Super Bowl LIII Preview and Prediction: New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams

*Some NSFW language*

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us! Welcome in to your Super Bowl LIII preview provided by yours truly. This year's matchup features the ever-dominant AFC champion New England Patriots vs. the new kids from Hollywood, NFC champion Los Angeles Rams. Like last year's Eagles-Patriots matchup, this is a rematch 17 years in the making. This matchup was what started the Patriots' reign of terror (technically, it was the "Tuck Rule" game that started it) as a young Tom Brady and an unproven Bill Belichick pulled off the upset against the then St. Louis Rams and the "Greatest Show on Turf" lead by Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt in Super Bowl XXXVI. Now an old, yet wily Brady and proven Belichick square off against new blood in Sean McVay, Jared Goff, and a new Rams team all decked out under the bright lights of Hollywood. There's only one problem: nobody wanted this matchup. Obviously, their roads to get here were marred by a blatant no call on one side and a phantom roughing call on the other down the stretch. Both games made legitimate cases that the NFL is rigged and that the rules of what constitutes a penalty are wildly inconsistent. But enough of controversy, who doesn't want a Boston-LA championship rivalry to extend beyond the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the NBA? This year's World Series featured the Boston Red Sox and the LA Dodgers. Now it's the NFL's turn, with the Patriots and the Rams. Can this Rams team avenge the pains of yesteryear? Will it all finally come full circle with the Rams being the Alpha and the Omega of the Patriots dynasty? Or will the Pats prevail again and continue their reign of terror across the NFL? I summarize both teams' road to the Super Bowl, keys to victory, and my final prediction of the outcome on Sunday! Let's roll!

New England Patriots

"FOR F*CKS SAKE, AGAIN!?!?!? CAN'T THIS TEAM JUST F*CKING DIE ALREADY!?!?!?" I'm sure all of us NFL fans are thinking the same way as the Pats make their way to their third straight Super Bowl. Make that their fourth appearance in five years and their fifth appearance in this decade. Let's be honest here, the Patriots are a guaranteed lock for the Super Bowl unless Brady retires, Belichick steps down, or both events happened. The latter happens to be the best case scenario. It also doesn't help that the rest of the AFC is full of incompetent trash and teams who are good, but not New England Patriots good. While the rest of the league is playing checkers, the Patriots are playing chess. Most teams try to implement the Patriots' system of long-term sustainable success and fail miserably. Truly, the Patriots' success is a trade secret that is only accessible by the organization as a whole and that gives them the edge over 31 other teams in the league. Nearly 20 years of dominance in one conference speaks for itself.

There have been many times that this team tried to tease their downfall to the media. Do not fall for it. But let's be clear here, the Patriots had a roller-coaster season this year as they had to stave off an overachieving Houston Texans team for the #2 seed. Most of the teams the Pats lost against were against teams that had the unlikeliest of chances to beat them. New England went 11-5 with five of those losses coming from Jacksonville (hungover after that game), Detroit (LOL), Tennessee (eliminated by Luck),  Miami (trying to get Gronk to defend a lateral, major LOL), and Pittsburgh (inconsistent and condescending AF). Tom Brady showed signs that Father Time was catching up to him. Gronk looked out of sorts in games and contemplated about retirement. This is the end of the New England Patriots dynasty as we know it. That's what they want you to think! Clearly, there are three things that only matter to the Patriots: postseason, Super Bowl, and championship. As long as they do enough to make the postseason and gain some home field advantage, they're in good hands to do some major damage and remind the league why they're still the gold standard. In their playoff games, they were expected to lose. The Chargers are a more complete team than the Patriots? The Pats completely shut down Philip Rivers and Melvin Gordon in a game that was essentially over in the first half. That and the Chargers have a chronic history of postseason chokes. The Chiefs have homefield advantage and an MVP in Mahomes? Meh, let's beat their suspect run defense to death with Sony Michel. The Chiefs defense couldn't even cover Julian Edelman on third down if their life dependent on it. Patrick Mahomes did enough to rally the Chiefs though. But, the defense let him down, which lead to the firing of Chiefs DC, Bob Sutton. And thus, the evil empire continues their long reign of terror over the National Football League.

Los Angeles Rams

Y'all just had to rob us from a Brady vs. Brees Super Bowl didn't you Rams? But, we won't let that game define the Rams. When the Rams moved to Los Angeles, they needed a fresh, young face to lead the team. Not some old hag like Jeff Fisher, whose best coaching days are behind him. The Rams found their guy, hiring 30-year old Sean McVay from the Redskins to be the youngest head coach in NFL history. Under McVay's 1st season en route to a Coach of the Year award, the Rams escaped from 7-9 purgatory to an improved 11-5 season last year. Todd Gurley posted MVP-esque numbers. Jared Goff caught major strides in his 2nd year and 1st under McVay's system. Aaron Donald was one of the top defensive players in the league, playing under a Wade Phillips defense. Unfortunately, they didn't get too far as their inexperience showed in the Wild Card round, losing to an Atlanta Falcons team fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance. This year, the Rams made some major moves to bolster their roster into a Super Bowl contender, such as trading for Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, and Aqib Talib, and signing Ndamukong Suh in free agency.

Right out of the gate, the LA Rams showed that they were the team to beat, starting out 8-0. Many teams have tried their crack at slowing down their high-powered offense and failed with a few exceptional teams. The Rams took the next step by finishing at 13-3 with those three losses coming against the Saints, Bears, and Eagles, all playoff worthy teams in their own right. Unfortunately, they were a tiebreaker shy from the #1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs due to the Saints loss. But it still was an impressive season nonetheless. The Rams took care of business, running all over the Cowboys in the divisional round. They then avenged their early loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship in controversial fashion. We can talk about the blatant no-call from Nickell Robey-Coleman on Tommylee Lewis. No question, Robey-Coleman triggered the contact before Lewis could get his hands on the Drew Brees' pass. That contact was also a little helmet-to-helmet. By all accounts, that should be Pass Interference. But, let's look at the game in a bigger picture, the refs didn't stop the Saints offense from scoring at-will and letting the Rams come back. The Saints could've kept calm from the no-call and and carry on to an OT victory. But, Brees threw a lame duck INT and the Saints threw their own chance at another Super Bowl away. Unfortunate, but a win is a win for the Rams and a loss is a loss for the Saints no matter how much the entire state of Louisiana wants a recall or wants to reverse the decision in a court battle (good luck with that).

