State of the Lakes (12/21/13)

The latest news in Laker land is that Kobe Bryant is again out of action. This time it was a fracture to his left knee (same leg as the Achilles). A timetable of 6 weeks has been given for the fracture to heal. Then he'll need to rehab and recondition himself. In reality he'll probably be back on the court in 8-10 weeks. Many are urging him to sit out the year, but that just isn't in his personality. He should take his time though.

LAL 97 - OKC 122
LAL 88 - CHA 85
LAL 100 - ATL 114
LAL 96 - MEM 92
LAL 104 - MIN 91

During Bryant's time back the Lakers went 2-3. He was adjusting to playing again, and the team was adjusting to playing with him. Additionally the team lost all of it's point guards to injury. Naturally there was a bit of an iffy period where the team was learning a new style of play. They were coming along slowly with a ton of turnovers, and their 3pt % dropped.

Now with Kobe out again the team can go back to their run and gun play style. That's not to say they'll be better without Kobe, but there will be no major adjustment period. They absolutely need him and their point guards back at full strength to make any noise this year. For now though it's fun to watch the young guys get up and down the court with reckless abandon. See highlights of last night's game for an example.

The Lakers also signed a 22 year old pg named Kendall Marshall. He has room to grow, but he's really just a low risk signing to fill in the gap till our other point guards are healthy.

Strengths: Courtvision, Floor general, size (6'4.5")
Cons: Shooting, Athleticism, Defense

Basically anything that he contributes is a plus. It shoould be fun to watch and see if Mitch Kupchak has discovered another diamond in the rough.

The Lakers will play the Warriors on the road tonight. If they can contain 2 out of 3 of Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and David Lee then they'll have a good shot at winning the game.

State of the Lakes (12/13/13)

You know what word I hate to write? Injuries. Along with "got hurt", "had to sit out", and "when he gets back". After last season, I'm just really tired of typing them and I know you're tired of reading it. -_-

We'll talk about the games played first and then get into the injuries. *sigh*

LAL 106 - SAC 100
LAL 94 - POR 106
LAL 108 - PHO 114

With Kobe back the Lakers are essentially starting their offense from square 1 again. He missed all of training camp, and there are tons of guys on the team he's never played with before. Additionally he's still getting used to just playing basketball again period for the first time in 8 months.  The good news is physically he looks well. He looked really rusty in his first game back, but the second game gave him much confidence and he's returning to the player we know and love.

On a related note, all three of the Lakers point guards are out with major injuries. Normally this would be bad, but Kobe could perform some of the duties. This time it's really bad because Kobe isn't himself yet and he'll be asked to be pg as well. It's a tough task. To make matters worse the Lakers are unable to sign a player to a 10 day contract until January. They definitely don't want to sign some bench player to just fill a hole, and then be stuck with his contract later.

They may be in fact forced to do that if things get really bad. But for now look for them to stand pat and until things get more desperate. Some of the names they're looking at are familiar: Duhon, Morris, and Barbosa. No world beaters there.

It's not looking good for the next month or so. Point guards are crucial to a team's success. That is especially true in D'Antoni's offense.  We have 0 of them. So hang tight and enjoy the ride as much as possible lol.

The Lakers play OKC on the road tonight at 5pm.

State of the Lakes (12/3/13)

Welcome to the new format! I hope you enjoy it since I won’t have time to do posts for every game anymore.  The plan is to bring you the latest Lakers news and analysis on a weekly basis.  Since it’ll only be once a week I’ll add more speculation and rumors then I usually do to keep it interesting.

Games since last update:

LAL 100 – SAC 88

LAL 111 – WAS 116

LAL 99 – BKN 94

LAL 106 – DET 102

LAL 108 – POR 114

Overall the Lakers are back to .500 basketball with a record of 9-9.   After Jordan Hill had his breakout week, Jordan Farmar and Wesley Johnson took a turn.  Swaggy P also showed up with some nice production off of the bench in the last few games.  This Lakers team has established an identity finally.  They don’t really have a rim protector so they try to pressure the ball with their athletic 2nd unit.  They’ll break whenever they can, and they generate open looks from 3 by good ball and player movement.  They are in the top 3 in the NBA in 3 point makes and attempts.  The team was definitely on an upswing, winning 5 of their last 7 games, however the immediate future is starting to look grim with the recent rash of injuries they’ve suffered.

Injuries:

Kobe – Still out; some speculation suggests this Friday for a return. Sometime closer to Christmas is probably more likely

Nash – Supposed to return to practice today to see how his body feels; some fans are hoping for his retirement to get his salary off the books. I think he may be done, but will try to give it a go all season long.

Farmar – Suffered a tear in his hamstring in Sunday’s game. Should be out at least 1 month.  It’s horrible timing as he was playing really well and the team needs him desperately.

Blake – Hyper-extended right elbow. He’s been able to play through it since last week. Hopefully these 4 days off will make it more tolerable

Pau – Mild ankle sprain. His body has been taking a beating.  The Lakers need him healthy since he does so many things on the court.

Kaman - Bad back which has caused him to miss the last several games.

Hill - Another ankle sprain victim like Gasol. He hasn't had the same energy lately in games so this is likely bothering him.

What’s next?:

The Lakers might look into signing another point guard given the injuries to the only 3 they have on the roster.  A trade is also always a possibility albeit it is less likely. 

Also, there was a lot of chatter about Kobe’s new contract that was signed last week.  People had pipe dreams of signing LeBron and Melo at the max with Kobe taking a big pay cut.  Well LeBron was never coming and Melo is not worth the max in my opinion.  Here’s what it basically means; the Lakers see Kobe as one of their max slots and they may not be eyeing the 2014 free agent class. They could very well be targeting Love in 2015 and Durant in 2016 along with several other players.  Stay patient Laker fans…

Lakers at Nuggets, vs Grizzlies, vs Pistons, vs Warriors (11/24/13)

Hello Laker fans! I have to apologize again for missing some games. Things are pretty busy right now so it's hard for me to make time for the blog. I might be switching it up to a weekly format instead of game by game...let me know what you think.  Anyways, here are the results of the Lakers last four games:

LAL 99 - DEN 111
LAL 86 - MEM 89
LAL 114 - DET 99
LAL 102 - GSW 95

In their last game against the Warriors, the Lakers brought the energy from the opening tip. The tone was set early by Pau Gasol who had vowed to donate a $1K for every point he scored to the relief fund for the hurricane victims in the Philippines. He had 10 points in the 1st quarter alone. From there LA natives Jordan Farmar and Nick Young took over. Golden State had no answer for either player and the Lakers essentially controlled the game from late in the 3rd on.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-That looked like the Pau that's a 2x Champion. He unleashed a bevy of post moves and scored from the perimeter. It might have been the 4 days rest, or the extra motivation of charity, either way he scored a season high 24 points.
- Farmar and Young combined for 35 points off the bench. That will get it done.
-Jordan Hill battled and got the Lakers numerous second chance points.

The Bad:
-The Lakers struggled to contest shots at the rim
- Nash's return and potential effectiveness are huge question marks

A lot of the buzz surrounding the team right now is concerning Kobe's return. He looks to be within a month of coming back. Hopefully he can return to form and this team can start being more consistent.  I think even this early in the season the Lakers have proven they gave an elite bench. If the starters can join them in that category we may have something here. Kobe should go a long way toward improving that.

The Lakers play again tonight at 6:30 against the Queens.

Lakers at Pelicans, vs Timberwolves, vs Pelicans (11/12/13)

Sorry for the late updates, been very busy. In the meantime the Lakers have suffered two losses and delivered one themselves. They lost 85-96 at New Orleans, and 90-113 to the Wolves at home. But the Lakers were able to redeem themselves last night in a rematch with the Pelicans. They blew them out 116-95 with Nash in street clothes. Xavier Henry got a huge poster jam in the 3rd quarter that got Staples on their feet. Player of the game honors went to Jordan Hill who had 21 points and 15 rebounds.

So since I've missed a few games lets look at what has been working for the Lakers and what hasn't.

What works:
- 3 point shooting. When the Lakers are hitting their 3's they are pretty much unbeatable. They very much embody the live by the 3 die by the 3 philosophy.
- The Bench. The Lakers bench has been impressive thus far. If only the starters could match their production and energy.
-Mixing youth and experience. It's been only 1 game, but by injecting more youth in the starting lineup The Lakers got a better start and didn't have to claw out of a hole.

What doesn't:
-Steve Nash's health. He's out for a minimum of 2 weeks with another injury. He can still play when healthy, but the problem is he rarely is these days.
-Pau Gasol. He's doing ok. I expect more than ok from the Spanish Wonder though. Whether he's injured or just in a slump, we need him to step it up.
-The Defense. It looks great at times when the young guys are in and can pressure the ball. But when Nash, Blake, and Pau are in it's a layup line to the rim.

There's a back-to-back against Denver tonight on the road. Lets go Lakers!!!

Lakers at Rockets (11/7/13)

The Lakers got their first road win of the season, and they did it in dramatic fashion by beating the Rockets 99-98. In a game that was hyped by the NBA to be a battle of bad blood since Dwight Howard left LA for Houston the players were rather cordial to each other. The game was still exciting although sometimes for the wrong reasons.

The Lakers started off strong with a bevy of 3 point bombs raining down on the Rockets. They shot 11/14 from 3 in the first half which helped earn them as much as a 19 point lead. The defense of the second unit was excellent. With Farmar, Meeks, Henry, Johnson, and Hill in the lineup the Lakers were able to extend their defense and pressure the ball.

