Lakers Wrap Up Seeding Games with Loss vs. Kings

Final: SAC 136 LAL 122 [L] (52-19)

Literally, this is how I felt about the game...

The Lakers wrap up their 8th and final regular season game with a meaningless loss over the Kings 136-122. Not much to talk about this game. Sacramento was scorching hot from threes as Buddy Hield went off for 28 points. No AD, no Kuz, no Caruso, and no KCP for the Lakers today. 

Outside of LeBron playing for just the first half, finishing with 17 points, we get an extended look at the role players. Dion Waiters lead the team in scoring with 19 points. J.R. Smith saw extended action with 11 points. Quinn Cook added 12 pts to round out the bench. Markieff Morris and THT (Horton-Tucker) each added 14 points, filling for AD and Kuz.  

Like I said before, this game was a final tuneup before the playoffs. Sacramento is out of the play-in bid for the 8th seed and the Lakers didn't have to play their full rotation. 

Now, we get to the play-in tournament for the 8th seed. That's the only negative in this bubble because the Lakers have no idea who they'll be playing in the first round. By all accounts, Portland is the team to look out for. The best case is if the Phoenix Suns somehow sneak into the playoffs. The Suns have their work cut out vs. Dallas today, but likely the Mavs will rest some people since they locked up the 7th seed. Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Suns, it'll be interesting how this unfolds. I'll see you guys come playoff time.

Lakers Lose to Kings in Ugly Game

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Final Score: vs. Sacramento 84-83 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180401/SACLAL#/recap

Next Game: @ Utah (04/03)

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

You know it's bad when I snooze through the highlights of this game. There isn't much to say about this. Obviously, the Lakers would struggle being a really shorthanded team that they are without Ingram, Ball, and I.T. in the lineup. Sacramento just came off a blowout loss to the Warriors the other night. That's as embarrassing as it gets. The biggest difference is that the Kings' bench outscored the Lakers' 2nd unit 37-19. Buddy Hield for the Kings continues to excel as the leading scorer for the 2nd unit. How shorthanded are the Lakers' 2nd unit? Zubac is the top performer with 7 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Hield went for the steal and the dunk to give the Kings a two-point lead. Then, De'Aaron Fox sealed it to give Sacramento a 84-80 lead. Lakers had a chance at the end with a three-ball from Lopez (if I remember right), but too little too late. Final stats: Randle lead the starting five with 19 points and 5 rebounds, Kuz added 13 points, and KCP racked up 16 points despite not hitting a single three this game. It's gonna get a lot ugly with the Lakers having Utah and San Antonio on their schedule next. Both teams are in desperation mode to ensure a playoff spot in the West. Outside of Houston and Golden State, #1 and #2 respectively, seeds 3-8 are a "who's who" in the Western Conference.

Lakers Top Kings to Win 2nd Straight

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Julius Randle racked up a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds to go with 6 assists to power the Lakers past the Kings 86-99. Lonzo Ball recorded a near triple-double grabbing 11 boards and 11 dimes despite scoring just 5 points. Brook Lopez added 18 points, KCP added 16 points, Brandon Ingram tallied up 15 points, and Larry Nance Jr. chipped in off the bench with 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Sacramento 86-99 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180109/SACLAL#/recap

Next Game: vs. San Antonio (01/11) <-- b="">*Open Thread and Full Recap Posts*

Highlights: *Courtesy of Splash Highlights*

The last win against the Hawks was a cruise control type of win for the Lakers. This one, they were in a bit of a fight against their longtime rivals, but they pulled it together to grab the win. They started this game, opening up a 8-26 lead. Brandon Ingram got off to a perfect start with 11 points on 4-4 shooting when I looked at the stats sheet in the first quarter. The Lakers carried over their fast break attack from the Hawks game. They finished with a big time cushion in the fast break with 35 points to the Kings' 8. Of course, Zo' was the catalyst behind the tempo, pace, and ball movement in the Lakers' favor. The Kings came storming back though, pitching a 22-0 run that got them back into this game in the 1st quarter and made it competitive for the most part. Turnovers were a factor based on the numbers. The Lakers committed 25 turnovers while the Kings committed 16. They got too cute with the passing in some spurts of the game. The thing that was impressive is that the Lakers kept their composure despite blowing that fantastic start the 1st quarter and picked it up in the middle of the 2nd half. Brook Lopez stood out that quarter, 5-8 shooting from 3-point range, finishing with 18 points. Lakers definitely needed him to get going. Julius Randle was a little out of control with the 6 turnovers, but still played bully ball in the paint in terms of scoring and rebounding. It's been awhile since we've seen the Lakers on a win streak. With all the hoopla on the 9-game losing streak, Lavar Ball's comments that Luke might've lost the team, the young Lakers are responding with competitive and unselfish play. Although, this winning streak may not last considering the next opponent. The Spurs are a very consistent franchise as long as Gregg Popovich is on the sidelines. They are a team that mastered the art of playing unselfish basketball. The way they play and distribute the ball around is like poetry in motion. No question, it's a big test for the Lakers on Thursday. I'll see you guys back on the blog for that game.