Roundup is back after a brief hiatus. The Lakers shook off the ugly loss against Dallas to open up the month of December. Last week, the Lakers made it known that the tough schedule wouldn't do them in. They notched road wins at Denver, at Utah, and at Portland. Arguably three of the most hostile environments and the Lakers shut out the decibels from those arenas. They had a brief home stint against Minnesota, but they were surprisingly in a shootout. But they pulled it off with AD's career night, dropping 50 points. Now, the Lakers are on the road again, putting the streak of wins outside Staples Center on the line once more. Their destination the past week? The South East: Florida and Georgia.
12/11: @ Orlando 96-87 [W] (22-3)
Orlando had the Lakers' number last year, there's no denying that. Now, that the Lakers have upgraded their talent, let's see what the Magic, a fringe playoff team last year can do now. Fair enough, they were missing a few bodies, Nikola Vucevic particularly. Even if Rondo and Kuz aren't playing this game, the Lakers still outmatch the Magic in talent. And it showed with a 26-9 shellacking in the first quarter and the Lakers didn't look back. Well, only for the first half. It's fair to say, the Lakers intentionally wanted to make things interesting by letting the Magic creep back in. Poor 3-point shooting and turnovers prevented the Lakers from attaining complete domination. Luckily enough, KCP and Jared Dudley (before he got ejected by backing up Dwight against Mo Bamba and Wes Iwundu) with their 3-point shooting down the stretch.
12/13: @ Miami 113-110 [W] (23-3)
This and Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks to end the road trip are arguably the Lakers' biggest test on the this road stretch. Streaks were on the line this game as the Lakers leveraged their 12-game road winning streak vs. the Heat's 11-game home winning streak. Miami has been an unkind place for the Lakers in the last decade, but the purple and gold have turned things around as of late. This game was a slugfest as expected. LeBron and AD had their off night in Disney World, but there was no off day in South Beach as they combined for 61 points. Though, the only blemish on LeBron was his 8 turnovers. He struggled handling the ball as Miami's D made it rough with their quick hands and zone defense. But, rebounding proved to be their undoing, especially in the final seconds. Despite KCP's 50% conversion from the free throw line after Kendrick Nunn's 3-pointer to cut the lead to one and end the Heat's 11-0 start at home. The final play though, there was a lot of contact between LeBron and Jimmy Butler. The NBA's report acknowledged there should've been a foul call on there. We'll take the victory though.
12/15: @ Atlanta 101-96 [W] (24-3)
It's always gotta be testy in Atlanta. If the Falcons can come back against the mighty 49ers, I'm sure the Hawks can upset the Lakers. NOPE! Despite the Hawks being competitive, they still find ways to choke down the stretch. You got Trae Young pulling up from deep and clanking. Despite the not so dominant win, the Lakers still managed to put up some highlight reels to wow the crowd even against themselves. I'm looking at the play where Rondo faked an alley oop to LeBron and LeBron faked the chase down block afterwards. It would've made it on Shaqtin' if the block was made. Superman was in the building for only two points with a Dwight dunk off the between the legs bounce pass from LeBron. Despite the close games, the Lakers had all the confidence in the world that they're unstoppable. The wins and all are good, but honestly, it's not a good look if they continue to play down to their level of competition. Confidence is good and all, but too much confidence? Anyway, wins are wins.
Showing posts with label Atlanta Hawks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atlanta Hawks. Show all posts
Monday, December 16, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup Week 4: Taking Care of Business
The loss against Toronto two Sundays ago stung the Lakers and they continued to sit as the 2nd best record in the NBA...behind Boston (bleh). But a loss is sometimes good. Multiple losses? Not quite. So far, the Lakers have stead clear of a losing skid. This past week's schedule presents a much easier stretch for the purple and gold. Why it's against teams that they're expected to beat! As always, it's better to not take any opponent for granted and the Lakers are well aware of that to start this season. Let's see how they fared this stretch!
11/12: @ Phoenix 123-115 [W] (8-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
Ah, good to finally see that the team is at full strength with the return of Rajon Rondo. Last Sunday was a tough loss to the defending champions, but it's time to put that in the rear view mirror with a bounceback win against the Phoenix Suns. When you think of the Phoenix Suns in the past, you think easy win. They've turned heads so far this season with a few upset wins on their belt. They are a high octane scoring team that can light up the scoreboard. The Lakers clearly got the memo here and played with a lot of urgency. Anthony Davis dominated his way with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but he had help closing this game out. LeBron did what he did with the 19 points and 11 assists, but it was the supporting cast that stepped up. Danny Green comes alive after a string of quiet games where he was a non-factor with 14 points. Dwight Howard notched a near double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds. And Kyle Kuzma, he had a terrible string of games against Miami and Toronto, but he came up big in his 23 point performance this game. No question, the Suns are on the come up. They finally have some veterans they can rely on. Ricky Rubio's addition takes a load off Devin Booker and allows him to do what he do best...score. But, the Lakers came to play and re-exert their hot start as the top team in the West.
11/13: vs. Golden State 94-120 [W] (9-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
For the past 5 years, the Golden State gods enacted their reign of terror across the NBA. When teams see the Warriors, they'd either cower in fear or answer the challenge...and fall short as they're overmatched by their talent. Now, let's look at this year, the Warriors are a shadow of their once unstoppable dynasty. They are no longer the gods of the NBA and are banished to league purgatory. To all my Warrior fans, have a seat. Welcome to the period that is rebuilding.
