Lakers Dispatch Shorthanded, Scrappy Blazers in 5

Final Score: POR 122 LAL 131 - Lakers Advance 4-1

The NBA resumed today after a couple day suspension of the playoffs in the wake of the teams' boycott this past Wednesday, showing solidarity after the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. The Lakers returned to play and locked in business as usual to top the shorthanded Trail Blazers 122-131, completing the "gentleman's sweep" and advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2012.

Crazy week in the NBA, but we're glad that the players convened and agreed to finish the NBA season in the bubble as planned. At the same time, we're aware that some things are bigger than basketball. Politics and social justice aside, the Lakers took care of business tonight. But, credit to the Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard is out. They only played a 9-man rotation tonight. However, they still hung in there and didn't lay down without a fight. Respect to them. 

With that said, the Blazers did look like they were going to spoil this close out game. The Lakers got Anthony Davis going early as he scored the first 8 points for the Lakers, but they looked out of rhythm to start. Until LeBron James reentered the game at the 3:59 minute mark, things settled down for the Lakers a little bit. They pulled away a little bit in the third quarter, but the Blazers wouldn't go away. By the time the 4th quarter hit, they had chances to tie or take the lead. CJ McCollum went off for 36 points tonight. Carmelo Anthony turned back the clock with 27 points. He showed that he's still a deadly midrange shooter. Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons stepped up in lieu of Dame Time. 

Despite this, the Lakers powered their way through. Literally, it was LeBron, AD, and the defense that helped close out this game. In close out games, the teams rely on their stars to show out big and tonight's game was proof. AD topped the scoring charts with 43 points, adding 9 rebounds. As I mentioned previously, he scored the Lakers' first 8 points of the game. He was already in double figures before Q1 ended. LeBron James notched his triple-double with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists and was aggressive as usual. 

The supporting cast struggled offensively, except KCP and Dwight Howard. They had double figure points with 14 and 11 respectively. Alex Caruso had the highest field goal percentage off the bench with 60% on 3 of 5 shooting. But, it was the team defense that carried them. KCP added 3 steals. Caruso notched 4 steals and a block. He was the defensive player of the game tonight. Kyle Kuzma had some key defensive stops despite the horrendous shooting and 5 personal fouls. Let's be honest Melo took Kuz to school for the most part of the game. You can tell, this team fed on the greatness that LeBron and AD displayed tonight. As the 4th quarter winded down, the Blazers just looked gassed. At the 1:56 mark, Blazers coach Terry Stotts waved the white flag, taking all the starters out and calling it a season.

As I mentioned before, respect to the Blazers for not laying down without a fight. Scary at the same time, but the Lakers handled it well to avoid a surprising Game 6 thanks to the two-man powerhouse of the King and the 'Brow and a stifling defense. Now, we look ahead to the next round. It is likely that the Houston Rockets and they're 3-point barrage are next on the list. They'll be another tough opponent, especially with the timely return of Russell Westbrook to take some load off of James Harden. As if Lillard and McCollum were a handful in the backcourt, what more with two former MVPs in that 1 and 2 positions respectively? I'll be watching that Houston-OKC series closely and the 2nd round preview will follow immediately if the Rockets close out in Game 6 on Monday. 

In special closing, I want to acknowledge the NBA for paying tribute to three great men we lost this week. Lute Olson, one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history passed away on Thursday, Clifford Robinson, Trail Blazers legend passing away to cancer today, and of course the gutwrenching news last night on Chadwick Boseman, aka the Black Panther / King T'Challa and his 4-year fight with colon cancer that hasn't been disclosed until his passing. It's crazy we lost these people for three consecutive days this week. Honestly, 2020, this year never ceases to surprise me. It's like each month there's gotta be a tragedy or something that is of significance that negatively affects our society. It also reminds us that cancer is still something of significant issue that predates all of the crazy stuff going on in 2020. And it's something that hits close to home for me having family and friends that lost the good fight to or are currently fighting this incurable ailment. I ask all of our researchers to please, please expedite on a formula for a cure. RIP to everyone mentioned. I'll see you guys later.

Lakers Embrace "Mamba Mentality" in Game 4 Rout

Final: LAL 135 POR 115 - Lakers Lead 3-1

This game was absolutely incredible and a great way to cap off a two-day celebration of the late, great Kobe Bryant. On this day of 8/24, the Lakers donned their Black Mamba-themed jerseys and embraced the "Mamba Mentality" on the floor. They took no prisoners tonight, dominating the hapless Blazers from start to finish to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Oh my goodness, this game was like being on "Cloud 9." If any Laker fan knows how Kobe Bryant played the game, he had that killer instinct and wanted to rip the hearts out of opponents time in and time out. Tonight, Kobe was guiding the Lakers in spirit. 

To see how this all unfolded, Lakers jumped onto a 15-0 start at the first quarter. Portland couldn't buy a bucket until at the 7:52 mark. The defense made them work hard to earn a bucket. The offense was clicking tonight. LeBron was aggressive. AD was aggresive. Kyle Kuzma, KCP, and Danny Green were firing on all cylinders from three. For the entire 48 minutes of play, the Lake Show put on a clinic on both ends of the floor.

Portland never stood a chance and you could tell by their visible frustration by the 2nd quarter. Combined with their sloppy play and lack of rhythm on offense, they looked intimidated by the Lakers' defensive intensity. The only thing that kept them alive was that Jusuf Nurkic was crashing the boards. But for the most part, they were held in check. You know it's even worse for them when Dame and McCollum, their star backcourt tandem fail to score 20+ points. Lillard once again battled injuries in the third quarter and at that point, Blazers needed to wave the white flag because they had nothing going to get themselves back in the game.

Final stat lines: LeBron James was magnificent tonight with 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists. Through three quarters, he was in attack mode and absolutely gashed and demoralized the Blazers' defense tonight or lack thereof. AD followed with 18 points. It was reported that Davis sustained some back spasms in 3rd quarter and was ruled out for rest of the game. Lakers erred on the side caution, especially when they had the game under control. Danny Green chipped in 14 points with three 3-pointers. KCP had 12 points. Kyle Kuzma lead the bench in scoring with 18 points and Dwight followed with 13 points. Javale McGee, Alex Caruso, and Markieff Morris also contributed small details to impact the game for the Lakers. Special shout out to them. It was an all-around team win.

