Thunderstruck: OKC Routs Lakers

Final Score: OKC 105 LAL 86 [L] (51-16)

I'm just going to run through this game really quickly. The Thunder stormed on the Lakers this game and never looked back in a wire-to-wire 105-86 game.

I didn't pay too much attention to the game. At this point, the Lakers had nothing to play for after clinching the #1 seed in the West. They can throw in the rest of the seeding games. But, they were flat tonight. Only three players were in double figures. Too many fouls. They shot 5-30 from three point land. I'm not worried about this loss. But, the effort was brutal on both ends of the floor. OKC easily dictated the pace of the game. They didn't allow the Lakers to run the floor to get the offense going. They were the more physical team and a team with a bigger sense of urgency for playoff positioning.

Overall, not much to say. Lakers have nothing to lose at this point. But, this should be a time to "sharpen the blade" a bit come playoff time. Teams had a long layoff before the restart and we're seeing some players take a long time trying to find their rhythm back. Teams shouldn't completely go on cruise control. This doesn't mean asking for wins, but we need to see signs of readiness as we draw closer to the postseason. We can hope for a better effort tomorrow against the Rockets. You can bet the Lakers will likely see them again in the 2nd round. I'll see you guys again tomorrow.

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.

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.

Lakers Weekly Roundup (01/20): Drama and Heartbreak

*Some NSFW language*

What a week it was after the Lakers had a tough loss against the lowly Cavaliers. Since that game though, they managed to regroup and string together some competitive games against teams that are far beyond their status. With playoff implication on the line, it was clear that the Lakers needed to play with more urgency, especially since LeBron James' status is still up in the air. Though, Laker Nation received good news that he's slowly progressing from the groin injury. And Rondo should be close to coming back as well. The Lakers are still beyond .500 and have to protect their winning record so far. Let's see how they fare in this Lakers Weekly Roundup.

01/15: vs. Chicago 107-100 [W] (24-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

Luke Walton channeled his inner Owen Hart by shaking up the starting lineup a bit. "Well, enough is enough and it's time for a change!" After a stunning loss against the then-winless Cavaliers, what could possibly go wrong going up against a team that's also on a losing streak? Well for the first half it certainly looked like things would go wrong as the Bulls were neck and neck with the Lakers. Seriously, the Lakers were once against lackadaisical to start right out of the gate. However, things settled down in the 2nd half as the LakeShow assumed control of the game. Zo breaks out of the funk with a triplet of threes to highlight his 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists night. B.I. took over the game, finishing with 16 points. Svi knocked down a pair of threes. Kuzma with a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. All was good from the middle of the third quarter to 1 minute left in the 4th. Yes, the Lakers almost went full melt down in the fourth quarter as Chicago continued to fight on an 11-0 run. Free throws reared its ugly head, but not much. The Lakers closed out a game in the fourth quarter. No LeBron. No Rondo. A shakeup in the starting lineup. You name it. In other news, Hell has officially frozen over. Unfortunately for Laker fans and Staples Center attendees, a team in the Central Division has to ruin your chances of getting free tacos yet again.

01/17: @ Oklahoma City 138-128 (OT) [W] (25-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

I couldn't be anymore proud the way this team performed this game whether they won or lost. That was the gutsy Laker young core I remember that kept their heads in the game last year. OKC had the upper hand early on, but it was the Lakers bench that brought them back from a big deficit to start. Ivica Zubac was a monster inside the paint with 26 points and 12 rebounds. I guess you can he Steven Adams'd Steven Adams this game. Despite the inspired performance, this game could've easily been marred a pair of bullshit calls against the Lakers, such as the out-of-bounds call when a Thunder player clearly touched it last. Or when Westbrook put up a second late after Lonzo fouled him before the act, which the refs still awarded him three free throws to tie the game in regulation. However, the Lakers wouldn't be denied as Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Zubac took the game over in OT to close the Thunder out without LeBron. Without Rondo. Add Westbrook going full Westbrick down the stretch to aid in the Lakers' big victory. And yet Paul George still chooses to go with stat-padding shot chucker. Don't come asking to play in the Purple and Gold when your contract is up and you wind up empty-handed in OKC, Paul.

01/19: @ Houston 134-138 (OT) [L] (25-22)

HIGHLIGHTS

Hot start from the Lakers this game. They've pummeled the Rockets in the first half. James Harden has not shot the ball well. Keep this advantage Lakers.

*2nd half* Once again, the Lakers  couldn't get away from the injury bug as Lonzo Ball had to be carted off with an ankle injury. Down goes another playmaker. The defender clearly tangled with Zo and there should've been a foul call. If that was Harden, he would've gotten the call and two free throws. Luke Walton lets the refs  know it at the cost of being ejected for the rest of the game with assistant coaches Brian Shaw and Jesse Mermuys taking over head coaching duties.

