Would you look at this week's matchups? We have some possible previews here in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers are sitting pretty on top of the #1 seed in the West. As for the #8 seed, it's a four-way race and two of them are featured here this week: the New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies. Both teams are headlined by two standout rookies in Zion Williamson of the Pelicans and Ja Morant of the Grizzlies. Though the Lakers had the upper hand in the regular season series so far, it's highly likely the Lakers will see either one of these teams in the playoffs. The Lakers have rode high in the past month of February. Let's see how they fare heading as March is here and the playoff push gets even more intense.
02/25: vs. New Orleans 109-118 [W] (44-12)
It was long overdue to finally see a 'Bron vs. Zion marquee matchup! The standout rookie from Duke had a solid outing in the preseason before a meniscus injury pushed back his anticipated NBA debut. Since his debut at the beginning of the year, he's been as advertised and found himself back in the R.O.T.Y. (Rookie of the Year) race when it all seemed like Ja Morant from Memphis was running away with it. Zion Williamson's hype compared to that of LeBron James and it was going to be quite the matchup.
But, not once this game was LeBron assigned to defend Zion. However, both put on quite the show. Zion racked up 29 points and "wowed" the Staples Center crowd with his thunderous power dunks. But LeBron shined brighter as he did throughout his 17 years, dropping a season high 40 points. The highlight of the night was when he baptized poor Josh Hart. That was not only the noteworthy highlight of the game. The other one? The Carushow with the vicious block on Lonzo Ball and taking over in the 4th quarter. It was a game of runs from start to finish, but the Lakers came out on top and once again denying Zo, B.I., and Josh Hart sweet revenge. As for AD, the 'Brow had an off night shooting against his former team, but still lead the "SWAT" team with 6 blocks.
02/27: @ Golden State 116-86 [W] (45-12)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Hd6nrJnYH/
Would you look at the link that I just put up? I was at this game! This one of the perks if you're working in The City like I am. But luckily, the Lakers had one more trip to SF and I didn't miss out on an opportunity for this beauty of a game. It was my first live NBA game as well.
Now, time to talk about this game. The last time the Lakers and Warriors met at Chase Center, the Dubs gave the LakeShow a run for their money. So, this spelled "trap game" for the Lakers. To further escalate this, LeBron was ruled out with a sore groin and the last time they played without LeBron, the Lakers got blown out. However, this ain't the Denver Nuggets they were playing. The Lakers were playing an injury-riddled Warriors team with a roster consisting of rookies and G-Leaguers.
To give the Warriors credit, they did hang around in the first half sans Draymond Green getting tossed out early in the game. I got that on video and I was laughing my butt off much to the dismay of a couple of Dub Nation fans around me. But, by the 3rd quarter, the onslaught commenced. It's an encouraging sign when Anthony Davis doesn't have to play 30+ mins and carry the team without LeBron. Rajon Rondo came alive in that 3rd quarter and set the tone with his aggressive play. Playoff Rondo was alive this game. Kyle Kuzma stepped up with 18 points. He took over in that 2nd quarter. Kuz attacked the Warriors' defense all game long and they didn't have an answer once he spins his way to the basket. Chase Center turned into North Staples Center this game. It was fun to experience the Purple and Gold takeover in an opposition's building.
02/29: @ Memphis 88-105 [L] (45-13)
Not a way you want to end a spectacular month of February Lakers basketball. However, give credit where credit is due, the Grizzlies punched the Lakers in the mouth this game. LeBron was back in the lineup and Frank Vogel gave Alex Caruso the nod to start to fill in for an injured Danny Green, but the changes weren't enough. The Grizzlies got off to a hot 6-0 start. Based on the highlights, you can tell that they wanted to make a statement. If you look at the Grizzlies out of late, of course Ja Morant has been solid for them. But Dillon Brooks is catching fire in scoring and Jonas Valanciunas is crashing the boards. He almost outrebounded the entire Lakers team with 20 boards. Morant had a nice outing with 27 points and 14 assists and Brooks dropped 24 points. The Lakers looked flat this game. It was a quiet offensive outing as they were held to 88 points, their season low. I do remember Morant's statement that they could knock off the Lakers if they hold on to the 8th seed in the West. Well, the proved they can hang this game. But, it's a whole different ball game to hang with them in a 7-game series. It'll be an interesting finish with the Pelicans, Blazers, and Spurs behind them also vying for that #8 spot.
03/01: @ New Orleans 122-114 [W] (46-13)
The Lakers had an ugly loss last night in Memphis. In New Orleans on back-to-back nights, they locked in and persevered against the adversity. No AD nor Caruso this game and they still pulled off the W against the upstarting Pelicans. It was LeBron-Zion II on this week. In the first meeting, there were not too many one-on-one highlights. But, there was more action here between the two. Zion had a little shake and bake move with LeBron guarding him. And LeBron drained a crowd-silencing three over the rookie in return. As usual, both dropped 30+ points, but LeBron showed why he's still the best player in the world with a 34 pts, 12 rebs, and 13 asts triple-double. Kyle Kuzma drew the start in place of AD with 20 points and JaVale McGee picked it up for the "SWAT team" with 5 blocks this game. With the Lakers sweeping the season series vs. the Pelicans, it's safe to say they won Round 1 of the Anthony Davis trade for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart. However, this Pelicans team is on the rise with a lot of good, young pieces that have yet to hit their prime.
Showing posts with label Memphis Grizzlies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memphis Grizzlies. Show all posts
Monday, March 2, 2020
Monday, February 24, 2020
Lakers Weekly Roundup #15: Post All-Star Push
02/21: vs. Memphis 105-117 [W] (42-12)
The Lakers are back and are locked and loaded for the 2nd half of the season after the All-Star break. Their opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, have playoff aspirations, but face an uphill battle. An uphill battle they had for the first half of this game as LA locked them down in the first half. Though AD's lower leg injury marred this game for a bit, he was able to return in the 2nd quarter. The Lakers at one point had a 21 point lead and it was squandered away by silly fouls and the team overall losing their collective sh*t at the refs. Honestly, I'm not surprised at this. The Lakers will give their opponents some life until LeBron and AD knock the day lights out of them in the 4th quarter. That's what transpired this game. But hey, the "Carushow" had another highlight reel to start the 2nd half of the season with a putback dunk off an AD missed free throw. With this win, the drought of losing seasons is over as the team cannot finish below .500 at this point.
02/23: vs. Boston 112-114 [W] (43-12)
This game will go down as another classic in the NBA's historic rivalry. The last time the Lakers and Celtics met this season, it was an ugly blowout loss on the road. The Lakers were humiliated for a team that has been impressive on the road all season long. This matchup, they're looking to exact revenge. It wasn't pretty. The Lakers jumped to an 11-point lead with great play early on from Rajon Rondo on both ends of the floor. But, the Celtics wouldn't be denied as they roared back behind a career day from Jayson Tatum. Honestly, there was nothing the Lakers can do defensively. Tatum was cooking all game long. But, Frank Vogel made quite the adjustment to stop Tatum dead in his tracks: assign a double team on him and trap him whenever he has the ball. The double team worked and the Celtics were forced to have another player step up and win theme the game. Despite their struggles from the free throw line, the duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis rallied the Lakers as they combined for 41 points as well as Kyle Kuzma chipping in 16 points and being involved in key defensive stops when the Lakers needed it.
BONUS: Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, A Celebration of Life
I spent a majority of my workday today, listening and watching bits and pieces of the public memorial of Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna Bryant. Though it has been a full month since the tragic helicopter accident, it was still hard to process Kobe, Gigi, and 7 others are gone. As Captain America once said in a teaser for Avengers Endgame: "some people move on, but not us. Not us." We have reached the "endgame" with a public memorial to celebrate the life of Kobe and Gigi.
Like Michael Jackson's public memorial 11 years ago, we didn't know what to expect. Who will be speaking, who will be performing was kept under wraps. As many gave their eulogies, without question, the eulogies that stood out the most was Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Kobe's wife and widow, Vanessa Bryant. Shaq reflected on the ups and the downs of the brotherhood with Kobe, when they dominated the first three years of the 2000's. But surprisingly, we hear from the GOAT himself. This was not via recording nor was it via a press statement, this was MJ speaking from the heart about his good friend and little brother, Kobe Bryant.
I thought Jordan gave a good analogy because it is organic about how the big brother-little brother relationship cycles. The little brother always gets on the big brother's nerves. He becomes nuisance as MJ pointed out. But at the end of the day, it was all love and admiration. It takes a lot to to get the GOAT himself to open up and for one final time, Kobe got to MJ as he always tried to do in his early basketball career. He even got him to acknowledge the viral Crying Jordan meme! This was a prime example of greatness recognizing greatness. And Kobe and Jordan fans, through the wars we've been through over the years on debating who's better, this event brought us together to bury the hatchet and to stop comparing and appreciate greatness.
Though, she was first to give a speech, it was good to see Vanessa breaking her silence in front of a huge crowd full of fans, friends, legends, and adversaries that Kobe has gained the trust of throughout his basketball career. She did a fantastic job giving Gigi her moment and giving Kobe his moment. Vanessa won the hearts of many when she closed her speech, telling Kobe to take care of Gigi while she takes care of Natalia, Bianca, and Capri. Though it's still hard to process, I'd like to thank Vanessa for approving this public memorial. I'd like to thank her for giving us a sense of closure by having this event as we find the strength to move on from this tragedy. To conclude this post, I'd like to share a little bit of my Christian roots in prayer...
Eternal rest grant unto Kobe, Gigi, and the 7 other lives who were lost in that tragic accident O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them
May all their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace
Amen.
The Lakers are back and are locked and loaded for the 2nd half of the season after the All-Star break. Their opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, have playoff aspirations, but face an uphill battle. An uphill battle they had for the first half of this game as LA locked them down in the first half. Though AD's lower leg injury marred this game for a bit, he was able to return in the 2nd quarter. The Lakers at one point had a 21 point lead and it was squandered away by silly fouls and the team overall losing their collective sh*t at the refs. Honestly, I'm not surprised at this. The Lakers will give their opponents some life until LeBron and AD knock the day lights out of them in the 4th quarter. That's what transpired this game. But hey, the "Carushow" had another highlight reel to start the 2nd half of the season with a putback dunk off an AD missed free throw. With this win, the drought of losing seasons is over as the team cannot finish below .500 at this point.
02/23: vs. Boston 112-114 [W] (43-12)
This game will go down as another classic in the NBA's historic rivalry. The last time the Lakers and Celtics met this season, it was an ugly blowout loss on the road. The Lakers were humiliated for a team that has been impressive on the road all season long. This matchup, they're looking to exact revenge. It wasn't pretty. The Lakers jumped to an 11-point lead with great play early on from Rajon Rondo on both ends of the floor. But, the Celtics wouldn't be denied as they roared back behind a career day from Jayson Tatum. Honestly, there was nothing the Lakers can do defensively. Tatum was cooking all game long. But, Frank Vogel made quite the adjustment to stop Tatum dead in his tracks: assign a double team on him and trap him whenever he has the ball. The double team worked and the Celtics were forced to have another player step up and win theme the game. Despite their struggles from the free throw line, the duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis rallied the Lakers as they combined for 41 points as well as Kyle Kuzma chipping in 16 points and being involved in key defensive stops when the Lakers needed it.
BONUS: Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, A Celebration of Life
I spent a majority of my workday today, listening and watching bits and pieces of the public memorial of Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna Bryant. Though it has been a full month since the tragic helicopter accident, it was still hard to process Kobe, Gigi, and 7 others are gone. As Captain America once said in a teaser for Avengers Endgame: "some people move on, but not us. Not us." We have reached the "endgame" with a public memorial to celebrate the life of Kobe and Gigi.
