Seattle Seahawks days. The stats sheet might show Irvin had a quiet game, but he was applying a lot pressure on the edge to make Newton as uncomfortable as can be.

(-)

The third quarter. Yes, momentum swung in the favor when Derek Carr got hurt for a brief moment. But, if anything, the team as whole has to keep playing at that moment. Keep the momentum going forward instead of giving it up. As mentioned, the Panthers scored 18 unanswered points. Hopefully this young team learns to play regardless of the situation, especially when the franchise quarterback gets hurt.

Running game. Once again, the running game gets stuffed by a very big, physical D-line. We have to give credit to the Panthers' defense in that category. The one silver lining is that they gave up a goal line TD to Murray, but other than that, their run defense played lights out.

Secondary. Oh man, I saw T.J. Carrie getting burned. Sean Smith got burned, although he did play an "OK" game. Antonio Hamilton was on the field when D.J. Hayden got hurt. Speaking of Hayden, we might as well change his name P.I. Hayden. He's solid when he's a nickel corner at best. Considering Amerson was inactive, it was frustrating watching the secondary give up big plays to keep Carolina hanging.

MVP

Khalil Mack 5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, INT, TD

"No doubt." "By any means!" First defensive player on the board in my MVP list this season and it couldn't be more fitting. Mack formally introduced himself to Cam Newton this game and he gets his first pick 6 and 1st fumble recovery off a strip sack. The Untamable Beast!




Conclusion

9-2! Say it with me now, 9-2! Regardless what happens this season, this is going to be something to remember. There are a lot of football games left though to get to the "P word." Hopefully Carr's finger turns out to be okay because we're gonna need him for the stretch run. This team gives us heart attacks, but as long as they win in the end it doesn't matter. Now addressing the elephant in the room: the NFL could decide on Aldon Smith's reinstatement possibly on Friday because that's the expiration date of his 60-day reinstatement window. With no Mario Edwards in sight, this news could give the defense the spark they need to play better solid football. So stay tuned for that. But, five games left. The Raiders' remaining road games are against division rivals and they get Buffalo next week and Indianapolis on Christmas Eve. Next week's matchup could be a trap game because the Raiders could be caught looking ahead to the pivotal Thursday Night rematch vs. the Chiefs in Kansas City. But as long as they continue to take it one game at a time, the sky is the limit. Happy days are here again. The Raiders have compiled a winning season finally! Now let's keep the train rolling! Just keep chalking up those W's! I'll see you guys next week for the game against the Buffalo Bills.

Week 12: RAIDERS vs. Carolina Panthers 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the Raiders-Panthers week 12 matchup. Leave a comment below the post and share your thoughts on the half.

Q4

CAR 32 OAK 35

I have seen it all from this team already this season. Down 17 on the road, they come back to win with a two-point conversion. Set the record for most penalties in one game, still win. Some controversial calls, still win. Blowing a 17 point lead and the franchise quarterback getting hurt and they still find a way to win. This team will not bow. They will not give up. The will to win burns bright in this team! Al Davis is smiling somewhere up in the skies. After 14 painful seasons, we finally have a winning season! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

CAR 25 OAK 24

Wow, the first half was awesome. The start of the 2nd half not so much. Our worst fear of Derek Carr getting injured has manifested itself. The Raiders were putting together a solid offensive drive to start and then it just crashing down when Carr got his pinky finger dislocated on the snap. Matt McGloin comes in and didn't do much. The Panthers cashed in the opportunity, scoring 18 unanswered points. 12 of them was when Carr was out. The next 6 was off a turnover from Carr throwing with a glove. This quarter sucked the air out of the momentum that the Raiders had. They've overcome a lot of adversity in the 4th quarter. Let's see what this next chapter will unfold.

Week 12: RAIDERS vs. Carolina Panthers 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the 1st half of the Raiders' week 12 matchup vs. the defending NFC Champions, Carolina Panthers. Leave a comment below the post on your thoughts during the half.

Q2

CAR 7 OAK 24

Now that was a fun quarter to watch! The Panthers are better than what their record indicates, but the Raiders are not taking anything lightly. All three phases are running well: offense, defense, and special teams. If it weren't for that roughing the passer penalty on Stacy McGee, the Raiders would've pitched a shutout so far. This is the kind of performance we've been waiting for from the Raiders all season long. I'm still fired up on that pick 6 by Khalil Mack to close out the quarter. That was a great athletic play to read the misdirection throw by Cam Newton. The negatives I can only pinpoint is that running game is not doing so well. The Panthers' D-line are doing a great job keeping the run game in check, but Tay Train was still able to punch in one rushing TD. Then, the last few offensive possessions I thought were a little too conservative. Some quick 3 and outs, pretty dangerous to leave all those points on the field for Cam and the Panthers offense. This should be a complete blowout right out of the gate. But, there's satisfaction to be taken in with this dominant first half performance. Derek Carr is distributing the ball well and the offense is just putting together solid, methodical drives to gas out the Panthers defense. The defense is creating a lot of pressure on the Panthers and their banged up O-line. Now, 2nd half, usually in the past, when the Raiders were up by this kind of margin, they put their foot off the gas and let the game be a lot closer than it is. They need to "keep pounding" on this Panthers team. No ifs, ands, or buts. Make the necessary adjustments and run the Panthers out of the Coliseum and straight out of Oakland! The 2nd half post will open up shortly.

