Lakers Split Four Game Road Trip With Loss to Cavs

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Brandon Ingram bounced back quickly after an off shooting night on Tuesday's loss to the Knicks, scoring 26 points to go with 6 rebounds and 6 assists. But, the King reigned tonight as the Cavs powered their way past the Lakers 112-121 behind LeBron James' triple-double. Lonzo Ball recorded a near triple-double of his own in his first matchup against LeBron, racking up 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists. Josh Hart filled in for KCP and played well, recording a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma lead the 2nd unit with 20 points to go with 7 rebounds while Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson followed with 13 points from Randle and 11 points from JC.

Final Score: @ Cleveland 112-121 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171214/LALCLE#/recap

Next Game: vs. Golden State (12/18) <= *Open Thread and Full Recap Posts*

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

The silver lining here in this game is that the Lakers kept fighting back in this game. It's an ongoing narrative that when it looks like the Lakers were down and out, they just kept battling back. But in the end, LeBron and the Cavs were just too good. If you're not following what they're doing, they've found their footing with the new look roster. Outside of that, one positive in here was Brandon Ingram. He had a nice bounce back game after shooting a horrendous 2-12 back in the game against New York. Every player has off nights and they bounce back the next game. He's learning that process in his 2nd year. He had everything going tonight offensively, attacking the rim and hitting the outside shots. Kuzma had another great night. Josh Hart, filling in for KCP really stood out. A double-double as a first time starter is not too bad and he showed no fear taking it to the rim with LeBron ready to chase down. Hart has been the forgotten 1st round pick in the Lakers' 2017 draft class and he's had a couple of quiet good games this season. With the legal issues surrounding KCP (not sure it's from his DUI arrest that lead to a two-game suspension this season or another legal issue), Hart is going to have all kinds of opportunities to show out. The last two games from Lonzo Ball is an encouraging sign, having a near triple-double here this game after notching 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in the last game against the Knicks. I'm not going to buy into the hype train regarding the end of game conversation Ball had with LeBron. Everybody's screaming "LeBronzo to LA," but I'm sure it's just LeBron giving some advice to Zo. This game marks the beginning of the Lakers' hardest stretch this season before Christmas. The next set, they have Golden State twice at home and on the road, on the road against Houston, and at home against Portland where they haven't won against Lillard and co since the 2013-14 season. It'd be encouraging signs if the Lakers competed like in this game against the Cavs in those games. They almost had the Warriors in the first meeting, but they didn't have the manpower in OT to take them down. That game is also going to be the night where Kobe Bryant's 8 and 24 jerseys are going to be hung on the Staples Center rafters. Perhaps that could provide the Lakers some juice and instill a little bit of Mamba Mentality in the young team to best the Warriors this time around. I'll see you guys for that game on Monday.

A Season in Review: 2016-17 Lakers

Alright Laker Nation, welcome in to the annual "Season in Review" post for the 2016-17 Los Angeles Lakers. Thank you guys for waiting patiently as I put this together. Like many previous "Season in Review" posts, I give a condensed summary on the entire 82-game season and address offseason needs and who I think the Lakers should draft should they retain the top 3 pick.

To reiterate on this season, this was the official "Year 1" of the rebuilding process. This was a season where we wanted to see the young players grow and develop. Brandon Ingram, D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., and Ivica Zubac headlined a promising young core for the Lakers' future. In the beginning of the season, the Lakers looked like a surprise team, notching notable wins against the Houston Rockets and their high-powered offense during opening night and against the Golden State Warriors super squad in early November. They were off to a .500 start under Luke Walton and shocking the NBA world early on. Then, injuries and inconsistency got in the way and they couldn't figure out how to win a road game. And ultimately, the team went into tank mode for the top 3 pick. Though, they did went on that 5-game win streak at the end of the season in what was a subliminal audition for the players to convince Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka that they deserve a roster spot. Players such as Tyler Ennis, Thomas Robinson, Tarik Black, David Nwaba, and the veteran Corey Brewer all gave 100% effort during those games.

Evaluating the young players, Jordan Clarkson was arguably the most consistent out of the bunch. JC provided double-figure scoring as a bench player and as a starter. Nance Jr., despite the injuries, established himself as the "sparkplug" of the team with his hustle and energy. Ivica Zubac had a small sample size, but he looked good for the most part, outplaying overpaid Timofey Mozgov. Julius Randle, stuffed the stats sheet in the points and rebounds category like last year, but he still needs to clean up his out-of-control play and defense. D'Angelo Russell, it was a tale of two halves for him. Before the Lou Williams trade, D'Lo was off to a slow start and didn't see the floor whenever Sweet Lou went on a scoring run. Since the trade, D'Lo played a lot better and later in the season, we've found out the he was better suited playing as a Shooting Guard. Vice versa, Brandon Ingram went through a similar stage. Luke Walton didn't want to give him the reins yet and started Luol Deng at Small Forward. Ingram was terrible to start and that's what you'd expect out of a rookie, he'll struggle. But, I was impressed to see his improvement in the 2nd half of the season. He shrugged off the hesitation and started to trust his jump shot and trust his ability to attack the basket more. Ingram's barely scratched his ceiling and he'll get better from here on out. There's a lot of room for improvement for the Lakers' young core. I was fortunate to cover the March 9 game against the Suns. If there's any indication on the potential of this young core, that game was the one because all six players finished in double figures, playing their most complete game in their young careers.

