While not the prettiest of wins the fact that our team of bench guys and role-players was able to overcome an NBA squad, regardless of how banged up they are, is a confidence booster. Clutch play from Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker helped lead the Lakers to their 3rd win in a row and keep what hopes are left that one of Dallas or Portland will stumble at the end and crack open the 6th seed for us. Lakers had their destiny in their hands and couldn’t find this level of energy and completion and so now must hope others fail and we keep on winning out.
- Drummond finding his Laker groove. Andre’ turned in another solid performance helping to control the offensive glass, scoring inside and providing some really nice post play. Missed some free throws which is a concern for late-game availability come the playoffs. I think that, with the ability to practice being more available in the playoffs and the time between games, we’ll see Dre’ get more and more acclimated. He’s starting to show the promise a lot of people saw in him coming here and rewarding Frank Vogel’s faith in his ability to start. Regardless of how he plays I fully expect Drummond to start barring a match up issue akin to the Rockets last season. If he can play like this on a nightly basis we’ll have a weapon in the post that you can mix and match with Harrel and Gasol against the opposing benches.
- Markieff makes some threes! I think Morris was on a 0-28 streak from deep and he finally broke through last night. If he can go on the flip side of that drought as we roll into the playoffs it couldn’t come at a better time. If ‘Kieff can bring this level of scoring and defensive intensity we’re in good shape. We’re going to need the versatility and savvy Morris brings, he was critical in winning banner #17 last season. Honestly, we’ll need all of that veteran moxie we got. Between Morris and Matthews we have a lot of experience in terms of knowing where to be, competing high and impacting the game without being the focus of the team.
- Gotta love how ready McKinnie has been all season long. The dude languished on the bench for much of the season, saw garbage time here and there, and did his job. He stayed ready to contribute and has done a solid job coming in, rebounding the ball and making his shots. If we’re relying on Alfonzo for big minutes in the playoffs we’re in trouble but it’s nice to see guys who do their job, stay ready and ball hard when called upon. Keep that head in the game, dude, you never know when that number is going to get called.
- Talen slowing it down better. Solid game as the starting PG from THT. 10 dimes to only 3 turnovers is about as much as you can ask from the 2nd year guard. While he didn’t make a three he was still able to get buckets in the paint and what I liked best was that he didn’t overly force his own offense but did a really good job of reading what the defense was giving him and making a play or scoring. It’s games like this that make me more than comfortable with the idea of letting Schroder walk this summer. Not to denigrate what Dennis brings, which I also like, but I don’t see all that much daylight between THT and Schroder’s games, respectively. So if I’m looking at keeping one of the two I think that, for the money he’s likely to command on the open market, Talen is a better bargain. That’s a discussion best left to the summer, though, got some season and some playoffs yet to wrangle.
- Trezz getting his chance to shine. We’re getting a little taste of how playoff rotations are likely to look. With no real centers to bang against as a back up we saw a lot more Harrell and no Gasol. Trezz made the most of it by turning in a very Montrezl-esque performance. He and Kuzma provided a lot of punch off the pine last night and both were huge in eking out the needed win. I have a lot of admiration for guys who play with heart and passion but can also be professional when it comes to the playoffs and playing time. Not everyone is going to be happy with their minutes in the playoffs, except maybe LeBron and AD, most likely everyone will feel like they could have contributed more. Contribute what you can in the minutes you get. That’s the key to winning games in the playoffs.
Two more games, that’s all we got left in this topsy-turvy season of hoops. Need to bring ’em both home with W’s if we want a shot at avoiding the play in but if you ask me that ship sailed with Portland winning against Phoenix last night. That was our best shot at getting out of the 7th seed. Because they own the tie-breaker we have to actually pass either Dallas or Portland in the standings and that feels unlikely at this point.
Thanks for the write-up, Jamie. These past 3 wins have been suspense thrillers. Man, I thought my blood pressure was going to shoot up in the atmosphere in each of these nail-biters, only to get exhilaration when the team comes down with timely plays to seal the deal. Nothing feels better than a game full of suspense and then find a way to win.
What I like about this fiver is the fact that you mentioned players that need a pat on the back. It is good to see Drummond taking strides in fitting in the rotation. He might be the luxury we may need in the playoffs. Yes, Markief has been struggling since AD came back to the lineup. But it seems he might be finally turning the corner and break free from this yoke of a bad slump. I am glad you mentioned Mckinnie. This is a dude who plays hard in limited minutes but hardly gets mentioned. I like his game a lot. THT reminds me a little bit of a Russell Westbrook for being fearless attacking the paint and a little bit of Kobe Bryant for his acrobatic plays around the rim. Wes Mathews definitely deserves a lot of praise. Dude is really feisty on defense and his peskyness and ability to guard bigger guards is valuable.
The fact that Trez played and Gasol didn’t goes to show the luxury we have as a team.
At the beginning of the season, we all thought we have a deep team only to run into an identity crisis with our role players when AD and LeBron went down. Suddenly, our dept became questionable with everyone not exactly sure of their role. But after some difficult times trying to keep the ship afloat, things are rounding out to form. That’s why with just two games remaining in the season it’s safe to say we are deep enough to make another run for the title. It really wont matter what seed we are in.