With the Dubs no longer a threat, the Lakers decide to rule out AD and Rondo for this game. Rondo just got back from injury. And of course, AD is a key piece. They will need the 'Brow healthy down the stretch. No AD? No Rondo? No problem as the Lakers stepped it up and beat down the Warriors like they should. Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee anchored the inside in AD's absence. McGee had 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks and Dwight had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and a block. I'm astonished Dwight is -4. It could be the foul trouble and some missed free throws. He did have some defensive breakdowns, but Dwight's performance was on par with McGee this game. Nonetheless, both bigs filled in well and dominated the Warriors' weak interior D. As mentioned no AD this game, but LeBron and Kuzma proved that the Lakers have an alternate dynamic duo in place. LeBron ran circles around this Warrior team: 23 points, 12 assists on 11-21 shooting. There was a scare in the first half when he slipped. We all know what happened on Christmas Day. But, luckily no injury for the King. Funny enough, the Lakers had a comfortable lead that he was not needed for the 4th quarter. Kuzma picked up the slack in scoring with 22 points on an efficient 7-12 shooting. He's really getting back into the groove of things and he's going to pick it up more as the season progresses. Quinn Cook chipped in 10 points. He did well against his former team. Nice revenge games for both he and McGee. A dominant win against the Warriors takes me back to the good old days when this was common and all my Warrior friends can't say nothing to me. To Dub Nation I say welcome back to being the punching bag.
11/15: vs. Sacramento 97-99 [W] (10-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
This game was a homecoming for Luke Walton since the Lakers terminated him by season's end. Things got off to a rough start in Luke's first few games coaching the Kings, but they're playing much better as of late. Sacramento has strung together some wins sans their key young pieces in De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III. It would be sweet revenge for Luke if he coaches the Kings to an upset victory. They started off hot right out of the gate. With the way Luke coaches with that Golden State system, you know the Kings are going to rain threes all night. Things were going fine for Sacramento until LeBron killed Nemanja Bjelica in plain sight during the 2nd quarter. The guy is in his 17th season, yet he's still putting defenders on a poster. This game was a huge scare for the Lakers, especially in the 2nd half. When you think the Lakers were gonna pull away, the Kings kept knocking on the door. It's not just Buddy Hield as a scoring threat, but Richaun Holmes showed out for Sacramento. And there's also Bogdan Bogdanovic to look out for. I still get PTSD from last year when he nailed a cold-blooded three over Tyson Chandler to win the game in their first meeting at Sacramento. The Lakers got some unexpected contributions though. KCP, as much flack as he gets, he made a couple of key buckets in the 4th quarter. That can't be overlooked. Sacramento fought hard, but LeBron and AD closed out the game and finished off the Queens. LeBron made clutch free throws to put the Lakers in front. Then Anthony Davis denied Harrison Barnes as Barnes attempted the game-tying layup.
11/17: vs. Atlanta 101-122 [W] (11-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
Kobe Bryant was at this game! All present Lakers must pay their respects as they are blessed by the Black Mamba's presence. LeBron, Kuz, AD, and even Dwight Howard paid their respects to Kobe. Now, it's time to do him proud, embrace the Mamba Mentality, and kill the opposing team in sight. They did just that this game. Yes, I know it's against the Hawks who are not expected to be good, but they have some good young pieces. Atlanta got blown out the following night against the Clippers and the Lakers did the same. This was a weird game throughout, but all was right for the LakeShow. LeBron put on a show for Kobe with 33 points and draining 6 threes. The Black Mamba gave the King an ounce of his shooting venom for this game. AD had a strange game. He didn't grab a single rebound until the 2nd half. He still racked up some points and blocks though. And Danny Green had the highlight of the night with his putback dunk. I totally forgot he still had some hops. Not much to say about this game. It was just another wire-to-wire victory for the Lakers. They definitely needed this blowout after Friday's thriller.
11/12: @ Phoenix 123-115 [W] (8-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
Ah, good to finally see that the team is at full strength with the return of Rajon Rondo. Last Sunday was a tough loss to the defending champions, but it's time to put that in the rear view mirror with a bounceback win against the Phoenix Suns. When you think of the Phoenix Suns in the past, you think easy win. They've turned heads so far this season with a few upset wins on their belt. They are a high octane scoring team that can light up the scoreboard. The Lakers clearly got the memo here and played with a lot of urgency. Anthony Davis dominated his way with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but he had help closing this game out. LeBron did what he did with the 19 points and 11 assists, but it was the supporting cast that stepped up. Danny Green comes alive after a string of quiet games where he was a non-factor with 14 points. Dwight Howard notched a near double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds. And Kyle Kuzma, he had a terrible string of games against Miami and Toronto, but he came up big in his 23 point performance this game. No question, the Suns are on the come up. They finally have some veterans they can rely on. Ricky Rubio's addition takes a load off Devin Booker and allows him to do what he do best...score. But, the Lakers came to play and re-exert their hot start as the top team in the West.
11/13: vs. Golden State 94-120 [W] (9-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
For the past 5 years, the Golden State gods enacted their reign of terror across the NBA. When teams see the Warriors, they'd either cower in fear or answer the challenge...and fall short as they're overmatched by their talent. Now, let's look at this year, the Warriors are a shadow of their once unstoppable dynasty. They are no longer the gods of the NBA and are banished to league purgatory. To all my Warrior fans, have a seat. Welcome to the period that is rebuilding.