The major headline about this offseason going forward is that the Lakers' future is going to be in the hands of Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson, and Rob Pelinka. There's a lot of uncertainty on the players' future on this team. If it were up to me, I wouldn't break up this young core. I'd give it one more year before the Lakers start trading some of their young assets. Once their rookie deals are up, they'll likely demand a big payday and the Lakers like many other teams can't keep them all. As for the other players on this roster, I liked the efforts from David Nwaba, Tyler Ennis, Thomas Robinson, and Tarik Black, but obviously they need better upgrades over those players. I personally think Corey Brewer is a keeper because he plays hard and he's been a fantastic veteran presence since he arrived in L.A. The Lakers have to find a way to get rid of Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov's big contracts. I liked their additions as veterans, but their contracts were highly questionable. The best scenario is to get them both to restructure their deals if they want to continue to provide veteran mentoring to this team. I don't see Nick Young coming back. Metta World Peace hinted that the Lakers would not bring him back. Although, I would love to see MWP as an assistant coach and coach this young team to play better defense. The Lakers were preparing him for that gig since he came back last year. As for the draft, the Lakers have the third worst record, so they're on the borderline of keeping the top 3 pick or losing it to Philadelphia. We've seen crazy things happen in the draft lottery, so the Lakers have hope of getting the #1 pick over Phoenix and Brooklyn. Lonzo Ball impressed me during March Madness, but this draft is wide open for teams in need of a franchise Point Guard.

In closing, there's a lot of talent with untapped potential on this current Lakers squad. As fans, we have to continue to let this process play out. As I said, this season was the official "Year 1" of the Lakers' rebuilding project. I'm not going to count the last three seasons as they were desperate attempts to field a "win-now" team for Kobe Bryant, which backfired miserably. The young core will continue to put in the work. I have great confidence that Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka, and Luke Walton will work cohesively and lay out a stable foundation in bringing the Lakers back to prominence. Thank you for following my coverage of the Lakers' 2016-17 season. Here's to more positive progress in 2017-18!

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.

Lakers Hire Rob Pelinka as New GM

The Lakers have made it official today by naming Rob Pelinka as the new General Manager for the Lakers. For the uninformed, Pelinka is an agent for a couple of NBA players, but most notably, he was Kobe Bryant's agent. This isn't completely new news. Pelinka to the Lakers was a done deal ever since Magic took over and Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak got the boot. As Harrison Feigen of Silver Screen and Roll says here, this was the worst "kept" secret inside the Laker brass. Now that this is over with, welcome officially to the Lakers Rob Pelinka. With him, along with Magic, Jeanie, and Luke, they will lead an ambitious campaign to return the Lakers to greatness.

Lakers Front Office Shakeup - Magic In, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak Out

Dear: Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

The headline is quite a buzz as the All Star break and trade deadline wind down around the league. Teams are making moves at the last minute, but the Lakers are making moves from within. Laker legend, Magic Johnson, who was hired to be the Lakers' front office adviser not too long ago, goes up the ranks to become President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers. In addition, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak are relieved of their duties as both Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager respectively.

Laker Nation, this change was long, LONG overdue. Well, we can assume that ever since Magic came back to the Lakers Front Office, the writing was on the wall for "Little Jimmy." If you haven't seen most of Magic's interviews about the tumultous state of the Lakers, he hated Jim Buss' guts. He questioned every move that Jim was making that helped turned the Lakers from the greatness to a comedy of errors. And we share those same sentiments. Jim Buss was a nutcase among the Laker brass. Nothing more to be said with all the bad decisions he made the last few seasons. As for Mitch Kupchak's firing, this is going to be debatable from here on out. Yes, he made the trade for Pau Gasol to put the Lakers back into title contention. Yes, he signed Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace) during that period as well. But, history shows that Mitch had more misses than hits and in recent years, he's been nothing more of a puppet to Jim Buss. Even though they did provide a blueprint in D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and others, it was just time for a change. However keep in mind, this doesn't necessarily change the current state of the Lakers. As a Raider fan when Al Davis passed, we expected to win right away since the madness of overpaying and drafting mediocre talent were over. That took time and look where the Raiders are now. The Lakers will undergo that same process. It's a wait-and-see on what Magic can do. Yes, he was the face of the Lakers. He was the epitome of Showtime. But, he's in a different game now that he is pulling the strings for the time being. They are looking for a new GM according to the report, so stay tuned for the news. But, if there's any indication on this shakeup, this is Jeanie Buss' team now. The Jeanie Buss era for the Lakers begins with this organizational change. Final note, R.I.P. Dr. Jerry Buss. It was his death anniversary three days ago during the All Star Weekend. Jim failed his father big time. Now it's Jeanie's turn to take the reins in making the Lakers great again (last Donald Trump reference, I promise).