And on this day of honoring Kobe, there was an "Easter Egg" in the first quarter and almost another one at the end of the first half. At the 4:30 mark of the first quarter, Lakers scored 24 points and held the Blazers to 8 points. It's a coincidental nod to the two jerseys that Kobe wore in his 20-year career with the Lakers. We almost had another one at the end of the first half, when the Lakers dropped 80 points, one point shy of matching Kobe's career high of 81 points against the Raptors back in 2006. I'll admit, I was greedy and yelling: "please score a three or get an 'and 1' to hang 81 at the half!" Honestly, with the way this game was going, it was a good time to be a bit of a homer. But, this is something Hollywood can't even make up. I'll say it again, this game was incredible and a surreal experience, especially when you reflect on the significance of Kobe Bryant's legacy.

With this game in the books, the Lakers are now one win away from advancing to the Conferencr semifinals since 2012. Don't expect the Trail Blazers to go down quietly. They'll fight to the end with their backs up against the wall and the Lakers must be wary of that. The message is simple: take care of business and close out in Game 5 on Wednesday night. I'll see you guys later.

LeBron Attacks, AD Finishes Strong in Game 3 Win

 Final Score: LAL 116 POR 108 - Lakers lead 2-1

Now, that's how you take back "home court!" The Lakers overcome an ugly first half and some horrendous free throw shooting and dominate in the 2nd half to beat the Blazers 116-108 in Game 3. Lakers take the series lead at 2-1 and regain home court advantage.

We always hear the old saying in sports: "it's not about how you start, but how you finish." I'll just jump right into the negative. The free throw shooting was atrocious tonight. 28/43 from the line. Anthony Davis accounted for most of that. He has been terrific from the line all season long, making 88% of his free throws. Tonight, he was 50% from the line. AD was off to a really slow start, but luckily it wasn't that long till he got going in the 2nd half. Lakers were able to get the win despite this. At the same time, they left a lot of points out there on the table.

Now, we get to the highlights of this game. LeBron James hasn't been great in the bubble, but tonight he showed that he's still one of the best players in the world. 38 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 11-18 shooting, the King took over early on in this game to get the Lakers going. The offensive flow was a little discombobulated in the first half. When LeBron got into attack mode, that's when the offense started to find its spark. The Blazers' defense had no answer. And just when they think they do, he finds a cutting Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, or Dwight Howard and AD roaming in the paint, expecting a lob. 

As I mentioned before, it didn't take long for AD to shake off his slow start. Coach Terry Stotts decided to deploy a two-big lineup with Hassan Whiteside and Jusuf Nurkic to slow down the 'Brow. But on the other end, the Blazers' defense was having trouble to stop LeBron. AD took advantage and went off in the 3rd quarter. On top of the key, he was automatic. Despite some horrendous free throw shooting, AD's stat line mad up for it with 29 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 11-18 shooting. As I mentioned before, when you get a dominant, balanced performance from LBJ and AD, the Lakers are hard to beat. 

The bench once again outperformed the Blazers' bench. I mentioned this so many times, this is a given advantage for the Lakers. Alex Caruso lead the unit with 10 points and 7 assists. He's been consistent on defense doing a great job harassing Damian Lillard. The scoring and facilitating was a great sign of encouragement since he's been dormant on that end. Kyle Kuzma chipped in 7 points, Dwight Howard grabbed 10 boards. 

Speaking of defense, it was masterful in the 4th quarter. Portland shot 6/21 during that quarter. They didn't hit a 3-pointer. Dame still went off besides the injury to his index finger on his non-shooting hand with 34 points. But, Dame Time didn't make it in time down the stretch. The last one minute of the fourth quarter was an incredible sequence of defense with Danny Green and AD throwing block parties late. It's a testament on how the Lakers' defense came up big tonight, especially down the stretch of the game.

Ah, if only this game was in the Moda Center with the Blazers fans filing for the exit after this game. Games 2 and 3 were terrific turnarounds for the purple and gold. We keep criticizing the starting lineup that Frank Vogel has on the floor. But, if it ain't broke don't fix it. And, this lineup works at the moment. Other side notes, Rajon Rondo was active tonight, but then immediately was inactive after some back spasms at shootaround. Honestly, as much as Rondo is valuable to the 2nd unit, it's best to keep him of the rotation at this point while Vogel's current rotation is getting the Lakers wins. Despite the win, this series is far from over and the Lakers have to continue to step on the gas. Next game is on 8/24 aka "Kobe Bryant Day." To honor the late, great Kobe, the Lakers must instill some of that Mamba Mentality and rip Portland's heart out to take a commanding 3-1 lead during that day. I'll see you guys later.

Lakers Rout Blazers in Game 2 to Even Up Series

Final: POR 88 LAL 111 - Tied 1-1

Alright, time to talk about this game! The Lakers respond with their backs against the wall early on in this first round matchup. And they do it in a big way, dominating and demoralizing the Blazers in an 88-111 victory to tie the series up and one game a piece.

It's been awhile since I covered a Lakers playoff win. I said in the last recap, the Lakers must treat this game as a "must-win" even if it's early on in the series. This Portland team is a dangerous squad for a first round opponent. Tonight, we saw a well-rounded win. The Lakers turned up the defensive intensity. They were more aggressive offensively. Role players stepped it up. This is just a great way to respond after giving the first game away and to snap a 7-game losing streak in the playoffs for the Purple and Gold.

Anthony Davis is the unanimous MVP for this game. He lead the Lakers with 31 points and 11 rebounds, first player to score 30+ pts and grab 10 rebs in playing under 30 minutes since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Last game, despite the 28-point effort in the loss, AD was inconsistent in the field goal percentage, shooting 8-24 from the field. Tonight, he shot an efficient 13-21. For the most part, AD did work inside the paint with 16 points in the paint at the first half. In the 3rd quarter, his 3-point game got going and helped balloon the Lakers lead to 30 points, which was the largest in this game. 

Second takeaway from this game, the role players stepped it up. Javale McGee got some great looks inside courtesy of the ball movement and court vision from LeBron James. He finished with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope showed up to play tonight with 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Honestly, it's a love-hate relationship with KCP because he's so streaky. But after dropping a "triple-single" last game, he stepped up as the third option outside of LeBron and AD. LeBron only had 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, but he drew a lot of attention to set up teammates nicely for high percentage shots. He was also active defensively with 2 steals.

Speaking of steals, Danny Green leads the Lakers in that category with 4 steals. He still shows value as a defender, but his offense still needs to catch on. Defensively, they put the clamps on Portland's star backcourt tandem. Dame Time was held in check to 18 points. McCollum struggled with 13 points. Dame exited the game in the 3rd quarter with an injury to his index finger. Even if he returned, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. The Blazers are reliant on their backcourt to drop buckets. Tonight was an example of how ineffective the Blazers' offense can get when Dame and CJ are not on their A-game.

