It started ugly but finished on a beauty. It was everything you want in a 7 game series in 1 game. Some questions were answered, new questions emerged and all in all planet Earth was treated to a very enjoyable basketball game. Hard fouls, hard cuts and a gritty win kicked off the NBA playoffs…kinda. Evidently the play-in doesn’t count for the regular season or the playoffs? WTF?! Whatever.

1. The greatness of LeBron James. Kind of lost against the back drop of a spectacular go-ahead three pointer in the final minute of the 4th quarter was another…not playoff nor regular season (really NBA? really? You invent this play-in and created some sort of non-game? H’ok…). I guess this makes James the All Time leader in play-in triple-doubles, I suppose. LeBron showed everyone why is still the best player in basketball. The Flagrant Foul that wasn’t that resulted in blurry vision? No problem. Swarming defense that bumped him off every paint shot? I got you guys. James stayed the course through a rocky first half, went over his loose minutes limit and delivered the 7 seed to the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. 10 men deep. Called on it on the preview podcast, Frank went 10 deep and I was actually mildly surprised we didn’t see more minutes for more guys. Luckily for Laker fans Vogel came to his senses and tightened up the second half rotation to just 8 players: James, Davis, Drummond (barely), Schroder, Kuzma, KCP, Caruso and the instrumental insertion of Wesley Matthews Jr. into the rotation after he didn’t see the floor in the first half in favor of Trezz and THT. Frank continues to, mystifyingly to me, experiment with his rotations. It’s a dangerous game to play in the playoffs but it also speaks to the lack of chemistry and continuity this version of the Lakers has been able to put together.
3. Good thing we have Alex Caruso. He steadied the offense early, then came up some incredible defense late and stayed within his game to find the open man for some nice looks around the rim. A lot of those didn’t come up as assists because of good, hard fouls by the Warriors but they did result in foul shots which helped us to a 25-15 advantage in free throw attempts. That helped us bridge the three point differential (15-10, advantage GS) and overcome a generally poor shooting performance. Caruso also proved to be our best player to slot onto Curry for defense as Schroder just couldn’t keep Curry in front of him and still looks like he’s finding his legs in every facet of the game. We’ll certainly need Dennis as we move forward and he’ll come around with his conditioning but until he does it’s nice to have Caruso as an option even though he’s nowhere near the scorer Dennis can be.
4. Wesley Matthews making the most of his role. In the first half Frank went more with Trezz and THT who both played OK but weren’t effective defensively and didn’t overcome that enough on offense. That forced Vogel to turn to Matthews in the small ball line up he used a lot more in the second half and Wes delivered with a key three pointer, some stout D and a huge rebound. +/- is a wonky stat but in Wesley’s case I think it apropos he led the team, by far, +/- in his 14 minutes because his defense was huge for us in the second half. His numbers weren’t eye-popping but his contributions were sorely needed last night.
5. Controlling the glass and keeping the turnovers low. These are things I’ve harped on since game 1 this season. Our team has a turnover issue, well-documented at this point, and we’re a team that needs to control the glass to make our defense as effective as possible. Since we’re the bigger team it stood to reason that we should control the glass. We also forced more turnovers than we committed, aided by some traditionally silly play by one Draymond Green, but it was the rebounding job that impressed me even more. Almost every Laker who played grabbed an offensive rebound (THT and Trezz did not) with LeBron James leading the way for rebounds off our own misses. That was another huge key in us getting 8 more shot attempts than the Warriors got. The Laker defense in the 3rd was where the game turned for us and Frank, to his credit, stuck with what worked down the stretch.

Next up Phoenix. I like our chances in this series and expect us to win in 5 or 6 games, haven’t decided yet. Regardless, it’s going to be tough no matter what as we see 2 more All Star guards in CP# and Booker along with a bevy of solid players who can shoot the three and defend better than advertised. We need to keep the turnovers low on our end and keep playing stout defense. When we do that we can win any game, even one where we shot 40.7% from the floor. Go Lakers.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!!!!

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

That was a helluva fun game to watch. Gritty, tough, bruising basketball like we’ll soon see in the playoffs. The Knicks did everything they could but some unheralded stars came through and helped push us over the finish line to bring home the win. Good stuff.

