Lakers Keep Rolling with Win Over Hawks

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Brandon Ingram lead all Lakers with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with 6 assists and 3 blocks in the Lakers' 123-104 win over the Hawks Tuesday night. Julius Randle and KCP joined B.I. in the double-double club as Randle racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds and KCP chipped in 10 points and 14 rebounds. Josh Hart added 14 points and Brook Lopez added 11 points to round out the starters. Lonzo Ball grabbed highlights with the 2nd unit with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, including a perfect 4-4 shooting. I.T. added 13 points and 5 assists, Kyle Kuzma recorded a near double-double of 10 points and 9 rebounds, and Ivica Zubac also chipped in 10 points to round out the bench.

Final Score: @ Atlanta 123-104 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180226/LALATL#/recap

Next Game: @ Miami (03/01)

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

And there it is. The Lakers just tied their win total from last year and they're one win from breaking it. I'm gonna get one negative out the way: the turnovers. 23 turnovers in this game. The ball movement wasn't as crisp. They look like they played a little too fast out there. If they cut those in half, the margin would've been a lot bigger against this hapless Hawks team. But other than that, the Lakers showed off some great balance in this win with nine players in double figures. Three of them recorded double-doubles (Randle, Ingram, KCP). B.I. was just magnificent on both ends of the floor. When the Hawks made a mini run in 3rd quarter, Ingram took matters into his own hands scoring 8 of his 21 points in that quarter. Zo was perfect from the field this game. What did I tell people earlier this season? His shot will begin to fall in a matter of time. And for a small sample size after the break, he's starting to get more comfortable and more confident in his jump shot. KCP didn't follow up on his 34 point explosion in his homecoming to Atlanta, but he found ways to contribute to the team win, especially crashing the boards with the 14 rebounds. Despite the 3-game winning streak, those wins definitely spark some skepticism given that they played against sub .500 teams. Regardless, they are beating teams that they should beat. The next two games on this road trip are going to be the biggest test for the Lakers against two of the better teams in the NBA in Miami and San Antonio. Regarding the upcoming game against the Heat, if I recall, the Lakers have not won at Miami since 2008. They'll look to snap that long losing streak down in South Beach on Thursday.

Lakers Round Up Commentary: vs. Dallas; @ Sacramento

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

As a Laker fan, you can't ask for a better start after All-Star break at 2-0 and notching those wins off a back-to-back set. The Lakers are back on track and they're still on pace to break last year's win total from last season. So, away we go with another round up commentary.

02/23: vs. Dallas 102-124 [W]

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

To summarize what I said in the last round up commentary, the Lakers just have to get back to that commitment on the defensive end. That helps set up the fast pace tempo they like to play. And on Friday night, they did exactly that and never looked back. The Lakers avenged their Feb. 10 loss to the Mavs. The one thing I pinpointed in that loss was that they did not exploit Dallas' thin inside presence. They should've feasted in the paint during that game. They made those adjustments and just attacked the Mavs' interior defense at will. The Mavs looked really gassed and beat up out there just trying to keep up with the Lakers and the Lakers dominated with speed and power. Interesting that Lonzo Ball came off the bench this game. It looks like Luke didn't want to mess around with the Hart-Ingram-Randle-Lopez-KCP lineup as it has been their most successful lineup thus far. But other than that, Zo looked okay in his return, playing alongside I.T. off the bench. I think that relieves I.T. as a ball handler as defenders can just zone in on him to disrupt the Laker ball movement. With Zo on the floor, at least it kept the Mavs' defense honest. Julius Randle had a triple-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. He looked really patient and in control out there as he's running the floor, bulldozing Mavs players, and dishing out bullet passes. After this, I want to take back what I said in my season preview about the Lakers likely letting Randle walk. I'd rather have the Lakers re-sign Randle than possibly signing LeBron James who's almost at the end of his prime. Overall, this was a great team effort win.

02/24: @ Sacramento 113-108 [W]

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Friday's win over the Mavs was a cruise control victory. This game last night was a dramatic roller coaster down the stretch. This was gut check time for the Lakers to see how they could carry over the momentum from Friday's win. It's safe to say they passed the test even if last night's game had an ugly finish. Last night's game's secondary headline is the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope show. KCP lit up Sac-Town with a 34 point performance. He was raining threes last night and putting moves on defenders. KCP is a who's-who on game day. When he's hot, he's hot. When he's not, he's not. But, this was a great time for KCP to heat up and fire away. The Kings were knocking down their three balls. Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bagdanovic were headaches for the Lakers defense trying to defend beyond-the-arc. KCP and his 34-point explosion had some help. I.T. reminded everyone why he's the "King in the Fourth," knocking down a couple of big buckets in the 4th quarter. Kuzma also hit some big shots. The highlight of that quarter outside of KCP putting moves on Hield was Randle running the floor and throwing down an emphatic dunk to give the Lakers a 105-97 lead late in the 4th quarters. As mentioned about the ugly finish, the Lakers had a few hiccups with I.T. turning the ball over at the 32 second mark of the 4th quarter. KCP committed a bone-headed foul on Bagdanovic to set up a 4-point play with 14 seconds left in the game. But, I.T. made up for it with the free throws. Josh Hart sealed the game with two clutch free throws to give the Lakers the 113-108 win. We'll take it as it has been the story of the Lakers' road victories: near meltdowns, but they muster enough composure to hang on for the win.

