The Lakers are back in action tonight, facing off against the Warriors in both team’s second preseason game. Like the Lakers, who dispatched the Nuggets in a quality showing, the Warriors took down the Clippers in their first game of the exhibition season.
It’s not that wins and losses really matter here, however. Both teams — but I’d imagine this is especially true for the Lakers with much more roster turnover — are seeking growth and a coming together under new coaches. Both sides, then, will want to show out well and look for incremental improvements that they can carry forward towards the start of the season at the end of the month.
For the Lakers, here are a few things worth paying attention to coming off Monday’s win:
*How do the rotations and lineup combinations change? It has already been strongly hinted that Steve Nash will rest tonight with Jeremy Lin moving into the starting lineup. This should trigger some minutes for Ronnie Price (who did not play on Monday) as well as get Jordan Clarkson some minutes as the long “PG” on the floor*. It will be interesting to see how Lin performs when paired with Kobe, especially related to his aggressiveness and how much control he takes of the offense when given the opportunity to push the ball. Lin did a very nice job of being a set up man on Monday (10 assists to a single turnover) and most of that work came when he put his head down, got into the paint, and drew extra defenders. He should look to be just as assertive in this game even when paired with Kobe. We’ll see if that is easier said than done, however.
*Can Randle build on a good performance from Monday? You’ll notice Byron Scott’s critiques on Randle have not been associated with his game or skill, but rather about his conditioning and how that affects his ability to play harder for longer. Randle will need to work on this, of course, and over time the hope is that his conditioning becomes less and less a concern. But what I am most interested in is whether he can to flash the skill, power, and poise he did on Monday. In this game he’ll have a variety of match ups that test him on both ends of the floor, likely facing off against lineups featuring David Lee, Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, and Harrison Barnes. These guys will test him both as a traditional PF and as more of a stretch option. If Randle can perform well on both sides of the floor while showing off his ability to play multiple styles, he should only earn more minutes.
*Will the Lakers take more threes? This was a pretty hot topic on social media after Byron Scott said he was happy that the team only had 10 attempts from behind the arc on Monday while adding that he wants the team to shoot only 10 to 15 shots from downtown a night. This approach would fly in the face of more modern thinking about where the game is going and how to build a successful offense in today’s league. In saying that, while Scott’s comments should raise a red flag, I’ll see how things go on the court before making any final judgement. If the Lakers are turning down open threes to take contested twos or drive the ball into traffic that’s bad. I’ll also wait to see if a return of Young or Kelly augment the attempts per game as both of them use this shot as a staple of their games. I’ll have more thoughts on this later, but, again, I am taking a wait and see approach with this.
*How will the big man rotation play out? Carlos Boozer started on Monday (and will again tonight, presumably), but was arguable the least effective big man among the non-Sacre group. Hill, Davis, and Randle not only all put up better numbers, but looked a lot better in doing so. If that continues to be the case tonight (and I honestly think it will be), you have to wonder if Boozer’s role will start to get squeezed. Scott is known to be loyal to his veterans, but talent and production typically trumps all when it comes to these things. Especially when there is more than one alternative**.
*You didn’t think I’d forgotten about Kobe, did you? The tests only get more difficult for #24, moving on from Afflalo and Randy Foye to Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, and Green in this game. All three of those players will likely see some minutes defensively against Kobe and all three offer athleticism, length, and strong defensive pedigrees to give him problems. If Kobe can have a similarly effective night against that trio as he did against the Nuggets, I think we can begin to up our confidence in how well Kobe can actually perform this year.
All in all, this should be a good game. The Warriors should be one of the better teams in the West this year and even though this is only the preseason, it’s never too early to look at what an opponents is trying to do on the floor and see how you measure up when both team’s prime rotation players match up. You can watch this game on TWC Sportsnet and NBA TV nationally.
*Clarkson did a lot of ball handling on Monday, but did so while paired with mostly paired with Lin. If Nash really does not play, Clarkson will see more time with Price and Ellington. The latter can handle the ball some, but is not a PG by nature and that would give Clarkson more of an opportunity to be a distributor as the lead guard. We’ll see how he responds.