Q1

CAR 7 OAK 7

So, Cam Newton gets his wish for the refs to call more roughing the passer calls. Defenses still do it, but when it's the Raiders, the flags come out immediately. But, aside from that, great start for the Raiders holding the Panthers to nothing on their first possession. Carr and the offense had a pair of very methodical drives. I gotta give Musgrave credit for a solid game plan to start. But going back to the last drive by the Panthers, I thought that penalty was questionable. No way Stacy McGee would've stopped his momentum going forward. But, gotta live with it. Still more football to go.

Lakers Didn't Upset Warriors at Staples This Time Around

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

We know D'Angelo Russell is out for 3 weeks with a sore knee, Julius Randle is day-to-day with a hip pointer, and Nick Young was out this game. A team can only do so much short-handed. Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer, notching 20 points and 5 steals as a starter, but the Lakers just couldn't hang with the Big 4 of the Warriors as Curry, Thompson, Green, and Durant were all in double figures to help beat the Lakers 109-85. Brandon Ingram had a woeful shooting night, scoring 8 points on 3-18 shooting, but managed to grab 9 rebounds and 2 steals. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 13 points while Larry Nance Jr. followed closely with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Thomas Robinson also had a solid game off the bench, racking up 6 points and 10 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Golden State 109-85 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161125/GSWLAL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: vs. Atlanta (11/27)

Lakers Get Hammered by Warriors

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Remember the last game against the Warriors I said they'll be out looking for blood next time around? Well, that has manifested itself tonight. To make matters worse, D'Lo and Randle were both out so the Lakers were pretty much overmatched. Looks like we have a three way tie on the leading scorers for the Lakers, but let's address the starters. Brandon Ingram continues to make baby steps forward, scoring 16 points and hitting two 3 pointers while starting in place of Julius Randle. But, the Lakers got dominated, plain and simple. They lose to the Warriors 106-149. Timofey Mozgov added 12 points on 5-7 shooting to round out the starters. Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams were co-leading scorers off the bench as both players chipped in 16 points. The Lakers get the Warriors again on Friday after Thanksgiving.

Final Score: @ Golden State 106-149 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161123/LALGSW#/recap

Highlights: *To be posted*


Next Game: vs. Golden State (11/25)

Lakers Hold Off Thunder

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Wow, the Thunder tonight and the Warriors back-to-back for tomorrow and Friday. That is one tough stretch for the young Lakers squad, but a win tonight was a good step forward. Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer, scoring 18 points off the bench to go with 4 assists and 4 steals to help the Lakers snap a two-game losing streak in 109-111 victory over Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lou Williams followed JC with 13 points off the bench and Brandon Ingram gets his first double-digit point total of his NBA career with 11 points and finally finding the range with three 3-pointers. For the starters, Nick Young lead all scorers with 17 points, including hitting the game-winner, Timofey Mozgov followed closely with 16 points, and Jose Calderon with a surprise performance chipped in 12 points with 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Hmmm, the Lakers beat OKC at home and they go to Oakland to face the Warriors tomorrow. *Gulp.* But, we'll see.

Final Score: vs. Oklahoma City 109-111 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161122/OKCLAL#/recap

Highlights: *Highlights courtesy of NBA Conference*

Next Game: @ Golden State (11/23)

Raiders Outlast Texans in a Monday Night Mexican Standoff

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Monday Night game vs. the Houston Texans in Mexico where the Raiders reclaim sole possession of first place in the AFC West beating the Texans 20-27.

Aside from the OT win against the Bucs Week 8, this is up there as one of the more polarizing victories we can take in. We take the win, but the penalties were excruciating. As I said, the Texans looked like the better team out there. Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller, and the Texans, they were gashing the defense all game long. They were keeping Derek Carr in check defensively. But, the Raiders just made the bigger plays and yes, we got a little help. There'll be two controversies that'll be talked about in this game: DeAndre Hopkins ruled out of bounds when his foot wasn't on the white chalk and of course, the 4th and inches in the 4th quarter that was ruled short. But as Khalil Mack would say: "by any means" and the Raiders found another way to win when the odds were stacked against them.

(+)

*I'm having a hard time to take away any positives here. Bear with me.*

Jamize Olawale, 3 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD. The master of the wheel route! The expectations were high for Olawale when the Raiders cut Reece, but we knew Olawale was a stud. In the 4th quarter, Olawale executed the wheel route to perfection and he was off to the races for a 75 yard touchdown. Aside from Amari Cooper's go-ahead touchdown for the lead, Olwale's play was critical for the Raiders to get back into this game.

Jalen Richard, 3 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD. I'm not going to include the rushing stats because the run game was non-existent all game long. But Richard stepped it up, scoring the first TD of the game. In the 4th quarter, he made a clutch catch from Derek Carr as the clock winded down to the 2 minute warning.

Defense. The defense had to be catching their breath from playing a long time in that Mexico City altitude. They couldn't get off the field on 3rd downs early on. Penalties also couldn't get them off the field. But I commend them for holding their ground all game long. Get all the oxygen you can get guys.

Derek Carr, 21 of 31 passes, 295 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. His 1 INT to start the 3rd quarter was bad, but drops by the receivers really hurt his stats. Also the fact that the running game couldn't get going, Carr had to carry the team. He made big throws at the right time. Most of his throws aside from the INT were money. It's just that the receivers were dropping a lot passes.