Woeful Shooting Dooms Lakers vs. Celtics

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup against their old nemesis in the Boston Celtics. The Lakers couldn't buy a three-point bucket until late in the game as they fall to the Celtics 107-113 engineered by Isaiah Thomas' 38 point performance.

Celtics gotta 1-up the Lakers all the time. They lead by one more in terms of most NBA titles and they lead by one more after this game in terms of all-time regular season victories over the Lakers. Disdain for the Celtics runs deep. But, I gotta question the logic here. The Lakers have gone ice cold in 3-pointers since the 2nd quarter, but they heat up in the 4th quarter when the game is out of reach. I'll go more in depth in that category, but that was really frustrating to watch.

(+)

Larry Nance, Jr., 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals. Talk about a breakout game for Jr. He was all energy tonight on both ends of the floor. When Luke Walton inserted the 3-guard lineup with Ingram and Nance at the Power Forward and Center spot, respectively, that's when Nance started to eat. He was the main driver for the Lakers' 2nd chance opportunities tonight, cleaning up the boards, muscling his way to the paint for easy points. He's starting to get back the feel of the rotation since coming off of injury.

Brandon Ingram, 14 points, 6 rebounds. We need to see more of this Brandon Ingram this month. We saw the progress of his jump shot on full display tonight. That was his game when the Lakers drafted him out of Duke. Tonight I saw a Brandon Ingram who not only brought back the assertiveness to get to the basket from January, but I saw him look pretty confident with his offensive game and shooting stroke. We'd like to see him build off of this game.

D'Angelo Russell, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists. That "Kobe-esque" shooting though, 8-20 from the field. I'd like to see D'Lo post up more rather than settle for three's like he did tonight along with other Laker players. Isaiah Thomas posed a big time mismatch for D'Lo and when he settled to post up and score, it worked. That should be D'Lo's main strength, attacking the basket and taking full advantage of mismatch opportunities given his size to play point. Also, he took better care of the ball tonight after committing 7 turnovers last night at Washington. Those turnovers were courtesy of good defense by Marcus Smart.

(-)

3-point shooting. My goodness, was the 3-point shooting horrendous tonight. Nick Young, D'Lo, and Sweet Lou hit a couple of threes late to curve the final shooting percentage, which was around 37% from beyond the arc (courtesy of Yahoo Sports). However, that doesn't change the fact that this was a big time dent in the Lakers' game tonight. Too many times tonight, players were settling for three's when the Lakers put themselves in 2nd chance opportunities. Two possessions in particular. They had the ball three times in the 2nd quarter and they couldn't connect on a 3-point shot. Late in the 4th, when the Lakers made a push, Larry Nance hustled through every rebound and the Lakers missed on all four of their 3-point attempts in the 2nd chance opportunities. I was yelling at the T.V. "attack the basket!" They were down 7. There was a lot of time left for the Lakers to come back and make stops if they cut the deficit to five. But they wasted it because they kept jacking up threes! When they started to hit the 3-pointers in the final seconds in the 4th, I was like "wow." I don't understand the logic of going ice cold behind the 3-point line for a majority of the game and heating up at the same spot when the game's out of reach. 

Jordan Clarkson, 2 points, 1-7 shooting. It was a tough game for Clarkson overall. He had a solid game last night in Washington, putting up 20 points, but aside from the nice reverse layup in the first half, JC got blanked out by the Celtics. Clarkson will have those games, but he's not wildly inconsistent.

MVP

Larry Nance Jr., 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals

Larry Nance is 100% hustle and energy. That was on full display tonight in a losing effort vs. the Celtics. It's too bad most of his effort tonight were in vain because of the high amount of 3-point bricks.

Conclusion

And here we go again. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the Lakers are gonna have to learn to win on the road at some point in the season. The woeful starts in the first quarter are getting ridiculous to see. Also, it's a hot-cold game in terms of the Lakers' shooting in these games. Tonight was an example that they were not hitting their 3's and they should've done more to attack the basket and draw contact, which is what brought them back late in the game. The Lakers are currently 0-2 in this 5-game road trip. It will be a huge disappointment if they don't snatch at least one game. They have their work cut out. Monday's Lakers-Knicks game was supposed to air on TNT, but I think they flexed out of that game. So, expect a Quick Fact Check on that one instead along with the rest of the games that are shown exclusive to the local T.V. market. I'll see you guys later for the next nationally televised game. 

02/03: Rivalry Renewed - LAKERS @ Celtics 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the latest chapter of one of the NBA's most storied rivalries. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

LAL 107 BOS 113

Go ice cold in three-point game all game long, but heat up when it's too little too late. Great logic. Yet another loss on the road. Stay tuned for the full recap. 

Q3

LAL 74 BOS 82

Well, I was about to post up a picture of a brick wall because the Lakers continued to miss shots. But, they did get something going late in this quarter. That should've been the game plan from the very beginning of the third quarter. The Lakers couldn't hang with the Celtics 3-point shooting. Why not take it to them in the paint? But, they did miss some shots inside. D'Lo figured out that his three-point game is not going, so he's resorting to posting up, which worked. Ingram continues to play solid tonight. Sweet Lou is starting to get going. All of a sudden, the Lakers have brought themselves back late after a lifeless start this quarter. They still have an uphill battle to climb. 