1. Thanks Spike. Mr. Lee made the journey to Los Angeles to catch the game and proceeded to heckle the Lakers right into a win. Spike did the right thing. But in all reality the resurgence of the Knicks is great for the NBA. Julius Randle has turned into a dark horse MVP candidate, certainly the front runner for Most Improved. Thibbs could easily win Coach of the Year. They have a collection of good to great players that play with a lot of fire. Hats of to the Knickerbockers and welcome back. Should have gotten something for Randle…
2. THT and his one-man rodeo show. This easily could have ended a lot worse for Talen. His 7 turnovers were astounding both in their volume and the manner in which they came about and I’m sure his film session will be interesting. The man has no quit, though and he kept his head up in spite of the turnovers and an inability to stay in front of Rose. His three pointer to push the Lakers ahead for the final margin in OT was ridiculously clutch, especially when you consider that he had to make it a step-back based on when he caught the ball. A huge shot. I love this guy and have high hopes we keep him. Has a learning curve to max out his potential but there is a lot to admire in THT’s game. Like the rest of the team I would say feel free to cut down on your turnovers.
3. Health still proving elusive. LeBron coming back, Caruso and AD might be out, Schroder still in H & SP… The one thing about this team is that we just cannot catch a break where injuries are concerned. This is the one thing that can derail the Lakers repeat ability more than anything else. We’re not winning anything without major contributions from Davis and James. We’re not winning anything without a semi-consistent rotation. Those things just don’t exist for the Lakers right now. Hopefully we can get some nagging injuries right before the playoffs.
4. The Frank Vogel roulette wheel. A week or so ago Frank insisted he wasn’t experimenting with the rotation. I begged to differ then and I beg to differ now. Look no further than the Gasol/Trezz experiment or the inexplicable 5 minutes of nothing we got from Markieff Morris. Injuries and inconsistent play has forced Frank to tinker far beyond he ever did last season. We’re looking at 25 different potential starting line ups this season. That is astounding. Don’t hide from it, Frank, we can all see the reasons why this situation has come about. Injuries have decimated the rotation and that’s the end of it. Nothing to be ashamed of.
5. Ad got beat up last night and should have shot more than 5 free throws. He got walked under, pushed off his shot and generally manhandled by the Knicks. It’s a credit to him that he doesn’t flop for fouls but sometimes I wish he would. The man should average double-digit free throws based on the NBA rules for contact on jump shots. Call it the same for AD that you do for James Harden.

Hanging a banner tonight, tune in early. No trap, either, Lakers gonna roll the Rockets and cruise to an easy one. So sayeth the Admiral.

Yup. Land of the rising sun(s).

Nothing is more irksome than obvious and blatant favoritism when it comes to the refs. To be sure there were plenty of issues entirely of LA’s own creation that molded this loss but Portland got plenty of help from the officiating crew of Curtis Blair, Rodney Mott, and Ray Acosta. Lately I’ve taken umbrage with the Lakers heart and hustle, that was not the case last night. I thought we competed hard and fought well. Just too much to overcome.