*4th quarter* Okay, the Rockets had a monster 3rd quarter since Zo got out of the game and Coach Walton got ejected. But, things are getting settled as Lance Stephenson hits a couple of clutch three-pointers. Zubac has been unstoppable in the paint and hitting clutch free throws. It's such an anomaly that the Lakers, one of the worst free throw shooting teams in the league, are perfect from their free throws. Just don't foul and-*Eric Gordon hits game-tying three* Well, that's the worst case scenario. Gordon hasn't played a game in awhile and he just pulled a Marcus Paige in the National Championship game two years ago. The Lakers have ran the gauntlet in this tough stretch. They came off a grind-it-out win against the Thunder two days ago. Can they do it again?

*OT* And this is why I don't like it when the Lakers let better teams hang around after regulation. Do you remember those two home games against the Warriors last season? Eric Gordon came alive. James Harden, bad shooting night at all, reminded the league why he's MVP and a magnet for the refs and their whistles. Brandon Ingram though came alive and kept the Lakers within striking distance. Rockets missed some critical free throws. And-*KCP airballs three* How the hell did you not give the ball to Ingram in that situation? I was mad, but I won't overreact. KCP had a great look for the go-ahead three. He just didn't have his feet and legs balanced enough.  If he makes it, he makes it. If he doesn't, well he gets crucified. But still, that was the most questionable possession that game. Lakers have another chance though. *Kuz loses the ball out of bounds* And he had B.I. wide open inside the key for a game-tying dunk. We can blame Kuz's butter fingers, but the Rockets had their hands on the ball to disrupt the inbounds play and Kuz had on-ball pressure all over him. You can't completely blame him for that. Clearly, I have a dissenting opinion cause I don't know, I actually saw the game? Seriously, everybody's blaming everyone and calling for some trades and some heads after this.

The Lakers played well enough this game. The number one rule is that you don't let a good team hang around beyond regulation. They will burn you since they have enough firepower and talent to muster a win if extra time is allocated. That's why I mentioned the home games against the Warriors last year. Lakers had a chance to put them away, but the Warriors just had too much firepower to pull away in OT. Speaking of the Warriors, they are in town tomorrow night as the NBA's Thanos arrives in Wakanda (Staples Center) with all Infinity Stones in tact and there's no Thor (LeBron), Rocket Racoon (Rondo), and Groot (Zo) to come in and provide the reinforcements. And open thread is back for tomorrow night!

Lakers' Weekly Roundup (01/06): PLAYOFFS? Don't Talk About Playoffs!

*Some NSFW language*

The Lakers have failed so far in their New Year's Resolution of stringing together a winning streak without LeBron James in the lineup. After a convincing win against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, their current free fall has made all that an afterthought. In the words of former NFL head coach Jim Mora:

The Lakers find themselves stuck in an endless struggle without LeBron James making up for their roster/personnel deficiencies. And the injury bug just won't stop derailing the Lakers from returning to perennial playoff glory. Let's see how the Lakers fared here in this week's Lakers' Weekly Roundup.

01/02: vs. Oklahoma City 107-100 [L] (21-17)

HIGHLIGHTS

Ah yes, the native son has returned for the New Year after pulling a 3-part swerve on us Laker fans and NBA fans around the world the previous offseason. Paul George had the opportunity to come home and fulfill a childhood dream of playing for the Lakers. He chickened out because he didn't want to get chewed out by his "best friend" Russell Westbrook. I'll admit I had the "red carpet" rolled out for Paul George's possible homecoming. TrueRaiderLaker Productions was gonna have the hyphiest hype video for PG13 to the Lakers with a two-part mixtape using songs by Ice Cube. This was going to get Lakers fans hyped because Paul George officially joined the Lakers with an all-too West Coast vibe, unlike where most videos tried to cocktease us by having a Paul George Lakers hype video uploaded prematurely before PG ever made a decision. All that time and effort putting a video together only for it to blow up in my face when the news broke out that PG was staying in OKC and I never recovered right on queue by the time LeBron James signed with the Lakers.

It was clear as day that Paul George couldn't handle the bright lights of LA as a hometown boy and he wanted to get paid big dollars. Typical of someone who shot OKC's daylights out of the playoffs last year against Utah. He then tried to spare us the sentimental bullshit that if the Lakers wanted him, they should've traded for him when they had the chance. Oh yeah, even if the Lakers traded for Paul George, he would've been unhappy that he was stuck with a team in the midst of rebuilding for life after Kobe and would've left the Lakers in the dust as a free agent. Understandably so, he'd be playing in the shadow of LeBron and play under intense scrutiny. Because when you're a star player and play alongside LeBron, a larger-than-life NBA superstar of his magnitude, definitely you'll shoulder all of the blame while he shoulders none of it. Instead of playing like an All-Star, you're like a pawn for LeBron. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love as Exhibits A and B.

