Lakers Finish Road Trip with Win Over Suns

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Jordan Clarkson dropped 25 points off the bench on 11-19 shooting to lead the Lakers past the Suns 100-93, overcoming a 30+ point game by Devin Booker. Corey Brewer followed with 13 points to round out the bench. On the starters, Brook Lopez and KCP were co-leading scorers as each scored 15 points. Lopez notched a double-double with 10 rebounds while Caldwell-Pope almost recorded one with 9 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma had a quiet game, but finished strong with 11 points and 6 rebounds.

Final Score: @ Phoenix 100-93 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171113/LALPHX#/recap

Next Game: vs. Philadelphia (11/15) <-- b="">Open Thread and Full Recap Posts

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

When Clarkson's on fire and he's shooting efficiently from the field off the bench, it tends to be a good sign for the Lakers. The Suns opened up a big lead to start this game and the Lakers closed the gap when JC came off the bench and started stringing together made shots. Most of them were high percentage shots too. If you see his individual highlights he ad a lot of space between the him and whoever was guarding from the Suns. And the key thing is that he was decisive. It helps especially when he has the stroke. It was not just Clarkson's good game, but I thought the Lakers did a great job turning up defensively, especially late in the 2nd half. Devin Booker's 36 points is a smear on the defensive effort. But, he's going to get his shots regardless. Kyle Kuzma didn't play a good game, but he finished strong in the 4th quarter to give the Lakers some clutch shots to seal the deal this game. Also, Corey Brewer had a surprising 17 point performance. He's been absolutely terrific against Phoenix. In the last meeting against Phoenix, he hounded Booker and they had intense one-on-one matchup respectively when Brewer "D'd" up on Booker. This game, he was hustling on both sides of the ball. Certainly, a win against Phoenix not impressive since they are projected to be bad once again. But, the Lakers just needed something positive to cap off their brutal 4-game road trip. Remember, three of those games were up against the better teams in the East and the Lakers lost all three of them. Tomorrow's matchup against the 76ers should be an interesting one. The Sixers might have found their Big 3 of the future in Embiid, Simmons, and Covington. They put up some big numbers last night in their comeback win over the Clippers. There are a lot of headlines heading into tomorrow's game. Both teams have good young cores and future stars. Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons are front runners for Rookie of the Year. Kyle Kuzma may creep up with them if he continues to play this well into the season. But also, in last year's draft, Ben Simmons went #1 while Brandon Ingram went #2 respectively. We finally get to see the top two picks in last year's draft go head-to-head. I'll see you guys tomorrow night for that game.

Lakers Hang On for First Win of the Season vs. Suns

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

So, I just had two straight heart attacks in these last two days. NBA TV aired the finish of this game.  Nance had a nice defensive block, but T.J. Warren got the offensive rebound and Ingram fouled out. The Lakers were fortunate Warren missed those free throws. And for those calling for the heads of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram last night, when it was the first game of the season, well they bounced back in a huge way. Lonzo had a big night tonight, flirting with triple-double numbers of 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists as he lead the Lakers to a 132-130 victory over Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. Brandon Ingram, despite fouling out in the last seconds, bounced back from his woeful shooting last night, scored 25 points on an efficient 9-14 shooting. Brook Lopez added a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds and a couple clutch shots to settle things down when the Suns were making a run. And Larry Nance Jr. added 14 points to round out the starters. Jordan Clarkson did work again as the 6th man, finishing with 17 points. Kyle Kuzma also had a better night tonight, adding up 15 points off the bench.

Final Score: @ Phoenix 132-130 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171020/LALPHX#/recap

Next Game: vs. New Orleans (10/22)

Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*

Lonzo Ball did a nice job in balancing passiveness-aggressiveness here in this game. It's a drastic improvement from the Thursday night opener vs. the Clippers. For a 2nd game in his rookie year, Ball was fearless in attacking the basket and it looks like his jump shot is coming along earlier than expected. The same can be said for Ingram in last night's game. Thursday night, most of his shots fell short. This game, Ingram put more arc and touch on his shot and he was more aggressive in attacking the basket. Interesting enough, Corey Brewer played the "Patrick Beverly" role in hounding Devin Booker and eventually both players got into a little scrum in the 3rd quarter. The biggest thing these Lakers need to improve on is closing out and that should be the emphasis for a young team. Lonzo just gave the Lakers a six point lead, but they committed a slew of fouls at the end to make it come down to a pair of missed free throws and one more defensive play. Still, good win for the Lakers. A win against the Suns isn't too special to some NBA fans, but Lakers needed some kind of confidence builder and last night's game was the one with Ball and Ingram going off for a combined 40+ points.

Lakers' Young "Sinister Six" Comes Up Big in Win @ Phoenix

Final Score: @ Phoenix 122-110 [W]

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Phoenix Suns where the Lakers snap a long losing streak to defeat the Suns 122-110.

Laker Nation, I want you guys to mark this game down. Remember it. Because what we've seen is the potential when the Lakers play a complete game behind the young players. Russell, Randle, Clarkson, Nance Jr., Ingram, Zubac, they all came to play tonight. Late in the 4th quarter was pretty ugly though. Defensive lapses were apparent yet again. It was like "uh oh, the Lakers are gonna blow another lead in the 4th." But, Clarkson comes up big with a pair of clutch steal and D'Angelo Russell knocks down a dagger three to seal the game. But, still great effort by the six players that headline the youth movement.

(+)

Ivica Zubac, 14 points, 7-13 shooting. Honestly, Luke Walton should consider about starting this man at Center after this game. The Suns were dominating the Lakers in the paint, but Zubac was a one man wrecking crew tonight against the Suns' interior. The soft touch was on display. He's one of the last of a dying breed in the traditional big man.

