Lakers-Heat Recap

After seeing the final score of the Utah game, I was blinded by rage and understandably so because the Lakers' young core didn't bother to show up. Then the D'Angelo Russell secretly filming Nick Young fiasco happened, putting Russell's future with the Lakers in serious jeopardy. Despite all this negative talk and the turmoil, this win against the Miami Heat was something the Lakers needed to take their minds off all the drama that has happened the last 48 hours. And the young core definitely showed up big in the thrilling win against Miami last night. Jordan Clarkson lead the Lakers in scoring with 26 points, adding 6 boards, Julius Randle went back to being the double-double machine with 13 points and 14 rebounds, also hitting the game winning shot as the Lakers overcame the Heat 100-102 in overtime. D'Angelo Russell despite all the bad vibes towards him, did enough, chipping in 16 points. He didn't have a good shooting night, 6-19 from the field, but he did just enough. Roy Hibbert almost recorded a double-double of 12 points, 9 rebounds, and adding 3 blocks and Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points. The rant on Wednesday, it was in the heat (no pun intended) of the moment and credit where credit is due, the Lakers' future responded big time with huge adversity clouding over them.

Final Score: vs. Miami 100-102 (OT) [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160330/MIALAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Boston (04/03)

Embarrassing....

It'd be much worse if this game was nationally televised because I would be going on a tirade like there's no tomorrow.  There will be no quick recap of this game. All I wanted to ask is, "what the *expletive* happened?" Look at the scoreboard. The Lakers got their *expletive* handed to them. In Kobe Bryant's last game in Utah, the Jazz annihilate the Lakers by 48 points, tying the worst loss in franchise history. The last time I remember the Lakers getting blown out was when they're at home against the Clippers two seasons ago when Lob City wiped the floor clean with them! The Lakers started off with a 2-0 lead; I saw the highlights. Then as the 1st quarter rolled on, they're already down, 2-19, 1st quarter alone. The Jazz's Rodney Hood, 30 points in the first half, didn't even make an attempt to score in the 2nd half because his performance alone already destroyed the Lakers. To be blown out by 48 points again, I don't know if there's another word to describe this other than embarrassing. Where's our young core that showed some promise down the stretch? Jordan Clarkson, 12 points, but shot poorly 5-18 from the field! D'Angelo Russell couldn't hit anything from the field! Julius Randle, our supposed "double-double" machine was non-existent! 2 points and 1 rebound, 1-5 shooting in 23 minutes! Games like these question whether or not the Lakers have a bright future after Kobe Bryant is gone. Yeah, Kobe had a horrible game 5 points, 1-11 shooting, but he's not going to pull out a vintage performance all the time and we know the wear and tear has made him a shell of his former self as he aged. But, this was a horrible team loss on the road and the Lakers' future wet themselves this game. I get it we're tanking. I get it we're coming off back-to-back nights, but there was absolutely no excuse to lay down like that last night. I can't even finish this post, this team needs soul-searching after a loss like this because clearly, there are more questions than answers regarding the direction that this franchise is going in.

Lakers Fall to Wizards

D'Angelo Russell was the Lakers' leading scorer, with 22 points on 8-20 shooting, but the Lakers couldn't hang with a Wizards team desperate for a playoff spot, losing 101-88 Sunday night. Kobe Bryant added 17 points and Julius Randle racked up 14 points to round out the starters. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points, despite a horrid shooting night, finishing 1-7 from the field.

Final Score: vs. Washington 101-88 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160327/WASLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ Utah (Tonight, 6:00 PM Pacific Time)

TrueRaiderLaker Productions Entry #3 & 4 - Amari Cooper, Derek Carr (AC/DC) - "Shoot to Thrill" + AC/DC Wallpaper 2.0!

Your patience is rewarded Raider Nation. The long-awaited follow up to my "New Generation" video is here. Last week, I teased this video on another post and the process that went with it and it was tough to choose which AC/DC song I want to use. Now, the full version of my Amari Cooper, Derek Carr (AC/DC) highlight video is here and I assure you, you will get hyped for this and this tandem is going to be deadly for many years to come.

In addition, looking into my analytics, over 500+ views and possibly downloads for my AC/DC Amari Cooper, Derek Carr Wallpaper Version 1.0! I know it's a viral hit since I posted that wallpaper up on this blog and on my Instagram account, but you guys are awesome making that wallpaper known and making my blog known. As a reward, I give you the new & improved AC/DC Amari Cooper, Derek Carr Wallpaper version 2.0 (of course, made by yours truly). I had a lot of fun making this wallpaper as well as learning new Photoshop techniques and plugins, namely the Topaz Labs plugin. Keep in mind, I used the effects from Topaz Labs to make my banners for Super Bowl 50 last month and I figured I want to try them out with my new-look AC/DC wallpaper and the results look way better. Enjoy the video, download the wallpaper.

Lakers Fall to Nuggets

Kobe Bryant lead the Lakers in scoring, turning back the clock with 28 points on 10-22 shooting, but the Lakers' couldn't muster enough offense to rally against the Nuggets, losing 116-105. Julius Randle notched his first career triple-double of 13 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Jordan Clarkson added 20 points. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 14 points and Brandon Bass chipped in 10 points.