Keys for the Patriots

If we can infer from the postseason, the Patriots run defense has shut down two of the top-tier rushing attacks in the league. In the divisional round, the defense held Melvin Gordon III and the Chargers' rushing attack to just 19 yards of total rushing yards. In the AFC Championship, the Patriots' run defense held the Chiefs to just 41 total rushing yards. They eliminated both of those teams' best strengths and made them one dimensional. Philip Rivers struggled getting in rhythm due to the pressure from the Pats' D-line. So did Mahomes as he was unable to scramble and do what he did best. The defense has turned it on in the postseason, rendering a scary sign. They'll need to neutralize Todd Gurley, C.J. Anderson and the Rams' top rushing attack and dare Jared Goff to beat them with the passing game. On offense, the Patriots are glad to have Julian Edelman back as Brady's go-to-guy. You look back at last year's Super Bowl against the Eagles and wonder what if they had Edelman who went down with an early season ending injury? Edelman's presence as a third-down threat helps take pressure off the receiving corps and it opens up some opportunities for Gronk to do some major damage down the middle. Gronk, of course will also be a major factor this game as well as his conditioning. Rookie, Sony Michel has been an outstanding bell cow back this postseason. But, he's gonna have a challenge against a tougher Rams' run D with Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald anchoring the middle. Look for the Pats to mix it up with him, White, and Burkhead for a change-of-pace in the back field.

Keys for the Rams

Obviously, leading the Rams to a victory will be contingent on how their homegrown star talent will dictate the game: Jared Goff  and Todd Gurley on offense and Aaron Donald on defense. Aaron Donald, without question, is the best pass-rushing DT in the NFL right now. He can wreck an opposing team's gameplan all by himself. Aaron Donald has to win his matchups inside to generate pressure up the middle against Tom Brady. Ndamukong Suh and Dante Fowler Jr. could be X-Factors to free Donald up and turn loose. This game against the Patriots could very well go down to one final stop and if the Rams' D is on that field for the final minute, look for #99 to be a game-changer and win the game. On offense, it's been a strange postseason for Todd Gurley. 115 rush yards in the divisional round against the Cowboys, but only 10 yards against the Saints. This game will be completely contingent on Todd Gurley's health (he battled some injuries down the stretch) as he's pretty much the engine that drives the Rams offense (with all due respect to Jared Goff). If Gurley's back to top form, it bodes well for the Rams and takes a lot of pressure off of Jared Goff. It also helps that the Rams signed C.J. Anderson late in the season to give themselves a 2-Back committee to relieve some pressure off of Gurley to do it all. As for Goff? He's played smart all season long, but he won't be afraid to take deep shots to Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. He has to play turnover-free, manage the game, and mix it up in the passing game throwing to different receivers. If I'm Coach Sean McVay, I look at last year's Super Bowl where Doug Pederson threw all he can handle against the Patriots, even the kitchen sink. McVay's is as much of a risk-taker too. Look for him to throw every play, every sequence in the playbook against the Pats.

Prediction

As I mentioned countless times, if the Super Bowl didn't feature the New England Patriots, my pick would be a little more indecisive. As long as they represent the AFC in the big game, how in the hell can you pick against them? Whether they win or lose, the Patriots will always be the pick to win it all unless they start the post Brady-Belichick era a little too early than expected. Not to discredit the Rams, they have the talent to keep up with the Patriots and this game has the makings of an offensive shootout. The Rams have emerged as a future perennial contender. It's just not their time yet as Brady and the Pats will pull off some miracle in the final drive en route to a sixth Lombardi trophy. In conclusion: shootout, but the Pats D will make at least one key stop and set Tom Brady and the Pats up for a game-winning TD. They do have all of their clutch weapons back.

NE 28 LAR 24

Lakers Weekly Roundup (01/27): "Kingdom Under Fire"

*Some NSFW language*

Let's be perfectly honest Laker Nation, not a lot has gone right for the Lakers since the injury bug hit them. As Purple and Gold Royalty continues to record staggering lows, perhaps it is time to make a move or two as most Laker fans are clamoring for it. Talks of Anthony Davis wanting out of New Orleans is heating up as the trade deadline nears with the Lakers being the preferred destination. Instead of the young core of Kuzma, Hart, Ingram, Ball, and Zubac being untouchable, they are now potential pieces for a blockbuster to acquire the services of the "Unibrow." In other news, the strings of losses since the injuries have possibly put Luke Walton's job in jeopardy. The King's camp is reportedly not happy of coach Luke's efforts to hold the team together. There may be some merit to justify Luke's firing, such as the team looks uninspired, demoralized, and overwhelmed against some of the better teams in the league. As the saying goes, coaches coach and players play. Laker fans in forums continue to lament on past young pieces, such that they wished they had D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle back as D'Lo continues to put Brooklyn on the map in an impressive winning streak or Randle still putting up pts and rebs and leading the 2nd unit for the Pelicans. Truly, it opens up a case of what-ifs. Maybe the team needs an overhaul on their player development staff or it's finally time for a "changing-of-the-guard" in ownership. Dear Jeanie, will you lead the Lakers back to the promised land? Or are you just another product of the late, great Dr. Jerry Buss's inheritance like your brother Jim before you? Hmmm, this does remind me of another guy who inherited his father's team and is currently burning it to the ground in Oakland and has no idea where to play before heading to Sin City. Nonetheless, this is your Lakers Weekly Roundup!

01/21: vs. Golden State 130-111 [L] (25-23)

FULL RECAP 

Thanos has arrived with all Infinity Stones in tact. That would be the new-look Warriors with a fully healthy DeMarcus Cousins going up against a Lakers squad with injuries to their top play makers. Luckily for the Lakers, the Golden State gods of Oakland decided to grant mercy on them as they only needed Klay, god of catch-and-shoot, to rain threes on them to the tune of 38 points in a 2nd half blowout. The other gods? They had the night off. But Steph, the god of rainbow threes took quite a Shaqtin' tumble in the 3rd quarter.

01/24: vs. Minnesota 120-105 [L] (25-24)

FULL RECAP

The Lakers get Rajon Rondo back. Finally, all is well for the flow of the Neo-Showtime offense. But, the Timberwolves decided it was feasting time on the glass and fastbreak points. You know it's bad when you let Andrew Wiggins play a meaningful game. Take that Jimmy Butler!

01/27: vs. Phoenix 102-116 [W] (26-24)

HIGHLIGHTS

To think this happened on the late, great Dr. Jerry Buss's birthday. I'm pretty sure he's turning in his grave after the current 5 years of pure shit in Lakers franchise history. But, the Lakers managed to channel some of the winning magic that Dr. Buss left behind. Well, then again this game was against the Suns. They're definitely going places with a Devin Booker who wants to pick fights with players in the locker room and a currently injured DeAndre Ayton. The Lakers get big-time contributions of 24 points from KCP, 24 points and 16 rebounds from Ivica Zubac, and  22 points Brandon Ingram. Plus  a guitar solo from Lance Stephenson off the bench to the tune of 17 points. The Lakers certainly needed this win as they embark on an upcoming hellacious stretch against some of the better teams in the NBA. LeBron, where art thou?