02/03: Rivalry Renewed - LAKERS @ Boston Celtics 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Lakers, Celtics, enough said. Welcome in to the first half open thread and discussion. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

LAL 51 BOS 62

Lakers were ice cold and the Celtics were red hot this quarter. Best summary I can come up with after the first half. In terms of three-point shooting, the Celtics have the definite edge. The Lakers tried to fight fire with fire in that category and it's not working out. Well it did work out to start. Nick Young and D'Angelo Russell had the hot start in the first quarter, but in the 2nd quarter? Where were they? D'Lo had that questionable 3-pointer from deep midway through the quarter. Celtics dominated this quarter with their defense and their three-point shooting. And the worse part about that was that Isaiah Thomas didn't play that much until down the stretch. The Lakers are not playing with a lot of energy. Back-to-back road trips are definitely going to do that to a team. There's miscommunication, which lead to a lot of turnovers. Too many questionable shot selections. The only silver lining in this quarter is that Brandon Ingram contributed 9 points off the bench on 3-4 shooting. He's found spurts were he's being aggressive and getting his jump shot going. I'd love to see Ingram rekindle his play in early-mid January. I think that'll be beneficial to his confidence and development. But overall, the Celtics fired on all cylinders this quarter and if Isaiah Thomas gets hot like he has the last few games, the Lakers are in a lot of trouble. They have to regroup and start over from scratch in terms of game plan adjustments. The 2nd half will be up shortly. 

Q1

LAL 30 BOS 29

That's not a way to close out after Terry Rozier knocks down a buzzer beating three for the Celtics. Lakers being down big to start and getting it going down the stretch in road games has been routine this season I guess. Al Horford got off to a quick start and Isaiah Thomas pulling up for a three had all kinds of writings on the wall that this could get ugly. But, D'Lo and Swaggy P got the offense rolling and are part of the reason why the Lakers hold on to a one point lead. I liked the aggressiveness by D'Lo to start. We gotta see more of that as he started to cool down just a little bit down the stretch. They gotta watch out for Marcus Smart. Underrated player on defense and his defensive play lead the Celtics to a couple of fast break points. Gotta clean that up and take better care of the ball.

Lakers Wrap Up Road Trip with Loss to Jazz

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Utah Jazz where the Lakers wrap up their 3-game road trip, but they lose another close one, falling to the Jazz 88-96 off back-to-back sets.

One, two, three strikes, you're out. That's this road trip in a nutshell. There's no surprise that this is the narrative the Lakers. They can't find ways to win on the road. I did hear Marv Albert concluding tonight's broadcast that the Lakers are like 5-26 in road games this season. Exhibit A why this should be a point of emphasis for this young team to build around.

(+)

Bench. Lou Williams had 20 points. Jordan Clarkson had 16 point. And Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. I wouldn't say much with Sweet Lou and JC. They've been relatively consistent off the bench this season, but they did start slow this game and picked it up as the game rolled on. Zubac had another solid outing in back-to-back sets. Tonight, he had a much better game. Last night, I thought he was having a tough time being aware of the ball coming to him and he didn't have a good night field goal percentage-wise. Tonight, his awareness was sharp and gave out his best effort against an up and coming elite rim protector in Rudy Gobert. Gobert did have the last laugh on the block on Zubac to end the game, but it's a mere blemish on Zubac's performance tonight.

Timofey Mozgov, 9 points, 9 rebounds. He was non-existent last night against Portland. There's no sugar coating that. His 3rd quarter play tonight though was impressive. Derrick Favors' flagrant foul in that quarter got the big man going. There were some glimpses Mozzy took Gobert to school in the post, he was putting moves and almost put Utah's All-Star snub in a poster for a dunk. But, that was Mozgov's 15 minutes of fame. Still positive though.

(-)

Energy. Like I said in the 3rd quarter, the Jazz were playing with more intensity and energy than the Lakers this game. You can factor in the back-to-back effect, which is understandable. The start, trailing 2-12 exemplified that the Lakers spent a lot of their effort in Portland last night. It's a good thing the Jazz missed a couple shots and made some careless turnovers to prevent this game from being ugly.

Jose Calderon, 0 points, 0-3 shooting. I'll give him credit for the pass to a cutting Mozgov on a fast break when Mozgov got fouled. But at this point, I'd rather have Marcelinho (Marcelo Huertas) starting at the point guard position. Get well soon D'Lo. This is where you're sorely missed.

Brandon Ingram, 0 points, 0-6 shooting. Like I said last night, this week is a bitter end to what was a solid January for Ingram. Tonight, we  just didn't see the assertiveness that he developed during the course of this month on display during this stretch. Growing pains.

MVP

Ivica Zubac, 16 points, 10 rebounds, 6-11 shooting

Zubac has been nothing short of solid since he was brought back to the active roster from the D League. His upside makes him a better option than Mozgov and Tarik Black at this point of the season.