With the Dubs no longer a threat, the Lakers decide to rule out AD and Rondo for this game. Rondo just got back from injury. And of course, AD is a key piece. They will need the 'Brow healthy down the stretch. No AD? No Rondo? No problem as the Lakers stepped it up and beat down the Warriors like they should. Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee anchored the inside in AD's absence. McGee had 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks and Dwight had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and a block. I'm astonished Dwight is -4. It could be the foul trouble and some missed free throws. He did have some defensive breakdowns, but Dwight's performance was on par with McGee this game. Nonetheless, both bigs filled in well and dominated the Warriors' weak interior D. As mentioned no AD this game, but LeBron and Kuzma proved that the Lakers have an alternate dynamic duo in place. LeBron ran circles around this Warrior team: 23 points, 12 assists on 11-21 shooting. There was a scare in the first half when he slipped. We all know what happened on Christmas Day. But, luckily no injury for the King. Funny enough, the Lakers had a comfortable lead that he was not needed for the 4th quarter. Kuzma picked up the slack in scoring with 22 points on an efficient 7-12 shooting. He's really getting back into the groove of things and he's going to pick it up more as the season progresses. Quinn Cook chipped in 10 points. He did well against his former team. Nice revenge games for both he and McGee. A dominant win against the Warriors takes me back to the good old days when this was common and all my Warrior friends can't say nothing to me. To Dub Nation I say welcome back to being the punching bag.
11/15: vs. Sacramento 97-99 [W] (10-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
This game was a homecoming for Luke Walton since the Lakers terminated him by season's end. Things got off to a rough start in Luke's first few games coaching the Kings, but they're playing much better as of late. Sacramento has strung together some wins sans their key young pieces in De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III. It would be sweet revenge for Luke if he coaches the Kings to an upset victory. They started off hot right out of the gate. With the way Luke coaches with that Golden State system, you know the Kings are going to rain threes all night. Things were going fine for Sacramento until LeBron killed Nemanja Bjelica in plain sight during the 2nd quarter. The guy is in his 17th season, yet he's still putting defenders on a poster. This game was a huge scare for the Lakers, especially in the 2nd half. When you think the Lakers were gonna pull away, the Kings kept knocking on the door. It's not just Buddy Hield as a scoring threat, but Richaun Holmes showed out for Sacramento. And there's also Bogdan Bogdanovic to look out for. I still get PTSD from last year when he nailed a cold-blooded three over Tyson Chandler to win the game in their first meeting at Sacramento. The Lakers got some unexpected contributions though. KCP, as much flack as he gets, he made a couple of key buckets in the 4th quarter. That can't be overlooked. Sacramento fought hard, but LeBron and AD closed out the game and finished off the Queens. LeBron made clutch free throws to put the Lakers in front. Then Anthony Davis denied Harrison Barnes as Barnes attempted the game-tying layup.
11/17: vs. Atlanta 101-122 [W] (11-2)
HIGHLIGHTS
Kobe Bryant was at this game! All present Lakers must pay their respects as they are blessed by the Black Mamba's presence. LeBron, Kuz, AD, and even Dwight Howard paid their respects to Kobe. Now, it's time to do him proud, embrace the Mamba Mentality, and kill the opposing team in sight. They did just that this game. Yes, I know it's against the Hawks who are not expected to be good, but they have some good young pieces. Atlanta got blown out the following night against the Clippers and the Lakers did the same. This was a weird game throughout, but all was right for the LakeShow. LeBron put on a show for Kobe with 33 points and draining 6 threes. The Black Mamba gave the King an ounce of his shooting venom for this game. AD had a strange game. He didn't grab a single rebound until the 2nd half. He still racked up some points and blocks though. And Danny Green had the highlight of the night with his putback dunk. I totally forgot he still had some hops. Not much to say about this game. It was just another wire-to-wire victory for the Lakers. They definitely needed this blowout after Friday's thriller.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup: All-Star Week Edition
*Some NSFW language*
With all the trade drama unfolding before the All-Star weekend, all I can say is I'm glad the NBA moved the trade deadline before All-Star weekend so that all this don't clout what should be a fun week for the league, its superstars, its players, and above all, the fans. With teams making moves for a playoff run and a run for the championship, one that stands above all was the shitstorm that went down in the Big Easy surrounding Anthony Davis and the Pelicans' trade dilemma. I've seen this shit way too many times since the fall of the glorious Purple and Gold after the 2012-13 season. Star players use the Lakers as a bargaining chip that if their demands aren't met, they'll bolt their team to play for the Purple and Gold.
And despite all them smoke and mirrors, nothing happens. The Anthony Davis trade saga has been added to the long list of failed recruitment of a superstar on the Lakers' part. Well, with the exception of LeBron, but even LeBron is an elephant in the room that other superstars don't want to deal with it.
It turns out that the Pelicans' played with our emotions of Anthony Davis coming to LA. The trade was nothing more but a ploy to destroy the morale of the Lakers and create a rift among King James and the Laker youngins. It was evident considering how Dell Demps never answered any of Rob Pelinka's calls to discuss a deal. Or the fact that he actually listened to Gregg Popovich's advice not to give the Lakers any life. This isn't the first time the New Orleans Pelicans showed the middle finger to the Lakers. Remember the deal in 2011 that would've sent Chris Paul to the Lakers? This time, the NBA wasn't involved in vetoing the deal. The Pelicans did this to the Lakers on their OWN volition. Smells like negotiating in bad faith doesn't it?