Final Score: vs. Denver 116-105 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160325/DENLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Washington (03/27)

Lakers Falter in Loss @ Phoenix

A battle to determine the selection order in the draft. Julius Randle was the Lakers' top performer and leading scorer, recording a double-double of 19 points and 15 rebounds, but the Lakers had no answer for the Suns' backcourt of Devin Booker and Brandon Knight, losing 107-119 in Kobe's final game in Phoenix. Speaking of which, Kobe Bryant finished with 17 points. D'Angelo Russell added 14 points and Jordan Clarkson added 13 points to round out the starters. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points and Brandon Bass chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Final Score: @ Phoenix 107-119 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160323/LALPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Denver (03/25)

Lakers Top Grizzlies

Good hard-fought win against the usual grind-it-out Grizzlies team. Jordan Clarkson lead all scorers with 22 points on 8-13 shooting as the Lakers rally to beat the Grizzlies 100-107. Kobe Bryant, going up against Tony Allen and former teammate Matt Barnes, dropped 20 points in his final meeting with two of his tough, scrappy defenders. Julius Randle recorded another double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds and D'Angelo Russell added 11 points to round out the starters. Brandon Bass lead all scorers off the bench with 18 points, making a couple of key baskets down the stretch and Lou Williams added 13 points.

Final Score: vs. Memphis 100-107 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160322/MEMLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ Phoenix (Tonight, 7:00 PM Pacific Time)

2016 Oakland Raiders Offseason Activity

03/22:

(-)

DE, Benson Mayowa - Signed with the Dallas Cowboys

Comment: Considering he was a restricted free agent, the Raiders had five days to match the Cowboys' offer sheet and they refused to match the offer. Mayowa was a serviceable defensive end for the Raiders, but he was valuable depth for the D-line.  Luckily, Denico Autry, Shelby Harris, and Leon Orr are going to make up for Benson's departure in terms of D-line depth and the Raiders still have the draft to address the area and this year is definitely loaded with D-line talent.  I wish Mayowa the best of luck in Dallas.

03/16:

(+)

S, Brynden Trawick (BAL) - Signed to a 1-year deal

Comment: A lot of people are bagging on this signing after losing out on Eric Weddle. Likely, Reggie is going to make the safety position as a top priority of the draft. The addition of Trawick adds depth to safety position and as much as Trawick is going to be remembered colliding with Jacoby Jones on a punt three seasons ago, in the Ravens' opener vs. the Broncos, Trawick is likely going to spend time on special teams.

OT, Donald Penn

03/15:

(+)

WR, Andre Holmes - Re-signed to a 1-year deal

Comment: The return of Holmes pretty much retains the receiving corps of last season. That should spell good news for Derek Carr for the sake of continuity on the Raiders' offense.

(-)

G/T, J'Marcus Webb - Signed with the Seattle Seahawks

Comment: Webb was just a serviceable right guard and I thought he wasn't the long-term answer for the Raiders at that position. It would be wise for the Seahawks to keep him at that position rather than at offensive tackle where he struggled the most throughout his NFL career.

03/14:

(+)

LB, Daren Bates (LA) - Signed to a 1-year deal

Comment: At this stage of free agency, Reggie is going in cheap to add some quality depth to the team after making a splash on three big free agents. I think that's why they lost the Eric Weddle sweepstakes to Baltimore, but knowing Reggie, there was no way he was going to offer Weddle that kind of money Baltimore gave him. The signing of Daren Bates brings depth to the linebacker position and reading the article, he is a solid special teams guy. He took a page out of Troy Polamalu's book of jumping over the Long Snapper for a blocked field goal. Maybe he influenced Kam Chancellor to go for a block field goal attempt in the divisional round against the Panthers a year ago.

03/12:

(-)

WR, Rod Streater

03/11:

(-)

LB, Curtis Lofton - Released

Comment: Lofton was supposed to be the Raiders' answer for the "Mike" position at linebacker and be that signal caller on defense, but the signal calling duties was handed to Malcolm Smith and Lofton fallen out of favor when Ben Heeney stepped up. Solid as a run defender, but as a pass defender? He was terrible and eventually became a liability as the season progressed.

03/10:

(+)

CB, Sean Smith (KC)

03/09: Beginning of Free Agency Period

(+)

LB, Bruce Irvin (SEA)

OG, Kelechi Osemele (BAL)

(-)

G/C, Tony Bergstrom - Agreed to sign with the Houston Texans

Comment: The last of Reggie McKenzie's first draft class of 2012. The time he actually played, I thought he was a serviceable fill-in at center when Rodney Hudson was hurt last season, but overall he doesn't fit in with the power/gap blocking scheme the Raiders have been running since they showed Greg Knapp the door. Not too much of a loss, but happy for Bergstrom that he's going to get an opportunity to showcase his talent to a team that runs the ZBS (Zone Blocking Scheme).

Cold Shooting Night Dooms Lakers vs. Suns

Literally, the entire roster were held to single digits and shot from a horrible field goal percentage. Randle, Russell, and Clarkson were non-existent and that causes a bit some uneasiness about the Lakers' future. Lou Williams was the Lakers' top performer Friday night, scoring 30 points off the bench, carrying the whole team, but it wasn't enough for a rally as the Lakers fall to the Suns 95-90. Brandon Bass was the only player to join Lou in double figures with 10 points.

