Lakers Weekly Roundup #11: No AD, no Problem

Lakers open up 2020 with a hot start. The first three victories to open the year may be sluggish, but they did a good job in the next three. This week presents some favorable matchups and the team begins to embark on the long Grammy road trip. AD or not, they've shown they're capable. Let's see how they fare this week.

1/13: vs. Cleveland 99-128 [W] (33-7)

This game reminded me of that Denzel Washington meme where he hold onto his chest and laughs. I forgot what movie that was. Because it certainly looked like the Cavs were going to pull off the upset with the way that first half went sans Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo. Kevin Love went off to a hot start from what I heard. Haven't seen that since he put up numbers on mediocre Timberwolves squads. But, the Lakers turned on the jets in the 2nd half, putting Cleveland's false hopes to rest. LeBron James, down with the sickness and all, dropped 31 points on his former team. He also surpassed Isiah Thomas at number 8 all time in the assists category. Dwight Howard returned to form for this game, putting up 21 points and 15 rebounds off the bench. If there's anything this stretch indicates, the Laker role players are finding ways to step up without being in full strength. It's an encouraging sign. Now, imagine this kind of performance with this Lakers roster at 100%.

1/15: vs. Orlando 119-118 [L] (33-8)

And boom goes the undefeated streak against sub .500 teams. The Magic always find ways to have the Lakers' number at Staples. From the first half, things were looking pretty ugly. But, the Lakers managed to find their way back into the game with unsung performances from Quinn Cook and Troy Daniels. Both players stepped up and rain threes to bring the Lakers back. Then, Markelle Fultz took the game over with a triple-double of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Whenever the Lakers had an answer, Fultz finds a way to respond with a big bucket for Orlando. You know else's the problem? Kyle Kuzma drawing iron all game long finishing with 4 points, going 2-10 from the field. Or LeBron being passive-aggressive this game with 19 points and 19 assists. He had the chance for the game-tying three and of course, it rimmed out.

1/18: @ Houston 124-115 [W] (34-8)

ESPN/ABC rolls out Saturday Prime Time NBA action for the first time this season. The Lakers begin their road trip against the high-octane offense of the Houston Rockets and the duo of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Once again, no AD this game, but they can take advantage of a slumping Rockets team on a 2-game skid. When you're coached by Mike D'Antoni, his philosophy is simple: 100% offense, 0% defense. Houston started out hot in the first half. But when the Lakers put the clamps on in the 2nd half, the Rockets' holes begin to rip open. After conservative play against the Magic, the Lakers took no prisoners in the 2nd half. Kyle Kuzma breaks off the rust with 23 points. LeBron was more aggressive this game. Danny Green went off for 20 points plus 4 steals. And KCP lead the 2nd unit with 20 points. We can live with Westbrook and Harden combining for 69 points this game. As long as the rest of the Rockets' unit don't show up, that how teams beat them. And the Lakers certainly did a good job holding the rest of the supporting cast in check.

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!"

Lakers Weekly Roundup (11/25): "Too Close"

*Some NSFW language*

Improbable, ugly wins happen in sports all the time. They always have us asking "how in the literal fuck did we win this game?" It's even worse when the opposition is a mediocre team, but they keep it interesting because the game is too close. Like, this game should've been a blowout. Or when a team makes far too many mistakes, yet they still pull a W out of the hat against the oppositions. It's ugly, but a win is a win.  You win far too many close games. But unfortunately, too many close games can lead to an eventual defeat down the road. This pretty much sums up the previous week for the Lakers. This is your Lakers' weekly roundup.

11/21: @ Cleveland [W] 109-105 (10-7)

HIGHLIGHTS

The King returns to his former domain  of Cleveland, Ohio. Unlike 2010, LeBron was showered with a little bit more adoration in his homecoming in a different uniform. As I said, the man delivered his promise of a championship to the city in four tries against the OP Warriors. Cleveland, you should be forever grateful for that. Onto the actual game though, the Lakers struggled to find their footing against a previous mediocre Cavs team to the point they were down double digits heading into the fourth quarter. Jordan Clarkson was on a mission this game, not only to prove to the Lakers, but to prove to LeBron himself how much he's grown. It was a not too shabby game from our Fil-Am buddy as JC notched up 20 points and 5 assists off the bench. Unfortunately for the Cavs, they could've used LeBron to close out this game. Cause literally LeBron had deja vu and had to carry this Laker team to victory. He was the leader in the top statistical categories. Points - LeBron, 32 points. Rebounds - LeBron, 14 rebounds. Assists - LeBron, 7 assists. Cleveland, that was for you. On the bright side, at least the Cavs notched some surprising wins against Houston and Philadelphia following the aftermath of this game.

11/23: vs. Utah [W] 83-90 (11-7)

HIGHLIGHTS

What a turnover shitfest this game was. Look away casual NBA fans if you don't like low-scoring games unlike us who've grown up to 80's-90's BBall. Clearly, both teams missed dessert on Thanksgiving night that they decided to make up for it with turnovers. The Jazz committed 19. The Lakers? 23 turnovers. Usually, when the Lakers commit more turnovers than the opposition, they'd usually lose. But, that wasn't the case this game as they showed that they can play defense and hold opponents under 100 points. On the flip side, they did catch a break as last year's Rookie of the Year runner up, Donovan Mitchell had a rib contusion in the 2nd quarter and never returned. Who's gonna pick up the slack? Ricky Rubio? He only had 7 points and 3-12 shooting. For the Lakers, it wasn't just King James who got all the headlines. "Slender Ingram" was unleashed this game with 24 points and was in attack mode all game long. The 2nd straight time the Lakers bailed themselves out from another ugly victory.

