It was a blowout win for the Lake Show in their final game of 2012. They beat the Portland Trail Blazers 104-87. The Lakers jumped on them early and energy was never a problem. Smiles were frequently seen on the faces of the Lakers players, as is usually the case when the team is winning. It was a great game from the Lakers stars as they all focused on what they do best. Nash was facilitating (10 dimes) and money on his jumpers. Dwight was dominant defensively and in the low post (21 points, 14 rebounds). Pau got a few buckets in the low post, dropped 5 dimes, and hit 2 threes. Kobe was in Mamba mode and dropped 27 on 50% shooting, and added 4 dimes of his own. To top it all off, the only one of the stars that played in the fourth was Pau. Morris, Hill, MWP, and Meeks also played well. As a result of the good offensive flow, the defensive effort was there all night.
In the last game against the Blazers Howard scored 33 points. They went to him early and often in this one, and he delivered after being kicked out of the game against the Nuggets on Wednesday. The Blazers tried to slow him by resorting to the Hack-a-Dwight with about 6 minutes to go in the second quarter. He responded by hitting 4 of 4 free throws in that stretch. It prompted the Blazers to end that strategy. From there the Lakers onslaught continued. They scored at will and held the Blazers to 41% shooting. It was a good win, and an example for how the Lakers should play everynight.
Notables:
The Good:
- Dominant bounce back game from Dwight
- Great ball movement for 95% of the game
- Gasol 3 ball is looking like a real threat
- Rest for the stars in the 4th quarter
- Good defensive hustle
The Bad:
- Free throw shooting can still improve
- In a blowout game, Jamison still cannot get any minutes. You just hope this doesn't mess with his confidence for when he is called upon. He's a pro's pro though so he should be alright.
You can definitely see the improvement. Especially with "El Mago" Steve Nash at the helm. All the pieces just fit.
And congratulations to Jamaal "Silk" Wilkes for getting his #52 retired to the rafters of Staple's Center tonight. The 4-time champion (1 w/ Warriors, and 3 w/ Lakers) definitely deserves the honor.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Lakers at Nuggets (12/26/12)
After a great win yesterday, the Lakers gave a pretty lackluster follow up tonight. Energy seemed to be lacking all night. The Lakers struggled to keep the Nuggets off of the offensive glass, and as a result found themselves on the losing end of a 114-126 game. They were shooting well from the field so they were in the game all night up until the final 3 or 4 minutes of the night. But their defense just couldn't hold the line.
With about 5 minutes to go in the 3rd, and the Lakers down 6, Dwight Howard was called for a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game. After that point the Nuggets went to the basket at will. The Lakers tried to mount a comeback, but MWP missed a layup that would have cut the deficit to 5 with 3 minutes to go. The Nuggets responded by hitting a 3 followed by a layup. And that was all she wrote. The Lakers looked like they had no legs following a tough game yesterday. That is understandable, but their defensive communication also looked off. Their rotations were frequently wrong and slow. They just weren't on the same page. Pau and Nash both had good first halves, but made much less impact in the second half. Dwight wasn't available for almost the entire 2nd half. Kobe was the only one who put together a complete game, and even he had several defensive lapses that were costly.
Notables:
The Good:
- Efficient night offensively for the Bean. He scored 40 and is really torching teams. There were some nice feeds from Nash to Kobe where he doesn't even have to work hard to score.
- Good first half from Pau. He made two 3s and facilitated some
- Nash shot 6/8
The Bad:
-Waaaaayyy too many offensive rebounds given up to a Nuggets team that lives and dies by that. The Lakers have to do a better job of team rebounding against a team like that. Boxing out is key.
- Poor defensive communication
- Dwight getting ejected
- The backup guards, with the exception of Meeks, rarely penetrate with the intention of scoring. Causes the ball to move east and west instead of north and south.
It was a poor effort overall, but especially defensively in the second half. Gave up 39 points in the 3rd, which is just too much.