Conclusion

Well, the silver lining in this road trip is that the Lakers were much competitive on a back-to-back set. That's something you don't see everyday. One game, the Lakers will spent most of their energy and then the next day, they'll get run out of town. That was not the case tonight. Sunday's performance against Dallas was absolutely disgraceful, but they partially redeemed themselves with better competitive performances against Portland last night and tonight against Utah. Still, it is essential that the Lakers develop a formula to win games on the road. The Grammy's are just around the corner, so the Lakers will have their annual 6-7 game road trip in early February. They'll have plenty of chances to figure things out. Let's just say that this stretch was the pre-test. The long Grammy road trip in February will be the true test. It is not only essential for the Lakers to win games on the road, but it is essential for the development of the young core. Well, it was fun while it lasted covering two straight Laker games aired on national TV. As usual, Quick Fact Checks will follow, but the Lakers do have a televised matchup on ESPN against the hated Celtics on Friday before the Super Bowl. Until then, I'll see you guys next Friday for that game.

01/26: LAKERS @ Utah Jazz 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the Lakers-Jazz matchup. As usual, leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the half.

Q4

LAL 88 UTA 96

That last block by Rudy Gobert is self explanatory on how this game went. The Lakers tried to make one last push after the steal by Jordan Clarkson to cut the deficit to four, but they missed a couple of shots down the stretch and the Jazz were able to capitalize with dagger shots. George Hill's three after Clarkson's steal and score pretty much was the dagger. Lou Williams did have a three to cut the deficit, but just wasn't enough. Lakers finish 0-3 on this road trip. Stay tuned for the full recap. 

Q3

LAL 60 UTA 70

A tale of two halves this quarter. I said in my 2nd quarter discussion, the starters need to pick up the pace and they did exactly that. Deng got a couple of buckets in and Mozgov had a brief run after Derrick Favors committed a flagrant foul on him. It looked like momentum was gonna swing in the favor of the Lakers. However, Rudy Gobert hosted a block party to get the Jazz going. I said in the comments, the Jazz played with more intensity down the stretch this quarter than the Lakers. The Lakers were completely blanked out during the Jazz's run until Zubac hit a couple of free throws and then Lou Williams drove to the basket to put the Lakers within 10 points. Let's see if the Lakers have a run of their own. Or will they fizzle out like last night in Portland?

01/26: LAKERS @ Utah Jazz 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the 1st half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Utah Jazz to end a 3-game road trip. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts on the half.

Q2

LAL 41 UTA 44

Strong finish from the Lakers this quarter. The Jazz love to play a slow pace style of basketball, but they're missing a couple of shots and turning the ball over. Once again, the bench is to be a factor in making the Lakers stay within striking distance, despite a slow start. Lou Williams extended the quarter, drawing fouls, which was beneficial for the Lakers to get back into the game. But, Ivica Zubac stood out from the bench unit. He filled the stat sheet last night against Portland with a double-double, but he finished 5-15 from the field. He looks a little sharper here as players are finding him in the screen and roll, Larry Nance, Jr. in particular was finding him with pretty extra passes. So far, the Lakers have exploited the Jazz's slow pace. Deng and Lou had a pair of quick steps to burn their defender before they get set. Jordan Clarkson showed off some explosive moves to the basket, but he just couldn't finish. The Lakers need more output from the starters outside of Nick Young. Young leads the starting unit with 8 points. Everybody else, not so much. Overall, the team has their work cut out for them if they want this game to be silver lining in what is a forgettable three-game road trip. The 2nd half will open up shortly. 

Q1

LAL 16 UTA 23

As expected, the Lakers would come up very sluggish after a very tough loss in Portland last night. The Jazz got off to a hot start behind Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, but they've slowed down considerably down the stretch for the Lakers to get going and go from 2-12 to 16-23 to finish the quarter. Nick Young, like Lou Williams last night, picked up the scoring load for the team, hitting a pair of threes to cut the Jazz's double-digit lead. I was surprise Luke Walton didn't put Sweet Lou immediately, but Swaggy P's strong showing when the Lakers were lacking energy this quarter made up for it. 

Lakers' Losing Streak Against the Blazers Continues

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers road matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers in a back-to-back set where the Lakers had a chance to rain on the parade of 40th anniversary of the Blazers' lone championship season and snap their 10-game losing streak against the franchise. But, they found a way to lose again, falling to the Blazers 98-105.

Too many blown opportunities in that fourth quarter. Honestly, the Lakers have to be completely sick to their stomach losing to the Trail Blazers yet again. The Lakers had momentum when Lou Williams drained three straight 3-pointers. Then again when Nick Young hit back-to-back three pointers for the tie and the brief lead. But, they couldn't score two! They couldn't score two! Are you kidding me? Too many chances they could've ballooned the three point lead, but they missed a lot of shots down the stretch. A better effort than Sunday's outing against the Mavs, but this is more frustrating because the Lakers still couldn't figure out a way to close out on the road.