Overall, this was a fantastic bounceback win from the Lakers. It's been a theme dating back to the season prior to the suspension, the Lakers are much better when Anthony Davis dominates. LeBron had pedestrian numbers, but he didn't have to be great either, especially when the role players step their game up. Now granted, I still don't like the starting lineup. I still don't like the fact that Dion Waiters is still playing minimal minutes even though he's the Lakers' leading scorer and facilitator off the bench. But, it is what it is. On a side note, it was nice to see J.R. Smith in the rotation and put up buckets, finishing with 11 points. I am thoroughly impressed with this win. It's just a matter if the Lakers can maintain this kind of consistency, especially from the role players as the series shift to Game 3. Lucky for them, they're not playing in front of a rocking Moda Center in Portland. Injuries aside, AD did sustain some minor back and ankle problems this game, but he seemed fine the rest of the way. Damian Lillard's injury to his index figure is something to look out for, which could be a huge break for the Lakers and a tough one for the Blazers. Game 3 is up next on Saturday! I'll see you guys later.

Dame Time, Blazers Spoil Lakers' Playoff Return

Final Score: POR 100 LAL 93 - Trail Blazers lead 1-0

Welcome in to the recap of Game 1 of Lakers playoff basketball. Lakers started slow out of the gate, made a furious comeback, but it wasn't enough to slow down Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and the Portland Trail Blazers as they draw first blood in this playoff matchup.

As I said before, the Blazers will not make this easy. You have a team playing with a sense of urgency since the restart, a team playing better than what they're record shows vs. a team that is still trying to find their way back into the swing of things. First things first, yes this game was a fight to the bitter end. But, when you get into a slow start against this team, they'll make you pay for it eventually. 

For the most part, the first half was a brutal start for the Lakers. Their offensive struggles have been magnified even more this game, which I'll get into later. Up until the 8:27 mark in the 2nd quarter, Lakers showed signs of life. The things that worked this game was that the Lakers dominated the points in the paint and they drew a lot of fouls inside to get to the free throw line. The two-man game of LeBron and AD was on point inside, but outside and in crunch time was a different story. In the first half, Lakers scored 26 points in the paint compared to Portland's 14 points. Bench production was a positive with 25 combined points. Kyle Kuzma lead the way with 14 points off the bench. Portland only plays 3 men off the bench. As I said in the preview, they've play an 8-man rotation in the bubble. This will be the biggest mismatch that the Lakers must exploit in this series.

The negatives, the 3-point shooting is still a major problem. But before I get into that, the Lakers started shooting 20% from the field in the first quarter before getting up to 36% shooting at the half. But the woeful field goal percentage accounts to the 3-points shooting that hasn't been on point during this restart. Tonight, Lakers shot 5/32 from beyond the arc. I thought the corner 3 was Danny Green's sweet spot? He finished 2-8 from three's, but most of his misses came from the corner. Some of them wide open and he missed them. Anthony Davis may have lead in the scoring with 28 points and dominated inside, but he attempted five 3-pointers and missed all of them. LeBron James went 1-5 from downtown, despite a triple-double and so did Kyle Kuzma. Kentavious Caldwell-Poop went 0-5. Alex Caruso went 0-3. Markieff Morris saw extended action off the bench and was the only player that shot 100% from 3-point land. But, that's not saying much.

Missed free throws were also magnified from this game. It was 89-87 in the 4th quarter and the Lakers had two chances from the line to tie the game up behind their superstar duo. LBJ and AD missed both of their attempts and left four points on the table. But, it wouldn't have mattered. Dame Time lived up to his moniker in the 4th quarter and the Blazers close out the game on an 10-4 run. The Blazers had four players in foul trouble this game. But when they backcourt tandem of Lillard and McCollum are firing on a cylinders, they pretty much cancel out Portland's flaws. As I mentioned in the preview, the Blazers' defense is suspect. But tonight, their defense came up big headlined by Hassan Whiteside providing that spark with 5 blocks. A side note I should point out, Dion Waiters only played 1 minute this game even though he has engineered consistent production off the bench since this restart. I don't know how he fell out of the rotation tonight, but I should see him on that floor to spark the offense, especially for Game 2.

I know many of the Laker faithful will sugar coat this 1st game. "It's the first game, we'll be back." "Orlando pulled a stunner over Milwaukee earlier today, don't feel bad." But, there's no sugar coating it. The Lakers will have their work cut out in this series. This is a legit, scary team that they're facing for a first round matchup. And the fact that the offensive struggles are still magnified after 8 seeding games, there is still cause for concern. The Lakers clinched the #1 seed, but they haven't played like one up to this point. You can't expect to outscore this Blazers team by shooting under 40% from the field and chucking up 32 3-point attempts and making just 5 of them. You just can't! We need to see better in Game 2 Thursday night. It's early in the series, but the Lakers have to treat Game 2 as a "must-win." I'll see you guys later.

Lakers Playoff Preview: First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Welcome in to the first ever Lakers playoff preview on this blog. It's been awhile. I've covered the Lakers' playoff runs from 2011-2013, but not exactly in this capacity to where this blog is at now. They always say the road to a championship is never easy. And the Lakers' are running into a legit first round opponent in their return to the postseason: the Portland Trail Blazers, lead by the explosive Damian Lillard.

I'm going to come clean here first. I rooted for Brooklyn on Thursday. Tough miss by Caris Levert on that one and especially heartbreaking for the 8-0 Phoenix Suns. I rooted for the Grizzlies yesterday. But, this matchup seemed inevitable. The Lakers will be facing off against a team that is better than what they're record and seeding shows. 

Though the Lakers took the regular season series over the Blazers 2-1, it wouldn't be a fair assessment considering a lot has happened in the four months since the NBA suspended. Dame, CJ McCollum, Melo, Jusuf Nurkic, this Portland team is a squad that shouldn't be taken lightly. When you look at the Trail Blazers in the bubble, they played with their backs against the wall in every game. While the Lakers were casually strolling through these seeding games, these Blazers were scrapping and clawing to get to the playoffs. Dame Time was a man on a mission, averaging 30 points a game since the restart. They have Nurkic back to strengthen their front court with Hassan Whiteside and Zach Collins. Looking at their games, Terry Stotts has been playing an 8-9 man rotation and it has worked for them. Gary Trent has showed up big in the bubble to provide a spark for Portland's 2nd unit.

From a Lakers standpoint, the defense is going to be a point of emphasis in this series. The backcourt is going to have their hands full with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. If there's ever a time where Avery Bradley's defensive presence is going to be missed, it's this series. KCP, Danny Green, Caruso, and Dion Waiters are going to get their work in guarding this tandem. However, while Portland's offense is a well-oiled machine, their defense has been suspect throughout the seeding games. And that's something that the Lakers must exploit with LeBron and AD running the show. 

