AC/DC Amari Cooper & Derek Carr Wallpaper Version 1.0

What up Raider Nation, MechG here again. Anyway, I'm sure we're still excited about the Raiders selecting Amari Cooper at #4 to help out Derek Carr and the offense. Here, I present to you a wallpaper (1st draft) made by yours truly. Be sure to right click and save if you want this wallpaper. AC/DC, it's gonna be a great WR-QB duo for years to come.

Oakland Raiders 2015 NFL Draft Selections (Round 1)

Round 1: Pick 4 Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Highlights:

Comment: The draft so far was all according to plan. Winston to Tampa, Mariota to Tennessee, Fowler to Jacksonville, that left the Raiders' draft open and all down to Leonard Williams or Amari Cooper. It was a toss up between helping Mack or helping Carr and the Raiders chose to help Carr by selecting Cooper at #4. I was never mad either way. I was torn between Williams and Cooper the past few days. Now that's over with and Amari Cooper is an Oakland Raider. I'll tell you this, he is the sole reason I was following Alabama football during the season. The game where I saw him in action for the first time was against the Florida Gators. As Blake Sims threw a deep ball, I see a #9 wide open with all green around him and I was like "who is this guy?" The more I see highlights and tape of Amari Cooper, this guy is always getting open in some way or some form. He possesses excellent route running, he finds ways to elude the defender around him and he's got smooth hands when he catches the ball. You can line him up literally anywhere, in the slot, on a screen pass, on a deep ball, etc. He can go for the jump ball too, I've seen 'Bama call a couple plays in games in the red zone where they just jump ball it to Cooper, but ultimately, the versatility that Cooper has with his route running and his deep ball, even his work ethic is the reason why I wanted the Raiders to pick him and give Carr a new toy to throw the deep ball to. Now the playbook is wide open for the Raiders to run the no huddle that Musgrave is drawing up, heading into the season.

Grade: A

A Season in Review: 2014-15 Lakers

Final Record: 21-61 .256, 5th Pacific, Home Record: 12-29, Road Record: 9-32, Division Record: 2-14, Conference Record: 9-43

Alright Laker Nation, hopefully you guys are enjoying the playoffs so far or maybe just focusing directly towards the draft and free agency. Welcome to the long awaited "Season in Review" post for the 2014-15 Los Angeles Lakers. As usual, the same format will apply where I just reflect on the season, look at all 82 games in the best condensed way as possible, and personnel changes and offseason needs.

The top picture of Kobe Bryant's tweet after last season, pretty much sums it up this season for the Lakers. With a healthy Kobe Bryant and the hiring of Byron Scott, many of us thought the Lakers will be more competitive than last season. Those two take great pride in donning the purple and gold colors and they'll teach this team to win like many past Laker teams. That plan didn't take off, 1st round pick Julius Randle got injured during the 1st game of the season vs. the Rockets. Injuries played a key role once again, Kobe got hurt with a torn rotator cuff, Nick Young, injured, Ronnie Price, injured, Jordan Hill, was injured a couple of games. However, that doesn't change the fact that this Laker roster was a mess, with a vibe similar to a D-League team this season. The Lakers just couldn't get off to a good start and this season went downhill from the get-go, even with Kobe Bryant in the lineup. The one thing that highlighted all this futility this season was Kobe Bryant's face when Jimmy Kimmel showed him a clip of Nick Young and Jordan Hill acting like total fools of themselves in Jeremy Lin's post game interview when the Lakers beat the Celtics in overtime. Lakers, I believe, were on a 8 game losing streak prior to that home game vs. the Celtics. Don't get me wrong, a win against the Celtics is always sweet, but celebrating a win, knowing the team is still the penultimate bottom dweller in the West does not define this prestigious franchise and all its glory and dedication to deliver a winning season and a championship. And the worst part about it is, the Celtics, with a roster of misfits, managed to clinch a playoff berth and the Lakers didn't. That should leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Although this season was met with a whole lot of disappointment and a lot of boredom, there were a few positives that the Lakers can take with them next season. The Lakers managed to snatch a few wins against playoff teams. They managed to win against both the Warriors and the Hawks and little did we know those two teams would be at the top of their respective conferences. They beat the defending champion Spurs thanks to a miracle three by Young, the Bulls in OT, and the Rockets despite Howard not playing. The Lakers managed to get a couple of upset, "feel-good" wins, regardless if those teams were healthy or not when the Lakers managed to tact on W's against them. Another positive, they uncovered a gem in Clarkson. Jordan Clarkson showed a lot of potential, putting up 20+ points in a lot of games, some of them he finished with either a double-double or a near triple-double. He also knocked down his first game winning shot against the Timberwolves in an OT thriller back in March and willed the Lakers to victory against the Sixers in Philadelphia. Clarkson thrived and proved to be a valuable 2nd round steal for the Lakers. To me, him and Julius Randle right now are the future. It's a little too early considering Randle has yet to play a full game or yet, a full season, but the Lakers managed to snag two players in the draft that could potentially serve as building blocks to halt some of the panic for the post-Kobe apocalypse.

