Raiders 2018 NFL Draft Roundup

Welcome in to the 2018 Raiders NFL Draft recap. This year's draft is in the books and quite frankly, there is a lot of mixed reactions on the Raiders' draft class of 2018. Let's go through all the picks and what I think about them based on first impressions through highlights, draft profile reading, etc.

Round 1

#15 (Trade Down with Arizona): Kolton Miller, T, UCLA

The Raiders opened up going the safe route, selecting Miller out of UCLA. I've read a couple of reports that they were pondering on taking an offensive tackle and most of them linked the Raiders to Mike McGlinchey out of Notre Dame. Clearly, the 49ers took him with the #9 overall pick, making the Raiders trade down with the Cardinals that wounded up being the Josh Rosen selection. I heard that Miller was at best a late first rounder and likely would fall further to the third round of the draft. He's what you'd expect: a big, quick footed athlete. His best strength is his pass protection. But everything else, there's nothing else special to pinpoint about him. Offensive lineman is not always a sexy pick, especially in the first round. And I thought the Raiders could've gotten better value or made a better selection to possibly help the defensive side of the ball since I heard there were a couple of good defensive prospects the Raiders missed out on during the first round. But understandably, the Raiders made the pick to replace Donald Penn in the long run and they need to help keep the "$125 million man" Derek Carr upright before he sustains another major injury in three seasons, especially playing in the AFC West filled with vaunted pass-rushers (Denver especially added coveted pass-rusher Bradley Chubb with their fifth overall pick). In the short-term, Miller is expected to solidify the right side of the O-line. In the long-term, he's gonna be Carr's blindside protector.

Martavis Bryant Acquired

This was a boom-or-bust trade that the Raiders made before the end of Day 1 of the draft. They sent a third round pick to the Steelers in order to get Martavis Bryant. At first, I was excited for this, then I realized, he's one bong hit away from indefinite suspension. On the field, he was a solid complementary deep threat receiver to Antonio Brown. But his off the field issues with weed hindered most of his career. And he fell off on the Steelers' depth chart with the emergence of JuJu Smith-Schuster last season. If he stays clean, he, Nelson, and Coop can form a scary trio of wide receivers since they all can stretch the field. He's also in a contract year, so that should give Bryant some extra juice to stay on the field and prove his worth. This could also spell the end of Seth Roberts. The Raiders attempted to shop Roberts around during the draft, but they couldn't find a suitor.

Round 2

#57 (Trade Down with Tennessee): P.J. Hall, DT, Sam Houston State

I was looking at his highlights provided by NFL Network/Fox's coverage of the draft and all they emphasized on P.J. Hall was him playing special teams and getting some big push up the middle to block field goals. Not the kind of highlights you want to see from a 2nd round pick coming out of Division II football. This is a selection I felt that the Raiders could've made in the later rounds. I did read about Hall's stats, racking up 42 sacks, 86.5 tackles for loss throughout his college career. I feel a little bit good about that, but Division II competition can inflate those stats just a little bit. It's not always impossible for a player to come from a Division II school and dominate the league though. Khalil Mack knows a thing or two about that. At best, he's a rotational piece in pass rush situations. But, he could make an impact on special teams. He's likely filling the void Denico Autry left behind as a rotational inside rusher and a disruptor on special teams.

Round 3

#65 (Trade with Baltimore): Brandon Parker, T, North Carolina A&T

Second straight pick that the Raiders selected a player in a Division II school. According to some scouts, Parker is still a raw talent with potential. This is a project pick that the Raiders are investing in. As I said with the Kolton Miller selection, the Raiders are beefing up the O-line to ensure that Derek Carr stays clean in the pocket and avoid any potential injury in a vaunted AFC West filled with big time pass rushing defense


#87 (Trade up with LA Rams): Arden Key, EDGE, LSU

This is the pick where I thought the Raiders finally righted the ship after a couple of safe picks and gambles in the first three rounds. I heard that Arden Key was a first round talent. Concerns about his character was the ideal reason he slipped out to the third round. As the old saying goes, you can never have too many pass rushers on the team. Highlights-wise, Key just shows absolute relentlessness in getting after the quarterback and punishing them to the ground. What stands out to me, from what I heard, is that he has an Aldon Smith-like ceiling. If he can unlock that early on, he can make up for the triple threat that was to be Khalil Mack, Bruce Irvin, and Aldon Smith, but Aldon could not stay out of trouble. Clearly, the Shilique Calhoun experiment didn't work out and two years later, the Raiders are trying again to add a third pass rusher that'll keep Mack and Irvin fresh off the edge.