Like Michael Jackson's public memorial 11 years ago, we didn't know what to expect. Who will be speaking, who will be performing was kept under wraps. As many gave their eulogies, without question, the eulogies that stood out the most was Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Kobe's wife and widow, Vanessa Bryant. Shaq reflected on the ups and the downs of the brotherhood with Kobe, when they dominated the first three years of the 2000's. But surprisingly, we hear from the GOAT himself. This was not via recording nor was it via a press statement, this was MJ speaking from the heart about his good friend and little brother, Kobe Bryant.
I thought Jordan gave a good analogy because it is organic about how the big brother-little brother relationship cycles. The little brother always gets on the big brother's nerves. He becomes nuisance as MJ pointed out. But at the end of the day, it was all love and admiration. It takes a lot to to get the GOAT himself to open up and for one final time, Kobe got to MJ as he always tried to do in his early basketball career. He even got him to acknowledge the viral Crying Jordan meme! This was a prime example of greatness recognizing greatness. And Kobe and Jordan fans, through the wars we've been through over the years on debating who's better, this event brought us together to bury the hatchet and to stop comparing and appreciate greatness.
Though, she was first to give a speech, it was good to see Vanessa breaking her silence in front of a huge crowd full of fans, friends, legends, and adversaries that Kobe has gained the trust of throughout his basketball career. She did a fantastic job giving Gigi her moment and giving Kobe his moment. Vanessa won the hearts of many when she closed her speech, telling Kobe to take care of Gigi while she takes care of Natalia, Bianca, and Capri. Though it's still hard to process, I'd like to thank Vanessa for approving this public memorial. I'd like to thank her for giving us a sense of closure by having this event as we find the strength to move on from this tragedy. To conclude this post, I'd like to share a little bit of my Christian roots in prayer...
Eternal rest grant unto Kobe, Gigi, and the 7 other lives who were lost in that tragic accident O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them
May all their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace
Amen.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup #5: Thriller(s)!
This is posted a little bit early since the Lakers have a game tomorrow at San Antonio.
We had to be on speed dial for this weeks' matchups. A lot of close calls on these games. Let's jump straight to this week's roundup.
11/19: vs. Oklahoma City 107-112 [W] (12-2)
I'm surprised that the Thunder haven't won a road game so far this season. For a team that's supposed to be in rebuild mode, they've done a good job competing. The only negatives I can think of this game was that Dennis Schroeder was unstoppable the first three quarters and turnovers. The Lakers dominated every statistical category, but they only escaped by with a 5-point win. Refer back to those negatives and you'd find out why. It was similar to last Friday against Sacramento. The Lakers looked like they were gonna pull away, but the Kings kept fighting back. Same case happened this game. The Lakers were able to get the victory thanks to their trio of clients of Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. Anthony Davis had a weird game Sunday, but bounced back this game with 34 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. AD's three-point game was on point for this matchup, satisfying to see. LeBron James notched a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, but that is marred by 7 turnovers. When they had Chris Paul on the switch, he was able to bottle up ballhandling of the King. CP3 had a quiet game, but he was getting it done defensively. Have to give credit to that. And the final client of Klutch Sports, KCP, racked up 13 points. KCP is making us eat our words. He has been playing well since Frank Vogel inserted him in the starting lineup in lieu of the injured Avery Bradley. He's earning that money and that no-trade clause on his contract. In other news, Kyle Kuzma got poked in the eye really bad and pretty much the eye swelled up. We hope he's okay. This win wraps up the Lakers' home stand and they'll look to show out on the road trip ahead.
11/22: @ Oklahoma City 130-127 [W] (13-2)
OKC you again this game. As I mentioned in the last section, this Thunder team is a scrappy bunch despite in a rebuild year. This game had the same narrative as the last game. Except the Lakers trailed by the end of the first half. Momentum built up for the Lakers with KCP's buzzer beater in the 2nd quarter. It was a nice heave by Rondo to LeBron. And LeBron alertly tapped it to KCP to execute the beautiful play at the half. By the 2nd half, it looked like the Lakers were going to run away with it. But like the last, the Thunder continued to keep themselves in the ball game. That is until the dynamic duo of the King and the 'Brow came up clutch in the end to seal the win. Davis racked up 33 points and dominated the boards with 11 rebounds. James racked up 23 points and dished out the dimes with 14 assists. KCP and Danny Green provided the third option scoring with 17 points and 14 points respectively. KCP in particular continues to prove us wrong. His defense is not in question. His scoring though is just inconsistent. But, inserting him in the starting lineup is doing wonders.
11/23: @ Memphis 109-108 [W] (14-2)
The Lakers just continue to give us a heart attack this week and what a way to wrap it up with another gutsy win over the Grizzlies. With the Lakers coming off a grueling back-to-back road win and the Grizzlies coming off extra days of rest, you'd think it work in the Grizzlies favor. The first half definitely showed that. By the time I checked into this game, the Lakers were down by 15 points. A loss would finally catch up to the Lakers. But by this period we should know by now, the Lakers always start slow and finish strong. They rallied in the 2nd half, eventually taking a 7 point lead. But, the Grizzlies answered with a run of their own lead by early ROTY favorite, Ja Morant. It also didn't help that the Grizzlies had the three-point game on lock behind Jae Crowder and Jaren Jackson Jr. Despite all that and the efforts that LeBron and Kuzma made to throw away the game, the Lakers wounded up escaping thanks to AD's clutch bucket and defensive play down the stretch. Before that, AD hit a game-tying three pointer, which was big. This game was ugly. Especially down the stretch with LeBron chucking up some threes to try to go for the knockout. Or when Kuzma had the game-saving steal and fumbled it to allow the Memphis to cut the lead to one. But, all is well when they pull out the W against a team they're expected to beat.
We had to be on speed dial for this weeks' matchups. A lot of close calls on these games. Let's jump straight to this week's roundup.
11/19: vs. Oklahoma City 107-112 [W] (12-2)
I'm surprised that the Thunder haven't won a road game so far this season. For a team that's supposed to be in rebuild mode, they've done a good job competing. The only negatives I can think of this game was that Dennis Schroeder was unstoppable the first three quarters and turnovers. The Lakers dominated every statistical category, but they only escaped by with a 5-point win. Refer back to those negatives and you'd find out why. It was similar to last Friday against Sacramento. The Lakers looked like they were gonna pull away, but the Kings kept fighting back. Same case happened this game. The Lakers were able to get the victory thanks to their trio of clients of Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. Anthony Davis had a weird game Sunday, but bounced back this game with 34 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. AD's three-point game was on point for this matchup, satisfying to see. LeBron James notched a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, but that is marred by 7 turnovers. When they had Chris Paul on the switch, he was able to bottle up ballhandling of the King. CP3 had a quiet game, but he was getting it done defensively. Have to give credit to that. And the final client of Klutch Sports, KCP, racked up 13 points. KCP is making us eat our words. He has been playing well since Frank Vogel inserted him in the starting lineup in lieu of the injured Avery Bradley. He's earning that money and that no-trade clause on his contract. In other news, Kyle Kuzma got poked in the eye really bad and pretty much the eye swelled up. We hope he's okay. This win wraps up the Lakers' home stand and they'll look to show out on the road trip ahead.
11/22: @ Oklahoma City 130-127 [W] (13-2)
OKC you again this game. As I mentioned in the last section, this Thunder team is a scrappy bunch despite in a rebuild year. This game had the same narrative as the last game. Except the Lakers trailed by the end of the first half. Momentum built up for the Lakers with KCP's buzzer beater in the 2nd quarter. It was a nice heave by Rondo to LeBron. And LeBron alertly tapped it to KCP to execute the beautiful play at the half. By the 2nd half, it looked like the Lakers were going to run away with it. But like the last, the Thunder continued to keep themselves in the ball game. That is until the dynamic duo of the King and the 'Brow came up clutch in the end to seal the win. Davis racked up 33 points and dominated the boards with 11 rebounds. James racked up 23 points and dished out the dimes with 14 assists. KCP and Danny Green provided the third option scoring with 17 points and 14 points respectively. KCP in particular continues to prove us wrong. His defense is not in question. His scoring though is just inconsistent. But, inserting him in the starting lineup is doing wonders.
11/23: @ Memphis 109-108 [W] (14-2)
The Lakers just continue to give us a heart attack this week and what a way to wrap it up with another gutsy win over the Grizzlies. With the Lakers coming off a grueling back-to-back road win and the Grizzlies coming off extra days of rest, you'd think it work in the Grizzlies favor. The first half definitely showed that. By the time I checked into this game, the Lakers were down by 15 points. A loss would finally catch up to the Lakers. But by this period we should know by now, the Lakers always start slow and finish strong. They rallied in the 2nd half, eventually taking a 7 point lead. But, the Grizzlies answered with a run of their own lead by early ROTY favorite, Ja Morant. It also didn't help that the Grizzlies had the three-point game on lock behind Jae Crowder and Jaren Jackson Jr. Despite all that and the efforts that LeBron and Kuzma made to throw away the game, the Lakers wounded up escaping thanks to AD's clutch bucket and defensive play down the stretch. Before that, AD hit a game-tying three pointer, which was big. This game was ugly. Especially down the stretch with LeBron chucking up some threes to try to go for the knockout. Or when Kuzma had the game-saving steal and fumbled it to allow the Memphis to cut the lead to one. But, all is well when they pull out the W against a team they're expected to beat.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup (10/28 - 11/03): The Test
I'm behind and I just saw the Lakers' game tonight. Luckily, that won't be counted on for this week. After a tough opening loss to the Clippers, the Lakers are slowly finding their rhythm. Great win against Utah on the home opener and a win against Charlotte to close out opening week. Now, this stretch gets a bit bumpy with two challenging matchups on the road. But first they gotta take care of business against Memphis. Let's see how they fared below shall we?
10/29: vs. Memphis 91-120 [W] (3-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
I think we're witnessing a pattern here with these games. The Lakers will go on a slow start in the first half. But when the second half rolls around, that's when they start putting the clamps on opponents on both ends of the floor. This game was no exception. The Grizzlies jumped out of the gate on the LakeShow with 15-2 start. Based on the way Memphis was playing, it looked like an upset was brewing. Not too mention, the Lakers could not hit anything from beyond the arc as they started 1/11 from that category. But in the 3rd quarter, Anthony Davis was a man among boys. He single handedly dominated his way to transform this game into a blowout, bad shoulder and all. The 'Brow was beast on both ends, disrupting the Grizzlies' offensive blow and just bullying his way to the free throw line. LeBron doesn't have to be dominant as long as this guy is around and stays healthy. The man went for 40 points and 20 boards in three quarters. If that doesn't scream MVP numbers, I don't know what does. One thing important is that the Lakers protected home court during this stretch. Utah was their only challenge, but they took care of business against teams they should beat with ease. The true test lied ahead on the upcoming three game road trip to Dallas, San Antonio, and Chicago.
11/01: @ Dallas 119-110 (OT) [W] (4-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
I have Dallas as playoff contender this season and there's no better way to open up the road trip for the Lakers. The Lakers did their job to protect their home court, now the real test came on the road. The purple and gold get Kyle Kuzma back from injury, which is a big plus. However, he did struggle to get back into rhythm this game. As usual, the Lakers were off the rough start in the first half. It was a little scary since the Mavs got their 3-point game rolling. The sky was the limit for Luka Doncic in his sophomore year. He did a great job running the Mavs' offense and he created a lot of open shots for his team. The court will belong to Luka someday. But, the Lakers once again shook off the bad start. By Q3, the Lakers and Mavs were trading a lot of shots. I was a little concerned since the last thing this team needs is to be in a shootout. The way I see it, the team is not built that way. But they did a heck of a job to rally behind Air Caruso's ferocious throw down in the 4th quarter. That was a momentum-building play. The Mavs lead in the finals second with Dorian Finney-Smith's go ahead three set up by Doncic. But after the timeout, LeBron found Danny Green in the corner and he hit the buzzer beating three to send it to OT. From then, LeBron and AD took over and it was a wrap. The narrative is that LeBron's declining since the groin injury. Rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated as he notched a near 40-point triple-double with 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists. 4 steals too.