Dame going off is inevitable. There's nobody that can defend him when he's on a scoring rampage. But, his efforts won't matter if the Lakers can manage to hold down CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, and everyone else. Melo's presence has given this Portland team a third scoring option outside of their back court. Jusuf Nurkic has been a beast inside. While the Lakers have AD, Javale, and Dwight, we can't underestimate Portland's front court with Nurkic, Collins, and Hassan Whiteside coming off the bench for defense and blocks. They will be Portland's X-Factor alongside Gary Trent Jr. providing a scoring spark off the bench. Onto the Lakers' side, without question, Kyle Kuzma will be the X-Factor from here on out. We need to see Kuz in that lineup with the LBJ-AD duo and possess some consistency in scoring and defense.

The Lakers can't afford to be involved in a shootout with the Trail Blazers, especially when they're this hot. You look at the Lakers' offense during these games, it hasn't been pretty. It looked like they don't have their legs under them. LeBron looked old at times. AD had three good games, but was overly passive during these seeding games. Rotations looked discombobulated when you have Frank Vogel fiddling with what works. The three-point shooting was inconsistent. The Lakers better be sharper and they need to be locked in because this Finals road will be a grinder. 

Overall, this matchup has 6-game series written all over it with the potential to be a 7-game series. The Blazers have played more games up to this point and the Lakers must err on the side of caution in the "double-edged sword" of having an extended rest. Like I said, they looked flat at times in the bubble, they can't afford to fall flat as the games do matter now. But, who knows? The Blazers might not have any energy after fighting for their playoff lives throughout. We'll see how this unfolds. Game 1 is on Tuesday. I'll see you guys then and GO LAKERS!

Lakers Weekly Roundup #12: A Time to Heal...

January 26, 2020 will go down in history as a dark day that rocked Laker Nation, the NBA, and the entire world of sports and entertainment. After one week, it is still impossible to wrap our heads around the tragic, unspeakable death of our beloved Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna Bryant and the seven other victims: John, Keri, and Alyssa Altobelli, Payton and Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser, and Ara Zobayan in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA. Tributes poured around the NBA and all over the world. Teams took 24 second or 8 second backcourt violations on their first possessions of the game in honor of the numbers that Kobe proudly donned in the Purple and Gold for his entire 20-year career.

Without question, the tragic death of the late, great Kobe Bryant left a big hole in the heart of the Laker organization. What was supposed to be a celebration of LeBron James passing Kobe on the NBA's all-time scoring list was greatly overshadowed by grief, mourning, and a remembrance of the latter's life and passion of the game he truly loved. As difficult as it sounds, the Lakers must gather the strength to continue moving the game forward as he so desires in his final words upon the hour of death. The best way to honor Kobe? Play ball, lock in for the rest of the season, and win a title for him.

01/31: vs. Portland 127-119 [L] (36-11)

Full Kobe Bryant Tribute

Staples Center blacked out to pay tribute to the late, great Kobe Bryant. It was a memorial within a basketball game. Usher took the arena to church with a soulful rendition of "Amazing Grace" followed by a montage of tributes around the world for Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Professional cello player, Ben Hong followed with "Hallelujah" accompanying a video reel of Kobe's NBA career and sound bites of his word of wisdom on how he approaches the game of basketball and the game of life. Chants of "Kobe" and "Gigi" echoed around Staples Center. Boyz II Men followed with the national anthem. LeBron spoke from the heart saying that Kobe may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten.

This is a game where we would like the Lakers to win. But if they lose, we wouldn't be mad. This is bigger than basketball. Playing with heavy hearts takes a toll on the mental aspect of the game. And it showed this game. The Lakers started off slow as expected coming from a long road trip and a few days off since Tuesday's scheduled matchup against the Clippers was postponed out of respect for the organization in mourning. The Lakers ran into a Portland team with a couple of games under their belt during this week powered by a scorching hot Damian Lillard. Dame put on a show that would have Kobe smile from the heavens above with a 48-point eruption. Honestly, the Lakers tried this game. They at one point had the lead. But, Dame Time was just too much. Better offense takes down good defense any day of the week.

02/01: @ Sacramento 129-113 [W] (37-11)

In the NBA, the five stages of grief moves faster than normal. With the emotions of Friday night out of the way, it was time to get back to business the next day. There was no better way to honor Kobe by putting up 81 points in the first half against the hapless Sacramento Queens on the road. We saw some surprise performances. Avery Bradley put up his best scoring output of the season, pouring on 19 points and raining 5-9 shots from downtown. Most of his shots were set up by LeBron gravitating the Kings' defense towards him and Bradley was open all game. KCP, Alex Caruso, and Danny Green joined in on the 3-point barrage as they all drilled three 3-pointers each. This was a great all-around team win and it gives a sense of renewed focus. The three point game clicked and the Lakers played at a faster pace. This also helps other players outside of LeBron and AD to get involved in the flow of the game. It's needed if the team is serious in making a deep playoff run.

Lakers Weekly Roundup #9: Righting The Ship

12/25: vs. LA Clippers 111-106 [L] (24-7)

WE ALMOST HAD THEM! DAMMIT!

I'll be honest, I was super salty at the end result of this game. As Snoop Dogg says in his rants: "this ruined my Christmas." If there's anything to sum up the first two meetings with the Clippers as 2019 comes to a close, it's this: the Lakers are only good against their hallway brother for 24 minutes. Oh and they had the odds in their favor too! Despite a hobbled LeBron and AD and LeBron having an off game, the Lake Show stood their ground. Kyle Kuzma went off in the first half. Lou Williams was held in check to 5 points. Paul George didn't go off either. The Lakers were up big at the half and had fun with Kevin Hart courtside.

Then the 2nd half happened. Allow me to summarize this to the tune of Jingle Bells to exemplify the spirit of Christmas:

Silly fouls
Turnovers
Missed threes from LeBron

Kawhi went off 
For 35 Points
And Pat Beverly talked some sh*t. F*CK!

Just like Patrick Beverly, we will never hear the end of it from Clipper fans. "We're the better LA team" echoed across the Internet as the Clippers go up 2-0 in the Battle for LA. And like that, they creep closer to the top of the Western Conference. That 2nd half was pathetic and once again, Doc Rivers outcoaches Frank Vogel in the 2nd half. How do you sit Kuzma out that long when he's got the hot hand? Danny Green, you've been selected on an all-defensive team. How the hell are you this undisciplined? He committed some silly fouls to let the Clippers back in. And LeBron, you stunk it up this game. I don't know if it was the groin injury that affected your psyche. 1-6 from three point land, unacceptable. Honestly, I don't care if the Clippers sweep the Lakers in the regular season. If they meet in the playoffs, I WANT THE LAKERS TO HANDLE THAT BUSINESS WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST!

