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 New Orleans Pelicans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans Pelicans. Show all posts
Monday, March 2, 2020
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Lakers Weekly Roundup #10: Hot Start 2020
First Week:
1/1: vs. Phoenix 107-117 [W] (27-7)
1/3: vs. New Orleans 113-123 [W] (28-7)
1/5: vs. Detroit 99-106 [W] (29-7)
Second Week:
1/7: vs. New York 87-117 [W] (30-7)
1/10: @ Dallas 129-114 [W] (31-7)
1/11: @ Oklahoma City 125-110 [W] (32-7)
Oh my goodness, I have a lot of games to cover after pushing this for awhile now. I apologize for that. I am currently busy with some things. But first and foremost, belated Happy New Year to Laker Nation. I hope you all are off to a good start to 2020 as the Lakers are off to a good start this year. The LakeShow still managed to end 2019 on a high note despite a 5-game losing streak with wins over Portland and Dallas as recapped in Roundup #9. And they're carrying that over by going 6-0 so far, ringing in the New Year.
I watched highlights and most of the portions of the games of the Lakers' first two weeks and January and I figured for this week, I might as well condense these games instead of providing my quick thoughts on each individual game (thanks lazy me).
If we compare, the first week was a week of "unsatisfactory wins." The Lakers had three games against sub .500 teams. If we go back to that Phoenix game on NYD, that game should've been a wire-to-wire blowout. They outscored the Suns 17-43 in the first quarter, putting 74 total points at the half. They should put their foot on the gas and let LeBron and AD rest throughout the 4th. But nope, they let them back in the game before regaining control in the 4th. The same can be said for the games against the Pelicans and Pistons.
Against the Pelicans, it was a homecoming for Zo, B.I., and Josh Hart. There's no denying that they're good young players. They were just put in a bad situation on a team that expects championships out of the gate. Still, it was worth the trade for prime AD. AD burned the Pelicans again with 46 points. Danny Green went off for 25 points going 6-10 from deep. Still, LeBron and AD are not sitting out until about 1 minute left in the 4th when the game is well out of reach. Against the Pistons, the finish of the game had trap game written all over it. Detroit is lifeless team, yet Derrick Rose returned to MVP form with 28 points and almost singlehandedly carried the Pistons to victory. But, the Lakers prevailed with a block party hosted by Davis (8 blocks), JaVale McGee (6 blocks), and Dwight Howard (5 blocks). I should point out KCP and Avery Bradley sustained injuries this game, which explains the lack of production in the back court with the exception of 13 points from Caruso.
The 2nd week was a lot better. I won't go too deep into the Knicks game because honestly, the Knicks are a dumpster fire. It was embarrassing they swept the Lakers last season. But, the tables have turned this time around. The only notable story that game was AD's scary fall while he was going up for a dunk. Luckily, X-Rays came out negative and he's going to miss a few games with a bruised tailbone barring any setback. The back-to-back wins against Dallas and OKC were most impressive as they continued their dominance on the road. The Lakers took the season series against the Mavs. LeBron James went beast mode as a scorer and rebounder with 35 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists sans Anthony Davis. We tend to forget that LeBron can literally play all 5 positions. JaVale and Dwight were in foul trouble this game and that freed up the idea to play 'Bron at Center. Meanwhile, the defense did a good job keeping Luka in check for the first half. He made a meme out of himself, ripping part of his jersey off. The thing about the Mavericks is they live and die by the three and getting Doncic going is the key to that. Once he struggles, their offense fizzles out and that was the case on Friday. Yes, they didn't have Porzingis, but the Lakers didn't have AD. So that cancels out.
Against OKC, no 'Bron. No AD. No problem. Before this game, the Thunder have become the biggest surprise in this stretch of the season winning seven of their eight games and in the 7th seed in the West. This is all because Chris Paul has found the fountain of youth with his scoring and playmaking and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a scorer during for OKC. This game was expected to be tough for the Lakers without their top two stars. That's until Kyle Kuzma re-introduced himself. He must've heard the trade rumors for Bogdan Bogdanovic from Sacramento as he poured 36 points on the Thunder. However, this was a great team effort win. Rondo stepped up with a near triple-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. The bench had solid contributions from Quinn Cook (13 points), Dwight Howard (12 points), Troy Daniels (12 points), and Alex Caruso (11 points). You think the Lakers lack depth? Hold Rob Pelinka's contract extension and promotion to VP of Basketball Operations.
1/1: vs. Phoenix 107-117 [W] (27-7)
1/3: vs. New Orleans 113-123 [W] (28-7)
1/5: vs. Detroit 99-106 [W] (29-7)
Second Week:
1/7: vs. New York 87-117 [W] (30-7)
1/10: @ Dallas 129-114 [W] (31-7)
1/11: @ Oklahoma City 125-110 [W] (32-7)
Oh my goodness, I have a lot of games to cover after pushing this for awhile now. I apologize for that. I am currently busy with some things. But first and foremost, belated Happy New Year to Laker Nation. I hope you all are off to a good start to 2020 as the Lakers are off to a good start this year. The LakeShow still managed to end 2019 on a high note despite a 5-game losing streak with wins over Portland and Dallas as recapped in Roundup #9. And they're carrying that over by going 6-0 so far, ringing in the New Year.