(+)

Lou Williams, 31 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 10-20 shooting. Just another day in the office for Sweet Lou. His fast start in the first quarter was the needed spark to put the Lakers back in the game when it looked like Portland was about to blow them out. In the fourth quarter again, it looked like the Blazers were gonna blow out the Lakers, but Sweet Lou drains three straight 3-pointers to bring momentum back to the Lakers. He missed a couple of key shots for the Lakers take the lead, but scoring-wise, he carried the scoring load for the team all night long with the exception of Clarkson because the starters weren't doing anything.

Jordan Clarkson, 22 points, 3 rebounds, 8-15 shooting. Some nights, Clarkson will settle for outside shots. Some nights, he'll attack the paint. When he finds a balance, that's when JC's at his best. That was on display tonight. Clarkson hit a pair of threes and found open lanes to drive towards the basket. This was one of Clarkson's better games this month.

Nick Young, 15 points, 5-10 shooting. The only starter who did anything. It was a relatively quiet game for Swaggy P tonight. He got off to a good start in the first quarter, hitting his first two shots. He didn't show up until the fourth quarter where he drained two straight 3-pointers for the tie at 91 and to put the Lakers up 94-91 before the team folded late in the fourth.

(-)

Julius Randle, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4-9 shooting. All you had to do was make a few layups Jules. I'm one of the few who defends Randle's game because of his potential, but I won't deny he's a living enigma. Tonight he resorted back to the out of control Randle we know. He seriously has to improve on his ball handling. Randle's 4th quarter showing tonight exemplified boneheadedness on his part.

The rest of the starters (except Nick Young). Timofey Mozgov, 0 points. Jose Calderon, 0 points and a potential spot on Shaqtin' a Fool for passing the ball to the side referee. Luol Deng, 4 points, 2-7 shooting in his return. Garbage. There's no other way around it.

Brandon Ingram, 0 points, 0-5 shooting. My goodness, Ingram came crashing down hard this week. He's been playing well this month. I don't know if it's because Deng returned to the lineup, but not the way for Ingram to close out the month of January with two bad performances.

MVP

Lou Williams, 31 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 10-20 shooting

At this rate, Sweet Lou is going to get all the MVP honors for every Laker game I cover that's on National TV. This guy deserves Sixth Man of the Year honors.




Conclusion

An embarrassing blowout loss on Sunday. A frustrating loss tonight. I don't know how tomorrow's game @ Utah is gonna unfold. But, closing out on the road seriously needs to be a point of emphasis for the Lakers at this point of the season. It's a young team, there's growing pains. However, I'm looking at the veterans on this roster who know what it takes to close a game out on the road to step up and show the young players the ropes on how to win in a hostile environment. I don't know the Lakers' current road record, but the struggles are evident. They have to learn and the veterans need to take charge. They get another shot tomorrow in Utah. The Jazz have dropped a pair of games lately, but they're always a tough outing on their home floor. I'll see you guys tomorrow night for that game.

01/25: LAKERS @ Portland Trail Blazers 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd Half of the Lakers-Blazers matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the half.

Q4

LAL 98 POR 105

The quarter down the stretch got me like...

Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 75 POR 83

Well, luckily that last basket by McCollum did not go in. The Lakers are down eight, but there was not much to take away from this quarter. This quarter was all Blazers not just scoring-wise, but they kept the Lakers in check defensively. In the official box score, the Lakers only put up 17 points this quarter. However, the margin is surmountable. Let's see if the Lakers can put out a better effort to close the game out. 

01/25: LAKERS @ Portland Trail Blazers 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the first half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. Will the Lakers finally snap the losing streak against the Blazers? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the half.

Q2

LAL 58 POR 59

Now, that was a better half than the garbage in Dallas. Although, there were some glimpses in this half where it looked like the Blazers were going to pull away behind Lillard and McCollum, but the Lakers found ways to respond and keep themselves within striking distance. Mr. Dependable, Lou Williams is carrying this team once again, leading all scorers with 16 points. An aggressive Sweet Lou to start is a big time benefit for the Lakers. He went full throttle in the first half to get the Lakers some points to get back into the game. The bench as a whole outscored the starting unit. Jordan Clarkson is in double figures with 11 points. Ivica Zubac is almost in double figures with 8 points. The bench players were the game changers to keep this from being a blowout. Lillard and McCollum, there's no stopping them, but if the Lakers neutralize every other player, they have a chance. In the last game in Portland, Allen Crabbe stepped in and provided that extra scoring power for the Blazers. The Lakers did a nice job containing every other player. The closest scorer tonight among Lillard and McCollum is Evan Turner and Mason Plumlee is following closely. The Lakers can't afford to let any Trail Blazer not named Lillard and McCollum go off in scoring like they did earlier when Crabbe went off for 20 points off the bench. Overall, nice way for the Lakers to bounce back from an embarrassing performance on Sunday, but there's still 24 more minutes to go. The 2nd half open thread will open up shortly.