Timberwolves Pull Away in 4th Quarter to Beat Lakers

*Forgot to save changes in the master file, hence why I couldn't change the records. But as it stands, Minnesota improves to 24-24 while Lakers fall to 25-24.*

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves where not even the return of Rajon Rondo wasn't enough to prevent the Lakers from being pummeled as the Timberwolves win in a 120-105 rout.

And the going gets tougher. These last few meetings against the T'Wolves, with the exception of that one win since the acquisition of Chandler, they just continually open up a can of whoop ass on the Lakers. Tonight was pretty competitive for the first three quarters. Then the fourth quarter, the Lakers just gassed out and things just went completely out of hand from flagrant fouls to technical fouls to getting beat in the paint. Clearly, there's a lot of problems with this team once the 4th quarter hits.

(+)

Rajon Rondo, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 6-11 shooting. He hasn't missed a beat after being sidelined for a month. When Rondo's on the floor, it takes away a lot of pressure from a lot players on this Lakers roster to be the playmaker and make a play for teammates. Rondo's function is exactly and he's not afraid to shoot too unlike in years past. Offensively, Rondo looked sharp tonight. And the funny thing is, his index finger is not even close to 100%, that's why he had to adjust and take as minimal contact as he can. Overall, he looked real good out there tonight.

Brandon Ingram, 20 points, 8-14 shooting. B.I. recovered from a really slow start this game. At least with Rondo on board, he doesn't have to be pressured to assume point guard duties and set up. Tonight, he was back to being aggressive, making a play for himself, and get to his sweet spots where he can put the ball in the net.

(-)

34 points off turnovers. 32 second chance pts. Thank you Chris Webber for that stat line as it goes to shows that the Lakers just got bullied inside. Ivica Zubac and JaVale McGee obviously cannot hold KAT much longer inside the paint. But, the Timberwolves got a huge spark off Andrew Wiggins as he spent the majority of this game in attack mode. Honestly, Wiggins' biggest problems since he entered the league was consistency and his lack of assertiveness. Tonight, he showed as a capable 2nd option next to KAT. Lakers got outrebounded off the offensive glass 22-9. Not to mention they comitted 7 more turnovers than Minnesota and the Timberwolves dictated the pace on their accord on that one.

Kyle Kuzma, 10 points, 4-12 shooting. Here we go with one of those funk series from Kuz. This was also a problem last year. After putting together a string of high scoring outputs, he just goes on a trail where he doesn't contribute as much as he should. Tonight, nothing from beyond the arc again. Most of his hook shots were too strong and hitting nothing but rim. We definitely to see KuzMania run wild again.

MVP

Rajon Rondo, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 6-11 shooting

Great to have him back tonight. The Laker offense just flowed much better and everybody didn't have to work as much to get their shot as Rondo creates a lot of opportunity for them. Outside of LeBron and Lonzo to form a "Cerberus" of playmakers, Rondo is just as valuable.

Conclusion

The more the Lakers continue to lose, the more I have to quote Jim Mora. "Playoffs? Don't talk about Playoffs! I just hope we win a game." Because right now the Lakers aren't in a hole, they're in a ditch. This team has been in a downward spiral since LeBron went down with the injury. All I hear is "wait until LeBron comes back." I think the Lakers are way too dependent on 'Bron to go MVP-mode and save them from sinking. Players have to step up, find their rhythm, and play like he's not coming back. And I know the young core is capable of doing more than that with the savvy veterans surrounding them. The Lakers get a winnable game coming up against Phoenix. And then after, with the exception of a home game against Philly, it's a long road trip away from home with a tough schedule up. There needs to be a sense of urgency with this team. For some trivia, the Lakers have only won one game this season when I hosts some open threads (X-Mas vs. Warriors). I'll be on sabbattical yet again and usually, that's when they string together some wins. Let's see if I can work the Juju. But honestly, to the Lakers' young core, LeBron is a stop gap player for the franchise, but you guys are the future. Own it now. I'll see you guys later.

01/24: LAKERS vs. Minnesota Timberwolves 2nd Half Open Thread

2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Timberwolves matchup on TNT. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game!

Q4

MIN 120 LAL 105

The start of this quarter doomed the Lakers as Minnesota built a 12-point lead. Gauging how this game went, it looked like it was going to go down-to-the-wire. But, the Timberwolve just pulled away and did all the little things to win. Goodness, gracious, even with an integral piece in Rondo back, the Lakers still have issues, especially since they're not a team to come from behind unless LeBron's on the court. More to come in the full recap.

Q3

MIN 84 LAL 82

Strong finish to the quarter after a slow start even though the Lakers still trail. They had a solid start this quarter, scoring five quick points. Then, they just fizzled out and the T'Wolves just controlled the pace for the majority of the game after a quick timeout. Give credit where its due. Neither team wants the other to pile up points and build and insurmountable. This is setting up a tightly contested 4th quarter. The Lakers hung around and got themselves back in the game.

01/24: LAKERS vs. Minnesota Timberwolves 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome to the first half open thread of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves as both teams try to keep afloat in the playoff race in the West. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

MIN 58 LAL 61

Not a good defensive sequence to end the half. But, happy the Lakers have the lead at the half. Of course, the big story here is the return of Rajon Rondo. As I said in the first quarter, all is well when you have one of your floor generals back. Players get to do what they do best without taking up the bulk of the playmaking. Rondo looked good, scoring-wise and facilitating-wise. It's like he hasn't missed one month of action. And that's the big plus right now. But, the Timberwolves are hanging around there as their getting some quality minutes out of Jerryd Bayless off the bench. They're a scrappy bunch despite all the drama that has happened with Jimmy Butler and Tom Thibodeau and they're fighting for a playoff spot as well. For the Lakers, while Rondo is a big boost, we need to see more from our main cast off the young core. Kyle Kuzma finally scored in the 2nd quarter, he's struggled as of late and hope he gets the hot hand back. Ingram's been underwhelming. He had a couple of good looks this first half, he just is not able to knock his shots down. There's still plenty more to play. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

MIN 28 LAL 29

Quite a struggle for B.I. in this quarter with that jump shot. Outside of that, this quarter shows the beauty of having a playmaker like Rondo back. It was just one game that the Lakers didn't have all three of their floor generals. But, it was nowhere near where it was when the Lakers had a pure playmaker. Rondo's return tonight exemplifies the Lakers' getting back to the flow the offense. He looked good this quarter, knocking down a couple of shots and he takes a lot of pressure off of B.I. and Lance as ball handlers. The last stretch was a bitter finish as the T'Wolves benefited on some and one calls to make this a one point game.

Klay Thompson Single-Handedly Burns Lakers

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Golden State Warriors as the NBA wraps up their MLK Day slate of games where the Lakers kept it close in the first half, but Klay Thompson's sensational 44-point game leads the Warriors to a 130-111 rout.