(-)

The running game. I gotta tip my hat off to the Texans' defense on this negative. Clowney, Mercilus, Wilfork (still a good run stuffer), they were pushing the O-line back and making the negative plays. The running game did show up at the end of the game, but they couldn't get anything going and the Texans' defense did a good job on that.

Drops. There were a lot of them. Seth Roberts had a couple drops. Michael Crabtree, definitely Michael Crabtree had a couple of uncharacteristic drops. Crabtree has been relatively quiet the last two games. Hopefully, he can shake this off and have a nice bounceback game against the Panthers next week.

Controversy. Yup, DeAndre Hopkins out of bounds and the 4th down play will overshadow this victory. Hopkins, no question was inbounds. But like I said on the 4th down, I think because the runner's knee was down before the ball extend the mark, I think that's the rationale why they ruled the turnover on downs. But, this will be talked about over this win.

MVP

Derek Carr 21 of 31 passes, 295 passing yards, 3 TDs

I don't think anybody deserved MVP after this game. But, I'd say Derek Carr deserved this. The stats could've been more if it weren't for the drops, but Carr did make the clutch throws for the explosive plays down the stretch.




Conclusion

Sloppy game. Controversial game. But at the end of the day, a win is a win. Kansas City lost last night and the Raiders are sole possession in 1st place. The cushion could be even greater when KC plays Denver next week. But overall, this was not a great game for the Raiders performance-wise, but hey, all that matters is that they put another W in the column. Interesting stat, the Raiders are now 4-0 in primetime games with Derek Carr under center. It goes to show the bright lights do not phase our quarterback no matter the scenario. The Panthers are in town next week. This could be another close game like this one, but their secondary does not match up well with the receivers. But, 4-game win streak, 1st place in the AFC West. It feels great Raider Nation. Since this game was in Mexico, I'll say Buenas Noches and Hasta Luego for next week's game vs. the Panthers.

Week 11: ¡Viva México! - RAIDERS vs. Houston Texans 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half of the Raiders' Monday Night game vs. the Texans on Monday Night Football. As usual, leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q4

HOU 20 OAK 27

By any means necessary. This was not a clean game. There'll be a lot of controversy surrounding that 4th down call when the Texans were in the Red Zone. I was mad when I thought they had the 4th down. But, I think the rationale was his knee was down before the runner extended on the first down mark. No question, the Texans outplayed the Raiders, but the Raiders found a way to just win baby. 8-2, alone in first place in the AFC West! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

HOU 17 OAK 13 

The last thing we want to see is an INT thrown. Just on the first drive this quarter, Derek Carr threw to nobody open down the middle, resulting in an INT. The Texans managed to take advantage of that off a couple of bogus P.I. calls. This was a frustrating quarter to watch. The defense has regressed or they are just getting gassed because of the altitude. Just speechless to see this offense not in sync and the Texans are currently driving to look for the kill shot in this game. Everything is clicking for them on offense.

Week 11: ¡Viva México! - RAIDERS vs. Houston Texans 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Bienvenidos! Welcome to the 1st half of the Raiders' Week 11 Monday Night matchup vs. the Houston Texans in Mexico City! Leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q2

HOU 10 OAK 10

Well, there are a couple of reasons to draw on why this was a slow start for the Raiders. You have the one week off, the altitude, the soft turf. The offense, aside from the 2nd possession when Carr threw the TD to Richard, they're not executing well. The drops were epidemic in the half. Michael Crabtree, sure-hands, he's dropping some uncharacteristic balls. Seth Roberts too, dropping some balls. Amari Cooper, just that one catch in the first quarter, but other than that, non-existent. But, credit to the Texans defense. They are pushing the Raiders' O-line around, getting good penetration to stuff the run game. The defense also starting slow. You are beginning to wonder if the altitude is starting to take a toll because they've been on the field too long. They couldn't get off the field early on on 3rd down. Overall, I thought the Raiders looked sluggish this half. Certainly, the bye week might've played a factor, but the execution has to be better. We could've been talking 10-14, but instead we're all tied up. Hopefully, they get as many oxygen as they can in the locker room to play 30 more minutes. We just need to see a better second half. That's all that needs to be said.

Q1

HOU 3 OAK 0

Slow start on both ends of the ball. Bye weeks always leave a team rusty and this is a whole different case going to Mexico. The defense couldn't get Osweiler and the Texans' offense off the field on third down. DeAndre Hopkins could've had a walk in TD. Jadeveon Clowney was a big factor in the first offensive possession and lead to a quick 3 and out. But, the Raiders are doing a better job offensively, getting the tight end involved and implementing the no huddle. 

Lakers Drop 2nd Consecutive Home Game vs. Bulls

*Stats from NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Jimmy Butler was one bad dude this game. Lou Williams lead all scorers with 25 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers (including the half court buzzer beater in the 1st quarter), but the Lakers couldn't find a way to stop Jimmy Butler. Butler's 40 point performance overcame a late Lakers surge as the Lakers fell to the Bulls 118-110. Larry Nance Jr. added 18 points to go with 6 rebounds. For the starters, Nick Young lead all scorers with 15 points and Julius Randle had an uncharacteristic game without being any close to a double-double, but still finished with 14 points. D'Angelo Russell returned to action and racked up 8 points and 7 assists after missing Friday's game.