Q1

LAL 31 POR 30

Sweet Lou putting the team on his back early on. When the score was 16-24, I'm sure we had the sentiments of "oh, here we go again." Because that's where the part the Blazers just make a run. Then, the bench comes in. Tarik Black showed his hustle energy to finish the quarter. Lou Williams did his thing in providing the scoring off the bench. The bench pretty much took over the quarter to provide the spark to bring the Lakers back into the game and for the lead to end the quarter. You never know what we're gonna get out of this Laker team. Here's hoping they stay consistent through the next three quarters.

Lakers End Skid with Win over Pacers

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' home matchup vs. the Indiana Pacers where the Lakers notched a much-needed win beating the Pacers 96-108 to snap their current losing skid.

Great way to end the home stand on a high note. In the Lakers' recent skid, they've been lacking in some effort during those last few games and half of those games resulted in blowouts. Tonight, they played a very solid game with great effort on both sides of the ball against Paul George and the Pacers. 

(+)

Lou Williams, 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 7-15 shooting. There's no denying, Lou Williams is the best player and the best scorer on the team. He had a couple of three pointers that almost went in, but didn't to put him at the 30 point mark. Sweet Lou did what he did best tonight: shooting threes, drawing contact, driving to the basket. He should be in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year by the time this season ends.

Brandon Ingram, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals. I said it in the Portland game last Thursday, Ingram is doing a great job being more assertive to NBA play. I'm very impressed with the way he's playing this month. He's being more aggressive. His 3-point game is slowly, but surely beginning to connect. I personally think with the way Ingram played in place of Luol Deng this month, he should get a shot at starting from here on out because he's been producing the last few games since being inserted into the starting lineup. He filled the stat sheet again tonight.

Julius Randle, 16 points, 5 rebounds, 7-13 shooting. During the skid, I keep seeing Randle being held to single digit. Even though I don't react much with the Quick Fact Checks, I was concern about Julius' recent slump. I was like "this guy should be stuffing the stat sheet." I liked Randle's energy and effort tonight to shake off the slump. I liked the aggressiveness and hustle that he displayed tonight. It's a matter of consistency for Randle. He's more than capable of double-doubling every single game.

Nick Young, 15 points, 5-13 shooting. I was sure that when Nick Young landed awkwardly on his foot, he was questionable to return. It's a good thing I'm no doctor. Swaggy P was raining threes all game alongside Sweet Lou and I thought he did a great job containing Paul George defensively. PG13 was relatively quiet until he stat padded when the game was well out of reach with 21 points. I gotta credit Clarkson as well. Both him and Young did well defending PG13.

Tarik Black, 8 points, 13 rebounds. I really like Black's effort. This dates back to last year, but Byron Scott didn't want to give him playing time. He's making the most out of it with the playing time. He was known for cutting and dunking and rebounding, but he showed more than that tonight with the jump hooks and the facilitation of the basketball.

(-)

There was really not much I can complain about here. The Lakers did a fine job negating mistakes tonight against a good Pacers team.

MVP

Lou Williams, 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 7-15 shooting

Sweet Lou has been nothing short of amazing since coming to the Lakers. It was another day in the scoring office for him tonight against the Pacers.




Conclusion

Overall, great win from the Lakers, especially to snap the losing streak. The Lakers wrap up a 3-game home stand. Now, they face a 3-game road stand after this. Road games for the Lakers have been relatively unfriendly to them this season. This road stretch ahead is no joke. They play at Dallas on Sunday and play at Portland and at Utah on back-to-back sets. The Mavs, Blazers, and Jazz have the Lakers' number this season. Tough outing, but if the Lakers repeat this effort from tonight, anything can happen. Of course, D'Angelo Russell's status needs to be updated. Again, it's reported he has a mild MCL sprain, so it's likely he'll miss this road stretch. The Lakers need to be at full strength. That means Larry Nance, Jr. has to come back and hopefully, D'Lo makes a speedy recovery. It's a fight to the finish for that 8th seed for the playoffs in the West, but we're more focused that the Lakers finish strong by season's end. But again, great win against the Pacers. Gotta see if the Lakers can build some consistency as they take on a 3-game road stretch. The back-to-back against the Blazers and Jazz are gonna be televised on ESPN and  TNT. So I'll see you guys on Wednesday and Thursday for those games.

01/20: LAKERS vs. Indiana Pacers 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

The 2nd half of the Lakers-Pacers matchup. As usual, leave a comment below the post to share your thoughts on the half.

Q4

IND 96 LAL 108

Losing skid is over! The Lakers played with more effort and energy out there than the Pacers did. Pretty much, this whole 2nd half, the Lakers took this game over. They allowed Indiana to get back in for a bit, but they mustered enough to get the win. Players getting injured early on, but they endured. Stay tuned for the full recap. 

Q3

IND 75 LAL 86

Didn't like the way the Lakers ended that 3rd quarter. The team was playing sloppy ball and forcing up shots when they built up a huge lead, but luckily Nick Young's three quelled that talk for a bit. Overall, solid quarter for the Lakers. Solid quarter for Brandon Ingram especially. 10 points this quarter from him to go with 15 points. Sweet Lou, Young, Clarkson, Black, and Randle contributed as well to give the Lakers some cushion against this Pacers team. Like I said though, they allowed the Pacers to creep back in down the stretch. They have to clean that up to close this game out.

