Lakers Weekly Roundup #6: 10 Wins...and One December 1 Loss

November has been very kind to the Lakers. Outside of the early loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Lakers have owned the month of November. One could say they've had a far easy schedule against struggling teams. But one thing's for sure, they are taking care of business against teams they're expected to beat. Heading into December, the Lakers will truly be tested against teams with better records. How they fare remains to be seen, but let's take a look at how they performed this week.

11/25: @ San Antonio 114-104 [W] (15-2)

All of LA had their attention on this as soon as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens wiped the floor clean over the Rams on Monday night. You always have to be weary when San Antonio will start flipping the switch. But when your recent win is against the Knicks and you're 6-12, it's not a great start. As for the Lakers, they're surviving this road trip with some heart stopping wins at OKC and at Memphis. Can we at least have a comfortable win here? This is just what the doctor ordered. Looking at the highlights, the Spurs and the Lakers were trading buckets with no team having a decisive lead. That's until the 4th quarter. The Spurs had no answer for LeBron's scoring and facilitating prowess. What's even more lethal? His three point shooting was on point in crunch time. This is especially considering that Anthony Davis had a pedestrian game, yet he still showed up when it mattered the most. The final stat line: LeBron James lead all Lakers with 33 points and 14 assists. As mentioned AD had an off night, but still finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Rondo, KCP, and Troy Daniels provided that extra scoring power. We already know KCP has played lights out since starting, but Rondo had the shooter's touch going 3-3 from beyond the arc. He was especially big at helping the Lakers balloon their lead. The Spurs still fought valiantly as DeMar DeRozan continued to battle. During that fourth quarter, the Spurs were not going away as long as he's getting buckets. But my goodness, work on a 3-point shot man. Maybe your team will have a greater chance making this game close if you can just hit a crucial three.

11/27: @ New Orleans 114-110 [W] (16-2)

This is the most anticipated game on the schedule. Anthony Davis returns back to New Orleans to face off against his former team. With this, we are expecting a heavy rain of boos drenching on AD whenever he touches the ball. That's what transpired predictably. This wasn't just a return game for AD, but a revenge game for Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball. B.I. was 100% full go for this. Hart didn't miss one. And Lonzo? Nowhere in sight. Maybe he chickened out again, but his official prognosis was that he didn't play due to illness. Things got off to a rocky start this game for the Lakers. After a 10-8 lead, New Orleans fired on all cylinders from three. I gotta give credit to the Pels. They showed up this game ready to play. They were physical. They stretched the floor. Josh Hart nearly head hunted LeBron and AD. In that 2nd quarter, 'Bron bumped knees with Hart. And by the end of the third, gave AD a sore elbow. I'm not implying that Josh Hart is a dirty player. He wasn't notorious for that in his tenure with the purple and gold. But no question he was the common denominator when both the Lakers' star players had to briefly exit the game. 

The lead looked insurmountable for the Lakers to overcome. Davis overcame a slow start, but he wasn't getting too much help elsewhere. LeBron looked pedestrian in the first three quarters, missing free throws to make matters worse. Kuz was reluctant to take any shots. KCP, Rondo, Green, and JaVale looked awful. Out of the supporting cast, Dwight Howard looked sharp out of the gate. He was solid after laying a goose egg in San Antonio. Caruso was consistent as usual with his defense despite the lack of stats. Let's roll back to LeBron and Kuzma because when AD had to get off, they came alive down the stretch. Kuzma got in rhythm from. LeBron took over when it mattered the most. AD still finished the game and stuck it to New Orleans with free throws and a clutch steal over B.I. This game turned incredible at the end with the Lakers' resiliency and will to finish strong and that has been their MO all season long. A fitting end to what was a four-game road roller coaster!

