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Random Thoughts

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Aloha,

While we lost last night, I was encouraged by a few things.

First our starters beat their starters and that is one of the best starting units in the game. And we got enough good looks but be had some bad luck. Rui had two 3’s go in and out and Max and Dalton had two as well. Lebron and Cam each had one. Like they say, close but no cigar.

The problem was their bench beat ours by 20. This is our biggest problem that needs to be addressed. Struss beat our bench by himself. Once Shake and DFS our integrated into the offense that will help. And Wood can score and he will be back soon. Since there isn’t many microwave scorers out there, I think it’s kind of up to Dalton. Hopefully he can regain his confidence. He has demonstrated that he can score in a variety of ways but we really needs his 3 ball to start falling.

It’s looking more and more like we have our point guard and 3rd star in Austin. He’s over 18 ppg now and his assist numbers are rising. With DLO gone, that should continue. He was great again as a scorer and play maker, against one of the best defenses in the league. He’s fearless and successfully challenged their bigs inside and won. One columnist called him Luka light. I agree with that. Neither are particularly quick but they each have the handles and IQ to manipulate defenses.

I look at the rumored available players for trades and I don’t see any that will elevate us enough to be worth a first round pick. Even Kessler wouldn’t be a great fit next to AD. While Danny would trade his children for the right price, it might take more to get Kessler then one his kids.

I think adding DFS and Shake allows us to wait and see who might become available. At some point we will need to address the back up big spot and perhaps look for another 2nd unit scorer. If we did a 2 for one trade for the backup center we could look at Lonnie Walker who is drawing a lot of interest from multiple teams as he plays overseas.

It’s not often that I’m encouraged by a loss but I was this time. I even thought the defense was pretty good. It’s just that they made a lot of tough contested shots, so you have to tip your hat. And with Vando back very soon he could have helped with our Struss problem. The Cavs went 18 and one in December and have lost only 4 times. To trade runs with them like we did. Gives some hope that as we become more familiar with JJ’s system and maybe more growth from the young guys, we may end up in the top 3 to 6. And if you get there, who knows what could happen. I’m not saying we are a true contender yet but I think we’re closer then we have been this season.

Kessler’s Defense Against Jokic Shows Why He’s Missing Piece For Lakers

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Walker Kessler’s impressive defensive performance against Nikola Jokic has reignited discussions about the Utah Jazz center being the missing piece for the Los Angeles Lakers. In the Jazz’s recent matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Kessler showcased his ability to stymie one of the most dominant players in the league.

Although Jokic finished with an astounding triple-double—36 points, 22 rebounds, and 11 assists—he was held to inefficient shooting, going 14-of-33 from the field and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc. Jokic went 8-23 with Kessler as his primary defender.

Kessler’s ability to challenge Jokic, a three-time MVP and arguably the league’s most versatile offensive big man, highlights the value he brings as a defensive anchor. Standing at 7’1″ and weighing 245 pounds, Kessler combines elite size with exceptional timing and instincts.

Kessler’s season averages of 10.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game on a staggering 70.9% shooting from the field underline his efficiency on both ends of the court. Defensively, his presence forces opponents to alter their offensive schemes. Shots at the rim drop by 10.6% when Kessler is on the court, and opponents score eight fewer points per 100 possessions, making him a transformative force.

Cavs offense too much for Lakers despite career night from Reaves

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Cleveland’s league-best offense was too much for the Lakers on New Year’s Eve despite Austin Reaves tying his career high in points.

The Cavs knocked down 3-pointers early and often against the Lakers on Tuesday, adding to their league-best record with a 122-110 win on New Year’s Eve.

Cleveland won the math game in a big way on the night, connecting on 18 3-pointers compared to just nine for the Lakers.

Austin Reaves had a big night, matching his career high with 35 points along with 10 assists and nine rebounds. Anthony Davis had a double-double of 28 points and 13 rebounds. LeBron James struggled early but finished with 23 points on 9-17 shooting.

Both Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton made their debuts. DFS had two points on 1-4 shooting while Milton had a pair of 3-pointers for six points.

Rui Hachimura also struggled, finishing with seven points. Max Christie had five points and Dalton Knecht had six points.

LeBron, fresh off his 40th birthday, knocked down a pair of early 3-pointers to try to keep the Lakers attached. However, much like the last meeting between the two sides, Cleveland raced to an early lead.

Sloppiness crept into the game for the purple and gold in the form of turnovers, missed layups and allowing Cavs offensive rebounds as the visitors opened up a 20-12 lead near the midway point of the frame. The problems snowballed and the lead grew to as large as 29-14.

The Lakers finally responded with a 6-0 run to pull back within single digits. Reaves was at the middle of lots of action, for better and for worse, in the opening frame and his spinning layup cut the deficit to seven.

Milton knocked down a 3-pointer in his first possession as a Laker, extending it to a 14-2 run. After trailing by 14 early in the period, the hosts went into the second quarter down just 34-30.