11/03: @ San Antonio 103-96 [W] (5-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
The Lakers wrap up their Texas rodeo with another daunting task against the ever-stingy San Antonio Spurs. The first meeting against the Spurs is always tough. Gregg Popovich always emphasizes on a team-first attitude. That's why they're always in the playoffs even without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard. It was going to be a dog fight. But as usual, good teams find ways to win. LeBron and AD did their jobs this game. Another triple double for James with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. AD had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. But the main story was KCP, Avery Bradley, and Dwight Howard. They stepped it up big. KCP has been playing well as of late. He'll get cold eventually, but all is right when he plays well. Bradley racked up 16 points, though he did get hurt this game after Dejounte Murray kicked him in the shin. It's nothing major and likely a day-to-day. Spoiler alert, I did watch the Bulls game and see how they fared without him running "point." I'll provide that later in my next weekly roundup. Dwight Howard, especially stepped up with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. This is the Dwight we wanted to see back in 2012-13. But compared to now, he doesn't have a lot of pressure to do everything since LBJ and AD are the focal point. All he has to do is rebound, block, and putback dunk. That's it and he's made the most of it. Nonetheless, this was an impressive road win and the Lakers are pressing the right buttons to stay atop the Western Conference.
10/29: vs. Memphis 91-120 [W] (3-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
I think we're witnessing a pattern here with these games. The Lakers will go on a slow start in the first half. But when the second half rolls around, that's when they start putting the clamps on opponents on both ends of the floor. This game was no exception. The Grizzlies jumped out of the gate on the LakeShow with 15-2 start. Based on the way Memphis was playing, it looked like an upset was brewing. Not too mention, the Lakers could not hit anything from beyond the arc as they started 1/11 from that category. But in the 3rd quarter, Anthony Davis was a man among boys. He single handedly dominated his way to transform this game into a blowout, bad shoulder and all. The 'Brow was beast on both ends, disrupting the Grizzlies' offensive blow and just bullying his way to the free throw line. LeBron doesn't have to be dominant as long as this guy is around and stays healthy. The man went for 40 points and 20 boards in three quarters. If that doesn't scream MVP numbers, I don't know what does. One thing important is that the Lakers protected home court during this stretch. Utah was their only challenge, but they took care of business against teams they should beat with ease. The true test lied ahead on the upcoming three game road trip to Dallas, San Antonio, and Chicago.
11/01: @ Dallas 119-110 (OT) [W] (4-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
I have Dallas as playoff contender this season and there's no better way to open up the road trip for the Lakers. The Lakers did their job to protect their home court, now the real test came on the road. The purple and gold get Kyle Kuzma back from injury, which is a big plus. However, he did struggle to get back into rhythm this game. As usual, the Lakers were off the rough start in the first half. It was a little scary since the Mavs got their 3-point game rolling. The sky was the limit for Luka Doncic in his sophomore year. He did a great job running the Mavs' offense and he created a lot of open shots for his team. The court will belong to Luka someday. But, the Lakers once again shook off the bad start. By Q3, the Lakers and Mavs were trading a lot of shots. I was a little concerned since the last thing this team needs is to be in a shootout. The way I see it, the team is not built that way. But they did a heck of a job to rally behind Air Caruso's ferocious throw down in the 4th quarter. That was a momentum-building play. The Mavs lead in the finals second with Dorian Finney-Smith's go ahead three set up by Doncic. But after the timeout, LeBron found Danny Green in the corner and he hit the buzzer beating three to send it to OT. From then, LeBron and AD took over and it was a wrap. The narrative is that LeBron's declining since the groin injury. Rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated as he notched a near 40-point triple-double with 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists. 4 steals too.
11/03: @ San Antonio 103-96 [W] (5-1)
HIGHLIGHTS
The Lakers wrap up their Texas rodeo with another daunting task against the ever-stingy San Antonio Spurs. The first meeting against the Spurs is always tough. Gregg Popovich always emphasizes on a team-first attitude. That's why they're always in the playoffs even without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard. It was going to be a dog fight. But as usual, good teams find ways to win. LeBron and AD did their jobs this game. Another triple double for James with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. AD had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks. But the main story was KCP, Avery Bradley, and Dwight Howard. They stepped it up big. KCP has been playing well as of late. He'll get cold eventually, but all is right when he plays well. Bradley racked up 16 points, though he did get hurt this game after Dejounte Murray kicked him in the shin. It's nothing major and likely a day-to-day. Spoiler alert, I did watch the Bulls game and see how they fared without him running "point." I'll provide that later in my next weekly roundup. Dwight Howard, especially stepped up with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks. This is the Dwight we wanted to see back in 2012-13. But compared to now, he doesn't have a lot of pressure to do everything since LBJ and AD are the focal point. All he has to do is rebound, block, and putback dunk. That's it and he's made the most of it. Nonetheless, this was an impressive road win and the Lakers are pressing the right buttons to stay atop the Western Conference.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup (03/03): Playoff Mode: ON?
*Some NSFW language*
The All-Star break is over. Time for teams to get back to work. This is the most exciting time in the NBA. With fewer games left now on the schedule, teams are getting serious as they get ready for the fight of their playoff lives. The fun and games are O-V-E-R. For the Lakers, it's the most daunting challenge. They have a steep mountain to climb as they trail closely behind the Clippers and the Kings in the race for the 8th seed. The bad news? The Lakers are facing their difficult stretch of the season. Yes, against the top-notch teams that are locking in their playoff position in either conference. This stretch is the measuring stick to see how playoff-ready this team is. Are they up for the challenge? This is this week's Lakers Weekly Roundup.
Keep in mind I combined last week's games with this week's games. I mean, the Lakers just had two games last week. We'll get back to normal in the next week. Without further ado, here's the lengthy Weekly Roundup.
02/21: vs. Houston 106-111 [W] (29-29)
HIGHLIGHTS
Right out of the gate, let's test that playoff intensity after the All-Star break by going up against the surging Houston Rockets. The Rockets have owned the Lakers this season with their flippity floppity tactics. This 4th installments had much more flavor than the last two. Mainly because Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul are on the floor. It feels like it's been ages since that infamous brawl between the two Point Guards back in the 2nd game when the season was still young that reignited this rivalry. And Laker fans since the 70's were taken a trip down memory lane when Kermit Washington sucker punched Rudy Tomjanovich as Rondo landed the 1-2 punch on CP3. On to the present matchup, it looked like the Rockets were going to run away with this. CP3 and Harden were up to their fancy old floppity flop flop bullshit to swindle out a victory against the Lakers. However, Playoff Intensity: ON. King James and the SlenderIngram commanded the Lakers to a rally against the Houston Floppets. Even the refs had enough of the Rockets' flopping ways that Harden and CP3 called out the head referee of this game, Scott Foster. Harden threw a tantrum. CP3 threw a tantrum and got T'd. Mike D'Antoni was up-in-arms. Not so much fun when the calls are not in your favor now is it?
In all seriousness, I was impressed with B.I.'s performance this game. Looks like he's finding his way to get more comfortable playing off ball while still being his aggressive usual self. Reggie Bullock was huge too with some key three pointers down the stretch to seal the win for the Lakers. I'll warm to the trade a little bit. Laker debut was flop, but he's making some okay all-around contributions.
02/23: @ New Orleans 115-128 [L] (29-30)
HIGHLIGHTS
All I wish for the Lakers is to build some consistency after a big win. They didn't do so before the break when they got a thrilling victory over the Celtics in Boston. Hopefully, they had the chance to look back and learn from some mistakes.
They didn't.
How in the hell do you lose to Pelicans team that sat Anthony Davis down for this game and traded away one of their stretch 4 sharpshooters in Mirotic? I should be riding high on this team after a big win against the Rockets, but games like these are the reason why I hold back because this team will find a way to say "fuck you" when it looked like things were coming along just fine. "Oh, their best player is not playing. Let's take it a little easy." If this is the attitude that the Lakers are giving against teams that they should beat, then there is a reason why they're two spots away from the 8th seed. Distrust among players after the trade drama. LeBron James questioning the mentality of this team after this ugly loss when he and Magic tried to boot them out. It's even worse that they left Luke Walton, yes there own head coach behind after this game on the bus ride back to the hotel. Oh by the way, for those who are watching ex-Lakers: Julius Randle had 24 points and connected on two 3-pointer. He's having a solid season for the Pelicans. (For fucks sake, WHO THE FUCK'S IN CHARGE OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT ON THIS TEAM??????)
02/25: @ Memphis 105-110 [L] (29-31)
HIGHLIGHTS
0-2 on a road trip against sub .500 teams. Not a good look for a team with playoff aspirations on the line here. My goodness this Grizzlies team is not even good. Since they traded away Marc Gasol, they consist of a group of washed up vets/misfits. Despite some solid efforts by the Lakers' Big 3 of LeBron, B.I., and Kuz, the Lakers fell short as the offense became stagnant as LeBron's effort on defense late in the game. The starting five did its job. The bench failed them here. 7 points compared to the Grizzlies' 33 points in bench scoring has never nor will win any games. It's clear as day that the Lakers left their playoff intensity at home during this road trip. They find themselves with a 4% chance now of making the playoffs as they're placed back at the 11th seed.
02/27: vs. New Orleans 119-125 [W] (30-31)
HIGHLIGHTS
Ah yes, Anthony Davis suits up this game as he travels with the Pelicans since the trade drama. If the Lakers struggled against the Pelicans on the road without A.D., what more when they have him on the floor? A.D. did damage because Luke Walton thought it would be a great idea to match up Kyle Kuzma against one of the best big man in the league. Fortunately, the Pelicans had nothing to gain. So, they sat A.D. down after the 3rd quarter. This is something teams do in the preseason. How rare is it that you find a team that shuts their star player down in a regular season game when the outcome is not even decided? The Lakers are not the only team with internal issues. Despite the Pelicans decision, they still competed behind a 35-point effort by Julius Randle and a couple of three balls. But, here comes that playoff intensity as "Deus ex LeBron" bails the Lakers out from impending doom. Let's break down some stat lines here: LeBron, 33 pts, 6 reb, 10 ast. B.I., 23 pts. Kuzma, 22 pts. Rondo, 11 pts, 7 reb, 16 ast. Bullock, 14 pts. For the Lakers to win out, they need statistical output like these from their starting five on a consistent basis. Quality bench contribution is another bonus. Well, playoff mode for the Lakers came back after it hit a snag on the road. Fortunately, the Lakers got some significant help on this night as the Jazz topped the Clippers and the Bucks pulled out a thrilling OT win against the Kings. The race for the 8th seed in the West is far from settled.
03/01: vs. Milwaukee 131-120 [L] (30-32)
FULL RECAP HERE
The NBA has entered the month "March Madness." This time, NBA teams are serious about jockeying for position for playoff spot. Every game at this month is MUST-WIN. And the Lakers' efforts certainly showed against the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers did everything they can to spring the upset. Unfortunately, they gassed out in the 4th quarter against a better team. Good teams find ways to win.