Enough of the Paul George melancholy, this recap is supposed to be short and sweet. Despite being shorthanded, this game just upped the ante for the Lakers and their young core: prove Paul George that he made a big mistake. They've answered the challenge by baiting PG to initiate contact on the defensive end. Attack him. Bully your way inside against him. It worked for the most part as he was in foul trouble early. Oh my goodness, PG13 might foul out of the game early. Poetic justice! Even better that Russell Westbrook is building a really big house with his bricks (excuse me while my Fantasy Basketball self cries in a corner). But, the fun wasn't meant to last as PG13 put the Thunder on his back. Once again, the Lakers were hampered by their inability to shoot free throws and forgetting how to box out for a rebound. But, at least they're hanging tight with a five-point lead into the 4th quarter. Then everything about the 4th quarter for the Lakers reared its ugly head again as every Lakers possession continued to stall and stall and stall and, well, you get the point. The Lakers couldn't buy a bucket until the game was well out of reach. This team absolutely failed us. Even worse, they're teetering on the 8th spot in the West. What this teaches us is that the "LeBron effect" is real. LeBron does mask major weaknesses for teams that are supposed to rot in mediocrity. Even more bad news, Kyle Kuzma didn't finish the game due to some back pain. That now makes three key players that the Lakers are missing badly (James, Rondo, Kuzma). During this game, we see a shot of LeBron in the back talking to Magic and Pelinka. Something tells me that drastic roster changes are brewing.

01/04: vs. New York 119-112 [L] (21-18)

HIGHLIGHTS

They lost to the Knicks. That's all there is to say. When a team loses to the team that is insanity in the flesh, obviously they've hit a layer that is lower than rock bottom. And by that, the Lakers' woes continue in this never ending skid since LeBron and Rondo went down. The injury bug continues to hit the Purple and Gold as Kyle Kuzma is ruled out this game. It's all in the hands of Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to carry this team. This game was laughable to watch. The fact that the Lakers had to scratch and claw back into this game in the 3rd quarter against a previously 9-29 team is a testament that this team is trending in really tough waters. Then, like in the OKC game, the Lakers decided to crap out in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled out a gritty win. Common denominator? Brandon Ingram attempting to take over this game and chucking some missed shots. As I mentioned in the past, when it comes to evaluating young talent, you can't judge them until Year 3 of their career. As far as I know, time is ticking on B.I. He struggled in these situations last year of being big in the clutch. We fans gave him a pass on that. As he continues to struggle in these situations this year, patience is definitely being tested. It also doesn't help that Luke Walton deviated away from sets and plays that made B.I. so effective last year. Was it because of LeBron coming over? Or having a plethora of playmakers/floor generals this time around? We don't know.  Ingram needs to get better in the clutch. Zo needs to score better. This team as a whole needs to get better at their free throws and rebounding. Luke has to be better at coaching with the roster and rotation he has now. The fact of the matter is that the Lakers continue to be exposed without LeBron having to mask their deficiencies. The West can change in an instant as the Lakers have fallen flat on their faces from the 4th seed to the 8th seed with this loss.

01/06: @ Minnesota 86-108 [L] (21-19)

HIGHLIGHTS

By the time I tuned into this game on League Pass, the Lakers were down 3-22 in the middle of the first quarter. I thought that was the score of an NFL Wild Card game for a second. But no, it's basketball and the Lakers only scored 3 points to start in the first quarter. I didn't pay too much attention to this game. This was beyond horrendous from top to bottom. As shorthanded as the Lakers were, they were in for an ass kicking against a much more talented Timberwolves team. The starting five was trash this game, Zo, Ingram, and Hart especially. Interesting enough, they implemented a lineup with Zubac and McGee in the lineup and boy, did things go South for the Lakers? It was garbage time at the start of the 4th quarter. With this 3rd loss, drastic changes have to be made. A lot of people are saying it's early in the season...with about four more months left. Teams have to start thinking about jockeying in position for a playoff spot, especially in the West where anything can happen. The Lakers need to have that mindset as they are no guarantees that this roster will be at full strength sooner or later. These next few months will go by fast with the trade deadline, All-Star weekend, and the stretch run of the 2018-19 NBA season in March-April. We do have a shakeup after this loss. Tom Thibodeau is relieved of his duties as Timberwolves Head Coach/President. Wait a second, what?

Lakers Thrash Westbrook-less, Melo-less Thunder

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' Thursday night matchup vs. the Oklahoma City where the Lakers took full advantage of Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony's absence, beating down the Thunder 81-106.

This recent win against the Thunder is not too much of an attention grabber like the last time these two teams played in OKC. But with all the hoopla before the trade deadline today, the Lakers came out just fine despite being short handed as well. This game was basically Paul George vs. the Lakers. He put on a showing in the first half and got some cheers at introduction. L.A. gave him love tonight. Somehow, the NBA will fine Magic and the Lakers $50K again for tampering. But going back, no Clarkson, no Nance, no problem. The Lakers still played their brand of basketball with a little wrinkle with the way the three-point game went tonight.

(+)

Three-point shooting. The Lakers connected on 30% of their shots from 3-point land. It's not an eye-opening stat, but for the last three quarters, they were on target. At one point in the 2nd quarter, the Lakers were 6/9 from deep. Brandon Ingram hit three 3's. KCP also connected on three 3's. B.I., KCP, Hart, and Kuz accounted for a majority of the Lakers' shots from deep.