**While Hill and Davis are Centers for this team, because of what Scott likes to do on both sides of the ball, both could play together and squeeze Boozer’s minutes at PF even more. Scott has said that Boozer and Randle could play some together as well, but as a coach who is stressing defense as much as he is, I doubt he finds that a viable pairing for longer than only short stretches due to foul issues with his other bigs. In other words, if these other guys continue to play well while Boozer looks only average, that could be a problem for him.
Aaron says
rr,
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But, you are a creative guy and you know a lot about ‘ball, so I’ll play. If this roster is a covert tank job, then what might a non-tank job roster look like right now? Who do you think might be on the team if the Lakers really were trying to win 45 games?
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I’ve said this before but unless you memorize all my posts (Reccomended) I’ll reiturate… The best way to tank is to aquire and play washed up veterans who don’t have a chance of improving and play awful defense. Young guys can and do improve and also are more athletic usually resulting in superior defensive output. The Lakers are starting a 40 year old PG and 36 year old SG in the backcourt. This is by far the worst defensive backcourt in the history of the league. The Lakers also brought in to start Carlos Boozer who is already washed up and will only be a year older. He is one of the only guys who plays defense as badly as Kevin Love.
If the Lakers wanted to win games but not kill their cap space they would bring in young guys with upside that can defend. But that would only hurt their chances of keeping their draft pic. So…To “guard” against a Nash injury that would cripple the Lakers chances of playing the leagues worst defense they traded for Jeremy Lin (another attrocious defender). They have made a habit of bringing in players like Nick Young who are not capable of playing defense…half the game. And that half of the game is the part nobody pays attention to or talks about. And that’s how you tank while still putting out a product people want to see. As long as you haves somewhat capable offensive players where it’s not too ugly on offense people will come to the games or watch on TV. That’s Tanking 101. Lose games but lose by playing horrible defense.
BigCitySid says
I know a number of fans are looking at the Laker personnel w/ an eye to the future. Nothing wrong with that, except I really can’t imagine anyone other than Randle currently on the team being part of a serious contending Laker rotation (3-4 years down the road). So my focus will be on the strength of the current Laker team. Which will be the Laker backcourt.
Really interested in seeing which is the better combo: Kobe/Nash or Kobe/Lin. Who’ll be closing games? Which combo will see the most minutes together? Which will be the most effective on offense? Defense? Carrying out the coaches schemes? Etc, etc, etc.
Hoping to learn a little more tonight.
rr says
If the Lakers wanted to win games but not kill their cap space they would bring in young guys with upside that can defend
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Like, say, Ed Davis.
That counterexample aside, “Young guys with upside that can defend” are not just readily available cheap, and if you think they are, go back to my earlier question: what does the non-tank roster look like? Who is on it?
I think the Lakers may field another really bad team this year, but if they do, I don’t think that they will be doing so on purpose while trying to pretend that they’re not. Also, if what you suggest is actually happening, that isn’t Tanking 101. What the 76ers are doing is Tanking 101. Your concept is Advanced Tanking 2015B: How to Tank While Fooling Millions of People, Including Kobe Bryant.
Aaron says
rr,
Poeple are very stupid. It’s very easy to fool them. Politicians have been doing it since greece. And Ed Davis will be on the bench with guys who can actually help the team win… Randle and Clarkson. But Ed Davis is also a very bad defensive player. But he is young. That’s true. And you’re right… It’s not tanking 101… It’s tanking 102.
A non tanking roster would have actualy good players on expensive 1 or 2 year deals (like the one Jordan Hill signed) so as to keep the cap space open when Kobe’s contract comes off the books. Its not rocket science. They only signed Hill to that deal in case they needed a big contract to throw into a trade package for a star player. But if they wanted to win 45 games and lose their pick they would have offered guys like Lance Stevenson close to max deals for two years. And they would have taken it.
KenOak says
Bingo.
“Your concept is Advanced Tanking 2015B: How to Tank While Fooling Millions of People, Including Kobe Bryant.”
The concept of tanking without tanking is rather difficult when you have a maniacally competitive player like Kobe as the face of your franchise actually suiting up and playing every night. If he felt like the FO wasn’t trying, then he’d come out swinging just like he did in ’07.
Aaron says
…and Kobe knows they are not trying to win this year. He knows the plan. He isn’t a moron. He knows it’s rebuilding time. You guys must think Kobe is stupid.
mud says
i’m a master of the “art of fighting without fighting” and there is some trolling without trolling going on here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNToJwKE4F0
i’m really looking forward to tonight’s game too.