I watched highlights and most of the portions of the games of the Lakers' first two weeks and January and I figured for this week, I might as well condense these games instead of providing my quick thoughts on each individual game (thanks lazy me).
If we compare, the first week was a week of "unsatisfactory wins." The Lakers had three games against sub .500 teams. If we go back to that Phoenix game on NYD, that game should've been a wire-to-wire blowout. They outscored the Suns 17-43 in the first quarter, putting 74 total points at the half. They should put their foot on the gas and let LeBron and AD rest throughout the 4th. But nope, they let them back in the game before regaining control in the 4th. The same can be said for the games against the Pelicans and Pistons.
Against the Pelicans, it was a homecoming for Zo, B.I., and Josh Hart. There's no denying that they're good young players. They were just put in a bad situation on a team that expects championships out of the gate. Still, it was worth the trade for prime AD. AD burned the Pelicans again with 46 points. Danny Green went off for 25 points going 6-10 from deep. Still, LeBron and AD are not sitting out until about 1 minute left in the 4th when the game is well out of reach. Against the Pistons, the finish of the game had trap game written all over it. Detroit is lifeless team, yet Derrick Rose returned to MVP form with 28 points and almost singlehandedly carried the Pistons to victory. But, the Lakers prevailed with a block party hosted by Davis (8 blocks), JaVale McGee (6 blocks), and Dwight Howard (5 blocks). I should point out KCP and Avery Bradley sustained injuries this game, which explains the lack of production in the back court with the exception of 13 points from Caruso.
The 2nd week was a lot better. I won't go too deep into the Knicks game because honestly, the Knicks are a dumpster fire. It was embarrassing they swept the Lakers last season. But, the tables have turned this time around. The only notable story that game was AD's scary fall while he was going up for a dunk. Luckily, X-Rays came out negative and he's going to miss a few games with a bruised tailbone barring any setback. The back-to-back wins against Dallas and OKC were most impressive as they continued their dominance on the road. The Lakers took the season series against the Mavs. LeBron James went beast mode as a scorer and rebounder with 35 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists sans Anthony Davis. We tend to forget that LeBron can literally play all 5 positions. JaVale and Dwight were in foul trouble this game and that freed up the idea to play 'Bron at Center. Meanwhile, the defense did a good job keeping Luka in check for the first half. He made a meme out of himself, ripping part of his jersey off. The thing about the Mavericks is they live and die by the three and getting Doncic going is the key to that. Once he struggles, their offense fizzles out and that was the case on Friday. Yes, they didn't have Porzingis, but the Lakers didn't have AD. So that cancels out.
Against OKC, no 'Bron. No AD. No problem. Before this game, the Thunder have become the biggest surprise in this stretch of the season winning seven of their eight games and in the 7th seed in the West. This is all because Chris Paul has found the fountain of youth with his scoring and playmaking and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a scorer during for OKC. This game was expected to be tough for the Lakers without their top two stars. That's until Kyle Kuzma re-introduced himself. He must've heard the trade rumors for Bogdan Bogdanovic from Sacramento as he poured 36 points on the Thunder. However, this was a great team effort win. Rondo stepped up with a near triple-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. The bench had solid contributions from Quinn Cook (13 points), Dwight Howard (12 points), Troy Daniels (12 points), and Alex Caruso (11 points). You think the Lakers lack depth? Hold Rob Pelinka's contract extension and promotion to VP of Basketball Operations.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup #6: 10 Wins...and One December 1 Loss
November has been very kind to the Lakers. Outside of the early loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Lakers have owned the month of November. One could say they've had a far easy schedule against struggling teams. But one thing's for sure, they are taking care of business against teams they're expected to beat. Heading into December, the Lakers will truly be tested against teams with better records. How they fare remains to be seen, but let's take a look at how they performed this week.
11/25: @ San Antonio 114-104 [W] (15-2)
All of LA had their attention on this as soon as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens wiped the floor clean over the Rams on Monday night. You always have to be weary when San Antonio will start flipping the switch. But when your recent win is against the Knicks and you're 6-12, it's not a great start. As for the Lakers, they're surviving this road trip with some heart stopping wins at OKC and at Memphis. Can we at least have a comfortable win here? This is just what the doctor ordered. Looking at the highlights, the Spurs and the Lakers were trading buckets with no team having a decisive lead. That's until the 4th quarter. The Spurs had no answer for LeBron's scoring and facilitating prowess. What's even more lethal? His three point shooting was on point in crunch time. This is especially considering that Anthony Davis had a pedestrian game, yet he still showed up when it mattered the most. The final stat line: LeBron James lead all Lakers with 33 points and 14 assists. As mentioned AD had an off night, but still finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Rondo, KCP, and Troy Daniels provided that extra scoring power. We already know KCP has played lights out since starting, but Rondo had the shooter's touch going 3-3 from beyond the arc. He was especially big at helping the Lakers balloon their lead. The Spurs still fought valiantly as DeMar DeRozan continued to battle. During that fourth quarter, the Spurs were not going away as long as he's getting buckets. But my goodness, work on a 3-point shot man. Maybe your team will have a greater chance making this game close if you can just hit a crucial three.