Final Score: vs. Chicago 118-110 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161120/CHILAL#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: vs. Oklahoma City (11/22)

Lakers Fall to Spurs Friday Night

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

I managed to catch this game on live stream. Despite the loss, the Lakers continued to fight to the end. The Spurs have been the gold standard of contending under the Gregg Popovich and I'm not mad at this game one bit. Lou Williams was the Lakers' top performer, scoring 24 points off the bench to go with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, but the Lakers fell just short of their rally against the Spurs 116-107. Jordan Clarkson followed with 20 points. As for the starters, Nick Young lead all scorers with 22 points, Julius Randle racked up 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Luol Deng chipped in 10 points.

Would the Lakers win if D'Angelo Russell played? Probably not. The Spurs are just too good of a team with their size and depth and they are solid defensively. I think the score would've been a lot closer, but the Spurs would still claw it out. As for people harping on Brandon Ingram with 4 points on 1-9 shooting during last night's game, just stop. Remember, Kobe was in the same position in his rookie year in 1996 averaging just 7 points a game off the bench and he gradually improved over time to become one of the all-time greats. Give it time with Ingram. The kid is only 19 years old. His shot will fall eventually, but everything else, he's doing great as a defender and facilitator.

Final Score: vs. San Antonio 116-107 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161118/SASLAL#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next game: vs. Chicago (11/20)

Russell and Randle Power Lakers Past Nets Tuesday Night

*Stats courtesy from NBA.com and Yahoo! Sports*

R&R baby! That should be nickname of the duo of D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. D'Lo is to the Nets what Kobe was to the Raptors, they just seem to go off when the Lakers play them. Russell scored a season high 32 points and hitting seven 3-pointers to go with 8 rebounds and 4 assists to help the Lakers hold off the Nets in a high scoring affair at the Staples Center, 118-125. Julius Randle went from double-double machine to triple-double machine, recording 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Hmmm, don't those numbers remind you of a certain #30 and #23 from Golden State? Anyway, Timofey Mozgov continues to prove doubters wrong showing he's worth the contract, going into MozGOD mode with 20 points and 6 rebounds to round out the starters. Jordan Clarkson, despite a 4-12 shooting night racked up 13 points and notched 5 steals and how about Tarik Black? Give him the minutes and he'll deliver. Black had a solid game off the bench, almost recording a double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Brooklyn 118-125 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161115/BKNLAL#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto* <-- b="">Be sure to check out his NBA content and subscribe!

Next Game: vs. San Antonio (11/18)

Lakers Denied Perfect Road Trip vs. T'Wolves

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

It was expected that this team was gonna fall flat on a back-to-back stretch after putting on a show Saturday night against the Pelicans. However, I'm hearing a lot of stories that the officiating played a factor into this game. Lou Williams, consistent as usual, lead all Lakers in scoring, coming off the bench with 17 points, but that doesn't compare to Andrew Wiggins' performance. Wiggins' 47 point explosion helped the Timberwolves pull off a decisive 99-125 win against the purple and gold. Jordan Clarkson followed Sweet Lou with 14 points off the bench and Brandon Ingram added 10 points (glad to see he's okay after that injury on Saturday). Onto the starters, everybody was ice cold except Julius Randle and Luol Deng. Randle added 14 points despite a 5 turnover performance and Deng contributed 13 points (Deng is known for this kind of performance and he can be hot one game and cold on the other, but has been a non-factor in scoring until now).

Final Score: @ Minnesota 99-125 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161113/LALMIN#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: vs. Brooklyn (11/15)

Lakers Steamroll Pelicans in New Orleans

*Stats from NBA.com and Yahoo! Sports*

Someone should change the New Orleans Pelicans' 2016-17 team photo to just a picture of Anthony Davis. I don't know if there's ever Co-Sixth Man of the Year Award winners in the NBA, especially on one team because JC and Sweet Lou are absolutely killing it on the bench. Jordan Clarkson lead all scorers, coming off the bench with 23 points on 8-12 shooting as the Lakers dominate the Pelicans 126-99 to go 2-0 on this recent road trip. I told you guys, they'll eventually learn to find ways to win on the road. Lou Williams followed suit with 21 points, consistent as usual and Brandon Ingram contributed an additional 10 points for the bench. Onto the starters, D'Angelo Russell lead the team with 22 points to go with 6 assists, Nick Young stays hot with 15 points, and Julius Randle nearly records a triple-double with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists to go with a pair of steals and blocks.

Final Score: @ New Orleans 126-99 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161112/LALNOP#/recap

Highlights: *Highlights courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ Minnesota (11/13)

Lakers Rally to Beat Kings in Sacramento

*Stats courtesy of Yahoo! Sports and NBA.com*

The good news is I was able to catch the 4th quarter of the game. I've been keeping track of the score as soon as I had the opportunity in my night class. It wasn't a good sign as the Kings were pummeling them early on. As soon as I got home, the Lakers were trailing only by just 3 in the 3rd quarter. Luckily, I was able to get home on time for the 4th quarter. This team is already better than the last few seasons. There is absolutely no quit in this team. I've said in the preview, if the young core is able develop faster than expected, they could make some noise. Luke Walton, the coaching staff and the veteran players are doing their jobs in complementing the young players. If I can recall, the Lakers were trailing as many 19 in this game. DeMarcus Cousins was having his way in the first half and they made the adjustment to double team him on defense and Cousins wasn't able to get anything going. D'Angelo Russell got hot in 3rd quarter, finishing up with 17 points. I heard that was key for the Lakers to get within striking distance. In the 4th quarter, the veterans started to take over. Mozgov stepped up his game. Nick Young and Lou Williams scored a couple of threes for the Lakers to get back and ultimately get in the lead and win 101-91. Sweet Lou was the leading scorer with 21 points, Young had 16 points, Mozgov had 10 points and a sweet dunk set up by Brandon Ingram. Julius Randle, continue to improve on those free throws, 15 points, 8 rebounds, 7-7 from the free throw line. That was a great win and a nice bounce back performance after falling flat in a winnable game vs. Dallas on Tuesday. Hopefully, they keep up the development and keep grinding out wins along the line.