12/28: @ Portland 128-120 [W] (25-7)

This game was the perfect "get right" game for the Lakers. Let's face it, Portland is in the midst of turmoil after an improbable run to the Conference Finals last year. Despite strong acquisitions of Hassan Whiteside and Carmelo Anthony, they are struggling so far this season. However, they didn't make this any easy for the Lakers. When the Lakers dominated the Blazers earlier this month at the Moda Center, I figured the next meeting won't be so easy this time around. But, they hung tight on Saturday behind another stellar scoring performance from Kyle Kuzma and some key clutch shots from KCP to add on to LeBron and AD's typical 20+ point stat lines.

12/29: vs. Dallas 95-108 [W] (26-7)

Ending the year on a high note. It's quite a coincidence that the Mavs are the Lakers' first opponent and their last opponent for the month of December. The last meeting between these two teams was an ugly loss for the Lakers as Luka Doncic put up early MVP numbers. But last night, the Lakers made sure they game planned for Luka this time around. To their success, they held him to 19 points and 5-14 shooting. Last night's win was an all-around team game. Honestly, this team has a lot of savvy veterans they can't rely on LeBron and AD to carry them. Six Lakers were in double figures this game. KCP lead the bench with 19 points. Dwight Howard added 15 points. JaVale McGee and Danny Green chipped in with 11 points and 10 points respectively. And of course, AD and LeBron with 23 points and 13 points respectively. The only blemish this game was that Kyle Kuzma had no points after a pair of 20+ point games off the bench. But at the end of the day, a W is what matters. The Lakers end 2019 with an outstanding 26-7 record. 2020 will present an even greater challenge.

Lakers Weekly Roundup (11/18):- LeBron's Ascension on the All-Time Scoring List

*Some NSFW language*

This is why I liked being wrong about the fact that the Lakers getting LeBron would be a major mistake. Here ye, here ye! The King is here and exerting his throne in Purple and Gold royalty. Not to mention, the Lakers are riding high right now since acquiring Tyson Chandler from the Phoenix Suns. Though, they did take a hit with Rajon Rondo being out 4-5 weeks after having surgery on his hand, prompting the Lakers to call Wagner and Svi from the G-League. Nonetheless, This is your Lakers' weekly roundup.

11/14: vs. Portland [W] 126-117 (8-6)

HIGHLIGHTS

Oh, how the tables have turned on Portland since the Lakers snapped the 16 game jinx two weeks ago. Now, it's the Lakers turn to dominate Portland. LeBron obliges and proceeds to destroy the Blazers to the tune of a near triple-double of 44 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. It's too bad nobody could hit a shot to give him his 10th for a triple-double. In turn, he surpasses, NBA legend and Lakers alum, Wilt the Stilt, Wilt Chamberlain for number 5 on the All-Time scoring list with a three-point play late in the fourth quarter. It's going to be an interesting reaction when he surpasses the previous King of L.A. before him as he is now just a thousand points away from catching the "Mamba King."

11/17: @ Orlando [L] 117-130 (8-7)

HIGHLIGHTS

Not all streaks are created equal. It's hard to believe the Lakers' last win in Orlando was during the time the Magic's last superstar won his revenge game in his lone season as a Laker. Yes, The Lakers had he who shall not be mentioned who's battling all kinds of back injuries in his time in Washington when they last won in Orlando. For the Magic's next trick, they make the "Tyson Chandler effect" disappear. The Magic just destroyed the Lakers here as Nikola Vucevic dominated to the tune of 36 points and 13 rebounds. They did make it interesting though as Coach Steve Clifford elected to put his garbage time unit early in the game. Luke Walton emptied his bench too by putting Beasley and Myhailiuk on the floor. But, they made it interesting, cutting the 21-point deficit to a 10-point deficit. So, the Magic called a timeout, put their starters back in just for safe measure. While Luke just...What the Hell Luke? You could've put the starters back in! What is you doing?

11/18: @ Miami [W] 113-97 (9-7)

HIGHLIGHTS

LeBron once again took his talents to South Beach as the Lakers' fortunes continued to change in Miami. In turn, LeBron puts on a show to remind Heat fans of his greatness from 2010-2014: drop a 51-point performance in his return. The King dropped three ball after three ball. Dunk after dunk. Even Lance Stephenson, his former rival, challenged LeBron on the sidelines. "I bet you won't hit a three." Lance said. LeBron answered Lance's challenge just for old times sake and put a neat bow on this homecoming performance. It's too bad Dwyane Wade was not there, it would've made it more memorable. Hmmm...I wonder what's in store on Wednesday when the King comes back home to Cleveland? Will LeBron continue to personify his greatness? Will the City of Cleveland boo him or revere him when he's introduced? I mean honestly, why would they boo him when he carried that Cavs team to 4 straight finals and winning in 2016 in a monumental upset over the 73-9 Warriors? Tune in Wednesday on the next episode of "Lakers Ball Z!"

Lakers Weekly Roundup (11/04): Disappointing Wins; Even More Disappointing Losses

*Some NSFW language*

Well, we heard it from LeBron and Magic Johnson themselves, they are not happy about this start. The Magic Man held a private meeting with Luke and if our assumptions are correct, his job is on the line. So it's time for Luke to stop fucking around with rotation experiments and roll with what works. Let's see how they fare for the week:

Oct. 29 @ Minnesota [L] 120-124 (2-5)

HIGHLIGHTS

As drama unfolds upon the Lakers, they do battle against another drama-filled team in the Minnesota Timberwolves. A shootout was what you expect considering the Lakers surrender big chunks of points. Unfortunately, they could not stop Jimmy Buckets as he welcomes LeBron to the West to the tune of 32 points. "YOU CAN'T WIN AGAINST ME!" Screams Jimmy B.

Oct. 31 vs. Dallas [W] 114-113 (3-5)

HIGHLIGHTS

The Lakers go back home to do battle against a rising Mavs team and the European heir apparent to Dirk Nowitzki in Luka Doncic. The Lakers come right out of the gate and put a curb stomping on those horses for three straight quarters, this should be an easy win. But, the Lakers decided to nearly pull their best Atlanta Falcons blew a 28-3 lead impression as they allowed the Mavs to storm right on back and eventually tying the game up. Fortunately, Wesley Matthews went full bonehead as he fouled LeBron. All LeBron has to do is just make one free throw, which he did and that was all she wrote. A bipolar victory indeed.