11/25: vs. Orlando [L] 108-104 (11-8)

HIGHLIGHTS

With all these sloppy, close wins, the Lakers were due for a loss if they continue to keep cockteasing us that things are trending upward. That came to fruition this game. For the Magic's next trick? They make the Lakers disappear in front of their faces for the rest of the season. Serves the Lakers right for allowing the Magic to blow the game open by the end of the fourth quarter for being so nonchalant and careless with the lead. This will be just like the game in Cleveland right? Wrong! Oh, they did rally in the fourth, but I could not comprehend the shot selection down the stretch when the game was all nodded up at 104. Like why the hell are you guys jacking up threes? You could've just drive to the hole and if you draw some contact, you could make your free-oh that's right they shot 50% from the free throw line this game. A rally would've happened if it weren't for this team's free throw atrocity. I guess that's why they wanted to go for the knockout blow from deep. KCP's threes, way short. LeBron, drive to the hole! You're a 200+ pound freight train! Settles for an ill-advised step back three. On a positive note, McGee had a block party today with 7 blocks this game. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to stop Nikola Vucevic from dominating this team again like last week.

Warriors Sweep Cavs to Cap Off Back-to-Back Championships

So, the Golden State Warriors are your 2018 NBA Champions. The Warriors capped off the sweep to win back-to-back titles and three championships in four years. They didn't just beat the Cavs, but they destroyed them on their home floor in a 108-85 rout last night.

For Warriors fans, it was all smiles. But for Cavs fans, that was hard to watch. I was watching the game with a couple of my friends (die-hard Warriors fans) inside St. John's Bar & Grill in Sunnyvale. Of course, there were a lot Warrior fans inside and I was the lone Laker fan there just watching the game as an basketball fan of course. There's no question that this was the most complete game that the Golden State Warriors put together. They put on an absolute clinic on both ends of the floor. Remember when I said in the last recap that Curry is not going to have an off night next game as he did during Game 3? That came true and Steph reminded everyone why he's one of the best shooters in the world. Curry went off for 37 points and connected on 7-15 three-pointers this game. That's when you know that this game was under wraps. On the defensive side, the Warriors threw a block party with Draymond Green, JaVale McGee, and Curry each leading the team with 3 blocks. Andre Iguodala sparked the bench once again with 11 points and including hitting 3-6 from downtown. Nowadays, we rarely see Iggy pull up from three. Klay Thompson struggled, but he was able to knock down some 3-pointers in the third quarter to blow this game wide open for the Warriors.

On the Cleveland Cavaliers' side of the ball, that is one of the most embarrassing performances in the finals since LeBron returned. It's almost as if they threw the white flag, especially in the 3rd quarter when the Warriors started the rout. The defense was almost as bad as Game 3. Offensively, they were jacking up threes. 8-27 from beyond the arc! You're not going to beat Golden State like that, especially when Curry's going off for 37 points. Kevin Love was quiet. Tristan Thompson didn't crash the boards like he did, except making an accidental basket for the Warriors in the 3rd quarter. The Cavs looked defeated out there. LeBron James looked defeated out there. In fact, he almost fouled out of the game. When you saw the replay during the timeout where LeBron lashing out on his teammates in frustration, that's a telltale sign that he is done. He's looking elsewhere to find a team that can surround him with a reliable supporting cast. Because there's no way that the Cavs can build him that kind of team, especially when they took up the big contracts of Clarkson and Thompson who are average at best.

Perhaps the only unpredictable twist we saw in these finals was that KD took the Finals MVP once again. Steph Curry looked like the unanimous favorite to win Finals MVP, but Kevin Durant out of nowhere took the spotlight again. I can tell you, I saw some mixed reactions from Warriors fans when Adam Silver announced the 2018 NBA Finals MVP. Did Curry get robbed out of a Finals MVP? If we compare the stats, Durant shot the ball more efficiently and contributed in other categories. But, the biggest difference was Game 3 when Durant went off for 43 points and Curry went ice cold with 11 points, 3-16 shooting. I feel if Curry didn't have that kind of game in Game 3, it would've been neck-and-neck. But because that game happened, Curry lost all kind of momentum to get that elusive Finals MVP. KD mounted a monstrous comeback after an inefficient Game 1 to deserve Finals MVP honors.

With this win, the Warriors can officially declare themselves a dynasty. Three championship in four years. They could've won four in a row had they not blown a 3-1 lead in 2016 after a remarkable 73-9 season. It is a reminder that they're still the "gold standard" NBA teams look up to and they'll always be the overwhelming favorite as long as their Big 4 and coach Steve Kerr stick around. Oddsmakers currently have them as the favorites to win it all next season as we speak. For the Cavaliers, Cleveland's gotta brace themselves for dark times coming ahead. LeBron James is the hottest name in this year's free agent class and teams are gonna be at odds with each other to be the highest bidder. My Lakers included even though I did say a tandem of LeBron and Lonzo won't work out because of their over-unselfish mentality. But teams are going to want the best player on the planet on their team any day of the week. It's going to be one epic Summer. The Decision III coming soon. Thank you guys for following my coverage of the 2018 NBA Finals. Perhaps next year, we'll have different matchup this time around.

No Game 4 Coverage

Hi guys. As I mentioned in my full recap post in Game 3, I will not be in covering Game 4 today. I will be out with a couple of buddies, but someway we'll catch up on the game. I will provide something similar to my round up commentary posts a day after the game. Will the Warriors wrap up another title in a sweep? Or will the Cavs extend this series to one more game? Hope you guys enjoy the game.

Durant Explodes for 43 Points to Lift Warriors Past Cavs in Game 3

Welcome in to the full recap of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals where the Golden State Warriors yet again take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 110-102 win.  Kevin Durant breaks the hearts of Cleveland yet again to cap off a stellar 43-point performance.

This was very similar to Game 3 of last year's finals. The Cavs gave the Warriors one heck of a fight, but it wasn't enough as Kevin Durant pulled up from deep to give the Warriors a lead. This year, same results. It was a valiant effort from the Cavs, but Golden State just has too much talent. And the thing is, the Splash Bros had a night off, which I'll get to in a second. But, the luxury of having Kevin Durant bailed the Warriors out and they're one game away from another Larry O'Brien trophy.