So what do the Lakers have to do in the offseason? It's easy to think that they should fire Byron Scott and I will admit this, Scott has underutilized some players (Jeremy Lin) and his bench rotation and tampering with the lineup was at an all-time high. However, I think that because this roster was depleted with talent, I'm willing to give Scott another chance. If he has a fallout like he did in Cleveland and the team continues to regress or makes little progress, then the option of releasing him is feasible. In terms of draft and free agency, the Lakers desperately need a big man that can post up. Ever since Pau Gasol left via free agency last year, a lot of us can tell that there will be an absolute void in the paint and that is exactly what transpired during this season. Personally, I haven't looked up a lot about upcoming prospects for this draft, but one player has been stuck in my head and that's Jahlil Okafor out of Duke. When I tuned in for the National Championship game vs. Wisconsin, I wasn't that impressed considering he was in foul trouble the majority of the game, but I'm hoping I get more good impressions from Okafor once I see more tape of him.

The Lakers need to have a core for the future, while still building a team for Kobe to ride off into the sunset a champion. The Lakers have to get back to basics to balance between now and the future. We can fantasize about them getting a LaMarcus Aldridge, a K. Love, or a Rondo, but in the offseason it's more than just landing a star player, the Lakers also have to get guys that can be role players and contribute in a big way. Getting 3-4 stars to play together is cool and all, but they're nothing if a decent supporting cast is not surrounding them. The Lakers need to manage free agency wisely. Instead of waiting for a star like last year, they need to sign good, quality players in the free agency while chasing after that star free agent. They need to use the draft too to get another future star like Randle and another 2nd rounder like Clarkson who can contribute in a huge way. Look at the Lakers when they first landed Shaq, they used free agency and the draft wisely. Even though this was a 4-5 year plan, they surrounded Shaq by trading for a future star in Kobe through the draft and drafting a decent contributor in Derek Fisher. Then, they used free agency to sign quality role players like Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Brian Shaw, etc. The scenario however is a lot different because Kobe's not going to stick around and the Lakers want to build him a championship team now. I mean, it's going to take a balanced effort from Mitch to work his magic in the free agency period by landing a star and quality role players and drafting a top quality future star and a quality role player in the 1st and 2nd round.

The Lakers have money to spend, they have a top pick, Mitch Kupchak needs to play both cards well to quickly restore the Lakers to greatness. And as usual, Jim Buss needs to put his ego aside to let Mitch do his thing. I'm repeating the same thing as last year's "Season in Review" post, but the Lakers front office has to do it right. The Lakers want a championship? Do they want to have a prosperous future once Kobe Bryant hangs up those sneakers? Balance out the free agency period and the draft. Think about now, but also keep a big picture in mind for the future. Thank you Laker Nation for following my coverage of the 2014-15 Laker season on my blog. It was not a lot of content and I cancelled a lot of games to cover, but my passion for this team never falters. I'll see you guys later for the NFL Draft, the NBA Finals, the NBA draft, and the NBA free agency period. Also, I will have another collaboration with my friend Stillmattic on blog soon so be sure to check him out at bleachzealot.blogspot.com. Once again, I'll see you guys later, I'm out.

Lakers Fall to Kings Again in Season Finale

The nightmare is over Laker fans. With literally only 8 players active, it summarizes a fitting end for the Lakers. Jabari Brown was the Lakers' top performer this game with 32 points on 9-19 shooting, hoping to earn a roster spot next season, but the Lakers were heavily outnumbered, falling to the Kings 122-99, receiving one of worst seasons record-wise in franchise history. Both Ryan Kelly and Jordan Hill added 12 points and Vander Blue, who was signed for these last two games off the D-League added 15 points to round out the starters. Carlos Boozer lead all scorers off the bench with 10 points.

