Didn't matter who it was against the Lakers needed a win badly. Through good ball movement and player movement, the Lakers got what they needed winning 113-93. It also didn't hurt having Dwight Howard back :).
Howard had 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks in around 30 min. Kobe was looking for him early and often. This set the tone for the game. They dominated from start to finish in large part due to sharing the ball properly. The result was ending the night one assist shy of their season high (32). The Duke of Earl again produced putting up 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. Does a stat line like that sound familiar? It does to me because it screams Lamar Odom. The Lakers may have found a diamond in the rough here.
Notables:
The Good:
- Ball movement and player movement. I love the dives to the basket whenever Kobe got doubled. A MUST
- Dwight was dominant inside
- Duke of Earl continued his trend of playing well
- Jamison added 16 off the bench
- Kobe only had to play 28 minutes
- Active defense
The Bad:
- 22 is too many turnovers
- Too many offensive rebounds given up
Everyone has written the Lakers off at this point. Calling them a failed experiment. A team with superstars that can't get along. Old. Slow. Not good enough.
I believe it's up to them to write their own history.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Lakers vs Thunder (1/11/13)
Missed the game due to a busy Friday night. It definitely wasn't expected to be a win playing against the Thunder with the rash of injuries the Lakers have suffered throughout the season. Check Dancing Barry's review from Lakersground:
DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
They desperately need a win, and they'll have a shot today playing against the Cavaliers.
DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
They desperately need a win, and they'll have a shot today playing against the Cavaliers.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Lakers at Spurs (1/9/13)
A valiant effort tonight, but alas, no W. The Lakers lost a tough battle tonight against the San Antonio Spurs on the road in the second of a back to back. They fell 105-108 in their second game without their entire front court (Howard, Gasol, and Hill). Steve Blake is also still out and recovering from surgery.
They fell behind by double digits multiple times, but they never quit. A team as shorthanded as the Lakers needs to play desperate. They definitely delivered in the energy aspect. Kobe's shot was off to start the game (as well as his free throws), but MWP and Nash kept the team afloat. Kobe turned it on again in the second half after getting a technical foul for complaining about a no call on a drive to the hoop. The Lakers missed several defensive assignments throughout (Kobe a few times) leading to easy buckets for San Antonio. Earl Clark was undoubtedly the game's hero for the Lakers by putting up 22 points and 13 rebounds. It was an extraordinary effort from the Lakers's 4th string PF. When opportunities arise, guys have to step up, and that's what he did.
The Lakers were able to cut the deficit to 3 with about 2 1/2 minutes to go (from 17). They even got multiple consecutive stops from that point on. The only problem was they failed to convert on the other end. MWP missed a layup in a 4 on 2 break. Jamison missed a corner 3 on a feed from Nash. Then Ginobli hit a 3 to put the Spurs up 6. Earl Clarke responded with a 3 of his own and the Lakers got another stop. Kobe took a tough 3 that went long, and the rebound was tapped out to Clarke who missed a last second attempt.
Notables:
The Good:
- Career night for Clarke. Hopefully he can continue to play well while the other bigs get healthy. He also played excellent defense on Ginobli
- Solid effort
- 4th Q defense
The Bad:
- Too many missed assignments
- Too many second chance points allowed
- Missed shots in the final 2 minutes
The Lakers have lost to the Spurs by a combined 5 points this season. The first meeting they had no Nash and no coach. This time they had no Pau, Dwight, or Hill. Unfortunately all that matters is that they count as 2 losses on a horrible record.
They fell behind by double digits multiple times, but they never quit. A team as shorthanded as the Lakers needs to play desperate. They definitely delivered in the energy aspect. Kobe's shot was off to start the game (as well as his free throws), but MWP and Nash kept the team afloat. Kobe turned it on again in the second half after getting a technical foul for complaining about a no call on a drive to the hoop. The Lakers missed several defensive assignments throughout (Kobe a few times) leading to easy buckets for San Antonio. Earl Clark was undoubtedly the game's hero for the Lakers by putting up 22 points and 13 rebounds. It was an extraordinary effort from the Lakers's 4th string PF. When opportunities arise, guys have to step up, and that's what he did.
The Lakers were able to cut the deficit to 3 with about 2 1/2 minutes to go (from 17). They even got multiple consecutive stops from that point on. The only problem was they failed to convert on the other end. MWP missed a layup in a 4 on 2 break. Jamison missed a corner 3 on a feed from Nash. Then Ginobli hit a 3 to put the Spurs up 6. Earl Clarke responded with a 3 of his own and the Lakers got another stop. Kobe took a tough 3 that went long, and the rebound was tapped out to Clarke who missed a last second attempt.