Final Score: @ Sacramento 101-91 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161110/LALSAC#/recap

Highlights: *Highlights courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ New Orleans (11/12)

Lakers Handed 1st Home Loss vs. Mavs

*Stats from Yahoo! Sports and NBA.com*

Lakers didn't win and so didn't America last night. Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer, scoring 22 points off the bench and adding 3 steals, but the Lakers could not take advantage of a Dirk Nowitzki-less Dallas team as Harrison Barnes' 31 points performance helped the Mavs beat the Lakers 109-97, ending the Lakers' early undefeated home streak. Lou Williams followed Clarkson in terms of scorers off the bench with 15 points. Nick Young continued to stay hot with 20 points on 7-12 shooting and Julius Randle added yet another double-double to his resume with 15 points and 10 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell racked up 12 points and 7 assists to round out the starters.

Final Score: vs. Dallas 109-97 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161108/DALLAL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ Sacramento (11/10)

I know the Lakers-Kings game will be nationally televised tomorrow on TNT. However, I'm still taking some classes to finish up college and unfortunately, I have a Thursday night class all semester long that eats up the majority of the time of this game. So no open threads or full recaps for Thursday game, but I'll put up a quick recap/fact check post. 

Lakers Top Suns Sunday Night

*Stats from Yahoo! Sports and NBA.com*

How about that? Lakers beat the Warriors on Friday, Raiders beat the Broncos on Sunday Night, and simultaneously, the Lakers beat the Suns on Sunday Night. Great weekend Raider Nation, Laker Nation! I couldn't post the quick fact check after the Lakers-Suns game because primarily, I was so fired up when the Raiders beat the Broncos in front of a national audience. But, here it is. The morning after quick fact check. I'll eat some crow a little on Nick Young. I thought it would've been beneficial if he was traded because of the incident with D'Lo and how it could possibly screw up the chemistry. But, this season, he has revitalized his career. Swaggy P was the Lakers' top performer, scoring 22 points on 8-14 shooting and grabbing 7 rebounds to help the Lakers overcome the Suns and Devin Booker's 39 point performance in a 108-119 victory. Julius Randle continues to stay hot with 18 points on 6-9 shooting. Timofey Mozgov had a solid game with 14 points and 8 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell shot 2-11 from the field, but finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. The bench play continues to stay hot with Jordan Clarkson leading the way with 18 points and Lou Williams following with 14 points and 6 assists.

Final Score: vs. Phoenix 108-119 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161106/PHXLAL#/video

Highlights: *Highlights courtesy of Ximo Pierto* <= A majority of the time, I get the full highlights from him. Make sure to like his videos and subscribe. He does a great job putting up NBA highlights of the game almost in its entirety. So, be sure to subscribe to him.

Next Game: vs. Dallas (11/08)

Raiders Alone in 1st Place in the AFC West in Big Prime Time Win over Broncos

Welcome in to the full recap of the Raiders' Sunday Night showdown with the Broncos. What's on the line here? 1st place in the AFC West! The Raiders have shown all of America that they are back, beating the Super Bowl champions 20-30 in Oakland.

"The Raiders are not going to run over us," they said. "They won't score against our defense," they said. "The No Fly Zone will shut down your receivers," they said. Well, what happened? Man, this was a great win. I mean every time the Raiders play the Broncos, I get a little more amped up than I should because they are the AFC West team I despise the most. I wasn't there last season to cover Khalil Mack's 5 sack game because I had some finals to study for, but I still made an effort to get my bragging rights on. Here, I'm going full force! Broncos fans have been talking a lot of trash lately before this game on how the Raiders are not going to do this. Not going to do that. But, news flash! They did what they did and punched the Broncos right in the kisser! It was great and satisfying and I'm looking forward to how many excuses some "Dinko-Donko" fans will bring up. But, Raider Nation, do we care? NOPE!

(+)

The running game. I think we can all universally agree that this was the key to beating the Broncos. If the Raiders are able to run the ball, they'll be able to keep the Denver defense honest. Of course, the attention is going to be Latvius Murray's big game. And it was big game for him. 20 carries, 114 yards, 3 one-yard TDs. That's his game. Give him the ball in short yardage situations and he'll do the rest. Although this Tay Train's game, we won't discount the two other rookie running backs. Jalen Richard had 6 carries on 82 yards, he broke off a couple of big runs against the defense. DeAndre Washington had 10 carries for 35 yards, but he had some solid gainers. No need for Carr to risk slinging the ball against the No Fly Zone secondary. The ground game turned it up a notch tonight.