Final Score: vs. Sacramento 122-99 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150415/SACLAL/gameinfo.html

Highlights:

*Season in Review Post will be posted sometime this week or early on next week*

Lakers Fall to Kings in Sac-town

Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer in the penultimate game of the regular season with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, but the Lakers could not stop the Kings' balanced attack as they fell short 92-102 in Sacramento. Both Jordan Hill and Jabari Brown added 18 points and they were the only players to join Clarkson in double figures to round out the starters. The Lakers will meet the Kings again on Wednesday in the last regular season game.

Final Score: @ Sacramento 92-102 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150413/LALSAC/gameinfo.html?ls=slt

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Sacramento (04/15)

Raiders Signing Michael Crabtree

The Michael Crabtree free agency saga has come to a screeching halt tonight. According to multiple sources, the Raiders are close to signing 49ers wideout before the end of today. Details of the contract are still unknown, but Crabtree ends his 6 year tenure with the Niners. Selected 10th overall by the Niners, Crabtree only recorded one 1,000 yards receiving season in 2012 and after that, he's been hampered by an achilles injury that limited his production for the past two seasons.

Full article: http://www.csnbayarea.com/raiders/source-raiders-set-sign-wr-michael-crabtree

Comment: Five letters to describe this signing: I-R-O-N-Y. Let's rewind back prior to the 2009 NFL draft where the Raiders were projected to select either between Jeremy Maclin or Michael Crabtree. According to some stories, Crabtree disrespected Al Davis during pre-draft and that lead the Raiders to surprisingly draft Darrius Heyward-Bey and when the Raiders passed up on Crabtree, he and his family breathe a sigh of relief because clearly Crabtree didn't want to play for the Raiders. Just a little story right there and Raider Nation has held a grudge on Crabtree since then. We've been calling him "Wacktree" or "Craptree," etc. He was the main target of Richard Sherman's infamous postgame rant in which Sherman called him a "sorry receiver." I actually don't know what to say, I was pretty leery of the Raiders signing him due to his primadona attitude and he might be in it for the money rather than contribute to the team. What this means though is that the receiving corps is bolstered more when you have guys like Streater, Holmes, Jones, Butler, and add Crabtree to the list, it's a pretty productive receiving corps to help out Derek Carr. I'm still hoping we get a receiver either in the 1st or 2nd round. If Leonard Williams is gone, then Raiders should draft Amari Cooper or Kevin White. Crabtree's signing though likely signals the Raiders won't take a receiver that early in the first round and they're confident Williams will fall at number 4. We're still waiting on word for the contract details, but knowing McKenzie and his philosophy, it's going to be on a minimum "prove it" deal. This shows McKenzie is taking more risks late and hoping for a reward by seasons end. First, he signed T-Rich, who has the "bust" label on him and now he's signing another who has character issues and a "me first" guy in Crabtree. Only time will tell how well he performs before he can receive penance from the Raider Nation. If he screws up that locker room or shoots on the Raiders again, then yes cut him.

CONTRACT DETAILS: 1 year $3.2 million deal <= As expected, incentive-based, risk-reward contract. Welcome to the Raider Nation Crabtree!

Raiders 2015 Free Agency Activity

04/13:

Gain:

WR Michael Crabtree (SF)

04/06:

Loss:

WR Denarius Moore - Signed with Cincinnati Bengals on a one year contract

Comment: There's one word to describe Moore's career after a spectacular rookie season with the Raiders: awful. Well this move makes sense just because of one name: Hue Jackson. During Moore's rookie season, he thrived under Hue's system and since Hue is the O-coordinator, there's a chance Moore can rekindle his 2011 form. However, let's see how far Moore's ego and lazy attitude takes him until training camp and preseason for the Bengals. The Bengals have A.J. Green and serviceable receivers like Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones, so that leaves Moore with some incentive to compete for a roster spot.

04/02:

Gain:

OT J'Marcus Webb (MIN) - Signed to an undisclosed deal

Comment: When I saw the first name alone, my heart, like many other Raider fans, dropped. That name shall forever live in infamy. All jokes aside, bringing in Webb bring depth to the O-line and a camp body. He has familiarity with Bill Musgrave and O-line coach, Mike Tice during his tenures with the Vikings and the Bears.

03/31:

Loss:

DT Antonio Smith - Released

Comment: This was somewhat surprising. It's true that Antonio Smith didn't live up to his Ninja Assassin nickname early in the year as he struggled to play defensive tackle and stopping the run. The final stretch of games, he started to play a little better and maybe deserved to play another year to prove his worth. Under Del Rio, I expected him to go back to playing his natural position at defensive end, but Smith is getting up there in age, aside from another aging vet in Justin Tuck, who's going to provide the pass rush? The Raiders needed to get younger at that position and it's understandable why they released Smith. Cameron Jordan anyone? Or does that mean that Leonard Williams is high on the Raiders' draft board before Amari Cooper or Kevin White? It's all speculation from here.