With about 5 minutes to go in the 3rd, and the Lakers down 6, Dwight Howard was called for a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game. After that point the Nuggets went to the basket at will. The Lakers tried to mount a comeback, but MWP missed a layup that would have cut the deficit to 5 with 3 minutes to go. The Nuggets responded by hitting a 3 followed by a layup. And that was all she wrote. The Lakers looked like they had no legs following a tough game yesterday. That is understandable, but their defensive communication also looked off. Their rotations were frequently wrong and slow. They just weren't on the same page. Pau and Nash both had good first halves, but made much less impact in the second half. Dwight wasn't available for almost the entire 2nd half. Kobe was the only one who put together a complete game, and even he had several defensive lapses that were costly.
Notables:
The Good:
- Efficient night offensively for the Bean. He scored 40 and is really torching teams. There were some nice feeds from Nash to Kobe where he doesn't even have to work hard to score.
- Good first half from Pau. He made two 3s and facilitated some
- Nash shot 6/8
The Bad:
-Waaaaayyy too many offensive rebounds given up to a Nuggets team that lives and dies by that. The Lakers have to do a better job of team rebounding against a team like that. Boxing out is key.
- Poor defensive communication
- Dwight getting ejected
- The backup guards, with the exception of Meeks, rarely penetrate with the intention of scoring. Causes the ball to move east and west instead of north and south.
It was a poor effort overall, but especially defensively in the second half. Gave up 39 points in the 3rd, which is just too much.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Lakers vs Knicks (12/25/12)
Is it safe to say the Lakers have turned the corner? They are only 14-14, but after the return of Steve Nash it certainly feels that way. Today they won a tough battle against the resurgent New York Knicks at home 100-94. Of importance to note as well, it was a Christmas day game, which aren't usually friendly to Lakers' fans.
The Lakers played well all game from an energy standpoint, as did the Knicks, which made for an enjoyable game. There weren't many times when the ball became stagnant. Steve Nash is having that affect on this team and it's offense. The Lakers ran a variety of play combos that were pretty lethal and kept the Knicks on their heels. The Nash/Howard high screen & roll was unguardable because they can't leave Dwight to receive a lob, nor can they leave Nash because he will kill you with his shooting/runners. The Lakers also took advantage of MWP in low post opportunities. Kobe was able to attack 1-on-1 when matched up with the smaller Felton. Even Pau got his touches in the post when Melo was guarding him. Pau was also highly effective facilitating from the elbow with Nash setting screens. Finally we are seeing glimpses of how the weapons of this team can fit together, and I really don't think we have even scratched the surface yet. Credit Coach D'Antoni for taking advantages of mismatches.
Late in the game defensive juggernauts from both teams fouled out (MWP and Chandler), but the Lakers just had too many options with seasoned players who have to be respected. Nash running the high pick and roll resulted in a Howard dunk, a Nash shot, and another good look on a runner for Nash which barely rimmed out. Kobe found Pau at the free throw line for a key jumper. Perhaps most surprisingly was the play that sealed the game for the Lakers. With the Lakers up 3 and only 14 seconds in the game (6 seconds on the shot clock), Pau received the inbounds pass from Nash. Two defenders (Kidd and Anthony) went for Kobe and Pau attacked the basket strong with a two handed dunk to seal it. He even got fouled which was not called. It was a great play for the Spanish Wonder.
Notables:
The Good:
- Great team effort/intensity all night
- Howard dominated on the defensive end securing rebounds, and blocking/altering shots
- Kobe & MWP led the way offensively
- Nash & Pau facilitated the offense very well
- Coach D'Antoni made the proper adjustments when the Morris on Melo experiment was clearly not working
- Only 11 turnovers
- Dwight's free throw shooting (especially in the clutch) 6/9
The Bad:
- Only won the rebounding battle by 2. Should be more against the shorter Knicks
- Allowed J.R. Smith to score too much
- No bench contributions outside of MWP and Meeks
Overall good game from the Lake Show. Even when they were down it didn't seem like they were going to lose this game. They can't relax and celebrate though, they've got to play the Nuggets in Denver tomorrow night.