03/02: @ Phoenix 109-118 [L] (30-33)
HIGHLIGHTS
Boy, did I have a feeling something would go wrong in this game? When an aspiring playoff-team loses to the Phoenix Suns, a franchise that is the living embodiment of mediocrity, then truly the sky is falling down. The Lakers have owned the Suns this season, but they couldn't get the job done in getting the sweep. This team isn't even good despite the likes of Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. The Lakers did attempt to rally in this game though. But I'm sorry, if you have to rally and come from behind against a mediocre Phoenix squad, then there's serious problems. Ask yourself this my fellow Lakers fans, do you really think this team is good enough to make some noise in the playoffs? The fact they loss to the shittier teams like the Hawks, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Cavs, and Suns, and swept by the Magic is the team's mark of being a pretender. Even if Lonzo Ball comes back, that's a big IF, this team is gonna have to run a really tough gauntlet if you look at the schedule this month. Playoff Mode has been activated alright. Unfortunately, the free trial ended in the win against Houston.
The All-Star break is over. Time for teams to get back to work. This is the most exciting time in the NBA. With fewer games left now on the schedule, teams are getting serious as they get ready for the fight of their playoff lives. The fun and games are O-V-E-R. For the Lakers, it's the most daunting challenge. They have a steep mountain to climb as they trail closely behind the Clippers and the Kings in the race for the 8th seed. The bad news? The Lakers are facing their difficult stretch of the season. Yes, against the top-notch teams that are locking in their playoff position in either conference. This stretch is the measuring stick to see how playoff-ready this team is. Are they up for the challenge? This is this week's Lakers Weekly Roundup.
Keep in mind I combined last week's games with this week's games. I mean, the Lakers just had two games last week. We'll get back to normal in the next week. Without further ado, here's the lengthy Weekly Roundup.
02/21: vs. Houston 106-111 [W] (29-29)
HIGHLIGHTS
Right out of the gate, let's test that playoff intensity after the All-Star break by going up against the surging Houston Rockets. The Rockets have owned the Lakers this season with their flippity floppity tactics. This 4th installments had much more flavor than the last two. Mainly because Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul are on the floor. It feels like it's been ages since that infamous brawl between the two Point Guards back in the 2nd game when the season was still young that reignited this rivalry. And Laker fans since the 70's were taken a trip down memory lane when Kermit Washington sucker punched Rudy Tomjanovich as Rondo landed the 1-2 punch on CP3. On to the present matchup, it looked like the Rockets were going to run away with this. CP3 and Harden were up to their fancy old floppity flop flop bullshit to swindle out a victory against the Lakers. However, Playoff Intensity: ON. King James and the SlenderIngram commanded the Lakers to a rally against the Houston Floppets. Even the refs had enough of the Rockets' flopping ways that Harden and CP3 called out the head referee of this game, Scott Foster. Harden threw a tantrum. CP3 threw a tantrum and got T'd. Mike D'Antoni was up-in-arms. Not so much fun when the calls are not in your favor now is it?
In all seriousness, I was impressed with B.I.'s performance this game. Looks like he's finding his way to get more comfortable playing off ball while still being his aggressive usual self. Reggie Bullock was huge too with some key three pointers down the stretch to seal the win for the Lakers. I'll warm to the trade a little bit. Laker debut was flop, but he's making some okay all-around contributions.
02/23: @ New Orleans 115-128 [L] (29-30)
HIGHLIGHTS
All I wish for the Lakers is to build some consistency after a big win. They didn't do so before the break when they got a thrilling victory over the Celtics in Boston. Hopefully, they had the chance to look back and learn from some mistakes.
They didn't.
How in the hell do you lose to Pelicans team that sat Anthony Davis down for this game and traded away one of their stretch 4 sharpshooters in Mirotic? I should be riding high on this team after a big win against the Rockets, but games like these are the reason why I hold back because this team will find a way to say "fuck you" when it looked like things were coming along just fine. "Oh, their best player is not playing. Let's take it a little easy." If this is the attitude that the Lakers are giving against teams that they should beat, then there is a reason why they're two spots away from the 8th seed. Distrust among players after the trade drama. LeBron James questioning the mentality of this team after this ugly loss when he and Magic tried to boot them out. It's even worse that they left Luke Walton, yes there own head coach behind after this game on the bus ride back to the hotel. Oh by the way, for those who are watching ex-Lakers: Julius Randle had 24 points and connected on two 3-pointer. He's having a solid season for the Pelicans. (For fucks sake, WHO THE FUCK'S IN CHARGE OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT ON THIS TEAM??????)
02/25: @ Memphis 105-110 [L] (29-31)
HIGHLIGHTS
0-2 on a road trip against sub .500 teams. Not a good look for a team with playoff aspirations on the line here. My goodness this Grizzlies team is not even good. Since they traded away Marc Gasol, they consist of a group of washed up vets/misfits. Despite some solid efforts by the Lakers' Big 3 of LeBron, B.I., and Kuz, the Lakers fell short as the offense became stagnant as LeBron's effort on defense late in the game. The starting five did its job. The bench failed them here. 7 points compared to the Grizzlies' 33 points in bench scoring has never nor will win any games. It's clear as day that the Lakers left their playoff intensity at home during this road trip. They find themselves with a 4% chance now of making the playoffs as they're placed back at the 11th seed.
02/27: vs. New Orleans 119-125 [W] (30-31)
HIGHLIGHTS
Ah yes, Anthony Davis suits up this game as he travels with the Pelicans since the trade drama. If the Lakers struggled against the Pelicans on the road without A.D., what more when they have him on the floor? A.D. did damage because Luke Walton thought it would be a great idea to match up Kyle Kuzma against one of the best big man in the league. Fortunately, the Pelicans had nothing to gain. So, they sat A.D. down after the 3rd quarter. This is something teams do in the preseason. How rare is it that you find a team that shuts their star player down in a regular season game when the outcome is not even decided? The Lakers are not the only team with internal issues. Despite the Pelicans decision, they still competed behind a 35-point effort by Julius Randle and a couple of three balls. But, here comes that playoff intensity as "Deus ex LeBron" bails the Lakers out from impending doom. Let's break down some stat lines here: LeBron, 33 pts, 6 reb, 10 ast. B.I., 23 pts. Kuzma, 22 pts. Rondo, 11 pts, 7 reb, 16 ast. Bullock, 14 pts. For the Lakers to win out, they need statistical output like these from their starting five on a consistent basis. Quality bench contribution is another bonus. Well, playoff mode for the Lakers came back after it hit a snag on the road. Fortunately, the Lakers got some significant help on this night as the Jazz topped the Clippers and the Bucks pulled out a thrilling OT win against the Kings. The race for the 8th seed in the West is far from settled.
03/01: vs. Milwaukee 131-120 [L] (30-32)
FULL RECAP HERE
The NBA has entered the month "March Madness." This time, NBA teams are serious about jockeying for position for playoff spot. Every game at this month is MUST-WIN. And the Lakers' efforts certainly showed against the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers did everything they can to spring the upset. Unfortunately, they gassed out in the 4th quarter against a better team. Good teams find ways to win.
03/02: @ Phoenix 109-118 [L] (30-33)
HIGHLIGHTS
Boy, did I have a feeling something would go wrong in this game? When an aspiring playoff-team loses to the Phoenix Suns, a franchise that is the living embodiment of mediocrity, then truly the sky is falling down. The Lakers have owned the Suns this season, but they couldn't get the job done in getting the sweep. This team isn't even good despite the likes of Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. The Lakers did attempt to rally in this game though. But I'm sorry, if you have to rally and come from behind against a mediocre Phoenix squad, then there's serious problems. Ask yourself this my fellow Lakers fans, do you really think this team is good enough to make some noise in the playoffs? The fact they loss to the shittier teams like the Hawks, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Cavs, and Suns, and swept by the Magic is the team's mark of being a pretender. Even if Lonzo Ball comes back, that's a big IF, this team is gonna have to run a really tough gauntlet if you look at the schedule this month. Playoff Mode has been activated alright. Unfortunately, the free trial ended in the win against Houston.
Monday, December 24, 2018
Lakers Weekly Roundup (12/23): Readiness vs. Warriors = 50%
The most anticipated Christmas Day matchup is upon us. Last year, the Lakers took the Warriors to the limit in all four games. Talent disparity was the Lakers' downfall as they couldn't close out the Warriors at home twice in regulation. At Oracle? Much different story, but same result. With the addition of LeBron James, the man who got swept in the finals, there's nothing but revenge here. This is a test for the Lakers that they can dethrone the Warriors. But before we get into that, there's no denying that the Lakers have had their share of struggles as of late. The trade talk of Anthony Davis is heating up. LeBron's patience meter is, well, close to below zero. Drama and the bright lights of Los Angeles go hand-in-hand. One cannot separate from the other. Let's see how the Lakers' fare in the past week in the latest Lakers' Weekly Roundup.
12/18: @ Brooklyn 110-115 [L] (18-13)
HIGHLIGHTS
One year ago, the Lakers made a shocking trade that sent their then-rising star D'Angelo Russell and overpaid Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and a 1st round pick. So far, it has worked out well for both teams, but it looked like the Lakers got the better end of a deal. Timofey Mozgov had to be unloaded. $68 million for a guy who hasn't played much is by all accounts wasted salary. At the cost of one of the promising young cores, the Lakers shed much-needed cap space and got three young players for the price of one. This trade in particular helped the Lakers land a steal and a stud in Kyle Kuzma to go along with Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. Since then, two teams were going opposite directions. The Lakers secured the services of LeBron to put the Lakers back into conversation among the elite and the Nets were still in purgatory with a whole lot of unknowns. But to this point of this game, the Nets were riding a 5-game winning streak.
This spelled "trap game" for the Lakers like two nights before against the Wizards. And hook, line, and sinker, the Nets set up the surprise attack. The Lakers did all they can behind valiant efforts from LeBron, Zo, and Kuz. Lonzo Ball had a nice game with 23 points and an efficient 9-16 shooting and 5-9 from three-point territory. Too bad this effort was wasted on a loss and this kind of stat line from Zo is once in a blue moon. The major difference for the Nets was their bench and the former Laker who was to receive the keys to the franchise, D'Angelo Russell. D'Lo netted 22 points and a career-high 13 assists. Perhaps the most daunting observation was that Zo wasn't even matched up against him. D'Lo was defended by Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma and he put them on roller skates. As the Lakers rallied, D'Lo rallied the Nets, taking over the game as a scorer and facilitator of the offense. We can blame Magic and Rob as they had the final say, but let's not forget who the real culprit of the Lakers was when they were forced to trade D'Angelo. It was the offseason idiocy of the Lakers' previous regime that got D'Angelo traded. Timofey Mozgov $68 million. Luol Deng $72 million. One of the worst tandem of free agent acquisitions ever! I know it's been one year now and by all accounts, we've gotten over D'Angelo Russell. The phone snitching incident was a thing of the past. Yet, good to see "RussellMania" succeed elsewhere. What could've been with a Zo-D'Lo backcourt.
12/21: vs. New Orleans 104-112 [W] (19-13)
HIGHLIGHTS
We've heard all this before about trading for a star player in his prime to come to the Lakers. It hasn't happened yet. The latest of the talks, Anthony Davis. Let's connect the dots here, Anthony Davis is signed to the same sports agency as LeBron James. The addition of Davis would give the Lakers a franchise-altering star big man since Shaquille O'Neal. But of course, there are hurdles as the small market GMs came out of the woodwork to cry wolf on the Lakers and LeBron that they're tampering with AD. I mean seriously, LeBron just commented that him pairing up with AD would be "amazing." How the hell can that be tampering?