Round 4

#110: Nick Nelson, DB, Wisconsin

The Raiders continue the massive overhaul of the defensive backfield. When I saw quick highlights of Nelson when the pick was announced on Bleacher Report, Nelson is grabby with receivers when defending a pass. He can get away with that under college rules. But, those kinds of plays in the NFL will get Nelson flagged for PI 99.9% of the time. He'll have to clean up his technique when it comes to providing physical coverage against opposing receivers.



Round 5

#140 (Trade up with Indianapolis): Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

This is a guy whom I've read about constantly prior to the draft. And I can't believe that the Raiders were still able to get him in the fifth round. This is a steal right here. If you look at his highlights, he is the ideal interior pass rusher that the Raiders need in order to free up Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. He provides great push up the middle and is as disruptive as can be. The reason he fell off was because teams were concerned about his heart condition. But, doctors were able to clear him, which is great news. This makes up for the Raiders passing up on Star Lotuleilei 5 years ago in the 2013 draft because of similar circumstances. The depth of the Defensive Tackle positions just a lot stronger with Justin Ellis, Mario Edwards Jr., Eddie Vanderdoes, PJ Hall, and now Maurice Hurst on board.



#173: Johnny Townsend, P, Florida

I remember reading that the Raiders had their eyes on Townsend when they cut Marquette King in the first place. Townsend set a lot of school records as a punter for the Gators, including leading the nation in punting average-yards. Nothing much to say here.







Round 6

#216: Azeem Victor, LB, Washington

Azeem Victor just has a knack to finish defensive plays. He's a hard hitter and at the same time, he knows how to wrap up and tackle. Most players looking for the big hit forget the tackling part and it drives Defensive Coordinators crazy. Victor slipped out because of off the field and weight issues. He'll need to overcome that to unlock his potential. Interesting enough, he draws comparisons to Vontaze Burfict in terms of being physical and aggressive. He certainly fits the mold of Paul Guenther's system and will look to prove that.

Round 7

#228: Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State

Ateman is your prototypical big wide receiver that can get up and grab the football, especially in the end zone. He's also a very solid route runner and has YAC potential based on his highlights. The Raiders could use a big target. They lacked that last season since they let Andre Holmes walk.










Conclusion

Day 1 and Day 2 were largely underwhelming for the Raiders. They went safe in the first round, passing over other prospects that could make an immediate impact. They picked up two small school projects early on when they could've waited into the later rounds to get them. The trade for Martavis Bryant and the Arden Key selection in the third round minimized further disappointment. But, they finished strong with their picks in Day 3, especially nabbing Maurice Hurst in Round 5. That's a big time steal right there. Justifying the draft strategy, Reggie and Gruden were focused on beefing up the trenches on both sides of the ball and lining up potential long-term replacements down the line when the veterans depart. They weren't gunning for more impact players that can help now. They believe they already have impact players on the team right now outside of the 2014 draft class. It's just that injuries and lack of coaching hindered their development. This is a boom-or-bust approach the Raiders are taking on with the personnel they have on the roster for the upcoming season.

Grade: C

Lakers Win Final Game: Josh Hart, Gary Payton II Light Up Clips

Final Score: @ LA Clippers 115-100 [W]

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' final regular season matchup against the Clippers in the Battle for LA where the Lakers end the season on a high note, beating the Clippers 115-100.

Well with that win, the Lakers match the win threshold that I had for them when I posted up my regular season preview post. Like I said, I had them as a 30-35 win team. And I'm not complaining. This game was pretty much a game to give garbage time players extended minutes and the Lakers' bottom rotation players did not disappoint. Well, there's Josh Hart too who lit it up and I'll talk about that right about now.