03/26:

Loss:

DT Pat Sims - Signed back with the Cincinnati Bengals

Comment: This guy had all the potential in the world the first time he signed with the Raiders as a primary run stuffer two years ago. Last year, he re-signed with Raiders to see if he can follow up, turns out he didn't perform too well and eventually lost the starting job to rookie Justin Ellis. Sims proved that he's nothing more than a rotational tackle than a full time starting defensive tackle. I would've brought him back to bolster that depth at the defensive tackle with Ellis and now Dan Williams, but Sims chose to come back to the team that drafted him in Cincy.

03/25:

Gain:

DE C.J. Wilson - Re-signed to a 2 year $4.6 million deal

Comment: He wasn't expected back as he was visiting the Seahawks. It turns out the Seahawks didn't need his services, so Wilson decided to come back and re-sign with the Raiders. I thought he was pretty productive when given extended playing time, playing opposite of Tuck or playing inside. He's very solid at stopping the run and very useful for depth.

03/17:

Gain:

RB Trent Richardson (IND)

03/16:

Loss: 

QB Matt Schaub - released

Comment: No more making $8 million just sitting on the bench with a clipboard on hand and holding when Janikowski comes out onto the field. No more throwing interceptions on special teams on a fake field goal try (see game @ Cleveland Browns). No more throwing pick sixes, even in garbage time (see game @ St. Louis Rams). No more.

03/13:

Gain:

QB Christian Ponder (MIN) - Signed to an undisclosed 1 year deal

Comment: 

I'm not going to panic as much as people will do. Ponder is a mere camp body for QB competition. That and he's familiar with Musgrave's offense.

CB James Dockery (CAR) - Signed to an undisclosed deal

Comment: Always good to have depth in the secondary in case McGill, Hayden, or Carrie go down.

Loss: 

Darren McFadden

03/12:

Gain:

S Nate Allen (PHI) - Signed to an undisclosed deal

Comment: I'm hearing a lot of negative vibes about this guy from the Philly fans. But we have to realize that overall, the Eagles pass defense was just awful. The week 15 home game against the Cowboys exposed the Eagles secondary. I mean nobody could cover Dez Bryant that game, cornerbacks, safeties were getting burned all over the place. Looking at Allen's stats, it's pretty decent for a "mediocre" safety. 300+ tackles, 4 INTs, he definitely showed some improvement as he was graded a +3.9, almost cracking the top 5 category in PFF. It's a risk-reward pickup, but keep in mind, the Raiders' secondary coaching staff has Marcus Robertson and Rod Woodson and you have C-Wood being that mentor to the secondary, so the ceiling is still high for Nate to improve his game at the safety position.

*Updated contract details: 4 years, $23 million

03/11:

Gain:

C Rodney Hudson (KC)

LB Curtis Lofton (NO)

DT Dan Williams (ARZ)

*Updated contract details: 5 years $25 million

03/10: Start of Free Agency

Gain:

Roy Helu Jr. (WAS) - Signed to a 2 year $4 million deal

Comment: I guess it's safe to assume that the Darren McFadden era in Oakland is over with the emergence of Latavius Murray and now the signing of Helu. Solid depth for the position. He used to be the Redskins' feature back before losing that role to Alfred Morris. Great complimentary back to Murray going foward.

TE Lee Smith (BUF) - Signed to a 3 year $9 million deal

Comment: Everybody will ask "Who?" when it comes to these kind of signings, especially with a tight end who is not involved in the passing game much. However, from what hear, this guy is primarily a blocking tight end. Again, it places a lot emphasis on the running game and even though Mychal Rivera is a decent TE, he's only best in catching and not blocking. Nick Kasa was drafted primarily to be a blocking TE, but he couldn't stay healthy. By adding Lee Smith, it's a "Who?" signing, but a blocking tight end is something the Raiders need, especially since the running game is going to be emphasized in Bill Musgrave's offense.

LB Malcolm Smith (SEA) - Signed to a undisclosed deal

Comment: The Super Bowl XLVIII MVP has been quietly on the radar for the Raiders in free agency. If you look at it, Nick Roach's football career is uncertain and the Raiders had to cut him and this is a great replacement. Also, he'll be reuniting with Ken Norton, Jr. and those two had a lot of history together in Seattle. Overall, good signing and it fortifies the youth movement in the linebacker corps.