You know, the Warriors do show mercy when one of their star players goes off while the others take the night off. I'm going to be honest here, with Golden State at full strength and the Lakers missing their key playermakers, I didn't expect this to be a victory regardless of the outcome. I wouldn't count this as a total annihilation. Klay Thompson had the hot hand tonight and he helped balloon a 10 point lead into a 30-point lead. He had some help from KD and Curry, but they didn't have to do much tonight. I'm going to do just a quick rundown on this since I do have work early tomorrow.

(+)

4th quarter garbage time. Steve Kerr had to take a few timeouts on this one. As I said, the Warriors were merciful enough to pull Klay Thompson out after he torched the Lakers in the third quarter with 10-11 shooting from 3-point range. The Lakers trimmed down the lead to make it look good. Yes, it wasn't close. We got to see extensive looks on Moe Wagner, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Isaac Bonga. We also had an Alex Caruso sighting as he's a two-way player in case the Lakers have injuries. They needed Caruso to fill out the lack of depth at the Point Guard position. Lakers got quality minutes from them. Surprisingly, JaVale McGee finished out the game. He made the most out of it by putting up more points to cap off his 10-point, 9-rebound game.

Michael Beasley, 15 points, 5 rebounds, 7-8 shooting. Once again, the Lakers received solid contribution from Beasley off the bench. People tend to forget he's a scoring machine when he's hot. I liked what I saw as he looked to kept attacking the Warrior defense. He was smart with his shot selection as well. He didn't take ill-advised shots. He just went to his sweet spot near the high post and connect on his mid range.

Ivica Zubac, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 7-8 shooting. Despite the Lakers lacking their 3 primary playmakers, Zubac still did work inside. Just remember, he destroyed the Warriors in the paint the last time they played each other. DeMarcus Cousins' presence is the only difference this time around, but Zubac still found ways to score in the paint. He has been spectacular off the bench the last few games and McGee and Chandler have done a lot of wonders for his development.

(-)

3rd quarter. Klay Thompson's madness this quarter was the headline. There's no question about that. Missed shots doomed the Lakers even more in this quarter. KCP, Ingram, Kuzma, they built a whole lot of bricks and it allowed the Warriors to get set in transition. When you do that against a team with a deadly offense and with a player who's on absolute pandemonium, bad things happen.

Kyle Kuzma, 16 points, 7-18 shooting. But wait, Kuz still made it double figures! The stats are not exactly up to standard on what KuzMania is capable of. Not to mention, he didn't hit a single three as he was 0-5 from beyond the arc.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 4 points, 1-5 shooting. This is why I call KCP: "Kentavious Caldwell-Poop." He'll give out good scoring games, but overall this has been a terrible season for KCP's standard by far.

Free throw shooting. The Kryptonite reared its ugly head again as the Lakers shot 57% from the charity stripe. Not that it would've made a difference, but it would've minimized the margin of defeat.

MVP

Ivica Zubac, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 7-8 shooting 

There you go Zu, here's your MVP. Clearly Rondo was more valuable in the last meeting, but Zubac held his own against Boogie without a pure playmaker setting him up easy looks.






Conclusion

The NBA's Thanos only needed one Infinity Stone to beat a Lakers team who has half of its universe gone. People can say that the Golden State Warriors ruined NBA parity by signing Kevin Durant two offseasons ago and then signing DeMarcus Cousins two offseasons later. What's astonishing about this team is that they know how to keep egos in check with that much star power in hand. Just when you think drama is unfolding to put the franchise in shambles, they just throw it out the door and ball. The Golden State Warriors are the NBA's version of the New England Patriots. They have the perfect system and they have the right culture which many teams are so desperately trying to duplicate. As far as the Lakers, they have a lot more soul-searching to do. Even if LeBron and Rondo return and Lonzo later, this team have their backs against the wall right now. Forget they playoff talk, just win some games and build some consistency. They'll be at it again against the Timberwolves. I will see you guys for that game.

01/21: LAKERS vs. Warriors 2nd Half Open Thread

This is the 2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Warriors matchup as the NBA remembers MLK. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

GSW 130 LAL 111

Trim the 30-point deficit to just a 19-point deficit, fair enough. Garbage time always helps to minimize the damage a bit and make the scoreboard look good. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

GSW 110 LAL 80

A merciful end to the quarter. I tell you when Klay Thompson is in a zone, he's in a zone. The guy went 9-9 from beyond the arc this quarter and the Lakers couldn't do anything, despite playing tough defense to deny Klay the ball. His shooting stroke is otherworldly tonight. This quarter was the worst case scenario for the shorthanded Lakers. Yet at the same time, it was expected considering the disparity of talent from both teams tonight. It also doesn't help that the Lakers were asinine on their shots. Too many bricks, which is why they trail by this much.

01/21: Remembering MLK: LAKERS vs. Warriors 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Lakers-Warriors matchup as the NBA remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

GSW 65 LAL 55

It would've been better if it was still down to single digits. The Warriors did try to put this game out of reach early. But, the Lakers as shorthanded as they are, trail by 10 points at the half. Michael Beasley and Ivica Zubac have provided some scoring punch off the bench with a combined 15 points. They were aggressive inside early. Zubac was unstoppable in the Christmas Day matchup. This time, he runs into a tougher matchup in Boogie. And so far? Nothing has fazed the Zupacalypse. Kyle Kuzma came alive just a little bit at the half. Ingram is running point and so far has been effective. What's keeping this from being a blowout is that only one player out of the Warriors' "Fab Five," Klay Thompson is already way into double figures. Durant just barely with 10 points. The rest haven't hit their groove, Curry especially. The biggest concern is allowing the Warriors' other players to go off. Alfonso McKinnie has hit a pair of threes to help balloon Golden State's lead. Like I said, the Lakers may not have enough firepower to pull this off against the Golden State Western All-Stars. But, if they can keep this game tight throughout the 2nd half without LeBron, Zo, and Rondo on the floor, it would be a moral victory. A win would be great though! The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

GSW 29 LAL 24

Well, the Lakers get a crack at the NBA's Thanos and so far, not bad. The Warriors are more than capable of turning up the scoring, but they got off to a slow start, which benefits the Lakers a bit. It also helps that Boogie Cousins is in foul trouble. Can you believe that? Just his second game in and he's in foul trouble again. It's gonna be key to take out one of the "Infinity Stones" early on here and the Lakers gotta take advantage of Golden State's turnovers. They may lose this game, but it'll be a moral victory if they manage to keep this game close.