11/29: vs. Washington 103-125 [W] (17-2)

The Washington Wizards may have a losing record to start, but they're one of the highest scoring offenses in the league thus far. The Lakers were down 9-0 to start this game to the Wizards. After that, it felt like a millennia that they shut out the Lakers early on. I could throw out a joke that the Lakers were spotting them points before they put the pedal to the medal. They did look sluggish and discombobulated on offense. But, that's exactly what they did. After that start, the Lakers outscored them 29-4, eventually ballooning the lead to 39 points at one point. LeBron James and Anthony Davis did their usual things as the purple and gold's dynamic duo, combining for 49 points. But, it was the rest of the supporting cast that stepped up. Rondo shooting the three ball well contributed to the Lakers storming back and keeping the lead for the rest of the game. Danny Green found the stroke from deep. JaVale McGee joined LeBron and AD in the double-double category with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Quinn Cook did some mop up duty and got hot in the 4th quarter. The defense held Bradley Beal to 18 points. This was a much-needed team-dominant win for the Lakers after pulling out close ones in the last few games. With this start, I feel like a teenager again with these Lakers stacking up wins and dominating teams they should beat. At 17-2, this is their best start 2008-09 if I'm reading the stats correctly. They were near perfect for the month of November with their only loss to Toronto back on the 10th. Now things get testy as the LakeShow puts their best record on the line against a daunting December stretch.

12/01: vs. Dallas 114-100 [L] (17-3)

I did say this December will be a daunting month for the LakeShow. Last meeting, the Lakers grinded it out with an OT win over the Mavs. Don't think the Mavs have forgotten that leading into these game. My head and neck area did some exercises rotating between this game and the Raiders' sh*tshow vs. the Chiefs. The Lakers had momentum at the first half. But, it all fizzled away from the Mavs' hot shooting in the third quarter. The Mavs outscored them 35-17. Not only were they draining 3's, but they were getting 2nd chance opportunities off the boards. AD, JaVale, and Dwight ought to be embarrassed by not boxing out with their size. They got outhustled every step of the way. The Lakers missed some shots with some pretty questionable shot selection. It was very uncharacteristic. LeBron turned the ball over 6 times and missed all 5 of his 3-point attempts. Despite the 25, 9, and, 8 effort, that certainly leaves a blemish. Outside of LeBron and AD, the team didn't have much help besides Caruso. Caruso did give the Lakers a spark when he hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead 87-75 in the third. Other than that, the 2nd half was all Mavs. You gotta give some MVP mention to Luka Doncic. It's a little early, but the dude has been nothing short of special in his sophomore year for Dallas.

*Next week, I will not be posting a Weekly Roundup. I mentioned this in my reaction to the Raiders' loss to the Chiefs. This semester is closing up fast and I have a daunting final paper (currently in progress) staring me in the face. I'll see you guys the week after.*

Lakers Weekly Roundup (03/31): Oh, Now They Start Winning?

*Some NSFW language*

A few more games after this week remain. It's a time where good teams start resting their star players sitting comfortably in their playoff spots and where bad teams start picking up G-League players to showcase their potential in making the team. The Lakers have long been eliminated from the playoffs, but they still play on as the NBA demands it. It was a March to forget about as the Lakers took so many L's that they doomed their playoffs hopes. Now ever since they were eliminated, they started playing better. Let's be honest here, they played against teams that are tanking or have no shot at the playoffs whatsoever this week. As they pile up meaningless W's, they are on pace to break their win total from last year, despite finishing under .500 yet again, which is a big disappointment considering they went from 26 wins to 35 wins in Luke Walton's first two years as Head Coach. And more likely than not, he's fired by season's end. Let's get to the bottom of this week's Lakers Weekly Roundup.