Cleveland Cavaliers

(+)

Rodney Hood, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 7-11 shooting. I said it last game, the Cavs have to play Hood to at least provide some scoring spark. They got nothing to lose. And tonight, he was solid coming off the bench. The first two games without Hood, the Cavs' bench was non-existent and this game, he sparked the second unit.

Rebounding/Kevin Love, 20 points, 13 rebounds. As I emphasized countless times, the Cavs have this advantage over the Warriors. At the start of the game, the Cavaliers bullied the Warriors on the boards, especially on the 2nd chance opportunities. Kevin Love accounted for a majority of those offensive boards with 5 rebounds. He was aggressive in terms of both scoring and rebounding, knocking down a couple of threes and being physical inside.

LeBron James, 33 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists. Triple-double for LeBron. Regardless, he's gonna be on positive for the Cavs since this team starts and ends with him. James once more provided some really nice balance with the scoring and facilitating. He played some outstanding bully-ball on the break, easily overpowering guys like Livingston and Curry when they're caught on the switch.

(-)

Defensive lapses. Everybody will point to Kevin Durant's 43 points as to why the Cavs lost, but in detail, defensive lapses was the primary reason why they loss. They did a nice job locking down Curry. There's no question about that. But, if you look through the comments section of the open threads, the Warriors were dishing out nice passes to a cutting Jordan Bell or a JaVale McGee or a Draymond Green for an easy dunk/layup. Too many times, the Cavs got caught sleeping on those plays or miscommunicated on where the help should come from. Other times, they got overaggressive on the double-team or gamble at the worst possible. I mean who leaves a 1-13 Steph Curry open for a dagger three before KD's dagger? The defensive effort was decent, but way too much miscommunication.

Golden State Warriors

(+)

Kevin Durant, 43 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 15-23 shooting. Dear Golden State Warriors fans, this why almost everybody in the NBA circle hates you. Curry and Thompson had an off night, but then again, this is the luxury of having one of the more prolific scorers in the NBA right now. One-on-one, the Cavs played the best defense they could play against KD, but he was just too good from deep and from mid range. He also did damage as a facilitator as well. This game was deja vu from last year's Game 3 where Durant pulled up from deep to give the Warriors the lead and the eventual 3-0 lead. He gave Cleveland nightmares once again with the same exact shot, except it was deeper beyond the arc and it allowed Golden State to grind out this game.

JaVale McGee, 10 points, 5-7 shooting. Quality minutes, quality production from McGee once again. McGee being on the floor rather than Looney has done wonders for the Warriors.

Jordan Bell, 10 points, 6 rebounds. The Warriors got some nice, quality production out of Jordan Bell off the bench tonight. He made some timely cuts for the ball to come to him for easy dunks/layups. In fact, he's the 2nd-leading rebounder for this team behind Durant.

(-)

Stephen Curry, 11 points, 3-16 shooting. From nine threes in Game 2 to this dud from Curry. All credit to the Cavs defense though. They played Curry tough from beyond-the-arc. Trapping him, closing him out, you name it. Not to mention, he was in early foul trouble. He pulled it out when it mattered the most though. Overall, still a bad game from Curry and I'm sure he's going to make some adjustments.

Klay Thompson, 10 points, 4-11 shooting. The Splash Bros were a no-show this game and Klay struggled as well. Though, he didn't play half as bad as Curry did tonight.

Conclusion

Well, same narrative as last year. This series is O-V-E-R. There's not much the Cavs can do to get back into this series. They're overmatched in terms of star power and depth. It's just not even a fair fight at this point. But who knows? The Cavs put up 137 points last year in an elimination game, but no Kyrie Irving this time around and LeBron doesn't have much help around him outside of Kevin Love. You can bank on the Splash Bros shaking off this game and coming out firing on all cylinders the next game. They have a knack to bounce back. Kevin Durant is way too OP on the offensive end. Next game could be LeBron's last game in Cleveland as Cavalier with all the speculation as to where he's going to go as a free agent. LeBron might go out guns blazing, but it won't be enough. Regardless, if the Cavs win Game 4, the Warriors wouldn't be mad as they would prefer celebrating a championship on their home floor. We'll see what happens. As for me, there's a high chance I'm gonna miss Game 4. I'm gonna be out and about with a couple of buddies on that Friday, but we'll still catch the game someway. But, I'm still gonna provide my thoughts on after the game regardless if the Warriors sweep or the Cavs extend the series. I'll see you guys later.

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 3 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

2nd half open thread of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts as it rolls on.

Q4

GSW 110 CLE 102

They did again to Cleveland. Specifically, Kevin Durant did it again to Cleveland. The Cavs started off strong out of the gate and gave the Warriors all kinds of fits. But, Golden State just too good and just too many weapons on the floor. Back to Durant, he hits the same dagger to Cleveland as the shot clock expires to extend the lead for the Warriors 106-100 down the stretch of this quarter. This was an ugly game for the Warriors if you look at it, but a masterful performance from one of the best scorers in the game helped minimize the blemish and the team is now one win away from a third championship in four years. More to come in the full recap.

Q3

GSW 83 CLE 81

Great turnaround from the Warriors this quarter and Kevin Durant is having quite a game. He was completely unguardable throughout the majority this quarter. Not only is he doing it as the scorer that he is, but as a facilitator. He found Draymond Green for easy dunks on two occasions while the Warriors were running the fast break. JaVale McGee also provided a spark for the Warriors to start the quarter. But, the Cavs are still hanging around though. They started to get themselves to the free throw line, which I said they need to do more in during the first half post. Tight game. The 4th quarter is being set up for a strong finish.

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 3 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

The series shifts to Cleveland! This is the 1st half open thread of Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game as it rolls on.