Lakers Weekly Roundup (01/20): Drama and Heartbreak

*Some NSFW language*

What a week it was after the Lakers had a tough loss against the lowly Cavaliers. Since that game though, they managed to regroup and string together some competitive games against teams that are far beyond their status. With playoff implication on the line, it was clear that the Lakers needed to play with more urgency, especially since LeBron James' status is still up in the air. Though, Laker Nation received good news that he's slowly progressing from the groin injury. And Rondo should be close to coming back as well. The Lakers are still beyond .500 and have to protect their winning record so far. Let's see how they fare in this Lakers Weekly Roundup.

01/15: vs. Chicago 107-100 [W] (24-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

Luke Walton channeled his inner Owen Hart by shaking up the starting lineup a bit. "Well, enough is enough and it's time for a change!" After a stunning loss against the then-winless Cavaliers, what could possibly go wrong going up against a team that's also on a losing streak? Well for the first half it certainly looked like things would go wrong as the Bulls were neck and neck with the Lakers. Seriously, the Lakers were once against lackadaisical to start right out of the gate. However, things settled down in the 2nd half as the LakeShow assumed control of the game. Zo breaks out of the funk with a triplet of threes to highlight his 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists night. B.I. took over the game, finishing with 16 points. Svi knocked down a pair of threes. Kuzma with a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. All was good from the middle of the third quarter to 1 minute left in the 4th. Yes, the Lakers almost went full melt down in the fourth quarter as Chicago continued to fight on an 11-0 run. Free throws reared its ugly head, but not much. The Lakers closed out a game in the fourth quarter. No LeBron. No Rondo. A shakeup in the starting lineup. You name it. In other news, Hell has officially frozen over. Unfortunately for Laker fans and Staples Center attendees, a team in the Central Division has to ruin your chances of getting free tacos yet again.

01/17: @ Oklahoma City 138-128 (OT) [W] (25-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

I couldn't be anymore proud the way this team performed this game whether they won or lost. That was the gutsy Laker young core I remember that kept their heads in the game last year. OKC had the upper hand early on, but it was the Lakers bench that brought them back from a big deficit to start. Ivica Zubac was a monster inside the paint with 26 points and 12 rebounds. I guess you can he Steven Adams'd Steven Adams this game. Despite the inspired performance, this game could've easily been marred a pair of bullshit calls against the Lakers, such as the out-of-bounds call when a Thunder player clearly touched it last. Or when Westbrook put up a second late after Lonzo fouled him before the act, which the refs still awarded him three free throws to tie the game in regulation. However, the Lakers wouldn't be denied as Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Zubac took the game over in OT to close the Thunder out without LeBron. Without Rondo. Add Westbrook going full Westbrick down the stretch to aid in the Lakers' big victory. And yet Paul George still chooses to go with stat-padding shot chucker. Don't come asking to play in the Purple and Gold when your contract is up and you wind up empty-handed in OKC, Paul.

01/19: @ Houston 134-138 (OT) [L] (25-22)

HIGHLIGHTS

Hot start from the Lakers this game. They've pummeled the Rockets in the first half. James Harden has not shot the ball well. Keep this advantage Lakers.

*2nd half* Once again, the Lakers  couldn't get away from the injury bug as Lonzo Ball had to be carted off with an ankle injury. Down goes another playmaker. The defender clearly tangled with Zo and there should've been a foul call. If that was Harden, he would've gotten the call and two free throws. Luke Walton lets the refs  know it at the cost of being ejected for the rest of the game with assistant coaches Brian Shaw and Jesse Mermuys taking over head coaching duties.

*4th quarter* Okay, the Rockets had a monster 3rd quarter since Zo got out of the game and Coach Walton got ejected. But, things are getting settled as Lance Stephenson hits a couple of clutch three-pointers. Zubac has been unstoppable in the paint and hitting clutch free throws. It's such an anomaly that the Lakers, one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the league, are perfect from their free throws. Just don't foul and-*Eric Gordon hits game-tying three* Well, that's the worst case scenario. Gordon hasn't played a game in awhile and he just pulled a Marcus Paige in the National Championship game two years ago. The Lakers have ran the gauntlet in this tough stretch. They came off a grind-it-out win against the Thunder two days ago. Can they do it again?

*OT* And this is why I don't like it when the Lakers let better teams hang around after regulation. Do you remember those two home games against the Warriors last season? Eric Gordon came alive. James Harden, bad shooting night at all, reminded the league why he's MVP and a magnet for the refs and their whistles. Brandon Ingram though came alive and kept the Lakers within striking distance. Rockets missed some critical free throws. And-*KCP airballs three* How the hell did you not give the ball to Ingram in that situation? I was mad, but I won't overreact. KCP had a great look for the go-ahead three. He just didn't have his feet and legs balanced enough.  If he makes it, he makes it. If he doesn't, well he gets crucified. But still, that was the most questionable possession that game. Lakers have another chance though. *Kuz loses the ball out of bounds* And he had B.I. wide open inside the key for a game-tying dunk. We can blame Kuz's butter fingers, but the Rockets had their hands on the ball to disrupt the inbounds play and Kuz had on-ball pressure all over him. You can't completely blame him for that. Clearly, I have a dissenting opinion cause I don't know, I actually saw the game? Seriously, everybody's blaming everyone and calling for some trades and some heads after this.

The Lakers played well enough this game. The number one rule is that you don't let a good team hang around beyond regulation. They will burn you since they have enough firepower and talent to muster a win if extra time is allocated. That's why I mentioned the home games against the Warriors last year. Lakers had a chance to put them away, but the Warriors just had too much firepower to pull away in OT. Speaking of the Warriors, they are in town tomorrow night as the NBA's Thanos arrives in Wakanda (Staples Center) with all Infinity Stones in tact and there's no Thor (LeBron), Rocket Racoon (Rondo), and Groot (Zo) to come in and provide the reinforcements. And open thread is back for tomorrow night!

Lakers Weekly Roundup (01/13): Great Start, Terrible Finish

Stocks, cryptocurrency, they haven't had a strong finish to the end of last year. There'll be days they'll do good, but not by much to recoup huge losses in the market that has no end in sight. That's pretty much how I feel about the Lakers right now. Their stock has taken a tumble in the coming weeks since LeBron James went down and it has no sign that'll it'll get better in the long run. Their free fall from 4th to 8th speaks for itself. It's not just LeBron though. The young Lakers couldn't find a way to string together an inch of consistency and it's been chronic ever since the spotlight was on them since the decisive Christmas Day win against the Warriors. Enough of me repeating myself in the last 2-3 Weekly Roundups. Here is the Roundup for the week of 01/13.