Lakers Round Up Commentary: @ New Orleans; @ Minnesota + Post All-Star Adjustments

The NBA is back at it again after a fun All-Star break. Obviously, I called it a week when the Lakers still had two road games before the All-Star weekend. I already provided my quick commentary on the Dallas game as the Lakers opened up this three game road trip prior to the All-Star break. Now, I'll give my two cents on the last two games and bonus thoughts on what the Lakers need to do to get back on track for the 2nd half of the season.

02/14 - Final Score: @ New Orleans 117-139 [L]

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

The big highlight of the game was Isaiah Thomas' fight with Rajon Rondo. Both players got ejected this game. Not that it affected the outcome. The Pelicans got off to a very fast start. They didn't run away the whole game. The Lakers cut the deficit to as little as two points. Randle, Ingram, Kuzma, and Hart carried the team scoring-wise as all four were in double figures. Kuzma really had to pick up the load for the 2nd unit, especially without I.T. with 23 points. But, they really had no answer for Anthony Davis down low. This was one ugly road loss this season.

02/15 - Final Score: @ Minnesota 111-119 [L]

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

The Lakers almost had this game as the first win with I.T. on the floor. The biggest positive was the chemistry between I.T. and Ivica Zubac. They really developed a very effective rapport in pick-and-roll during this game. Zubac resurrected himself here with 18 points and 11 rebounds on perfect 8-8 shooting. No question he should see the floor more. The Timberwolves, they have a promising teams with seasoned veterans. And that showed down the stretch in this game. Wiggins and KAT didn't have to pick up the load. Rather, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague, and Jamal Crawford carried the Timberwolves to victory here. Butler, in particular, was sensational on both ends of the floor in that quarter. That ultimately spelled the Lakers' demise before the All-Star break.

After the All-Star Break

The Lakers get a big time boost with Lonzo Ball returning to the lineup. It's a heated debate between Zo and I.T. in terms of the starting point guard role. Some say they should start alongside each other. I don't see how that would work, especially at the idea of I.T. at the 2 guard or Zo at the 2 guard (which doesn't make any sense). It should be clear as day with Zo in the starting lineup and I.T. coming off the bench to give the Lakers more firepower. Zo's return should also benefit the Lakers defensively. The team defense has been out of the loop during this three game losing streak. The Lakers have to recommit on the defensive end to set up the fast pace play in the Lakers' favor. I think after Zubac's game, Luke Walton must consider adding him to the rotation. They're playing a two-man rotation at the 5 with Brook and Randle. The small ball lineup works, but like the Dallas game, coaches will counter with a big-sized lineup to slow down the Lakers' small ball play. I'd say the same should be said for including Thomas Bryant in the rotation. Use those guys to counter if teams send out a bigger lineup. Josh Hart likely going back to the bench with Zo returning could do wonders to mask I.T.'s defensive weaknesses as they'll be the back court for the 2nd unit. A playoff push for the 2nd half is still not out of the picture, but the Lakers have to get back to the basics to make that a reality: playing tough team defense and playing fast and aggressive. It all hinges on Luke as a head coach to push the right buttons at the right time. The Lakers resume tomorrow against Dallas. I was supposed to cover that game after the break, but something else has popped up and I won't be covering the game unfortunately. Speaking of Dallas, the Mavs in a massive ditch with the sexual harassment in the workplace allegations. Mark Cuban's got his work cut out to clean up that deep of a mess. I'll see you guys later.

No Lakers-Timberwolves Open Thread and Full Recap

Hey guys. Just to re-assure everyone, I will not be providing open thread and full recap posts for tonight's Laker game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves on the blog. I'll provide a Quick Fact Check and Commentary posts though for the game as well as last night's game vs. the Pelicans. Those will be up after All-Star weekend and I will see you guys next Friday when the Lakers take on the Mavs after the All-Star break.

Isaiah Thomas Shines in Debut, But Lakers Can't Stop Mavs

*Stats Courtesy of NBA.com*

Isaiah Thomas, I.T., made his debut in purple and gold Saturday night, scoring 20 points off the bench while dishing 6 dimes. But, the Mavs had other plans for his debut as they beat the Lakers 123-130 behind a 22-point throwback performance from Dirk Nowitzki. Julius Randle lead all Lakers in scoring with 26 points, also recording a near triple-double by adding 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Brandon Ingram was on target tonight from deep, shooting 4-5 from 3-point land and finishing with 22 points. Brook Lopez added 16 points and KCP added 14 points to round out the starters. Kyle Kuzma was the only Laker with a double-double, notching 12 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.

Final Score: @ Dallas 123-130 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180210/LALDAL#/recap

Next Game: @ New Orleans (02/14)