Nov 3 @ Portland [W] 114-110 (4-5)

HIGHLIGHTS

Congratulations Lakers, you've finally ended the 16 game losing against those schmucks from the Pacific Northwest. Fitting the win was in Portland as that was the last Lakers' win four years ago. Hard to believe of all former Lakers, Wesley freakin' Johnson was the last player to lead the Lakers to victory. "Dame Time" definitely ran out on this one. "Playoff" Rondo showed up earlier than expected with a near triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists as he finger rolled the Blazers to death with layups. The Lakers built a comfortable lead in the third quarter, then as usual decided to make it interesting than normal in the fourth. I swear these wins are making us bipolar. Happy they won, but not happy they almost squandered what was a decisive lead in Q3.

Nov. 4 vs. Toronto [L] 121-107 (4-6)

HIGHLIGHTS

On this day of November 4, 2018, the City of "LeBronto" declared independence from the clutches of their ruler King James and reverted back to Toronto. To add insult to injury, they were without one of the original "King Slayers" Kawhi Leonard and yet the Raptors still kicked the Lakers' ass. They were carried by Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry who endured King James' reign of terror in all those years. Ibaka rekindled his game that was lost in his OKC years with 34 points and 10 rebounds while Lowry had a double-double with 21 points and 15 assists. Unfortunately, there was not much the Lakers could do as the Raptors steamrolled them. They had a chance in the 4th quarter, but the curb stomping was insurmountable. The North shall remember this day in history.

New Look Lakers Still Couldn't Beat Dame, Blazers

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' 2018-19 season opener at the Portland Trail Blazers where the Blazers spoil the debut of LeBron James in Purple and Gold, beating the Lakers 119-128 to extend their win streak to 16 against them.

So you're telling me, the last guy who lead the Lakers' last win against the Blazers is still Wesley Johnson? I really don't know about this Blazers team. Since Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum emerged as stars in the backcourt for Portland, they've had the Lakers' number. Just when we thought, LeBron's arrival would change things, it hasn't. Well, at least for one game. But, Portland didn't just beat the Lakers again. The Lakers beat themselves with dismal three point shooting and a whole heap of turnovers.

(+)

LeBron James, 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 9-16 shooting. Well, let's evaluate LeBron's Laker debut shall we? It is what you expect. The numbers speak for themselves. LeBron did his work in the post and going strong to the cup. The dunk sequence between him and Lillard in the first quarter is something to behold if you're an overall fan of NBA basketball. It felt like an All-Star game during that sequence and luckily, I tuned in at the right time for that as I got home late for the game. But going back, expect these numbers on a consistent basis for LeBron. Definitely, he's going to have a high usage rate playing in the ever-competitive Western Conference. And that's a cause for concern going forward considering his mileage. The six turnovers were a blemish on LeBron's game tonight, which I'll address later, but his debut? It is what you expect.

JaVale McGee, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 5-6 shooting. The Rondo-McGee PNR carried over well into the regular season. The Lakers as expected dominated the paint and McGee hovering inside was one of the many reasons. The defensive stats were solid with the three blocks. McGee brings what the Lakers have been lacking: a Center who can block shots on a regular basis and as devastating in finishing off screen and roll situations. He's in for a career year.

Rajon Rondo, 13 points, 11 assists, 6-13 shooting. We're accustomed to pedestrian numbers Rondo, but that represents his all-around game. Based on this game, Rondo is gonna have the edge over Zo at the starting PG position for the time being. He's just a savvy floor general that is a dual threat to score inside or set up plays for an open teammate.

Josh Hart, 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 blocks. Like I said in the preview, the shooting guard position is going to be an interesting position to look out for and Hart just put on the first stamp since KCP's scoring was nowhere to be found. Not to mention, he was the first player to find the stride from behind the arc when the Lakers were 0 for their first 14 on the three-point line. He played solid defense as well. The guy is a natural in putting a body up on players regardless of size.

(-)

3-point shooting. Perhaps this is the biggest blemish on this game. The Lakers finished up shooting 7 of 30 from the field according to NBA.com's stats. No lie, that was the most dismal 3-point shooting I've seen from this team. All 3-point attempts hit nothing but iron until the 3rd quarter. Don't get it twisted, there are players who are capable of hitting the 3-ball on this roster. But, they really lack a true sharpshooter that can knock down threes on a consistent basis. That's when they when their paint game becomes one-dimensional and the Blazers' defense was able to exploit that. Time to insert Svi Mykhailiuk into the rotation maybe.

Turnovers. Oh, the Blazers committed 16 turnovers while the Lakers committed 15. The biggest difference is that the Lakers turn the ball over when they are trailing and need a big bucket. It's been epidemic. But, I'm gonna let this slide because this team has a lot new parts and they're still getting a feel of their roles. If it's epidemic, especially when the Lakers are on the losing end, then it becomes a cause for concern.

Rebounding. Blazers 54 rebounds. Lakers 46 rebounds. Another concern is that even though the Lakers get most of their points in the paint, they are way too finesse and they don't box out on the boards. Portland is not too much of a physical team, but they just outmuscled the Lakers in terms of crashing the boards, especially when the Lakers are in small-ball mode with Kuzma at the 5. The size of the Trail Blzaers acted as a perfect counter-punch. There will be trouble ahead against the more physical teams.

Bench points. Blazers bench 55 points. Lakers 46 points. Nik Stauskas stepped up as the Blazers' third man, leading Portland's 2nd unit. The key to beating this Blazers team is to let Lillard and McCollum have their way, but stop everyone else. And once that third man gets going, they're hard to stop. Stauskas is an underrated player though, he's just been underutilized.

MVP

Josh Hart - 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 5 blocks

Let's face, it wouldn't be fair if I continually give this to LeBron with his numbers, so a little rock, paper, scissors here. Among the young core tonight, Hart showed out tonight. Points and defensive stats gave him the edge and not to mention, he was one of the players that got the Lakers' 3-point shooting going even though it was too little too late.


Conclusion

This is why I love that there isn't a lot of panic in the first game in the NBA because that is what it is, just one game. Yes, this loss tampers the Lakers' expectations by a bit. As always, the Western Conference is a bloodbath and it'll be a long-lasting bloodbath with now 81 games left. The Lakers aren't completely out of the picture. They will be competitive. It's just of matter of someone or two on this team outside of LeBron has to perform on a regular basis. And yes, there's still a lot of game left where the Lakers can improve on their weak areas. They'll look to get back on track on their home opener Saturday when they take on the Rockets. I'll probably see you guys for that game. Weekends nowadays are unpredictable for me, but I'll find a way to keep track of the game as usual. See you guys later.