Julius Randle, 17 points, 8-16 shooting. I was a little concerned about how Randle would play considering the deadline passed. But clearly, he has that max contract still in his head in a contract year, which is a good thing. The Thunder did not have the man power to match this man beast in the paint. Randle had his way with the bully ball tonight.

Brandon Ingram, 19 points, 6 assists, 7-11 shooting, 3-4 three pointers. Not only is Ingram doing a fantastic job balancing the aggressiveness in scoring and facilitating, but he's getting more confident with his 3-point shooting. He had a minor hiccup with the airball somewhere in the 4th quarter. But, other than that, Ingram still had a solid, efficient game.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 20 points, 7 rebounds, 7-10 shooting. KCP had to step up as a scorer  considering how short-handed this Laker team is with Clarkson and Nance no longer on the squad and playing alongside Josh Hart. He delivered tonight.

Kyle Kuzma, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks. Say hello to the new sixth man until Isaiah Thomas touches down in LA. Kuzma was projected to carry a heavy load with the 2nd unit. Turned out to not be a problem as he still showed off the scoring prowess. He also displayed a solid showing on the defensive end too. That's the knack on his game currently and for a small sample size, he displayed his defensive ability with a couple of blocks and a steal.

(-)

Not a lot of negatives to point out. Probably a few minor ones, but a sound victory like this completely masks them.

MVP

Kyle Kuzma, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Kuzma is slowly getting back to form in these last two games. As I said, Clarkson and Nance are not there to provide the instant spark for the 2nd unit, so it was all up to Kuz. It was a not a problem offensively. He showed some potential too on the defensive end with the one steal and the pair of blocks.



Conclusion

The Lakers continue their upward trend and it's impressive to see this young continuing the winning ways despite losing a few fan-favorite young pieces. You gotta wonder, after this game, does Paul George want to stick around with OKC after the Lakers notched two consecutive games against the Thunder? This is an eye-opener that without their OK3 at full strength, the Thunder lack depth. And like last game, this makes Paul George's free agency a lot more challenging. We'll see what happens in the offeseason. But back to this game, Lakers get their eighth straight game at home and fourth win in a row. Again, I'll hold back on my hopes that the Lakers will make the playoffs, but the upward trend and their recent veteran additions will continue to heat up the talk. It's going to be interesting to see Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye debut for the purple and gold possibly on Saturday against the Mavs, especially IT. Reggie Miller said it best, IT is going to have to sacrifice a bit to integrate himself into the system that emphasizes on sharing the ball. The "King in the Fourth" arrives on Saturday. Expect a quick fact check and commentary post on that game. Speaking of that, I was supposed to have the post of Tuesday night's game against the Suns posted last night. But, I didn't realize it was still saved in the draft. I'll provide that tomorrow with a slight modification of my commentary after today's trade deadline. I'll see you guys later for the next nationally televised game.

02/08: LAKERS vs. OKC Thunder 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome in to the 2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Thunder matchup. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

OKC 81 LAL 106

Garbage time makes the quarter long. But as I said, the Lakers needed to balloon this lead to get Paul George off the court and they got it done. Good to see that Bryant and Zubac got some action. I thought they worked well in the lineup together for a small sample size. Another great win to extend the win streak to eight games at Staples Center. The Lakers continue to be on pace to break their win total from last season. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

OKC 66 LAL 83

Fitting end for this quarter with Hart tipping in a missed shot from Kuzma. The threes continue to work for the Lakers! Ingram, Hart, and Kuzma provided the barrage from long range to balloon this lead to where it is now. I can see that Paul George is getting tired from carrying this Thunder team without Westbrook and Melo. It goes to what I said before, PG will have his way, but the Lakers have to contain everyone else. That is working and it also helps that the Thunder are missing their free throws when they get to the line. Good, dominant quarter from the Lakers. Time to put this team away in early part of the 4th quarter to make sure George doesn't see the court the rest of the way.

02/08: LAKERS vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome in to the 1st half open thread and discussion of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Thunder. Considering what went down earlier today before the trade deadline, expect to see a really shorthanded Laker team, especially on the bench. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

OKC 46 LAL 52

Kuzma had a couple more seconds to get across half court, but it is what it is. Not the end to the quarter the Lakers wanted, but fortunately they're still in the lead. The biggest stat here is that during this quarter, the Lakers went 6/9 from behind the 3-point arc. KCP and Kuzma provided most of the range from that distance and so did Ingram. Combined with the Lakers' defense and ability to push the ball and attack inside, it's what's giving them the edge against the Thunder. OKC is keeping themselves alive though. As I said before, Paul George is having his way here during this game. The mismatch between Jerami Grant and KCP hurt the Laker defense a little bit. Not to mention, 2nd chance opportunities and getting to the foul line also kept them alive. The way this game is trending, this should go in the Lakers' favor. PG13 going off this game, the Lakers can live with as long as no other Thunder player steps up to this game. George also showed he's human with a couple turnovers and Randle and Hart got blocks from him as well. They just gotta keep pushing the pace in transition and keep shooting from three as long as its working. Lopez's 3-point shot in particular is not working currently. Most of his shots were short or hit the back of the rim. He's gotta be better from that range. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