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

This game was marked by horrible effort on the defensive end from the get go. The Mavs were getting open shots all game long, shooting at a high percentage. There was not a whole lot of on ball pressure because when the Mavs had any room to shoot, they were gonna launch it. And almost 100% of the time, that shot is gonna go in. Not to mention, Dallas' size hurt the Lakers small ball lineup down the stretch. Salah Mejri really made a difference as the Mavs' rim protector, swatting a couple of key baskets in the 4th quarter that would've allowed the Lakers to pull away with another road victory. Also, Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, their more athletic bigs, were a step ahead of the Lakers' interior defense, resulting in lob after lob after lob. Brook Lopez had a frustrating game, settling for bad 3-point shots. The Mavs didn't have any down low presence until Mejri came in the 4th. Brook should've bodied Dirk all game inside the paint. Those were a couple key points why this Laker team lost. Speaking of Dirk Nowitzki, amazing night for him to turn back the clock with a 22-point game. He and Vince Carter are the last of their kind now from their era. On the flipside, I.T. did look good in his debut. It looked there was nothing wrong with his hip as he was able to drain a couple of threes, be aggressive to the cup, and make the unselfish play at the opportune time. I.T. was what the doctor ordered for the Lakers. A veteran point guard that could score and set teammates up. He did commit the same amount turnovers as he had assists with 5 and some of them were crucial down the stretch. Other than that, not too bad of a debut! Brandon Ingram's 3-point shot continues to fall. 4-5 from beyond the arc, that is impressive. He's gonna be a problem once that shot falls on a consistent basis. Kuzma with a double-double off the bench. He was a machine at crashing the glass. "Bully Ball" Randle feasted inside the paint, although his performance this game was marred by one of Mejri's blocks and Kleber absolutely posterized him in the final seconds of the 4th quarter to seal the deal. The offense clicked, but I've made this remark in the past, this Lakers squad is not built to outlast against teams in a shootout. Even with I.T. on board, that notion still stands. They have to lock it down on the defensive end and push the ball in transition. Last night just wasn't the night for the defense.

Lakers Retain Home Game Win Streak vs. Suns

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Brandon Ingram lead all Lakers in scoring with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead the Lakers past the Suns 93-112, extending their win streak at Staples Center to 7 wins. Julius Randle followed with 21 points and 8 rebounds, Josh Hart added another double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Brook Lopez was on target from deep with 12 points on four 3-pointers. Kyle Kuzma was brought back to life this game, racking up 16 points for the 2nd unit while Larry Nance Jr. did work on the boards with 10 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Phoenix 93-112 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180206/PHXLAL#/recap

Highlights: *courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

It was a good finish after a sluggish start to the game. I think the Lakers got a little too comfortable returning back home after a solid stretch on the road. Phoenix was getting any shot they wanted. There was not a lot of on ball pressure from the Lakers  defense during the first half. Also, I thought the Suns did a good job using their size out-rebounding the Lakers during that half. But, by the time the 2nd half went underway, there was a different energy from the Lakers. They went back to their formula that made them successful: be aggressive, play good team defense, and run with the basketball from end to end. They definitely picked up the intensity on both ends of the floor. The Suns, after a terrific start, finished the night shooting under 40%. Randle, Ingram, Hart, Lopez, and Kuzma did a whole lot of work. Josh Hart continues to impress by playing his game with confidence. Ingram was nearly unstoppable this game as he attacked the Suns' defense non-stop on his way to the basket. It's impressive to think that since Luke put Hart in the lineup and Ingram at point, the Lakers got back to playing the high octane, fast pace tempo they wanted to play when Lonzo was on the floor before he got hurt. So far, it continues to work. Lopez was on target again from three-point land. I'd like to see him take more shots inside. But when the 3-points shot goes, it goes and if Lopez can find that balance, scoring outside and inside, look out. Randle played the usual bully ball. He was a little sloppy with the basketball during this game though. The shooting guard position anchored by KCP and Clarkson were a let down. Clarkson just missed all kinds of shots. He made up in the 4th quarter, but he couldn't buy a bucket to start. KCP only got his points off a dunk and couple of free throws. Hart's emergence just got the Lakers to trade Clarkson. You know what rhymes with emergence? Resurgence. And we saw a resurgence from Kyle Kuzma this game. He's been quiet in the last couple of games, but it was nice to see he gained a little bit of his offense back in this game. The late 1st round picks of the 2017 draft, Kuzma and Hart, showed out this game. The Lakers are on pace to break last year's win total of 26 wins and we're not even in the All-Star break yet. It goes to show that this team's arrow is pointing up after rough years since the 2012-13 season.

Lakers Thrash Westbrook-less, Melo-less Thunder

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' Thursday night matchup vs. the Oklahoma City where the Lakers took full advantage of Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony's absence, beating down the Thunder 81-106.

This recent win against the Thunder is not too much of an attention grabber like the last time these two teams played in OKC. But with all the hoopla before the trade deadline today, the Lakers came out just fine despite being short handed as well. This game was basically Paul George vs. the Lakers. He put on a showing in the first half and got some cheers at introduction. L.A. gave him love tonight. Somehow, the NBA will fine Magic and the Lakers $50K again for tampering. But going back, no Clarkson, no Nance, no problem. The Lakers still played their brand of basketball with a little wrinkle with the way the three-point game went tonight.

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Three-point shooting. The Lakers connected on 30% of their shots from 3-point land. It's not an eye-opening stat, but for the last three quarters, they were on target. At one point in the 2nd quarter, the Lakers were 6/9 from deep. Brandon Ingram hit three 3's. KCP also connected on three 3's. B.I., KCP, Hart, and Kuz accounted for a majority of the Lakers' shots from deep.

Julius Randle, 17 points, 8-16 shooting. I was a little concerned about how Randle would play considering the deadline passed. But clearly, he has that max contract still in his head in a contract year, which is a good thing. The Thunder did not have the man power to match this man beast in the paint. Randle had his way with the bully ball tonight.