Kelechi Osemele. K.O. You win! He is worth every penny when the Raiders signed him in the offseason! Not only did he bring another big body upfront, but he brings a physicality to this Raiders O-line. Back in 2013 when the Ravens played the Broncos, K.O. just threw down Von Miller like a rag doll. This game, he was absolutely bullying the Broncos' front 4. He makes the left side great and the Raiders were able to exploit that, playing power run football to the left and K.O. was blocking with tenacity and violence. What a beast!

Penalties. Wait, penalties are a positive? What? Well, luckily the Raiders didn't break another record. 23 penalties last week compared to just 8 this week. The Broncos were the ones committing all the penalties and the Raiders did everything to draw those peanlties. They made the Broncos defense, particularly the No Fly Zone so undisciplined.

Special teams. Poor Broncos cannot buy good field position early on. Marquette King was pinning Trevor Siemian and the Broncos' offense deep. It wasn't all just Marquette King. Sebass was booting out. Taiwan Jones, Brynden Trawick, everybody on special teams was making tackles inside the Broncos' 20 yard line and they couldn't get anything as the defense was forcing a lot of quick 3 and outs.

Khalil Mack, 3 tackles, 2 sacks. Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Season between Khalil Mack and Von Miller. Miller might have won the first few rounds, but Mack rallied and won the fight. Mack with one more sack than Miller, but he had more hurries, pressures, and a few disruptions that doesn't show up on the stats sheet. Mack continues to stay hot and I can't imagine what Hell he's going to bring when Mario Edwards and Aldon Smith come back hopefully after the bye. 

(-)

Should've been a complete blowout. Okay, this is not a real negative, but I wanted to see the Raiders make the Broncos throw in the towel early. The Broncos had a couple of lucky breaks. Siemian heaves a lucky throw to Demaryius Thomas when Reggie Nelson was in his grill. And of course, you got that screen to Bibbs in the mid 4th quarter. I'm just asking what in the world? But, oh well, the Raiders still got the win. But, this should've been a beatdown in Oaktown.

MVP

Latavius Murray, 20 carries, 114 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs, 1 reception, 13 receiving yards

All aboard the Tay Train! He looked like the Latavius Murray of old when he rushed for over 100 yards and 2 TDs in the Thursday Night game against the Chiefs two years ago. Continue to doubt him, but you can't deny his work ethic to get better.

Conclusion

No more calling the Raiders the laughing stock of the NFL. It's time to bury that title. R.I.P. 2003-2015. However, we're not quite out of the tunnel yet. There's still a few more games to go before we talk playoffs and possibly division champions. There's still the Kansas City Chiefs whom the Raiders have yet to beat and like last season, they are hot after the bye week. But, no question this win against the Super Bowl champions in front of a world wide audience leaves no doubt that the Raiders are for real! Now, it's a matter of finishing the season strong. They have the bye week next week to rest up and hopefully, we see the return of Mario Edwards Jr. and Aldon Smith to bolster the defense. So, help is on the way in the final stretch of the season. Let's hope the cards play out. But, it's celebration time Raider Nation! First place in the AFC West! The return to greatness is only beginning. I'll see you guys in two weeks when the Raiders go to Mexico to face the Texans in a Monday Night game. 

Week 9: Sunday Night - RAIDERS vs. Broncos 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half post of the Raiders-Broncos matchup on Sunday Night Football! As usual, leave a comment on your thoughts on the 2nd half of the game below this post.

Q4

DEN 20 OAK 30

First place in the AFC West baby! But, overall an impressive wire-to-wire win for this young Raiders squad  against the Super Bowl champions in their first Sunday Night game. This team has come so far. I don't know what else. You've seen it here America. The Silver and Black are back! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

DEN 10 OAK 20 

Well, not much action here, but the offense, despite not putting up points on the board, managed to run out some clock this quarter. Once again, the defense is holding its own out there, forcing Siemian on quick 3 and outs. But, Denver asked for P.I. on a great acting job by Demaryius Thomas on D.J. Hayden to extend the drive. However, that doesn't matter because the defense still held them to another 3 and out. 4th quarter is going to be critical. The Raiders have to put the defending Super Bowl champs away.

Week 9: Sunday Night - RAIDERS vs. Broncos 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the 1st half open thread and discussion of Week 9's primetime main event of the Raiders' critical divisional matchup vs. the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football on NBC! Leave a comment on your thoughts on the 1st half below this post.

Q2

DEN 10 OAK 20

That was quite a scare at the final seconds. If Emmanuel Sanders made that catch, it would've been a whole different narrative. But, so far no jitters for this young Raiders team in their first nationally televised prime time game. Yes, there's a lot of points the offense left out there out on the field, but so far they've managed to keep this Denver defense on their heels for the majority of the game. The key here was the running game. Jalen Richard broke out big chunks of yardages to get within Denver territory. Latavius Murray broke out a huge chunk before the 2nd quarter came to an end and he managed to get two 1-yard TD runs. The defense kept Trevor Siemian and Broncos' offense in check. They were getting a lot of quick 3 and outs. But, they did allow a touchdown. I don't know how Siemian was able to get that pass to Demaryius Thomas when Reggie Nelson was in his grill and that set up the Broncos' only touchdown of the game by Jordan Norwood. Other than that, stats sheets go in favor of the Raiders this first half. Offense is displaying some good balance in both the run and the pass. Not a lot of negative this half, but of course, the penalties came back up again during the 2nd quarter. Another negative, I don't know if it's me, but what is going on with Janikowski? Raiders could've been up 10-23, but Sebass missed a 48-yard field goal. Last game, he missed both game-winning field goals with the wind in his face, but here, he missed without any wind. He has to get it together. The Raiders should approach the 2nd half with the same formula: use the O-line to play smash mouth football on the run and continue to lock up when the Broncos take the field on offense. The 2nd half open thread will open up shortly.