OKC 27 LAL 30

Nice strong finish after a slow start. That quarter was dominated by Paul George from early get-go. He was getting shot he wanted on the court. That, the Lakers could live with as long as no other player from the Thunder step up. They came back by dominating in the paint and playing their fast pace style of play from defense to offense. No Westbrook or Melo, they gotta take advantage of this matchup even if Clarkson and Nance are no longer there to provide the spark off the bench. So far, that doesn't seem to be a problem with Kuzma taking on a bigger load and Brewer stepping up to the plate.

Lakers End Road Trip with Big Win over OKC

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Josh Hart racked up another double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers finally get a win over the Thunder, beating them 108-104 and closing their five game road trip with a 3-2 record. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer with 20 points and he added 5 rebounds and 5 assists to his stat line. Julius Randle racked up 19 points with 6 rebounds, Brandon Ingram added 16 points to go with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and KCP broke out of a funk with 13 points to go with 5 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson once again lead the bench in scoring with 18 points to go with 2 steals.

Final Score: @ Oklahoma City 108-104 [W]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20180204/LALOKC#/recap

Next Game: vs. Phoenix (02/06)

Highlights: *Courtesy of MLG Highlights*

Compared to the last two games against this Thunder team, the Lakers played super competitive in this 3rd meeting from start to finish. Set this win next to the late January one point win against the Celtics as one of those hallmark victories for this season. This team is showing that the future is bright in Laker land. First off the negative here was the finish. The Lakers have a 10 point lead with about 1:08 in the 4th quarter. Ingram's block on Melo and his pass to Randle for the breakaway dunk should've been deal sealer there.But a couple of turnovers almost gave the Thunder an improbable victory. Not to take away from Clarkson's solid game and big 3-pointers in the 2nd half, but those three turnovers down the stretch of the 4th quarter were bad. All season long, the Lakers had a knack on road game of making us think that they're going to win comfortably, then they just have to make things interesting whether it's missed free throws or critical turnovers. They must continue to improve playing with a big lead, especially on the road. But nonetheless, great way to close out the road trip. The mentality of being aggressive to the basket was there. They were active in running the floor. Ingram and Randle did their thing in the paint. It was a super mismatch between Randle and Melo in the Power Forward position and Randle just muscled his way to the basket. Josh Hart one of these games is gonna trigger Magic and Pelinka to unload Clarkson or KCP before the deadline. Second straight game with a double-double since being inserted into the starting lineup. He just shoots the 3-pointers with confidence, goes aggressive to the basket, crashes the boards, and plays good defense. Hart has a lot of potential to be another two-way player for the Lakers outside of Ingram. He just needs to improve the free throw shooting. Lopez and KCP stepped up as veterans. Lopez in particular was active and got his 3-point shot to work. He is stepping up as this young Lakers' security blanket. This loss is also a big blow to the Thunder. There's a lot of issues going on with the team during their 4-game skid. I guess anything to diminish Paul George's chances of re-signing with the Thunder is good news for the Lakers and this win might've made his impending free agency decision a lot more challenging.

Lakers Close Out 3-Game Road Trip With Another Blow Out Loss to Thunder

Alright, welcome in to the long-awaited full recap post of the Lakers' road matchup vs the Oklahoma City Thunder where the Lakers were outmatched again by the Thunder, losing 90-114.

Full recap post took longer than expected because I was catching up on a couple of highlights from the first half. This was a game during that half. Then the 2nd half happened and the Thunder pulled away like last time. And no, Westbrook was not catalyst of it. Melo went off for 27 points. Steven Adams was a monster in the points and boards category. I said in the 3rd quarter, the Lakers were gonna have their work cut out being down 21. The Lakers tried to rally when they cut it to 82-99 during the 4th, but PG13 hit a game-sealing three and the rest of the quarter was just garbage time for players who play sparingly to show out.

(+)

Julius Randle, 16 points, 8-11 shooting. I saw the first half highlights of this game and that is where Julius did most of his damage. He was quite a cutter tonight, easily sneaking past defenders for easy dunks. When I was making my reaction for the 3rd quarter, Randle lead all Lakers in scoring and I assumed that he was doing work inside the paint. And I stood corrected. That was only first half where he showed out his inside game. The 2nd half though, he was non-existent. He only had one rebound tonight. Steven Adams completely annihilated him with the offensive boards.

Josh Hart, 9 points, 3-6 shooting. The numbers are not sexy, but Hart hit his threes at very timely moments during this game. In fact, all three of his field goals were from deep. The Lakers kept themselves within striking distance against the Thunder and Hart's timely three-pointers were a big part of it.