Final Score: vs. Phoenix 95-90 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160318/PHXLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Memphis (03/22) <= NO Q-by-Q, Halftime, & Full Recap Posts (Well, maybe)

TrueRaiderLaker Productions Entry #3 (Teaser): AC/DC Amari Cooper, Derek Carr Highlights

I just confirmed the same video on my Instagram account. The long wait for new TrueRaiderLaker Productions content is over...well almost. This 16 second clip is a taste of things to come for my latest entry: Amari Cooper, Derek Carr, Carr to Cooper highlights with AC/DC playing in the background. In this process, there was serious competition between "Back in Black," "Thunderstruck," "TNT," and "Shoot to Thrill." Which AC/DC song I should use? Prior to this process, I wanted to put up a poll to ask you, the Raider Nation on which AC/DC song I should use for my upcoming Amari Cooper, Derek Carr highlight video, but that never happened, so I had to go with my gut feeling. "TNT" and "Shoot to Thrill" went down to the wire, but in the end, "Shoot to Thrill" came out on top. It made sense because after all, Iron Man is my unofficial mascot on my TrueRaiderLaker banner. The Carr-Cooper connection showed a lot of potential that it could be one of the best QB-WR tandems. They made strides, but Cooper's constant drops and Carr's play down the stretch of the season, they could've had more highlight plays if weren't for those factors. But Carr's 3rd year with the game already slowed down for him and Cooper's 2nd year with the game slowing down for him after his solid rookie season should provide more optimism that the best is yet to come for these two. Enjoy the vid.

Raiders to Retain Donald Penn

The frenzy that is the free agency period may have winded down, but this was the question that we were asking: "will the Raiders re-sign Donald Penn?" Penn was scheduled to meet with the New York Giants and the Seattle Seahawks, but you cancel those plans. The Raiders have to terms to re-sign Penn reportedly to a 2-year $14 million deal. Penn was an integral piece to the Raiders' O-line, protecting Derek Carr's blind side.

With signing of Kelechi Osemele prior to the start of free agency, that would've indicated that the writing was on the wall for Penn. Not to mention, both sides couldn't agree to an offer. But, today that has changed and it's good to see that D.P. is coming back. With Penn back, the acquisition of Osemele at the start of free agency, this O-line is going to be insane along with Jackson, Hudson, and Watson (if he stays healthy) or Howard (if Watson gets injured again). This move also gives the Raiders versatility on their draft board because they don't have to address the left tackle position early on since some mock drafts have them taking offensive tackle. Welcome back Penn!

Lakers Stagnant vs. Kings

Julius Randle recorded another double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but the Lakers could not overcome their first half slump, falling to the Kings 106-98. D'Angelo Russell added 14 points and Jordan Clarkson added 12 points to round out the starters. Lou Williams lead all scorers off the bench with 17 followed by Larry Nance, Jr. with 12 points, and Robert Sacre (really, who gives Sacre meaningful minutes) with 10 points.

Final Score: vs. Sacramento 106-98 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160315/SACLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Phoenix (03/18)

Game Winning Three Crushes Lakers vs. Knicks

I was keeping track of the score on Yahoo! Sports and eventually saw Jose Calderon's game winner on Bleacher Report. Tough loss after the Lakers fought back when the Knicks were pretty much in control the whole game. Lou Williams returned after being sidelined a couple of games, leading all Lakers in scoring with 15 points off the bench, but as mentioned the Lakers lose a heartbreaker to the Knicks 90-87 after a game winning three by the Knicks' Jose Calderon. Kobe Bryant racked up 14 points and Jordan Clarkson chipped in 12 points to round out the starters. Brandon Bass was the 2nd leading scorer off the bench behind Williams, finishing with 11 points.

Final Score: vs. New York 90-87 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160313/NYKLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Sacramento (03/15)

Raiders Lose Rod Streater to Chiefs

Rod Streater is jumping over to a division rival. Today, the former undrafted wide receiver for the Raiders have agreed to terms to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs. Streater's contract details for the Chiefs is 1-year $4.8 million deal. Streater finishes with 109 receptions for 1,564 yards and 8 touchdowns in his 4-year career with the Silver and Black.

It's always tough to lose a player to a division rival. As much as Streater's loss does minimal impact to the Raiders with the wide receivers they have now, he had a lot of potential to be something special. He showed strides in his rookie year of 2012, developing a connection with Carson Palmer. Then in 2013 with the quarterback roulette between Terrelle Pryor, Matt Flynn, and Matt McGloin, Streater continued to build off from his rookie season, almost becoming our 1,000 yard receiver since Randy Moss. It's just unfortunate that he got injured in 2014 and later got hit with a mysterious illness in 2015 that kept him off the field and he never developed that connection with Derek Carr. With the year Seth Roberts had last season, it was obvious that the writing was on the wall for Streater. Not only did we just like him as a fan favorite, we also liked him because he was a class act on and off the field and the Chiefs are getting a guy who is a definition of class and putting the team first before himself. It hurts that he's going to try to stick it to the Raiders twice a year, but I wish him the best and I'm happy that he's getting a fresh start in his career,

Lakers Lose to Cavs as Kobe-LeBron Rivalry Ends

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers where two MVPs and two  future Hall of Famers, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James battle one last time in Kobe Bryant's final season in the NBA. The two put on quite a performance, but at the end of the day, LeBron's Cavs bested Kobe's Lakers 120-108.