Onto this game, this was pretty much the Lakers' audition for the AD to LA hype train. The good news about this game is the return of Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo. The Lakers did all they could with a short-handed roster and it did experience some success. But since JaVale McGee contacted pneumonia, the Lakers' depth suffered even more. It was a sight for sore eyes to have SlenderIngram and Playoff Rondo back as they made quite an impact. B.I. is back to provide some length and another scoring option. Rondo restored order to the bench, but that also means Zo is back on the leash. JaVale McGee missed this game as well, but a forgotten man has stepped up: Ivica Zubac. Zubacalypse was back from the dead as he was the recipient of many passes from LeBron, Rondo, and Zo off pick and roll situations. He held his own against the likes of AD and another former-Laker in Julius Randle. Last year, Randle probably bullied Zubac inside and Zubac hasn't forgotten that as he made a key block on Randle late in the game. After this game, will that be a yes or a no AD? This talk escalated further when LeBron and AD had a postgame dinner after this game. That's another fine on the Lakers for "tampering."
12/23: vs. Memphis 107-99 [L] (19-14)
HIGHLIGHTS
In the first meeting between the two, the Lakers put a curbstomping against the Grizzlies in Memphis. After this game, that seemed like a distant memory. I'll give the benefit of a doubt, the Lakers were super thin in the front court without JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler, so we get to see extended action of Zubac and Mo Wagner. Zubac more action definitely. But despite the Lakers' rally, they couldn't extend the Grizzlies' 5-game losing skid. I didn't see this much of the game, but my goodness, Lonzo Ball had a trainwreck of a game last night. It's absolutely bad when he finishes 0-7 from beyond the arc and he throws a bullet pass over the first row in the stands. In fact, some of those misses were in crucial moments when the Lakers needed a bucket to stay alive. Don't get me wrong, I love that he's shooting it, but my goodness, drive to the hoop goddammit to get yourself going! We want to see aggressive Zo, not passive Zo who looks like he doesn't give a crap about the game.
After this skid, the readiness against the Warriors has significantly drop. Too much inconsistency. Free throws are still bad in particular. However, they are a bit short-handed and I expect to see them at full strength. Although, I'm not sure about JaVale McGee though. He just got out of the hospital after being contacted with pneumonia. It'll be unfortunate that he's going to possibly miss out on this revenge game since he's still recovering. Tomorrow night, it's going down on Christmas against the defending champs here in the Bay Area. And for my present? Open Thread and Full Recap is back for this particular game. See y'all tomorrow.
12/18: @ Brooklyn 110-115 [L] (18-13)
HIGHLIGHTS
One year ago, the Lakers made a shocking trade that sent their then-rising star D'Angelo Russell and overpaid Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and a 1st round pick. So far, it has worked out well for both teams, but it looked like the Lakers got the better end of a deal. Timofey Mozgov had to be unloaded. $68 million for a guy who hasn't played much is by all accounts wasted salary. At the cost of one of the promising young cores, the Lakers shed much-needed cap space and got three young players for the price of one. This trade in particular helped the Lakers land a steal and a stud in Kyle Kuzma to go along with Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart. Since then, two teams were going opposite directions. The Lakers secured the services of LeBron to put the Lakers back into conversation among the elite and the Nets were still in purgatory with a whole lot of unknowns. But to this point of this game, the Nets were riding a 5-game winning streak.
This spelled "trap game" for the Lakers like two nights before against the Wizards. And hook, line, and sinker, the Nets set up the surprise attack. The Lakers did all they can behind valiant efforts from LeBron, Zo, and Kuz. Lonzo Ball had a nice game with 23 points and an efficient 9-16 shooting and 5-9 from three-point territory. Too bad this effort was wasted on a loss and this kind of stat line from Zo is once in a blue moon. The major difference for the Nets was their bench and the former Laker who was to receive the keys to the franchise, D'Angelo Russell. D'Lo netted 22 points and a career-high 13 assists. Perhaps the most daunting observation was that Zo wasn't even matched up against him. D'Lo was defended by Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma and he put them on roller skates. As the Lakers rallied, D'Lo rallied the Nets, taking over the game as a scorer and facilitator of the offense. We can blame Magic and Rob as they had the final say, but let's not forget who the real culprit of the Lakers was when they were forced to trade D'Angelo. It was the offseason idiocy of the Lakers' previous regime that got D'Angelo traded. Timofey Mozgov $68 million. Luol Deng $72 million. One of the worst tandem of free agent acquisitions ever! I know it's been one year now and by all accounts, we've gotten over D'Angelo Russell. The phone snitching incident was a thing of the past. Yet, good to see "RussellMania" succeed elsewhere. What could've been with a Zo-D'Lo backcourt.
12/21: vs. New Orleans 104-112 [W] (19-13)
HIGHLIGHTS
We've heard all this before about trading for a star player in his prime to come to the Lakers. It hasn't happened yet. The latest of the talks, Anthony Davis. Let's connect the dots here, Anthony Davis is signed to the same sports agency as LeBron James. The addition of Davis would give the Lakers a franchise-altering star big man since Shaquille O'Neal. But of course, there are hurdles as the small market GMs came out of the woodwork to cry wolf on the Lakers and LeBron that they're tampering with AD. I mean seriously, LeBron just commented that him pairing up with AD would be "amazing." How the hell can that be tampering?
Onto this game, this was pretty much the Lakers' audition for the AD to LA hype train. The good news about this game is the return of Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo. The Lakers did all they could with a short-handed roster and it did experience some success. But since JaVale McGee contacted pneumonia, the Lakers' depth suffered even more. It was a sight for sore eyes to have SlenderIngram and Playoff Rondo back as they made quite an impact. B.I. is back to provide some length and another scoring option. Rondo restored order to the bench, but that also means Zo is back on the leash. JaVale McGee missed this game as well, but a forgotten man has stepped up: Ivica Zubac. Zubacalypse was back from the dead as he was the recipient of many passes from LeBron, Rondo, and Zo off pick and roll situations. He held his own against the likes of AD and another former-Laker in Julius Randle. Last year, Randle probably bullied Zubac inside and Zubac hasn't forgotten that as he made a key block on Randle late in the game. After this game, will that be a yes or a no AD? This talk escalated further when LeBron and AD had a postgame dinner after this game. That's another fine on the Lakers for "tampering."
12/23: vs. Memphis 107-99 [L] (19-14)
HIGHLIGHTS
In the first meeting between the two, the Lakers put a curbstomping against the Grizzlies in Memphis. After this game, that seemed like a distant memory. I'll give the benefit of a doubt, the Lakers were super thin in the front court without JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler, so we get to see extended action of Zubac and Mo Wagner. Zubac more action definitely. But despite the Lakers' rally, they couldn't extend the Grizzlies' 5-game losing skid. I didn't see this much of the game, but my goodness, Lonzo Ball had a trainwreck of a game last night. It's absolutely bad when he finishes 0-7 from beyond the arc and he throws a bullet pass over the first row in the stands. In fact, some of those misses were in crucial moments when the Lakers needed a bucket to stay alive. Don't get me wrong, I love that he's shooting it, but my goodness, drive to the hoop goddammit to get yourself going! We want to see aggressive Zo, not passive Zo who looks like he doesn't give a crap about the game.
After this skid, the readiness against the Warriors has significantly drop. Too much inconsistency. Free throws are still bad in particular. However, they are a bit short-handed and I expect to see them at full strength. Although, I'm not sure about JaVale McGee though. He just got out of the hospital after being contacted with pneumonia. It'll be unfortunate that he's going to possibly miss out on this revenge game since he's still recovering. Tomorrow night, it's going down on Christmas against the defending champs here in the Bay Area. And for my present? Open Thread and Full Recap is back for this particular game. See y'all tomorrow.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Lakers Weekly Roundup (12/09): Home Sweep Home; Road Game Splits
*Some NSFW language*
Back-to-back against San Antonio. Back-to-back road games. This was going to be a tough stretch for the Lakers. The Spurs had a tough stretch. But so far, they had the Lakers' number right out of the gate this season with a couple of close wins. Meanwhile, Memphis has surprised some people, but they've showed signs of slowing down during this stretch. Let's see how the Lakers measured up. This is you Lakers' Weekly Roundup.
12/05: vs. San Antonio 113-121 [W] (15-9)
Finally, the Lakers had a game go their way against San Antonio. Despite the Spurs being in a complete slump with a blowout loss against the Jazz, they made this game a lot more competitive as it should be. You'd think the Lakers would take advantage of that. They did not as the Spurs gave them a run for their money. Not to mention, the Lakers lose Brandon Ingram early with an ankle injury. It looked like the Spurs were going to run away with this game. But, LeBron would not lose to the Spurs for a third consecutive time as he lead the way with a 42-point game. The way the Spurs were fighting back, it was obvious that LeBron needed a little more help. And he got it as Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma traded clutch shots to help their King. Zo, in particular, stopped being a pantsy and shot the wide open shots he could take instead of passing it up. Josh Hart didn't have an eye-opening game. Majority because he was foul trouble. But he made the shots down the stretch to help seal the game. With that, the Lakers sweep their 4-game home stand and finally get a win against the San Antonio White Walkers.
12/07: @ San Antonio 120-133 [L] (15-10)
The Lakers just won against the same Spurs team at home. Figures, they gotta exploit that and win against them on the road. The Lakers built a big lead in the 2nd quarter. Pretty good start. Not bad. But they wouldn't hold on to that as the Spurs drew a lot of fouls to cap off their big run. The Lakers built a lead in the 3rd quarter. It's close out time. LeBron's coming back in the game. That should do it. Wait a minute San Antonio's making a run? DeMar DeRozan is not even on the floor? Who's carrying them? Of course it's their bench. If there's anything that's constant from the Spurs that makes them an unselfish team, it's their deep bench. Jakob Peoltl dominated inside the paint. Davis Bertans was lights out from deep. Patty Mills put up buckets and facilitated the ball movement without DeRozan on the floor. The Spurs' bench put up 52 combined points compared to the Lakers' 26. That's the difference maker right there. Didn't help that the referees were helping the Spurs get to the free throw line with some phantom calls. It's always that way whenever the Lakers go to San Antonio.
12/08: @ Memphis 111-88 [W] (16-10)
It felt like eons ago that the Memphis Grizzlies were at one point the top seed in the West. They put up some convincing wins in the last two games against the Clippers and the Pelicans. The Lakers are coming off a tough back-to-back loss against the Spurs. This is Memphis' chance to kick them while they're down. *Final Score* That escalated quickly. The Lakers made quick disposal of the Grizzlies. with a balanced team effort. It wasn't just LeBron James doing all the work. Kyle Kuzma racked the same amount points as LeBron did with 20 points. Josh Hart finally got back to scoring double-digit points while KCP and Svi carried the bench with 16 points from KCP and 11 points from Svi. The Lakers never looked back at this one. On a side note, it was funny the way the Grizzlies commentators were pronouncing Svi's last name. Pronounced it like MICK-HAY-LUKE instead of ME-KAI-LUKE.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Lakers Snap 4-Game Losing Streak in Memphis
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
Kyle Kuzma poured in 25 points to go with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block to help the Lakers snap a 4-game skid, beating the tanking Grizzlies 100-93. Julius Randle also racked up a double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. KCP racked up 18 points and Lonzo Ball stuffed the stats sheet with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Travis Wear lead the 2nd unit in scoring with 11 points.