*Updated contract details: 2 years, $7 million

Loss:

DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley - Cut, signed to a 1 year contract with the Arizona Cardinals

Comment: Woodley was brought in along with Justin Tuck to provide veteran leadership for the Raiders last season and he only had one job and that was getting after the quarterback, playing at the defensive end in the 4-3. It just didn't work out and Woodley didn't do much to make an impact. 6 tackles, 0 sacks speaks for itself. Not to mention, he got injured again and was out for the remainder of the year. Not too much of a loss, but I'm sure he'll be a better fit for the Cardinals defense and play his natural OLB spot.

SS Tyvon Branch - Cut, signed to a 1 year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs

Comment: Usually, you'd hate to see one of your players go to a divisional rival, but this might be an exception. Branch was a decent strong safety, but he just couldn't stay healthy the last few years. Even though Branch signed with the Chiefs, I look at it as a change of scenery, a possible rejuvenation for his career. We already know the Chiefs' situation regarding their star safety, Eric Berry and his recovery from lymphoma. By signing Branch, they have a safety that could fill that position for the time being until their pro bowl safety gets back to 100% recovery.

Lakers Fall to Mavs

Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer Sunday night, racking up 26 points, 1 rebound, and 6 assists, but the effort wasn't enough as the Lakers fell to the Mavs 120-106. Jabari Brown continues to prove his worth, finishing up 18 points and Wesley Johnson added 16 points. Both Ryan Kelly and Tarik Black scored 10 points, but Black was active on the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds to notch a double-double. Ed Davis lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points and Dwight Buycks added 10 points off the bench.

Final Score: vs. Dallas 120-106 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150412/DALLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=slt

Highlights:

Next game: @ Sacramento (04/13)

Lakers Starting Five Alone Tops T'Wolves

The starters did it all Friday night. All five starters were in double figures. Ryan Kelly was the Lakers' top performer with 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists on 7-12 shooting to help the Lakers pull away from the Timberwolves 98-106. Tarik Black added a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds and Jordan Clarkson added almost a double-double with 18 points and 9 assists. Jabari Brown added 20 points and Wesley Johnson added 10 points to round out the starters.

Final Score: vs. Minnesota 98-106 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150410/MINLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=slt

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Dallas (04/12)

Lakers Fall to Nuggets

Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer Wednesday night, scoring 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists, but the Lakers couldn't find a way to contain Kenneth Faried as the Lakers fell to the Nuggets 101-119 in Denver thanks to Faried's 29 point and 11 rebound double-double. Ryan Kelly bounced back after a horrid shooting Tuesday night against the Clippers with 17 points and Jabari Brown added 11 points in his first start to round out the starters. Ed Davis lead the bench with a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds, Dwight Buyucks added 15 points, and Robert Sacre recorded a near double-double of 10 points and 9 rebounds to round out the bench.

Final Score: @ Denver 101-119 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150408/LALDEN/gameinfo.html

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Minnesota (04/10)

Error in the Lakers-Clippers Full Recap Post

Just a quick post here. The final score of the Lakers-Clippers game on the full recap showed 100-106, when in fact the actual outcome is 100-105. That was my mistake while putting up the post. So, the actual final score is 100-105. I'll post it on the bottom once again like I usually do in quick recaps.

Final Score: @ LA Clippers (04/07) 100-105 [L]

Lakers Put Up Fight, Still Fall Short vs. Clippers

Alright, welcome in the full recap of the Lakers' matchup with the Clippers in the Battle for LA as the Lakers put up a better effort than the one two nights ago, but the Clippers were able to stand tall in the end, beating the Lakers 100-106 to better position themselves for the playoffs.

We all know the story. No team is judged by moral victories, only by wins and losses. The Lakers, they gave everything they got against the Clippers. Whatever B. Scott told them during practice after that embarrassing beating two nights ago against the same Clippers team, the Lakers responded with a great effort. However, if you look at the talent disparity between the two, clearly the effort won't be enough to pull off a victory. With the talent the Lakers had, they put up a really good fight against a more superior talent in the Clippers.

(+)

Jordan Clarkson, 20 points, 6 assists, 7-17 shooting. The last few nights against the Clippers, Clarkson only put up a whopping 2 points with Chris Paul in his grill. This game, he responded really well. He didn't settle too much for jump shots, but he was attacking the Clippers defense like there was no tomorrow and he put on quite a show in the third quarter to keep the Lakers afloat once again. Overall, I see this as a tremendous bounce back game for Clarkson and did his part in redeeming his game against a perennial star point guard like Chris Paul.