01/07: @ Dallas 107-97 [W] (22-19)

HIGHLIGHTS

After the suckage that was last week, Luke Walton challenged Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to "play with more energy." Let's be honest, Zo and B.I. stunk in the absence of key players during the last two games. They were especially horrible in the ugly loss in Minnesota where Ingram was held to 13 points while Zo dropped a goose egg. They answered the call as the Lakers traveled to Dallas. They do get a big boost with Kyle Kuzma coming back. But he shot 4-20 from the field, which is a typical stat line coming back from an injury. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows to start as the Mavs built a lead to as many as 15. But, the Lakers came back and we saw "Eldest Big Baller" and "SlenderIngram" play with more sense of urgency. B.I. lead all scorers with 29 points while Zo followed suit with 21 points with a wet jump shot included. The Mavs tried to scratch and claw back, but like Luka Doncic's floater, they couldn't stay in the game. Big road win for the Lakers to stay afloat in the playoff race.

01/09: vs. Detroit 100-113 [W] (23-19)

HIGHLIGHTS

The Pistons have the reigning Coach of the Year in Dwane Casey, a talented roster, yet they still remain as the Motor City's biggest disappointment second only to the Lions. Blake Griffin returns to Los Angeles in what seem to have been ages since he played under the bright lights of LA. But tonight's showing at the Staples Center? KuzMania. Well let me tell you something brother, what cha gonna do when KuzMania runs wild on you? After an ugly 4-20 showing, Kyle Kuzma put the Lakers on his back, dropping 41 points. Truly he's the 2nd coming of Kobe Bryant by notching no assists this game. #MambaMentality. You know this night was unfortunate for the Pistons as Andre Drummond goaltends twice and KCP's shot goes in off the top of the backboard. The only negative was that they broke the hearts of Lakers fans in attendance with a last second stores (Tacos from Jack-in-the-Box are just 99 cents, jeez). On another note, Michael Beasley has yet a solid outing off the bench. 13 points the other night against Dallas and 19 points against the Pistons. Not to mention, it was his birthday. Way to turn back the clock you Beasley!

01/11: @ Utah 95-113 [L] (23-20)

HIGHLIGHTS

There's the Lakers I know who are so dependent on LeBron James to baby them and bail them out. It is written history though, the Lakers tend to struggle in the Mormon state. Utah shot the lights out of the Lakers this game. As Donovan Mitchell scorches this team and puts Javale McGee on a poster, I guess you can say that he's back to ROTY runner-up form. 41 points from Kuz the last game, only 11 points here. Foul trouble on Zo and Hart. The Jazz dominated this game from start to finish.

01/13: vs. Cleveland 101-95 [L] (23-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

I had a hunch if there was a team that would help end Cleveland's streak of infamy, it'd be none other than the Lakers.  They got away with one in the last meeting when LeBron returned to Cleveland prior to Thanksgiving Day. Even Luke Walton told this team to be wary of the Cavs. They did not get the memo as they rewarded the hapless Cavs with a win, ending their 12-game losing streak. Free throws yet again played a crucial role in derailing the Lakers' comeback. 4/12 from the stripe in the 4th quarter is completely unacceptable even by standards of one of the worst FT shooting teams in the league. It also doesn't help that they completely sucked from beyond the arc. KCP, nothing but bricks. Josh Hart, nothing but bricks. Kuz didn't even hit a three until the final seconds of the 4th. Clearly, something needs to change here as inconsistency has clearly put a rear naked choke hold on this team. I guess you can say: "CLEVELAND! THIS IS FOR YOU!"

A Season in Review: 2018 Oakland Raiders

This week on the Silver and Black Shitshow...Nope, I'm going to give this that treatment. This is your annual "Season in Review"post presented by yours truly. As I type this post, this has a different vibe of sorts compared to past "Season in Review" posts over the years. I'll try to hold it together and hopefully, I don't make this as an actual Silver and Black Shitshow post.

By all accounts, this season was pretty depressing to watch. I saw last week's season finale against the Chiefs and it was a microcosm of how this season went down. This year was marred by some really shocking trades and a power struggle between Jon Gruden and Reggie McKenzie. It was all about Jon Gruden taking over the Raiders from top to bottom. The Khalil Mack trade prior to the start of the regular season was really a dagger to the heart of all of us and pretty much indicated that this season was over before it even started. Here's this guy who was a franchise-altering 1st round pick and arguably, the Raiders' best pick in a long while. And, they traded him for a bag of peanuts. Specifically, they traded Khalil Mack and a 2nd round pick for the Bears' 1st round draft picks this year and in 2020.

Looking back at it at hindsight, the Raiders could've done a better job in packaging this deal. The fact that they added a draft pick to go with Khalil Mack was plain stupid. A 2nd round pick too! So the Raiders just lessened Chicago's blow of mortgaging their future for a once-in-a-generational talent. And we get more insight about the trade that there was a civil war between Reggie McKenzie and Jon Gruden and Mark Davis. In fact, there were two wars occurring at the same time: the war between the Raiders and Khalil Mack and his agent and the war between Reggie McKenzie and Jon Gruden and Mark Davis. The Raiders and Khalil Mack couldn't agree on a contract. Reggie McKenzie presented heavy resistance against trading Khalil. A Raiders beat writer reported this story that teams approached Reggie about acquiring Mack and Reggie was like "over my dead body." But, Gruden and Davis had other plans. Two against one and the odds were clearly against McKenzie by a huge margin. The found a suitor in the Bears and you know the rest. A month later, they pulled another trade sending Amari Cooper to the Cowboys for a first round pick. We thought that was a better deal than the Mack deal. At least the Bears can afford Mack because Mitch Trubisky is on a rookie deal. The Cowboys gave up a first round pick for someone who is inconsistent. The Raiders were hoping that both deals fell in their favor.

It didn't work that way as the Bears and Cowboys won their respective divisions and are in the playoffs. Thus, lowering those 1st round draft picks. Although the Bears did lose on Wild Card weekend as the infamous legends of Nick Foles and Cody Parkey continued to grow. Talk about a plan that went backwards for the Raiders. We don't know too much of the long-term implications, but there's no question the Raiders took two big "L's" in trades that were supposed to favor them. Khalil Mack transformed the Bears defense into one of the best in the NFL. Amari Cooper gave the Cowboys' anemic passing game some life and they went on a hot streak after a sluggish start. Let's a play a game of what really constituted Amari Cooper's poor play? Raider fans would like to erase Coop's memory, but true fans never forget that the kid was a stud in terms of route running and secondaries respected his deep threat ability. Drops were his only ailment. He had 1,000 yards receiving  his first two years before dipping in production. Even Gruden admitted they had Cooper open in a couple of plays, but Derek Carr opted to the checkdown or he ran out of time because he was playing behind a bad O-line. Well, Dak Prescott was playing behind an injured O-line too and he was as bad as Derek was this season. But, he still found ways to get the ball to Coop. Then again, the Cowboys have Ezekiel Elliott and a competent running game. But, it's something to think about in retrospect. Not to mention, there were times Carr threw to Coop over the middle and he could've gotten him killed in those situations.

