The Lakers wrapped up the 2020-21 regular on a 5 game winning streak but still could not crack the top six in terms of playoff seeding. This means a one-game playoff date with none other than Steph Curry, Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors. The winner of that game will go on to play the Phoenix Suns and then the winner of the Denver/Portland series. The loser gets one more shot to clinch the 8th seed based on the winner of the 9/10 seed game featuring San Antonio and Memphis. The path through 7 would mean the only potential Lakers/Clippers matchup could come in the western conference finals. Fun stuff.
- The Lakers ‘never say die’ attitude. The Lakers could have easily fallen further. With the playin all but guaranteed and Golden State three games back it would have been easy for James and Davis to sit out more games. Various Lakers from Alex Caruso (foot) to Kyle Kuzma (back and calf) and so on have various, some more serious than others, ailments. Lakers still gutted out the 5 game win and, hopefully, developed some much needed chemistry in the doing. For guys like Caruso and Kuzma who were key cogs in last years championship winning machine know what’s expected and what must be given. There are a plethora of other guys that this time with LeBron and AD could yield fruit on down the line. These Lakers have a lot of guts and moxie, traits that served them well in Orlando. We’ll see what they amount to this season soon enough.
- Drummond fitting in better and better. I have to say that I have been very impressed with the improved play and better fit of Andre’ Drummond over the last couple weeks. I had some concerns that his game was an ill-fitting one when played alongside James and Davis but Drummond has found his defensive groove, is finishing his lobs better and is rebounding as advertised. Between he and Gasol we have 2 very different looks in terms of the traditional center spot. In Montrezl and Davis we have two very different looks in terms of our small ball center look. Between the four we have a lot of options at center which I think will be deployed in a variety of ways throughout the various series we play in. All hands on deck.
- Health. The biggest issue facing any team with banner aspirations is good health. If you’re key guys are healthy and on the same page it’s a lot easier to make in-game or game-to-game adjustments in a playoff series. If the Lakers can keep AD and LBJ on the floor for 35+ mpg I like our chances in any 7 game series that comes our way. Having guys like Kuzma, Caruso and KCP as ready as can be will help a lot. But there’s no question that without AD and James we’re not going far in any series. With games a little more spaced out we’ll have a little more rest in-between but we’ll also see the return of travelling between games. No more hive-mind, bunker-bubble living like in Orlando. I have always felt that, for a team with a lot of high IQ players like the Lakers have, being confined in one place made it easier for the coaches and players to be on the same page. No airport hassles to wade through, no finding some extra sleep on the plane and so on. Straight to treatment, any notions that came up between coaches and players could be discussed by walked down a couple hallways. Things of that nature will all revert back to the NBA norm. Should be interesting to see how that effects the playoffs.
- Re-stablishing the pecking order. With James and Davis missing as many games as they did, and toss in Schroder’s H&SP absence an artificial pecking order was established. Not that is was wildly successful one but I do wonder if guys like THT, Trezz and the like can replicate some of their better stretches in the regular season in limited minutes or not playing over the course of a series or so. It’s always easy as a fan to say “Well, such and such should do this or that!” which is all well and good. But sport is as much about groove and flow as talent, skill and raw physicality. While we’re certainly tied to the fates of our two superstars they will not be scoring every point, grabbing every rebound and defending every play. We’re going to need some unproven guys to step up and step up big in a role they may not be all that comfortable with.
- Can lightning strike twice? In my mind, above and beyond all the points and questions above, the biggest mystery to me is can Frank replicate his perfectly executed coaching mojo like he did in the playoffs last season? If he can get buy-in on reduced roles from the centers, spottier minutes for THT, McLemore and Matthews and finding ways to keep Kyle engaged we have a really solid shot at repeating. if he loses some guys, if traveling somehow interferes with his coaching vibe or something I haven’t touched on upsets the apple cart we’re going to have to over-rely on LeBron and AD. Not that they can’t bring it home, but that it’ll be a lot easier if Frank pushes all the right buttons at the right time, again.
It’s the playoffs! Let’s do this people! Go Lakers!!!!
Good stuff Jamie. #5 will be even more challenging this year because Vogel has more viable options. Last year guys like Waiters and JR saw action out of necessity more than anything. He has so many capable options this year it could be a blessing or curse. I think Frank and staff will have fun tinkering with the lineup.
Thanks Lee, I agree man. If Frank pushes all the right buttons at all the right times we should be sitting pretty.
Like Jamie and I discussed on the LFB podcast, everything is going to hang on how well LeBron and Anthony play and whether Frank can replicate his masterful management of the Lakers’ playoff lineups and rotations like he did last year.
With the Warriors poised to play small ball with Draymond at the five, we won’t have to wait long to see what Frank will do. Ideally, Dray at the five should be countered by AD at the five but that would mean not starting Drummond in his first postseason (not playoff) game with the Lakers. Will that happen? I hope so.
On the other hand, the Lakers have handled Steph better than most teams with Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope doing a great job sticking on Curry and the Lakers doubling and trapping him and forcing other players to beat them. The single Play-In game doesn’t give you a 7-game series to make adjustments so it will be interesting to see how Frank approaches the game. Will he make the move to AD to the five to start the game? Or will he try to out-big the Dubs? That’s the big question.
I think we’re going to roll out the starting five, with Drummond, and let in-game play and match ups alter things from there. The caveat being if we get blown out in game 1 of a 7 game series and it’s obviously because of the center position not being able to rotate or have an impact on D.
Thanks, Jamie. As I look back on this five-win streak to end the season, I have to admit that we are a deeper team this year than last year’s, and I like our chances a lot. But yeah, LRob is right when he stated that having so many capable options could be a blessing or a curse. I am counting on our blessing instead, and that’s why your #2 is very important.
Seeing Drummond fitting in well is a luxury and getting him acclimated soonest is critical to maintaining that luxury and could very well solve the puzzle at the center position which is already featuring Gasol and Trez with AD sprinkled in. The rest of the team are seasoned veterans who can leave their mark on the game on any given night.
Actually, we have luxury as a veteran team with viable options to impact a seven game series. The only thing holding the team back during the win-streak is the lack of creating separation from the opponent on the scoring column which is the very reason we end up in dog fights at the end of games. Don’t let the opponent hang around no matter how undermaned they are.
Our defense has been porous. A lot of that has to do with them trying to build chemistry on the fly. But let’s expect this team at full steam once the playoffs get underway as we make another run for the title.
Great points Buba, thanks. The depth is both a blessing and a curse. I still feel like a lot of roles on the team are fairly unsettled compared to last season. The bonus is we have a wider variety of skills and weapons to deploy. It certainly is going to be interesting to watch and fun to experience.