Brandon Ingram, 19 points, 6 assists, 7-11 shooting, 3-4 three pointers. Not only is Ingram doing a fantastic job balancing the aggressiveness in scoring and facilitating, but he's getting more confident with his 3-point shooting. He had a minor hiccup with the airball somewhere in the 4th quarter. But, other than that, Ingram still had a solid, efficient game.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 7-10 shooting. KCP had to step up as a scorer  considering how short-handed this Laker team is with Clarkson and Nance no longer on the squad and playing alongside Josh Hart. He delivered tonight.

Kyle Kuzma, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks. Say hello to the new sixth man until Isaiah Thomas touches down in LA. Kuzma was projected to carry a heavy load with the 2nd unit. Turned out to not be a problem as he still showed off the scoring prowess. He also displayed a solid showing on the defensive end too. That's the knack on his game currently and for a small sample size, he displayed his defensive ability with a couple of blocks and a steal.

(-)

Not a lot of negatives to point out. Probably a few minor ones, but a sound victory like this completely masks them.

MVP

Kyle Kuzma, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Kuzma is slowly getting back to form in these last two games. As I said, Clarkson and Nance are not there to provide the instant spark for the 2nd unit, so it was all up to Kuz. It was a not a problem offensively. He showed some potential too on the defensive end with the one steal and the pair of blocks.



Conclusion

The Lakers continue their upward trend and it's impressive to see this young continuing the winning ways despite losing a few fan-favorite young pieces. You gotta wonder, after this game, does Paul George want to stick around with OKC after the Lakers notched two consecutive games against the Thunder? This is an eye-opener that without their OK3 at full strength, the Thunder lack depth. And like last game, this makes Paul George's free agency a lot more challenging. We'll see what happens in the offeseason. But back to this game, Lakers get their eighth straight game at home and fourth win in a row. Again, I'll hold back on my hopes that the Lakers will make the playoffs, but the upward trend and their recent veteran additions will continue to heat up the talk. It's going to be interesting to see Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye debut for the purple and gold possibly on Saturday against the Mavs, especially IT. Reggie Miller said it best, IT is going to have to sacrifice a bit to integrate himself into the system that emphasizes on sharing the ball. The "King in the Fourth" arrives on Saturday. Expect a quick fact check and commentary post on that game. Speaking of that, I was supposed to have the post of Tuesday night's game against the Suns posted last night. But, I didn't realize it was still saved in the draft. I'll provide that tomorrow with a slight modification of my commentary after today's trade deadline. I'll see you guys later for the next nationally televised game.

02/08: LAKERS vs. OKC Thunder 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome in to the 2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Thunder matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

OKC 81 LAL 106

Garbage time makes the quarter long. But as I said, the Lakers needed to balloon this lead to get Paul George off the court and they got it done. Good to see that Bryant and Zubac got some action. I thought they worked well in the lineup together for a small sample size. Another great win to extend the win streak to eight games at Staples Center. The Lakers continue to be on pace to break their win total from last season. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

OKC 66 LAL 83

Fitting end for this quarter with Hart tipping in a missed shot from Kuzma. The threes continue to work for the Lakers! Ingram, Hart, and Kuzma provided the barrage from long range to balloon this lead to where it is now. I can see that Paul George is getting tired from carrying this Thunder team without Westbrook and Melo. It goes to what I said before, PG will have his way, but the Lakers have to contain everyone else. That is working and it also helps that the Thunder are missing their free throws when they get to the line. Good, dominant quarter from the Lakers. Time to put this team away in early part of the 4th quarter to make sure George doesn't see the court the rest of the way.

02/08: LAKERS vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome in to the 1st half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Thunder. Considering what went down earlier today before the trade deadline, expect to see a really shorthanded Laker team, especially on the bench. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

OKC 46 LAL 52

Kuzma had a couple more seconds to get across half court, but it is what it is. Not the end to the quarter the Lakers wanted, but fortunately they're still in the lead. The biggest stat here is that during this quarter, the Lakers went 6/9 from behind the 3-point arc. KCP and Kuzma provided most of the range from that distance and so did Ingram. Combined with the Lakers' defense and ability to push the ball and attack inside, it's what's giving them the edge against the Thunder. OKC is keeping themselves alive though. As I said before, Paul George is having his way here during this game. The mismatch between Jerami Grant and KCP hurt the Laker defense a little bit. Not to mention, 2nd chance opportunities and getting to the foul line also kept them alive. The way this game is trending, this should go in the Lakers' favor. PG13 going off this game, the Lakers can live with as long as no other Thunder player steps up to this game. George also showed he's human with a couple turnovers and Randle and Hart got blocks from him as well. They just gotta keep pushing the pace in transition and keep shooting from three as long as its working. Lopez's 3-point shot in particular is not working currently. Most of his shots were short or hit the back of the rim. He's gotta be better from that range. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

OKC 27 LAL 30

Nice strong finish after a slow start. That quarter was dominated by Paul George from early get-go. He was getting shot he wanted on the court. That, the Lakers could live with as long as no other player from the Thunder step up. They came back by dominating in the paint and playing their fast pace style of play from defense to offense. No Westbrook or Melo, they gotta take advantage of this matchup even if Clarkson and Nance are no longer there to provide the spark off the bench. So far, that doesn't seem to be a problem with Kuzma taking on a bigger load and Brewer stepping up to the plate.