1. Anthony Davis rounding the corner. As far as benchmarks go this game had a lot of positives. Big minutes with no setbacks physically? Check. Hitting threes at a decent clip? Check. Got to the free throw line? Check…kinda? That is one area that is still confounding as Davis continued his season long struggle from the stripe. Other than that AD was as dominant as we’ve seen him be in some time. By my count Davis should have shot at least 5 more free throws as he was fouled on a dunk and was walked under on his jump shot at least 2 times that was not called. Portland has no answer for AD, especially when one of Gasol or Drummond occupies the center down low. That frees up Anthony to operate more freely on the perimeter. Encouraging game all around for AD.
2. KCP making plays and being aggressive. In a turn of events that should surprise nobody who watches the Lakers at this point KCP came back from a dud game a good game. Whee. Our starting line up features two incredibly inconsistent players in Kuzma and KCP. Against the Clippers Kuzma was “The Can’t Miss Kid” and then turned in a no-show against the Blazers. Wheere, of course, KCP showed up and was a much more aggressive and assertive version of himself. The thing I take heart in regards to both players is that one is not truly a starter for us (Kyle) and the other controls the answer to his dilemma. Caldwell-Pope needs to play with this much force, speed and determination every night if we want to win the game. This is true with LeBron or without. With Davis or no. Kentavious can impact the game a lot more than he has allowed himself to this season.
3. The dunk that wasn’t. Kuzma’s tip dunk was not an offensive goal tend. Plain and simple. I had thought there were official-generated reviews for these kind of things but I guess that is not the case? The ball was out of the cylinder and off the rim and that was obvious on replays. The fact that Dame came down and buried a three made this a 5 point switcheroo for the purple and gold. Telling ya we got jobbed last night folks…
4. 8 turnovers in the first quarter, 6 the rest of the game. A lot of those came from our starting front court of Drummond, Kuzma and Davis: a law firm that puts the ball in YOUR court. Take out what was a pretty awful first quarter and this was a stellar game by the Lakers. Since we can’t take out the first quarter we’ll just have to live with the results. But things are working when your starting guards commit three total turnovers and dish out 7 assists combined. Both Caruso and KCP did a pretty good job of protecting the rock and, along with KCP, I though Caruso did a good job of staying in his game but still applying offensive pressure to Portland. Feels like Caruso ought to have shot one free throw in this game but, again, only two Lakers shot free throws all game (Davis 10-15, KCP 6-7).
5. The nine man rotation works Frank. This looked and felt right. I’m sure Trezz wqasn’t happy but to win the individual must sacrifice for the greater good. I also think we’re locked into Drummond starting, whether that’s a result of what Frank wants, a shake and wink deal with Dre’s agent or whatever it feels like the starting line up is fairly etched into stone. That works because it allows the starting unit to have an identity, whether it’s the identity every fan wants to see is a different question entirely, and gives Frank the ability to decide which of Gasol or Trezz is up to bat in any game or series. So, barring a blow out, no more 11 or 12 man carousels that just make no sense to anyone. Please and thank you.

Anyone else perfetcly happy with Caruso starting and Schroder coming off the bench? I am. If Dennis indeed has COVID-19 I don’t think that’s too far outside the realm of possibility as we’ve seen what has happened to Marc’s wind and stamina as a result. While it’s true it affects everyone differently what is also true is that everyone who gets it returns to professional sport with less endurance. Schroder may not be able to start, physically speaking. Hopefully this is all contract tracing and just protocols and I expect the Lakers to be tight-lipped about it but it’s something that must be considered. Dennis has thrived as the lead guard off the bench, Caruso has shown he can fit seamlessly in with Davis, Pope and James and has shown a better ability to take care of the ball as a starter than Dennis has, albeit in a incredibly small sample size. THT fans may not like this but he is likely the odd man out in a lot of playoff games as I believe Frank will turn to Wes Matthews and his superior defense if push comes to shove. Talen is certainly the superior offensive threat but in a tight rotation his skillset may prove extraneous. We’ll see. SO many unsettled questions about this team…

That was earned. Nothing about that win was easy and the Lakers had to play some of their most inspired defense of the season to pull out the W. It took contributions from all 11 Lakers that played, a harbinger of things to come potentially, and the purple and gold were able to prevail thanks to a semi-return to form for Anthony Davis and some stellar defense all night long. This win ain’t enough, Lakers gotta keep it moving in the right direction.