(-)

Rebounding/2nd chance points. This was the negative that ultimately killed the Lakers this game. Steven Adams was a one-man wrecking crew in crashing the boards for OKC tonight. He lead the entire team with 7 offensive boards! Brook Lopez and Randle had tough sledding trying to box out Adams. Because of that, the Lakers got killed in 2nd chance points. ESPN showed the graphic in the 3rd quarter, they got destroyed in that category 22-2. I'm sure the final tally in 2nd chance points is like 26-4 or close to that.

MVP


Julius Randle, 16 points, 8-11 shooting

This was a very underwhelming MVP selection for this game. Randle looked good in the first half of the game, then he disappeared in the 2nd half. Not to mention, he was bullied inside by Steven Adams. But, because he's the Lakers' top scorer and was efficient in shooting this game, Randle gets my MVP vote here.



Conclusion

There's no sugar coating it, the Lakers need Lonzo Ball back after these two ugly games in Memphis and Oklahoma City. He's the one that jump starts this team's ball movement and up-tempo game. Not sure if he would make a difference in this game though. The Thunder, they're not a deep team. But, the star power of Westbrook, Melo, and PG13 alone is too much talent to handle for the Lakers' current talent. It especially doesn't help when Steven Adams scores in double figures too. Last meeting, Terrance Ferguson was that 4th player for the Thunder to go off for 20+ points. Tonight, it was Adams with 21 points and 10 grown man rebounds. After this game, the Lakers have a three game home stand. They open up with the surprising Pacers and probably the "Most Improved Player" candidate in Victor Oladipo on Friday. Then, it's the Knicks on Sunday and they close it out against the Celtics on Tuesday. At least two of those three games should be winnable. Then again, it's completely contingent on Zo's health. They play better as a team when he's on the floor. I'll see you guys next Tuesday for the game against the Celtics.

01/17: LAKERS @ OKC Thunder 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half open thread and discussion of the Lakers-Thunder matchup where the Lakers are wrapping up their 3-game road trip. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

LAL 90 OKC 114

Nothing to react about this quarter other than a few good sample sizes from players playing in garbage time. That includes Alex Caruso and Gary Payton II. Like the last meeting, the Lakers just do not have the talent to match OKC's "OK3." It especially doesn't help when they can't box out and grab a defensive rebound, which they struggled to do tonight. More to come in the full recap.

Q3

LAL 72 OKC 93

This is shaping to be like the last meeting earlier this month where the Thunder pulled away early in the game. I'm going to play catchup here as I missed the first half. Julius Randle leads all Lakers in scoring with 16. I'm assuming the Lakers went to him early on inside. KCP and Josh Hart accounted for a majority of the Lakers' threes. Brandon Ingram's back in the lineup to install some ball movement on this team without Zo. The biggest thing that's hurting right now for the Lakers is 2nd chance opportunities. I remember the graphic the Thunder have 22 second chance while the Lakers have 2. It's four now after Larry Nance's putback from Kuzma's miss. Steven Adams dealt most of that damage with 6 offensive boards. Lakers are having a hard time boxing him out. Paul George got out of the funk this quarter and Melo took over down the stretch. It's a lot of work cut out for the Lakers to make a push in the 4th quarter.

01/17: LAKERS @ Oklahoma City Thunder 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the first half open thread of the Lakers-Thunder matchup where the Lakers are gonna wrap up a 3-game road trip. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q1

LAL 0 OKC 0

*Hey guys, I'll be a little late coming home from work. And most likely, I'll be missing all of the 1st half. I will keep this thread open and I'll see you guys hopefully in the 2nd half.*

Lakers Round Up Commentary: vs. OKC, vs. CHA, vs. Atlanta

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Alright, I'm back from my absence. I'm still not 100% yet and I know I have some catching up to do in terms of blog posts. So, instead of me doing a single Quick Fact Check and Commentary posts on the three games that I missed while sick, I'm going to conglomerate them together into a single post. This is not going to happen too much. It's only if I'm unable to perform my duties on this blog because of some health ailments.

01/03 - Final Score: vs. Oklahoma City 133-96 [L]

Highlights: *courtesy of MLG Highlights*

I did watch this shellacking of a game while I was bed-ridden and yes, this is one of the more brutal losses the Lakers had this season. At the same time, it was inevitable. The Thunder just had a lot of star power that the Lakers' young core couldn't touch. It was all good for the start of the game though. The Lakers jumped out of the gate for a 0-14 lead. They were aggressive to start, but then Westbrook, PG, and Melo took over. It was like as if OKC spotted the Lakers 14 quick points before OKC's "OK3" stopped the party and put the game way out of reach for the Lakers before halftime. Terrance Ferguson going off for 24 points was icing on the cake for the Thunder. The guy barely got any playing time until Andre Roberson got hurt, barely hit any three pointers. This game, he drained three after three and turned this game into a dunk contest audition in garbage time.