01/20: LAKERS vs. Indiana Pacers 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the 1st half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Indiana Pacers. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

IND 53 LAL 51

Down by two against a red hot Pacers team? Not too shabby. Although the Pacers did gain some life in this quarter and it looked like they were about to pull away, but good job on the part of the Lakers to hang around. In this first half alone, Julius Randle has put up more numbers than the last few games. He's been relatively quiet in the Lakers' recent skid, but he's gaining that aggressiveness back tonight. It's the consistency that needs to be addressed in Randle's game. Of course, the big negative here, D'Angelo Russell and Nick Young go down. Russell's foot got caught with Randle and his knee bent awkwardly. ESPN reports that it's a sprain MCL. So, most likely he's not going back to the game. Nick Young landed awkwardly on his foot as he was about to shoot before the shot clock expired. He went down for a bit and no question he's questionable to return. But, like I said, the Lakers are hanging around despite the injuries. You never know if that's going to take its toll late in the game with the losses of both D'Lo and Swaggy P. But the fact of the matter, they have to keep up with this effort that they put up so far. For sure, this is probably the closest they've trailed in this recent skid and they have to keep competing and try to make PG13, Al Jefferson, and the Pacers miss shots. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

IND 24 LAL 27

Well, the last thing the Lakers want to start off is two players going down. D'Angelo Russell accidentally contacts Julius Randle and his knee lands awkwardly. They said that it's a possible MCL sprain, which makes him questionable to return. Then Mozgov gets shaken up midway through the first, which is why Tarik Black and Ivica Zubac saw action earlier than expected. Despite all that, the Lakers are still competing. The Pacers turned the ball over a couple of times, which was opportune for the Lakers. Julius Randle got to a fast start and Nick Young and Lou Williams drained a couple of threes. Brandon Ingram continues to make good use starting. He's been terrific lately. Overall, encouraging quarter to see despite the early injuries. 

Lakers Drop Lead, Game vs. Blazers

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers where the Lakers drop another tough one on the road, losing to the Blazers 109-118.

The one thing I'm hoping from this Lakers team is that I hope they take all these road games where they blow a lot of leads to heart and work on protecting a lead. This game added to those road woes where the Lakers come out guns blazing, they build a lead to close out the first half, and they feel good about. Then, in the 2nd half, they forget to play their game and disaster happens. It's growing pains.

(+)

Julius Randle, 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal. Not the greatest of games for Randle, but he still in some way puts up monster numbers, recording yet another double-double. He got off to a good start tonight, didn't do much until late in the 3rd quarter. Randle woke up in between the 3rd quarter and 4th quarter and started to take the game over. There was nothing Mason Plumlee or anybody else defending could do against Randle's power and versatility.

Brandon Ingram, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block. Trust me when I say this, Ingram will break out eventually before the season wraps up. He's slowly finding his range from beyond the arc, notching a pair of three pointers tonight. Ingram's starting to be more assertive on both ends on the floor, which is encouraging to see. As fans, we gotta stay patient.

Jordan Clarkson, 21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals. Clarkson continues to make his case for Sixth Man of the Year. Last game, he was great at attacking the basket on the Grizzlies' stout defense. He replicated that tonight and found the range from 3-point land.

(-)

Screen and roll defense. The Lakers just gave up way too many easy baskets for the Blazers. The Blazers were cutting in the lane with ease tonight against the defense. Three easy baskets by Plumlee to start summed up how bad the Lakers defended the Blazers' screen and roll game. Then, Harkless, Crabbe, and Turner got into the action. They kept catching the defense sleeping all game.

Lou Williams, 10 points, 3-8 shooting. Sour night for Sweet Lou. His shot wasn't going through tonight and he made some quick momentum-changing turnovers. Williams' scoring has taken a nosedive as of late. But, he's a veteran. He'll find ways to break out of the funk.

D'Angelo Russell. Don't get me wrong, D'Lo finished off strong with a 22 point performance, but his three point game was not there tonight. He attempted eight 3-pointers, he missed all of them and he made a pair of silly turnovers to start the game. Nonetheless, inconsistency is evident in Russell's game. He went to the post up game late to get going, but it was too little too late. He should've continued to play that game and try to draw contact as he did in the first half, getting to the free throw line to get first series of points.

MVP

Julius Randle, 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

The man is a beast. Like I said, numbers weren't too impressive, but he displayed tonight why his rare combination of strength and quickness make him hard to defend. 

Conclusion

The Lakers will learn soon enough. If they want to win on the road, they have to put their foot on the gas for a full 48 minutes. It's too bad Damian Lillard just had to return tonight for the Blazers after missing a couple of games. But, like I said, I hope the Lakers take these games into consideration. If they want to win and be good on the road, they have to bring the effort in the 2nd half and play their game. Nonetheless, this is part of the growing pains this season that we have to endure. This young squad will get it sooner or later. They return home tomorrow on a back-to-back set vs. Miami. Hey, if Portland can win tonight after a tough road loss to the Warriors last night, the Lakers can certainly rebound against the Heat. I'll see you guys later.