Q2

GSW 52 CLE 58

Wow. Cavs running away with this one in the quarter, but Kevin Durant says "not so fast" with 24 points for the Warriors. The big lead that was built from Cleveland this quarter was set up by good balance from the Cavs. Outside of LeBron, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith are in double figures. This was a nice quarter from K-Love overall. He's knocking down timely threes, scoring inside, and crashing offensive boards to give the Cavs some second chance opportunities. Speaking of boards, Cleveland outmuscled Golden State. If I remember hearing correctly, they have 27 total rebounds compared to Golden State's 15. Again, they're using that strength to bully the Warriors inside. Rodney Hood provided a good spark offensively for the Cavaliers with 6 points. I said it in last game, they have to play Hood as he's a better option than JC at this point and so far, the aforementioned 6 points off the bench. LeBron didn't have to do that much, which is a good sign as he's able to balance scoring and facilitating. The only blemish is that the Cavs don't have a trip to the free throw line yet. With the points inside and crashing the boards, you'd think they'd draw the Warriors in foul trouble. Hasn't been the case during the first half and that helps Golden State hang around. The Warriors are drawing contact on their end to get to the free throw line to go along with KD's 24-point performance at the half. The scary part is that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson haven't hit their strides. Also, Curry's in foul trouble with 3 fouls at the half. Perhaps the Cavs need to go harder to get those trips from the free throw line. Defensively, they're generating some turnovers, which they need to continue to do if they want to win this game and get back in this series. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

GSW 28 CLE 29

Strong finish by the Warriors to cap off the quarter. They started down 4-14. The Cavs were more aggressive and more physical to start to this game. Kevin Love opened things up with a three-pointer. LeBron and Tristan Thompson ate Golden State's defense alive from the inside, scoring and crashing the boards. But quickly, the Warriors flipped the script during those last few minutes. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant knocked down the team's first two threes after starting ice cold from deep to help set up the run to cut Cleveland's lead to just one point.

Warriors Dominate Cavs in Game 2 with Big Performances From Curry, Durant

Welcome in to the full recap of game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals where the Warriors soundly beat the Cavs in a wire-to-wire 103-122 victory to take a 2-0 series lead.

There's not much the Cavaliers can do when two former MVPs go off for a combined 59 points. Golden State was firing from all cylinders tonight. Not just that, but they were swarming on defense. Credit to the Cavs for hanging in there after a slow start in the first quarter and outscoring the Warriors in the third quarter, the quarter where the Dubs do most of their damage. But, they were way overmatched against the Warriors' superstar roster.

Cleveland Cavaliers

(+)

LeBron James, 29 points, 9 rebounds, 13 assists. Luckily for the Warriors, LeBron didn't go beast mode like in the last game. They made a couple of nice adjustments to make sure he didn't have it easy, attacking the rim. He still put up numbers though and got more of his teammates involved. Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love benefited from LeBron's ball facilitation.

Kevin Love, 22 points, 10 rebounds. Slow start for Kevin Love in the 2nd game. But, he came up big in the third quarter to try to will the Cavaliers back.

George Hill, 15 points, 5-12 shooting. This is the type of unsung performances that the Cavs need to have in order to get LeBron more help. Game 1, Hill was pedestrian and of course, he missed the game-tying free throw. Game 2, he was in attack mode. Hill is a seasoned vet that can put up solid numbers. This is good for him to build off of as the series shifts to Cleveland.

(-)

Overall effort. The Cavaliers went from competitive in Game 1 to outclassed in Game 2. I thought they didn't come in with the same confidence they had in Game 1, believing they could steal a game at Oracle. Defensively, they racked up some steals, but in transition, they were nonchalant. After physically out-rebounding the Warriors in Game 1, the Warriors were more physical and out-rebounded the Cavs.

J.R. Smith, 5 points, 2-9 shooting. The legacy of J.R. Smith continues to take a tumble in the last 48 hours. First the blunder with 4.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Game 1. Then, this performance where Smith couldn't find a bucket. You know J.R. Smith has it bad when Warriors fans are sarcastically cheering him in starter introductions and chanting "MVP" when he's on the free throw line.

Golden State Warriors

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Stephen Curry, 33 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists. Curry set a new mark in the NBA Finals record books for most three-pointers in a game with nine. There's not much you can say other than the guy is true marksman and magician with the ball in his hands. The Cavs at times, played good defense on him, but nothing they can do when Steph Curry has better offense. He was also solid at the defensive end, providing help defense at the right time and boxing out to ensure the Cavs don't have extra possessions. So far, Curry is the early Finals MVP favorite if the Warriors win the championship.

Kevin Durant, 26 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 10-14 shooting. Game 1, Kevin Durant had an okay performance. He struggled, but adjusted by taking more shots inside. Good, but not great. Tonight was more of the KD Warriors fans are accustomed to seeing. Volume scoring, efficient shooting. KD was lights out and the Cavs were severely mismatched on defense. It doesn't help when J.R. Smith and George Hill are guarding. Durant was able to shoot over them with ease. That turnaround J was unguardable.

Klay Thompson, 20 points, 8-13 shooting. There were a lot of doubts whether or not Klay Thompson was gonna play tonight. Luckily for Warriors, he was able to play. Quite frankly, he didn't look like the high ankle sprain affected him. He looked fluid moving around the court, running in transition, and getting enough lift to drain some three point shots.

JaVale McGee, 12 points, 6-6 shooting. Terrific adjustment by coach Steve Kerr to insert JaVale McGee into the lineup over Kevon Looney. McGee had more activity in getting off of screens and rolling into the basket. Warriors fed him early with four quick points to start. He helped create all kinds of miscommunication on the Cavs' defense.

Shaun Livingston, 10 points, 5-5 shooting. Livingston continues to carry the 2nd unit with Iguodala out. The is the 2nd time this series where he provided a decent amount of scoring off the bench.

(-)

Not a lot of negatives to pull out of this game from the Warriors.