03/26: vs. Washington 106-124 [W] (33-41)

HIGHLIGHTS

Lance Making Jeff Green Dance

You know? Games like this makes me wish that the NBA had an option to flex out games that are not worthy for national television. Kinda like what the NFL does. I mean, nobody wants to see two NFL teams with losing records headlining a Sunday Night game. It's understandable why this was nationally televised from the get-go. The Wizards were projected to be playoff team this year and LeBron James has made the Lakers relevant again and must-see TV. Now, these are two teams out of the playoff hunt and riddled with injuries. This game was easy pickings for the Lakers when Washington's only offense this game came out of Bradley Beal,  who's on an all-around tear these last few games. Beal had 32 points this game, but the Lakers beat the John Wall-less Wizards on an all-around team win. Ironic to say considering they tried to tear this locker room apart. But, it was all fun and games here. Lance Stephenson had the highlight of the night this game crossing up Jeff Green and making the Laker bench and Staples Center lose their minds. Even though Green clearly stepped on Lance's foot and slipped. With the game well out of reach, the Lakers debut their recent G-League tryout, Scott Machado, signed to a 10-day deal.

03/27: @ Utah 100-115 [L] (33-42)

HIGHLIGHTS

Back-to-back set, so no LeBron here. The Lakers were bound to lose this game. It's always a hostile crowd in Salt Lake City. With the Lakers having nothing to play for, the Jazz were well within reach of a playoff berth if they win this game. The Jazz took care of business behind a stellar game from Joe Ingles. John Stockton was reincarnated as an Aussie this game as Ingles carved up the Lakers with his passing, racking 14 assists and making Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors look good. Congrats Jazz, you've clinched a playoff berth. Nothing more to say here.

03/29: vs. Charlotte 115-129 [W] (34-42)

HIGHLIGHTS

Hornets fans, you have to implore his Airness to give Kemba Walker some help. The guy does so much for this team, but he's surrounded by a shit supporting cast. Lucky for the Hornets, they play in the East and their playoff hopes are still faintly alive. But, the Lakers dampen those playoff hopes a bit with this win as LeBron continues his shutout in head-to-head matchups against Kemba. I just found out that he has a 28-0 record all-time against him. That should be good enough for LeBron. Now, let's shut him down for the rest of the season.

03/31 @ New Orleans 130-102 [W] (35-42)

HIGHLIGHTS

Following up from the last post, the Lakers announced prior to this game that LeBron James will not play the rest of the season. I'd say it's a wise move. The guy has a lot mileage with 8 straight finals appearances and he hasn't been 100% since the groin injury in December. The playoffs are well out of reach, so there's no reason to push him to play out the remainder of the season.

Now that's that, time to give the Pelicans another beating for helping sabotage the Lakers' chemistry. Funny enough, the Pelicans listed Anthony Davis as probable for this game, then they ruled him out at the last minute. Honestly, who'd be stupid enough to play their disgruntled star player at this point of the season? To smite the team that tried to trade for him? Okay. Activate Alex Caruso's bald spot! Before we get into that, this was a revenge game for Rondo against his former team and he showed out with 24 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals. McGee also contributed with 23 points and 16 rebounds. But, it was the brilliant shooting of Alex Caruso and Reggie Bullock off the bench this game to help blow the Pelicans. Caruso lead the bench with 23 points to go along with 6 assists and 4 steals. He's been nothing short of solid when given the opportunity to go off the bench. But, we gotta give credit to the Laker defense in the 2nd half to spring the hot shooting. I was checking the plays on the Yahoo Sports app and they forced the Pelicans to turn the ball over like crazy to ignite the rout. Well, I'd say this probably the Lakers' last easy W this season. They got five more games against playoff contenders in the West (Golden State, Portland, OKC, Utah, Clippers). They'd be lucky to catch some of those teams resting players. Probably the team that won't likely rest players are the Warriors as they are neck-and-neck with the Nuggets for the #1 seed in the West. I probably won't be doing weekly roundups the rest of the way. I'll be heading straight for the annual Season-in-Review post. Anyway, here's to a strong finish to the season!