10/18: LAKERS @ Blazers 2nd Half Open Thread

2nd half open thread of the Lakers-Blazers matchup on opening week. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q4

LAL 119 POR 128

Just like that, Portland's win streak against the Lakers extends to the same amount of championships won by the Lakers. Decent start to the LeBron era early in the game, but wow 3-pointers, turnovers, and offensive rebounding doomed this Laker team big time tonight. Dame and McCollum got hot when it mattered the most and they got that third man in Stauskas to step up the scoring and 3-point shooting. Once again, back to the drawing board to beat this Blazers team. This losing streak continues to be ridiculous. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 91 POR 93

Just when we thought the Blazers are gaining momentum back, the Lakers came back. Two big threes at the end - from Rondo and the buzzer beater from Josh Hart. Portland's size was causing the Lakers' small-ball lineup all kinds of problems. Now, they were beating them at their own game. But finally, the Lakers are hitting their 3-pointers. Josh Hart started it off and then Rondo. All of a sudden, the Lakers went from being down by a couple to being down by just two. Brandon Ingram came alive this quarter as well, scoring 8 of his 12 points in this quarter alone. This game is setting up to be a stretch run for both teams heading into Q4.

10/18 LeBron Era Begins! - LAKERS @ Portland Trail Blazers 1st Half Open Thread

Welcome to the first half open thread of the Lakers' opening matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers! Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

LAL 63 POR 65

Shucks that Portland still has the, but it's better to trail by a basket at half time then down by a lot. That's the way that this game almost went. The Blazers were finally hitting their 3-ball when Nik Stauskas came off the bench, starting off a perfect 4-4 from beyond the arc. I was thinking "uh oh." The Lakers couldn't buy a bucket from deep. And when you try to fight fire with fire, trying to outshoot a good 3-point shooting team in Portland, you're gonna get burned big time. Though the 3-pointers weren't falling, the Lakers stuck with their game of dominating the paint. That's where they got most of their points. It also helps that their defense sets up the offense in transition. McGee had some nice defensive plays, so did Ingram. Let's get to the heap of things. LeBron James, 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Not a bad debut for the King. He electrified the crowd the first quarter, exchanging dunks with Dame making the Moda Center go crazy. While LeBron does his thing, it seems that the scoring goes stagnant when he goes to the bench. Ingram is struggling offensively. KCP, non-factor. But who stepped up this quarter was Rajon Rondo with 10 points and 6 assists. Rondo has been a guy who's scoring's been overlooked. Once he finds ways to score, defenses have to respect both his scoring and playmaking attributes. And he did that this quarter. So far, it's been the veterans LeBron, Rondo, and McGee who's been doing the work. Let's see the young core follow as the 2nd half gets underway.

Q1

LAL 31 POR 34

I got in on time when the action got good. Turned the T.V. on and I saw LeBron and Dame exchange dunks on both ends of the floor. That's when you know it's exciting. Last thing, I remember the Lakers built an 8-10 point lead. Then, Portland came storming back. The Blazers of course are playing with a heavy heart for the late Paul Allen, owner of both the Blazers and the Seahawks. As LeBron went off the floor, there were so many questions on who would be the go-to-scorer and the Lakers haven't answered that down the stretch. Free throws and 0/6 from the 3-point land are some of the reasons. While the Blazers are hitting their 3-point shots with Nik Stauskas hitting his first two buckets from beyond the arc to spark the Blazers run and the eventual lead at the end of one.

Lakers Losing Streak vs. Blazers Continued Saturday Night

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com*

Kyle Kuzma lead the Lakers in scoring with 18 points to go with 7 rebounds, but the Lakers couldn't snap the losing streak against Portland on Saturday night before Christmas, losing 95-92. Josh Hart filled in for Brandon Ingram, chipping in 11 points. KCP added a near double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds and Lonzo Ball nearly had a triple-double with 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists. Jordan Clarkson lead the second unit with 18 points and Julius Randle closely followed with 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Final Score: vs. Portland 95-92 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171223/PORLAL#/recap

Highlights: *Courtesy of Rapid Highlights*

The silver lining about this back-to-back set with the Warriors on the road and the Blazers at home is that the Lakers competed their tails off. In the past, they'd lose in hard-fought game and then the next day, they'd get blown out. That wasn't the case here. The Lakers came back to rally, but they came up short in another heartbreaking loss to the Blazers. Lonzo Ball did not follow up from his great shooting performance against the Warriors, but he came up big with the game-tying three and a key defensive play in the final minute of the 4th quarter. Jordan Clarkson bounced back after being non-existent in the Houston and Golden State games. Josh Hart was solid, putting up the same point total from yesterday's game vs. the Timberwolves. Hart showed off his fearless attitude in these last two games including this. The play that hurt here is that the Lakers tried to hit a dagger three as Ball kicked it to Kuzma up 91-92. You could make the argument that Zach Collins, who blocked the shot, probably hit Kuzma on the hand and that's an obvious foul. Looking at it again, Collins got a finger on the ball before he hit Kuzma's hand. Not to mention, referees rarely call a foul in the final seconds of the 4th quarter. The close loss isn't all on that play though. The Blazers were missing Damian Lillard, but C.J. McCollum continued to put up good numbers. The two players who stepped up the most for Portland were Shabazz Napier and Maurice Harkless. Both had 21 points and 22 points respectively. Napier filled in well for Lillard's absence in the back court with McCollum and Harkless ignited the bench for the Blazers with this outing.

Lakers Get Hearts Ripped in Rip City

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup at the Portland Trail Blazers where the Lakers threw everything in the play book to snap their long losing streak against Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers. But, it came down to one final shot and Lillard has delivered in the clutch for the Blazers and breaking the hearts of the Lakers again to the final score of 110-113.

Still, you can't say nothing about that final shot by Damian Lillard. Brandon Ingram played really good defense on his shot and had a lot of length to disrupt the arc of the shot. Again, it was just better offense and as an NBA fan, you can't deny Dame's clutch gene. The Lakers had the right formula in stopping Portland's back court and the team as a whole. I feel the momentum started to slip midway through the 3rd quarter when the Lakers tried to be more flashy with their playmaking off their good defense. And some late game adjustments or lack thereof by Luke Walton also cost the Lakers the game.

(+)

Brook Lopez, 27 points, 3 rebounds, 9-15 shooting. This was a throwback Brook Lopez game before he developed a 3-point shot. All game, he just kept taking Jusuf Nurkic down low in the paint and he was having his way. I made a comment in the 3rd quarter that I was seeing flashes of a prime Pau Gasol tonight. The Lakers kept sticking to one element that worked and that was attacking the rim. They fed the ball inside to Lopez and Lopez did the rest by backing up Nurkic or taking it strong into the paint.