11/27: @ New Orleans 114-110 [W] (16-2)
11/25: @ San Antonio 114-104 [W] (15-2)
All of LA had their attention on this as soon as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens wiped the floor clean over the Rams on Monday night. You always have to be weary when San Antonio will start flipping the switch. But when your recent win is against the Knicks and you're 6-12, it's not a great start. As for the Lakers, they're surviving this road trip with some heart stopping wins at OKC and at Memphis. Can we at least have a comfortable win here? This is just what the doctor ordered. Looking at the highlights, the Spurs and the Lakers were trading buckets with no team having a decisive lead. That's until the 4th quarter. The Spurs had no answer for LeBron's scoring and facilitating prowess. What's even more lethal? His three point shooting was on point in crunch time. This is especially considering that Anthony Davis had a pedestrian game, yet he still showed up when it mattered the most. The final stat line: LeBron James lead all Lakers with 33 points and 14 assists. As mentioned AD had an off night, but still finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Rondo, KCP, and Troy Daniels provided that extra scoring power. We already know KCP has played lights out since starting, but Rondo had the shooter's touch going 3-3 from beyond the arc. He was especially big at helping the Lakers balloon their lead. The Spurs still fought valiantly as DeMar DeRozan continued to battle. During that fourth quarter, the Spurs were not going away as long as he's getting buckets. But my goodness, work on a 3-point shot man. Maybe your team will have a greater chance making this game close if you can just hit a crucial three.
11/27: @ New Orleans 114-110 [W] (16-2)
This is the most anticipated game on the schedule. Anthony Davis returns back to New Orleans to face off against his former team. With this, we are expecting a heavy rain of boos drenching on AD whenever he touches the ball. That's what transpired predictably. This wasn't just a return game for AD, but a revenge game for Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball. B.I. was 100% full go for this. Hart didn't miss one. And Lonzo? Nowhere in sight. Maybe he chickened out again, but his official prognosis was that he didn't play due to illness. Things got off to a rocky start this game for the Lakers. After a 10-8 lead, New Orleans fired on all cylinders from three. I gotta give credit to the Pels. They showed up this game ready to play. They were physical. They stretched the floor. Josh Hart nearly head hunted LeBron and AD. In that 2nd quarter, 'Bron bumped knees with Hart. And by the end of the third, gave AD a sore elbow. I'm not implying that Josh Hart is a dirty player. He wasn't notorious for that in his tenure with the purple and gold. But no question he was the common denominator when both the Lakers' star players had to briefly exit the game.
The lead looked insurmountable for the Lakers to overcome. Davis overcame a slow start, but he wasn't getting too much help elsewhere. LeBron looked pedestrian in the first three quarters, missing free throws to make matters worse. Kuz was reluctant to take any shots. KCP, Rondo, Green, and JaVale looked awful. Out of the supporting cast, Dwight Howard looked sharp out of the gate. He was solid after laying a goose egg in San Antonio. Caruso was consistent as usual with his defense despite the lack of stats. Let's roll back to LeBron and Kuzma because when AD had to get off, they came alive down the stretch. Kuzma got in rhythm from. LeBron took over when it mattered the most. AD still finished the game and stuck it to New Orleans with free throws and a clutch steal over B.I. This game turned incredible at the end with the Lakers' resiliency and will to finish strong and that has been their MO all season long. A fitting end to what was a four-game road roller coaster!
11/29: vs. Washington 103-125 [W] (17-2)
The Washington Wizards may have a losing record to start, but they're one of the highest scoring offenses in the league thus far. The Lakers were down 9-0 to start this game to the Wizards. After that, it felt like a millennia that they shut out the Lakers early on. I could throw out a joke that the Lakers were spotting them points before they put the pedal to the medal. They did look sluggish and discombobulated on offense. But, that's exactly what they did. After that start, the Lakers outscored them 29-4, eventually ballooning the lead to 39 points at one point. LeBron James and Anthony Davis did their usual things as the purple and gold's dynamic duo, combining for 49 points. But, it was the rest of the supporting cast that stepped up. Rondo shooting the three ball well contributed to the Lakers storming back and keeping the lead for the rest of the game. Danny Green found the stroke from deep. JaVale McGee joined LeBron and AD in the double-double category with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Quinn Cook did some mop up duty and got hot in the 4th quarter. The defense held Bradley Beal to 18 points. This was a much-needed team-dominant win for the Lakers after pulling out close ones in the last few games. With this start, I feel like a teenager again with these Lakers stacking up wins and dominating teams they should beat. At 17-2, this is their best start 2008-09 if I'm reading the stats correctly. They were near perfect for the month of November with their only loss to Toronto back on the 10th. Now things get testy as the LakeShow puts their best record on the line against a daunting December stretch.
12/01: vs. Dallas 114-100 [L] (17-3)
I did say this December will be a daunting month for the LakeShow. Last meeting, the Lakers grinded it out with an OT win over the Mavs. Don't think the Mavs have forgotten that leading into these game. My head and neck area did some exercises rotating between this game and the Raiders' sh*tshow vs. the Chiefs. The Lakers had momentum at the first half. But, it all fizzled away from the Mavs' hot shooting in the third quarter. The Mavs outscored them 35-17. Not only were they draining 3's, but they were getting 2nd chance opportunities off the boards. AD, JaVale, and Dwight ought to be embarrassed by not boxing out with their size. They got outhustled every step of the way. The Lakers missed some shots with some pretty questionable shot selection. It was very uncharacteristic. LeBron turned the ball over 6 times and missed all 5 of his 3-point attempts. Despite the 25, 9, and, 8 effort, that certainly leaves a blemish. Outside of LeBron and AD, the team didn't have much help besides Caruso. Caruso did give the Lakers a spark when he hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead 87-75 in the third. Other than that, the 2nd half was all Mavs. You gotta give some MVP mention to Luka Doncic. It's a little early, but the dude has been nothing short of special in his sophomore year for Dallas.