In the 3rd quarter Houston increased their defensive effort and got back in the game. The Lakers turned the ball over left and right. Houston actually took the lead after trailing for the most of the game with around 3 minutes to go. Coach D'Antoni resorted to the "Hack-a-Howard" tactic and it worked. Dwight clanked two clutch free throws which allowed for a 3 point dagger by Steve Blake with 1.3 seconds remaining.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-Red hot 3 point shooting in the first half
-Great ball movement
-Nice defense by the second unit

The Bad:
-Pau either looked really tired or uninterested. Either way he played bad
-Too many unnecessary turnovers
-Horrible execution on what should have been the final inbounds play. It almost cost them the game

No time to enjoy the win with a back to back tonight against the Pelicans at 5pm.  It was nice to stick it to Dwight though :P

Go Lakers!!!!

Lakers at Mavericks (11/5/13)

The Lakers have and a thought time even being competitive on the road this year. It's early, but they got blown out again this time in the big D as they fell to the Mavs 104-123.

Beside the obvious is missing #24, the Lakers suffer from a few key issues:

-Their starting back court is extremely short, slow, and old with Nash and Blake. Not only have they been unable to stop opponents from scoring, they also haven't been effective on the offensive end themselves.  Coach D'Antoni should make an adjustment to this lineup immediately.  I wouuld move Henry to shooting guard and bring in either Johnson or Young for the 3 spot. Adds length, youth, and athleticism.

-They have a lot of young players who don't know how to win on the road yet. This comes with experience.

-The Lakers need either a strong defensive anchor or a very strong team defense concept. Right now they are trying to have the latter but they're not close to reaching it yet.

Until the Lakers fix these problems they'll continue to struggle especially on the road. They play the Houston Rockets tonight at 6:30pm.

Lakers vs Hawks (11/3/13)

I wasn't able to catch this one, but the Lakers won a nail biter 105-103. Pau Gasol was able to save the day with 2 clutch free throws and a block of a game winning attempt by Kyle Korver. Check the link for Dancing Barry's review:

Dancing Barry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

The Lakers let a 21 point lead slip away in this. They've got to make better habits of keeping leads. Tonight they'll play the Mavericks on the road.

Lakers vs Spurs (11/1/13)

The Lakers had a chance but couldn't get over the hump, and they fell to the Spurs 85-91.  They jumped out to a 15 point lead in the first half. At that point Xavier Henry got injured on a drive to the basket which stopped the game for a few minutes. After the game resumed Mr. Momentum switched jerseys and Spurs got back in the game. The game remained close and was tied at 80-80 with about 2 minutes to go. From there the Lakers had no closer while Tony Parker did the dirty work for San Antonio.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-The Lakers got off to a great start defensively. They were active and getting into the passing lanes. Their offense was off but their defense gained them the 15 point lead.
-Jordan Hill brought instant energy when he finally got in the game in the fourth quarter. It changed the complexity of the game and he probably should have been inserted into the game earlier.

The Bad:
-The Lakers backcourt of Nash and Blake shot the ball poorly. Nash was finally aggressive on offense but he just couldn't make a shot.
-The Lakers gave up too many offensive rebounds
-In the final two minutes the Lakers had no one who could manufacture points. This is where Kobe is really missed. Ideally Nick Young could fill in here, but he has not played well to start this season.

The Lakers lost a winnable game. But they're figuring some things out and will hopefully improve. Coach D'Antoni is inserting Xavier Henry into the starting lineup today to see if that will be a good adjustment. I tend to like the adjustment because it makes the backcourt a little bigger.

The Lakers will play the Hawks tonight at 6:30pm.

Lakers at Warriors (10/30/13)

As fun as it was to watch the Lakers debut against the Clippers, it was equally painful to watch them get blown out by Golden State the very next night. They lost to the Warriors 94-125.

It was a back-to-back game, but it's way to early in the season for the tired legs excuse. The Lakers were simply outplayed by hot shooting Warriors squad that plays well in their building. Steve Nash was unavailable as the team tries to limit his minutes in back-to-back scenarios.  Klay Thompson, son of former Laker great Mychal Thompson, had a field day. He scored 38 points and just shot over the top of the shorter Lakers guards. It would have been nice to Kobe to guard him, or the Lakers might consider going with a bigger guard rotation to start the game next time.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-It was a good learning experience for the Lakers young guns. Those crowds and officials on the road aren't going to be as friendly as they would be at home.
-Jodie Meeks had a good first quarter. He sort of kept the team afloat in that period and finished with 14 points on 50% shooting.
-Xavier Henry stayed aggressive despite not getting calls in his favor

The Bad:
-Didn't match the Warriors intensity all night
-Allowed Klay Thompson to get good looks in rhythm. Once a player like that gets going it's hard to stop.
-Couldn't counter the Warriors ball pressure. You have to attack on ball pressure to beat it. You can't be passive

The Lakers will play again tonight at home against San Antonio. It's a brutal start to the season, but hey...welcome to the NBA.

Go Lakers!!!

Lakers vs Clippers (10/29/13)

Got 'em coach! The Lakers started off the 2013-2014 season with a bang by defeating the Clippers 116-103. Without much expectations the Lakers played loose and ran the floor all night long. They also seemed to play with a chip on their shoulder. Maybe that comes from being counted out...

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-The Lakers ran their offense through Pau in the 1st quarter and he looked good doing it. Nice and confident. That was the Spaniard we were used to.
-The Lakers out rebounded the Clippers which led to many second chance points. Their hustle and effort showed up the most here.
-The young gun bench unit came up big and played the entire 4th quarter. They outscored the Clippers 41-24 in that quarter led by Farmar and Henry.

The Bad:
-Nash came up a little gimpy on 1 play, and still seems a step slower than usual.
-The Lakers D had a tough time with rotations in the starting unit
-Free throw shooting could have been better

It was only one game but after all the Lakers and their fans have been through since last season it was a highly enjoyable one. Especially when their bench outplayed the starters of a team that is projected to be a title contender. The Lakers won't have time to enjoy this as they play again tonight against the Warriors. Nash is not supposed to play back to backs, but her rested for most of the second half so he might be able to go tonight.

Go Lakers!!!

Preseason: Lakers vs Jazz (10/25/13)/Season Preview

In the final preseason game the Lakers bested the Jazz 111-106. The Lakers finished the preseason with a 4-4 record. That record won't impress many, and it absolutely doesn't mean much, but if you've been paying attention so far you'll see that this team has some promise.

Heading into the regular season tonight let's look at things we learned from these 8 practice games, and the question marks that still remain:

What we learned:

-Nick Young can score in bunches. Even better is the fact that he showed some ability to facilitate in the preseason. If his play remains at the level it has been, he's worth more than what the Lakers paid for him. He very well could stick around for next year and beyond.
-Pau and Kaman play well together. Their skill sets compliment each other and they weren't horrible defensively.
-The young guns can run run run. Farmar, Henry, Johnson, and Hill have been effective in a young athletic 2nd unit that runs D'antoni's offense nicely. Perhaps more impressive than that is the fact that they can extend their defense and put pressure on the ball with traps and presses.

What we want to know:
-When will Kobe return? (Looks like he's about 3 weeks to a month away at this point from reading reports and quotes from himself on how long it takes him to get in shape.)
-Is Steve Nash done? He has moments where he looks as sharp as ever. And then he has moments where it looks like his body can't do much more. The Lakers success this season depends largely on his health. Or else Farmar or Blake will have to elevate their games.
-Where does Kaman fit? Is he better served as a backup big to Pau, or as a frontcourt partner playing next to him?
-Which of abandoned young guns with a lot to prove will have a breakout year? Young, Farmar, Henry, Johnson, and Williams all have a lot to prove and are in contract years.

This year promises to be really fun. We have a team with a nice mix of vets and young players who seem to get along great. Lakers head athletic trainer Gary Vitti recently stated this team had the most chemistry (locker room) of any team he's seen in his 30 years with the team. Just pray for health so that this team can reach its full potential.

So sit back and enjoy the ride! The Lakers till off tonight at 7:30pm and the Clippers.

LET'S GO LAKE SHOW!!!

Preseason: Lakers vs Warriors (10/18/13)

Hey guys check out Dancing Barry's review at Lakersground for this one:

Dancing Barry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

Some more development in this one, but it's still just preseason. Look for the Lakers to tighten up their rotations a little bit tonight as there are only 2 games left. They play the Jazz tonight at 7:30.

Preseason: Lakers vs Warriors (10/15/13)

Don't let the final score fool you, this was a successful preseason game. The Lakers lost 95-100 to the Warriors in their first game in Beijing, China. As Stu Lantz has been harping the keys to this preseason for the Lakers are to develop chemistry, define roles, and get out healthy. The Lakers have progressed nicely in all three factors so far. They were up 11 in the 4th and were resting their rotation players when Golden State subbed their starters back into the game. Naturally their starters had an easy time dispatching the Lakers' 3rs string.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-Kaman was killing it. He shot 7-7 and had his way with the Warriors. The two man game with Pau was working again. They are two intelligent players who really compliment each other.
-Swaggy P continues to impress. He scored 18 pts on 70% shooting. I'm also impressed by his ability to create shots for others, which is something he's not known for.
-Pau and Nash looked even more aggressive and comfortable out there
-Turnovers are not that high for preseason play.

The Bad:
-Farmer still wasn't active. He should play in the next game though.
-The Lakers couldn't stop David Lee. He had 31 pts and it didn't matter who guarded him.
-Fans had to get up at 4:30am to catch this one live lol.

The Lakers will play the Warriors again tomorrow at 4:30am from Shanghai. It should be fun to see how both teams experiment.

Preseason: Lakers vs Kings (10/10/13)

A tale of two halves? At halftime the Lakers were up 50-48, but they couldn't put the ball in the basket in the second half. They lost 104-86 to Kings Thursday night in Vegas.