Lakers Weekly Roundup (12/16): FINAL - LeBron 16 Wade 15; Ref-Ball

For years, many have come to believe in the conspiracy that the NBA is rigged. Reason #1 - the refs. From Joey Crawford to Tim Donaghy, they intentionally try to invade the spotlight of the NBA players. From phantom foul calls to unnecessary technical fouls/ejections, they even get more attention when they miss a few blatant calls. Sometimes, players use that to their advantage to intentionally draw contact on their defender, lowering the integrity of officiating even more. Truly, it's a "black eye" in the league. Even so, our love for the NBA does not change despite all suspicions. We are treated with so many star matchups over the years. Our "cardinal sin" is that we don't appreciate them until one of them decided to call it quits for a great career. Indeed, we take so much for granted what the NBA had in store for us over the years. Enough of the pros and cons, this is your Lakers Weekly Roundup!

12/10: vs. Miami 105-108 [W] (17-10)

HIGHLIGHTS

The Final LeBron vs. Wade matchup. It truly is the end of an era for the one of the most notable rivalry turned friendship turned rivalry again in the NBA. Barring any divine intervention that these two teams meet in this year's NBA Finals, this should be indeed the last matchup between the two. The two players are even in 30 total head-to-head matchups with both winning 15 wins. Only one will come out on top here for good. This was an antithesis of the last meeting against this Heat team in the Miami game. You know it was going to be a struggle for the Lakers when Lonzo Ball blows two wide open layups. It was like he's playing "Knockout" trying to get the ball in the hoop as he missed a jumpshot from the free throw line. Though D-Wade put up some vintage buckets, it was Justise Winslow stealing the show, putting up 28 points off the bench. This guy was a glorified non-scorer, but he's found the groove the last few games. Back and forth the two teams went. But the Lakers came out on top thanks to the heroics of King James and Lord Kuzma as the duo combined for 61 points. LeBron got the best of his "frenemy." A fitting end of an era as the era of the 2003 draft class draws nearer to a close. Wade will retire by season's end. Melo is left unsigned. Chris Bosh is in no condition to play anymore after two blood clot scares. And Darko Milicic is...well somewhere (the Pistons just had to ruin that talented order). Only LeBron will stand tall and fittingly as he's the flagship for that talented 2003 draft.

12/13: @ Houston 111-126 [L] (17-11)

HIGHLIGHTS

REFS HIGHLIGHTS

The rematch we've all been waiting for. The bad blood between the two teams has been brewing since the brawl in the home opener back in October. The only difference is, Brandon Ingram is out with a foot injury and Rajon Rondo had a setback following hand surgery. There will be no punches thrown here. The two teams exchanged baskets all game long. Though the Rockets had the lead the majority, the Lakers continued to fight and try to scratch and claw the best they can. That's until Floppity Flop Flop James Harden started taking advantage of the refs to draw unlimited fouls. The Bearded Man clearly has an endorsement with the refs. You can't even breathe on the man because he'll sucker himself into that modicum of air to draw contact and the refs will still end up calling a foul. If you're going to flop, at least make don't make it look obvious that you'll intentionally run into your man to get the call. Shit like that is why the NBA is a goddamn joke nowadays. To add insult to injury, Harden wraps up his School of Flopping by capping off a 50-point triple-double. We definitely needed Rondo and Ingram to throw hands for the Lakers this game. Hell, wish they brought back back Metta World Peace to check Harden and remind him of what legit contact feels like:

*In case anybody quickly forgot.*

12/15: @ Charlotte 128-100 [W] (18-11)

HIGHLIGHTS

Two days removed from the fuckery of the refs in Houston, the Lakers travel to Charlotte to visit the palace of "His Airness." The LakeShow had their extermination squads loaded to sweep out the Hornets. It was an old school, take-you-to-the-woodshed beatdown as the Lakers imposed their will on the hapless Hornets. We have ourselves two players with triple-doubles on the same team, a feat
that hasn't been accomplished in a long while. We are witnesses to the full power of "LeBronZo." King James, as he has done many times in the East, imposed his will on the Hornets, racking up 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. While the first born of the "Triple B's" from Chino Hills racked up 16, points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He even shut down Kemba Walker and racked up 5 steals, intercepting passes like he was playing Defensive Back in football. The LakeShow put the hammer on the Hornets in the 2nd half leading as many as 30 points. A splendid bounceback effort indeed!

