Michael’s comment about good Russ and bad Russ kind of encapsulates this Lakers team. Good Melo, Bad Melo. Good LeBron, Bad LeBron. Good AD, Bad AD. Good Baze, Bad Baze. Good Reaves, Bad Reaves. Good Vogel, Bad Vogel.
Or maybe it’s just early in the season and players haven’t had a chance to develop rapport or chemistry because of all of the crazy lineups due to injuries and inconsistent play. After all, we did have 11 new players and right now are missing three of our five highest paid players who are out with injuries.
Sometimes the simplest answer is the correct answer.
Great fiver, Jamie. Love the Get Back theme and video. Thanks.
I also appreciate the more nuanced criticism and acknowledgement of the positive things that we’re seeing. There’s definitely a ways to go and injuries are rearing their ugly head again but we’re good enough to fight through it so no need to panic. Bron out is just going to make it take longer.
The silver lining. I’m rooting for AD to go crazy and put-up stats like he did at times in New Orleans and Russ to continue to show that winning without LeBron is why we traded for him regardless of fit. That’s what I want and hope to see but not predicting. But I’m primed to be happily surprised. That would be sweet.
1) No doubt defense has at times been problematic for this team, especially when you must give minutes to poor defenders like Rondo, Jordan, and Monk. Honestly, though, the problem is we seem to have an underrated talent for going into scoring droughts at the same times as when we lapse at defense.
I realize that the label of a 3&D guy is given to way more players than really deserve it, both as shooters and defenders. We have shooters and defenders but few who do both. That means each lineup must be balanced so the team can score and defend.
Frankly, no pun intended, some of Frank’s rotations were just terrible. Yes, partly due to injuries and limited roster, but really, a lineup of Howard, Rondo, Bradley, Bazemore, and Reaves? Come on, Frank.
2) There’s no doubt that AD was on his way towards a career type night but I’m thankful he could come back and hopeful he’ll play tomorrow. Waiting for AD to become the next LeBron has been fraught with disappointment and concern due to injuries and, for me at least, motivation to be the greatest. His play is raising hopes this may be the season when it’s AD who wins Finals MVP instead of LeBron.
3) Westbrook’s Jekyll and Hyde game, indeed. Talked about the offensive and defensive self-inflicted wounds. Here’s where LeBron and AD need to take Russ aside and tell him to be smarter in the clutch and in general. Anyway, like I say this early in the season, it’s only one game and Russ is looking like he can a force. We’re especially seeing how having a third superstar can be a great insurance policy as well as a ceiling raiser.
4) There’s no question Bradley is the best we have right now as a fifth starter. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to be good enough for us to win. At the least, we need Nunn and THT to show they can take the starting two and three jobs. They’re the highest paid non-superstars. They will show it or be traded at the deadline for players who can. Can’t spend $10M and $5M on two guys who can’t start. That would be foolish. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lakers push them into those spots when they come back for just that reason. That $15M should be spent on starters, not bench players.
5) Thunder and SGA played great and they clearly won the second game and in game adjustments over the Lakers. Good coaching. Good young talent who hit clutch shots to take us down twice. Good reminder for the Lakers of how far they need to go and how important the little things and synergy that make a cohesive team on the court better than their parts.
Nice post Jamie, for me the biggest issue is still injuries. Although a close 2nd is our bad habit of taking our foot off the gas almost every game. That has to stop immediately. One would think that after they beat us the 1st time would have applied even more pressure up 19. I do believe we would have won if either Nunn or THT were available. Rondo is now a break glass in case of an emergency type of player. With either Nunn or THT available Rondo doesn’t play. Also both are very capable of creating offense so we may not have had that scoring drought. And of course they both can defend. I’m also impressed with Bradley. I do believe they will guarantee his contract. If a desirable player is cut and available at the deadline I wouldn’t be surprised if we cut Rondo to make room. And please, Dwight should be getting all the minutes at center when AD sits. He has played much better than DJ. When we have to start AD at the 4 Dwight should be the 5. Go out early and then start the 2nd quarter when AD rests. And when we get everyone back AD should start at the 5 and Dwight should relieve him. DJ should join Rondo as a break glass in case of emergency player.
Hey-O Michael, yeah Rondo should be put on ice until the playoffs. DAJ should just be put on ice. The 1 or 2 lob dunks a game are meaninglessness. Dude can’t defend a tree right now. Injuries this season are more of the contact/accidental type which is better? I guess? But still means guys are out.
You should have seen the first draft. Much gloomier but then I had coffee and the world is always a bit brighter after that.
Frank really has his work cut out for him. I think both Beadley and Bazemore are actually the right kind of guys we need to set a tone early. They’re system guys who fit in where needed and take the open shot. I think where we see a lot of slippage across the board is when it’s left to the supporting cast to run the show. This is where our bin-dynamic offense hits hardest. Russ doesn’t need a scheme, just a shred of daylight. AD needs the ball 15 feet out. That’s the offense. But, with LBJ out and those guys both sitting for about 15 mpg we see a huge fall off in every measurable category. That’s where I’d love to see Nunn or THT or anyone really shine. Can’t put it all in Melo, dude is playing as well as can be expected given the mileage.
You are right about the fall off Jamie,, when guys rest. But we have 3 very capable guys that haven’t seen the floor yet. Both Nunn and THT looked really good in their limited preseason appearances but even more impressive was what the coaches and teammates were saying about them and what they were seeing in practice. There is also Ellington. I’m interested in seeing what he will bring. My expectations for him last night was pretty low, considering it was his first game back. The big question is, will he be a 42% from 3 guy or will he suffer the shooters curse that haunted Danny Green, Wes Matthews and others that we have brought in for shooting.
Glad to see the caffeine doing it’s work. The injuries have made Frank struggle with lineups but it’s doubtful answer for starters at the 2 and 3 will be a pair of minimum salary players like Bradley & Bazemore or even Ellington & Ariza. Nunn and THT must be answer due to $10M & $5M salaries or be traded.