*Next week, I will not be posting a Weekly Roundup. I mentioned this in my reaction to the Raiders' loss to the Chiefs. This semester is closing up fast and I have a daunting final paper (currently in progress) staring me in the face. I'll see you guys the week after.*
11/29: vs. Washington 103-125 [W] (17-2)
The Washington Wizards may have a losing record to start, but they're one of the highest scoring offenses in the league thus far. The Lakers were down 9-0 to start this game to the Wizards. After that, it felt like a millennia that they shut out the Lakers early on. I could throw out a joke that the Lakers were spotting them points before they put the pedal to the medal. They did look sluggish and discombobulated on offense. But, that's exactly what they did. After that start, the Lakers outscored them 29-4, eventually ballooning the lead to 39 points at one point. LeBron James and Anthony Davis did their usual things as the purple and gold's dynamic duo, combining for 49 points. But, it was the rest of the supporting cast that stepped up. Rondo shooting the three ball well contributed to the Lakers storming back and keeping the lead for the rest of the game. Danny Green found the stroke from deep. JaVale McGee joined LeBron and AD in the double-double category with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Quinn Cook did some mop up duty and got hot in the 4th quarter. The defense held Bradley Beal to 18 points. This was a much-needed team-dominant win for the Lakers after pulling out close ones in the last few games. With this start, I feel like a teenager again with these Lakers stacking up wins and dominating teams they should beat. At 17-2, this is their best start 2008-09 if I'm reading the stats correctly. They were near perfect for the month of November with their only loss to Toronto back on the 10th. Now things get testy as the LakeShow puts their best record on the line against a daunting December stretch.
12/01: vs. Dallas 114-100 [L] (17-3)
I did say this December will be a daunting month for the LakeShow. Last meeting, the Lakers grinded it out with an OT win over the Mavs. Don't think the Mavs have forgotten that leading into these game. My head and neck area did some exercises rotating between this game and the Raiders' sh*tshow vs. the Chiefs. The Lakers had momentum at the first half. But, it all fizzled away from the Mavs' hot shooting in the third quarter. The Mavs outscored them 35-17. Not only were they draining 3's, but they were getting 2nd chance opportunities off the boards. AD, JaVale, and Dwight ought to be embarrassed by not boxing out with their size. They got outhustled every step of the way. The Lakers missed some shots with some pretty questionable shot selection. It was very uncharacteristic. LeBron turned the ball over 6 times and missed all 5 of his 3-point attempts. Despite the 25, 9, and, 8 effort, that certainly leaves a blemish. Outside of LeBron and AD, the team didn't have much help besides Caruso. Caruso did give the Lakers a spark when he hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead 87-75 in the third. Other than that, the 2nd half was all Mavs. You gotta give some MVP mention to Luka Doncic. It's a little early, but the dude has been nothing short of special in his sophomore year for Dallas.
*Next week, I will not be posting a Weekly Roundup. I mentioned this in my reaction to the Raiders' loss to the Chiefs. This semester is closing up fast and I have a daunting final paper (currently in progress) staring me in the face. I'll see you guys the week after.*
Monday, April 1, 2019
Lakers Weekly Roundup (03/31): Oh, Now They Start Winning?
*Some NSFW language*
A few more games after this week remain. It's a time where good teams start resting their star players sitting comfortably in their playoff spots and where bad teams start picking up G-League players to showcase their potential in making the team. The Lakers have long been eliminated from the playoffs, but they still play on as the NBA demands it. It was a March to forget about as the Lakers took so many L's that they doomed their playoffs hopes. Now ever since they were eliminated, they started playing better. Let's be honest here, they played against teams that are tanking or have no shot at the playoffs whatsoever this week. As they pile up meaningless W's, they are on pace to break their win total from last year, despite finishing under .500 yet again, which is a big disappointment considering they went from 26 wins to 35 wins in Luke Walton's first two years as Head Coach. And more likely than not, he's fired by season's end. Let's get to the bottom of this week's Lakers Weekly Roundup.
03/26: vs. Washington 106-124 [W] (33-41)
You know? Games like this makes me wish that the NBA had an option to flex out games that are not worthy for national television. Kinda like what the NFL does. I mean, nobody wants to see two NFL teams with losing records headlining a Sunday Night game. It's understandable why this was nationally televised from the get-go. The Wizards were projected to be playoff team this year and LeBron James has made the Lakers relevant again and must-see TV. Now, these are two teams out of the playoff hunt and riddled with injuries. This game was easy pickings for the Lakers when Washington's only offense this game came out of Bradley Beal, who's on an all-around tear these last few games. Beal had 32 points this game, but the Lakers beat the John Wall-less Wizards on an all-around team win. Ironic to say considering they tried to tear this locker room apart. But, it was all fun and games here. Lance Stephenson had the highlight of the night this game crossing up Jeff Green and making the Laker bench and Staples Center lose their minds. Even though Green clearly stepped on Lance's foot and slipped. With the game well out of reach, the Lakers debut their recent G-League tryout, Scott Machado, signed to a 10-day deal.