12/16: @ Washington 110-128 [W] (18-12)

HIGHLIGHTS

Talk about a fucking letdown. It looked like the Lakers took the quick flight to the Nation's capital and left their complete team effort behind in Charlotte. You know how the old saying goes: "what goes around, comes around." The Lakers looked flat this game in this upsetting beatdown courtesy of the Wizards. The King proved that he was mortal after all as he was blinded by the wizardry of the Wizards.  LeBron was held in check to just 13 points. John Wall exploded with a 40-point game and getting away with so much contact on Lonzo Ball on the break. Honestly, how in the blue hell did the refs miss that call? John Wall didn't block Lonzo. He lead with his hip and bumped the shit out of Lonzo. No call. Probably the refs have made it clear to the Lakers that it was time to pay back the debt for the 2002 Western Conference Finals. I swear if that was James Harden, they will call that a flagrant 2. The only big takeaway this game was that KCP went off with 25 points off the bench. Wasted effort as we all know that KCP is hot-and-cold in terms of scoring.

No Overtime Needed: Wall, Wizards Get Back at Lakers

*Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Yahoo Sports*

Lonzo Ball notched a near triple-double with 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, but the Lakers couldn't overcome woeful shooting, falling to the Wizards 95-111. Brook Lopez was the leading scorer in the starting five with 15 points. Brandon Ingram was held in check to 10 points. KCP racked up 13 points and Kyle Kuzma struggled again despite recording a near double-double of 13 points and 9 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson lead all scorers off the bench with 15 points and Julius Randle almost racked a near double-double of 11 points and 9 rebounds.

Final Score: @ Washington 95-111 [L]
Full article: http://www.nba.com/games/20171109/LALWAS#/recap

Next Game: @ Milwaukee (11/11)

Highlights: *Courtesy of NBA Kit*

Watching highlights can skew the perception on how this game went. Because you're barely going to see any missed shots unless it is from a great defensively play. So, if I go back to the stats sheet, this was a pretty bad shooting night from the Lakers. They only shot 36% from the field while the Wizards shot over 50%. Only three players shot at 50% (KCP, JC, and Randle) while the rest of the struggled. Back to the highlights, this game got pretty ugly at around the 6 minute mark of the 2nd quarter. The Lakers had a run in the 3rd quarter to cut the deficit to nine, but Wall, Beal, and Porter were just two tough to contain. They were firing on all cylinders. It's pretty crazy that when it comes to the Wizards, many people talk about the Wall-Beal back court. Otto Porter has been that forgotten man and he continues to make great strides for Washington at the Small Forward position. Overall, the Lakers just had a bad night this game. Add into the fact that this was on back-to-back nights after the Lakers chased the Celtics, arguably the best team in the East, around, the Wizards would easily exploit that and come out swinging against this team.

Lakers Pull Off Stunning Win to Hand Wizards First Loss

Welcome in to the full recap of the Lakers' matchup vs. the Washington Wizards where the Lakers pull off win #2 in dramatic fashion yet again as they beat the Wizards 99-102 in overtime to snap the Wizards' 3-0 start to the season.

When the Lakers lose this season, it's comfortable and we all shake it off and say "next game." But, when they win, they have to give us a few heart attacks. That's the early narrative for this team this season. Their first win, they almost blew a six point lead against Phoenix, but luck tilted in their favor as the Suns missed a key first free throw. This 2nd win, the Lakers made a couple of key stops. Not a lot of shots were falling down the stretch, but they kept hanging in there with some good team defense and eventually, Kuzma came through with a three. KCP came through with a three. Ingram made some clutch plays. This is a type of win where young teams can hang their heads on, especially against a playoff contending team like the Wizards.