Lakers Deal Clarkson, Nance on Trade Deadline

Obviously, I'm at work right now, but I'm taking my lunch break, which leaves me room to talk about this trade the Lakers made at the deadline. So, the Lakers send Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye. The original package was for IT, Frye, and a protected 1st round pick the Cavs got from the Nets. But, because the pick is protected, they can't trade it until the draft, so that left the Lakers with just IT and Frye. This trade is made for obvious reasons that Magic and Rob Pelinka are going all in for the 2018 and 2019 free agent class. Lakers wanted to unload Deng's $72 million contract, but they couldn't get any takers unless they were willing to unload Ingram or Kuzma. So, they gotta get rid of 2nd biggest contract, which happened to be Clarkson's $50 million contract. By unloading Clarkson's contract and taking the two expiring contracts of IT and Frye (they'll be free agents next year), the Lakers are gonna have a big amount of cap room to max out at least two top-tier free agents. That's essentially what this trade is about. And we knew that Magic and Rob will make a trade eventually this season. Obviously, Clarkson's scoring and Nance's hustle off the bench will be irreplaceable. That'll put a lot of load on Kuzma to carry the 2nd unit. So even though IT and Frye are stop-gap players, what do they bring to the table? Before the hip injury, IT has shown that he can score at will and he has a lot of heart. He lead the Celtics to the #1 seed last season and he was even in the conversation for MVP. The Cavs are calling a "Hail Mary" to get back to the finals and they can't wait for IT to be 100%. It's completely contingent to where he's at now health-wise, but the Lakers needed a quality backup point guard and Thomas provides that when healthy. For Frye, I don't see him getting too much playing time, but he provides another veteran presence on this roster along with Lopez, KCP, and Brewer. Both of them do actually. Like I said, this trade is a means for the Lakers to clear up cap space for the next two offseasons to get two top-tier free agents on max deals. It's just a matter if the chips can fall into the Lakers' favor this time around. The biggest difference is that they finally have a core to build around with Zo, Ingram, and Kuzma and will certainly entice free agents to join the team. But, for a short time welcome to LA, IT and Frye!

Lakers End Road Trip with Big Win over OKC

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Josh Hart racked up another double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers finally get a win over the Thunder, beating them 108-104 and closing their five game road trip with a 3-2 record. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer with 20 points and he added 5 rebounds and 5 assists to his stat line. Julius Randle racked up 19 points with 6 rebounds, Brandon Ingram added 16 points to go with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and KCP broke out of a funk with 13 points to go with 5 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson once again lead the bench in scoring with 18 points to go with 2 steals.

Final Score: @ Oklahoma City 108-104 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180204/LALOKC#/recap

Next Game: vs. Phoenix (02/06)

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

Compared to the last two games against this Thunder team, the Lakers played super competitive in this 3rd meeting from start to finish. Set this win next to the late January one point win against the Celtics as one of those hallmark victories for this season. This team is showing that the future is bright in Laker land. First off the negative here was the finish. The Lakers have a 10 point lead with about 1:08 in the 4th quarter. Ingram's block on Melo and his pass to Randle for the breakaway dunk should've been deal sealer there.But a couple of turnovers almost gave the Thunder an improbable victory. Not to take away from Clarkson's solid game and big 3-pointers in the 2nd half, but those three turnovers down the stretch of the 4th quarter were bad. All season long, the Lakers had a knack on road game of making us think that they're going to win comfortably, then they just have to make things interesting whether it's missed free throws or critical turnovers. They must continue to improve playing with a big lead, especially on the road. But nonetheless, great way to close out the road trip. The mentality of being aggressive to the basket was there. They were active in running the floor. Ingram and Randle did their thing in the paint. It was a super mismatch between Randle and Melo in the Power Forward position and Randle just muscled his way to the basket. Josh Hart one of these games is gonna trigger Magic and Pelinka to unload Clarkson or KCP before the deadline. Second straight game with a double-double since being inserted into the starting lineup. He just shoots the 3-pointers with confidence, goes aggressive to the basket, crashes the boards, and plays good defense. Hart has a lot of potential to be another two-way player for the Lakers outside of Ingram. He just needs to improve the free throw shooting. Lopez and KCP stepped up as veterans. Lopez in particular was active and got his 3-point shot to work. He is stepping up as this young Lakers' security blanket. This loss is also a big blow to the Thunder. There's a lot of issues going on with the team during their 4-game skid. I guess anything to diminish Paul George's chances of re-signing with the Thunder is good news for the Lakers and this win might've made his impending free agency decision a lot more challenging.

Underdog No More: Eagles Top Patriots for 1st Super Bowl Championship

Welcome in to the full recap of Super Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots where Nick Foles and the Eagles muster enough offense and touchdowns to knock off Tom Brady and the defending champion Patriots 41-33 in a high scoring affair.

We finally have another team and another quarterback besides Eli Manning and the New York Giants that beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the mighty New England Patriots! The Eagles channeled their inner Rocky Balboa against Apollo Creed in Rocky II. If you want to beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, you have to score as many points as them. And they had to continue to put the pedal to the medal. That was something the Falcons didn't do last year and Philly learned from that. It was a close game and a wild shootout. Both the Eagles and Patriots combined for over 600 yards of total offense. The Patriots took the lead only once at one point during this game. But, Nick Foles and the Eagles continued to respond and muster enough yards and scores to get the lead for good. Meanwhile, the Eagles' defensive line were inches away from Brady the whole game. And they came up big with a strip sack before the two minute warning and enough pressure off the edge on the final play of the game to seal the victory.