Tarik Black, 16 points, 9 rebounds. Black almost recorded a double-double and he is surprisingly the top performer of the game. I thought he did a solid job in the pick and roll game with Lin and Clarkson. When the Clippers defense was drawing their attention to Clarkson or Lin, they kept leaving Black open for an easy dunk, especially in the 3rd quarter to spark the Lakers' run and keep them within striking distance. Black managed to hold his own against the likes of a DeAndre Jordan. In fact, he did so the last game in which he was 4-5 from the field, just that he was getting more touches and more active slipping past defenders.

Bench. The Lakers bench scored 27 points while the Clippers bench scored 19 points. This was also a difference maker in what kept this game close. The bench stepped up big time providing big buckets. Although, I'll admit those 3 pointers made by Jabari Brown and Dwight Buycks kissed the glass, but they were potential momentum changing 3 pointers. Robert Sacre, as much as I'm not a firm believer in him to be the backup center, he stepped up big time as well down the stretch. The bench also did a nice job in making this game competitive, especially down the stretch of the game.

(-)

Ryan Kelly, 8 points, 3-17 shooting, 6 fouls. Probably the only negative I will point out because most of Kelly's missed shots were examples of missed opportunities. Defensively, he had no answer for Blake Griffin and that is understandable because Griffin's skill set destroys that of Ryan Kelly's any day of the week. But, whenever Kelly had the ball, it was either an open three or a high percentage shot in transition and all game long, he couldn't hit them. There were times in the game where a couple of shots he missed, he was like double clutching his shooting form. It was a mixed bag of both an off night and no confidence for Kelly during the game because some of his missed shots in his 3-17 performance represented some missed opportunities.

Conclusion

Overall, I'll repeat what I said last time I covered a game, it is what it is. However, this Laker team deserves a pat on the back for taking the fight to the Clippers when most expected it to be yet another rout. Not to mention, this game was on TNT, so you wanna give the viewers their money's worth on making this a game despite the fact that this was a season of lost cause. Overall, this is a game where I am not completely mad. It's not like the Lakers are going to go on this magical run and somehow win a playoff spot, but this was a game in which a team, despite a lack of talent gave a team with a lot of talent some fits and the effort for an upset just fell short. Anyway, the Lakers are going on back-to-back sets as they face the Nuggets in Denver for Wednesday night and expect a quick recap for that. I'll see you guys later.

04/07: LAKERS @ LA Clippers Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

Score: LAL 100 LAC 105

Well, it was a nice effort. The Lakers did all they can to pull off an upset after being embarrassed by the same Clipper team at home, but the Clippers just responded well when it mattered the most down the stretch. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

Score: LAL 69 LAC 76

It's been the Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black show for the Lakers in this quarter. Clippers defense slept on Black a couple of times inside the paint and Lin and Clarkson were able to feed him the ball for a wide open dunk as they drew the double teams. Clarkson though, he's attacking the Clippers defense hard and once again, single handedly keeping the Lakers afloat, especially when it looked like the Clippers were going to run away in this quarter when Chris Paul and Blake Griffin got their game going.

Q2:

Score: LAL 39 LAC 50

Not a bad first half for the Lakers facing the Clippers back-to-back. The effort is there, it's just that the shots aren't falling and when the shots aren't falling, the Clippers go for a quick strike to extend the lead. Only Jordan Clarkson managed to get into double figures, everyone else has work to do. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

Score: LAL 21 LAC 23

Hanging around there are the Lakers. The only problem that quarter was trying to stop J.J. Redick. The dude is just hitting shots everywhere whether on transition or off a screen, but other than that, the Lakers are making this competitive. Defensively, they only allowed one lob from Lob City in that quarter and that's a plus for now. Let's see if the Lakers can keep pace unlike last game.

LAKERS @ Clippers Halftime Post

Score: LAL 39 LAC 50

Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' hallway matchup vs. the Clippers where the Clippers have a 39-50 advantage over the Lakers heading into the half.

(+)

Competitive spirit. I'm not going to note a single player, but as a team, the Lakers did alright holding the Clippers to an 11 point lead. They're doing a decent job defensively, the only stinger is that the team couldn't stop J.J. Redick. J.J. Redick is what's helping the Clippers separating themselves from the Lakers right now in a double digit lead. Other than that, the Lakers are giving the Clippers a run for their money so far with the competitive effort they've put up in that 1st half.