Final Score: @ Memphis 100-93 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180324/LALMEM
Next Game: @ Detroit (03/26)
Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*
An ugly game with a pretty ending. I did catch glimpses of this game and that's what it was. Memphis started leading as many as 17 over the Lakers. Keep in mind, this Grizzlies tham just got a major butt kicking from the Hornets the other night. And pretty much, they're contempt with tanking. But out of the gate, they started off hot. I'm thinking, wow this is gonna be the most embarrassing game of the season if the Lakers get beat from the worst team in the West like that, especially with a lot of bodies missing on the bench (take a nap Chris Kaman). But then like all season long, the Lakers mustered enough on both ends of the floor to shake off the slow start and get out of Memphis with a victory. KCP knocked down a couple of threes to keep the Lakers within striking distance. Randle shook off a really slow start and got back to the bully ball we're accustomed of seeing from him. Travis Wear racked up a hidden gem off the bench. From what I heard, Isaiah's hip acted up on him again and was a no go this game. Hopefully it's nothing serious since the Lakers are really missing bodies now. But Wear stepped it up. I thought he showed no hesitation, spotting up from three. He was under 40% shooting, but I'll take the good with the bad. Lonzo struggled from three again, but I liked he was taking more inside shots to go along with 8 boards and 10 dimes. He actually hit a mid range jumper this game. He's gonna have to fine tune that more in the offseason as well as the free throw shooting, but nonetheless a solid bounceback game from Zo. Kuz took over in the 4th quarter, including hitting a dagger three to put this game away for good. Ugly win, but the Lakers have been stringing wins like that on the road all season long that it shouldn't be a surprise.
Kyle Kuzma poured in 25 points to go with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block to help the Lakers snap a 4-game skid, beating the tanking Grizzlies 100-93. Julius Randle also racked up a double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. KCP racked up 18 points and Lonzo Ball stuffed the stats sheet with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Travis Wear lead the 2nd unit in scoring with 11 points.
Final Score: @ Memphis 100-93 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180324/LALMEM
Next Game: @ Detroit (03/26)
Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*
An ugly game with a pretty ending. I did catch glimpses of this game and that's what it was. Memphis started leading as many as 17 over the Lakers. Keep in mind, this Grizzlies tham just got a major butt kicking from the Hornets the other night. And pretty much, they're contempt with tanking. But out of the gate, they started off hot. I'm thinking, wow this is gonna be the most embarrassing game of the season if the Lakers get beat from the worst team in the West like that, especially with a lot of bodies missing on the bench (take a nap Chris Kaman). But then like all season long, the Lakers mustered enough on both ends of the floor to shake off the slow start and get out of Memphis with a victory. KCP knocked down a couple of threes to keep the Lakers within striking distance. Randle shook off a really slow start and got back to the bully ball we're accustomed of seeing from him. Travis Wear racked up a hidden gem off the bench. From what I heard, Isaiah's hip acted up on him again and was a no go this game. Hopefully it's nothing serious since the Lakers are really missing bodies now. But Wear stepped it up. I thought he showed no hesitation, spotting up from three. He was under 40% shooting, but I'll take the good with the bad. Lonzo struggled from three again, but I liked he was taking more inside shots to go along with 8 boards and 10 dimes. He actually hit a mid range jumper this game. He's gonna have to fine tune that more in the offseason as well as the free throw shooting, but nonetheless a solid bounceback game from Zo. Kuz took over in the 4th quarter, including hitting a dagger three to put this game away for good. Ugly win, but the Lakers have been stringing wins like that on the road all season long that it shouldn't be a surprise.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Lakers 4-Game Winning Streak Snapped in Memphis
Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers tried to extend the win streak at five in a row. But, the missed presence of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram was too much as the Lakers fell to the Grizzlies 114-123.
It was bound to happen that during this road game stretch that the Lakers would eventually lose a game. I projected that the Lakers would get this winning streak snapped by OKC on Wednesday. But, Zo's injury, B.I.'s injury, it was a daunting challenge for the Lakers to generate some scoring, ball movement, and defense. They did a good job at fighting to the bitter end in this game though. There were some stretches that the Lakers were building some momentum and appeared within striking distance. But, the Grizzlies kept responding with timely buckets of their own and they were creating turnovers to jumpstart their transition game, which was the biggest difference to give Memphis the win.
(+)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 8-16 shooting. It's an up and down affair for KCP because he would settle for high percentage looks at times and sometimes, he'll take shots that leave your head scratching. But, coming in, he was gonna have to pick up the scoring since B.I. is missing the game and Lopez continues to struggle. He stepped up to the plate and accounted for a majority of the Lakers' shots from deep with 6-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Only Kuzma closely followed with 4-8 shooting. Great game from KCP in terms of scoring. He could've had more if it weren't for a couple of questionable shot selections this game.
Larry Nance Jr, 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks. Big props to LNJ for playing through the sore back. He got hip checked hard by Deyonta Davis in the first half as he was going for the layup. Luckily, he turned out to be okay and he was still able to provide some hustle and energy off the bench on both sides of the ball.
Josh Hart, 16 points, 5-10 shooting. This is a pretty big headache because when Zo and B.I. come back, Hart is gonna have less playing time. But, when the Lakers are shorthanded, Hart gets valuable playing time and he makes the most out of it. He had a solid game today with his jump shot and his ability to slash into paint for the layup.
(-)
Turnovers/Ball handling. The Grizzlies committed more turnovers than the Lakers 18-13. But, the Lakers could've had more with the way they handled the ball today. Luckily, some of them didn't result in a turnovers. That's where they really miss Lonzo and Inrgam. They handle primary ball handling duties. The Lakers tried to do so, but they kept fumbling with the basketball and the Grizzlies were able to take advantage with the steals. They were marred by bad passes as well. A lot of them were unforced because they put too much air on the pass.
Defense. The Lakers are more than capable of running back on defense when opposing teams are running in transition. They're more than capable of disallowing any space and putting pressure on the ball. That kind of defense lacked during this game. Lakers broke down easily, which lead to many easy layups by the Grizzlies. They gave Memphis all kinds of room to move the ball, run the floor, and hit a couple of shots from the outside or from deep.
Julius Randle, 9 points, 8 rebounds. Randle being non-existent is not entirely his fault. He sat out for the majority of the 2nd quarter mainly because of matchup reasons and how effective the 2nd unit was. He didn't get a lot of touches in the paint. At the same time, he couldn't get a grip on his ball handling. When the Lakers were looking to run with Randle, he couldn't maintain good ball security and could've lead to some easy steals and scores for the Grizzlies.
Brook Lopez, 5 points, 2-7 shooting. I think Lopez should consider finding ways to score more inside. Lopez shots from deep have been way off. He's capable of hitting the three, but he needs to find ways to be aggressive instead of camping outside from beyond the arc.
Jordan Clarkson, 9 points, 2-13 shooting. Clarkson had a good start, but an ugly finish in terms of scoring. He came crashing down today after a solid outing on Saturday against Dallas. Big time off night for JC.
MVP
KCP showed out and picked up the slack in scoring with Ingram missing the game and Randle and Lopez being non-existent. Most of the threes he settled for took some life out of the crowd. The Lakers looked like they were building momentum when he hit some of those threes after they scored a couple of consecutive buckets.
Conclusion
As I said, the 4-game winning streak was fun while it lasted. Would the Lakers have won this if Zo and B.I. were playing? No question, but injuries are part of the game. The Grizzlies were also short-handed and they found a way to win with what they have. The Lakers need more players to step up with their key pieces of the future missing for further reference. Likely, we'll see Zo and B.I. back on the court when the Lakers take on OKC on Wednesday. But, if not, then it presents bigger trouble for the Lakers because the Thunder with their Big 3 ate the Lakers alive in the last meeting. But, the biggest thing from these five games is that the Lakers must continue to compete to the very end, win or lose. They can't afford to embarrassed by Westbrook, George, Anthony, and company for a 2nd time. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for that game.
01/15: LAKERS @ Grizzlies 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion
This is the 2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Grizzlies matchup on MLK Day. As usual, leave a comment t below and share your thoughts on the game.
Q4
LAL 114 MEM 123
Q3
LAL 77 MEM 97
Promising start for the Lakers in this quarter, but ugly finish. They got off to a good start with an early 6-0 run. They started going into the paint more often with Lopez and Randle to slowly creep back into this game. Then, the Grizzlies started to respond and run the floor. They are killing the Lakers in their own game with this uncharacteristic up-tempo style of play. There's more activity defensively for Memphis. They're closing out lanes with good help, team defense while the Lakers are just allowing them to bully their way to the basket and score from beyond the arc.
01/15: Remembering MLK - LAKERS @ Memphis Grizzlies 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion
Welcome to the first half open thread of the Lakers-Grizzlies matchup as part of TNT's triple-header on Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the games.
Q2
LAL 50 MEM 60
Big time shot from KCP down the stretch of the 2nd quarter. Major difference being down 10 than being down 13. The Grizzlies had their way during this quarter. They forced a lot of turnovers and gave the Lakers a taste of their own medicine in scoring in transition. You can tell that the Lakers really miss Lonzo Ball because he sets the tempo with his ball handling and court vision. The Lakers are trying to replicate that without him and they're just making all kinds of mistakes forced and unforced. But, somehow, someway the Lakers are hanging around this game. All because the bench brought the energy on both sides of the ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is picking up the scoring for the starting five. No question, the defense has to be a lot better. They're not matching the Grizzlies' energy on offense and they're giving them all kinds of cushion to move the ball, shoot in space, and allowing them to cut into the lane for an easy basket. They have to put better ball pressure on defense and if they're gonna play fast and push the tempo, they have to take better care of the ball while running in transition. That was some really ugly ball handling I saw during this first half when the Lakers attempted to run the floor. Second half will open up shortly.
Q1
LAL 27 MEM 34
That was some crazy sequence in the final seconds of the first quarter. Lakers and Grizzlies fighting for the ball. Turnover after turnover and the Lakers capitalize with a floater from Nance Jr. KCP, Ennis, and the bench jumpstarted the Lakers to get back into this game. Memphis was playing at their half court pace and locked in on their threes. They almost cashed in on some turnovers because the Lakers were having a hard time handling the ball while running the floor. Ennis made a couple of aggressive baskets. KCP is in double figures, they're going to need him to pick up the scoring. The 2nd unit are picking it up with the small ball lineup to get things settled for the Lakers.
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Woes Doom Lakers in Loss to Grizzlies
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*
Brandon Ingram returned to the lineup and lead the Lakers in scoring with 23 points, but the Lakers could not overcome their overall off night, losing to the Grizzlies 109-99. Jordan Clarkson followed with 22 points and KCP added 16 points to round out the starters. Larry Nance Jr. lead the 2nd unit with a near double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds.
Final Score: vs. Memphis 109-99 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171227/MEMLAL#/recap
Next Game: vs. LA Clippers (12/29)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Lakers are now 0-3 in their current home stand. With the final score, the Grizzlies should've won by a bigger margin. Not a lot of things went right for the Lakers for the Lakers on both ends of the floor. The tight, defensive activity was non-existent minus a portion of the third quarter where the Lakers made a run to tie the game up at 76 before the 4th quarter. Memphis was getting all kinds of looks they wanted. They didn't even need Marc Gasol to go off this game. Tyreke Evans, Deyonta Davis, and Jarell Martin picked up the slack. The biggest headline this game was Kyle Kuzma's mega off-game. Kuz finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds, but was 4-24 from the field. Looking at his shot, it looked really flat if some of them are hitting on the front iron of the rim. I talked about this when the Lakers won in Philly since he had an off game there as well, Kuzma will have his off-nights. All rookies have their bumps on the road. It wasn't Kuzma's poor shooting, the Lakers overall did not shoot the ball well at 37% from the field. With poor shooting and poor defense, the Lakers should've lost big time, but they only lost by 10. Offensive rebounding kept this from being a complete blowout. The disparity was 22 offensive boards to Memphis' 5. That was a lot of 2nd chance points opportunities for the Lakers to patch up the woeful shooting this game.