Notables:
The Good:
- Career night for Clarke. Hopefully he can continue to play well while the other bigs get healthy. He also played excellent defense on Ginobli
- Solid effort
- 4th Q defense
The Bad:
- Too many missed assignments
- Too many second chance points allowed
- Missed shots in the final 2 minutes
The Lakers have lost to the Spurs by a combined 5 points this season. The first meeting they had no Nash and no coach. This time they had no Pau, Dwight, or Hill. Unfortunately all that matters is that they count as 2 losses on a horrible record.
Lakers at Rockets (1/8/13)
Missed the game due to the earlier start time. Check Dancing Barry's review: DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
With their best 3 bigs out due to injury (Pau, Dwight, and Hill), AND the team already struggling there was not much to expect in this loss.
Congratualtions on Nash getting to 10,000 assists for his career. I'm sure he's much more concerned with his team's place in the standings however...
With their best 3 bigs out due to injury (Pau, Dwight, and Hill), AND the team already struggling there was not much to expect in this loss.
Congratualtions on Nash getting to 10,000 assists for his career. I'm sure he's much more concerned with his team's place in the standings however...
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Lakers vs Nuggets (1/6/13)
There's not even a point to writing a game summary tonight. It's the same as the last game, and the same as in most of the Lakers' losses: poor defensive communication, disjointed offense, and getting generally out hustled by the other team. The Lakers lost 105-110. Down the stretch they had an opportunity with Howard getting a key block, however, after he secured the ball he threw a bad pass that was intercepted and scored by the Nuggets. So far, that play has been a microcosm for the Lakers' season. Fans can only pray at some point they turn it around. I still believe they can.
Notables:
The Good:
- Nash looked a little more aggressive which I liked.
- Offense in the first half looked pretty good. 19 assists as a team
- Earl Clark coming in cold and hitting 2 free throws after he was chosen by Coach Karl (due to the injury to Pau)
-The Lakers forwards played well in the first half
The Bad:
- Too many offensive rebounds allowed
- Too many points in the paint allowed
- Poor transition defense
- 18 turnovers
- Falling further below .500
At this point the Lakers can either pack it in and fold or suck it up, get back to the drawing board, and get to work son! We'll see which path they choose.
Notables:
The Good:
- Nash looked a little more aggressive which I liked.
- Offense in the first half looked pretty good. 19 assists as a team
- Earl Clark coming in cold and hitting 2 free throws after he was chosen by Coach Karl (due to the injury to Pau)
-The Lakers forwards played well in the first half
The Bad:
- Too many offensive rebounds allowed
- Too many points in the paint allowed
- Poor transition defense
- 18 turnovers
- Falling further below .500
At this point the Lakers can either pack it in and fold or suck it up, get back to the drawing board, and get to work son! We'll see which path they choose.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Lakers at Clippers (1/4/13)
The Lakers were looking forward to this game as a measuring stick. They got their answer. They're good, but they're not quite there yet as a team. They fell to the first place Clippers 102-107. Although the Lakers never led, they battled back from 18 and 19 point deficits. Amongst a bevy clutch buckets from Bryant, and a clutch 3 from Nash, the Lakers pulled within 2 (97-99) with about a minute left in the game. CP3 drove to the hoop and was blocked by MWP, but a foul was called on Dwight Howard. It was his sixth foul so he had to leave the contest. On the next play Kobe attempted a tough 3 that barely rimmed out. Chris Paul made 2 free throws to extend their lead to 6. Jodie Meeks hit a 3 pointer on the following play, but CP3 made his free throws from then out, effectively ending the game.
Early on in the game the Lakers were force feeding Dwight. These were mostly post looks. It was a good strategy because Dwight was scoring and getting the Clippers frontcourt into foul trouble. The only problem was the Lakers defense couldn't get stops on the other end. They went into the second down 22-29. It was a manageable deficit. To start the second however Coach D'Antoni went with a Morris, Meeks, Peace, Gasol, Howard lineup. As color announcer Stu Lance pointed out, Coach D'Antoni should always have at least Bryant or Nash in the back court, and Gasol or Howard in the front court. In that manner you always have at least 1 shot creator and 1 inside threat on the court at all times. I couldn't agree more. Especially with Blake and Duhon out, the Lakers have no facilitator on the second unit. The Clippers were able to expand their 7 point lead to an 18 point lead during that stretch, until Bryant and Nash re-entered the game. When their two hall-of-fame guards came back in, they cut the 18 point lead down to 4 (which the Clippers were able to push back to 10 by the half).