Conclusion

A nightmarish two games in Oakland for the Cleveland Cavaliers to forget about. First, they blow a golden opportunity to steal a game in Game 1. Then, they get destroyed here in Game 2. The Cavs do have a knack to respond in a big way when a playoff series shifts to Cleveland. However, the Warriors are not the Celtics and Kyrie Irving is no longer with the team to provide more firepower. As the series shifts to Cleveland, Cavs fans better hope that George Hill builds off his Game 2 performance and J.R. Smith finally wakes up. We also had a Rodney Hood sighting this game. Regardless of the issue with Hood, they gotta play him. Albeit streaky, he can score in bunches off the bench better than Jordan Clarkson can (sorry JC, you're not in LA anymore). On the Warriors' front, the stakes are going to be higher on them on the road than at home. They did a nice job last year in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Now, they have to do it again and this time, they gotta ensure that the series doesn't go back to Oracle. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for Game 3!

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 2 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the second half open thread and discussion of Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts as the game rolls on.

Q4

CLE 103 GSW 122

Masterful performance from Steph Curry to cap off what was a wire-to-wire victory for the Golden State Warriors. When he and Kevin Durant are shooting at an efficient level, the Warriors are hard to beat. KD had an okay game in Game 1, but Game 2, he was elite. For the Cavs, the demoralizing loss from Game 1 lingered over and the competitive effort was not up to par. More to come in the full recap!

Q3

CLE 80 GSW 90

Anti-climactic end to what was a quarter that belonged to the Cavs. Kevin Love woke up and provided the Cavs a much-needed scoring punch. While LeBron is doing his thing as a facilitator, setting teams up for easy passes, especially towards Tristan Thompson. But, the Cavs winning this quarter 34-31 is not much. The Warriors' scoring trio continues to respond to every run that Cleveland is throwing out there. Klay Thompson, particularly, has not been bothered by the high ankle sprain and Kevin Durant continues to stay hot, shooting efficiently. 4th quarter, time for LeBron to take over? We'll see.

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 2 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2018 NBA Finals resume with Game 2! This is the first half open thread and discussion. As the game rolls on, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

CLE 46 GSW 59

This first half is pretty much an barrage from the Golden State Warriors on both ends of the floor. They started this quarter by attacking inside. Steve Kerr made an interesting adjustment by putting JaVale McGee as the starting center instead of Looney and it has worked out tremendously. McGee is much more active in the pick-and-roll action and was able to get some really easy shots with set ups from Green, Curry, and Durant. Defensively, they are hounding the Cavs. LeBron started off hot in Game 1. Today, he's just held to 15 points in the first half. The only positive to take out for the Cleveland Cavaliers is that George Hill is stepping up with 12 points at the half. I thought he was more aggressive. But, the Cavs overall have to to do much better than this. They gave the Warriors a game on Thursday and it hasn't duplicated today. They are playing nonchalant basketball right now while the Warriors is playing some top notch basketball on both ends of the floor, especially bringing in a more-balanced plan of attack on offense. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

CLE 28 GSW 32

Warriors Pull Away in OT to take 1-0 Finals Lead

Welcome in to the full recap of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals where the Golden State Warriors mustered enough offense in OT to pull away against the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-124 despite an epic 51-point performance from LeBron James.

It's inevitable that the Warriors would take a 1-0 lead over the Cavs. But, it was a lot difficult for them than expected as long as the Cavs have LeBron as a one-man wrecking crew. Through all four quarters of the game, it was tightly contested and it certainly made the fourth consecutive meeting between these two interesting. Hypothetically speaking, the Cavs could've stole this game from the Warriors had George Hill made the 2nd free throw or J.R. Smith called the timeout after the offensive rebound off Hill's miss. Then again, anything can happen on the Warriors' side with the one timeout they had and 4.7 seconds left on the clock. Overtime showed why the Warriors are the clear favorites here and if you hang around with them past regulation, that's advantageous to them and they pull away.

(+)

LeBron James, 51 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 19-32 shooting. You just knew that LeBron is gonna have to go beast mode to give the Cavs a chance against the Warriors. I'd say if the Warriors had a healthy Iguodala, it wouldn't have made a difference. He just add his way no matter how many different looks the Warriors threw at him on defense. Greatness was at work here. It just wasn't enough.

Kevin Love, 21 points, 13 rebounds. Kevin Love's return proved to be a boost for the Cavaliers and LeBron finally got some help. He struggled from deep, but he feasted in the key. Love posted defenders up and just threw up hook shots over smaller defenders.

Rebounding. Literally, this is the only advantage Cleveland has over Golden State and it is still the constant from the last three finals. They have the size to do that. This game, the Cavs destroyed the Warriors on the offensive boards 19-4. Outside of LeBron, the offensive rebounding number allowed Cleveland to hang around with all kinds of 2nd chance opportunities.

(-)

One free throw/one timeout. As I said, even if the Cavs made the free throw, the Warriors still had 4.7 seconds remaining and a timeout to draw something up. But, that sequence in the final seconds of regulation was Cleveland's one shot to possibly take a 1-0 lead in these series. It would've added something a little different in the fourth consecutive meeting between the two teams. It's not more of George Hill's miss, but J.R. Smith's blunder to dribble out the clock after securing the rebound from Hill's miss, thinking they have the lead. Certainly, that drove LeBron and Tyronn Lue nuts considering they have one timeout left to draw up a game-winning play. J.R.'s gonna get a lot of roasts for the blunder.

(+)

Stephen Curry, 29 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists. With Kevin Durant struggling early on and Klay Thompson exiting the game early, Steph Curry had to put up big scoring numbers. The former 2-time MVP showed that he was just that. Though overshadowed by LeBron's 51-point performance, Curry traded clutch shots with the Kings as the fourth quarter winded down and played a big part in the Warriors pulling away in OT.

Klay Thompson, 24 points, 5 three pointers. Lucky for Warriors fans that Klay was able to survive a major injury scare in the first quarter. In defense of J.R. Smith, that was unintentional and he did slip off the floor. But, Klay turned out to be okay, still able to move around, and still put up 20+ points.

Kevin Durant, 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks, 8-22 shooting. KD in the first half was terrible. KD in the 2nd half? Not so much. Durant made a nice adjustment coming into the 2nd half to take more shots inside. That created all kinds of mismatches for the Cavs' defense with Durant posting up on smaller defenders.