The Lakers played well all game from an energy standpoint, as did the Knicks, which made for an enjoyable game. There weren't many times when the ball became stagnant. Steve Nash is having that affect on this team and it's offense. The Lakers ran a variety of play combos that were pretty lethal and kept the Knicks on their heels. The Nash/Howard high screen & roll was unguardable because they can't leave Dwight to receive a lob, nor can they leave Nash because he will kill you with his shooting/runners. The Lakers also took advantage of MWP in low post opportunities. Kobe was able to attack 1-on-1 when matched up with the smaller Felton. Even Pau got his touches in the post when Melo was guarding him. Pau was also highly effective facilitating from the elbow with Nash setting screens. Finally we are seeing glimpses of how the weapons of this team can fit together, and I really don't think we have even scratched the surface yet. Credit Coach D'Antoni for taking advantages of mismatches.
Late in the game defensive juggernauts from both teams fouled out (MWP and Chandler), but the Lakers just had too many options with seasoned players who have to be respected. Nash running the high pick and roll resulted in a Howard dunk, a Nash shot, and another good look on a runner for Nash which barely rimmed out. Kobe found Pau at the free throw line for a key jumper. Perhaps most surprisingly was the play that sealed the game for the Lakers. With the Lakers up 3 and only 14 seconds in the game (6 seconds on the shot clock), Pau received the inbounds pass from Nash. Two defenders (Kidd and Anthony) went for Kobe and Pau attacked the basket strong with a two handed dunk to seal it. He even got fouled which was not called. It was a great play for the Spanish Wonder.
Notables:
The Good:
- Great team effort/intensity all night
- Howard dominated on the defensive end securing rebounds, and blocking/altering shots
- Kobe & MWP led the way offensively
- Nash & Pau facilitated the offense very well
- Coach D'Antoni made the proper adjustments when the Morris on Melo experiment was clearly not working
- Only 11 turnovers
- Dwight's free throw shooting (especially in the clutch) 6/9
The Bad:
- Only won the rebounding battle by 2. Should be more against the shorter Knicks
- Allowed J.R. Smith to score too much
- No bench contributions outside of MWP and Meeks
Overall good game from the Lake Show. Even when they were down it didn't seem like they were going to lose this game. They can't relax and celebrate though, they've got to play the Nuggets in Denver tomorrow night.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Lakers at Warriors (12/22/12)
Christmas came a little early this year for Lakers fans. After missing 24 consecutive games, everyone was surprised to learn that Steve Nash would get the start tonight. It was announced only about an hour and a half before the game. With his return came a gritty come-from-behind win on the road against a hot Warriors team. The Lakers fell behind by 14 (13 to start the 4th), but won tonight's contest 118-115 in OT.
It wasn't a pretty game until late in the 4th and OT. In fact it was pretty ugly. Dwight was in foul trouble all night. Going into the 4th he only had about 12 minutes in the game. Because of his absence the Lakers defense suffered. Kobe was his usual aggressive self, but was not getting any calls. He shot only 1 free throw in the entire game and that came from a technical foul. As a result he shot poorly from the field.
The Lakers were able to stay within reach due to great bench play from MWP, Jordan Hill, and Jodie Meeks. Then when closing time came late in the 4th and throughout OT, Kobe Bryant took over. And this time the Mamba had some help. Nash hit some clutch shots including a 3 and a runner in the lane. Dwight even kicked it out to MWP for a crucial corner 3. It wasn't perfect, but it was a great team win. Credit the Lakers for their never say die attitude.
Notables:
The Good:
-Klosing. The Lakers were clutch down the stretch. Great passing and team play.
-Steve Nash played better than expected in his 1st game back. He shot well, passed well, and played big minutes. He seems to be in great shape still. We'll see how his leg responds tomorrow morning.
-Solid bench contributions
The Bad:
-Too many offensive rebounds given up for the 1st 3 three quarters
-Foul trouble for Kobe and Dwight. Both had 5 fouls from early in the 4th
-Too many ISOs. The ball movement was much better late in the game. Nash will improve this as time goes on and players get more comfortable.