As a young, brash high school teenager back in the day when the Kobe-LeBron rivalry was at its peak, I'd hate it when the Lakers would lose to the Cavs and later, the Miami Heat during the Big 3 era because LeBron would "one up" Kobe in head-to-head matchups and we wouldn't hear the last of his fans. I tell you guys like I said when I posted up the quick recap in the earlier meeting between the Lakers and Cavs in February, it was war back in the day. It still is, but I think there's beginning to be mutual respect considering Kobe is retiring and LeBron is almost at the tail end of his career. Despite the end result of the Cavs beating the Lakers, the main headline was Kobe vs. LeBron and tonight's game and the brilliant showing by both MVPs brought back the glory days of this rivalry. It doesn't get any better than that.

(+)

Kobe Bryant, 26 points, 5 rebounds, 11-16 shooting. If we want the perfect final chapter of Kobe vs. LeBron, we wanted to see Kobe Bryant, the player right now be the old Kobe Bryant and bring out the best while LeBron brings out the beast. Man, did we get what we want on this night. I say this time and time again outside my blog, he's not the player he once was, but when he delivers vintage performance like this, we have to appreciate it because we're not going to that a lot this season. His arsenal of skills was on full display, faking out defenders, posting them up, hitting jumpers with a hand in his face. Perhaps the one highlight of this game that we'll all be cherishing is when he faked LeBron out of the ground for an easy layup. That'll be timeless to replay over and over again.

Marcelo Huertas, 13 points, 6-10 shooting, 5 assists. Huertas has done it again. He's not going to fill out the stat line with magnificent numbers, but his presence on the court allows more flow to the offense. Again, he's a proven point guard overseas. I could tell that the Cavs' defense throughout this game were anticipating his every move based on his court vision on where he will feed the ball to. They were daring him to take a shot instead of looking for the extra pass and 13 points, 6-10 shooting? Hey, he can score too.

D'Angelo Russell, 24 points, 8-19 shooting. Shooting-wise, it was not great night for Russell, but he made some buckets that kept the Lakers afloat when the Cavs were looking to make their lead insurmountable. 24 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, it's a pretty decent stat line for D'Lo.

(-)

Defending beyond the arc. LeBron didn't have to be full on beast mode for the Cavs if the 3 point shooting was off the charts. Well, maybe not off the charts, but the Lakers could not find a way to shut down the Cavs' 3 point shooting. They were having a tough time keeping Channing Frye, who accounted for a majority of the Cavs' 3 pointers, away from beyond the arc. To make matters worse, J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving, and even Matthew Dellavedova started hitting 3's to put this game away. The Cavs successfully spaced the floor against this Lakers defense.

Jordan Clarkson, 5 points, 2-12 shooting. I'm sure this was a night Clarkson wanted to forget about. He started the game 0-7 and missed a couple of great looks at the basket early on. The two shots he finally made were all in garbage time. It was just a horrendous off game for Clarkson.

Conclusion

2016, the year great head-to-head rivalries between two great players dies. After late January, we are never seeing a Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady head-to-head matchup ever again and after this game, we are never seeing a Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James head-to-head matchup ever again. As sports fans, we are spoiled with a lot of fond memories. For what it's worth, no matter which team won or lost this game tonight, the performances of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James entertained us whether we were at home watching on TV or attending live. And so, the story ends and the book closes. I'll see you guys later.

03/10: Kobe vs. LeBron - The Final Chapter: LAKERS vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

CLE 120 LAL 108

The final chapter is in the books. Despite a Cavs win and a Lakers loss, Kobe and LeBron put up one heck of a show in their final head-to-head matchup. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

CLE 95 LAL 82

The most re-occurring theme this quarter: the Cavaliers build up in what looks to be an insurmountable lead, the Lakers rally to keep it close, and the Cavs respond back to extend the lead. That is one observation about the summary of this quarter. Every time the Lakers rally, the Cavs remain firm and build the lead back up. If anything, the Cavs' performance from beyond the arc is what's giving them the edge and that edge still remains heading into the 4th quarter.

Q2:

CLE 64 LAL 55

This is what this game's all about: Kobe vs. LeBron. Throughout this first half, they're giving everything they got. LeBron with his freakish athleticism and power dunks, Kobe with his post up game, footwork, and fadeaway jumper, the two MVPs are turning back the clock in their final meeting. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

CLE 33 LAL 31

Kobe Bryant is pulling everything out of his arsenal for this one last battle against LeBron James. He's off to a good start, accounting for 8 of the Lakers' points and even pulled out some vintage moves, faking out the King himself for an easy layup. It's a competitive game so far even though the Lakers dug themselves a huge hole when Channing Frye got hot for the Cavs, but they've responded well to stay afloat and stay within striking distance of the Cavs' lead.

LAKERS-Cavs Halftime Post

CLE 64 LAL 55

Welcome in to the halftime post for the Lakers' matchup vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers where the Cavs take a 64-55 lead at the half.

(+)

Kobe Bryant, 12 points, 7-10 shooting. You know there was absolutely no way that Kobe's sore shoulder is going to keep him down for his final showdown with LeBron. Bad shoulder at all, the Black Mamba is turning back the clock with some vintage moves in his arsenal against the King, faking him out for a layup, shooting a fadeaway jumper, and shooting a 3 pointer in front of LeBron's face. This is just great that Kobe is pulling off a vintage performance so far.