(-)

Field goal percentage. Like I said before, the effort is there, it's just that the shots are not hitting. The Lakers are shooting 30% from the field. After a jump start from Lin to get the offense going, the offense couldn't hit squat. The key to keep pace at the Clippers is shooting a high percentage shot and if they shoot a low percentage shot, the Clippers will go for a quick strike on fast break points. They contained the fast break and limited the points in transition, the Lakers need to shoot at a high percentage shot and it's not working out for them.

Ryan Kelly, 2 points, 1-12 shooting. His only field goal: off an aggressive dunk. His previous field goals, a missed three, another missed three, a missed shot in transition. Most of those shots Kelly missed were high percentage shots and he's not taking advantage of any of them. It's just a cold shooting night so far for Kelly and he's not playing like that spot up shooter stretch 4 because he looks really unconfident with his shot out there.

(Bottom Line)

The Lakers have to keep competing out there and just avoid being thrashed again like on Sunday. Even though a victory is unlikely, the key is to make this a game worth watching on National TV. However, if opportunity strikes and the Clippers start missing a lot of shots and someone for the Lakers step up or if Jordan Clarkson catches fire, the Lakers may have a chance. Let's see what happens.

Clippers Hammer Lakers

Wow. Ryan Kelly was the Lakers' top performer this game because nobody was on their offensive game as Kelly scored 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, but the Lakers were just deflated as the Clippers destroyed them 106-78. Wesley Johnson added 16 points on 6-16 and Tarik Black added 10 points to round out the starters. Jabari Brown lead all scorers off the bench with 10 points. Jordan Clarkson, who had spectacular performances the past few games, came way back down to earth as he only scored 2 points on 1-6 shooting.

Final Score: vs. LA Clippers 106-78 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150405/LACLAL/gameinfo.html

Highlights:

Next Game: @ LA Clippers (04/07)

Blazers Lay Down the Hammer on Lakers

Alright welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Portland Trailblazers where the Lakers made it a game in the first three quarters thanks to Jordan Clarkson, but the Blazers were just simply too much as the backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J, McCollum  helped the Blazers rout the Lakers 107-77.

It's about time that I was able to cover a game. I can tell there has been a lot of frustration about the lack of Laker content on the blog and yes I take full responsibility for that. However, I've said this in the past and I'll say it again, I do have a life outside of this blog and most of the personal agenda I had to deal with overshadowed my time here covering the games, so I apologize for that and like I said, I take responsibility. Let's get to this game, though, not a surprising result. The Lakers did all they could to hang in there, but Portland's just too good, they have a playoff spot to up themselves at even more. For some Laker fans, it's another frustrating loss, but that gives the Lakers in a good position to draft higher. If you ask me, I have no say on this other than the fact that I just want this team to be playoff relevant again rather than a dumpster fire consisting of D-League players disguising themselves as NBA pros. Whatever it takes, just get them back there.

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Jordan Clarkson, 27 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 12-20 shooting. Behind this dumpster fire, lies a diamond in the rough and Clarkson continues to shine in his rookie year despite a lackluster season. I've always wanted to see him in action as in my quick recaps, he's always been the top performer, the leading scorer. All I can say is that I've finally saw some evidence of one of Clarkson's spectacular games. Back to back threes in the 2nd quarter, a buzzer beater in the 3rd quarter, he was giving the Blazers defense all kinds of fits with the game he played tonight. He's been working on that jump shot because all he was known for are his floaters and attacking the rim for a layup, but once he's polished that jump shot, the sky is the limit. I hope he continues to work and with Randle coming back, hoping he improves and gets healthy, the Lakers have something to build around for the future. As delusional as this sounds: Jordan Clarkson for Rookie of the Year, although it probably won't happen by a long shot.

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Field goals. Just go in already would you? The Lakers are lucky to at least have a 37% shooting from the field from this game because this was atrocious. Balls grazing the rim, air balls, balls falling in and out of the hoop, hitting the back of the rim, it was complete garbage all around for the offense. They just couldn't buy a bucket all game long, not even in garbage time when the Blazers are already resting their starters.

Jeremy Lin, 4 points, 1-9 shooting. Lin was a big time contributor as to why the whole team sucked in terms of shooting the ball. It's likely he's going to be out of LA once this season is all said and done. He's been up and down all season long, but this game just put an icing on the cake as he was just throwing up a lot of bricks. I don't know if it was an off night, but Lin was put on ice this game and he didn't even dish out a single assist.