03/27: @ Utah 100-115 [L] (33-42)
Back-to-back set, so no LeBron here. The Lakers were bound to lose this game. It's always a hostile crowd in Salt Lake City. With the Lakers having nothing to play for, the Jazz were well within reach of a playoff berth if they win this game. The Jazz took care of business behind a stellar game from Joe Ingles. John Stockton was reincarnated as an Aussie this game as Ingles carved up the Lakers with his passing, racking 14 assists and making Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors look good. Congrats Jazz, you've clinched a playoff berth. Nothing more to say here.
03/29: vs. Charlotte 115-129 [W] (34-42)
Hornets fans, you have to implore his Airness to give Kemba Walker some help. The guy does so much for this team, but he's surrounded by a shit supporting cast. Lucky for the Hornets, they play in the East and their playoff hopes are still faintly alive. But, the Lakers dampen those playoff hopes a bit with this win as LeBron continues his shutout in head-to-head matchups against Kemba. I just found out that he has a 28-0 record all-time against him. That should be good enough for LeBron. Now, let's shut him down for the rest of the season.
03/31 @ New Orleans 130-102 [W] (35-42)
Following up from the last post, the Lakers announced prior to this game that LeBron James will not play the rest of the season. I'd say it's a wise move. The guy has a lot mileage with 8 straight finals appearances and he hasn't been 100% since the groin injury in December. The playoffs are well out of reach, so there's no reason to push him to play out the remainder of the season.
Now that's that, time to give the Pelicans another beating for helping sabotage the Lakers' chemistry. Funny enough, the Pelicans listed Anthony Davis as probable for this game, then they ruled him out at the last minute. Honestly, who'd be stupid enough to play their disgruntled star player at this point of the season? To smite the team that tried to trade for him? Okay. Activate Alex Caruso's bald spot! Before we get into that, this was a revenge game for Rondo against his former team and he showed out with 24 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals. McGee also contributed with 23 points and 16 rebounds. But, it was the brilliant shooting of Alex Caruso and Reggie Bullock off the bench this game to help blow the Pelicans. Caruso lead the bench with 23 points to go along with 6 assists and 4 steals. He's been nothing short of solid when given the opportunity to go off the bench. But, we gotta give credit to the Laker defense in the 2nd half to spring the hot shooting. I was checking the plays on the Yahoo Sports app and they forced the Pelicans to turn the ball over like crazy to ignite the rout. Well, I'd say this probably the Lakers' last easy W this season. They got five more games against playoff contenders in the West (Golden State, Portland, OKC, Utah, Clippers). They'd be lucky to catch some of those teams resting players. Probably the team that won't likely rest players are the Warriors as they are neck-and-neck with the Nuggets for the #1 seed in the West. I probably won't be doing weekly roundups the rest of the way. I'll be heading straight for the annual Season-in-Review post. Anyway, here's to a strong finish to the season!
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.
Friday, March 23, 2018
Lakers Succumb to Late Pelicans Rally
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
Julius Randle racked up a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers' top performer in the game, but the Lakers couldn't stop a late surge from the Pelicans behind Anthony Davis' 33 point performance, losing 125-128. KCP was the team's leading scorer with 28 points. Brook Lopez racked up 23 points and 6 boards and Kyle Kuzma notched 22 points to go with 5 rebounds to round out the starters. I.T. lead the 2nd unit scoring with 15 points.
Final Score: @ New Orleans 125-128 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180322/LALNOP#/recap
Next Game: @ Memphis (03/24)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Remembered when I said that this current Laker team is not built for shootout games when they loss to the Mavs last month? That still holds true. Don't get me wrong, they almost pulled it out, but surrendering 128 pints is frustrating. The time they were up by double figures, by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, that should've been the time the Lakers should put the clamps on defensively. Some positives in this game first, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went off from deep. He was off to a really good start in the first quarter and finished strong to end the game despite the losing effort. In the final seconds of the game, Luke Walton drew up a play for KCP to get open and hit a potential game-tying three. But, the Pelicans were well-prepared for that to force a pass from KCP. The defense was not the only problem of the game. Should I throw it out there? I should. Lonzo Ball shot 1-12 from beyond the arc. Despite grabbing 13 rebounds and 9 assists, he only made one three. Based on Luke's comments, most of the looks that Zo was getting were high-percentage looks. The problem is, his shot kept clanking off the rim. Overall, Zo shot 2-15 from the field. He only took three shots from inside. What happened to more slashing at the rim? Obviously, he got blocked by AD when he tried to take it to the rim? But who hasn't been blocked by AD? I saw on the highlights Isaiah Thomas did the same thing when going up against AD. Here's the difference, I.T. bumped into AD to give him some space for the layup and prevent him from blocking the shot. Definitely, the point of emphasis for Zo this offseason is scoring, working on that shot and knowing when to take it strong to the basket when the shot is not falling. The rebounding, passing, and defense is there already. Other than that, this loss just paints a recurring picture that the Lakers can't play with the lead, especially on the road. Not to mention, they really miss Ingram to be that closer. They really need him back if they want to get back on track and make a strong finish by season's end.