1. AD looking a lot like AD. This was Anthony’s best game since coming back. He looked spry on defense contesting shots and rebounding the ball. He didn’t settle for fall away jumpers all night, he took the ball to the basket and finished through contact or got to the line. Sure he fell down like 80 times and still doesn’t look aggressive out on the perimeter but the blueprint is there, again. If we can generate more efficient scoring in terms of fewer attempts but the same amount of points we’re going to be looking good on the AD side of things.
2. Gasol staying ready. If this is the role than this is the role. If Marc is only going to be pressed into duty when foul trouble or injuries mess up the rotation than so be it, he’s doing an excellent job of staying ready and contributing when called upon. There’s nothing more for it. I’m sure the Big Spaniard would like to start, play more minutes and so on and so forth. That may not be the path he is on, right now. So, in lieu of his dreams coming true, the next best thing is to be ready when your number is called. There are some matchups where, defensively, Gasol matches up better than either Harrell or Drummond: Jokic is one of those. Marc matches up better physically and his style of defense doesn’t fall for all of Jokic’s feints, jabs and soccer flops. He just stays big and gums up his passing game. That, for a night, worked pretty well.
3. THT going way too fast. There were three or four forays by Talen into the paint that miraculously didn’t result in turnovers. One wild shot attempt ended up as an easy offensive put back, he got some lucky whistles and in general was able to overcome his team-high 5 turnovers, an issue that continues to loom ever larger as the playoffs near. Horton-Tucker needs to play with more purpose, especially if he wants a consistent role in the playoffs. Sometimes you don’t need to make 8 moves to get to the rim: run the curl play, hit the open man, move the ball. It’s not all on you, young blood. Do your thing within the team game plan.
4. Caruso solid as a starter. Alex made some terrible passes last night but also featured an aggression on offense this team will need with Schroder sitting out for a couple weeks. Our playoff lives now hinge on if Alex can maintain his near elite defensive impact while finding some ways to contribute in the scoring column. The defense and grit alone is not enough, at this point. The team needs for Alex to score 10+ points on not too many shots. Last night was a perfect capsule of what his nightly contributions need to look like. We don’t need to carbon copy this game but the blueprint for success looks a lot like this. A few less turnovers would be nice, however, Alex is certainly not alone on the Lakers when it comes to making terrible passes this season.
5. Shutting down the perimeter. The Laker defense did one of the best jobs of shutting off the three point tap for the Nuggets as I’ve seen this season. They held the Nuggets to 6-24 from three (25%) and nobody really got it cooking from distance which helped us absorb our turnover issue (20 team turnovers for the Lakers, just too many and we gift possessions like we’re a mob boss on Christmas). Taking the three point shot away from Denver was one of the big defensive keys to this game and the Lakers did an excellent job executing that game plan and chasing shooters into mid range shots.

The Lakers still control their destiny. Win out and we’re the 5th seed. Simple as that. Play the next game to win, compete hard and let the chips fall where they may. It’s easy to get lost in the back and forth between LeBron and the media, the play-in drama et al but the truth of the matter is the Lakers are still in the drivers seat. All the teams we’re facing have injury issues, all are fighting for seeding and all can be beaten if we commit to defense like we did against Denver. It’s not rocket science, it’s honestly quite simple. Play hard, play with heart and you can live with the results.

The patient isn’t well. There are, literally, almost zero excuses left. The Lakers entered a crucial stretch of 4 games against sub .500 opponents and won…one game of the four. This has dropped them into a three way tie for 6th along with the Mavs (who own the tiebreaker) and the Trailblazers (winner of Friday’s contest will hold the tiebreaker). To say the Lakers dropped the ball is a massive understatement. The identity of the team has crumbled down the stretch and we can no longer even claim to hang out hat on defense at this point. We’ve lost 6 of 7 and seen what cushion we had to avoid the playin evaporate faster than water in the California desert. Call the doctor.