But as I look at it more clearly, it shows a weakness of the Lakers that has plagued them for quite some time now: they can't groom their own superstars. They're more inclined to pry away superstars from other teams, but not develop their own. This is a statement of fact: you shoot for the sure-thing rather than on potential. That is the Lakers' mentality and who can blame them? Lakers fans have had it of 6 years of organizational ineptitude and want this team to get back into championship form right away. That in itself is a good thing and a bad thing. The Lakers were content on growing their young core. But in order to please the King, they have to scrap that. I've addressed this like four years ago? It dates back to the dilemma in Kobe's later years. The Lakers put themselves in a limbo of building for the future and winning now. You must commit to one or the other and not have a balance of both. And it seems that the Lakers have not learned from their history with the hole they're in now.
But enough of my rant. A.D. or no A.D., the Lakers have a season to finish up. And they have a steep hill to climb if they want to return to glory. Keep in mind, I merged this week with last week's because the Lakers only had one game to play this week and it was off to the All-Star weekend. Here is a special Lakers' Weekly Roundup - NBA All-Star Week Edition!
02/05: @ Indiana 94-136 [L] (27-27)
HIGHLIGHTS
This is the same Pacers team that just lost Victor Oladipo for the season. And the Lakers still get their ass kicked. To bring out some advance LeBron stats: this is the worst loss by any LeBron-lead team in history! There's my ESPN impression for the day with non-stop LeBron coverage. There's not much to gauge from this ugly loss. The Pacers were on fire from beyond the arc. The Pacers 2nd unit also brought their A-game on this. And to add insult to injury, the Pacers fans brought their troll game on, chanting "LeBron's gonna trade you" to Ingram or that McGee was "not worth trading." I wanted to do a "Days of Our Steelers-esque" segment with this loss, but I'd be stealing from UrinatingTree. This loss definitely created more tension in the internal civil war that was LeBron vs. the Lakers
Trades for Reggie Bullock and Mike Muscala
The NBA's "Hunger Games" has come to past at on Thursday, 3:00 PST. Despite the foiled Anthony Davis deal, the Lakers weren't going to stop making moves to get turn this team into a championship team. The Lakers deal Svi Mykhailiuk to the Pistons for Reggie Bullock and they acquired Mike Muscala from the Clippers in exchange for Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley. These are moves championship teams aspire to make indeed. Seriously? There are two purposes when NBA teams make trades: 1) to free up some cap space or accumulate some draft capital 2) get a quality player in return with either 1 or 2 years left on his contract that could help the team to get where they want to be which is postseason or the finals. What the hell kind of moves were these? The Lakers get a guy who's pretty much Jodie Meeks with hair and another stretch 5 in Muscala. Truly Zubac was a sacrifice to up his trade value by breaking out during this stretch of the season and send him packing for another stretch 5 who may not see significant playing time. Isn't that the reason why they grabbed Wagner in this year's draft? These moves were definite head-scratchers. Perhaps the Bullock trade was justifiable. The Lakers need as many shooters as they can. Inconsistency will once again play a major issue.
Team LeBron Assembly
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo held their respective drafts for their All-Star teams last Thursday. Let's get a look at LeBron's roster. Such names include: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Ben Simmons, etc. Notice a pattern here? This is not just picking an All-Star team. This is LeBron's sales pitch to get these players to come play for him in LA. Only hindrance is the salary cap.
02/07: @ Boston 129-128 [W] (28-27)
HIGHLIGHTS
Forget the records. Forget which team is better at the moment. Forget that the Lakers just got blown out the other night by 42 freakin' points. This is the Lakers and Celtics we are talking about. The NBA's best rivalry right here. Don't be surprise if this comes down to the wire like all games do whenever the Lakers play at the TD Garden as of late. But the Celtics got a off to a hot start, leading as many as 13 at the half. Just like in Indiana, the Lakers' morale is broken with all the trade rumors and they could never recover. But a light shined upon the Purple and Gold as the King rode to battle on Kuz Control. The Lakers caught fire late lead by James and Kuzma. Final seconds ticked. No timeouts. The Celtics took the lead off a Kyrie Irving layup. Let's be honest, the Lakers rarely get it done in the final seconds with the ball in their hands nowadays. *Rondo hits game-winner* YEAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! RONDO BABY!!!!!! SCREW YOU CELTICS!!!!! WE'RE BACK!!!!!! Poetic justice indeed as Rondo comes back to Boston to break the hearts of his former-team. Let's be honest, the Lakers needed this win to boost the morale of the team. As the saying goes, winning cures all and what better way to bounce back against a perennial rival. Take notes Dodgers and Rams on how to beat a team from Boston.
02/10: @ Philadelphia 120-143 [L] (28-28)
HIGHLIGHTS
To ease all wounds sustained from the trade drama, Magic Johnson decided to fly over to the team and "hug-it-out." Everybody get in a circle, sing "Kumbaya" or whatever. Let's put this behind and start playing as a team again. However the Philadelphia 76ers could care less about the trade drama getting in the Lakers feelings. KuzMania ran wild for the Lakers in the first quarter. But, that was the only positive as the 76ers commenced the ass-whooping process. Lead by their new Big 4 with the acquisition of Tobias Harris, Philly Philly took care of some business. After an inspiring win, the Lakers outside Kyle Kuzma fell flatter than LeBron James' defense on a Ben Simmons dunk this game. And also, why the hell did Luke Walton thought it was a good idea to insert Reggie Bullock into the starting lineup immediately? To quote Rob Pelinka "teams should fear the Lakers in the playoffs." Well, there goes that statement after this blowout loss. It was just one game Rob. Just one game.