Julius Randle racked up a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers' top performer in the game, but the Lakers couldn't stop a late surge from the Pelicans behind Anthony Davis' 33 point performance, losing 125-128. KCP was the team's leading scorer with 28 points. Brook Lopez racked up 23 points and 6 boards and Kyle Kuzma notched 22 points to go with 5 rebounds to round out the starters. I.T. lead the 2nd unit scoring with 15 points.
Final Score: @ New Orleans 125-128 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180322/LALNOP#/recap
Next Game: @ Memphis (03/24)
Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Remembered when I said that this current Laker team is not built for shootout games when they loss to the Mavs last month? That still holds true. Don't get me wrong, they almost pulled it out, but surrendering 128 pints is frustrating. The time they were up by double figures, by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, that should've been the time the Lakers should put the clamps on defensively. Some positives in this game first, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went off from deep. He was off to a really good start in the first quarter and finished strong to end the game despite the losing effort. In the final seconds of the game, Luke Walton drew up a play for KCP to get open and hit a potential game-tying three. But, the Pelicans were well-prepared for that to force a pass from KCP. The defense was not the only problem of the game. Should I throw it out there? I should. Lonzo Ball shot 1-12 from beyond the arc. Despite grabbing 13 rebounds and 9 assists, he only made one three. Based on Luke's comments, most of the looks that Zo was getting were high-percentage looks. The problem is, his shot kept clanking off the rim. Overall, Zo shot 2-15 from the field. He only took three shots from inside. What happened to more slashing at the rim? Obviously, he got blocked by AD when he tried to take it to the rim? But who hasn't been blocked by AD? I saw on the highlights Isaiah Thomas did the same thing when going up against AD. Here's the difference, I.T. bumped into AD to give him some space for the layup and prevent him from blocking the shot. Definitely, the point of emphasis for Zo this offseason is scoring, working on that shot and knowing when to take it strong to the basket when the shot is not falling. The rebounding, passing, and defense is there already. Other than that, this loss just paints a recurring picture that the Lakers can't play with the lead, especially on the road. Not to mention, they really miss Ingram to be that closer. They really need him back if they want to get back on track and make a strong finish by season's end.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Lakers Drop 4-Game Road Trip Opener vs. Pacers
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*
Brook Lopez was the Lakers' top performer with 23 points and 8 rebounds to go with 3 assists and 2 blocks, but could not pull it out as they fall to the Pacers 100-110 to open up their 4-game road trip. Kyle Kuzma lead all starters in scoring with 27 points to go with 8 rebounds, Julius Randle racked up 21 points and 9 rebounds, and KCP added 12 points and 7 rebounds. I.T. lead the 2nd unit in scoring with 11 points.
Final Score: @ Indiana 100-110 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180319/LALIND#/recap
Next Game: @ New Orleans (03/22)
Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Classic example of a game starting with a bang and ending with a dud. The Lakers had a really good first quarter, capping it off with an 8 point lead. The game got even during the 2nd quarter and then, the Pacers just pulled away late in the third quarter. The starting front court was the big plus with Lopez, Randle, and Kuzma putting up 20+ points each. The problem was, they couldn't stop the back court of Oladipo and Collison. Based on the full article, they wrecked the Laker defense by driving and setting teammates up for high percentage shots. Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young were the beneficiaries on that. It also didn't help that the bench got outscored 13-30. Lance Stephenson lead the way for the Pacers bench with 16 points and he was also key for Indiana pulling away throughout the rest of the game. The Laker back court as a whole struggled again with I.T., Zo, and KCP having off nights shooting the ball. Zo in particular continues to crash back down to earth as a scorer. That'll be the biggest emphasis of improvement Zo has to focus on in the offseason. The Lakers are back to a losing skid again. That's been a recurring theme this season. The Lakers will compile together a winning streak. And then some time later, they will skid off with a losing streak. The Lakers faced their longest skid when they rode a 9-game losing streak prior to the New Year. The last thing the Lakers need is an underwhelming finish to an improving season. They really need Ingram back to settle things down before it gets ugly.
Brook Lopez was the Lakers' top performer with 23 points and 8 rebounds to go with 3 assists and 2 blocks, but could not pull it out as they fall to the Pacers 100-110 to open up their 4-game road trip. Kyle Kuzma lead all starters in scoring with 27 points to go with 8 rebounds, Julius Randle racked up 21 points and 9 rebounds, and KCP added 12 points and 7 rebounds. I.T. lead the 2nd unit in scoring with 11 points.