(+)

Josh Hart, 30 points, 9-15 shooting, 5 rebounds, 5 assists. Dare I say it? "Harts on Fire." Obvious play from the "Hearts on Fire" original song from Rocky IV. Hart originally picked up his scoring in the 2nd quarter. It helped the Lakers ballooned that lead to 11 points at halftime. Then, he just absolutely went bonkers in the 3rd quarter, especially letting it fly from beyond-the-arc. He left the Laker fans inside Staples in awe while the Clipper fans were in stunned silence. There was not much the Clipper defense can do in that sequence, since he was red hot. In the final stats, Hart hit 7 of 9 from 3-point land. He was unbelievable.

Gary Payton II, 25 points, 12 rebounds, 11-19 shooting, 2 steals. He surely reminded me of his dad this game. Gary Payton, looking at his highlights since obviously I was still too young when he played, he was a good finisher in defense to offense transitions. He could also split defenders and lay it in. Glad to see that DNA passed on to his son tonight. I was impressed with this stat line. Double-double off the bench, racked up 25 points and picked up 12 rebounds. With the Lakers so shorthanded, GP II stepped up to the plate and this performance might earn him roster spot in the Summer League and heading into training camp for next season.

Alex Caruso, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists. This was a pretty good last two games from Caruso, but this game was even better. He showed out his ability to shoot and provided really good balance to score, facilitate, and defend. If I'm the Lakers, I'd definitely want him back as a training camp body and a two-way player since he's played well when given the time all season long.

(-)

Playing with the lead. Like I said, this is something the Lakers need to improve on next season. This is especially evident in road games. Once they build a big lead, they get a little too much relaxed. Luckily with both teams being shorthanded and Josh Hart going off for 30 points, it tilted in the Lakers' favor. This probably the only negative I can pinpoint about this game.

MVP

Josh Hart, 30 points, 9-15 shooting, 5 rebounds, 5 assists

Gary Payton II, 25 points, 12 rebounds, 11-19 shooting, 2 steals


I'm only gonna allow this once or I could change my mind depending I declare some new changes on the blog. But, for the first time ever, we have two co-MVPs of the game. Hart was lights out in the third quarter. GP II showed out and had a good all-around game. Both carried the Lakers for a strong regular season finish.




Conclusion

As Laker fans, we hate losing seasons, but this is something we can hang our heads on. 35-47 after difficult seasons of long losing streaks and tanking, the Lakers are seriously pointing upwards in the West. Give Magic and Rob Pelinka a lot of credit for assembling a good-balanced roster of young players and seasoned veterans. And of course, Luke Walton deserves credit. He gets a lot of flack for questionable coaching decisions, but he did what he can and helped coached a team to improve from last year's 26-56 record. Hey, we could be looking back at the Byron Scott coaching days where the Lakers continually regressed. But, we don't want that. It's going to be an interesting offseason. No matter if they get PG or LeBron next season, the Lakers re-established themselves as a destination for the hottest free agents. They have the core with Zo, B.I., Kuzma, and Randle (if he re-signs). They have the cap space. Now, it's all just about execution. I'll go further into details with my annual "Season in Review" post. Keep in mind, it's going to be a late posting when we're deep into the NBA postseason. Right now, I'm gonna shift focus to a couple of other projects that I have to finish before some deadlines, but stay tuned. Thank you guys for hanging around this season. I'll see you guys later.

04/11: LAKERS @ Clippers 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

*No picture included, sorry*

Welcome in to the second half of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Clippers in the final game of the season season. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

*NOTE: I accidentally erased all of the first half reaction, thinking this was the 2nd half. So I played it out, and just changed this from the 1st half open thread to the 2nd half open thread. Sorry about that.*

Q4

LAL 115 LAC 100

That's a great way to end a much improved season. Josh Hart and Gary Payton II absolutely crushed this game for the Lakers, especially from beyond the arc. They almost let the Clippers back in the game though. Like I said in the comments, playing with the lead is something the Lakers need to improve on for next year. Still, great win to end the season. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 92 LAC 74

Josh Hart was en fuego this quarter! Three pointer after three pointer, he's helped the Lakers blow this game wide open. They gotta put the clamps on in the 4th quarter as they are setting for a really strong finish.

Lakers Lose to Rockets, but Andre Ingram Wins Hearts of Many

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Houston Rockets in the second-to-last matchup of the NBA season where the Lakers still fall short even when the Rockets pulled their starters out early, losing 105-99.