02/12: @ Atlanta 113-117 [L] (28-29)
HIGHLIGHTS
Rewind back to December of 2018, the Lakers despite having the superior talent were taken to the limit against a Hawks team that's in rebuilding mode. The difference was a game-saving block by Tyson Chandler to win it for the Lakers. That seemed like eons ago when the Lakers were among the Top 5 teams in the West. The Lakers play the Hawks and my goodness are they playing down to their level again. This team isn't even that good and yet you still stoop down to their level. The 4th quarter was as bad as NBA basketball can get as both teams missed shots and were playing sloppy basketball down the stretch. But, this one will go down as a gut-wrencher. You're playing for your playoff lives and you lose to the Hawks among all teams. Shame. Shame. Shame. Hello sub .500 my old friend.
Pelicans GM Dell Demps Fired
Karma works in mysterious ways. Prior to All-Star Weekend, the Pelicans announced that they've parted ways with longtime GM Dell Demps. The major factor of course was how he handled the Anthony Davis trade saga. And now AD is hurt. Well, that part is unpredictable. You can never predict when an injury might occur. But it was at that moment Demps should've known he f'd up. Could've had the entire Lakers roster. Then again, the Lakers are glad to have their roster in tact and not have to deal with the "Bayou Shitshow" anymore.
With all the trade drama unfolding before the All-Star weekend, all I can say is I'm glad the NBA moved the trade deadline before All-Star weekend so that all this don't clout what should be a fun week for the league, its superstars, its players, and above all, the fans. With teams making moves for a playoff run and a run for the championship, one that stands above all was the shitstorm that went down in the Big Easy surrounding Anthony Davis and the Pelicans' trade dilemma. I've seen this shit way too many times since the fall of the glorious Purple and Gold after the 2012-13 season. Star players use the Lakers as a bargaining chip that if their demands aren't met, they'll bolt their team to play for the Purple and Gold.
And despite all them smoke and mirrors, nothing happens. The Anthony Davis trade saga has been added to the long list of failed recruitment of a superstar on the Lakers' part. Well, with the exception of LeBron, but even LeBron is an elephant in the room that other superstars don't want to deal with it.
It turns out that the Pelicans' played with our emotions of Anthony Davis coming to LA. The trade was nothing more but a ploy to destroy the morale of the Lakers and create a rift among King James and the Laker youngins. It was evident considering how Dell Demps never answered any of Rob Pelinka's calls to discuss a deal. Or the fact that he actually listened to Gregg Popovich's advice not to give the Lakers any life. This isn't the first time the New Orleans Pelicans showed the middle finger to the Lakers. Remember the deal in 2011 that would've sent Chris Paul to the Lakers? This time, the NBA wasn't involved in vetoing the deal. The Pelicans did this to the Lakers on their OWN volition. Smells like negotiating in bad faith doesn't it?
But as I look at it more clearly, it shows a weakness of the Lakers that has plagued them for quite some time now: they can't groom their own superstars. They're more inclined to pry away superstars from other teams, but not develop their own. This is a statement of fact: you shoot for the sure-thing rather than on potential. That is the Lakers' mentality and who can blame them? Lakers fans have had it of 6 years of organizational ineptitude and want this team to get back into championship form right away. That in itself is a good thing and a bad thing. The Lakers were content on growing their young core. But in order to please the King, they have to scrap that. I've addressed this like four years ago? It dates back to the dilemma in Kobe's later years. The Lakers put themselves in a limbo of building for the future and winning now. You must commit to one or the other and not have a balance of both. And it seems that the Lakers have not learned from their history with the hole they're in now.
But enough of my rant. A.D. or no A.D., the Lakers have a season to finish up. And they have a steep hill to climb if they want to return to glory. Keep in mind, I merged this week with last week's because the Lakers only had one game to play this week and it was off to the All-Star weekend. Here is a special Lakers' Weekly Roundup - NBA All-Star Week Edition!
02/05: @ Indiana 94-136 [L] (27-27)
HIGHLIGHTS
This is the same Pacers team that just lost Victor Oladipo for the season. And the Lakers still get their ass kicked. To bring out some advance LeBron stats: this is the worst loss by any LeBron-lead team in history! There's my ESPN impression for the day with non-stop LeBron coverage. There's not much to gauge from this ugly loss. The Pacers were on fire from beyond the arc. The Pacers 2nd unit also brought their A-game on this. And to add insult to injury, the Pacers fans brought their troll game on, chanting "LeBron's gonna trade you" to Ingram or that McGee was "not worth trading." I wanted to do a "Days of Our Steelers-esque" segment with this loss, but I'd be stealing from UrinatingTree. This loss definitely created more tension in the internal civil war that was LeBron vs. the Lakers
Trades for Reggie Bullock and Mike Muscala
The NBA's "Hunger Games" has come to past at on Thursday, 3:00 PST. Despite the foiled Anthony Davis deal, the Lakers weren't going to stop making moves to get turn this team into a championship team. The Lakers deal Svi Mykhailiuk to the Pistons for Reggie Bullock and they acquired Mike Muscala from the Clippers in exchange for Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley. These are moves championship teams aspire to make indeed. Seriously? There are two purposes when NBA teams make trades: 1) to free up some cap space or accumulate some draft capital 2) get a quality player in return with either 1 or 2 years left on his contract that could help the team to get where they want to be which is postseason or the finals. What the hell kind of moves were these? The Lakers get a guy who's pretty much Jodie Meeks with hair and another stretch 5 in Muscala. Truly Zubac was a sacrifice to up his trade value by breaking out during this stretch of the season and send him packing for another stretch 5 who may not see significant playing time. Isn't that the reason why they grabbed Wagner in this year's draft? These moves were definite head-scratchers. Perhaps the Bullock trade was justifiable. The Lakers need as many shooters as they can. Inconsistency will once again play a major issue.