01/05 - Final Score: vs. Charlotte 108-94 [L]

Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*

The Lakers got Lonzo Ball back in this game and automatically, we would think that the Lakers would get their mojo back in terms sharing the ball and reviving some intensity on the defensive side of the ball. That wasn't case against the Hornets on Friday night. The big time beneficiary of Lonzo's return was Brandon Ingram. He grabbed a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds. B.I. was definitely reeling in Zo's absence and he returned to form. The aggressiveness was there and the mid range shot was falling. But, like in the OKC game, the Lakers didn't have a lot of fight. It also didn't help that Clarkson and Kuzma shot poorly this game. KCP only took 3 shots and didn't register a single point, not even a trip to the free throw line. 

01/07 - Final Score: vs. Atlanta 113-132 [W]

Highlights: *courtesy of Rapid Highlights*

Luckily for the Lakers, they're not the absolute worst in the NBA. And this game right here proved it as the Lakers battled the Hawks in who's worst of the worst.  The Hawks coming in was the perfect storm for the Lakers to prevent the franchise from going into further infamy with a possible franchise record 10 straight losses. Fastbreak points were the big difference maker in this game. I remember seeing the graphic in the first that the Lakers scored 24 points in transition while the Hawks registered zilch on the fastbreak. That's what was envisioned of the Lakers when they got Lonzo Ball in the draft is them running the floor, harkening back to the Showtime days. The Hawks missed a shot, the Lakers are on the run. The Lakers made a defensive stop, they're on the run. This game was truly refreshing to see compared to the losses against the Thunder and Hornets where the Lakers were not looking to attack 95% of the time. Brandon Ingram stood out this game with 20 points and 7 assists. It was a good overall game for B.I. in terms of scoring and facilitating. Ball had his 3-point game going early on. KCP, now that he's served his jail time, notched three more 3-pointers and 14 points overall to finish the game. The Hawks had no answer and Dennis Schroder probably broke his back after this game from carrying them since he was literally Atlanta's only source of offense. 

Lakers-Thunder Blog Posts Canceled

Good evening guys. MechG here. Unfortunately, I can't cover tonight's Lakers matchup vs. the Thunder. I'm currently under the weather. I'll provide a Quick Fact Check and Commentary on this game as soon as I recover. Next nationally televised Laker game will be on me.

Lakers Competitive All Game Long, Still Fall Short vs. Thunder

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder where the Lakers kept this an entertaining game behind Lou Williams' career-night, but once again the duo of Westbrook and Durant proved to be too much as the Lakers fall to the Thunder 117-113.

Another game where the Lakers competed their hearts off, another night for a loss. Usually when the Lakers give their all in one game on back-to-back sets, they just shut off on the next and with the Thunder on schedule, many of this expected to be a blowout. But man, these losses against the Kings Thursday night and tonight against the Thunder, I'm not completely mad or being sarcastic as usual. This young Laker team is knowing how to compete night in and night out. They had another chance to try and put this game away after coming back from being down the whole game, but they just come up short. It's definitely another learning experience that this Laker squad can take into consideration.

(+)

Lou Williams, 44 points, 12-23 shooting, 15-15 from the free throw line. There's no denying this: Sweet Lou was on fire tonight. Out of all the three free agents the Lakers signed this offseason, snagging the reigning Sixth Man of the Year from Toronto proved to be a coup this season. Even if he has a bad game from a shooting standpoint like Tuesday against the Warriors when he went 0-7 from the field, he makes up for it with his precise free throw shooting. However, when the shooting clicks with the free throws, chances are he's going 20 or more points. Lou single-handedly put the Lakers on his back this game offensively. He deserves double positives for being one of the reasons why the Lakers kept hanging around against the Thunder tonight.

Kobe Bryant, 19 points, 8-20 shooting, 6 assists. Yes, Kobe cooled down when it mattered the most in clutch time, but he put up some throwback moments offensively, making impossible threes, crossing over players and pulling up for a jumper. He gave the home crowd a show, successfully following up quite a performance back in Sac-Town last night. Despite the ugly finish in the clutch, Bryant made a key assist to Clarkson to put the Lakers back within one and he made a good decision to go for the tie instead of forcing up a three for the win, he just didn't get the foul called on Durant.

Anthony Brown. Brown's stat line of 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist is not impressive, but that's not the reason why I'm putting the 2nd round rookie on the positive list. He played some good defense down the stretch against the Thunder and eventually made some key stops to give the Lakers a chance. For Brown to play good defense against Durant, Westbrook, and company, that's an example of not being afraid of the moment for him since he only plays during garbage time when the game is well out of reach. Not to mention, his only bucket proved to be a critical one in the Lakers' late rally.

(-)

Offensive rebounding. Just rehashing what I said from the halftime post, this side of rebounding for the Lakers is what killed the team all game long. Despite making the stat line close where the Lakers grabbed 10 offensive boards to the Thunder's 16, they were getting dominated by the Thunder. If the Lakers want to successfully display good defense, they have to hustle and box out for defensive rebound. It was clear as day that the Thunder wanted the rebounds more and as a result: 2nd chance opportunities resulting into 2nd chance points.