D'Angelo Russell, 28 points, 10-20 shooting. And people will still be like "trade this man!" This is the cleanest game I've seen from D'Lo. He didn't turn the ball over, he was aggressive when needed to be, and he had the stroke tonight, shooting six 3-pointers. Essentially, consistency and defense are things he need to work on. But, when you looked at his production since the Lou Williams trade, he has taken over the reins. It's just a matter of patience and it's unfortunate that despite the boost in production, some "fans" still want him traded. Yes, he'll piss us off at times. We get it, he's not Kobe. He's D'Angelo Russell.

Brandon Ingram, 14 points, 6 rebounds. I like Reggie Miller's advice on commentary to Ingram, hit the gym and shoot a thousand threes young fella. But, as always I liked Ingram's assertiveness. The kid was on a rack attack tonight, trying to put anybody on a poster. I like that. But, other than that, if he gets the jump shot to go as well as the three point shooting, he's going to reach that Kevin Durant potential.

Larry Nance Jr., 13 points, 8 rebounds. Larry Nance Jr. instilling some of that "Mamba" mentality of playing through a wrist injury. That has gotta be hurting with all the dunks he had and the rebounds tonight. But, that's what he'll do, he'll put his body and soul on the line to bring energy to the Lakers.

Jordan Clarkson, 19 points, 7-18 shooting. Clarkson continues to remain consistent as the Lakers' sixth man since the Lakers traded Lou Williams. He is so much better when he is looking to attack the basket. He had those 2 clutch steals late in the 4th to stop the bleeding because the Suns would've definitely have come back and taken the lead.

Julius Randle, 13 points, 8 rebounds. Speaking of a thousand threes, Randle should think about that too. Honestly, when Randle was settling for the three point shot, I was saying my head "no, that's not your game!" But hey, he hit them and one of those were timely when the Suns were hanging around. He can be better without being so clunky and without playing like a chicken who's lost his head.

(-)

4th quarter defensive lapse. The Suns going on that 11-1 run is the only blemish on the game. What can I say? They've struggled to close games out, especially on the road. Playing a 100% complete game is still a work-in-progress for this young squad.

MVP

D'Angelo Russell, 28 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 10-20 shooting, 6 three pointers

Just let him play and develop. This is what it's about at this point of the season. This is hands down, one D'Lo's best games and one of his cleanest games of the season. He definitely had ice in those veins tonight.


Conclusion

In all honesty, it is pure insanity for the Lakers to trade any of the young core. If Magic likes what he sees from them, then we gotta "trust the process." Okay, maybe we sold high on this game because it's gonna be hard for them to replicate this kind of game. But, that's what makes it part of the growing pains. Let these young guys get experience to polish their game and reach their potential. Like I said, this win tonight serves as a glimpse of what the Lakers could be in the future behind their young talent. Overall, good win and a fantastic game from the six players that hold the key to the Lakers' future. I'll see you guys later.

03/09: Tank Wars! - LAKERS @ Phoenix Suns 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

*Sorry, no picture to include in this open thread. I didn't have time to make one as this was a last minute decision.*

Welcome to the first half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Phoenix Suns. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

LAL 122 PHX 110

That defensive lapse almost gave me a heart attack right there. This is hands down the best game the young Lakers have looked all season long. Randle, Russell, Ingram, Clarkson, Nance, Zubac all in double figures and showed the potential on what they can possibly be in the future. This win may have disrupted the tank process for a bit, but I'm privileged to cover this game and witness a complete game, well not quite complete because of the defensive lapse in the 4th quarter. But still, this game is the sound of progression in the development process. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 90 PHX 81

I've said this privately, it would be a mistake to trade any of the young players. There last few games end up in losses, but with the way they perform, there is a lot of upside. Win or lose after this game, this is arguably the best I've seen from the young squad. D'Lo is showing the scoring prowess. Ingram showing the aggressiveness. Zubac showing the soft touch. Throw in Randle after this quarter, showing he can hustle and not give up on a play. I'm liking this.

03/09: Tank Wars! - LAKERS @ Phoenix Suns 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

*Sorry, no picture to include in this open thread. I didn't have time to make one as this was a last minute decision.*

Welcome to the first half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Phoenix Suns. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

LAL 61 PHX 63

Clarkson with another last shot to end the quarter. The score is what you'd expect with two young teams jockeying for position at the top 3 spots for the draft. The first half, I liked what I'm seeing from the young Lakers. D'Lo's shot is on point during the half. Ingram struggling with his shot, but still making aggressive moves to the basket. And how about Ivica Zubac during this quarter? Len's block might've had him crashing down, but he was on fire in the post, displaying the soft touch. He offers a glimmer of hope for the traditional, post up big man in a guard driven league. Obviously, Devin Booker and Eric Bledsoe got hot late and that's why the Suns were able to reclaim the lead. This is what you expect from a tanking team. Just make the score close and compete. If the Lakers win tonight, I believe the Suns still have one more win over them, so it shouldn't affect the draft lottery chances. But, overall, I liked what I saw in the first half. Hope it carries on in the second half, which will open up shortly.

Q1

LAL 32 PHX 33

That's a nice way to end the quarter with a three pointer by Jordan Clarkson. Well, this is gonna be a game of who's tanking more. The Suns at one point were leading big. It's like "oh, here we go, the Lakers are going to get blown out in the first quarter." The Lakers were turning the ball over and getting outmuscled in the paint this quarter. But, the threes are hitting early on. D'Lo and B.I. are carrying the team in terms of scoring. The Lakers are being mindful of making this a game and tanking for a top 3 pick at the same time.