The Lakers didn't play quality defense throughout the game. The players and coaches commented on that in the post game interviews. Perhaps the distractions of Vegas played a role? LOL, maybe. In the first half they were able to keep pace since the Lakers' starters and key role players were getting time on the court. Sacramento then pulled away when their bench outplayed the Lakers' bench.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-Pau is starting to look really good. His timing looked great and he was pretty dominant offensively in the minutes that he played. He shot 6-9 and had 13 pts with 5 rebs.
-Kaman looked good too. We saw more of the Gasol/Kaman combo. The first score of the game was a high/low lobe from Pau to Chris. This combination is earning minutes, which is a surprise to me.
-Swaggy P fulfilled his role as a scorer and has been thus far. The Lakers desperately need that go-to-guy who can make something out of nothing while Kobe is out. He had 17 points on 25 minutes and shot 6-13.

The Bad:
-Nash tweaked his ankle and only played 8 minutes. It appears to not be serious.
-Xavier Henry might be bothered by his wrist a little bit. He was only 1-5 but his aggressiveness was still there.
-The Lakers team defense left much to be desired. They allowed the Kings to shoot 53.7% from the field.

The Lakers next game will be in China against the Golden State Warriors. It will air at 4:30 AM Pacific Standard Time. My hat is off to anyone who wakes up in time for that lol!

Preseason: Lakers vs Nuggets (10/8/13)

The Lakers were back in Ontario, California on Tuesday for another preseason tune-up against the Nuggets. This time they beat the Nuggets 90-88. The game got ugly (77 free throws combined) in the second half when more of the 3rd stringers and camp invites got playing time. However the team showed improvement and is light years ahead of where they were at this same time last year. Chemistry was the word of the game as the announcers made reference to it several times. It was evident too. You can tell these guys like playing together and they enjoy being Lakers. Something that was definitely amiss from last season. Ball movement was crisp and the extra pass was made frequently. As a result the Lakers jumped out to a 21 point lead at one point. It's still just preseason but these are great building blocks heading into the games that matter.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-The Gasol/Kaman front court combo looked nice. Offensively they fit well together because both bigs can pass, shoot, and have a post game. The concerns were mostly on the defensive end because Kaman and Gasol are no spring chickens. However they did well on that end of the floor against one of the fastest teams in the league. This could be a promising combo for certain situations throughout the year.
-The Hill/Williams front court combo looked good too and gave a completely different feel from Gasol/Kaman. They defended with quick rotations and WIlliams strecthed the floor with his outside shooting. Definitely a got to lineup for a small ball scenarion.
-Nash and Blake showed the depth the Lakers have at PG now. It was a far cry from the 3rd stringers we had starting for us last playoffs (Duhon and Morris). Farmar will only solidify that rotation.

The Bad:
-Wes Johnson and Farmar sat out with minor injuries
-Kobe is still out
-Too many fouls. Need to play solid D without hacking

Another good tune-up. If this team keeps it up they could surprise some people. The chemistry is 1000 times better and the players and coaches are united since they all have something to prove.

Preseason: Lakers vs. Nuggets (10/6/13)

In contrast to yesterday's game, today's game was sloppy. The Lakers lost 88-97. Since it's preseason, the loss is not as important as the way the team plays. There were some good things shown this game, but overall it was ugly. There too many offensive fouls and missed shots.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:

-Nash and Pau looked healthy. They did have a little rust, as expected, but they moved well 

-Xavier Henry and Nick YounYoung picked up where they left off last night

-Chemistry appears to be developing on the bench which should carry over onto the court. The one thing's lots of guys have in common is that they have a lot to prove

The Bad:

-Tons if misses in makeable shots

-Lots of turnovers due to illegal screens

-Injuries (minor) to Wesley Johnson and Xavier Henry

Of the players fighting for a roster spot, Henry, Williams, and Johnson-Odom impressed the most tonight. Landry missed his first 6 threes (3 of them airballs), but then made his final 3 in a row. Strange night for him.

The Lakers will play again Tuesday night against Denver again. It'll be fun to see who else stands out and if the team can get into a rythym offensively.

Preseason: Lakers vs Warriors (10/5/13)

In their first preseason game of the year, the Lakers got the victory 104-95 over the Warriors. These are only exhibition games, and the Lakers were without Nash, Gasol, and Bryant, but the action was still fun to watch. It's interesting to see the young players expand their games and the hopefuls try to make the roster.

Nightly Notables:

The Good:
-Xavier Henry went off for 29 pts. He's a slasher who consistently got into the lane tonight. His 3 ball was working tonight too. Good game overall
-Jordan Farmar showed why the Lakers picked him up. He's a speedy guard who can make plays. He had a nice behind the head pass in the first half.
-Swaggy P (Nick Young) was a scoring machine in the first half. He had 17pts on 4-9 shooting. The Lakers will definitely lean on him throughout the year to provide instant offense.
-Kaman also had a solid game. He should be an excellent back up center

The Bad:
-Rebounding seems to be a weakness so far. Maybe that will change with Pau and Kobe in the lineup.
-As expected, lots of turnovers in the first game.
-Wesley Johnson has been a standout in camp but he had an awful game. Not much impact on D or O.

The Lakers have already gotten off to a better start than last year (they went 0-8).They'll be in action again tonight the Denver Nuggets.

OFFSEASON: Training Camp (09/09/13)

Can you believe it? Training camp is just a few weeks away!  With the Lakers' media day officially scheduled for September 28th, it won't be long before we see the purple and gold take the court again.  You're going to see some new names and new faces as we head into the 2013-2014 season.

With the departure of Dwight Howard, the Lakers have bought fully into providing head coach Mike D'antoni the players that fit his style of basketball.  The only caveat is they did not sign any players to long term deals or big money contracts.  This is to preserve cap space for the next off season when they can completely rebuild the team from the ground up.

Here is the Lakers roster as it stands today:

Point Guards: Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar, Steve Blake
Shooting Guards: Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Xavier Henry, Jodie Meeks
Small Forwards: Wes Johnson, Shawne Williams
Power Forwards: Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly, Elias Harris
Centers: Pau Gasol, Chris Kaman, Robert Sacre

Some of those names you might recognize and others you may not.  I've covered Farmar, Young, Kaman, and Johnson in the last entry so this time I'll focus on the latest additions.  In general the new players added are young and athletic.  That doesn't always translate to being good players, but it is a solid foundation for players in an up-tempo offense.  Also keep in mind that some of these names will change either through trades or simply being cut from the team.  Training camp is essentially tryouts after all.

Shawne Williams- 6'9" forward who played for D'antoni on the Knicks where he had 1 solid year shooting 3 pointers (40.1%).  Had questionable character issues.

Elias Harris- 6'8" forward from Germany.  Athletic.  His game is similar to Earl Clark's from what I hear.  A scrappy hustle player who can hit open shots. Will be a rookie.

Ryan Kelly- 6'11" forward who is known as a shooter.  Has good defensive fundamentals but lacks footspeed.  Will be a rookie.

Xavier Henry- 6'6" guard who played on the Pelicans last year. He's 22 with tons of room to grow.  Unfortunately he hasn't shown much at this point or he wouldn't be available for this cheap.

Before training camp the Lakers will add several other players for the team to scrimmage against.  Then we'll start seeing them play some pre-season games.  This team is going to be much quicker than last year's.  And with all of the players finally on the same page the offense will flow much smoother too.  The biggest question marks will be that of health and the quality of defense the team will play.  I think this team has the potential to surprise people based on the chemistry aspect alone, but we'll see.

We'll get into that more in the next entry when we get some practice reports.  Until next time...

OFFSEASON: New Signings (07/14/13)

Now that most of the offseason roster changes have occurred, let's take a look at the moves the front office has made.

First things first.  Dwight Howard did not re-sign with the Lakers.  Instead he chose to go to Houston where he believes the grass is greener (read: there is less pressure to win).  Some people can't handle the lime light I guess. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but....whatever.

Because of this, the Lakers have planned to completely overhaul the team for the 2014-2015 campaign.  They are able to do this because all of their current contracts (except Nash) expire after this season.   While great in potential, it does cause problems for assembling a team for this year.  Being that the Lakers want a "clean slate" means that they don't want to sign any players to deals lasting longer than 1 year.  This makes it difficult to attract quality players since most players prefer multi-year deals since it means more $$$, security, and comfort.

Operating under those constraints the Lakers have made the following moves:

Amnestying World Peace: This was done purely to save money.  They like MWP as a person & player, but him being gone saves the team millions in taxes

Lost out on Earl Clark: While LA was waiting on Howard to make his decision, Earl Clark was offered a 2 year $9M deal from the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Lakers weren't willing to pay that much for Clark (who I liked), and I can't blame him for taking the extra money.  It at least solves the minute sharing issue between Hill and Clark.

Signed Chris Kaman: Kaman is a great signing as a back-up center.  He has a well developed post game and put up decent stats last year in this role. He gets injured when he gets too many minutes, so it's perfect for him to relieve Pau and keep them both fresh throughout the season.  I've heard whispers of some experimental Kaman/Gasol lineups.  I think it would be fine on offense, but far too slow on D.  Maybe good for spot minutes.

Signed Jordan Farmar:  True Lakers fans remember Farmar from his days on the repeat Championship team ('09 & '10).  Look for him to be the same except more mature from his days playing over seas.  With him the Lakers add much needed speed & athleticism in the back court.  It could also mean Steve Blake is expendable now...

Signed Nick Young:  This guy is the perfect classic sixth man in my opinion.  He's an LA native who grew up watching the Lakers and idolizing Kobe.  He's got major scoring talent and the tools to be good defensively.  IF he takes some notes the Bean, and reaches his full potential....look out!  He'll have to hold down the scoring fort until the Mamba returns.

Signed Wes Johnson: He's an athletic small forward.  Something the Lakers have desperately needed since the days of Trevor Ariza.  His specialty is defense, but he has the ability to knock down the open shot.  The Lakers will need his perimeter defense when Nash and Kobe are playing together.  Let the young guns do the hard stuff.