New England Patriots

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Tom Brady, 28 of 48 passes, 505 yards, 3 TDs. Age 40 and he's still putting up ridiculous numbers. One can argue where his legacy is now after this recent Super Bowl loss, but I don't think it changes any status of Brady after this. He had a couple of wobbly throws down the line and obviously, he was feeling the pressure of this impressive Eagles defensive line. But, he set the tone for the offense to play fast and catch them off guard. He shredded their secondary with a lot of quick throws and he got some time in the pocket to throw deep balls to Hogan and Amendola. The biggest thing is that you never count Tom Brady out. He almost rallied the Patriots again in the 2nd half before Philly quickly regained the lead.

Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan. Amendola lead all receivers with 8 receptions for 152 yards. Hogan piled up 6 receptions for 128 yards. They stepped it up as deep threats while Brandin Cooks was getting all the attention and especially when he got a vicious hit from Malcolm Jenkins. Since that hit, Amendola and Hogan picked up their game and they had their way with a shaky Eagles secondary that gave up big plays all game long.

Rob Gronkowski, 9 receptions, 116 yards, 2 TDs. This was more of the Eagles defense letting off the double team on Gronk in the 2nd half. On the opening drive of the third quarter, Brady connected with Gronk like 8 out of 9 times on that drive. The Eagles were leaving him one-on-one in coverage and Gronk almost 100% of the time will win that matchup. That was especially evident when the Patriots took the go-ahead touchdown for the lead early in the 4th quarter.

Stephon Gilmore vs. Alshon Jeffery. In the first half Jeffery was making all kinds of noise with tough catches for positive yardage. Then in the 2nd half, he was completely held in check when the Patriots moved Stephon Gilmore around to shadow him. That assignment was unintentional, but considering Patrick Chung was getting dinged with some injuries during this game, Matt Patricia and the Patriots' defense had no choice but to move Gilmore. And it actually worked for them.

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Defense. It's almost tough to pinpoint some negatives on the Patriots, but most likely the unit that let them down was their defensive unit. They managed to get to Foles a couple of times and forced an INT, which is more of Alshon Jeffery's fault for keeping the football in bounds. But, they had no answer against the Eagles run pass option (RPO). It's tough when the running game is going for them and Foles is shredding the secondary with quick throws because of his read and react to the defense. The Eagles had a good balance offensively.

James White and Dion Lewis not being utilized more. They're gonna get too many touches in the running game, but they're very good as pass catchers out of the backfield. But this game, White only had 2 catches for 21 yards and Dion Lewis wasn't mentioned at all for pass plays. The Patriots could've used these guys more out of the backfield with the screen game. But, more than likely, the Eagles were ready for that, which is why a couple of screen passes were blown.

Philadelphia Eagles

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Nick Foles, 28 of 43, 373 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 1 reception, 1 yard, 1 TD. The redemption story for Nick Foles couldn't have capped off with a better ending. Many wonder if the Super Bowl would create any nerves or jitters for Foles, but as Stuart Scott would say, he was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Foles played a near perfect game tonight. The 1 INT was pretty fluky considering Jeffery batted that ball back inbounds and it wounded up in the arms of Duron Harmon. Nonetheless, Foles executed the RPO to perfection and he wasn't afraid to make the big throw. He's also now the first QB in the Super Bowl to have a passing TD and receiving TD. The Eagles are gonna have a tough decision with Carson Wentz coming back 100% next season. But most likely, Foles after this game made a case for himself for quarterback-needy teams.

Corey Clement, 3 carries, 8 yards, 4 receptions 100 yards, 1 TD. As I said in my preview, Corey Clement was gonna be one of the X-factors for the Eagles and he showed out big time. His TD will be talked about whether he maintained full possession of the ball, but he was the Eagles best security blanket this game. His big catch and run in the 2nd quarter was also huge which set up the big 4th down trick play to Nick Foles in the end zone. By the way, Clement was also one of the catalyst for that play as he pitched it to Trey Burton on the end around and all Burton had to do was throw a perfect ball for Foles to catch it wide open.

Nelson Agholor, 9 receptions, 84 yards, 1 carry, 9 yards. Agholor was another X-factor for the Eagles. He came up with a couple of huge catches in the 2nd half. Especially when Alshon Jeffrey was held in check for the majority of the 2nd half, Agholor needed to step up and he came through on the biggest stage.

Running game. The RPO couldn't have worked with how LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi ran tonight. Blount had 14 carries for 90 yards and 1 TD. Jay Ajayi had 9 carries for 57 yards. I thought they were really patient in letting the holes open up for them. Ajayi especially. We all know Blount would ram it down the teeth of the defense. I couldn't imagine how sweet it must've been for Blount to score against his former Patriot teammates on that 21 yard TD to give Philly a 15-3 advantage.

Zach Ertz,  7 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD. Oh, it would've been tragic if the refs referred to the ruling on Jesse James TD when the Patriots faced the Steelers during this season. It was the same exact situation where James tried to extend the ball to the goal line and the ground knocked it loose. Referees ruled it an incomplete pass since he didn't complete the process. It was almost deja vu with Ertz. He dove for the end zone, the ground knocked the ball loose. I'm sitting there and saying they'll probably rule this incomplete like the Jesse James catch. But, the ruling was that Ertz was already a runner and completed the process of the catch. Regardless, the definition of a catch in the NFL needs to revised. Nonetheless, Ertz showed why he is the Eagles' effective security blanket. He was clutch on a couple of 4th down catches and scored the go ahead TD to put the Eagles back on top.