Kyle Kuzma, 22 points, 3 rebounds. Kuzma had a good look on that final shot that would've tied the game. But, getting a quick high arcing, high percentage shot off with .7 seconds left is impossible to pull off. Nonetheless, this was an excellent game from Kuzma. In the 1st quarter, the Lakers dug themselves a hole early. There was not too much activity on either side of the ball for LA. Then Kuzma comes in and creates a run of his own to put the Lakers' back into the game, trailing by four or six points. As Reggie Miller said in the game, Kuzma, for a rookie, is calling his own plays to create his own shot.

Defensive intensity. This was present for 2 1/2 quarters. Obviously, it was non-existent for the Lakers as the Blazers jumped to a 25-41 lead in the first quarter. Then slowly, but surely, they picked up the intensity on defense. Full court press, trap defense, double teaming, you name them. The Laker defense swarmed like flies on the Blazers for the most part of the game.

(-)

4th quarter coaching adjustments. The common denominator on Luke Walton's weakness as a coach is he doesn't see what kind of personnel the opposition has on the floor and he doesn't tailor his adjustments to match that personnel. The Blazers made the adjustment in putting Jusuf Nurkic back in in the 4th quarter to counter the Lakers' small ball lineup of Kuz and Randle. When I saw that, I said that Luke's gotta put Brook Lopez back in. But instead of that, he sticks to the current small ball lineup and Nurkic scores four straight points to spark the Blazers' run down the stretch. The NBA and sports in its entirety is all about a game of matchups. Walton has got to get better in understanding situation and personnel. This was the back breaker that ultimately cost the Lakers' shot in snapping the losing streak against the Blazers.

Lonzo Ball, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists. Ball had some solid spurts defensively against Lillard tonight. But, other than that, where was Zo tonight? He was inexplicably M.I.A. tonight. Usually, when the ball was in his hands, he'd push the tempo or be aggressive and finding the balance in either getting someone else involved or scoring all the way to the hoop. I didn't see any of that tonight from Lonzo. He was very conservative and very pedestrian tonight.

Larry Nance's injury. This is exactly reminiscent like last season. Lakers' were off to a .500 start, then Nance gets hurt and everything comes crashing down on the Lakers. He's been a key cog in the Lakers' way of playing high intensity team defense with his hustle. They could've used him in the 4th quarter. Early prognosis on Nance's injury is a fractured metatarsal. He's definitely gonna miss some significant time.

MVP

Brook Lopez, 27 points, 3 rebounds, 9-15 shooting

Tonight's game had the closest MVP race. But, if I had to give it to one, it'd be Lopez. He was neck-and-neck, trading shots with Jusuf Nurkic in the post and he hit a go-ahead three late in the 4th to give the Lakers the lead. He may have developed a 3-point shot, but he still has some moves in the post.



Conclusion

Twelve games and now 13 games in and the Lakers still can't get one against the Blazers. They almost had it, but minor blunders down the stretch turned this game into a missed opportunity. This time of the season was the best time the Lakers could've snatched a win against this team. Because I'm sure by the time they meet again, Portland's is gonna try to make a playoff push. They're not going to toy around with bottom feeding teams anymore when that time comes. Anyway, the Lakers can't hang their heads on this loss. Because they have to fly back home to LA for tomorrow's game. They have to prep up for D'Angelo Russell's welcome back party as he and the Brooklyn Nets come to town. I want to cover that game so bad. But too bad the game is not going to be on ESPN or something. With the defense the Lakers are playing, it's going to entertaining to see if they'll hound D'Lo with the same defensive intensity. I'll provide a quick recap and commentary for that game and I'll see you guys for the Lakers' next nationally televised game, which I'm sure is on the road vs. Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics. Lakers-Celtics, the age-old rivalry continues. I'll see you guys later.

11/02: LAKERS @ Portland Trail Blazers 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

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

Q4

LAL 110 POR 113

This game hurts. Kuzma had a good look on that final shot, but with .7 seconds left, you have to get off a quick release. Unfortunately, that just fell short. KCP had the game tying three, but 15.5 seconds left, there was still a lot of time for the Blazers to execute a play and you knew the ball was going to be in the hands of Damian Lillard. Ingram played good defense on Lillard in those final seconds. But, Lillard has delivered time and time for the Blazers in clutch time. Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 85 POR 87

Well, the teams looked evenly matched down the stretch. The Lakers continued to implement the same formula that I talked about in the 2nd quarter. They successfully managed to put the Blazers in early foul trouble. And they've put a lot of ball pressure on defense. Down the stretch, they started to lose that edge and the Blazers came right back into this game. They're trying to be a little too cute with the playmaking when they've made a successful stop. They just have to slow down and relax. Luckily, they're just down by two heading into the fourth quarter.

11/02: LAKERS @ Portland Trail Blazers 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

Welcome to the first half open thread discussion of the Lakers' road matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. Leave a comment below the post and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

LAL 62 POR 66

This current turnaround by the Lakers in this quarter is textbook example of a tale of two quarters in the first half. In the start, they looked lethargic. Lillard and McCollum were picking their spots against the defense and providing some pretty good balance between scoring and facilitating the basketball. This quarter, the Lakers got back to the basics that worked for them in Detroit: attacking the basket and generating some better energy on defense. The stat that TNT provided so far tonight, the Blazers shot over 60% in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, they shot 40% from the field. The Lakers picked up the defensive intensity this quarter. In terms of attacking the basket, they fed the ball inside to Brook Lopez and Lopez just took it to Nurkic in the paint. B.I. also picked up his penetration to the rim before the end of the quarter. That's the Lakers' game right now. It's old school drive to the basket, dominate the paint, and play good team defense. They have to sustain that formula if they want to end 10+ games of misery against Portland. On another note, Lonzo Ball has been pedestrian this first half  The Lakers are much better when he's aggressive and pushing the tempo. We have to see better energy from Zo in the 2nd half. Open thread of the 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

LAL 25 POR 41

The Lakers can throw all of their defensive sets on Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and it still wouldn't matter. Those two were just surgically picking apart the Lakers' defense in that quarter. It's also backbreaking that McCollum was making those other-worldy shots on three. The only positive from this quarter was Kyle Kuzma's mini-run about four minutes left in the 1st. He got aggressive early on and cut the deficit to as many as six. But, other than that, Lakers still have no answer for Dame and C.J.

Lakers' Losing Streak Against the Blazers Continues

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

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

(+)

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

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

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

(-)

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

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

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

MVP

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

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




Conclusion

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

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

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

Q4

LAL 98 POR 105

The quarter down the stretch got me like...

Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q3

LAL 75 POR 83

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

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

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

Q2

LAL 58 POR 59

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

Q1

LAL 31 POR 30

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