Draymond Green, 13 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks. Once again all members of the Warriors' big four made it to the positives. Draymond got the Oracle crowd all amped up by the end of the game. He stuffed the stats sheet once again and brought all kinds of activity on both ends of the floor, especially on defense.

(-)

Bench. Shaun Livingston contributing 10 points off the bench erased some made up for the disappearance of the Warriors' rotation. So did JaVale McGee's start in the 3rd quarter until he went all Shaqtin'. They definitely miss Iguodala's leadership and veteran presence.

Conclusion

Well, with the Warriors needing OT to take down a one-man army, it definitely makes it interesting. But as I said, LeBron can put up legendary numbers, but it won't be enough since he lacks a strong supporting cast. The Cavs will be thinking "what-if" with the way  the final seconds of the 4th quarter played out. Also, things can change that'll lessen the Cavs' chances. The scuffle Tristan Thompson had with Draymond Green and Kevin Love walking off the bench with 2.6 left in OT could possibly lead to some suspensions. If it does, the Cavs will be so shorthanded that LeBron's gotta drop a 70-point triple-double the next game to give the team a chance. All jokes aside, they did hang around and went the distance. But hang around with the Warriors too long and they'll start pulling away. I'll see you guys on Sunday for Game 2!

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 1 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts as the game rolls on.

OT

CLE 114 GSW 124

All the Cavs needed was just one free throw. Because if I can infer from the Lakers' matchup vs. the Warriors when they went the distance to OT, Golden State just has too much firepower to pull this out. This game provided the same narrative. Once the Cavs hang around with the Warriors too much, they get burned and Golden State was able to pull away to take a 1-0 lead in these finals. Things got a little extracurricular with Tristan Thompson's ejection with 2.6 remaining in OT. Can't expect anything else from these two rivals. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q4

CLE 107 GSW 107

This harkens back to the first NBA Finals meeting between these two. Big time clutch performances from LeBron, Curry, and Durant for their respective teams. George Hill had a chance to be a hero late in the quarter, but he couldn't make the 2nd free throw. Didn't understand why the Cavs didn't call timeout after getting their own miss. They could've had a chance to draw another game-winner up for LeBron for the Cavs to steal Game 1. Extra five minutes to start these finals!

Q3

CLE 78 GSW 84

Nick Young, Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance Jr. You got former Lakers going at it down the stretch in that quarter. Meanwhile, the third quarter continues to be in the Warriors' favor. But, the Cavs are doing a nice job keeping within striking distance and preventing this from being a further blowout. LeBron, Love, size, and rebounding are the reasons why. Kevin Durant made a nice adjustment after a sluggish first half, taking more shots inside rather than jacking up threes. He's exploited some nice mismatches for the Cavs defensively to get easy buckets. A surprisingly close game considering the disparity of the teams in terms of talent. Let's see what the fourth quarter has in store.

2018 NBA Finals: Cavs-Dubs IV - Game 1 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the first half open thread of Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals! As the game rolls on, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

CLE  56 GSW 56

How many of you thought Curry was gonna miss that three at the buzzer? Instead of the Warriors being down three, they've tied it at 56 a piece. Because in all honesty, it felt like the Cavs won the first half of this game. LeBron James continues to personify greatness with 24 points in the first half. At one point, he was 6-6 from the field before finishing the half 9-11 from the field. He's getting some help. Love stepped up the scoring in his surprise return when LeBron took a seat. LNJ is contributing off the bench with 8 straight points with his hustle and energy. Meanwhile on the Warriors' side, Kevin Durant struggled with his shot. If you're wondering why they only put up 56 points at the half, that's one of the reasons why to go with the turnovers. He caught on with the game-tying three-pointer down the stretch and hopefully for the Warriors' sake, that builds up some momentum. Klay exiting the first half after J.R. Smith's slip also disrupt Golden State's game plan a little bit. With him back, look for the Warriors to recover some of their original game plan on both ends. For the Cavs, they need to let LeBron continue to do his magic and remain active on the boards. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

CLE 30 GSW 29

A lot different this time around with the Cavs mustering enough to put up 30 points here. The quick 4-0 start helped set the momentum for them until Steph Curry picked the Warriors back up with 6 quick points. Warriors are turning the ball over as well to help the Cavs gain some momentum. The bigger headline here is J.R. Smith slipping and landing on Klay Thompson's legs. That made Klay go back to the locker room and it pretty much changed the whole dynamics of this quarter in favor of the Cavs. The good news for Warriors fans, he should be fine.

Cavs-Dubs NBA Finals '18 Preview

And here...we...go again. Welcome in to the 2018 NBA Finals preview provided by yours truly. By now, you should know who these teams are considering they faced each other in the last three NBA Finals series. If not, the matchup features the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers lead by the best player on the planet LeBron James against the Western Conference and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors lead by their Fantastic Four in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. For three consecutive finals, this matchup has been the NBA's "cash cow" in terms of star power from both teams. Now, they'll duke it out once again for basketball supremacy for a fourth consecutive time. So if you're a believer in league parity, then this matchup might not be for you. Time to rehash from three straight NBA Finals Preview posts!