Wow, did that game end in a hurry. You'd figure with the Rockets clinching the #1 spot, they would sit out their starters to make sure they get healthy for the playoffs. But, they still played for three and a half quarters until Mike D'Antoni pulled them out. The Lakers almost cashed in on an insane scoring run to finish the game and possibly steal one. They just fizzled out as they rode the momentum plus Houston recommitted on the defensive end to seal this game.

(+)

Andre Ingram, 19 points, 6-8 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal. This is the man of the hour right here. When I looked at the news that the Lakers signed him for the final two games, I was surprised he was 32 and bounced around the G-League. Many shed blood and tears on the basketball court to make it to the NBA and not all of them are guaranteed superstar status, let alone a roster spot on the main roster. But, as the old saying goes: good things come to those who wait and kudos to Magic and Rob Pelinka to give this guy his long-awaited shot in the big leagues. And he made the most out of it, going a perfect 4-4 to start. He also hit a clutch three, could've hit another one to cut the deficit to one point in the fourth quarter. They said he was one of the best shooters in the G-League and for a small sample size, that was pretty impressive to live up to that in an NBA game.

Josh Hart, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals. Josh Hart got off to a really slow start, but finished strong to end the game. When the Rockets pulled their starters out, Hart was the catalyst on both ends of the floor to give the Lakers one final push before ultimately losing the game.

(-)

Short-handed. Nothing the Lakers can do when Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball are shut down for the season. They've been fighting it, but they are just overmatched against deeper teams at the end of the day.

Turnovers. The turnovers were ugly for both teams. The Rockets committed 18 turnovers compared to the Lakers' 17 turnovers. Houston was handing those turnovers like they were free candy out there. Just unfortunate that the Lakers, being turnover prone, could not take advantage of that and gave some of that back with those 17 TOs.

No help defense for Ivica Zubac. I believe Zubac's time with the Lakers is done considering he can't be more physical as an inside presence. But, they did him dirty not giving any help defense to him when Chris Paul and James Harden were running circles around him. That's a big mismatch right there and Zubac's lack of lateral agility could not keep up.

MVP

Andre Ingram, 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal

There's not much more to be said. Andre Ingram finally lives his NBA dream and puts on a show he and his family and friends will never forget. No question, his game tonight is gonna be an inspiration to many to never give up on their dreams.

Conclusion

What I saw from Andre Ingram's story tonight is one of the many reasons I love sports. In a meaningless game, he was the highlight of the night putting on a show in his very first NBA game. He'll remember that for a long time. The Lakers did a good deed tonight, win or lose. That's a good way to end this segment right there as there's not much more to talk about. I'll see you guys tomorrow for the season finale against the Clippers.

04/10: LAKERS vs. Houston Rockets 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half of the Rockets-Lakers matchup in the second-to-last game of the 2017-18 NBA season. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

HOU 105 LAL 99

The only time where a win or a loss doesn't matter. Andre Ingram going off for 19 points is a reminder that dreams do come true. The Lakers did have a chance when the Rockets pulled their starters out. But, Houston recommitted on the defensive end to seal up this win. The Lakers may not have gotten the win in Andre Ingram's debut, but he won the hearts of many tonight. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

HOU 82 LAL 75

Andre Ingram does not miss. That was fun while it lasted when he hit the three to give the Lakers a brief one point lead. The Lakers are hanging around even though the Rockets gave themselves some cushion to finish off the quarter. Chris Paul and James Harden may be putting up a Point Guard clinic out there, but they're missing some open shots, which could've blown this lead wide open.

04/10: LAKERS vs. Houston Rockets 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome in to the first half of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Houston Rockets in the penultimate game of the season. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

HOU 56 LAL 48

Well, well, the Lakers find themselves down only by eight, which is a good way to end the half. Houston in that first half, it's like they're on autopilot right now. They light it up offensively and then slow it down a bit. Like I said, it's like they're not trying, which they don't need to do since they locked up home court throughout the West playoffs. The biggest story during this quarter, Andre Ingram, 32-years old, can ball. A couple of three pointers and starting off 11 points, that is a feel good story there. It's never too late to fulfill a dream and Andre Ingram is living it right now, playing in the NBA. Not much to say about adjustments, so on to the 2nd half. 