RUMORS

I typically don't post rumors because they move so quickly, and they rarely come to fruition.  But this one is close to my heart so I'll post it.  Rumor is the Lakers are looking to bring back Lamar Odom.  His performance has definitely fallen off a cliff since he won 6th man of the year with the Lakers in 2011.  But I would love to see him retire as a Laker.  Especially if he was able to rejuvenate his game.  He would fit right in to D'Antoni's system.  If they don't pick him up, look for the Lakers to get Tyrus Thomas or Austin Daye.  Thomas is an athletic 4/5 defender while Daye is 3/4 who is lanky with some offensive skills.


More analysis to come when the roster is finalized and we can see what type of system the Lakers will implore.

OFFSEASON: Free Agency (07/01/13)

Now that the season is over, congratulations to the back to back champion Heat, it's time to figure out how the Lakers can get back to the mountaintop. Roster changes are a guarantee. The only question will be who will stay and who will go. To answer that you have to look at the Lakers organization from a cap space, coaching choice, and "Kobe's last run" perspective. These are the factors that weigh the most heavily on the decisions they will be making.

Cap Space
Without getting into the gory details, cap space is simply the amount of money a team has to bring in players. There is a limit to how much a team can spend, and if a team goes over that then they must pay penalties called the "luxury tax". Most teams are unwilling to pay this tax and therefore keep their player salaries as low as possible. Typically the Lakers have paid as much as necessary to have a winning team. However, the rules are different than they use to be, and the luxury tax can be A LOT higher than it used to be. Also, the rules on trading/ signing players change for luxury tax teams as well. I bring this up because the Lakers will sign players this off season with those rules in mind.

Currently the Lakers are over the salary cap and paying luxury tax. For next season, they only have one player signed (Nash), and can start fresh. Depending on their plans this may limit who they want to bring in this year as they may not want to bring in someone on a long contract which would damage their flexibility.

Coaching Choice
When the Lakers chose head coach Mike D'Antoni over Phil Jackson lots of fans were in uproar. Whether that was the right choice or not doesn't matter currently. D'Antoni is the coach, and as such he's going to need players to fit his system. He needs teams that are athletic, like to run, and shoot lots of 3's. The Lakers team as constructed is not elite at any of those skills. If he remains coach, look for the Lakers to get players to fit that mold.

Kobe's Last Run
We all know Kobe is only going to play for a few more years. He's still as focused as ever on getting #6. Because of this the Lakers are more inclined to surround him with experienced players rather than young players who will take time to develop. It's a gift and a curse though because the young players tend to fit D'Antoni's system more, and they can also help provide rest for Bryant.

Roster Changes
Now that we understand the framework the Lakers are using, let's look at some current and potential roster changes from last year's squad.

Gone: Ebanks, Goudelock, Duhon,
All players who contributed little on the court last year

Likely gone: MWP, Jamison
MWP is top candidate to be amnestied. It would save the Lakers $30M in luxury tax.
Jamison took a pay cut and spent time away from home for the shot at a ring last year. Can't see him doing it again.

Likely staying: Clark, Morris
Clark is a free agent. He already said he'd take a pay cut so as long as another team doesn't offer him a ridiculous contract he'll be back. Morris has been invited to summer camp. If he performs well he'll be back.

Staying: Sacre, Nash, Meeks, Bryant, Blake, Hill

Pending a trade all these guys will be back

???: Howard, Gasol
Talking with other fans, a lot of folks are mad at Dwight Howard, and maybe rightfully so. Reports come out everyday that he doesn't like the coach, can't play with Kobe, wants to go to Houston, etc. While it all may be true it's important to remember that they are just reports and rumors. Not fact. Take it with a grain of salt. Pau's stay with the team has a lot to do with Dwight's decision. If Howard leaves there is little doubt the Lakers will keep Gasol to play center. If he stays they may trade him to get some younger players who fit the coach's system better. I think Dwight will stay, but you just never know. One thing is for sure, Lakers fans only want players that want to be here. It's a privilege to play for this ball club.

P.S.- Free agency starts today, so now Dwight Howard can start talking to teams. July 10th is the earliest he'd be able to sign any contract with any team.

Game 4: Lakers vs Spurs (4/29/13) END OF SEASON WRAP-UP

Ejection. Turnovers. Loss. In their final game of the tumultuous 2012-2013 season, the Lakers were defeated 82-103 by the San Antonio Spurs.

There is very little to analyze in this one.  It's been the same story all series.  The Lakers were unable to take advantage of their interior play due to their extremely limted back court.  Dwight Howard, who had been frustrated with the officiating all series long, was ejected in the 3rd quarter after receiving his second techincal foul.  Kobe Bryant joined his mates on the bench shortly after amidst cheers from the Staples Center crowd.  When Pau Gasol left the game late in the 4th, he too was greeted with a standing ovation.

Credit San Antonio for being focused and having no mercy on the depleted Lakers.  As a competitor you always want to take your opponent's best shot.  San Antonio certainly didn't pull any punches.  Good luck to them in the next round.

What's Next?

As for the Lakers, this now begins a time when many decisions will be made.  Should Pau be traded?  Should the amnesty be used? Is Coach D'Antoni going to be the coach going forward?  Will Dwight Howard re-sign? I'll cover some of these topics and more in follow on posts throughout the offseason so stay tuned.

This year has been trying.  Coaching changes, media drama, and catastrophic injuries have left their mark on this team.  And much like those friends who only hang around you when you're doing well and things are going good, all the bandwagon fans have fallen to the wayside.  Free to join the OKCs, the Clippers, and the HEATs of the world.  I, like so many other loyal Lake Show fans across the world, choose to stay and remain loyal. 

This year has had its good times too.  The first time we watched Kobe, Nash, Pau, and Dwight in uniform together was special.  Watching Kobe dominate at age 34 on his way to earning the nickname "Vino" was something I'll never forget.  And lastly watching the team bond through the race for the final playoff spot...it was just simply a lot of fun.  Before Kobe went down the league was on notice, trust me.  However, it just didn't work out for us this year. 

Season Notables:

The Good:
- The team bonded through adversity
- Dwight got much better as the season progressed
- Kobe was every bit "Kobe" and then some
- Some promising young players began to develop (Clark and Hill)
- The race to make the playoffs was just as exciting as the playoffs themselves normally are lol

The Bad:
- Unsure if the team was able to forge an identity when it comes to play style
- Defense was a problem for the majority of the season
- Health uncertainty for next season
- Roster uncertainty for next season

We've been through tough times before, we will rise again.  Remember missing the playoffs the year Shaq left?  Yeah, we'll be back... ;)


GO LAKERS!!!

Game 3: Lakers vs Spurs (4/26/13)

With their entire team decimated with injury there was little reason to hope for the Lakers heading in to Game 3.  Reality set in as the Spurs controlled the entire game, and the Lakers lost 89-120.

The Lakers D-League backcourt actually shot the ball pretty well (a combined 17 for 32).  However they failed to establish any flow to the offense or create for others.  It was painful watching the Laker offense struggle to score all night.  The Spurs elected to playing 5-on-1 vs Dwight defensively and his teammates were helpless to assist. 

On the defensive end the Lakers couldn't stop the rain.  Their rotations were slow and frequently incorrect.  It's pretty much impossible to overcome the unfamiliarity in the lineups to have the necessary defensive chemistry needed to win playoff basketball games.  These guys have never played together and it's quite obvious.  It looks very ugly.

Notables:

The Good:
- Back court did alright with all things considered
- No one else got hurt (I think)

The Bad:
- Too many to list

The Lakers will get one more shot tomorrow to avoid elimination.  Maybe if they jump on the Spurs early they'll have a chance.  At this point though, they've got nothing to lose...

Go LAKERS!!!

Game 2: Lakers at Spurs (4/24/13)

Unable to outplay the Spurs in San Antonio, the Lakers lost 91-102 in Game 2.  The Spurs pack the paint defensively, and with the Lakers back court literally in ruins, the Lakers haven't been able to make them pay for that strategy.  Check Dancing Barry's review:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

Jodie Meeks was unable to play due to an ankle sprain he suffered in Game 1.  Steve Blake injured his hamstring late in this one amking his status for Game 3 questionable.  Nash also tweaked his injuries from prior.

It's almost like one of those cartoons where the character has just slipped on a banana, ran into a wall, and gets hit by a car and then says, "Well at least it can't get any worse..." Then it starts to rain. Just terrible season in regards to injury.  Worst I've ever personally seen from any team.

The good news for the Lakers is the next game is at home.  Technically being down 0-2 when you haven't played a home game yet is not a huge deal since all the other team did was protect their home court.  However, the bad news is the Lakers' perimeter players are too beat up to punish the Spurs and loosen up the paint for  Dwight and Pau to work.  If players like Morris, Duhon, and Goudelock don't step up this series won't last much longer.  Staples should provide a much friendlier shooting environment at least.


Spurs lead 2-0

Game 1: Lakers at Spurs (4/21/13)

The Lakers were unable to knock down open jumpshots, and turned the ball over 18 times which led to their 79-91 loss against San Antonio.  Check Dancing Barry's review over at Lakersground:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

The Lakers played good enough defense to win the game.  But at the end of the day you've got to knock down some shots yourself to get the win.  It's been said that a playoff series doesn't truly start until someone wins a road game. They'll get another opportunity on Wednesday to win a game in San Antonio and gain homecourt advantage in the series. If they can clean up the offense and protect the basketball they will certainly have a fair chance. Go Lakers!!!

Spurs lead 1-0

PLAYOFF Preview: Lakers vs Spurs (Western Conference Round 1)

Laker fans were able to breath a collective sigh of relief after Wednesday night's victory over the Rockets.  The win put them in 7th place to make the playoffs, avoiding the Thunder in the first round, but matching them up with the San Antonio Spurs.  And while the Spurs are far less athletic than the Thunder, they are also more savvy.  Not to mention they have championship experience.  This series will be anything but a walk in the park...