Team LeBron Assembly
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo held their respective drafts for their All-Star teams last Thursday. Let's get a look at LeBron's roster. Such names include: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Ben Simmons, etc. Notice a pattern here? This is not just picking an All-Star team. This is LeBron's sales pitch to get these players to come play for him in LA. Only hindrance is the salary cap.
02/07: @ Boston 129-128 [W] (28-27)
HIGHLIGHTS
Forget the records. Forget which team is better at the moment. Forget that the Lakers just got blown out the other night by 42 freakin' points. This is the Lakers and Celtics we are talking about. The NBA's best rivalry right here. Don't be surprise if this comes down to the wire like all games do whenever the Lakers play at the TD Garden as of late. But the Celtics got a off to a hot start, leading as many as 13 at the half. Just like in Indiana, the Lakers' morale is broken with all the trade rumors and they could never recover. But a light shined upon the Purple and Gold as the King rode to battle on Kuz Control. The Lakers caught fire late lead by James and Kuzma. Final seconds ticked. No timeouts. The Celtics took the lead off a Kyrie Irving layup. Let's be honest, the Lakers rarely get it done in the final seconds with the ball in their hands nowadays. *Rondo hits game-winner* YEAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!! RONDO BABY!!!!!! SCREW YOU CELTICS!!!!! WE'RE BACK!!!!!! Poetic justice indeed as Rondo comes back to Boston to break the hearts of his former-team. Let's be honest, the Lakers needed this win to boost the morale of the team. As the saying goes, winning cures all and what better way to bounce back against a perennial rival. Take notes Dodgers and Rams on how to beat a team from Boston.
02/10: @ Philadelphia 120-143 [L] (28-28)
HIGHLIGHTS
To ease all wounds sustained from the trade drama, Magic Johnson decided to fly over to the team and "hug-it-out." Everybody get in a circle, sing "Kumbaya" or whatever. Let's put this behind and start playing as a team again. However the Philadelphia 76ers could care less about the trade drama getting in the Lakers feelings. KuzMania ran wild for the Lakers in the first quarter. But, that was the only positive as the 76ers commenced the ass-whooping process. Lead by their new Big 4 with the acquisition of Tobias Harris, Philly Philly took care of some business. After an inspiring win, the Lakers outside Kyle Kuzma fell flatter than LeBron James' defense on a Ben Simmons dunk this game. And also, why the hell did Luke Walton thought it was a good idea to insert Reggie Bullock into the starting lineup immediately? To quote Rob Pelinka "teams should fear the Lakers in the playoffs." Well, there goes that statement after this blowout loss. It was just one game Rob. Just one game.
02/12: @ Atlanta 113-117 [L] (28-29)
HIGHLIGHTS
Rewind back to December of 2018, the Lakers despite having the superior talent were taken to the limit against a Hawks team that's in rebuilding mode. The difference was a game-saving block by Tyson Chandler to win it for the Lakers. That seemed like eons ago when the Lakers were among the Top 5 teams in the West. The Lakers play the Hawks and my goodness are they playing down to their level again. This team isn't even that good and yet you still stoop down to their level. The 4th quarter was as bad as NBA basketball can get as both teams missed shots and were playing sloppy basketball down the stretch. But, this one will go down as a gut-wrencher. You're playing for your playoff lives and you lose to the Hawks among all teams. Shame. Shame. Shame. Hello sub .500 my old friend.
Pelicans GM Dell Demps Fired
Karma works in mysterious ways. Prior to All-Star Weekend, the Pelicans announced that they've parted ways with longtime GM Dell Demps. The major factor of course was how he handled the Anthony Davis trade saga. And now AD is hurt. Well, that part is unpredictable. You can never predict when an injury might occur. But it was at that moment Demps should've known he f'd up. Could've had the entire Lakers roster. Then again, the Lakers are glad to have their roster in tact and not have to deal with the "Bayou Shitshow" anymore.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Lakers Weekly Roundup (11/11) - The "Tyson Chandler Effect"
*Some NSFW language*
In an effort to bolster the Lakers' defense and rebounding, LeBron James turned to an old friend who has the 2nd most Finals appearance than he has. That is James Jones, who's the acting GM for the Phoenix Suns. With the history surrounding these two since Miami and Cleveland, James Jones decided to do LeBron a favor and reached a buyout agreement with veteran Center and NBA champion, Tyson Chandler. Because honestly he is no use for a rebuilding Suns team anymore with the emerging DeAndre Ayton. At least we have one LA native come home and play for the Lakers. Congrats Tyson, you did something Paul George doesn't have enough balls to do. This is your Lakers Weekly Roundup.