Marcelo Huertas, 11 points, 5-6 shooting. Once again, Huertas is showing how much his presence is benefiting the other four players around him. I liked the fact he's displaying his aggression as a scorer. He's known for his court vision, however the Cavs are doing a great job getting back on the defense and that opened a lot of opportunities to take a shot and he's hitting them.

(-)

3 point defense. Sunday, the Lakers held the Warriors to just three made shots from beyond the arc. Tonight, they've allowed the Cavs to make 10 shots from beyond the arc. But what can you do when you have a freight train like LeBron running at you? Channing Frye is the beneficiary big time, scoring 16 of the Cavs' points and making 4 of his shots from 3 points. He's absolutely killing the Lakers right now from beyond the arc.

Jordan Clarkson, 1 point, 0-7 shooting. Talk about a rough start for JC. He's been a constant for the Lakers, but there's no denying, he is struggling right now as he missed a couple of good looks and struggled handling the ball.

Bottom Line

By all means, 9 points seems like a big lead, but it's still manageable for this Lakers' team to rally. However, there's no denying that Cleveland's defense is underrated. The Lakers have to find a way to contain the Cavs' 3 point game. They have to stop Channing Frye's hot streak and prevent J.R. Smith and the rest of the Cavs' shooters from catching fire. Bad news for all NBA fans, two more quarters for Kobe vs. LeBron. Let's see what happens.

Raiders Win Sean Smith Sweepstakes

After an agonizing wait since the end of Day 1 of free agency period, Sean Smith is "goin goin, back back, to Cali Cali" (Notorious B.I.G. reference). The Raiders reached an agreement with the former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback to a 4-year, $40 million contract. Smith brings much-needed help to a Raiders secondary that was atrocious last season.

Thank goodness my older brother woke me up to this news. It is on! I could not contain my excitement with this. We just signed not 1, not 2, but 3 of the top 10 free agents in the market! There was not a single doubt that Sean Smith was a high priority because the Raiders needed a splash to fix the secondary and have a cornerback play opposite of David Amerson. We got him, Raider Nation. We pry him away from a division rival. We outbid a desperate 49ers team in need of a top free agent to save face (because honestly, who wants to play for that team that's an absolute train wreck right now). Throw in the towel for free agency already. Reggie McKenzie, GM of the Year, mark it down, but we'll reserve that when this new look Raiders team plays a down. But, Reggie McKenzie, snagging three of the top 10 free agents in the market and if he can hit it in the draft once again, he deserves to be in discussion for GM of the Year. This is great. Welcome to the Raider Nation Sean Smith!

Seahawks Linebacker, Bruce Irvin, Agrees to Join Raiders

Reggie McKenzie is coming out swinging and it's not even the start of the free agency period yet! After striking a deal earlier today with Ravens' guard, Kelechi Osemele, to a 5-year $30 million contract, the Raiders have struck yet another solid free agency acquisition. Linebacker, Bruce Irvin of the Seattle Seahawks agrees to sign with the Raiders with the details of the contract to come out once the free agency period officially starts.

This was certainly an unexpected move. Once again, the presence of Ken Norton, Jr. on this coaching staff is making a huge impact on migrating linebackers from Seattle to Oakland. Last offseason, it was Malcolm Smith who followed Norton from the Seahawks to the Raiders. Now, Irvin is the latest Seahawk from that awesome linebacker corps they have to join Norton to the Silver and Black. As we all know, Aldon Smith is not going to be with the team until as later as November, so this move makes a whole lot of sense to give Khalil Mack a pass rushing partner-in-crime while Smith is serving his suspension. This is a great signing and Reggie McKenzie is on his A-game. Let's hope the train keeps running once the free agency period starts for real tomorrow.

*Updated* Contract Details: 4-year $39 million contract

Laker Young Bloods Carry Team in Win vs. Magic

This is the type of performance we want to see from the Lakers' future core. Kobe Bryant out, a dress rehearsal for the younglings of the Lakers, particularly the trio of Russell, Clarkson, and Randle, to showcase their talents in order to prepare for life after Kobe, and they delivered. D'Angelo Russell was the top scorer of the game with 27 points on 11-19 shooting as the Lakers rally to beat the Orlando Magic 98-107, notching a rare winning streak of two consecutive games (well, they've won two games also at the beginning of the year). Jordan Clarkson added 24 points on 9-17 shooting and included 5 made shots from beyond the arc, and Julius Randle racked up another double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Orlando 98-107 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160308/ORLLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Cleveland (03/10) <= Q-by-Q, Halftime, and Full Recap Posts

Free Agent Guard, Kelechi Osemele Agrees to Deal with Raiders

Reggie McKenzie replicates the same formula as he did last offseason when acquiring Rodney Hudson and they struck again. The Raiders have agreed, in principle, to sign offensive guard Kelechi Osemele from the Baltimore Ravens. Now, none of this is official yet until tomorrow where players can start signing their contracts, but the contract details for Osemele is a 5-year $60 million contract.