The irony behind these trades is that Raider Nation, we're a proud, loyal fanbase. We don't want anything to do with players who are not part of their team anymore. I look at forums, I see stuff like "Mack and Cooper are gone. Get over it." And then when they put up big games, the same fans who say "get over it" are saying stuff like "F*ck Khalil Mack" or "F*ck Amari Cooper." If they want us to get over it, why can't they stop talking trash about them when they have good games or especially when they have terrible games? They still bring up notions that Mack disappears or Coop drops a lot of balls. The Bears lost. The Cowboys lost. Yet, they all want us to get over them at the same time. I love Raider Nation, but seriously, is anybody pointing out the damn irony behind fans who still like to bash Mack and Coop's failures or get salty behind their successes in other teams, yet at the same time, they're telling us to get over them? Am I the only one? I probably am.

The Raiders' loss in Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper is the Bears and the Cowboys' gains. Enough said. This season was the repercussions of those trades as the Raiders were one of the worse teams in the league this year. The Raiders did have a lot close games to start this season, but they wound up losing. And then as the season progresses, it was clear as day that they were in a full-on tank job if you can say that. Tank jobs, front office overhaul with the firing of Reggie McKenzie, Derek Carr's uncertainty as the Raiders' franchise quarterback going forward, major roster turnover sums up this season in a nutshell. You can go back to all my Silver and Black Shitshow posts and these were common themes for the season. I won't address all of that. It is what it is. The only exciting wins was against Pittsburgh to derail their playoff hopes and against the Broncos in what is effectively the last game in the Oakland Coliseum.

In terms of positives around this roster, Jordy Nelson and Jared Cook have held up their end of the bargain as the vets. Doug Martin played well as the bell cow back in lieu of Beast Mode. Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph, holdovers of Reggie McKenzie's 2016 and 2017 draft classes, balled out when given the chance. I do like Maurice Hurst out of the 2018 draft class. I do think Arden Key has plenty of potential. Like I said in the past, you can't judge a draft class until year 3. There were some struggles for this rookie class. They can only get better.

There's so many stories heading into next season. The Raiders announced Reggie's replacement by hiring Mike Mayock as the new GM. I loved listening to Mayock's analysis on draft prospects on NFL Network. He's highly respected among scouts. I think the reasoning behind his hiring is so Jon Gruden doesn't become a complete control freak like he has been this season. Someone needs to be the voice of reason to keep Gruden from going full Chucky. Mayock is a great analyst and very elaborate on his scouting and mock drafts. But, it's a lot more different when it comes to handling pro personnel, contracts management, and drafting the right players come draft day, which Mayock lacks any experience in. Who knows? He could be a John Lynch who's doing a nice job with the 49ers despite zero GM experience in the past. Maybe even better. Raider Nation is always optimistic about any moves within the organization, whether it's a head coaching hire or a GM hire. For me, this team has tested loyalty time after time. We get optimistic about front office moves, offseason moves, draft picks, then the regular season hits and everything just falls apart. This has happened in the last 15 out of 16 years with this team. There's just zero tolerance for me at this point with what moves this team makes. I have to see it with my own eyes that this team is getting better. I don't care what the offseason plan is. What the draft strategy is. I need to be convinced that this team is going upward, especially since they have $98 million to spend in free agency and a trio of 1st round draft picks. You can have all that capital in the world and still find ways to blow it.

Now, onto the biggest question that the world is asking: where the hell are the Raiders going to play at? Mark Davis pretty much burned bridges with the City of Oakland. Oakland proceeded to do the same with a lawsuit. They're technically still the Oakland Raiders, but they can't play in Oakland because of the lawsuit. They tried to find a temporary home in San Francisco and they said no. Now, they're exploring outside the border, possibly playing home games in London. They do have an international game set. Can you imagine how much the travel expenses will be for the Raiders having to practice in their Alameda Facility, training camp in Napa, and then flying over to London for their pre-season and regular season home games? Not to mention, they have to play on the road games too. I'm wondering if Mark Davis has enough to account for that, plus relocation fees, plus that Bank of America loan he'll need to pay off to finance that stadium in Vegas?  And of course, the lawsuit will play a big factor in that too since Oakland is suing for damages, which of course involves money.

Since the move approval in 2017, this team has changed day-by-day, minute-by-minute from top to bottom. And quite frankly, time after time, I find myself distancing from this team and organization that I stood by and rooted for since I was a little boy, dating back to the Rich Gannon-Tim Brown days. By the time this team moves to Vegas, there will be little soul left of the mystique of what was the Oakland Raiders. Will they get better with the change of scenery? Maybe. But, they've transformed into just another soulless corporate entity for the National Football League with this move to Las Vegas. There'll be no Black Hole. There'll be no home field advantage. What there'll be are a bunch corporate executives who won't give a crap about any aspect about the game other than money, tourists who either don't understand football or the Raider tradition, and fans of opposing NFL teams with stronger followings than the Raiders, such as the Steelers and Cowboys. And what next as this team continues to look for a temporary home this year?

These last couple seasons since the move was announced has been really weird. It's saddening. It's depressing. Maybe even more depressing than the previous losing seasons the Raiders had in the past decade since the Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay. This team has played with so many of our emotions. I'll still be a fan, but I'm not as invested as I was in the past. I know, I'll be called a fake fan or some sorts. But, I stood by this team when the quarterbacks went from Gannon to Kerry Collins to Aaron Brooks to Andrew Walter, JaMarcus Russell, Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown, Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye, Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer, Terrelle Pryor, now Derek Carr. The one thing that separates me from any other fan is not the collection of jerseys or merchandise, or memorabilia, but attaining the knowledge and appreciation of the Raiders' history past and present. I appreciate the teams of the 70's with John Madden, Ken Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, the "Soul Patrol" with Willie Brown, Jack Tatum, and George Atkinson. I appreciate the 80's with Tom Flores, Jim Plunkett, Marcus Allen, Howie Long, Mike Haynes, Lester Hayes, Matt Millen, and Lyle Alzado. Heck, even the lost decades. Anybody remember how explosive Napoleon Kaufman was in the mid to late 90's? Then, you also had the short-lived Bo Jackson era. Tim Brown and how underrated he was as a wide receiver, putting up numbers playing with average QBs until Rich Gannon came along in 1999. Change is always difficult. It's either we embrace it or we don't. It's simple as that. Like I said, maybe the Raiders will be a perennial contender in Las Vegas. But, it won't be the same as they're not going to be a Cali product. And I speak on that on behalf of both fanbases in Oakland and Los Angeles, not just Oakland even though they're better off as the Oakland Raiders with all due respect.

But you know how Raider Nation rolls. It's not a city. It's not a state. It's a Nation and it's worldwide. We'll see this upcoming offseason if the Raiders are ridiculously going to consider this "World Tour" this year before going to Vegas in 2020. If change is indeed coming, I have to see it myself. There's just too much uncertainty with this team. May the football gods be with the Raiders as a team and as an organization as they wander into the great unknown.