Final Score: @ Indiana 100-110 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180319/LALIND#/recap
Next Game: @ New Orleans (03/22)
Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*
Classic example of a game starting with a bang and ending with a dud. The Lakers had a really good first quarter, capping it off with an 8 point lead. The game got even during the 2nd quarter and then, the Pacers just pulled away late in the third quarter. The starting front court was the big plus with Lopez, Randle, and Kuzma putting up 20+ points each. The problem was, they couldn't stop the back court of Oladipo and Collison. Based on the full article, they wrecked the Laker defense by driving and setting teammates up for high percentage shots. Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young were the beneficiaries on that. It also didn't help that the bench got outscored 13-30. Lance Stephenson lead the way for the Pacers bench with 16 points and he was also key for Indiana pulling away throughout the rest of the game. The Laker back court as a whole struggled again with I.T., Zo, and KCP having off nights shooting the ball. Zo in particular continues to crash back down to earth as a scorer. That'll be the biggest emphasis of improvement Zo has to focus on in the offseason. The Lakers are back to a losing skid again. That's been a recurring theme this season. The Lakers will compile together a winning streak. And then some time later, they will skid off with a losing streak. The Lakers faced their longest skid when they rode a 9-game losing streak prior to the New Year. The last thing the Lakers need is an underwhelming finish to an improving season. They really need Ingram back to settle things down before it gets ugly.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Lakers Round Up Commentary: @ New Orleans; @ Minnesota + Post All-Star Adjustments
The NBA is back at it again after a fun All-Star break. Obviously, I called it a week when the Lakers still had two road games before the All-Star weekend. I already provided my quick commentary on the Dallas game as the Lakers opened up this three game road trip prior to the All-Star break. Now, I'll give my two cents on the last two games and bonus thoughts on what the Lakers need to do to get back on track for the 2nd half of the season.
02/14 - Final Score: @ New Orleans 117-139 [L]
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
The big highlight of the game was Isaiah Thomas' fight with Rajon Rondo. Both players got ejected this game. Not that it affected the outcome. The Pelicans got off to a very fast start. They didn't run away the whole game. The Lakers cut the deficit to as little as two points. Randle, Ingram, Kuzma, and Hart carried the team scoring-wise as all four were in double figures. Kuzma really had to pick up the load for the 2nd unit, especially without I.T. with 23 points. But, they really had no answer for Anthony Davis down low. This was one ugly road loss this season.
02/15 - Final Score: @ Minnesota 111-119 [L]
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
The Lakers almost had this game as the first win with I.T. on the floor. The biggest positive was the chemistry between I.T. and Ivica Zubac. They really developed a very effective rapport in pick-and-roll during this game. Zubac resurrected himself here with 18 points and 11 rebounds on perfect 8-8 shooting. No question he should see the floor more. The Timberwolves, they have a promising teams with seasoned veterans. And that showed down the stretch in this game. Wiggins and KAT didn't have to pick up the load. Rather, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague, and Jamal Crawford carried the Timberwolves to victory here. Butler, in particular, was sensational on both ends of the floor in that quarter. That ultimately spelled the Lakers' demise before the All-Star break.
After the All-Star Break
The Lakers get a big time boost with Lonzo Ball returning to the lineup. It's a heated debate between Zo and I.T. in terms of the starting point guard role. Some say they should start alongside each other. I don't see how that would work, especially at the idea of I.T. at the 2 guard or Zo at the 2 guard (which doesn't make any sense). It should be clear as day with Zo in the starting lineup and I.T. coming off the bench to give the Lakers more firepower. Zo's return should also benefit the Lakers defensively. The team defense has been out of the loop during this three game losing streak. The Lakers have to recommit on the defensive end to set up the fast pace play in the Lakers' favor. I think after Zubac's game, Luke Walton must consider adding him to the rotation. They're playing a two-man rotation at the 5 with Brook and Randle. The small ball lineup works, but like the Dallas game, coaches will counter with a big-sized lineup to slow down the Lakers' small ball play. I'd say the same should be said for including Thomas Bryant in the rotation. Use those guys to counter if teams send out a bigger lineup. Josh Hart likely going back to the bench with Zo returning could do wonders to mask I.T.'s defensive weaknesses as they'll be the back court for the 2nd unit. A playoff push for the 2nd half is still not out of the picture, but the Lakers have to get back to the basics to make that a reality: playing tough team defense and playing fast and aggressive. It all hinges on Luke as a head coach to push the right buttons at the right time. The Lakers resume tomorrow against Dallas. I was supposed to cover that game after the break, but something else has popped up and I won't be covering the game unfortunately. Speaking of Dallas, the Mavs in a massive ditch with the sexual harassment in the workplace allegations. Mark Cuban's got his work cut out to clean up that deep of a mess. I'll see you guys later.
02/14 - Final Score: @ New Orleans 117-139 [L]
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
The big highlight of the game was Isaiah Thomas' fight with Rajon Rondo. Both players got ejected this game. Not that it affected the outcome. The Pelicans got off to a very fast start. They didn't run away the whole game. The Lakers cut the deficit to as little as two points. Randle, Ingram, Kuzma, and Hart carried the team scoring-wise as all four were in double figures. Kuzma really had to pick up the load for the 2nd unit, especially without I.T. with 23 points. But, they really had no answer for Anthony Davis down low. This was one ugly road loss this season.
02/15 - Final Score: @ Minnesota 111-119 [L]
Highlights: *Courtesy of Ximo Pierto*
The Lakers almost had this game as the first win with I.T. on the floor. The biggest positive was the chemistry between I.T. and Ivica Zubac. They really developed a very effective rapport in pick-and-roll during this game. Zubac resurrected himself here with 18 points and 11 rebounds on perfect 8-8 shooting. No question he should see the floor more. The Timberwolves, they have a promising teams with seasoned veterans. And that showed down the stretch in this game. Wiggins and KAT didn't have to pick up the load. Rather, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Jeff Teague, and Jamal Crawford carried the Timberwolves to victory here. Butler, in particular, was sensational on both ends of the floor in that quarter. That ultimately spelled the Lakers' demise before the All-Star break.