Big men. Aside from Tarik Black's 5-10 shooting, Ed Davis, 2 points, 1-3 shooting, Jordan Hill, 0-1, Carlos Boozer, 0-4, Robert Sacre, 0-2. The fact that Sacre even played speaks volumes that this Laker team needs a big man that can post up, work for his shot, and score. Wesley Johnson's undersized, Ryan Kelly's undersized. Despite the fact Wes did grab a monster 15 boards, the Lakers are in need, they're in dire need to get a big man since Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to score, grab rebounds, and go toe to toe with the opposing team's big man.

Conclusion

Overall, it is what it is. The Lakers are completely "talent-less" with that current roster. They'll compete, but against the more superior teams? They won't have a chance. The Blazers missed a couple of shots that kept the Lakers' door open, but once they make them, you can kiss the game goodbye. But, it is what it is and the Lakers are contempt to position themselves into a top pick as much as possible. A couple more games left, season's almost over. The Lakers have two games against the Clippers, I won't cover the game on Sunday when the Lakers "host" the Clippers, but I will cover the Tuesday game when they're on the "road" against the Clippers. I'll see you guys later.

04/03: LAKERS vs. Portland Trailblazers Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

Score: POR 107 LAL 77

Reality check: Outside of Jordan Clarkson, this Laker team is just void of talent. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

Score: POR 74 LAL 63

It's times like this is where I'm proud to be a Pinoy. Considering Clarkson's half Filipino, he's giving me a lot more glimmer of hope for the future once Kobe retires. He's playing out of his mind right now and he's one the primary reasons why this Laker team is hanging around despite being outperformed by the Blazers all day. Hey if the Blazers keep missing and the Lakers keep building their momentum around Clarkson, an upset can happen.

Q2:

Score: POR 52 LAL 39

The majority of the quarter was a snooze fest, until Jordan Clarkson happened. I am starting to believe that the rookie is going to have a bright future ahead of him. Though the Blazers were in control most of the game, the Lakers, as much as they've been clamping down, they're fighting out there and they're feeding the momentum around Clarkson. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

Score: POR 26 LAL 12

I know the Lakers are tanking, but somebody please stop Damian Lillard. Aside from Jordan Clarkson scoring the first few buckets to get the Laker offense rolling, everything has just been lackluster. Not a lot of effort to get back on D in transition, too many bricks, Carlos Boozer making a floater that ended up being an air ball. The Blazers are meaning business heading into the playoffs and that's why they're up 14 thanks to Lillard's hot start.

LAKERS vs. Blazers Halftime Post

Score: POR 52 LAL 39

Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup with the Portland Trailblazers where the Blazers have a 52-39 lead at the half.

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Jordan Clarkson, 18 points, 8-13 shooting. I've observed in these series of quick recaps that he's been playing well, shooting the ball well, scoring when the team needs it, and I'm a believer. Those last few threes in the 2nd quarter to give the Lakers a little spark displayed how much heart the rookie has. Despite the fact that Lillard got off to hot start, Clarkson still outscored him by two points as Lillard only has 16! He's Rookie of the Month for a reason and he has constantly continued to certify himself as a bona fide 2nd round steal.

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Field goals. Before Clarkson got it going down the stretch of the 2nd quarter, the Lakers have not shot the ball well. The amount of balls hitting the rim even deprived me of a majority of my energy. The offense, with Clarkson as an exception, has not been too impressive. My goodness, it's like they're not working  to get a high percentage look.

Transition defense. The Blazers were running all over the place like it is just practice. I'll give partial credit, there were nominal defensive plays the Lakers made in transition, but they're always a hair too late to close out their man, whether the Blazers were on the break to get a layup or shoot a transition 3. The Lakers gotta have better effort than that in the 2nd half.

Bottom Line

Give the ball to Clarkson as long as he's hot. However, Clarkson has to try to get this Laker team involved through his facilitating because the energy has not passed down to the rest of the Lakers to put up a better display of offense. The defense has to do a lot better, they have to find a way to get ball out of Lillard's hands if they want to get back into this game against the Blazers. Let's see what happens.

Lakers Fall to Pelicans

Jordan Clarkson was the Lakers' top performer with a double-double of 18 points and 10 assists to go along with 7 rebounds, but the Lakers could not stop Anthony Davis and the Pelicans who are primed to overtake the Thunder for the final playoff spot in the West, losing 113-92. Tarik Black added 16 points on 8-10 shooting, Ryan Kelly added 12 points, and Jeremy Lin added 10 points, despite a poor shooting performance to round out the starters. Wayne Ellington was the bench's leading scorer with 11 points and Jordan Hill added 10 points to round out the bench.

Final Score: vs. New Orleans 113-92 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20150401/NOPLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=slt

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Portland (04/03) <= Q-by-Q, Halftime Post, Full Recap