Eagles' defensive line. Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry, Chris Long; the entire defensive line did a nice job applying pressure on Brady. If only they had a better secondary, they could've piled up a lot of sacks. But, time and time, they were inches away from getting after him. They couldn't have gotten a sack at a better time than under three minutes in the 4th quarter. Brandon Graham created pressure off the edge to force the biggest turnover of the game. Vinny Curry applied pressure to rattle Brady before the Hail Mary. The Pats' O-line had their hands full against this unit.

Doug Pederson. To think that this guy was an understudy of Andy Reid. But, this game showed why he's head-over-shoulders better than Reid as the Eagles' head coach. Through and through, he understood the situation that the Patriots can come on back at any time. He understood clock management. He made the right in game adjustments to give the Eagles this win. Coach Pederson showed a lot of guts this game, opting to go for it on a couple of 4th downs and dialing up probably the trick play of the game in Super Bowl history. The Patriots tried to do the same play earlier in the game. I'm sure the Patriots defense was not ready for that because nobody would've dared to try that at the NFL level.

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Secondary. This was one of the problems I pinpointed on this Eagles team prior to this game outside of Malcolm Jenkins. They have a good front seven, but their secondary is not all that great. It showed this game as they left Patriots wide receivers open left and right. Chris Hogan caught Jalen Mills with a double move for a big time catch. I remember on that Week 16 Christmas game the Raiders had against the Eagles this season, Amari Cooper I believe did a double move on the same guy, Jalen Mills and Derek Carr noticed it and threw it deep to Coop for the TD. I have to look back at that. But, going back here, the secondary for the Eagles gave up a lot of big plays, which is why the D-line was getting pressure, but weren't getting the sacks.

Conclusion

When the Patriots lose, America wins. And for all of us regardless of which team we root for, we all admit, we were envious of the Patriots' winning ways. And I'm sure the Patriots losing tnought brought us all satisfaction. That is unless you're an NFC East fan like the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins because they can't make fun of the Eagles with their 0 Lombardi trophies anymore. Even with this loss, they'll likely be back as long as Belichick is roaming the sidelines and a certain #12 with the last name "Brady" is under center. They'll be back and likely emerge as the favorite representing the AFC in the Super Bowl. But tonight, the Eagles played like there was no tomorrow. Nobody gave them a shot and they've embraced the underdog role once more on the big stage. Like I said, drawing from Philly culture and lore, it was like Rocky II when Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed went the distance and Rocky as the underdog, came out on top as the new champ. And of course, what followed was the famous "Yo Adrian, I did it" line. The Eagles all season long were the embodiment of Rocky Balboa, the underdog that just won't go away. And the City of Philadelphia will remember this Eagles team for a long time as the team that brought them home their first Lombardi trophy. There's gonna be a lot of decisions for the Eagles though with a couple of key players coming back. But certainly, they've solidified themselves as a powerhouse NFC team once again. Philadelphia was long overdue for a Super Bowl championship and after so many years of heartbreak and turmoil, they're finally on the mountain top thanks to their Eagles. "Fly Eagles Fly" indeed. Thank you guys for following my coverage of Super Bowl LII. Until the offseason in March. For now, it's the full-time transition to basketball on this blog. I'll see you guys later.

SUPER BOWL LII - Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half open thread and discussion for Super Bowl LII between the Eagles and the Pats. As usual, everybody's invited to join in, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game!

Q4

PHI 41 NE 33

All Eagles defenders had their eye on Gronkowski on that Hail Mary. Vinny Curry had pressure off the edge to rattle Brady a little bit and all the secondary had to do was just bat the ball down. They got beat all game long and they came up with the play of the game to give the Eagles their first Super Bowl Lombardi trophy. Before that, Brandon Graham had the huge forced fumble with Derek Barnett recovering on it. No Tuck Rule to save Brady that time around. The Eagles were underdogs all postseason long and they have shocked the world in convincing fashion. Truly, it was a sweet revenge game thirteen years in the making the Eagles against the Patriots. Stay tuned for the full recap after the Lombardi presentation.

Q3

PHI 29 NE 26

Big 3rd down coming up for the Eagles. The Patriots opened up with a little Brady to Gronk action and they managed to score on the opening drive. Probably the biggest call of the game. Foles throws deep to Corey Clement. It looked like Clement didn't get two feet down and he was in the process of securing the football in his hands. Probably he maintained possession the whole way before the 2nd foot stepped out. Nonetheless that was big for the Eagles to maintain their lead and like I said, they have a big third down coming up as the 4th quarter opens up.

SUPER BOWL LII - Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Super Bowl LII is here! Welcome in to the 1st half open thread and discussion of the "Big Game" featuring the NFC champion, Philadelphia Eagles and AFC champion and reigning, defending Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots! Anything goes, so leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game!

Q2

PHI 22 NE 12

Trick plays, shanked kicks, big plays, oh my! Very entertaining 1st half. The Eagles are pulling out all the stops against the Patriots with the RPO. They gained some good chunks of yardage in both the pass and the run. Ajayi, Blount, and Clement already racked up 100+ yards on the ground. Of course, Clement had that big gainer at the end of the quarter to set up the 4th down score.  Defensively, they've done a good job pressuring Brady. They don't have a sack yet, but they've done a good job rattling Brady in the pocket. If there's any indication, the Eagles are playing to win and that's what they're gonna have to carry over for the 2nd half. The Patriots, regardless of how much they're trailing, find ways to come back. Cooks is out for the game after a hard shot from Malcolm Jenkins, but Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan have stepped up as Brady's deep threat receivers. James White and Dion Lewis gained chunks of yardage running with the football and catching out of the backfield. The Patriots are probably satisfied with a 10 point deficit because they have all the 2nd half to turn it up and make a push. For the Eagles, they have to limit some mistakes. Penalties have slowed this team down a bit and Jake Elliott's missed PATs destroyed some momentum. The biggest thing is that they have to keep their foot on the gas if they want to avoid the same fate as the Falcons did in last year's Super Bowl against the very same Patriots team. The 2nd half will open up shortly after Justin Timberlake.