After the All-Star Break
The Lakers get a big time boost with Lonzo Ball returning to the lineup. It's a heated debate between Zo and I.T. in terms of the starting point guard role. Some say they should start alongside each other. I don't see how that would work, especially at the idea of I.T. at the 2 guard or Zo at the 2 guard (which doesn't make any sense). It should be clear as day with Zo in the starting lineup and I.T. coming off the bench to give the Lakers more firepower. Zo's return should also benefit the Lakers defensively. The team defense has been out of the loop during this three game losing streak. The Lakers have to recommit on the defensive end to set up the fast pace play in the Lakers' favor. I think after Zubac's game, Luke Walton must consider adding him to the rotation. They're playing a two-man rotation at the 5 with Brook and Randle. The small ball lineup works, but like the Dallas game, coaches will counter with a big-sized lineup to slow down the Lakers' small ball play. I'd say the same should be said for including Thomas Bryant in the rotation. Use those guys to counter if teams send out a bigger lineup. Josh Hart likely going back to the bench with Zo returning could do wonders to mask I.T.'s defensive weaknesses as they'll be the back court for the 2nd unit. A playoff push for the 2nd half is still not out of the picture, but the Lakers have to get back to the basics to make that a reality: playing tough team defense and playing fast and aggressive. It all hinges on Luke as a head coach to push the right buttons at the right time. The Lakers resume tomorrow against Dallas. I was supposed to cover that game after the break, but something else has popped up and I won't be covering the game unfortunately. Speaking of Dallas, the Mavs in a massive ditch with the sexual harassment in the workplace allegations. Mark Cuban's got his work cut out to clean up that deep of a mess. I'll see you guys later.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Lakers Couldn't Maintain Run vs. Pelicans
*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*
Jordan Clarkson lead all Lakers in scoring with 24 points off the bench to go with 5 assists and key player on the Lakers' run late 2nd half. But, they couldn't maintain the momentum, let alone stop the twin tower duo of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis as the Lakers fall to the Pelicans 119-112. Kyle Kuzma added 20 points off the bench and Julius Randle added 11 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returned from a 2-game suspension and poured in 20 points and was the only starter in double figures in points. Lonzo Ball added a near triple-double with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists.
Final Score: vs. New Orleans 119-112 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171022/NOPLAL#/recap
Next Game: vs. Washington (10/25) <-- b="">Open Thread and Full Recap Posts
Highlights: *courtesy of MLG Highlights*
Jordan Clarkson lead all Lakers in scoring with 24 points off the bench to go with 5 assists and key player on the Lakers' run late 2nd half. But, they couldn't maintain the momentum, let alone stop the twin tower duo of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis as the Lakers fall to the Pelicans 119-112. Kyle Kuzma added 20 points off the bench and Julius Randle added 11 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returned from a 2-game suspension and poured in 20 points and was the only starter in double figures in points. Lonzo Ball added a near triple-double with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists.
Final Score: vs. New Orleans 119-112 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171022/NOPLAL#/recap
Next Game: vs. Washington (10/25) <-- b="">Open Thread and Full Recap Posts
Highlights: *courtesy of MLG Highlights*
The Pelicans were in complete control of last night's game, almost leading the Lakers' as much as almost 20 points. But as mentioned, Clarkson and Kuzma were the main instigators in the Lakers' late run. Three things that highlighted the start of the Lakers' rally were Clarkson's 4-point play, Kuzma's three-pointer with .05 seconds left, and the waived basket from E'twaun Moore after Kuzma's clutch three. Moore made the halfcourt basket, but clearly, the ball was still in his hands. Clarkson pretty much did all his damage in the fourth quarter, both scoring and facilitating the basketball. Kuzma too. He's slowly creeping up his point total after a rough start to the season vs. the Clippers. Julius Randle is finally showing some signs of life. I liked the activity I saw from him last night, especially in screen and roll situations with Clarkson and Ball. KCP, had a nice debut. His shooting stroke was on point last night and he had a nice defensive highlight with a monster block down the stretch in the 4th quarter. Knowing how he played in Detroit, we know he's not gonna give 20+ points, high field goal percentage, or neither night in and night out, but he was impressive regardless in his first game as a Laker. Last night were quiet games for Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. Ball still made noise though. The one important he was doing last night is that he was continuing to be aggressive in attacking the basketball. It's just that he was doing what he was brought in to do, get teammates involved, hence the 13 assists. One of Ball's question marks was that he didn't run a lot of pick and roll plays in UCLA. He's picking up that facet of the game really quickly and showed with Brook Lopez and Julius Randle. Ingram, definitely had a quiet game, but he was in foul trouble (again). I think what Ingram needs to stick to right now is attacking the basket and draw contact. Last year, he showed promise on that facet of his game and in the Phoenix game Friday night. Attacking the basket is, as of now, Brandon Ingram's biggest strength in his game. Clearly, his ceiling has not scratched the surface yet. Many are quick to jump the gun and asking for Kuzma to start over B.I. or Magic to trade him. In other news, clearly, the defense needs work. Giving up 100+ points in the first three games surely is not sitting well with Luke Walton. Luke really needs to put the hammer down and place more emphasis on the defensive end. Then again, it's part of the growing process for a rebuilding team. I'll see everyone on Wednesday night. Lonzo Ball and John Wall should be a fun point guard battle to watch as the Lakers take on the Wizards.
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