1. The experiment continues. Frank says otherwise but I ain’t buying it. While it’s true that the Lakers have been beset by injuries often forcing bench players into starting roles there also feels like a lot of unsettled issues regarding the rotation. What was one of our greatest strengths last season has become a liability. In 2020-21 the Lakers had 12 different starting line ups all season long with the variations generally coming out of a guard spot. Of the 74 games played 54 of them had the same 4 starters with the only ones flipping being Avery Bradley (32 games) and KCP (22 games). Contrast that with this season’s whopping 22 different starting line ups and we begin to see the reason why inconsistency has been the most consistent thing about this Laker team. The line up that has played together the most this season has been the James, Davis, Schroder, KCP Gasol combo but for only 20 games in which we went 15-5. Two line ups with Drummond (who does not have a winning record as a Laker) in it have a winning record and the only losing record that features Gasol as a starter also featured Wes Matthews. Injuries, Drummond and the coaching staff constantly searching for a combo that gels has led to far too many different starting combinations. Especially down the stretch when you want to see more consistency, not less.
2. Start Gasol. Drummond isn’t helping right now. Frankly, trying to integrate a player of his stature, talent and skillset in a season that has so many injuries to key guys, no practice time and is this compressed may not have ever been possible. There are a plethora of ‘ifs’. If LeBron and/or AD had been healthier. If the season wasn’t crammed into a sardine tin. If practice was still a thing in the NBA. Those are the laments of a team that has lost it’s way. The Lakers need to go back to what worked earlier and let Drummond know it’s not him, it’s us. We, as a team, simply do not have the time to get Drummond up to speed in the kind of role he wants to play or that we as fans would expect him to play. Last season’s buyout player was Markieff Morris who started in 2 playoff games against Houston. He had a role and he excelled in it. This season our buyout player is expected to seamlessly integrate into what was already a fluctuating and fluid situation in terms of who happens to be a starter in such and such game. It’s just too much for a player who has limited skills in terms of the modern game but plenty of talent and desire. Drummond was never my first choice, there were other players that I had hoped we could corral onto the Lakers but this is the situation the team is in. There’s a better option than Drummond for what we need out of the center position. He might not be a better player at this point in his NBA life but, for what the Lakers need right now, Gasol is the best fit.
3. Intensity, effort, desperation all kind of mean the same thing now. All the Lakers a re saying, it’s so en vogue right now. “We need to play with more intensity, a sense of desperation, our effort just wasn’t where it needed to be.” All the same thing. The defensive side of the court is the one where all those adverbs rear their heads. This was the case last night where we allowed the Raptors to coral 13 offensive rebounds, score 21 points off of our 14 turnovers and generally out-hustle us all game long. What about last night’s game looked like a team preparing for the gauntlet of the NBA playoffs to you? I’ll wait but it ain’t likely that there’s an answer that will bring a smile with it. The notion that the weeks off rehabbing injuries would refresh AD and LeBron is gone. These guys both look done mentally. LeBron may have come back from his high ankle sprain too soon to try and save the season for the Lakers. Ad hasn’t looked right all season. We go as far as those 2 take us, same as last season and it will be the same next season, too. Don’t blame the play-in tourney, it’s added a level of competition and excitement to the NBA that is vital for it’s continued success, nobody likes to see teams tank and the play-in has done a lot to amend that.
4. Kuzma’s bounce back. man was Kyle on fire pretty much all game. Made it even more head-scratching when he wasn’t on the floor when we were getting our asses handed to us. Kuz was, by far, the best Laker last night after a virtual no-show against Sacramento. Nice to see but, again, we’re in a place where we need some form of consistency. Can’t be here one game and gone the next. We got KCP for that.
5. Get the vaxx. Schroder is out for NBA H&SP which, to me, means one thing and one thing only: the man ain’t got his shot yet. Well Dennis, now you’re hurting the team as you won’t be available for the stretch run to the playoffs. There is not one thing, not one, that signals to me that Dennis is worth more than 12-15 mil and if he gets more from the Lakers than that than the fleece job will be complete. Color me disappointed with the play of Dennis Schroder overall this season. Flashes of good stuff, terrible as a lead point guard though. Doesn’t take care of the basketball and doesn’t do a good job of setting teammates up. Admittedly, that’s also a problem with the Frank Vogel offense which was why Rondo was so instrumental last season. I was excited when we got him because I had thought we had managed to acquire a Rondo-esque player but the differences are both stark and palpable. I don’t see a future for Dennis here as the lead guard but I don’t run the team.

The Lakers have crashed in burned in the month of April (5-15) and started May off on the wrong foot, as well. This team is sputtering to the end in a way nobody in the league excepted, fans, pundits or experts. The biggest issue has been the collapse of the once mighty Laker defense. While the numbers still look good the results have just not been there. If that can’t get turned around it won’t really even matter that we have AD and LeBron, we won’t win games.

I dare anyone reading this to find a better historical record of two Franchises whom…it doesn’t matter who owns them, who coaches them, who plays for them…it don’t matter, they will find a way to wither away.