Overall, this win will go a long ways for the Lakers building confidence and chemistry. It was a solid road win that took a lot of guts to pull off. Next up is the Knicks on Christmas day. It's the perfect time for the Lakers to turn their season around.
It wasn't a pretty game until late in the 4th and OT. In fact it was pretty ugly. Dwight was in foul trouble all night. Going into the 4th he only had about 12 minutes in the game. Because of his absence the Lakers defense suffered. Kobe was his usual aggressive self, but was not getting any calls. He shot only 1 free throw in the entire game and that came from a technical foul. As a result he shot poorly from the field.
The Lakers were able to stay within reach due to great bench play from MWP, Jordan Hill, and Jodie Meeks. Then when closing time came late in the 4th and throughout OT, Kobe Bryant took over. And this time the Mamba had some help. Nash hit some clutch shots including a 3 and a runner in the lane. Dwight even kicked it out to MWP for a crucial corner 3. It wasn't perfect, but it was a great team win. Credit the Lakers for their never say die attitude.
Notables:
The Good:
-Klosing. The Lakers were clutch down the stretch. Great passing and team play.
-Steve Nash played better than expected in his 1st game back. He shot well, passed well, and played big minutes. He seems to be in great shape still. We'll see how his leg responds tomorrow morning.
-Solid bench contributions
The Bad:
-Too many offensive rebounds given up for the 1st 3 three quarters
-Foul trouble for Kobe and Dwight. Both had 5 fouls from early in the 4th
-Too many ISOs. The ball movement was much better late in the game. Nash will improve this as time goes on and players get more comfortable.
Overall, this win will go a long ways for the Lakers building confidence and chemistry. It was a solid road win that took a lot of guts to pull off. Next up is the Knicks on Christmas day. It's the perfect time for the Lakers to turn their season around.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Lakers vs Bocats (12/18/12)
Heading into tonight's contest Lakers' reporter Mike Trudell pointed out that there were only two teams with a winning record against the Lakers. The first being the Boston Celtics...the second being none other than the Charlotte Bobcats (8-7). No matter how inept the Bobcats seem to be, it has just never been safe to pencil the Lakers in for a win against them. Fortunately the Lakers escaped with a comeback 101-100 win tonight. Well sort of. They went from being up by 11 to down by 18 between the 2nd and 3rd quarters. In Pau Gasol's return from resting to recover from tendinitis in his knees the team gutted out a win.
Coach D'Antoni experimented with some lineups. Opting to bring MWP off of the bench and start Devin Ebanks for a little extra speed. Meeks had another solid game off the bench and continues to impress the coaches and fans alike. So much so that Coach D'Antoni said he will be starting him in the next game and moving Kobe to the small forward position. It's unknown whether this move will be permanent or temporary until Nash comes back.
No Notables for tonight's game :( The reason being I have yet to see the game other than reading the game diary. The Lakers don't play again until Saturday so I may have time to watch it, and then I will edit this post and add my thoughts in. Enjoy Dancing Barry's review for more detail: DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
Just another W to help float the team until Nash returns. He is expected to practice in 5-on-5 contact scrimmages this Thursday or Friday. He will be evaluated after that. Say your prayers Lakers fans.
Coach D'Antoni experimented with some lineups. Opting to bring MWP off of the bench and start Devin Ebanks for a little extra speed. Meeks had another solid game off the bench and continues to impress the coaches and fans alike. So much so that Coach D'Antoni said he will be starting him in the next game and moving Kobe to the small forward position. It's unknown whether this move will be permanent or temporary until Nash comes back.