Who They Are: 
San Antonio is the type of team that plays what most people call "team basketball".  All this means is that they typically run a system of plays to score their points instead of relying on isolation plays from a dominant superstar.  They will however resort to isolation plays when their offense breaks down, or when they feel they have a mismatch available.  With a core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli they have the weapons necessary to play that style.  Tony Parker is one of the best point guards in the league, and he's absolutely lethal in the pick and roll.  Duncan's resume speaks for itself.  He can be more than a handful down low.  Ginobli causes problems by getting to the rim with the ability to pass out to shooters beyond the arc. In addition to their core the Spurs also have solid role players in Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Gary Neal who can all contribute.  They're just a solid team from top to bottom.  It's no secret why they have the 2nd best record in the conference.

How We Can Win: 
With all that being said about the Spurs, the Lakers are more than capable of meeting the challenge and winning the series.  Here's how:

Rebounding
The Lakers were 4th in the league in rebounding this season. Even with Jordan Hill out, they have the personnel to dominate both sides of the glass.  With Kobe out, each possession becomes even more important.  Every rebound they get is another possession, and another opportunity to score.  This also allows the Lakers to control the pace of the game more.  In the Lakers last few victories of the season, their rebounding is what saved them and made up for poor shooting percentages.

Defense
It's obvious that they need to play defense to win, but there are some specific things they can do to make life difficult for San Antonio.  The Spurs most potent weapon is the pick and roll with Parker and Duncan.  It's likely the Lakers will aggressively hedge the screen (where the defender of the screener steps out to slow down the attacking ball handler) and try to force Parker to be a passer.  If they do hedge it will be imperative for Dwight to recover to the roll man (likely Duncan) before he can do damage.  The rest of the Lakers will be in help & recover mode. They'll have to do this quickly and consistently to make sure the Spurs don't get wide open looks from 3.  Regardless of how you play him, Parker will get to the rim.  In which case Dwight will step up to contest him.  Then it's imperative that the other Lakers step over to cover Dwight's man.  This is called helping the "helper", and if the Lakers do it effectively they can win the series.

Pound 'em Inside
Dwight and Pau need to be dominant in this series.  I like how Coach D'Antoni has used them down the stretch.  Give them BOTH touches in the low post.  There's no reason it has to be one or the other.  If Pau and Dwight can establish some rhythm down there it will open up the perimeter for the Lakers' shooters.  When the Spurs start double teaming, Pau and Dwight are very adept at finding their teammates. Pau needs to facilitate from the elbow, and when Dwight is matched against a slower defender he should attack from the face up position.

X-factors
- Coach Vino.  If you didn't know, since Kobe got hurt he's been calling in adjustments from the hospital and his home.  It might be a week or two before he can join the team on the sidelines, but that's not stopping Kobe from putting his stamp on the game.
- Health is a major factor for both teams.  Will Nash be ready to go?  Will Parker and Ginobli be effective?
- The Lakers will need solid bench play from Jamison, Clark, and Meeks (if Nash starts)
- Hack-a-Howard.  Coach Popovich will clearly resort to this tactic if he gets desperate.  As long as Dwight knocks them down it won't be a probable.
- Rally around the flag effect.  We've all seen how the team has bonded over the devastating injury to their captain Kobe.  The team has stated they've taken on his identity now.  We just saw a legendary run in the NCAA tournament by Louisville after one of their players went down with a gruesome injury.  Anybody ready for the NBA equivalent?

The Lakers can win series if they put forth maximum effort and execute the game plan.  It's time to get the playoffs started and the Lakers are ready to roll!  GO GET 'EM LAKESHOW!!!

Lakers vs Rockets (4/17/13)

Game number 82 usually has little significance for the Lakers franchise.  This year however has been anything but "usual".  In the off season the Lakers acquired future Hall of Famers Dwight Howard and Steve Nash along with it some lofty expectations.   Fast forward 7 months through a myriad of injuries, coaching changes, and media driven drama and the Lakers would be fighting for their playoff lives on the final day of their season. With the Staples Center crowd supporting them, the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 99-95 in overtime, and they claim the number 7 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

Just before the game the Lakers received news that the Utah Jazz had lost their game.  This guaranteed that the Lakers would at least receive the 8th spot in the playoffs.  Many believed this would lead to an emotional let down for the Lakers.  However, with a win against the Rockets, the Lakers would overtake them and move into the 7th spot.  That would have the Lakers playing the Spurs in the first round instead of the Thunder. So there was still some motivation for the team.  I also think it's nice to end the season with a win.  Jamison echoed my sentiments after the game in an interview.

The Lakers won this game on the strength of their defense.  LA shot only 37% from the field, but they held the highest scoring team in the league to under 100 points in overtime.  That's outstanding.  You can't mention the Lakers' D without mention the big D, Dwight Howard.  He had several key defensive plays including a strip of Jeremy Lin and several stuffs on Harden driving to the rim.  With Nash and Bryant out the offense was ran heavily through Gasol.  He responded with a triple-double (17 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists).  This was the Spanish national team Pau Gasol.  It really shows his value when he's being utilized correctly.  Kobe tweeted his support for Pau after the game, "Can the talk of trading @paugasol come to a cease now??" Hopefully so.

Notables:

The Good:
- Huge games from the Laker bigs.  Triple-double from Pau and 16 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 blocks for Dwight
- The Blake Mamba strikes again with 24 points
- Lakers were + 11 on the boards
- Defense was impeccable

The Bad:
- Still no Nash
- Poor shooting percentage

It's been a crazy year for the Lakers, but they've battled through and stuck together.  As a result they have the opportunity to compete in the NBA playoffs.  With tonight's win they avoid OKC in the first round.  However, San Antonio is no picnic. The Lakers will have their work cut out for them, but there is a way they can win the series...Stay tuned for a playoff preview to come tomorrow.

The Lakers finished the closing stretch of the season in great fashion (8-1).  They have tons of momentum.  They'll need it all to knock the Spurs out.  GO LAKERS!!!

Lakers vs Spurs (4/15/13)

Fresh off the season ending injury to their superstar, Kobe Bryant,  the Lakers had another battle on their hands to prevent their season as a team from ending.  They fought hard throughout and pulled off the 91-86 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Given little time to mourn the loss of Bryant on Friday night, Dwight Howard said that they would have to rely on their defense.  That's precisely what the team did against the Spurs.  They held the Spurs offense to  just 37% shooting from the field.  That will get it done on most nights.  Most notable was the defense the Lakers played on Tony Parker.  He was held to 4 points on 1/10 shooting from the field.  Steve Blake played scrappy defense on him all night.  He was reaching in, contesting shots, and generally making life hard for Parker, who is trying to recover from injury himself.

The Lakers shot only 37% from the field, but their offensive philosophy was solid.  They went inside all game long to Gasol and Howard in the post.  Each one was taking turns decimating San Antonio's front line, and when the double teams came they kicked it out to the open man.  With Bryant out for the season and Nash still sidelined, that is how they will have to play.  Although Gasol had a poor shooting night, he stuck with it and contributed in other ways.  His 16 rebounds helped the Lakers win the battle of the boards 58-46.  Dwight Howard was in full Superman mode.  He had 26 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks.  After the game he was asked what the Lakers needed to do to make the playoffs.  He replied, "Dominate."  Well done, big man.  Well done.  Seems like Dwight has a little bit of that venom now... ;)

Notables:

The Good:
- The Blake Mamba. 23 points on 50% shooting from Blake.
- Superman getting an edge about him
- Lakers bench gave a nice boost in the 4th
- Won the battle of the boards
- Another crucial win

The Bad:
- 14 turnovers


With 1 game to go in the season it all comes down to this.  One of the following 3 scenarios will happen on Wednesday night:

1) The Lakers can get the No. 7 seed (and No. 2 SAS) by beating Houston on Wednesday.
2) If the Lakers lose to Houston and Utah beats Memphis, L.A. would be out of the playoffs, Utah the 8 seed.
3) If Utah loses to Memphis and LAL lose to Houston, LAL would be the 8 seed and play OKC.

So stay tuned Laker fans.  Just 1 more to go...GO LAKERS!!!

Lakers vs Warriors (4/12/13)

"M-V-P!!! M-V-P!!! M-V-P!!!"  The chants arose from Staples center as Kobe Bryant approached the free throw line.  He had just hyper extended his left knee.  Refusing to be taken out of the game, he took his shots.  Later in the game he took another spill, coming up gimpy.  He got up and walked around gingerly with a strain on his face.  Again he approached the line and shot his free throws.  Later still, with 3 minutes left in the game, Kobe went to attack from the 3 point line.  As he planted his foot, he fell and a whistle was blown.  He had injured his Achilles tendon (believed to be torn, an MRI is scheduled for tomorrow).  Again, Kobe Bryant approached the free throw line.  He tied the game with his 2 free throws.   The regular season MVP this year may go to a guy down in South Beach, but there is no question who has been the MVP of this team.  Every game he gives everything he has. His team returned the favor.  They fought hard and pulled out the 118-116 win over the Warriors in one of the craziest games I've ever seen.

This game was immensely important for both teams.  The Warriors were trying to move up in the seeding to avoid San Antonio, and the Lakers were fighting off Utah to just make it in the post season.  Both teams started off red hot shooting 75% from the field.  From the Lakers end, they were dominating inside with Pau and Dwight.  Post isolations for Pau, and high-low lobs for Dwight led to a lot of high percentage looks.  From the Warriors end Stephen Curry was on another level.  He was shooting 3s, floaters, and mid range shot like it was practice. Not a scrimmage either, I mean like a shooting drill.  Dude had 22 points in the first quarter alone and torched the Lakers mercilessly.  Any time the Lakers went under a screen he pulled up and drained the jumper.  It really was incredible.