(+)

Brandon Ingram, 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block. I said in my commentary last game against the Pelicans, Ingram is most effective when he's looking to attack the basket. Overall, the game plan the Lakers had was to attack the Wizards on the interior. B.I. was responsible for a couple of those points in the paint. That's how he gets going and that's his current strength in his game as of now. And a reminder, his shot will come and tonight, we saw glimpses of his mid range jumpshot from the top of the key as they were coming along down the stretch. Other than that, he stuffed the stats sheet, particularly on the boards. His offensive rebound to tie the game at regulation was huge.

Lonzo Ball's defense vs. John Wall. So, Marcin Gortat put out a tweet before this game, saying that John Wall would torture Lonzo Ball for 48 minutes. For those, who've missed the game, the stats sheet would say that Wall dominated Ball. It's like the equivalent in Boxing where you go off who won based on the Compubox statistics and the unofficial round-by-round score cards. But, the judges see something else and give the win to the "loser." Then you see replay that the boxer who you think is the "loser" landed the cleaner hits and defended himself better. Based on watching this game, Lonzo Ball held his ground against John Wall for the most part of the game. Wall beat Ball only on one play when he threw down an emphatic dunk in the 3rd quarter. Granted, Zo got help defense, but he did a good overall job in closing down Wall's lanes where he can't use his speed to attack the basket with ease. Ball also did a good job to keep his body upfront when defending Wall. Wall only got going when there was another defender guarding him and he had his way against KCP, Clarkson, and others, but not Ball.

Clutch defense. For a team that has given up 100+ points in three games, the Laker defense did its job in stepping up when needed. The Lakers made a run late in the fourth, they step up on D to make key stops to get the ball back. And in the closing moments of OT, the defense steps up again and forced the Wizards to take tough shots. Give the team defense of the Lakers credit. The back court of John Wall and Bradley Beal and the overall Wizards' offense is often difficult to stop.

Julius Randle, 10 points, 9 rebounds. Has Randle finally embraced the role of being a bench player? It remains to be seen, but he came up huge again tonight! His activity on both ends on the floor are what ignite the Laker runs. When the ball is in his hands, you know he's gonna push as long as he's in control. He was also solid on defense when he was switched up against Wall. And yes, his three to cut the lead at 91-90 was big time.

Larry Nance Jr., 18 points, 10 rebounds. Larry Nance's game was almost forgotten because of that wild finish. He was also responsible in the Lakers' game plan to attack the paint. His activity was there too. He was at the right places at the right time to clean up some offensive boards and get some put back shots for scores as Brook Lopez took out Marcin Gortat out of the paint. Most of his points were also set up with Lonzo and Clarkson attacking and Nance just back door cuts in for easy baskets.

(-)

Turnovers. This negative tends to show up in all Laker games. 21 is the official total for the number of turnovers the Lakers committed this game. The most frustrating part is that a majority of the turnovers were not Washington's defense. They were part of mental errors or the players just trying to do too much. This happens to young teams most of the time.

MVP

Brandon Ingram 19 points, 10 rebounds, 8-16 shooting

I implore my fellow Laker fans to stay patient with this man's development. B.I. took another step in his development tonight in making clutch plays down the stretch. For now, basket penetration is his forte. The outside shots will follow.



Conclusion

This is a nice compensation for LA fans who watched the Dodgers lose Game 2 of the World Series tonight. Side note aside, wins against good teams are what builds confidence for young teams. Granted, the season is still early and we don't expect this team to win a lot of games. Especially against playoff ready teams. But, what matters is that this team keeps fighting to the end. Some games will tilt in their favor and some won't. It's part of the growing process. Tonight was a great win, no question. The Lakers competed and kept their heads in the game when things were looking bleak, especially in the 2nd half. The next test now, is stringing together a small winning streak.  Open thread and full recap is back on November 2 when the Lakers take on the Blazers in Portland. The Blazers had their number lately. At some point, they gotta find a way to contain Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Expect more quick recaps and commentary for the next Laker games in between tonight and November 2. I'll see you guys later.