The Lakers struck quick with a 7-0 run to start the 3rd, but the Clippers responded with a 7-0 run of their own. Then the Lakers found themselves down 19 points in the 3rd, but fought back to bring it within 2 before the crunch time moments I described earlier. There were also some injury scare moments with Howard (shoulder) and Jordan Hill (ankle). They will be evaluated soon.
Notables:
The Good:
- The Lakers showed some heart coming back from big deficits. Ideally they would keep falling behind by double digits though.
- The Mamba was clutch and efficient all game (15/25 FG). Only 1 or 2 of his shots was forced.
- Nash shot the ball really well. I would like to see him shoot more.
- Jordan Hill gave a big spark off the bench. He's part of the reason the Lakers bench almost matched the Clippers bench (27 points vs 30 points). Although it should be noted the Clippers were without Jamal Crawford
The Bad:
- The Lakers gave up too many offensive rebounds
- Poor performances from Pau and Metta. Both shot 1/6 from the floor. There was one play where Pau received a pass 2 feet from the rim, and he couldn't even jump to shoot. His health issues are serious.
- Inconsistent play offensively and defensively.
- Lack of player movement offensively
- No defined team "style." Are they uptempo, slow it down, in the middle?
- Why wait till the 4th to play bettter defense?
- Dwight still looks way less than 100%.
Adjustments still need to be made strategically. I liked the Dwight guarding Griffin matchup in the 4th. I didn't like Nash and Bryant sitting to start the second. I'm still worried about the Spanish Wonder Pau fitting in. I think when fully healthy, he's versatile enough to do it, even being naturally a little flat footed. But it's clear he's not and it makes the team very slow on defensive rotations. The front office is probably entertaining trade ideas at the moment. Hopefully he can get healthy and do what he does best, play basketball at a high level.
Early on in the game the Lakers were force feeding Dwight. These were mostly post looks. It was a good strategy because Dwight was scoring and getting the Clippers frontcourt into foul trouble. The only problem was the Lakers defense couldn't get stops on the other end. They went into the second down 22-29. It was a manageable deficit. To start the second however Coach D'Antoni went with a Morris, Meeks, Peace, Gasol, Howard lineup. As color announcer Stu Lance pointed out, Coach D'Antoni should always have at least Bryant or Nash in the back court, and Gasol or Howard in the front court. In that manner you always have at least 1 shot creator and 1 inside threat on the court at all times. I couldn't agree more. Especially with Blake and Duhon out, the Lakers have no facilitator on the second unit. The Clippers were able to expand their 7 point lead to an 18 point lead during that stretch, until Bryant and Nash re-entered the game. When their two hall-of-fame guards came back in, they cut the 18 point lead down to 4 (which the Clippers were able to push back to 10 by the half).
The Lakers struck quick with a 7-0 run to start the 3rd, but the Clippers responded with a 7-0 run of their own. Then the Lakers found themselves down 19 points in the 3rd, but fought back to bring it within 2 before the crunch time moments I described earlier. There were also some injury scare moments with Howard (shoulder) and Jordan Hill (ankle). They will be evaluated soon.
Notables:
The Good:
- The Lakers showed some heart coming back from big deficits. Ideally they would keep falling behind by double digits though.
- The Mamba was clutch and efficient all game (15/25 FG). Only 1 or 2 of his shots was forced.
- Nash shot the ball really well. I would like to see him shoot more.
- Jordan Hill gave a big spark off the bench. He's part of the reason the Lakers bench almost matched the Clippers bench (27 points vs 30 points). Although it should be noted the Clippers were without Jamal Crawford
The Bad:
- The Lakers gave up too many offensive rebounds
- Poor performances from Pau and Metta. Both shot 1/6 from the floor. There was one play where Pau received a pass 2 feet from the rim, and he couldn't even jump to shoot. His health issues are serious.
- Inconsistent play offensively and defensively.
- Lack of player movement offensively
- No defined team "style." Are they uptempo, slow it down, in the middle?
- Why wait till the 4th to play bettter defense?
- Dwight still looks way less than 100%.
Adjustments still need to be made strategically. I liked the Dwight guarding Griffin matchup in the 4th. I didn't like Nash and Bryant sitting to start the second. I'm still worried about the Spanish Wonder Pau fitting in. I think when fully healthy, he's versatile enough to do it, even being naturally a little flat footed. But it's clear he's not and it makes the team very slow on defensive rotations. The front office is probably entertaining trade ideas at the moment. Hopefully he can get healthy and do what he does best, play basketball at a high level.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Lakers vs 76ers (1/1/13)
I don't know what kind of New Year's resolutions the Lakers made, but it certainly didn't look like they were related to improving as a basketball team. They dropped their game tonight against Philadelphia 99-103. The Lakers started off cold from their 3 days off, and quickly found themselves in an 11 point hole. They battled back against that deficit all night. They were able to take the cut it to 2, tie, and even take the lead by 4 (in the 2nd quarter), but they could never string together enough offensive/defensive sequences to control the game. Credit Philadelphia for playing hard. However, there's no question the Lakers were capable of winning this game.