Lakers' Weekly Roundup (01/06): PLAYOFFS? Don't Talk About Playoffs!

*Some NSFW language*

The Lakers have failed so far in their New Year's Resolution of stringing together a winning streak without LeBron James in the lineup. After a convincing win against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, their current free fall has made all that an afterthought. In the words of former NFL head coach Jim Mora:

The Lakers find themselves stuck in an endless struggle without LeBron James making up for their roster/personnel deficiencies. And the injury bug just won't stop derailing the Lakers from returning to perennial playoff glory. Let's see how the Lakers fared here in this week's Lakers' Weekly Roundup.

01/02: vs. Oklahoma City 107-100 [L] (21-17)

HIGHLIGHTS

Ah yes, the native son has returned for the New Year after pulling a 3-part swerve on us Laker fans and NBA fans around the world the previous offseason. Paul George had the opportunity to come home and fulfill a childhood dream of playing for the Lakers. He chickened out because he didn't want to get chewed out by his "best friend" Russell Westbrook. I'll admit I had the "red carpet" rolled out for Paul George's possible homecoming. TrueRaiderLaker Productions was gonna have the hyphiest hype video for PG13 to the Lakers with a two-part mixtape using songs by Ice Cube. This was going to get Lakers fans hyped because Paul George officially joined the Lakers with an all-too West Coast vibe, unlike where most videos tried to cocktease us by having a Paul George Lakers hype video uploaded prematurely before PG ever made a decision. All that time and effort putting a video together only for it to blow up in my face when the news broke out that PG was staying in OKC and I never recovered right on queue by the time LeBron James signed with the Lakers.

It was clear as day that Paul George couldn't handle the bright lights of LA as a hometown boy and he wanted to get paid big dollars. Typical of someone who shot OKC's daylights out of the playoffs last year against Utah. He then tried to spare us the sentimental bullshit that if the Lakers wanted him, they should've traded for him when they had the chance. Oh yeah, even if the Lakers traded for Paul George, he would've been unhappy that he was stuck with a team in the midst of rebuilding for life after Kobe and would've left the Lakers in the dust as a free agent. Understandably so, he'd be playing in the shadow of LeBron and play under intense scrutiny. Because when you're a star player and play alongside LeBron, a larger-than-life NBA superstar of his magnitude, definitely you'll shoulder all of the blame while he shoulders none of it. Instead of playing like an All-Star, you're like a pawn for LeBron. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love as Exhibits A and B.

Enough of the Paul George melancholy, this recap is supposed to be short and sweet. Despite being shorthanded, this game just upped the ante for the Lakers and their young core: prove Paul George that he made a big mistake. They've answered the challenge by baiting PG to initiate contact on the defensive end. Attack him. Bully your way inside against him. It worked for the most part as he was in foul trouble early. Oh my goodness, PG13 might foul out of the game early. Poetic justice! Even better that Russell Westbrook is building a really big house with his bricks (excuse me while my Fantasy Basketball self cries in a corner). But, the fun wasn't meant to last as PG13 put the Thunder on his back. Once again, the Lakers were hampered by their inability to shoot free throws and forgetting how to box out for a rebound. But, at least they're hanging tight with a five-point lead into the 4th quarter. Then everything about the 4th quarter for the Lakers reared its ugly head again as every Lakers possession continued to stall and stall and stall and, well, you get the point. The Lakers couldn't buy a bucket until the game was well out of reach. This team absolutely failed us. Even worse, they're teetering on the 8th spot in the West. What this teaches us is that the "LeBron effect" is real. LeBron does mask major weaknesses for teams that are supposed to rot in mediocrity. Even more bad news, Kyle Kuzma didn't finish the game due to some back pain. That now makes three key players that the Lakers are missing badly (James, Rondo, Kuzma). During this game, we see a shot of LeBron in the back talking to Magic and Pelinka. Something tells me that drastic roster changes are brewing.

01/04: vs. New York 119-112 [L] (21-18)

HIGHLIGHTS

They lost to the Knicks. That's all there is to say. When a team loses to the team that is insanity in the flesh, obviously they've hit a layer that is lower than rock bottom. And by that, the Lakers' woes continue in this never ending skid since LeBron and Rondo went down. The injury bug continues to hit the Purple and Gold as Kyle Kuzma is ruled out this game. It's all in the hands of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to carry this team. This game was laughable to watch. The fact that the Lakers had to scratch and claw back into this game in the 3rd quarter against a previously 9-29 team is a testament that this team is trending in really tough waters. Then, like in the OKC game, the Lakers decided to crap out in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled out a gritty win. Common denominator? Brandon Ingram attempting to take over this game and chucking some missed shots. As I mentioned in the past, when it comes to evaluating young talent, you can't judge them until Year 3 of their career. As far as I know, time is ticking on B.I. He struggled in these situations last year of being big in the clutch. We fans gave him a pass on that. As he continues to struggle in these situations this year, patience is definitely being tested. It also doesn't help that Luke Walton deviated away from sets and plays that made B.I. so effective last year. Was it because of LeBron coming over? Or having a plethora of playmakers/floor generals this time around? We don't know.  Ingram needs to get better in the clutch. Zo needs to score better. This team as a whole needs to get better at their free throws and rebounding. Luke has to be better at coaching with the roster and rotation he has now. The fact of the matter is that the Lakers continue to be exposed without LeBron having to mask their deficiencies. The West can change in an instant as the Lakers have fallen flat on their faces from the 4th seed to the 8th seed with this loss.

01/06: @ Minnesota 86-108 [L] (21-19)

HIGHLIGHTS

By the time I tuned into this game on League Pass, the Lakers were down 3-22 in the middle of the first quarter. I thought that was the score of an NFL Wild Card game for a second. But no, it's basketball and the Lakers only scored 3 points to start in the first quarter. I didn't pay too much attention to this game. This was beyond horrendous from top to bottom. As shorthanded as the Lakers were, they were in for an ass kicking against a much more talented Timberwolves team. The starting five was trash this game, Zo, Ingram, and Hart especially. Interesting enough, they implemented a lineup with Zubac and McGee in the lineup and boy, did things go South for the Lakers? It was garbage time at the start of the 4th quarter. With this 3rd loss, drastic changes have to be made. A lot of people are saying it's early in the season...with about four more months left. Teams have to start thinking about jockeying in position for a playoff spot, especially in the West where anything can happen. The Lakers need to have that mindset as they are no guarantees that this roster will be at full strength sooner or later. These next few months will go by fast with the trade deadline, All-Star weekend, and the stretch run of the 2018-19 NBA season in March-April. We do have a shakeup after this loss. Tom Thibodeau is relieved of his duties as Timberwolves Head Coach/President. Wait a second, what?