That's a lot of meat on the O-line, but we're not complaining. It's a good thing that I did the free agency outlook post last night before the Raiders were able to struck a deal before free agency happened. Osemele from the get-go was one of the top-tier free agents in the interior offensive line market and one of the primary targets for the Raiders. 5 years for $60 million is a hefty price, but given the Raiders' salary cap room, they have to overpay some guys to get on the cap floor per league rules and they did so on one of the top-tier free agents. Osemele brings a big, physical presence on the O-line, which Reggie, Del Rio, and O-line coach, Mike Tice covet and he's versatile too. During his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, he played tackle, then converted to guard. As of now, we don't know where Osemele will play because it's completely contingent on what the Raiders do with Donald Penn. But, we'll assume for now that Osemele is going to be paired inside with Gabe Jackson and Rodney Hudson. However, if Osemele ends up as Penn's replacement, then that saves the Raiders trouble for drafting an O-lineman early in the draft. On paper, this Raiders O-line turned from solid to legit with the acquisition of Osemele.

Oakland Raiders 2016 Free Agency Outlook

Alright Raider Nation, it's another offseason to get excited. The free agency period is upon us and you'll get all kinds of reaction from me about the Raiders' transactions on who they sign and who they let go. So without further ado, this is your 2016 Free Agency Outlook.

Last offsason, Reggie McKenzie brought in a really solid crop of free agents, signing players like Rodney Hudson, Malcolm Smith, Dan Williams, and Michael Crabtree and these players made big time contributions to help the team leap from 3-13 in 2014 to 7-9 in 2015. This offseason, Reggie is looking to take big swings to help the Raiders take the next step in order to make the playoffs and take over the AFC West for years to come. First things first, he addressed retaining some home grown players before they hit the unrestricted free agent market. He made a brilliant move in signing Crabtree to a 4-year extension before the 2015 NFL season ended after Crabtree proved his worth on a 1-year deal. Next, Reggie re-signed, Marquette King to a 5-year, $16.5 million extension, so that King doesn't hit the free agency market. So the least of our worries now in terms of the unrestricted free agency market is whether the Raiders will retain left tackle, Donald Penn or let him walk, which I'll address this issue at the conclusion of this post.

Potential  Free Agent Targets for the Raiders: DE Malik Jackson (DEN), ILB Danny Trevathan (DEN), CB Sean Smith (KC), OG Kelechi Osemele (BAL), S Eric Weddle (SD)

So, the Raiders have around $70+ million in the salary cap to spend on some key free agents. Once again, Reggie has done a masterful job throughout his tenure as GM in putting the Raiders out of "cap Hell" and managing the salary cap wisely. Now that the saving up has worked out, the Raiders have to spend 89% of their salary cap to get on the cap floor according to NFL's collective bargaining agreement. I couldn't recall what the penalty is for failing to get on the cap floor, but this is a chance for Reggie to seriously make a push on some key free agents. 

The priorities for the Raiders are as follows: secondary, linebackers that can cover, right side of the O-line, and D-line. Obviously, the primary target to help solidify the secondary is cornerback, Sean Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith fits the mold that Ken Norton, Jr. wants to bring to this Raider secondary from his coaching tenure at Seattle, big, lanky corners. With David Amerson coming on as one of our best corners, I think Smith will be a perfect complementary corner playing opposite of Amerson. Addressing the safety position is a must too in fortifying the secondary because there are a bunch of unknowns on that position. The Raiders released and re-signed Nate Allen to a 1-year contract, they're looking to convert T.J. Carrie to the safety spot since Charles Woodson retired. As of now, Eric Weddle of the San Diego Chargers is a top target to put some stability to the safety position and I believe he wants to go to a division rival where he can stick it to the Chargers twice after being disrespected by them. I think Weddle can fit in because he will fill that veteran leadership void that Charles Woodson left behind in that secondary, but given his age and past injuries, it should warrant some risk in signing him. 

Now, onto the linebackers, O-line, and D-line. The Raiders need some coverage linebackers that can cover tight ends because they've been atrocious last season in that category. Curtis Lofton, good run defender, liability in coverage. Malcolm Smith, love his motor and pursuit to the ball, but not too great in coverage. Danny Trevathan of the Denver Broncos would be a huge upgrade because not only can he play the run, but his coverage skills would be of huge help and his ties with Jack Del Rio is a plus. Addressing the O-line, aside from the decision of what to do with Donald Penn, the Raiders are just one or two pieces from forming a legit O-line. The name that is hot on the free agent market for the O-line is interior guard, Kelechi Osemele of the Baltimore Ravens. Now, if Osemele re-signs with the Ravens or goes to another team, there are other options out there such as Ramon Foster from the Steelers and Alex Boone from the 49ers. Signing either of the three will make the Raiders' interior side of the O-line legit and the running game with Latavius Murray would benefit big time with Jackson, Hudson, and Osemele/Foster/Boone. Finally, for D-line, we don't know the status of Mario Edwards' neck, so it's best to sign a D-linemen just in case. Once again, weakening the division rival and Super Bowl champion, Broncos, stealing away Malik Jackson would be huge and like Trevathan, Jackson has ties with Del Rio and fits the mold of what Del Rio likes from his D-line, big, physical linemen that can eat up blocks to free up Khalil Mack. A front 7 with Jackson, Dan Williams, Jelly (Justin Ellis), Mario Edwards, Jr. plus Mack and Aldon Smith (when he comes back from suspension), that has the potential to be a scary front 7.