Not to be outdone, Kobe got cooking in the second quarter.  He scored 7 straight to keep the Lakers within reach.  At half time the score was even at 57 all.  To start the 3rd the Warriors started using a lethal combo of high screen/rolls with their two sharp shooters Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.  This is incredibly difficult to guard because both players can shoot at a high clip, and they can handle the ball well.  If the Lakers switched on the screen the Warriors milked Thompson (6'6") shooting over Blake (6'2"), if they went over or under the screen the Curry went to work.  The Warriors milked this combo to death.  And when they finally went away from it, David Lee went to work and scored 6 points in a row. Meanwhile the Lakers kept pounding it in to Dwight and Pau leaving the Warriors no choice but to foul away.  As mentioned earlier Kobe was playing through injury the entire time.  He hit jumpers, got fouled going to the basket, and set up his teammates.  Yet the Lakers found themselves down by 9 with 6 minutes to go.  They got a triple from Blake and then consecutive triples from Kobe to tie the game.  After a Jarrett Jack layup, Kobe tried to drive and that's when the Achilles injury happened.  The Lakers had to intentionally foul so that Kobe could leave the game.  It was a heart breaking sight for Lakers and basketball fans everywhere.

Offensively the Spaniard took over for the Lakers with Bryant unable to play.  He got a lefty hook to fall on one possession, and then Blake found Howard for a dunk on another. The Lakers held on for the win despite a full court heave that nearly went in for Stephen Curry.

Notables:

The Good:
- Dwight Howard's free throw shooting was excellent tonight.  He really punished the Warriors for all the fouling they do
- Pau stepped up big time.  This was 2008-2010 Pau.  This was Spanish National team Pau.  This was the Spanish Wonder! He had a triple double with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 Assists.
- The Mamba.  Nothing much needs to be said. Unbelievable.

The Bad:
- The Lakers were unable to cool off Curry for 90% of this game
- Too many offensive rebounds given up (15 for GSW, only 3 for LAL)
- It is very likely that Kobe is out for the season :'(


The Lakers got the win to keep their playoff hopes alive.  It appears they've lost their best player in the process. After the game Dwight was asked how the Lakers would have to adjust without Kobe.  He responded by saying, "Defense."  It's so true.  The Lakers are going to have to play as one unit without the Mamba on the floor.  Their margin for error got a lot smaller, just when you thought it couldn't.  If they ever needed a rallying point this would be it.  They have 2 games to go before they end the season.  If they play together, with effort and intensity they can do it.  They can shock the world.

Get better Mamba.  Our prayers are definitely out to you. We know you'll be back...GO LAKERS!!!

Lakers at Blazers (4/10/13)

There was no question.  The Lakers absolutely had to get this one to be in control of their playoff destiny.  Behind the Black Mamba/Black Swan duo that led them to two titles and 3 finals appearnaces they got the win, and held off the Blazers 113-106.  Check DancingBarry's review at Lakersground:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

If you're not watching Kobe folks, you should be.  This guy is special.  He played all 48 minutes and put up 47 points (an oppoent record in the Rose Garden) on 52% shooting , 8 boards, 5 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks, and only 1 turnover. All at age 34. #Vino.  The Spaniard would not be denied either.  He had 23 points, 7 boards, 9 assists, and 2 blocks.  Dwight was no slouch and he chipped in 20 points, 10 boards, 1 assist, and 3 blocks.  Steve Blake got some huge offensive rebounds in the clutch, causing Jim Rome to tweet that he was Rodman LOL.

The Lakers finally swept a back-to-back for the first time this season.  The win put them in the driver's seat.  They have only 3 games left (as does Utah), however, if they win out they will be the number 8 seed.  They control their own destiny.  Meet the challenge Lakers!!!

Lakers vs Pelicans (4/9/13)

Lakers got the had to have W last night 104-96 over the Pelicans.  Kobe an Pau led the way along with an emotional boost from the return of Metta World Beast.  He returned after just 12 days, but was expected to be out 4-6 weeks.  Check DancingBarry's review:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

For the time being, the Lakers have regained the 8th seed.  They'll need another win tonight over the Blazers to maintain that.  Portland would love for nothing more than to ruin their chances.  The Lakers must be prepared to meet the challenge.

Lakers at Clippers (4/8/13)

In a game they needed to control their own destiny, the Lakers fell to the Clippers 95-109.  Injuries or not, the Lakers have had problems all season long with the Clippers.  They were unable to win the battle of the boards, and couldn't protect the basketball.  The result is a gauranteed loss against a team that thrives on fast breaks.  Check DancingBarry's review over at Lakersground:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

Utah also won later in the day against Golden State.  This means that Lakers will have to win at least 1 MORE game than the Jazz to make the playoffs (the Jazz hold the tie breaker). It's going to be tough, but trust me, no one is feeling sorry for the Lakers. Nash is questionable for Tuesday's game against New Orleans. MWP is most likely out as well. 

This tweet from Kobe sums of my feelings on the matter, "#focus #zen #takethechallenge only focus is N.O #beastmode #mambasrep #lakernationstandup"

Gotta take care of business.  Go LAKERS!!!

Lakers vs Grizzlies (4/5/13)

With their playoff lives in the balance, the Lakers had to scratch and claw their way through a battle with the Memphis Grizzlies.  They eeked out 86-84 victory to maintain a 0.5 game lead over Utah for the final playoff spot.

Memphis is one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.  They hold their opponents to average of 89.8 points per game.  So going into the game it was imperative that the Lakers match the Grizzlies on the defensive end of the floor.  In the first half the Lakers did a good job of that.  They were able to contest shots at the rim, recover to the perimeter, and rebound.  On offense they ran a healthy dose of high screen and roll which opened up a ton of 15 footers for Pau who knocked them down with regularity.  The missed some bunny shots though, and went to the break at half time with a 7 point lead despite being up by as many as 13.

In the second half, Memphis got their licks in on D.  They intercepted several bad passes from the Lakers to convert them to points, and even opened up a 5 point lead of their own.  Steve Blake was the culprit in several of those turnovers.  He seemed to be getting down on himself for making obvious mistakes. Grizzlies guard Mike Conley went right at him on O, seemingly scoring at will. Credit Blake though for keeping his head in the game and drilling two crucial 3's (both of which came when the Lakers down and gave them the lead).  Basketball is so much about confidence.  You play better when you're confident, so it was nice to see Blake shake off the mistakes and keep moving.

This game came down to the wire.  With the Lakers up by 1, Dwight Howard was sent to the free throw line on a loose ball foul from Zach Randolph. Staples Center collectively held their breath in anticipation.  He made 1 of 2 leaving the Lakers with a 2 point lead about 4 seconds on the clock.  As maligned as their defense has been, it would come down to a final stop to secure the victory.  Out of the timeout Conley tried to score on a drive to the hoop.  He was met with the resistance of Howard and Gasol who altered his shot and forced the miss.  Lakers win, and live to fight another day.

Notables:

The Good:
- Earl Clark was everywhere again tonight.  Bringing tons of energy with his put back dunks and dunk-stuffing blocks.  His hustle was key.
- Gasol was great with 19 points and 9 rebounds.  After the game Kobe said they are finally, "Using him the right way."
- Kobe did a good job balancing facilitator and scorer
- The team got stops when they needed to

The Bad:
- 18 turnovers is too much.  With so many of them being forced bad passes it makes it worse.  Those should be correctable however.
- Foul trouble for Dwight in the second half
- Still too many miscues on defensive assignments, but at least the effort was there

The Lakers had to win to maintain their playoff spot.  From this point on they've got to match whatever Utah does at a minimum since Utah owns the tie breaker.  Kobe says he would have it no other way.  They'll play the Clippers tomorrow in another crucial game.

Lakers vs Mavericks (4/2/13)

Shaq's jersey retirement? Check. Huge game with playoff race implications? Check.  All the pressure in the world.  This was a game with the classic Hollywood drama story lines, and the Lakers responded with 101-81 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

The Lakers didn't wait to get going in this one.  They jumped on the Mavs early and opened up a 15 point lead by halftime.  They did so by going in to Dwight early and often.  They got him looks off of screen/rolls, post isolations, and put backs.  The defense was great too.  Rotations were quick when Dwight stepped over to stop dribble penetration.  This was key to shutting down Dallas' offense, and thus they were limited to just isolation opportunities.

When Dallas did isolate Dirk, Earl Clark gave him fits.  Over the last 3 games Nowitzki had been averaging 29 points on 62% shooting.  Not tonight.  He was held to shooting 4 for 13 and only scored 11 points.  Earl made him work for everything he got.  Clark wound up with 5 blocks on the night.  I think Dirk will be seeing Earl in his nightmares.  Pau also guarded Dirk extremely well.  Both players did exactly what you should do defensively against him: stay in his grill and contest his shots without fouling.

The Lakers 15 point lead at halftime was cut to 5 points late in 3rd when their offense got stagnant, and turnovers compounded the issue.  Uncle Earl went to work again.  He got fouled on an and-1 drive to the hoop.  He missed the free throw, but Pau tipped the rebound out to Kobe to swung it to Clark for the 3 ball.  The Lakers got a stop and then Earl dished it to Jamison for the layup to cap a 7-0 run which put the Lakers in control for good.  Dallas did make another run though in the 4th.  They were down 10 with what was seemingly going to be an easy dunk for their center Brandon Wright.  That's when the Mamba erased Dallas' momentum with a timely block.  Dallas then tried the Hack-a-Howard technique to get back in the game.  It back fired big time as Dwight wound up hitting 5 free throws in a row during the stretch.

The Lakers annihilated Dallas on the boards 57-37.  That was the game right there.

Notables:

The Good:
- The defense.  It was active and executed well.
- Earl Clark with 17 points, 12 boards, and 5 blocks
- Vino with a triple double. 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists
- Dwight & Pau controlled the middle with a combine 38 points, 22 rebounds, and 7 assists
- Blake and Meeks combined to shoot 42% from 3

The Bad:
- Need to cut down on turnovers
- Can't have those droughts where the offense gets stagnant

Shaq's jersey retirement was special. From hearing chants of "We want Phil!" to Shaq's classic "Can youuuu dig iiiiitttttt??!!!", it was fun to relive the memories of the 3-peat Lakers.  One fan described the atmosphere as electric.  The Lakers will need more of that over the final 7 games as the battle the Jazz for the final playoff spot.  They play Memphis at Staples on Friday.