No Notables for tonight's game :( The reason being I have yet to see the game other than reading the game diary. The Lakers don't play again until Saturday so I may have time to watch it, and then I will edit this post and add my thoughts in. Enjoy Dancing Barry's review for more detail: DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
Just another W to help float the team until Nash returns. He is expected to practice in 5-on-5 contact scrimmages this Thursday or Friday. He will be evaluated after that. Say your prayers Lakers fans.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Lakers at 76ers (12/16/12)
The Philadelphia 76ers had only given up over 100 pts to an opponent once in their last nine games. That is until the LA Lakers showed up this afternoon. With a final score of 111-98, the Lakers ended their 4 game road trip by winning their last 2 games. From the onset the Lakers were focused. For the first time in a long time they were running the 4 out 1 in offensive sets really well. The spacing was there and the shots were falling. With Jrue Holiday out for the Sixers the Lakers could switch everything on the pick and roll, and it worked well. Their defense was there all night and they rotated well in help the helper situations.
If you don't follow the NBA or the Lakers regularly you'd be hard pressed to recognize some the lineups the Lakers are fielding. With Nash (shin fracture), Gasol (knee tendinitis), Blake (abdominal surgery), and Hill (back spasms) out it's not uncommon to see lineups of Morris, Meeks, Ebanks, Jamison, and Howard on the floor. The bench played well tonight so that was not a factor. Morris and Meeks were the bench scorers tonight providing 15 and 12 points respectively. Those were huge for the Lakers and allowed Kobe to pick his spots when to switch from being the Mamba or the facilitator. MWP was also huge for the Lakers tonight first setting the tone defensively (4 steals), the adding 19 points and 16 rebounds.
Notables:
The Good:
- Great team effort defensively and offensively
- The Lakers did a good job rebounding the basketball, limiting second chance points for Philly
- I liked how the Lakers got the lead and maintained it throughout the game. Once the Lakers went up by 10 they never led by less than 9
-Duhon played really well. He'll be a great backup guard when Nash gets back.
The Bad:
- Ebanks and Jamison played a combined 33 minutes for a combined 0 pts
- Big minutes for Kobe again, although he said he's not tired, only sore
- 15 turnovers is still a little too high
Overall a nice finish to the road trip. Hopefully the team will continue to buy into the new offense/defense and the team will grow. Let's look for them to build on the momentum against the Bobcats on Tuesday.
If you don't follow the NBA or the Lakers regularly you'd be hard pressed to recognize some the lineups the Lakers are fielding. With Nash (shin fracture), Gasol (knee tendinitis), Blake (abdominal surgery), and Hill (back spasms) out it's not uncommon to see lineups of Morris, Meeks, Ebanks, Jamison, and Howard on the floor. The bench played well tonight so that was not a factor. Morris and Meeks were the bench scorers tonight providing 15 and 12 points respectively. Those were huge for the Lakers and allowed Kobe to pick his spots when to switch from being the Mamba or the facilitator. MWP was also huge for the Lakers tonight first setting the tone defensively (4 steals), the adding 19 points and 16 rebounds.
Notables:
The Good:
- Great team effort defensively and offensively
- The Lakers did a good job rebounding the basketball, limiting second chance points for Philly
- I liked how the Lakers got the lead and maintained it throughout the game. Once the Lakers went up by 10 they never led by less than 9
-Duhon played really well. He'll be a great backup guard when Nash gets back.
The Bad:
- Ebanks and Jamison played a combined 33 minutes for a combined 0 pts
- Big minutes for Kobe again, although he said he's not tired, only sore
- 15 turnovers is still a little too high
Overall a nice finish to the road trip. Hopefully the team will continue to buy into the new offense/defense and the team will grow. Let's look for them to build on the momentum against the Bobcats on Tuesday.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Lakers at Wizards (12/14/12)
These east coast games starting at 4pm PST are really killing me LOL. Yesterday's contest didn't kill the Lakers though as they defeated the Wizards 102-96. Jodie Meeks was the spark with 24 points. Check the review over at Lakersground:
DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
Tomorrow they will play the 76ers. I should be able to make that game.
The good news is it looks like Nash will be able to practice next week. Lets hope they get healthier, and continue to grow as a team.
DancingBarry's Thoughts and Smiley Ratings
Tomorrow they will play the 76ers. I should be able to make that game.
The good news is it looks like Nash will be able to practice next week. Lets hope they get healthier, and continue to grow as a team.
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