Brandon Ingram returned to the lineup and lead the Lakers in scoring with 23 points, but the Lakers could not overcome their overall off night, losing to the Grizzlies 109-99. Jordan Clarkson followed with 22 points and KCP added 16 points to round out the starters. Larry Nance Jr. lead the 2nd unit with a near double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds.
Final Score: vs. Memphis 109-99 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171227/MEMLAL#/recap
Next Game: vs. LA Clippers (12/29)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Lakers are now 0-3 in their current home stand. With the final score, the Grizzlies should've won by a bigger margin. Not a lot of things went right for the Lakers for the Lakers on both ends of the floor. The tight, defensive activity was non-existent minus a portion of the third quarter where the Lakers made a run to tie the game up at 76 before the 4th quarter. Memphis was getting all kinds of looks they wanted. They didn't even need Marc Gasol to go off this game. Tyreke Evans, Deyonta Davis, and Jarell Martin picked up the slack. The biggest headline this game was Kyle Kuzma's mega off-game. Kuz finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds, but was 4-24 from the field. Looking at his shot, it looked really flat if some of them are hitting on the front iron of the rim. I talked about this when the Lakers won in Philly since he had an off game there as well, Kuzma will have his off-nights. All rookies have their bumps on the road. It wasn't Kuzma's poor shooting, the Lakers overall did not shoot the ball well at 37% from the field. With poor shooting and poor defense, the Lakers should've lost big time, but they only lost by 10. Offensive rebounding kept this from being a complete blowout. The disparity was 22 offensive boards to Memphis' 5. That was a lot of 2nd chance points opportunities for the Lakers to patch up the woeful shooting this game.
Monday, November 6, 2017
Lakers Cap Off Home Stand with Win Over Grizzlies
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*
Brook Lopez lead all Lakers in scoring with 21 points to go with 5 assists and 2 blocks as the Lakers pull off a 107-102 victory over the Grizzlies. Brandon Ingram dropped 20 points to go with 7 rebounds. KCP added 15 points and 7 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma racked up another double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson lead all scorers off the bench with 15 points to go with 5 assists and Julius Randle added 12 points and 8 rebounds.
Final Score: vs. Memphis 102-107 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171105/MEMLAL#/recap
Next Game: @ Boston (11/08) <-- --="" b="" nbsp="">Open Thread and Full Recap
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
One of the key components that this young Lakers team has to work on is closing out games against good teams. They dominated the Grizzlies squad in the 2nd half, but the Grizzlies, being a veteran, playoff team came storming back. Luckily, there's a reason why the Lakers have Brook Lopez and KCP. Being the veteran presence that they are, they calmed things down when the Grizzlies made a run. Lopez hit some key shots and got to the foul line. KCP hit clutch shots and made clutch defensive plays down the stretch of the game. They stepped up at the right time for this young team. Ingram had his second 20+ point game of the season and he attacked the basket at will in the first half. If I heard correctly, 17 of his 20 points came within that half. He was quiet in the 2nd half. The Grizzlies probably made some adjustments to seal off his lanes where he can't attack. Kuzma was impressive again with another double-double in his 2nd career start. Lonzo Ball kept pushing on the break and igniting the infectious ball movement. Last night's win overall was another impressive team victory over a perennial playoff squad. Wednesday's game against the Celtics is gonna be a pretty good test for this team. Boston's riding hot under Kyrie Irving. Ball and the Lakers are gonna have a handful containing him, but if they can hold down the rest of the team, it'll be a down-to-the-wire game. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for that.
Brook Lopez lead all Lakers in scoring with 21 points to go with 5 assists and 2 blocks as the Lakers pull off a 107-102 victory over the Grizzlies. Brandon Ingram dropped 20 points to go with 7 rebounds. KCP added 15 points and 7 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma racked up another double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson lead all scorers off the bench with 15 points to go with 5 assists and Julius Randle added 12 points and 8 rebounds.
Final Score: vs. Memphis 102-107 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171105/MEMLAL#/recap
Next Game: @ Boston (11/08) <-- --="" b="" nbsp="">Open Thread and Full Recap
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
One of the key components that this young Lakers team has to work on is closing out games against good teams. They dominated the Grizzlies squad in the 2nd half, but the Grizzlies, being a veteran, playoff team came storming back. Luckily, there's a reason why the Lakers have Brook Lopez and KCP. Being the veteran presence that they are, they calmed things down when the Grizzlies made a run. Lopez hit some key shots and got to the foul line. KCP hit clutch shots and made clutch defensive plays down the stretch of the game. They stepped up at the right time for this young team. Ingram had his second 20+ point game of the season and he attacked the basket at will in the first half. If I heard correctly, 17 of his 20 points came within that half. He was quiet in the 2nd half. The Grizzlies probably made some adjustments to seal off his lanes where he can't attack. Kuzma was impressive again with another double-double in his 2nd career start. Lonzo Ball kept pushing on the break and igniting the infectious ball movement. Last night's win overall was another impressive team victory over a perennial playoff squad. Wednesday's game against the Celtics is gonna be a pretty good test for this team. Boston's riding hot under Kyrie Irving. Ball and the Lakers are gonna have a handful containing him, but if they can hold down the rest of the team, it'll be a down-to-the-wire game. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for that.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Lakers Come Up Empty in 4th Quarter in Loss to Grizzlies
Alright, welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies where the Lakers competed in the game, took it to the Grizzlies, but at the end, the Grizzlies' defense was a key difference as the Lakers had a chance to keep it close and regain the lead at times, but they couldn't as they fall to the Grizzlies 99-93.
First things first, if you read the recap of the Nuggets-Lakers game, there was a "questionable" denoted for this game. That's because I had a supposed evening dental appointment and I was unsure if I would make it home on time for the game, but I was able to cancel that appointment for another time not for this game, but for other undisclosed matters. Nonetheless, I was able to cover this game for you guys for the blog. Anyway, opportunity was knocking during that 4th quarter for the Lakers and they didn't want to answer and a lot of it had to do with too many missed shots, some shots were indeed ill-advised, but it's absolutely inexcusable for the Lakers to come up empty on nearly half of their offensive possessions for that quarter. Most of the possessions were indeed stopped by good
defense by Memphis, while others were just, you just want to put your head down in frustration.
The Positives
Ed Davis, 2 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks. The positives this game only came from the defensive side of the ball. Let's start with the rim protector off the bench, Ed Davis. Obviously, he was riled up for this game after playing with Grizzlies last year. The Grizzlies, known for their grit and grind style of defense didn't want to bring him back and he eventually signed with the Lakers. His stats may not impress most, but there's more than just offense. Davis did what we brought him in to do and that's protect the rim and grab rebounds and he did just that. 8 rebounds, 2 blocks came from one Grizzlies offensive possession, the other in the 2nd half that set up a Nick Young jump shot in transition. Defensively, Davis did what he was brought in to do.
Ronnie Price, 11 points, 5 assists, 5-8 shooting. As I said in the halftime post, Price is a pest. Not only was he the leading scorer off the bench, but he was another spark plug for the Lakers defensively. Even though the steal for a dunk in transition and a charge was all back in the 1st half, he was everywhere this game, D'ing up Mike Conley or executing the double team when needed.
The Negatives
Turnovers. Turnovers weren't a major factor until the 2nd half. Credit where it's due, the Grizzlies turned it up defensively and the Lakers couldn't anything going. They couldn't make the extra pass or give players open looks and it's all because how stingy and how quick the Grizzlies defense is. Turnovers are always a killer and they were one pitfall as to why the Lakers lost.
Missed opportunities. As I said before, the missed opportunities in the Lakers' offensive possession in the 4th was inexcusable. At one point, they were down 89-87, the Grizzlies couldn't get nothing on offense in one of those stretches and the Lakers had a chance to tie or take the lead and what happened? One missed shot after another and when the Lakers finally had it going, it was already too little too late as the Grizzlies were hitting their stride offensively to close this game out. Kobe tried to play hero ball, Lin tried to play hero ball, Nick Young also, our scorers didn't get nothing, nada and they let that opportunity slip away.
Conclusion
Well, looks like the Lakers are 2-3 since Nick Young returned to the lineup. I mean it was a competitive game don't get me wrong, the Lakers did everything in their power to take advantage of the Grizzlies grit and grind style of play by playing at a much higher pace than them, but the Grizzlies were able to make the necessary adjustments, there's an absolute reason why they're currently the best team in the West. Anyway, the Lakers remain home for the rest of the month against Minnesota and the best team in the East in the Raptors, then for the first week of December they go on a three game road trip like the one they had last week. Unfortunately none of those games will be nationally televised, the next game is not until Friday when the Lakers take on the Spurs in San Antonio. Anyway, I hope you guys have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I'll see you guys back on Sunday when the Raiders take on the Rams in St. Louis.
Another miscellaneous announcement, my collaboration with Stillmattic on his blog is just starting to take form. We started on Monday with our first matchup and tonight with the 2nd matchup. It's all-star battle between Video Game Female characters vs. Anime Female characters so hop onto his blog at bleachzealot.blogspot.com to come check out our recent collaboration.
11/26: LAKERS vs. Memphis Grizzlies Q-by-Q Reaction
Q4:
Score: MEM 99 LAL 93
Too many missed opportunities this quarter. The Lakers were down two at some point in this quarter and they couldn't capitalize on an offensive possession to either tie or take the lead and they just couldn't do either. Stay tuned for the full recap.
Q3:
Score: MEM 80 LAL 74
This where things start to get ugly for the Lakers. Credit where its due, the Grizzlies made some adjustments defensively and it's starting to work in their favor. The Lakers committed too many turnovers this quarter that allowed the Grizzlies to make a run and eventually capture the lead they hold onto now. Rebounding was also problem as Randolph was crashing the boards and being aggressive against Hill and Boozer.
Q2:
Score: MEM 46 LAL 51
Yet, another scary quarter. You expect that from the Grizzlies because gritting and grinding is the name of their game and they just grind it out until they put themselves back in the game. Luckily enough, the Lakers are mustering enough offense behind a very aggressive Jeremy Lin who is the first Laker in double figures this game. Onto the halftime report.
Q1:
Score: MEM 21 LAL 26
Well, that quarter wasn't so bad. At first, the Grizzlies were having their way, putting up easy shots in the paint and the Lakers couldn't get going, but Jeremy Lin wanted to get the offense going and he got it going. After the spark Lin gave, the Lakers fed on that and they shot a very good percentage against a gritty Grizzlies team. Down the stretch, it looked like the Grizzlies were going to tie it up with the run they're having, but Ronnie Price's and 1 pushed the Lakers lead by 5. Ed Davis had some good highlights too on defense with the 2 blocks.
LAKERS vs. Grizzlies Halftime Post
Score: MEM 46 LAL 51
Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Memphis Grizzlies where the Lakers have the lead 46-51 at the half.
The Positives
Jeremy Lin, 13 points, 4 assists, 4-6 shooting. No doubt the top performer of the game so far. Lin has had an up and down season for the Lakers, first he'll put up a performance like this and then next game he would put up a dud. But luckily, the good Lin has shown up against a tough Grizzlies team. When the offense couldn't get it going, Lin stepped it up, putting a few high percentage shots and he's being aggressive clamping down the defense and finding the open man. Lin has played a good game so far.
Jordan Hill, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4-8 shooting. Mr. All-Out Hustle will do his thing. Quite possibly his highlight of the night, a tough fadeaway over Marc Gasol. Keep in mind, Gasol played good defense against Hill and Hill just threw it up there and then it went in. Hill, despite the minimal numbers is playing a solid game, shooting the ball, posting up, and cleaning the boards.