To Re-sign or Not to Re-sign Donald Penn

Moving on to this big time question the Raiders need to address, there aren't a lot of big time names in the left tackle position hitting the free agent market. The top-tier left tackle, Cordy Glenn of the Buffalo Bills got the franchise tag and the options are really limited. So it begs the question, should the Raiders retain Donald Penn? So far, contract negotiations have not worked out between the Raiders and Penn and we all know Penn is at the downside of his career. If it were up to me and I was Reggie McKenzie on the front desk, I would re-sign Penn for another 2 years and find his replacement later in the upcoming draft. That's my opinion, we'll have different views and that's fine. Now, if Penn walks away from the Raiders, Seahawks' tackle Russell Okung is the best available option out there. Okung would be a nice upgrade, albeit expensive and we don't know how he will play under power blocking scheme since he's been playing in a zone scheme his whole career. But, personally, if the Raiders want to go cheap in order to greatly upgrade other positions in need, I think they should the rout of re-signing Penn to another 2-year deal and draft his future replacement not in the first round, but some time during the draft.

It's an exciting time Raider Nation; we are almost there. The Raiders have a lot of cap space and they can address a lot of needs to shake up their draft board. Again, like last season I will make a post where I constantly update the Raiders' transactions as well as separate posts for big time free agents that could make a huge impact for the Raiders. Reggie McKenzie, Mark Davis, Jack Del Rio, it's time to make it rain in the free agent market. I'll see you guys later. 

Lakers Pull Off Monumental Upset Over Defending Champion Warriors

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup with the Golden State Warriors where the Lakers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NBA history, defeating the Warriors 95-112.

This season has been a stinker, but forget it, I'm going to run a victory lap. Enjoy this 15 minutes of fame with me my fellow Lakers brethren. The Lakers were the worst team in the West coming into this game and the Warriors were the best team in the West and in the NBA overall. What team was I watching on TV? This is the same Lakers team minus a few players back that got annihilated at home against the Hawks Friday night and we were bracing for another one with the Warriors coming to town. But, the Lakers, they took it to the champs! Great, team effort offensively and defensively. To be honest, it was quite shocking that to see as an NBA fan that the Warriors were just ice cold from beyond the arc and committing a lot of turnovers. But, I would like to give a round of applause, the Lakers came out swinging and it awesome to see.

(+)

Jordan Clarkson, 25 points, 10-21 shooting. If Clarkson missed this game, I don't know if the Lakers would've displayed this kind of effort against the Warriors. There's not much you can say with Clarkson considering he's been the Lakers' constant since his rookie year. But, coming back from injury, he played one heck of a game, both offensively and defensively. It was mind boggling to see that he was keeping Curry in check all game long. Overall, solid performance from Clarkson.

D'Angelo Russell, 21 points, 6-14 shooting. How do you go from 7 points on 3-19 shooting to 21 points on 6-14 shooting against the best team in the NBA? Russell didn't explode like he did against the Nets, but his first three 3 pointers, those were huge and were pretty much one of the tone setters. I think when he hit those back-to-back three's in the 2nd quarter, it set the tone that these Lakers will not go down quietly and what happened? The Lakers' offense started clicking.

Marcelo Huertas, 10 points, 9 assists. Here's another tone setter to set up this big of an upset. If anything was going to sum up Huertas' rookie year, it was awful, but there's no denying he's a proven basketball player overseas. As I said in the halftime post, his presence on the floor this game made the jobs of other Laker players easy. It was because of Huertas' court vision, Larry Nance, Jr. benefited, Brandon Bass benefited, they were getting easy shots. When he looked to score, there were one or two plays he schooled Curry with that savvy Euro play for a shot. Huertas had a nice all-around game.

Nick Young, 13 points, 3-8 shooting. Swaggy P, when he's hot like he was in the 3rd-4th quarter, the Lakers have a chance of winning. The Lakers needed Swaggy P to get going because even though they had the lead, the Warriors were still hanging around. Nick Young, huge 3 point baskets to extend the lead and they were timely to help the Lakers seal the deal over the champs.

(-)

2nd half turnovers. A minor negative. The Lakers started to play out of control a little like they usually do throughout the season, but they managed to keep their heads in the game and regain control by playing their game instead of trying to get on the Warriors' level. Again, minor negative.

Conclusion

This is still surreal that the Lakers pulled off probably the upset of the season, beating the Warriors like that. If this was a few years back, this wouldn't have been a surprise beating the Warriors by this margin. With the state of atrocity that team is in and beating the NBA's poster team, that has gotta be embarrassing. And what's funny is that the Warriors had a chance to sweep the Lakers for only the 2nd time in all of their years since their inception. Well, no sweep for them and the Lakers still have leverage for all-time wins against the Warriors. But no doubt, the Warriors are still the best team in the NBA, they still have a chance to break the 95-96 Bulls' 72-win record, I have all the respect in the world for them. But, this is a shining moment in what is a season campaign to forget about. Hopefully, the future of the Lakers build off of this win into next season and bring back the winning pride that we're so accustomed to seeing before the late, great Dr. Jerry Buss passed away back in 2013 and they haven't been the same since. But, we'll pull through and we'll be back sooner or later. Until then, we'll take this win. No if's, and's, or but's, a win is a win. I'll see you guys later.