Q1

PHI 9 NE 3

Here's what I can say about this quarter: the Eagles are putting together some methodical drives with their Run-Pass Option (RPO). The Patriots defense have a tough cover guessing which plays Philly is going to execute. And so far, it has resulted in nine point from the Eagles offense. But, Brady and the Pats are pushing the pace. They want to play fast and the Eagles' defense are trying hard to match the pace the Patriots' offense is trying to set. The 3rd down play to Amendola was huge. Eagles defense thought they're going to have a quick 3 and out, but a busted coverage gave New England new life.

Lakers Hold Off Nets for Bounceback Win

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Josh Hart stood out with a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds to help the Lakers snap a two-game losing streak, beating the Nets in a 102-99 thriller down the stretch. Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram were the other two Laker starters with double-doubles as Randle racked up 19 points and 12 rebounds and B.I. chipped in 16 points and dished out 10 dimes. Brook Lopez also 19 points to go with 3 blocks to round out the starters while Jordan Clarkson lead the 2nd unit in scoring with 11 points.

Final Score: @ Brooklyn 102-99 [W]

Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180202/LALBKN#/recap

Next Game: @ Oklahoma City (02/04) <-- b="">*No Open Thread and Full Recap Posts in Observation for Super Bowl LII*

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

This win, the Lakers got back to the basics as to what makes them underrated: ball movement, unselfish play, players active on both ends of the floor, and crashing the boards for 2nd chance opportunities. This was a good bounce back win after a sluggish loss to the Magic in Orlando on Wednesday night. Hart, Randle, Ingram, Lopez, and Clarkson all stood out. What an impressive game by Hart with a double-double. He ran the floor and was strong to the basket. He nailed a couple of threes and lead all Lakers in rebounding. His three pointer in the 4th quarter to give the Lakers a 99-95 advantage was huge. Ingram was having trouble handling the ball. He sees Hart open in the corner and Hart hit an off balance three as the shot clock was winding down. Speaking of Ingram, he almost had triple-double if he grabbed two more rebounds. He did a nice job balancing scoring and setting up teammates for easy shots. A lot of people will point out the 5-14 shooting, but he's gonna continue to be aggressive and either draw contact or find a player who's more open. Jordan Clarkson started slow, but he was clutch with his 3-pointers in the 2nd half. Randle feasted in the paint, so did Lopez. He knocked down a couple of threes, but he was more effective going inside in the paint. Lopez' best highlight was when he made a nice defensive recovery to block Jarrett Allen's shot. D'Lo caught B.I. and Brook in the air with a fake and found Allen alone inside the basket. Usually, that would be an easy basket, but Lopez showed off some good lateral movement to make that block. This game could've easily gone to overtime. In the last play of the game, Dinwiddie found Harris for a great look. Randle was late to close out and the shot luckily just rattled out. Most of these road game victories by the Lakers this season are not pretty, but they do just enough to get the victory by any means. Daunting matchup tomorrow  against OKC once again on Super Bowl Sunday to close out this road trip. The Thunder have been relatively inconsistent with their Big 3, but they've overmatched the Lakers in the last two meetings. Unfortunately, I won't be covering that game because of my commitment to cover Super Bowl LII, but expect another Quick Fact Check and Commentary post the day after the game.

Lakers Lose Ugly in Orlando

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle both lead the Lakers in scoring with 20 points. Randle added 9 rebounds as a starter and Clarkson added 5 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stop the Magic barrage in Orlando, losing 105-127. Brandon Ingram added 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists and KCP added 12 points to round out the starters while Kyle Kuzma chipped in 11 points to go along with the 2nd unit.

Final Score: @ Orlando 105-127 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180131/LALORL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

"HOW!?" That was my initial question when I saw the final score of this game. This game had all the makings of a bounce back win after a tough loss to the Raptors in Toronto. The Magic were no better record-wise than the Lakers and they have a really thin front court with Vucevic and Gordon out for them. And somehow, the Magic just hammered the Lakers. For the most part, the only positive was that the Lakers were able to exploit that, which is why Randle had a field day in the paint based on the highlights. The first half was pretty competitive and then the game went sour by the 3rd quarter. There's one category the Magic destroyed the Lakers on: 3-pointers. They had a field day, shooting 18-32 from beyond the arc. Jonathan Simmons, Mo Speights, Evan Fournier, and Mario Hezonja (of all people) were on target for the most part of the game. It's like a matter where was the defense? Where was the ball pressure? It definitely wasn't on display this game. It definitely didn't help that the Lakers shot 20% from three point land, which is not their game. The Lakers just didn't have that energy as Luke Walton puts it. Not sure if the Magic was just on target or if it was an overall lackadaisical effort on the defensive end. Certainly, the Lakers are much better than the team that just surrendered 127 points to the Magic, a team that can't get over the hump of mediocrity. No question, that this loss wreaked of disappointment.