Q1

DEN 0 OAK 6

Wow, just looking at the score alone, the narrative is that the game is going to be a defensive battle. But, so far, the Raiders have dominated this quarter in terms of field position and being in good position to put points on the board. They could've had a TD, but Seth Roberts slipped on the first drive for the Raiders' offense. Special teams and defense are being difference makers. Trevor Siemian and the Broncos' offense could not get anything going. Raiders offense is currently driving. Let's see if they cap it off with a TD.

Young Lakers Take It to the Super Warriors in Decisive Win

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' big victory over the Golden State Warriors as the Lakers punch the bully in the mouth, gaining a monumental 97-117 upset over the Warriors.

Sorry if this postgame recap took too long to post because I've got my hands full over a couple of friends who are Warriors fans. Bragging rights is great! But, for sure, this game does not change the stance of the Warriors nor the Lakers. The Warriors are still a championship contender and the Lakers are in the process of grooming their young talent. But, like I said, great win. You can't ask for a better confidence builder by beating one of the best teams in the Western Conference, let alone in the NBA. This game is one of those barometer builder games and the Lakers answered the challenge, taking on the role of David in overcoming Goliath.

(+)

The Bench Mob. Having a good bench is always a relief for a team. Throughout the 4-game road trip, the bench play was the strength for the Lakers and I finally saw it first hand. Lou Williams, Larry Nance Jr., Tarik Black, Jordan Clarkson, and Brandon Ingram, what a bench lineup. Sweet Lou as usual lead all bench players with 20 points. He's such a luxury to have with the way he draws contact and how he can hit from deep. When the Warriors had their run, Lou stepped his game up and did what he did best. Larry Nance Jr., 12 points, 9 rebounds. Get this man in the dunk contest NOW! Like I said in the 2nd quarter, his poster of David West is arguably the highlight of the game and pretty sums up how the Lakers threw down the gauntlet over the Warriors. Tarik Black played a decent game with 8 points, most of his points came from a couple of beautifully-executed alley oops. Clarkson had 9 points, he didn't need to do much. Brandon Ingram 12 points and 6 rebounds. The shots for Ingram will come, but he did a great job facilitating and getting to the free throw line.

Julius Randle, 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10-18 shooting. Lakers got the double-double machine rolling again. One thing we know about the Warriors is that even if they have Curry, Klay, KD, and Green, they are really undersized in the paint. I thought Randle did a great job exploiting their weakness. Talk about a wild 4th quarter for Randle! He went out there tipping everybody's missed shots for 2nd chance points. Don't sleep give up on Randle just yet. He's going to continue to develop into a beast.

D'Angelo Russell, 17 points, 5-11 shooting. D'Lo's first shot, which happened to be a 3-pointer, arguably set the tone this game. Russell didn't have to do too much since the bench was once again playing out of their minds. But, when the Warriors went on their run in the 2nd half, D'Lo hit a couple of big buckets to add more cushion to the lead. 

Nick Young, 12 points, 4-11 shooting. Yes, the woeful shooting stats will be there, but Swaggy P was a defensive menace out there. Okay, maybe that's too much, but I've been impressed with his improved defense that it offsets his poor shooting. Most of his shots were big. His only 3 pointer of the game in the 3rd quarter helped the Lakers build their lead back up. Stats don't show it, but he lived up to the Swaggy P nickname. Might as well convert it to "Swaggy D" because of his improved defense.

Breaking Curry's 3-point streak. Man, it felt like an eternity where Curry has not missed a 3-point shot. Overall, the Lakers held the Warriors to 4-24 shooting, but truth be told, they were missing some good look 3-pointers that they routinely make. But, this game, the Lakers proved that Steph Curry is human, even from beyond the arc. 10 3-point attempts and he missed all of them. 

(-)

I couldn't pinpoint any negatives because this was too fun of a game watch. But, if anything, I would say the 2nd half effort. I thought the Lakers took a step back after a brilliant first half and started allowing the Warriors to storm right back into the game. Some of it though were due to brilliant adjustments by Steve Kerr, particularly on the defensive end. But overall, the Lakers pumped the brakes a little bit in the 2nd half.

MVP

Lou Williams, 20 points, 7-14 shooting

Some will say Julius Randle deserves MVP honors and there's no wrong in that. Personally, I thought Lou Williams deserves this honor. He managed to keep the team together when the Warriors were coming back. Sweet Lou stepped in and put the team on his back to add more cushion to the Lakers' lead whether it's deep 3's, driving to the hoop, or drawing contact from defenders.