Q1

HOU 23 LAL 16

It's like the Rockets are not even trying since they have the #1 seed on lock. Slow start for both teams. A very bland first quarter to start the game. Luckily, the Rockets haven't put the clamps on yet. The Lakers just have to hang around as much as possible to compete.

Jazz Dismantle Lakers to Clinch Playoff Berth

*Stats Courtesy of NBA.com*

Final Score: vs. Utah 112-97 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180408/UTALAL#/recap

Next Game: vs. Houston (04/10)

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

The Lakers starting down 16-4 right out of the gate was all I needed to see out of the highlights. They made it entertaining for the most part in the third quarter. But, Utah played like they were on a mission yesterday. They needed this win to ensure a playoff spot in the Western Conference and they accomplished that. And unfortunately for the shorthanded Lakers, they were in their way. Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles shot the lights out for the Jazz. The Laker defense had no answer. Jae Crowder also provided some spark for Utah's 2nd unit. There was not much to say. The only positives was that Josh Hart went off for 25 points. He even met Donovan Mitchell at the rim for a block in the first quarter to give Laker fans something to cheer about. Tyler Ennis scored 22 points to lead the bench. Julius Randle chipped in 17 points and 7 rebounds. Only those three were in double figures for the team in this loss and a wire-to-wire victory for the Utah Jazz. Two more games left for the Lakers to close out a season with an improved record. The Rockets have the number 1 seed on lock. I see no reason why any of their starters should play tomorrow. Then, the Lakers close it out on the "road" Wednesday against the Clippers. At least getting one out of those two games should give the Lakers one more win to hang their heads on after improving from last year's win total. I will see you guys for both games!

Timberwolves' Defense Wears Down Lakers

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Final Score: vs. Minnesota 113-96 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180406/MINLAL#/recap

Next Game: vs. Utah (04/08)

Highlights: *Courtesy of House of Highlights*

The Lakers were good here only for the first half. Brook Lopez, in particular, started hot out of the gate with 15 quick points. The offense early on ran through him since he was the hot hand. Julius Randle and Josh Hart got the Wolves in early foul trouble during that first half. They did a nice job drawing contact on defenders and getting to the free throw line. Randle finished the night making a perfect 10-10 free throws while Hart followed shooting 5-7 from the line. Free throws seemed to be the best friend for the Lakers for once in awhile and it helped build a 7 point lead at the half. Though the second half, it was an entirely different story. Whatever adjustments Tom Thibodeau made at half time defensively, the Timberwolves put the clamps on and played like a team vying for a playoff spot. They forced the Lakers to commit 20 turnovers while they only committed 5 TOs. If I recall from a graphic, the Timberwolves outscored the Lakers in points off turnovers 23-3. We all know, when the Lakers commit so many turnovers, they are guaranteed to lose a game. But where credit it is due, the Timberwolves drained the Lakers with their defense. Not to mention, Jimmy Butler's return provided a big morale boost for Minnesota as he finished with 18 points and lead the team with 4 steals. Final Stats: Julius Randle racked up a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Brook Lopez finished with 18 points. Josh Hart racked up a double-double off the bench with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Ivica Zubac added 14 points and 9 rebounds to the 2nd unit. Kyle Kuzma left the game in early with an ankle sprain and scored a measly 2 points after a 30-point explosion last game against the Spurs. Hopefully, he did not re-aggravate the ankle injury he sustained 3-4 weeks ago in the last regular season matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

Lakers Roundup Commentary: @ Utah; vs. San Antonio

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Going up against playoff-hopeful teams in the West is not always easy if you're shorthanded. The Lakers failed their first try in Utah to play spoiler on the Jazz's hopes on Tuesday. But, they succeeded in dinging San Antonio's playoff hopes just a bit in an OT win last night. This is your Lakers round up commentary on the blog.