Lakers at Kings (3/30/13)

If there's one thing this Lakers team has done consistently this year, it's play well when they're backs are against the wall.  They did just that tonight to get the 103-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Earlier in the day both the Mavericks and the Jazz won their games.  With the Jazz tied and the Mavericks only behind by 1 game, all the pressure was on LA to get the win.  They responded with one of the best efforts of the season.  Although bruised and battered, every player who stepped on the court gave maximum effort.  Kobe set the tone by playing all but 22 seconds of the game.  That's in spite of his age and in spite of the bone spur in his left foot. Dwight gave multiple efforts on both the offensive and defensive ends.  His hustle was key in punishing the Kings in the paint.  Meeks is always all over the court with his hustle, and he got a key defensive stop late in the 4th when the Kings were about to tie the game.

Steve Nash left the game after only about 2 minutes of action.  Steve Blake filled in quite nicely by scoring 15 points on 5/8 from downtown.  The Spaniard looked a lot more like "The Spaniard" with 12 points and 10 assists.  Dwight Howard was a monster on both ends of the court.  As stated earlier, his multiple efforts really made the difference.  There were several plays where he missed his initial shot, and then immediately jumped again to get the rebound and shoot again.  He had 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots.  Superman anyone?

The Lakers won this game tonight by relying on their defense and not turning the ball over.  Great effort tonight.

Notables:

The Good:
- Dwight would not be denied tonight.  Was the player of the game tonight
- Still sippin that Vino.  The Mamba is just ridiculous.  He put up 19 points, 14 assists, and 9 rebounds on a bum foot. 
- The Lakers weathered the hot shooting 1st quarter of the Kings. The role player stepped up perfectly
- Balanced team scoring

The Bad:
- There were a few rebound the Lakers should have secured but didn't, which kept the game a lot closer
- Missed technical free throws by Kobe and Jodie :P

On a free throw line jumper in the 2nd quarter, Kobe Bryant passed Wilt Chamberlain to be 4th on the all-time scoring list.  It's an incredible accomplishment.  Hopefully Kobe continues to move up that list.  It also may have been the Lakers last game in Sacramento. 

However, the Lakers have no time to get sentimental.  They're in the middle of a heated playoff spot battle.  Their next game is at home against the Dallas Mavericks which is sure to be a playoff-like atmosphere.  Stay tuned...

Lakers at Bucks (3/28/13)

This season the 2nd of a back-to-back has been a guaranteed loss for the Lakers.  It was no different Thursday night when they fell 103-113 against the Milwaukee Bucks.  Check Dancing Barry's review:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

Kobe and Nash sustained injuries but are listed as "probable" for tonight's game against Sacramento. With Dallas and Utah both breathing down their necks this playoff race is heating up.  The Lakers have to take the challenge and play with everything they've got, or else not making the post season is all too real possibility.

Lakers at Timberwolves (3/27/13)

The Lakers won a much needed game last night 120-117 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.  I missed the action except for the final minute so check DancingBarry's review:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

One positive of MWP being out is the Lakers can field a quicker team with Jodie Meeks being in the starting lineup.  The negative to that is they lose size. 

Tonight they'll play the Bucks. They need to win tonight to complete their first back-to-back sweep of the season.  Go Lakers!!!

Lakers at Warriors (3/25/13)

I missed this one and I'm not that upset about it.  Didn't want to see another loss.  The Lakers have dropped their last 3 games falling to the Warriors (103-109).  This isn't a good time to be on a losing streak.  Check DancingBarry's review over at Lakersground:

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

After the game MWP was diagnosed with lateral tear in his left knee.  The Lakers will release a timetable for his return after he meets with team doctors.  It doesn't sound good.  This team hasn't been healthy once all year long.

Pau doesn't yet have his legs back either.  I think he should be coming off the bench.  We'll see what adjustments the Lakers can make.  They are only ahead of Utah by 1 game in the standings.  They play Minnesota on the road tonight.

Lakers vs Wizards (3/22/13)

Well that was unexpected.  After an emotional boost from the return of Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers collapsed in the second half to fall to the Wizards 100-103.

The Lakers were firing on all cylinders to start the game.  They led by as much as 18 and were up by 16 at the break.  Although Gasol was clearly out of rhythm the offense was clicking.  It was working beautifully with Bryant, Nash, and Blake all being distributors and Dwight, Meeks, and Jamison being finishers.  The Lakers were finally able to stagger Bryant/Nash and Howard/Gasol to constantly maintain that inside/out presence.  How did they lose then you ask?  The 2nd half tells the tale...

Even in the 1st half the Lakers struggled with turnovers, but in 3rd quarter it really came back to bite them.  The Wizards chipped away at the lead by converting turnovers into easy scores.  Pau Gasol was one of the main culprits as he clearly did not have the timing or chemistry with his teammates in his first game back.  To make matters worse the Lakers failed to contest Washington's shooters.  Kobe left Ariza wide open on several possessions. At other times players rotated to help protect the paint but left a shooter open behind the line.  MWP committed a crucial offensive foul with the Lakers down by 2 in the waning moments of the fourth.  From there it would've taken a couple miracle 3's to force overtime.  Kobe got one, but not the other.  Coach D'Antoni was not happy with the team's effort after attaining the lead.

Some turnovers are expected when new lineups are played, but sheesh.  And there was no excuse for the D.

Notables

The Good:
- Offense in the 1st half was superb
- Defense in the half court was good most of the 1st half

The Bad:
- Terrible perimeter defense/awareness
- Too many turnovers
- No killer instinct when up big
- Pau looked terrible (I believe he'll get back to form though)
- Jamison injured his right wrist (shooting hand)

Bottom line is the Lakers should have won this game.  They can't afford performances like this with such a tight race for a playoff spot. Hopefully Pau gets back into it sooner rather than later.

I'm not sold on Pau being in the starting lineup just yet.  Not because he isn't starter quality because he definitely is.  But the Lakers had a rhythm with Clark starting.  He fits better with the starters because of his athleticism, and bringing Pau off the bench allows him to play in the post.  We'll see how Coach D'Antoni sets the rotations in the coming games.  However, there aren't many more games left.

Lakers at Suns (3/19/13)

No luck in the valley of the sun this year.  The Lakers got pimp smacked 76-99 last night against Phoenix on the road.  It was the second of a back-to-back, where the Lakers have yet to win both games in those situations this year.  Check Dancing Barry's review: 

DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings

Sounds like the team didn't have enough left in the tank from the game before.  That's always tough when you have older guys and injuries.  The good news is Utah lost and they've got three days before they play again. They must bounce back and keep the playoff push going.

BTW I can't stand when the other team wears some dumb jersey and we have to wear our home jersey's on the road.  It's a personal pet peeve of mine.

Lakers vs Kings (3/17/13)

Balance. Balance. Balance.  The Lakers defeated the Sacremento Kings 113-102 with an offensive attack that came at all angles.

From the onset the Lakers looked sharp, agressive, and comfortable.  They ran a bevy of scren/rolls, drive and kicks, and low post touches for Dwight.  Dwight was frequently doubled so he kicked it out to the open man who knocked down the shot with regularity.  This is what's meant by the term "inside-out" basketball.  The idea is you force the defense to respect your inside game so much so that they have to abandon defending the perimeter as well, thereby giving you open looks.

This means nothing however if your players don't make those shots.  Last night the Lakers had no problems in this area converting 57% of their field goals.  It should be noted that the Kings are not exactly know for their defense (to say the least).  However, the Kings can score the ball in bunches, and they also have a glutten of the Lakers perennial achilles heel: speedy guards.  The Kings's guards that fit this mold include Tyreke Evans, Isaiah Thomas, & Marcus Thornton.  For the most part that threat was neutralized by Mr. Dwight Howard.  He blocked 5 shots, but just his presence alone altered several more.  The Kings tried to take advantage when he was out of the game, but the Lakers did a decent job of defending the paint in his absense.  It also helped that he was not in early foul trouble in this game. 

The bench duo of Blake and Jamison really hurt the Kings, and they've been coming into their own as of late.  Jamison had 27 points and 9 rebs off the bench.  That is HUGE.  Blake?  Well he only had 16 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds.  Not too shabby huh?  I think the key for him has been being agressive.  I always thought Blake could play.  It would drive me insane though when he would drive through the lane only to pass up a wide open layup to kick it out to someone for a three.  I'd pull my hair out when he would receive a wide open three point opportunity from a kick out and then hesitate to shoot.  Which would undoubtedly throw off his timing and wind up in a missed shot.  I'm glad to say that Blake is no more.  The current Blake has confidenc galore, and it's only helping his team.  Good job Steve.

Notables:

The Good:
- Ball movement and offensive flow was simple, and executed well
- 6 of the 7 Lakers who played were in double figures
- Dwight showing DPOY type performances
- Watching the team enjoy playing together
- Another win while awaiting Kobe and Pau's returns

The Bad:
- Up until the 4th, couldn't really stop the Kings from gettim good 3 point looks
- Some bad defensive lapses. On a few plays the Lakers perimeter players left shooters to help Dwight stop dribble penetration.  Don't do that.  Dwight's got it.

The Lakers are in action again tonight taking on the Suns in Phoenix.  Still no Kobe, still no Pau, but the Suns are without some players too.  The Lakers need to get this win, adn then they'll get a few days off before Friday's game.

Lakers at Pacers (3/15/13)

Last night I said other players would have to step up in Kobe's absense, and that's exactly what they did.  Among key contributions from Steve Blake, MWP, and Antawn Jamison the Lakers defeated the Pacers 99-93 on the road.