11/07: vs. Minnesota 110-114 [W] (5-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
Headband LeBron and Derrick Rose back to MVP form. What is this? 2011? It certainly felt like that as both teams traded shots one after another. Despite all of "the Return" jokes, I've always been a fan of Derrick Rose and I wished he got back to MVP form. When the Lakers looked like they were gonna run away, Derrick "Rose" up to the occasion to bring the Timberwolves back and steal one from the Lakers. But, the heroics of the once aspiring "King Slayer" once again couldn't bring down the King and his men. Definitely, the addition of Tyson Chandler helped because the Lakers finally have somebody who will box out and get players in sync on defense. In fact, the loss caused a ripple effect on Jimmy Butler's tenure with Minnesota, sending him to "The Process" yesterday. At least the drama is over.
11/10: @ Sacramento 101-86 [W] (6-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
Oh boy, prior to this game, Lonzo Ball was questionable due to a possible ankle injury. The flood gates of "he's dodging De'Aaron Fox" just opened up once more. Lonzo decided to man up and battle against his nemesis. Though Fox won the battle with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals compared to Lonzo's mere 4 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, Zo ultimately won the war this game. The Kings have some pretty good potential, but they don't have a LeBron James. The Lakers smothered the Sucramento Queens to finally get on that .500 threshold, piling up arguably their most complete win of the season so far. Again it's against the Queens, so that's not saying much.
11/11: vs. Atlanta 106-107 [W] (7-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
We're just reminded this game that no lead is safe when it comes to these Lakers. I can't believe that this team almost squandered a 14 point lead against a rebuilding Hawks team of all people. Defense disappeared in the 4th quarter. The Lakers couldn't hit a free throw this game if their life depended on it. LeBron James did as much as he can to LeChoke the game away. Settling for step back threes against a 41-year old Vinsanity and of course, missing two key free throws. *YOU BLEW IT FOR ME IN FANTASY BBALL!* In comes Kyle Kuzma to save the King from choking, securing a rebound, but missing a shot. However that helped put LeBron in position for redemption with a putback dunk. On defense, the "Tyson Chandler Effect" was on full display as he made a game saving block on the help against Trae Young to seal the game. That block was inches away from a goaltend. Nonetheless, this win puts the Lakers above .500 for the first time this season.
In an effort to bolster the Lakers' defense and rebounding, LeBron James turned to an old friend who has the 2nd most Finals appearance than he has. That is James Jones, who's the acting GM for the Phoenix Suns. With the history surrounding these two since Miami and Cleveland, James Jones decided to do LeBron a favor and reached a buyout agreement with veteran Center and NBA champion, Tyson Chandler. Because honestly he is no use for a rebuilding Suns team anymore with the emerging DeAndre Ayton. At least we have one LA native come home and play for the Lakers. Congrats Tyson, you did something Paul George doesn't have enough balls to do. This is your Lakers Weekly Roundup.
11/07: vs. Minnesota 110-114 [W] (5-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
Headband LeBron and Derrick Rose back to MVP form. What is this? 2011? It certainly felt like that as both teams traded shots one after another. Despite all of "the Return" jokes, I've always been a fan of Derrick Rose and I wished he got back to MVP form. When the Lakers looked like they were gonna run away, Derrick "Rose" up to the occasion to bring the Timberwolves back and steal one from the Lakers. But, the heroics of the once aspiring "King Slayer" once again couldn't bring down the King and his men. Definitely, the addition of Tyson Chandler helped because the Lakers finally have somebody who will box out and get players in sync on defense. In fact, the loss caused a ripple effect on Jimmy Butler's tenure with Minnesota, sending him to "The Process" yesterday. At least the drama is over.
11/10: @ Sacramento 101-86 [W] (6-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
Oh boy, prior to this game, Lonzo Ball was questionable due to a possible ankle injury. The flood gates of "he's dodging De'Aaron Fox" just opened up once more. Lonzo decided to man up and battle against his nemesis. Though Fox won the battle with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals compared to Lonzo's mere 4 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, Zo ultimately won the war this game. The Kings have some pretty good potential, but they don't have a LeBron James. The Lakers smothered the Sucramento Queens to finally get on that .500 threshold, piling up arguably their most complete win of the season so far. Again it's against the Queens, so that's not saying much.
11/11: vs. Atlanta 106-107 [W] (7-6)
HIGHLIGHTS
We're just reminded this game that no lead is safe when it comes to these Lakers. I can't believe that this team almost squandered a 14 point lead against a rebuilding Hawks team of all people. Defense disappeared in the 4th quarter. The Lakers couldn't hit a free throw this game if their life depended on it. LeBron James did as much as he can to LeChoke the game away. Settling for step back threes against a 41-year old Vinsanity and of course, missing two key free throws. *YOU BLEW IT FOR ME IN FANTASY BBALL!* In comes Kyle Kuzma to save the King from choking, securing a rebound, but missing a shot. However that helped put LeBron in position for redemption with a putback dunk. On defense, the "Tyson Chandler Effect" was on full display as he made a game saving block on the help against Trae Young to seal the game. That block was inches away from a goaltend. Nonetheless, this win puts the Lakers above .500 for the first time this season.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Lakers Keep Rolling with Win Over Hawks
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
Brandon Ingram lead all Lakers with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with 6 assists and 3 blocks in the Lakers' 123-104 win over the Hawks Tuesday night. Julius Randle and KCP joined B.I. in the double-double club as Randle racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds and KCP chipped in 10 points and 14 rebounds. Josh Hart added 14 points and Brook Lopez added 11 points to round out the starters. Lonzo Ball grabbed highlights with the 2nd unit with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, including a perfect 4-4 shooting. I.T. added 13 points and 5 assists, Kyle Kuzma recorded a near double-double of 10 points and 9 rebounds, and Ivica Zubac also chipped in 10 points to round out the bench.