Turnovers. Again a little deceptive stat when the Lakers committed only 11 turnovers compared to the 13 committed by the Thunder. Night in and night out, the Thunder demonstrate that if any team turns the ball over to them, they are off to the races in transition to the other side of the court for an easy deuce. As a young team, this will continually be a growing pain for the Lakers until the young players get the memo to take care of the ball and not try to do too much. This game is one of the prime examples given the Thunder are so dangerous in transition.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, a win is a win and a loss is a loss and this is a loss in the books for the Lakers. But as a fan and seeing the competitive level the last two games and observing their brief three game winning streak, this Lakers team is really taking baby steps while tanking for the top 3 pick. They are definitely showing more competitiveness at this stretch of this lost season, but definitely, successfully closing out games like this game and the game against the Kings last night after trailing most of the game should be a top priority of things to work on if the Lakers want to get back to relevancy after Kobe Bryant calls it a career this season. Nonetheless, hell of an effort in this back-to-back stretch. Just a reminder, I might be nitpicky with what nationally-televised games I'm going to cover from this point on because my schedule for the semester is going to be unpredictable since I'm applying for internships. I'm not sure, but I just want to throw that out there. I'll notify you guys, just keep following the bottom of the quick recaps for every Laker game. I'll see you guys later.

01/08: LAKERS vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Q-by-Q Reaction

Q4:

OKC 117 LAL 113

Ah, so close, but again no cigar. But again, no matter the outcome, the Lakers get a moral victory against a very good team in the Western Conference. Last quarter for the Thunder, it was Kevin Durant that was lighting it up and this quarter, Westbrook started to play out of his mind to preserve a OKC victory. Lou Williams though, what a game for him! He's definitely earning a big plus in the full recap. Speaking of full recaps, I'll provide that shortly.

Q3:

OKC 90 LAL 85

Glad to see the Lakers are still hanging around against this Thunder team in the 2nd half. Whatever the outcome of this game is, if the Lakers keep this margin at a minimum, it's a moral victory knowing they could hang around against this Thunder team. Despite the competitive nature, somebody has to stop big bad #35 of OKC. Durant has started to lit it up during this quarter and looks to build his momentum to the 4th.

Q2:

OKC 60 LAL 53

A very entertaining quarter if you're an NBA fan. Kobe Bryant put on quite a show when he was on the floor this quarter, pulling off moves that us Laker fans were accustomed to seeing when he was in his prime. Though the Thunder have the lead, the Lakers are making this a game, despite the concerns of being energy-sapped after falling short against the Kings last night. But nonetheless, great back and forth quarter to end the 1st half.

Q1:

OKC 32 LAL 28

Jordan Clarkson called bank on that buzzer beating half court shot! The Lakers are definitely importing their near comeback against the Kings last night and this was a competitive quarter for the most part. The only things that derailed this Laker team in that quarter are turnovers and 2nd chance opportunities. 7 offensive rebounds to 1 in favor of the Thunder is not a good stat line and most of them resulted into points from the Thunder.

LAKERS-Thunder Halftime Post

OKC 60 LAL 53

Welcome in to the halftime post of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder where the Thunder have a 60-53 lead at the half.

(+)

Kobe Bryant, 9 points, 4-9 shooting. Sitting out a couple of games due to a shoulder injury must have done wonders for the Black Mamba in this back-to-back set of games. Kobe put up a throwback performance on the road last night and he's following it up with potentially another one at home. Particularly in the 2nd quarter, he had his arsenal of moves and footwork on display for the Staples Center crowd and most of those resulted in made impossible shots that we're used to seeing when he was in his prime. For the most part, looks like there's no rust from sitting out and he's shaking off the rust from being long gone in back-to-back seasons because his bounce looked good out there.

(-)

Offensive rebounding. The Thunder have had 10 offensive rebounds compared to the Lakers' mere 3. Clearly, the Lakers need some hustlers and big bodies that can box out for the rebound to finish off a defense. It was very frustrating that the Lakers are playing good defense against this potent Thunder team and their offense lead by KD and Westbrook, but they just can't finish by boxing out and getting a defensive rebound. They can't afford to let the Thunder have 2nd chance opportunities because they are just too good.

Turnovers. This category is another "gimme" the Lakers are giving to the Thunder. Though the Thunder have 7 turnovers compared to the Lakers' 6, the Thunder can easily pick up points because of how they push the ball and set up the fast-paced tempo. Likely, Westbrook is not going to have a missed dunk again, so the Lakers need to take care of the ball. I'm looking at Clarkson in particular because like the Kings game, he's trying to do too much and just like that, the ball gets slapped from him leading to easy points.

Bottom Line

As long as Durant and Westbrook are on the floor, the Thunder will have their way against this Lakers team. Defensively, the Lakers have to make someone other than those two to make points for the Thunder. As for the offense, if they can get some 2nd chance possessions and limit the turnovers, the Lakers will give the Thunder even more of a run for their money. Let's see what happens.