The offense never had a rhythm the entire night. Scoring mostly on ISOs due to missing a bevy of open shots, the Lakers had only 8 assists at half time. They shot a putrid 3/22 from behind the arc. Pau & Dwight shot a combined 3/19 from the field. Several players missed a ton of open looks, and collectively the team shot only 39%. That will not get it done. Kobe scored 36 on nearly 50% shooting, but there were several forced shots. Despite all this, the Lakers found themselves down only 2 with about a minute left to play. A slow close out from Pau resulted in a 20 footer by Hawes. Then on the next possession Kobe was trapped off the dribble and threw an ill-advised pass where he thought Howard would be, resulting in a turnover and easy score for Philly. There was another play where the Lakers needed to foul to extend the game. Instead of doing that, their miscommunication allowed Jrue Holiday into a wide open lane for a dunk. The Lakers fell apart in the clutch, and that was that.
One continuing trend I really don't like is the extended minutes Kobe is having to play. I don't think he sat at all in the 2nd half. He is conditioned well, but you can see the lift in his jump shot start to fade late in the fourth because of it. He was 14/29 tonight, but most of his made attempts came at the rim. I thought his jumper was a little flat all night. He needs more rest. And with the way Meeks is playing I think they can get away with it. The team has a tendency to stand around when he has the ball, so it might be better for everyone. If Kobe is rested heading into crunch time tonight, I think the Lakers pull off the ugly W. Coach D'Antoni will have to find a better balance.
Notables:
The Good:
- Good bench contribution from Jordan Hill (10 pts, 8 reb), Meeks, and at time MWP (made his fair share of mistakes as well)
The Bad:
- Disappointing games from Kobe, Pau, Nash, & Dwight. I don't think any of them played how they are capable of playing. Nash didn't control the offense enough, Kobe forced it at times, Dwight missed too many bunnies and didn't run the lane strong, and Pau's shot was off.
- Poor defensive rotations. Several times I saw two players rotating to the same guy.
- Bad shooting from the field, 3-point land, and the free throw line.
- Poor ball AND player movement on offense
The Lakers have their work cut out for them. They've got the Clippers on Friday, which should show if they have or haven't improved.
The offense never had a rhythm the entire night. Scoring mostly on ISOs due to missing a bevy of open shots, the Lakers had only 8 assists at half time. They shot a putrid 3/22 from behind the arc. Pau & Dwight shot a combined 3/19 from the field. Several players missed a ton of open looks, and collectively the team shot only 39%. That will not get it done. Kobe scored 36 on nearly 50% shooting, but there were several forced shots. Despite all this, the Lakers found themselves down only 2 with about a minute left to play. A slow close out from Pau resulted in a 20 footer by Hawes. Then on the next possession Kobe was trapped off the dribble and threw an ill-advised pass where he thought Howard would be, resulting in a turnover and easy score for Philly. There was another play where the Lakers needed to foul to extend the game. Instead of doing that, their miscommunication allowed Jrue Holiday into a wide open lane for a dunk. The Lakers fell apart in the clutch, and that was that.
One continuing trend I really don't like is the extended minutes Kobe is having to play. I don't think he sat at all in the 2nd half. He is conditioned well, but you can see the lift in his jump shot start to fade late in the fourth because of it. He was 14/29 tonight, but most of his made attempts came at the rim. I thought his jumper was a little flat all night. He needs more rest. And with the way Meeks is playing I think they can get away with it. The team has a tendency to stand around when he has the ball, so it might be better for everyone. If Kobe is rested heading into crunch time tonight, I think the Lakers pull off the ugly W. Coach D'Antoni will have to find a better balance.
Notables:
The Good:
- Good bench contribution from Jordan Hill (10 pts, 8 reb), Meeks, and at time MWP (made his fair share of mistakes as well)
The Bad:
- Disappointing games from Kobe, Pau, Nash, & Dwight. I don't think any of them played how they are capable of playing. Nash didn't control the offense enough, Kobe forced it at times, Dwight missed too many bunnies and didn't run the lane strong, and Pau's shot was off.
- Poor defensive rotations. Several times I saw two players rotating to the same guy.
- Bad shooting from the field, 3-point land, and the free throw line.
- Poor ball AND player movement on offense
The Lakers have their work cut out for them. They've got the Clippers on Friday, which should show if they have or haven't improved.
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