Final Score: @ Atlanta 123-104 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180226/LALATL#/recap
Next Game: @ Miami (03/01)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
Brandon Ingram lead all Lakers with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with 6 assists and 3 blocks in the Lakers' 123-104 win over the Hawks Tuesday night. Julius Randle and KCP joined B.I. in the double-double club as Randle racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds and KCP chipped in 10 points and 14 rebounds. Josh Hart added 14 points and Brook Lopez added 11 points to round out the starters. Lonzo Ball grabbed highlights with the 2nd unit with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, including a perfect 4-4 shooting. I.T. added 13 points and 5 assists, Kyle Kuzma recorded a near double-double of 10 points and 9 rebounds, and Ivica Zubac also chipped in 10 points to round out the bench.
Final Score: @ Atlanta 123-104 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180226/LALATL#/recap
Next Game: @ Miami (03/01)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
And there it is. The Lakers just tied their win total from last year and they're one win from breaking it. I'm gonna get one negative out the way: the turnovers. 23 turnovers in this game. The ball movement wasn't as crisp. They look like they played a little too fast out there. If they cut those in half, the margin would've been a lot bigger against this hapless Hawks team. But other than that, the Lakers showed off some great balance in this win with nine players in double figures. Three of them recorded double-doubles (Randle, Ingram, KCP). B.I. was just magnificent on both ends of the floor. When the Hawks made a mini run in 3rd quarter, Ingram took matters into his own hands scoring 8 of his 21 points in that quarter. Zo was perfect from the field this game. What did I tell people earlier this season? His shot will begin to fall in a matter of time. And for a small sample size after the break, he's starting to get more comfortable and more confident in his jump shot. KCP didn't follow up on his 34 point explosion in his homecoming to Atlanta, but he found ways to contribute to the team win, especially crashing the boards with the 14 rebounds. Despite the 3-game winning streak, those wins definitely spark some skepticism given that they played against sub .500 teams. Regardless, they are beating teams that they should beat. The next two games on this road trip are going to be the biggest test for the Lakers against two of the better teams in the NBA in Miami and San Antonio. Regarding the upcoming game against the Heat, if I recall, the Lakers have not won at Miami since 2008. They'll look to snap that long losing streak down in South Beach on Thursday.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Lakers Round Up Commentary: vs. OKC, vs. CHA, vs. Atlanta
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
01/03 - Final Score: vs. Oklahoma City 133-96 [L]
Highlights: *courtesy of MLG Highlights*
I did watch this shellacking of a game while I was bed-ridden and yes, this is one of the more brutal losses the Lakers had this season. At the same time, it was inevitable. The Thunder just had a lot of star power that the Lakers' young core couldn't touch. It was all good for the start of the game though. The Lakers jumped out of the gate for a 0-14 lead. They were aggressive to start, but then Westbrook, PG, and Melo took over. It was like as if OKC spotted the Lakers 14 quick points before OKC's "OK3" stopped the party and put the game way out of reach for the Lakers before halftime. Terrance Ferguson going off for 24 points was icing on the cake for the Thunder. The guy barely got any playing time until Andre Roberson got hurt, barely hit any three pointers. This game, he drained three after three and turned this game into a dunk contest audition in garbage time.
01/05 - Final Score: vs. Charlotte 108-94 [L]
Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
The Lakers got Lonzo Ball back in this game and automatically, we would think that the Lakers would get their mojo back in terms sharing the ball and reviving some intensity on the defensive side of the ball. That wasn't case against the Hornets on Friday night. The big time beneficiary of Lonzo's return was Brandon Ingram. He grabbed a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds. B.I. was definitely reeling in Zo's absence and he returned to form. The aggressiveness was there and the mid range shot was falling. But, like in the OKC game, the Lakers didn't have a lot of fight. It also didn't help that Clarkson and Kuzma shot poorly this game. KCP only took 3 shots and didn't register a single point, not even a trip to the free throw line.
01/07 - Final Score: vs. Atlanta 113-132 [W]
Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Luckily for the Lakers, they're not the absolute worst in the NBA. And this game right here proved it as the Lakers battled the Hawks in who's worst of the worst. The Hawks coming in was the perfect storm for the Lakers to prevent the franchise from going into further infamy with a possible franchise record 10 straight losses. Fastbreak points were the big difference maker in this game. I remember seeing the graphic in the first that the Lakers scored 24 points in transition while the Hawks registered zilch on the fastbreak. That's what was envisioned of the Lakers when they got Lonzo Ball in the draft is them running the floor, harkening back to the Showtime days. The Hawks missed a shot, the Lakers are on the run. The Lakers made a defensive stop, they're on the run. This game was truly refreshing to see compared to the losses against the Thunder and Hornets where the Lakers were not looking to attack 95% of the time. Brandon Ingram stood out this game with 20 points and 7 assists. It was a good overall game for B.I. in terms of scoring and facilitating. Ball had his 3-point game going early on. KCP, now that he's served his jail time, notched three more 3-pointers and 14 points overall to finish the game. The Hawks had no answer and Dennis Schroder probably broke his back after this game from carrying them since he was literally Atlanta's only source of offense.
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