10/25: "Ball vs. Wall" - LAKERS vs. Washington Wizards 2nd Half Open Thread and Discussion

This is the 2nd half open thread of the Wizards-Lakers matchup and a marquee point guard matchup between John Wall and Lonzo Ball. As usual, leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

OT

WAS 99 LAL 102

These are the kinds of games where young teams grow up! What a game! The Lakers scratched and clawed all game and they came out with the win! This was a great, team effort and a great way to overcome a lot of adversity that happened in tonight's game. The Wizards are undefeated no more! Stay tuned for the full recap.

Q4

WAS 92 LAL 92

Despite the the careless turnovers this game, I'm really proud of the fight of this Lakers' team tonight. Just when the Wizards were about to pull away, the Lakers make a run of their own down the stretch. Clutch three by Julius Randle of all people. Bradley Beal misses 1 of 2 free throws. Ingram with nice penetration, missed the first time, but grabbed his own rebound for the tip-in to tie the game. The Lakers' are giving the Wizards a run for their money as Washington just wants to head home, still undefeated. Let's see if the Lakers have enough juice for OT. That's the biggest test for this young team.

Q3

WAS 79 LAL 69

All the Lakers needed was to get this lead trimmed down to single digits heading into the 4th. At the same time, the last thing they needed was John Wall and Bradley Beal getting it going. Washington's back court found their game this quarter and that was the main reason they lead in double-digits. The Lakers are making a lot of careless turnovers. It's the story for every young team, but a lot of them were not on good defense by the Wizards. The Lakers' made a small run mid-quarter. Let's see if they can make another push in the final quarter of the game.

10/25: "Ball vs. Wall" - LAKERS vs. Washington Wizards 1st Half Open Thread and Discussion

It's a battle of point guards tonight! The 1st half open thread and discussion for the Lakers' matchup vs. the Washington Wizards on NBA Wednesday. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the game.

Q2

WAS 49 LAL 42

Well, John Wall tortured Lonzo Ball down the stretch...when Lonzo Ball was not guarding him. So far, the tweet by Marcin Gortat is not working out. When Ball is on Wall, no pun intended, he's kept him in check with some clean defense. Wall may have the speed, but Ball has done a good job closing out lanes to prevent Wall from further attacking the basket. The Wizards may have finished that quarter strong, but I like what I'm seeing overall from the Lakers. They're exploiting the paint and playing some really good defense for a young team that has given up 100+ points in the first three games. The only smear on this 1st half is that the Lakers started committing careless turnovers and it allowed the Wizards to come back. Jordan Clarkson, in particular, made some nice plays with Randle and Kuzma, but he's doing too much at the same time trying to be fancy with play making. The Wizards' best players in this game are not John Wall, Bradley Beal, or Otto Porter, but Jodie Meeks and Kelly Oubre. The Lakers' can live with that as long as they contain Washington's "Big 3." Particularly, they need to have a close eye on Meeks since he can be a game changer. If you knew from his Laker playing days, he has a tendency to catch fire when he gets a couple of three point shots going. The 2nd half will open up shortly.

Q1

WAS 18 LAL 23

If only Brewer didn't fumble that pass or if Kuzma just took that shot. But, so far, so good for the Lakers. I like the game plan that the Lakers are implementing early on this game. They are feeding Lopez inside the paint. As he takes on Gortat, Larry Nance Jr. is lurking inside to clean up some 2nd chance opportunities. 6-18 scoring in the paint are the stats so far in favor of the Lakers. I also liked the defensive activity. Lonzo is holding his own against John Wall and the rest of the team are making some shots more difficult for the Wizards.