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors re-exerted their dominance in the NBA landscape last year by easily beating the Cavs in 5 games. Even by re-signing Kevin Durant and extending Steph Curry to a lucrative $200 million contract, someway, somehow, they managed to keep their loaded roster in tact with the exceptions of Nick Young, Jordan Bell, and Quinn Cook. But, this season proved that the Warriors weren't all invincible. Their star players each took turns being sidelined with injuries. Kevin Durant with the rib injury, Draymond Green with pectoral injuries, and Klay with the injured hand. But most notably, Stephen Curry was riddled with all kinds of injuries on his lower body, ranging from a rolled ankle to a sprained MCL. Outside of the injuries to the "Fantastic Four," this season made the Warriors look vulnerable. They weren't as good as the past three years on the defensive end in particular. Their title as "top team in the West" was handed over to the Houston Rockets. However, however, in the playoffs, Golden State started to regain some of their championship pedigree back dispatching both the Spurs and the Pelicans in five games in the first two rounds. They went the distance against Chris Paul, James Harden, and the top-seeded Rockets in the Conference Finals. Though the Warriors won in 7 games lead by their scoring trio of Durant, Curry, and Thompson, they could've easily won in five or six games if it weren't for a couple of both team and coaching blunders. One can ask "what if" had Chris Paul been healthy. The Warriors caught a break with his injury, but luck didn't hang on to them when Iguodala went down during the series.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Unlike the Warriors, the Cavs underwent an extreme makeover with their roster following last year's Finals loss. They made headlines when they traded Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder. The Cavs continued to retool their roster by adding Jeff Green, Derrick Rose, and Dwayne Wade in an effort to counter the Warriors' star power and depth. The problem was that it wasn't the year 2011. With the roster to begin the season, the Cavs looked old, slow, and out of sorts on both ends of the floor. As a result, they blew up the roster by midseason. I.T. along with Channing Frye was traded to the Lakers for Clarkson and Nance (still a great trade by Magic and Pelinka to get out of JC's contract). D-Wade got sent back to Miami. Crowder and D-Rose was dealt to the Jazz in a three-way trade with the Kings to get George Hill and Rodney Hood. The positive was that the Cavs got younger and more athletic, but the negative was that LeBron James now had a weaker supporting cast. That showed in the Cavs' road to the Finals, but through some otherwordly intervention, LeBron was able to mask most of the weaknesses on the Cavs' roster. The Cavs played the same three teams they faced last year in the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics, ironically in the same playoff rounds. The only constant was that the Cavs swept the Raptors despite the Raptors being the best team in the East and having home court. Both the Pacers and the Celtics were much tougher tests that went the distance with the Cavs compared to last years incarnation of both teams. But, the Cavs still prevailed. As much as a lot of us dislike LeBron, we can't deny his greatness any further. He was in god mode throughout the postseason, putting up ridiculous numbers, playing almost 40+ minutes a game, and carrying a team that is mediocre at best without him. It was much more like LeBron vs. the Pacers, Raptors, and Celtics during Cleveland's road to the Finals.

Keys for the Dubs

Andre Iguodala's return is indefinite and Golden State really could use him on defense against LeBron James. Kevin Durant can help disrupt LeBron's game with his length, but it's not gonna be enough without legit help at the Small Forward position. So with Iggy out, the Warriors are gonna have to double up on their defense on LeBron. He is essentially the Cavs' engine on offense. We could possibly see KD, Draymond, and Klay exchange assignments on guarding arguably the best player in the world right now. The defense is not gonna be as stifling with Iggy out, but as Game 7 against the Rockets show, the Warriors still have a tendency to apply swarming ball pressure. On offense, it all starts with the Warriors' core four. Curry, KD, and Klay can still score at will. Durant, in particular, has to place trust on his teammates to make plays. When he struggled in mid-point of the Conference Finals, he was trying to play hero ball and it stops the Warriors' ball movement. No player on the Cavs can equal the scoring prowess of the trio. They have to push the tempo and constantly move the ball.

Keys for the Cavs

Let's face it. Outside of Kevin Love, LeBron James has no help. Love's status is still in question because of a concussion in Game 6 against the Celtics. LeBron can continue to play his game and put up big numbers, but that's not going to be enough. He has to find a way to get teammates involved. The Cavs do have J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, George Hill, Jeff Green, and Jordan Clarkson as scorers/shooters, but they've been up-and-down throughout the regular season, let alone the postseason. They are going to be needed to give LeBron the support. Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr. must out-rebound any Golden State player inside to give Cleveland all kinds of opportunity. They have the size, athleticism, and hustle factor to do that. Defensively, they're going to have to generate as many turnovers from the Warriors as they can. Golden State is still prone to make bone-headed decisions with the ball and the Cavs must capitalize on every opportunity given to them.

Prediction

After three straight previews, I think you guys can telegraph my prediction in these finals. The Warriors just have way too much depth and too many weapons. The only edge that the Cavs have is that their roster is younger and more athletic. And as long as they have LeBron, they have a chance. But, let's face it, he can't do it by himself against a star-studded Warriors squad and their deep rotation. Unless the rest of the Cavs somehow show up, I just don't see it. They'll give a little bit of a fight, but look for LeBron's epic postseason run to come to a screeching halt. And look for the Warriors to extend their NBA domination.

Warriors in 6

Lakers Thrash Cavs in Clarkson and Nance's Return; I.T. Gets Sweet Revenge

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' Sunday night matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers where familiar faces, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. return to LA in Cavs' uniforms. But, it was not the result they wanted as I.T. earned sweet revenge and Randle and Lopez were just too much in the paint, giving the Lakers a decisive 113-127 win.

I'm looking at the final stats and Larry Nance showed out with 16 points, but Clarkson only chipped in 4 points here. I.T. alone scored the same amount of points as both of them combined. What a trade by Magic and Pelinka! Overall, good wire-to-wire win over the Cavs. Any team that has a LeBron James is a good win. The Cavs as a whole are just in an enigmatic limbo as a playoff team and rebuilding team. The likelihood of LeBron leaving the Cavs again has all signs of inevitability. The Lakers auditioned and they have a case for LeBron to come to LA as weird as that sounds. Pace, size, and unselfish ball movement were the Lakers' formula for victory tonight.

(+)

Isaiah Thomas, 20 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists. I'm really happy with the way I.T. played tonight and you should too. I thought the Cavs trading him despite knowing he needs to recover from a major hip injury was a little too premature. The guy only played 17 games for them. As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure and I.T. got the last laugh against the Cavs. I thought he showed really good balance as a scorer and facilitator. He didn't let the emotions of this game get the best of him, you talk about good poise and patience. He set up Randle, Lopez, and other teammates well for easy baskets and took over in the 4th to put this game away. Like I said, Magic and Rob have some vindication for trading for this man while sacrificing fan-favorite young pieces such as Clarkson and Nance.