Indiana came into the game as the 2nd seed in the Eastern conference. They've gotten that status by having the league's top ranked defense, and they play well at home.  The Lakers were ready to meet that challenge. 

In a move that surprised no one, yet amazed everyone at the same time, Kobe Bryant was in the starting lineup.  Only one day removed from a high ankle sprain received at the hands of Danhtay Jones.  Despite his ankle swelling to grapefruit-like proportions, the Mamba wanted to play.  He only played the first 12 minutes and shot 0-4.  However the emotional boost he provided just by stepping on the court can't be underestimated.  The Lakers fought hard from the opening tip.  The energy could be seen on both ends of the court.

Early on the Lakers shot poorly, and Dwight got into foul trouble.  Indiana punished the Lakers inside with any small ball lineups they ran.  The Lakers D was energized though which allowed them to stay in the game.  They started out with an 11 point deficit in the 1st, then later opened up an 11 point lead of their own in the 2nd behind Dwight's dominance.  Dwight was forced to sit again, and the Pacers trailed by 5 at the break.

The second half was a dogfight with MWP, Blake, and Jamison taking the scoring burden. There were several lead changes, but the score was tied at 87 with 1:30 to go in the game.  Nash threw a pass to D12 who had secured deep post position for an and-1.  On the next Lakers possession Jamison drilled a 3.  The Lakers got a stop on the defensive end and Jamison got fouled.  He made 1 of 2 free throws. Indiana's George Hill then made a 3, but on the ensuing in bounds play the Lakers beat the Pacer's full court pressure to get a Howard dunk on the other end.  It was a free throw shootout from that point on.  Great win.

Notables:

The Good:
- Great team win
- Hustle was evident all over the court
- The offense was decisive.  Guys looked comfortable and aggressive.  Very sharp and crisp.
- D12 was dominant when he was on the court
- Blake, Jamison, and MWP picked up the slack
- Mamba sucked it up for the betterment of the team
- Defense was outstanding

The Bad:
- Nash took a minor injury to his right calf

This was a great win for building chemistry and trust.  We even got to see Coach Kobe on the sidelines again (remember last year?).  Pray that the Lakers continue to get healthy and then the sky is the limit.  The Lakers next play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Go Lake Show!!!     

Lakers at Hawks (3/13/13)

This one wasn't pretty folks.  In fact, it got downright ugly at the end of it.  The Lakers fell to the Hawks 92-96.

The Lakers had no legs throughout, Dwight was in foul trouble, and they struggled to score against the shorthanded Hawks.  All night the Lakers missed open looks.  They found themselves down by 14 in the first half.  A heroic 3rd quarter from Kobe brought them within reach to start the 4th.

The Lakers took a 4 point lead early in the 4th, but then they took a lot of 3's and pretty much missed them all.  Yet they found themselves down by 4 with around 25 seconds to play.  Kobe hit another ridiculous turn-around 3 to bring them within 1.  They then had to foul to extend the game, and Atlanta's Kyle Korver made 1 of 2 free throws leaving the door wide open for LA.  Down by 2, Kobe came down the court guarded by Danhtay Jones.  He took one of his patented baseline fade-aways to tie the game and...it missed.  Kobe was next seen reeling in pain on the ground.  Jones walked under Kobe during his shot, and when Kobe landed he landed on Jones' foot causing him to severely sprain his ankle.  No foul called on the play.  The Hawks secured the rebound, hit two more free throws, and the game was over.

It simply was a dirty play.  It's well known in the sport of basketball that you don't undercut a shooter. It's dangerous.  And this play was proof.  The NBA should be ashamed of themselves if Jones is not punished (which it doesn't look like he will be). Especially since he has a history of doing these types of dirty plays.  He admittedly tripped Kobe in the 2009 playoffs.  I mean can you imagine what suspension would have been handed down if this were MWP?  Or if the play had injured LeBron?  The league has a HUGE double standard and it's honestly a disgrace. 

I love the Lakers, but the NBA is the most unscrupulous sports organization there is.

Notables:

The Good:
- Played like crap, but had a chance to win
- Utah also lost, so for the moment the 8th seed is retained 

The Bad:
- Earl Clark sprained his ankle
- Kobe sprained his ankle
- Tired legs in the second of a back-to-back
- Brick city from three point land

These injuries couldn't have come at a worse time.  The team is finally getting it together, and Pau is on the cusp of a return. They are in the middle of a playoff berth dogfight.  Now this.  Other players are going to have to step up.

Lakers at Magic (3/12/13)

Suuuuuuppppaaaamaaannnnn IS IN DA BUILDIN!!!  This game was all about the return of Dwight Howard to his former home.  He did not disappoint in his first game back in Orlando, as the Lakers get the 106-97 win.

All eyes were focused on Mr. Howard to see how he would react to a hostile crowd.  After the Lakers last game Kobe Bryant was quoted as saying, "Boos don't block dunks."  D12 certainly took that advice to heart.  He played with energy and intensity all night. The Lakers looked for him every chance they could. The Magic resorted to the Hack-a-Howard tactic several times tonight.  Dwight wound up shooting a ridiculous 39 free throws, tying his own NBA record for most attempts in a single game.  He responding by making 25 of them, setting a new Lakers record for most free throws made in a single game. D12 made 16 of 20 in Hack-a-Howard situations.  That's just outstanding.  Bravo sir.  Talk about a plan backfiring.  Ouch for Orlando head coach Jacque Vaughn.

There's not much to talk about in regards to the starter's offense tonight.  With Orlando doing so much hacking the offense never really got into rhythm.   However, when the 2nd unit was in the game they really ran the offense well.  Blake and Jamison have great chemistry.  It shows every time Jamison slips a screen and Blake rewards him with a pretty pass for a layup.  Blake had 8 dimes, and he even took it to the rack once.  Impressive.  Bench play is especially critical on the road.  The Lakers bench did their job tonight.

Notables:

The Good:
- Superman game. 39 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks
- Blake & Jamison was a killer 1-2 punch off the bench
- Pau is getting closer to coming back

The Bad:
- Closed quarters poorly

This game should provide closure for Dwight.  He can now breathe a sigh of relief.  Can't rest too long though,  they'll play Atlanta tomorrow night.

Lakers vs Bulls (3/10/13)

Another day, another W in Lakers nation.  The Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls 90-81 at home in today's matinee game.  I was out doing some rock climbing/bouldering an was unable to catch the action.  Unfortunately Dancing Barry also wasn't able to do a write-up.  :(  Here are some quick ones I was able to see from watching highlights.

- Dwight is looking better and better.  Maybe he is getting healthier or more comfortable.  Probably both. 
- Lakers defense was pretty good.  They held the Bulls to 81.  Probably has a lot to do with the previous point.
- Mamba was in facilitator mode.  Probably resting his legs from the last two classic performances.
- Nash is still aggressive offensively and looking great in my opinion.
- Lakers were pretty cold from 3 to throughout.  Shot 5-26.  Ouch. Lol.

With today's win the Lakers actually have the 8th playoff spot.  But nothing is for certain.  They can't take anything for granted, and must continue to play well to move up the playoff ladder.

Lakers vs Raptors (3/8/13)

The bombs rained down from Vino and Nash as the Lakers tallied yet another come from behind win.  This time their victim was the Toronto Raptors, and when the final buzzer rang the score was 118-116 at the end of overtime. I was fortunate enough to catch this one live.

In the first quarter the Lakers D was almost non-existent.  They allowed the Raptors to put up 37 points.  That's just unacceptable.  But considering they featured lineups with Antawn Jamison playing center, the root cause is no mystery.  There is just no rim protection and other teams know it.  It's like open season for opposing guards. I find myself anxiously awaiting when Dwight can get back in the game to play some defense.  In fact, in the 1st and 3rd quarters where Dwight only plays half the quarter, the Lakers gave up 37 and 30 points respectively.  In the 2nd and 4th quarters where he plays them all, they only gave up 22 and 20 points.  That's a remarkable difference, and it really shows how much this team misses Pau Gasol.  (Who is getting healthier BTW).

The Lakers were down by as many as 14 in the 1st half, but they cut the lead to 6 by halftime.  Like we've seen before, the Raptors' strategy was to take advantage of their size mismatches.  Word is definitely getting out around the league about how to attack the Lakers small ball lineups.  Poor Jodie Meeks.  The Raptors went to Alan Anderson and DeMar DeRozan on the block against him at every opportunity they could.  He fought hard though.  At times he was simply over-matched by their size.  That's how he wound up with 5 fouls.

That strategy worked well for the Raptors, but they forgot about one thing:  Vino.  Mamba.  Bean.  Whatever you want to call him the dude is just flat out cold blooded.  With 29 seconds left in the game (Lakers down 4), Kobe caught the ball in the corner and fired a 3 that went straight home.  After two Raptors free throws, the Lakers found themselves down 3 again.  On the next play Kobe pump faked to get one Raptor in the air, and then let her fly...SWISH!  Staples erupted.  The Lakers stopped the Raptors on the ensuing play to force overtime.  In OT the Lakers were down by three again, but this time Nash came to the rescue.  He fired a pull up 3 off the dribble and it was money again.  With the game timed tied in OT the Lakers once again turned to Kobe.  This time the Raptors were determined to get the ball out his hands.  They sent the double team coming from the center Aaron Gray.  Their intention was to make Kobe pass.  But he used their double team against them.  He quickly dribbled around Gray, went into the lane and DUNKED it on 'em!  Can't hate on that.  Lakers win.

Notables:

The Good:
- Kobe (41 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds)
- 24 points and 13 rebounds for D12
- 22 points is good production from Nash

The Bad:
- Defense when Dwight is out.
- Making bench players from the other team look like all-stars

Good win.  And with the Jazz loss, the Lakers are only .5 games back of 8th place. 

I'd like to see the Lakers develop some type of defensive scheme to swing the tides in their favor when Dwight is on the bench. Right now that's their biggest weakness.