03/07: Divine Intervention Needed LAKERS vs. Golden State Warriors Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

GS 95 LAL 112

Prayers answered! The biggest upset in NBA history has happened! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3:

GS 73 LAL 84

The Warriors' ball movement is killing the Lakers from inside, but as long as the Warriors stay cold from beyond the arc, it cancels out the lackluster effort in that area. But so far, credit to Byron Scott for a nice defensive game plan against Curry because the Lakers are really trapping him hard and Curry couldn't work his magic from beyond the arc. Fourth quarter, the Lakers haven't been good all season in that quarter, but this is big considering they've played well against the champs all game long.

Q2:

GS 49 LAL 60

The Laker young guns are taking over this game! Really surreal, I'm proud of the way they're competing after a lackadaisical performance Friday against Atlanta and especially against the defending champions. The big time story here though, the Warriors are ice cold from three point land and they've committed 11 turnovers compared to the Lakers' 1. That's pretty astonishing to see. Onto the halftime report.

Q1:

GS 21 LAL 22

Holding Golden State to 1-10 from beyond the arc after 1, that is a victory right there. It's a start, but there's still a long ways to go. The Warriors are making up their lackluster 3 game so far with a lot of back door passes for easy shots and the Lakers are not taking advantage of some open shots and some opportunity to increase the lead a little. But, I like the competitive start. The last three games against them were frustrating, but this start is a lot better. However, the Warriors will eventually get it going and the Lakers have to be prepared.

LAKERS-Warriors Halftime Post

GS 49 LAL 60

Welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup vs. the record chasing, defending champion Golden State Warriors where the Lakers have a 49-60 at the half

(+)

Clarkson-Russell back court. Welcome back both D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. If you guys remember, Clarkson was out, D'Angelo had an atrocious game Friday night, but they're taking it to the Splash Brothers on the opposite end. D'Lo has 17 points on 5-10 shooting, currently the top performer of the game, JC has 14 points on 6-13 shooting. They got it going on the offense and they're doing their job on the defensive end too getting at least 1 or 2 easy shots in from Golden State's turnovers. I tell you, this back court is starting to come together.

Marcelo Huertas. He's not a scorer, barely gets any playing, but when he's on the floor, facilitating the ball, he helps create a lot of room for the Lakers to cut or space the floor. Brandon Bass, Larry Nance, Jr. benefited big time from Huertas' presence on the floor. If the Warriors can catch the Lakers off guard with back door cuts for easy shots, the Lakers can catch them off guard too and Huertas, along with Bass and Nance help with that game.

(-)

There were not a lot of negatives during this first half. Despite allowing easy shots due to the Warriors' ball movement, they've contained the Warriors' strong game at the 3 and creating turnovers. Aside from some opportunities to balloon the lead a little further, there weren't too much negatives.

Bottom Line

The last time the Lakers were competitive throughout the game at home, against the Warriors, they let a Splash Brother loose and the Warriors were able to pull away. That can't happen. It's inevitable that the Warriors will eventually get going from three point land, but if the Lakers can keep up with this energy, exploiting the Warriors' much older bench with the speed and quickness of Clarkson, Russell, Randle, Bass, Nance, and Huertas and continue to generate turnovers on the defensive end, they have a chance to pull off a monumental upset. They just have to keep pushing and keep grinding. Let's see what happens.

Lakers Thrashed by Hawks

No Kobe, no Clarkson, no Lou Williams? Well, this is the kind of disaster you're going to get. Julius Randle was the Lakers' top performer Friday night, notching in another double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Lakers couldn't escape total annihilation from the Hawks, losing in a 106-77 rout at home. Only two other Lakers joined Randle in double-figures. Brandon Bass lead all scorers off the bench with 12 points followed by Marcelo Huertas, who chipped in 10 points.

Final Score: vs. Atlanta
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160304/ATLLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Golden State (03/06) <= Q-by-Q, Halftime, and Full Recap Posts

Lakers Toppled by Nuggets

D'Angelo Russell continued his hot streak of 20+ point games. Following his 39 point performance last night, Russell was the Lakers' top performer again tonight, scoring 24 points and dishing out 6 assists, but the Lakers fell to the Nuggets 107-117 in Kobe Bryant's final game in Denver thanks to a 26 point performance by D.J. Augustin. Julius Randle added 17 points and Jordan Clarkson racked up 13 points before exiting the game due to injury. Brandon Bass lead all scorers off the bench with 11 points.

Final Score: @ Denver 107-117 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160302/LALDEN/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: vs. Atlanta (03/04)

D'Angelo Russell Explodes For 39 Points in Win vs. Nets

Rookie, D'Angelo Russell had a breakout performance, scoring 39 points, the most points in Laker history by a rookie, and nailing 8 three pointers in the Lakers' 101-107 win over the Nets Tuesday night. Jordan Clarkson added 16 points, Julius Randle added another double-double 14 points and 13 rebounds and Roy Hibbert added 14 points (wow, Roy Hibbert played well last night).

Final Score: vs. Brooklyn 101-107 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20160301/BKNLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nba:scoreboard

Highlights:

Next Game: @ Denver (Tonight, 6:00 PM, Pacific Time)