Julius Randle, 36 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists. Randle vs. Nance was the hot topic of debate for Laker fans because of the logjam at the Power Forward position. Some favored Nance because of his basketball IQ and hustle while others favored Randle because of the upside and the rare balance of speed and power. After tonight, this shouldn't be a debate anymore. Randle straight up bullied Nance and the Cavs' inside presence to set a new career high. I couldn't imagine how tense that battle was during practices. You can tell Randle had something to prove here. They said LeBron bullying the Lakers was like man against boys. The same can be said with Randle and how he bullied his way to the basket. Great rapport with I.T. as well in transition and in pick-and-roll and give-n-go action.

Brook Lopez, 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks. This is the third straight game that Lopez logged 20+ points. I wanted Lopez to use his inside game more if his 3-point shot isn't falling and he has responded with that balance the last three games. Tonight was an absolute cakewalk as the Cavs lacked size in the front court and I expected Lopez to feast and he did. He also did a solid job on LeBron defensively. The Cavs wanted that switch with Lopez on LeBron as they did with LeBron on Lonzo. Brook did not back down from the challenge and held his own against arguably the best player in the world right now.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals. Of course, it's not a Laker win without KCP scoring and being on target from 3-point land. He had a hot start to the 1st quarter offensively and made some nice defensive plays, especially when he got the ball back for the Lakers after the Lakers committed a turnover.

(-)

A couple of defensive lapses in the first half and getting a little too relaxed with the lead in fourth quarter before KCP's three, but they're only minor. Lakers did not have a lot of negatives to point out here in this game.

MVP

Julius Randle, 36 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

He is the Punisher. This was a three-way race between Randle, Lopez, and I.T. for MVP this game. But, Randle deserves it with this monster double-double and a new career high with 36 points. No player on that Cavs roster wanted any part of Julius tonight.


Conclusion

The Lakers now stand at 30 wins after this one. It's been awhile, but they finally made it over one hump after a couple of frustrating seasons. I said in my regular season back in October, that I'd be happy if the Lakers finished with 30-35 wins. The season is not even over yet and they could grab more. They have a brutal stretch ahead though as I look at their remaining schedule. But, you can't deny they continue to compete and find ways to win. Make no mistake, team is confident to take on any team in the NBA. Denver and Golden State next, two more pivotal games if the Lakers are thinking playoffs. Clearly, the Lakers are still thinking about Jamal Murray's disrespectful antics in the last two meetings with the Nuggets. If they want to shut him up, they have to shut him down. And a win against the Nuggets puts them closer to 8th seed. In terms of the Warriors, the Lakers have dropped three close games against them. Clearly, Golden State is hurting without Curry, but they're at Oracle and they have a chance to sweep the Lakers in regular season series for the first time in a long while. The Lakers will look to deny that again. Two big games for the upcoming week. And the good news, I'll be covering both of them on the blog! I'll see you guys later.

03/11: LAKERS vs. Cavs 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half of the Lakers-Cavs matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

CLE 113 LAL 127

Epic wire-to-wire victory for the Lakers. This game pretty much gives Magic and Rob vindication for the I.T.-Clarkson/Nance trade. I.T. took over early on in the 4th quarter and burned the Lakers with 20 pts and 9 asts. Randle punished the Cavs' interior defense or lack thereof. Lopez did the same thing. This was a strong closeout quarter for the Lakers and a closeout they desperately needed after blowing a couple of big leads to begin the week. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

CLE 82 LAL 98

What a quarter! The Cavs gave a little scare when they went on a 9-0 run and eventually tied it up. But, the Lakers went back to that formula of punishing them inside. Good quarter Lopez, Randle, and KCP. I.T. started to heat up as a scorer and facilitator down the stretch. The last shot from Cleveland gave this quarter a little dent though. And hopefully it's not a harbinger heading into the 4th quarter. That stretch is where the Lakers have to close out, especially when Ingram is not there. Paging I.T. It's against his former team and he's gotta remind LeBron and company who the King in the Fourth is.

03/11: LAKERS vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

LeBron comes to town. Clarkson and Nance make their returns in another uniform. Welcome in to the first half open thread of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

CLE 60 LAL 65

Good defense from Caruso to force LeBron off rhythm for a final shot. The Lakers can't cap off the first half any better. I heard Luke Walton in one mic'd up bits that this Laker team needs to wear down and punish this Cavs team down low. And he's right. The Cavs don't have any interior presence and the Lakers have the advantage with Lopez and Randle inside. It's not just them, but you see players actively cutting into the lane when the Cavs are forced to double. That's one of the key reasons why the Lakers racked up so many assists at the half with 19. Lopez is off to another good start. I've stressed that he needs to score more inside and he has and he's doing it again against a very thin Cavs front court. KCP's hot shooting the start has also helped the Lakers balloon the lead a bit. Defensively, the Lakers could be a lot better, especially inside. I lost count how many times Ante Zizic has been found wide open for the easy score after a couple feeds by LeBron and Clarkson. Someone on the Lakers team has to do a better job at communicating and accountiing for the cutter. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

CLE 29 LAL 33

Not a bad showing by Clarkson on the opposite end of the floor. He baited the Lakers to double and found somebody inside for an easy deuce. But, overall this was a solid start from the Lakers. Clearly, they are exploiting the Cavs' lack of interior presence with Lopez and Randle in the paint. Add into the fact that KCP started great in the first quarter is the reason why they get the early four point lead. They are baiting the Cavs to double and there's someone open inside. That's one early blueprint to wear this Cavs team down.

Cavs-Lakers Open Thread Full Go Tonight

Turns out I won't miss the first half of the game. So, Lakers-Cavs on ESPN will be covered on this blog at 100% tonight. I'll see you guys tonight for that game.

Lakers Deal Clarkson, Nance on Trade Deadline

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