04/03: @ Utah 110-117 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180403/LALUTA#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*

Last game against the Kings displayed a mundane performance from the Lakers all season long. But fortunately, they bounced back really quickly against the Jazz, despite the losing effort. The Lakers started strong out of the gate. Kuzma started perfect in the first quarter and he along with KCP did most of the damage here. Kuz finished with 26 points while KCP racked 28 points. They played a big part in the Lakers' final desperation run before falling short at the end of the game. Utah's backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio dominated this game for the Jazz. We all know Mitchell is a stud rookie. But, Rubio is showing he can be a scoring threat to go with his passing prowess. The defense had some fits whenever Rubio would come off screens. The Lakers never knew if he was looking to score or read the defense perfectly to set up a nice pass to roller like a Gobert or a Derrick Favors. Overall, the Jazz's back court was on fire this game. The Jazz have been on an unbeliveable run after a slow start to the season. It was interesting to note that Luke Walton elected to let Randle play point for a majority of the game. His performance was a little of a mixed result with 9 assists to 5 turnovers to go with his 12 pts-12 rebs performance.

04/04: vs. San Antonio 112-122 (OT) [W]

Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180404/SASLAL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

Talk about a nightmarish trip to La La Land for the San Antonio Spurs. They lose a heartbreaker the other night against the Clippers and the Lakers broke their hearts again in overtime last night. They haven't clinched a playoff spot yet since the West is very congested outside of the 1-3 seeds. This win was an example of great physical and mental fortitude from the Lakers. They were coming off a tough loss in Utah. They had to travel home while the Spurs are still LA, waiting for them. All signs pointed to the Spurs having the advantage. But clearly, Kyle Kuzma and the Lakers had other plans. Kuzma was in clutch mode when the game went to OT to help the Lakers seal the win. He finished with 30 points. He also accomplished a nice feat becoming the first NBA rookie with 1,200 points, 450 rebounds, and 150 made 3-pointers in a player's rookie season. ROTY (Rookie of the Year) may be out of the picture for Kuzma with Ben Simmons likely running away with it, but he's already won our hearts. KCP made a big three-pointer in that overtime as well that provided the Lakers a good cushion with the lead. He finished with 21 points. Keep in mind, the Lakers didn't have Julius Randle nor Brook Lopez on the floor. Luke didn't elect to put them out there since the lineup rotation with Kuz, KCP, Hart, Frye, Zubac, Ennis, and Caruso was working down the stretch. Lakers got a nice surprise performance from Channing Frye with 19 points off the bench; it goes to show that he's still got it when it comes to scoring and being a spot up 3-point shooter. Ennis also made some big buckets to keep the Lakers within striking distance. Luke also made a nice adjustment defensively doubling on LaMarcus Aldridge. We all know if you leave Aldridge one-on-one, he's gonna spot up and shoot. The Lakers doubled him and forced him to kick it to other Spurs players to step up and make a play. With this win, the Lakers sweep the season series against the Spurs for the first time in a long time. It'd shock the NBA world if the Spurs miss the playoffs because of tough losses like these. They haven't missed the playoffs since Gregg Popovich was first hired by the Spurs back in 96-97!

Lakers Lose to Kings in Ugly Game

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Final Score: vs. Sacramento 84-83 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180401/SACLAL#/recap

Next Game: @ Utah (04/03)

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

You know it's bad when I snooze through the highlights of this game. There isn't much to say about this. Obviously, the Lakers would struggle being a really shorthanded team that they are without Ingram, Ball, and I.T. in the lineup. Sacramento just came off a blowout loss to the Warriors the other night. That's as embarrassing as it gets. The biggest difference is that the Kings' bench outscored the Lakers' 2nd unit 37-19. Buddy Hield for the Kings continues to excel as the leading scorer for the 2nd unit. How shorthanded are the Lakers' 2nd unit? Zubac is the top performer with 7 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Hield went for the steal and the dunk to give the Kings a two-point lead. Then, De'Aaron Fox sealed it to give Sacramento a 84-80 lead. Lakers had a chance at the end with a three-ball from Lopez (if I remember right), but too little too late. Final stats: Randle lead the starting five with 19 points and 5 rebounds, Kuz added 13 points, and KCP racked up 16 points despite not hitting a single three this game. It's gonna get a lot ugly with the Lakers having Utah and San Antonio on their schedule next. Both teams are in desperation mode to ensure a playoff spot in the West. Outside of Houston and Golden State, #1 and #2 respectively, seeds 3-8 are a "who's who" in the Western Conference.