Well, there’s only one more in-season chance to hit the reset button. All Star Weekend. Unfortunately the guy whom I think needs to hit reset the most will playing as a Captain in said game. The Lakers lost again, still grasping onto the next-to-last playin spot, in what was a most winnable game. The reasons why we lost are enough to make one think.
- You have to win games in which you contain the opposing star player. It’s NBA 101: if you contain the number one guy on the other team you need to find a way to win. In this case we let not just one but two other Warriors absolutely go off on us. One, Klay Thompson, is a known. Congrats on working your way back from a catastrophic injury but did you have to rediscover your mojo versus the Lakers on national TV? Kuminga is a different story. We’ve had issues all season with athletic bigs and Jonathon Kuminga fits that mold to a T. Lakers have had a hard time containing no-names all season, it would be odd for that trend to stop now.
- So very many missed free throws. 11 misses at the stripe (although in truth GS wasn’t much better with 9 misses of their own). LeBron James was the biggest culprit here on a night he sorta kinda not really passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on some sort of total points scored in all sorts of games stat. Wake me up when he hits Kareem’s regular season milestone. It’s the more impressive stat. Lakers been missing free throws all season, it would be odd for that trend to stop now.
- Can’t put this one on Russ. Two games, one he played in and the other he did not, and the losses look about the same to me. I’ve thought it too convenient that we lay the entirety of the Laker woes at the feet of Westbrook on the court and Vogel regarding his rotations. Of the two it’s Frank that is the bigger issue by far but his weird rotational choices should be obfuscated by the terrible job GM Rob Pelinka has done from the summer to date. Lakers been old all season, it would be odd for that trend to stop now.
- The disappearing Anthony Davis. I’m sure he’ll say all the things we’ve come to expect when he no-shows like this. His jumper, free throws and overall intensity went MIA in a game we could shoulda won. This is not new and I don’t see it changing. Anthony Davis has been inconsistent since we won the title, it would be odd for that trend to stop now.
- At least the bench showed up, for the most part. THT, Monk and Reaves all had solid games. Ariza? Notsomuch. He continued his ‘once every four games or so’ good game pattern. It’s like some games his body is up for an NBA game but more often than not he just looks, well, old. Reaves’ block on Klay was the highlight of the game, Monk just seems to find ways to try and lift the team, and leave it to THT to rediscover his game post-trade deadline. The one bright spot from last night was how well the bench played but, honestly, we need Reaves to be a little more aggressive and for Monk to start. The Lakers have odd line ups all season though so, you know, it would be odd for that trend to stop now.
If you sensed a theme with this post, congrats! If we miss the playin my bet is Jeannie cleans house, LeBron might demand a trade and Russ might choose not to opt into returning to this shit-show. Naw, Russ opting in 100% guaranteed.
Aloha Jamie, nice post. I agree with everything.
1 Yes Klay was great. But in a season where we could have used a few lucky bounces, Klay got 2 and turned them into 6 points. As for Kuminga, he highlighted the main area of concern I have with LeBron. As good as LeBrons offense has been, his defense leaves a lot to be desired. I
remember one sequence where LeBron literally watched Kuminga stroll past him for a put back, and LeBron didn’t make an effort to put a body on him. LeBron’s defense is the main reason I’ve been opposed to adding another big and forcing LeBron to play SF. No way he can chase these young quick players around. The Portland kids went right around him.
2. We have been missing free throws for the last 3 seasons. I just don’t understand this.
3. yes the last 2 games has shone a bright light on our over all issues. Russ is not a good fit for this team but he is only a part of the problem. With the exception of a few missed layups, he pretty much played the way he needs to going forward. The rotations have been weird although injuries have played a part in being unable to get a set one. one move i agree with last night was starting Avery. normally I would want Monk to start but for some unexplainable reason Avery is the Steph stopper. And he did another good job on him when assigned to him.
4 AD is a mystery. i just dont understand hi. last night the few times he decided to be agressive he got to the rim with ease. most of the time he settled for these little jumpers that werent falling. if he gave the same effort on offense as he did defense we win that game.
5. the kids were great. they played with the kind of energy we need to play with. They make mistakes but i dont care. i want to see them get more minutes. this season is pretty much over so we might as well let them play and hopefully they will continue to improve.
Personally I’m not giving up on the season yet. 1/4+ still to go.
From the start I’ve been tooting the “not if but when” horn. I continue to toot that horn and I thought last night was one of the more cohesive, more about team than me games we’ve seen this season. I don’t think Russ is as terrible a fit as he sometimes seems. A lot of his bad showings have been with bad line ups, he does have a solid three missed layups per game in him but LBJ misses free throws and doesn’t box out and AD goes MIA often: that ain’t on Russ.
All in all I see the ingredients for a competitive ball club on the roster as-is, Melo would normally get some of the TA minutes which would have helped last night, and in a 7 game series if LeBron and AD are healthy I like our chances. Do I think we’re on the same level as the Bucks, Suns or even Heat? No, no I don’t. Something would have to change which feels unlikely. Feels like the best we can hope for is a decent showing in the playoffs which isn’t, in theory, Laker basketball.
Anyhow, signed off on moral victories a month or so ago, in the end it’ll show up as an L and we got way too many of those.
I agree Jamie. Even with all the missed free throws, AD not showing up on offense and. LeBron not showing up on defense it still came down to 2 lucky bounces, one off of good defense, that led to 2 threes by Klay. If LeBron and AD play better we actually have won going away. That does give one a little hope for the playoffs.