Ronnie Price, 5 points, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block. Ronnie Price is a pest, enough said. He's not known for his offense, but what I like about him is that he'll stick on his man or he will read where the ball is going. Aside from Ed Davis' blocks, Price's play also sparks up the defense as he read the Grizzlies ball movement in one possession for the steal and the breakaway dunk and a few possessions later, he drew a charge and gave the ball back to the Lakers. Both Price and Davis brought the heat defensively off the bench, but Price mostly provided that spark.
The Negatives
Interior Defense. The Grizzlies were having it their way in the paint. Again, the Lakers are heavily undersized and the Grizzlies did a good job exploiting that with Gasol and Z-Bo's size. Luckily enough, the Lakers are shutting everything else down from the baseline jump shots to the three ball, but they are struggling defensively to keep the Grizzlies away from the paint.
Bottom Line
The Grizzlies like to play a slow tempo game and a way to counter that is to play at a high tempo and the Lakers are doing that at times with Lin assuming that mantle of being aggressive and turning up the offense. The Lakers need to keep doing just that and Lin has to keep up with the game he's currently playing right now.
Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Memphis Grizzlies where the Lakers have the lead 46-51 at the half.
The Positives
Jeremy Lin, 13 points, 4 assists, 4-6 shooting. No doubt the top performer of the game so far. Lin has had an up and down season for the Lakers, first he'll put up a performance like this and then next game he would put up a dud. But luckily, the good Lin has shown up against a tough Grizzlies team. When the offense couldn't get it going, Lin stepped it up, putting a few high percentage shots and he's being aggressive clamping down the defense and finding the open man. Lin has played a good game so far.
Jordan Hill, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4-8 shooting. Mr. All-Out Hustle will do his thing. Quite possibly his highlight of the night, a tough fadeaway over Marc Gasol. Keep in mind, Gasol played good defense against Hill and Hill just threw it up there and then it went in. Hill, despite the minimal numbers is playing a solid game, shooting the ball, posting up, and cleaning the boards.
Ronnie Price, 5 points, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block. Ronnie Price is a pest, enough said. He's not known for his offense, but what I like about him is that he'll stick on his man or he will read where the ball is going. Aside from Ed Davis' blocks, Price's play also sparks up the defense as he read the Grizzlies ball movement in one possession for the steal and the breakaway dunk and a few possessions later, he drew a charge and gave the ball back to the Lakers. Both Price and Davis brought the heat defensively off the bench, but Price mostly provided that spark.
The Negatives
Interior Defense. The Grizzlies were having it their way in the paint. Again, the Lakers are heavily undersized and the Grizzlies did a good job exploiting that with Gasol and Z-Bo's size. Luckily enough, the Lakers are shutting everything else down from the baseline jump shots to the three ball, but they are struggling defensively to keep the Grizzlies away from the paint.
Bottom Line
The Grizzlies like to play a slow tempo game and a way to counter that is to play at a high tempo and the Lakers are doing that at times with Lin assuming that mantle of being aggressive and turning up the offense. The Lakers need to keep doing just that and Lin has to keep up with the game he's currently playing right now.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Lakers End Home Finale With One Last Loss
Alright welcome in to the full recap and the final full recap of the 2013-14 regular season of the game between the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies where the Grizzlies, are still very much alive for the race for 8 as they beat the Lakers 102-90 and the Lakers end their last home game of the season with another loss.
It's only fitting that the Lakers would end their home finale after this season of turmoil with a loss. It's a disappointment for the Laker fans that there is nothing positive to take in after this home loss. While we can't lament on this, let's go straight to the whole positives, negatives, and conclusion, one final time for this season.
The Positives
Jodie Meeks, 20 points, 7-12 shooting. Meeks bounced back this game after a really ice cold shooting night on Friday against the Warriors. Like I said in my halftime post, I thought he made really good decisions regarding his shot selection. What more can I say, he's been the most consistent all-around player for the Lakers all-season, he deserves at least a mention for the Most Improved Player award, even though it's likely he won't win it. There are times this season, that Meeks frustrated us Laker fans with his shot selection and missing the high percentage shots, but I tip my hat to him this season because he was one of the lone bright spots of the season.
Wesley Johnson, 15 points, 15 rebounds. Like I said also in the halftime post, this is Wesley Johnson's final chances to prove he can make decent contributions for the Lakers down the stretch and he put up decent points and shot well and he was a rebounding machine this game getting every missed shot the Grizzlies have to offer.
Nick Young, 14 points, 5-12 shooting. Awesome 360 reverse layup highlight for Swaggy P. Nothing much to say for Nick Young, hopefully we keep him long term because at this point, there is no other destination where he wants to play.
The Negatives
Offensive rebounding. Huge disparity on the offensive rebounding numbers where the Grizzlies grabbed 16 offensive rebounds compared the Lakers' 5. Obviously you can credit the fault to lack of size on the Lakers' part, but the Grizzlies were out-hustling the Lakers fighting for the ball and that's why they are a tough and gritty team for other West teams to handle. There are times in the game, where the Lakers played good defense, but they couldn't finish that by boxing out and securing a rebound and that was difference maker this game.
3rd Quarter. This quarter is basically where the dagger was for the Lakers. The Grizzlies scored 34 points in the 3rd quarter compared to the Lakers' 17. It was a lackluster shooting display for the Lakers that quarter, really reminiscent of the Houston game when the Rockets dropped 49 in the 3rd. This was always the knack for the Lakers that they would keep games competitive, then either in the 2nd or 3rd quarter, they would let the teams turn it up and not put up much of a fight.
Conclusion
Overall, the Lakers competed as much as possible for this home finale. They pushed the tempo and tried to turn up the intensity, but the Grizzlies fought harder because this was must-win game for them. It would really suck for either Phoenix or Memphis gets eliminated because Phoenix, even though I give no sympathy to a division rival, they are a Cinderella story in the making this season and Jeff Hornacek did a masterful job in his first year as head coach. For Memphis, they let go of Lionel Hollins, Marc Gasol was injured for the 1st portion of the season, but when they're in, the West is gonna have to make a change of underwear because facing the Grizzlies in the 1st round makes teams crap their pants. But regardless, the West in the playoffs is going to be a blood bath, many interesting matchups unlike the East. Lakers go out to end their season on the road, it's going to be tough to grind it out in Utah and San Antonio. Anyway, last Q-by-Q, Halftime Post, and Full Recap for the Lakers' 2013-14 campaign, this ride has been full of turmoil, frustration, but I stick by my team no matter what. Thank you guys for following this season. After the Utah and San Antonio games, I will post my Season in Review and I won't see you guys until the NFL Draft and the NBA Finals.
By the way for any of you Raider and Laker fans that are also into video games, anime, particularly into Bleach and Final Fantasy, I am collabing with my best friend, Stillmattic on his renowned blog, http://bleachzealot.blogspot.com/. Currently, we are in progress of a Bleach Fantasy fight night mania from April-May pitting Final Fantasy characters (handpicked by me) and Bleach characters (handpicked by Stillmattic). Be sure to check our collaboration out, we've already started Friday with Uryu Ishida (Bleach) vs. Zack Fair (FF), so catch up on that if you like and we're gonna post again tomorrow night. I will be spending the rest of this month and next month with Stillmattic doing the Bleach Fantasy tournament. Alright guys, I'll see you later, I'm out.
04/13: LAKERS vs. Memphis Grizzlies Q-by-Q Reaction
Q4:
Score: MEM 102 LAL 90
Just another game where the Lakers look competitive, but they let the game slip away as the opposing team turns it up. Memphis is very much alive in the playoff hunt and they're dangerous as usual for the other 7 Western Conference teams. A bitter end for Laker fans on the last home game this season. Stay tuned for the full recap.
Q3:
Score: MEM 87 LAL 69
34-17, the official score of the 3rd quarter. Lakers are starting to let this game slip away right now. Credit to the Grizzlies for turning up their defense to work the tempo into their favor. Lucky enough a rally is still eligible because the Lakers are down 18.
Q2:
Score: MEM 53 LAL 52
All I can say is "aah" on that last play. Grizzlies made a good run, but a pretty game. Highlight of the night in this quarter, Nick Young's acrobatic 360 reverse layup. Whew, onto the halftime report.
Q1:
Score: MEM 23 LAL 27
On one side, you got a Grizzlies team that wants to play at a slow pace and the other, the Lakers play up tempo to run and the Lakers are working their style over this gritty Grizzlies team. Of course the Grizzlies are playing desperation ball to clinch a playoff spot and the Lakers are trying to end with something positive in their last home game. Good quarter for the Lakers so far.
LAKERS vs. Grizzlies Halftime Post
Score: MEM 53 LAL 52
Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the game between the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies where the Grizzlies gain a last minute one point lead on the Lakers heading into the half.
The Positives
Tempo. I can say the tempo in this game is working into the Lakers' favor. Yeah they're down by one because the Grizzlies are out-rebounding and hustling for the ball, but the Lakers have countered the Grizzlies' slow tempo very well with the run and gun and quick shoot. As the halftime report on NBA TV stats state, the Lakers have outscored the Grizzlies on the fast break 18-9.
Jodie Meeks 9 points, 4-5 shooting. Meeks' is the top performer in that first half. Good that Meeks is being a little more conscious with his shot, trying to make a good decision.
Wesley Johnson, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3-6 shooting. Audition season is winding down, so Wes has to step his game up to prove that he's worth keeping. He doesn't have to put up great numbers, just be efficient and Wes has done that on Friday and doing it again tonight.
Nick Young, 9 points, 3-8 shooting. He's not shooting well, but just because of that 360 reverse layup he made, he's a positive. Definitely that play is going to be on SportsCenter's Top 10.
The Negatives
Foul trouble. The Grizzlies hang around with their slow tempo and getting to the line. That's the only negative for the Lakers this game. Ryan Kelly has 3 quick personal fouls, the Lakers as a whole have 7 quick personal fouls.
Bottom Line
Short halftime post. The Lakers just have to keep this kind of effort up. Do it for the fans, this is the last home game of the season. Go out there, play, and get a victory. Enough said.
Alright welcome in to the halftime post of the game between the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies where the Grizzlies gain a last minute one point lead on the Lakers heading into the half.
The Positives
Tempo. I can say the tempo in this game is working into the Lakers' favor. Yeah they're down by one because the Grizzlies are out-rebounding and hustling for the ball, but the Lakers have countered the Grizzlies' slow tempo very well with the run and gun and quick shoot. As the halftime report on NBA TV stats state, the Lakers have outscored the Grizzlies on the fast break 18-9.
Jodie Meeks 9 points, 4-5 shooting. Meeks' is the top performer in that first half. Good that Meeks is being a little more conscious with his shot, trying to make a good decision.
Wesley Johnson, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3-6 shooting. Audition season is winding down, so Wes has to step his game up to prove that he's worth keeping. He doesn't have to put up great numbers, just be efficient and Wes has done that on Friday and doing it again tonight.
Nick Young, 9 points, 3-8 shooting. He's not shooting well, but just because of that 360 reverse layup he made, he's a positive. Definitely that play is going to be on SportsCenter's Top 10.
The Negatives
Foul trouble. The Grizzlies hang around with their slow tempo and getting to the line. That's the only negative for the Lakers this game. Ryan Kelly has 3 quick personal fouls, the Lakers as a whole have 7 quick personal fouls.
Bottom Line
Short halftime post. The Lakers just have to keep this kind of effort up. Do it for the fans, this is the last home game of the season. Go out there, play, and get a victory. Enough said.
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