Conclusion

Well, the bad news is that the Lakers will meet the Warriors again this month twice in the same week. So, definitely the Warriors will be looking for blood the next time around. This was the golden opportunity since they were coming off an emotional win over the Thunder for Kevin Durant and the Lakers capitalized on the Warriors' back-to-back stretch. But, like I said, this is a great win to gauge the barometer for this team. This Lakers team, as young as they are, they will not bow down or lay down to anyone. Luke Walton has this team competing for a full 48 minutes and it's great to see that progress is being made early on into the season. Nothing more needs to be said. Laker Nation, let's enjoy this win because these come once in a blue moon. But like I said, it's the sound of progression and hopefully the process continues to go the right way for this young team.  As a reminder, I don't cover all 82 games, only the ones that are nationally televised. Every other game that's exclusive to local TV will be condensed into a quick recap/fact check. I'll see you guys for the next nationally televised Lakers game, whenever that is.

11/04: Challenge - LAKERS vs. Golden State Warriors 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the Lakers-Warriors Friday night matchup. As usual, leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q4

GSW 97 LAL 117

Wow, what an impressive win! Like I said, for 48 minutes, the Lakers have to go out there and compete regardless of the outcome. And wow, I am impressed. Yes the Warriors were off back-to-back nights, but talk about being dominated here late in the 4th. The Lakers hand the Warriors their 2nd loss. Curry's 3-point streak is over. This is a great win for the young Lakers squad. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

GSW 82 LAL 93

We all know the Warriors are capable of making a run regardless if the team has an off shooting night. But, I absolutely love the fight the Lakers are giving them. Every time it seems that Golden State has the moment, the young Lakers regroup and start answering the bell. They've made some critical buckets down the stretch to give the lead a little cushion after the Warriors' run. It's now a matter of keeping up the energy on both ends of the floor and finishing this game strong in the 4th quarter. 

11/04: Challenge - LAKERS vs. Golden State Warriors 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the first half of the game where the young Lakers face a daunting challenge ahead of them against the surging Golden State Warriors superteam. Leave a comment below the post on your thoughts on the game.

Q2

GSW 49 LAL 65

On opening night of the NBA season, I had a conversation with my friend Stillmattic, who's a die-hard Warriors fan and I noted that the weakness the Warriors have right now is a lack of a true inside presence. That continues because Julius Randle is out hustling Draymond Green for 2nd chance opportunities during the final stretch of this quarter. But overall, great half for the Lakers to open up this game. D'Angelo Russell started things off with a three and the Lakers continue to pound away against a Warriors team that can be pretty much get hot and come back at any moment. But, I love the energy on both sides of the ball despite a couple of lapses. Bench play has been impressive lately as evident in the road games and they are as good as advertised. Last stat I recall, they combined for 32 points. Tarik Black was a beast out there and how about Larry Nance Jr.? That guy needs to follow in his father's footsteps and compete in the dunk contest! His dunk over David West is arguably the highlight of this game so far. Lakers are doing a solid job taking advantage of the Warriors on back-to-back nights. Obviously, the field goal percentage has to be a lot better and they have to keep the energy up on defense. Keys to the 2nd half is that the Lakers need to continue putting pressure on the ball and creating more turnovers and hope that Curry, Thompson, and Durant's shooting woes continue. The 2nd half open thread will open up shortly.

Q1

GSW 15 LAL 24

Well, the Warriors needed that big bucket from Iggy. But, the Lakers got the Warriors where they got them, going back-to-back nights after last night's game vs. OKC. They're creating turnovers and did a good job catching the Warriors off guard. The ball movement was great too. However, there is a lot of points left to be desired out there on the floor. Despite the Warriors' misses, the Lakers couldn't capitalize on making shots of their own, which could've ballooned this lead more. Still, good effort on the Lakers part to come out swinging from the start. 

Lakers Earn 1st Road Win vs. Hawks to Wrap Up 4-Game Road Trip

*Stats courtesy of Yahoo! Sports and NBA.com*

Now that the World Series has wrapped up, it's time to bring out the quick recap of tonight's game. The wins on the road will come for this young team and they have notched a W tonight. D'Angelo Russell was the Lakers' top performer with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists to go with 3 blocks as the Lakers pull out of Atlanta with a 123-116 win over the Hawks. Nick Young added 17 points and Luol Deng notched a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Bench play was strong yet again as Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 18 points, Jordan Clarkson added 16 points, and Larry Nance Jr. stayed hot with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Ivica Zubac made his regular season debut, filling in for Timofey Mozgov. Zubac had a decent outing, racking up 6 points on a perfect 3-3 shooting.

Final Score: @ Atlanta 123-116 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161102/LALATL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: vs. Golden State (11/04) <= *Open Thread and Full Recap Possible*

Lakers Now 0-3 in Road Trip in Loss to Pacers

*Stats from Yahoo! Sports and NBA.com*

One thing we can takeaway from these road games is that the Lakers are competing. The road wins will come in time, but we can see that there is fight in this young team despite the losses. The bench play was strong here in this game against Indiana. Larry Nance Jr. had a solid all-around game as the Lakers top performer, coming off the bench with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and a season-high and career-high 6 steals. But, the Lakers could not contain Paul George and his 30 point performance, losing to the Pacers 108-115. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 19 points and Jordan Clarkson followed with 15 points. Only two starters were in double figures in point totals. D'Angelo Russell racked up 11 points, despite another cold shooting night and Luol Deng added 10 points and 6 rebounds. Julius Randle lead all players in rebounds with 10 boards.

Final Score: @ Indiana 108-115 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20161101/LALIND#/video

Highlights: *Highlights courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Next Game: @ Atlanta (11/02)