KenOak says
You’re at least the second best troll I’ve ever come across Aaron. ‘Grats on that! Kobe’s definitely not stupid, but he won’t tank because there’s absolutely zero guarantee that the Lakers get to keep their pick. There will be 5 worse teams than the Lakers this year. Love this speech by Mitch and then Byron btw.
http://sportsglory.com/nba/watch-byron-scotts-motivational-speech-lakers/28792
chris henderson says
only the old timers like me will remember a guy called John R, (you have to go back to pre Darius) that guy was number one troll!
Aaron says
People are ignorant as to what tanking is. Players play as hard as they can… But the GM and coaches don’t bring in winning players or play winning players. Kobe and the rest of the team will play as hard as they can. You don’t tank to gueruntee anyhing. You don’t aign LeBron to gueruntee anything. You do those things to help your chances. The Lakers have a better chance of keeping their pick if they lose more games. This isn’t rocket science. I have never trolled. I just speak the truth. To some the truth is very hard to hear.
Craig W. says
Yup! I remember John R. – hadn’t thought about him in years and years, tho. After a while you just skip by some posters – it is the only way to deal with it.
Yeah, I know, someone will say my posts can be skipped too. Well, you read this one – didn’t you?
R says
ever heard of spelling?
R says
Craig I have no problem reading your posts – plus you know who to spel uh, I mean spell.
Aaron says
I think too many people here think the Lakers FO is incompetent and stupid. Let’s pretend the Lakers were in this position last year… If they didnt get a top five pick they lose it all together. That means the Lakers literally got nothing from last year. It would have been a wasted season. Think about that? The Lakers have only one asset on their roster right now… That being Randle. They would have zero assets. Next year they could have Randle and only Randle again… Or they could have Randle and a top five pick. What is there to discuss? The FO isn’t rediculously stupid. They would rather have a top five pick then finish his season with nothing to show for all the losing. And make no mistake about it. This is a 25 to 30 win team. When the Lakers add another top pick this summer and another one the summer after they will have three cost controlled young talented supporting players to lure three max free agents. That’s the obvious plan the Lakers have implimented. And if one or more of their draft picks turns out to be star quality than its even more appealing for those max free agents.
Aaron says
With Kobe’s new athleticism (or lack there of) he is really going to struggle to shoot above 40 percent in ISOS. He really has had trouble creating space the first two games.
KenOak says
Okay Aaron-
“…and Kobe knows they are not trying to win this year. He knows the plan. He isn’t a moron. He knows it’s rebuilding time. You guys must think Kobe is stupid.”
What does that statement mean except -> Kobe knows that his FO is tanking and he is going to bite his tongue because he knows the plan and he’s not stupid. He’s totally okay with straight up rebuilding and not trying to win. I can only come up with 2 possibilities after reading your two most recent posts.
1- You’re trolling. I’ve always thought you were rather trollish, so this is my best guess.
2- You’re not as smart as you obviously think you are. Okay, so I’ve always thought this too.
After writing this out, I believe that it is option 3.
3- A healthy mixture of option 1 and option 2.
ninjagorn says
…and Kobe knows they are not trying to win this year. He knows the plan. He isn’t a moron. He knows it’s rebuilding time. You guys must think Kobe is stupid.
RE:maybe we were takning last year…i bet my ass that Kobe would play in marchh or april if we would be in the hount for playoffs
Aaron says
KenOak,
Kobe knows the Lakers don’t have another option. They can only rebuild. He doesn’t have to bite his tounge. If he wanted to win he would have signed with another team and not taken by far the most money any team would offer him to stay with the Lakers. Kobe knew what he was getting in to. He isn’t as dumb as the fans.
rr says
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies have waived forward Michael Beasley, who had signed a non-guaranteed contract with the team last month.
In a corresponding move, Beasley signed a one-year deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the China Basketball Association, according to Yahoo! Sports.
mud says
whatever.
i’m just watching the game.
mud says
tonight’s game is showing just how good, and also how bad the Lakers defense can be.
it’s also showing just how hot Curry and Thompson can get.
anon 007 says
dont know what game Aaron is watching but Kobe is creating space just fine.
mud says
yes, Kobe is fine.
and Randle has looked like a rookie tonight…which is ok…
Anonymous says
Even if our team should turn out to suck it is everything but assured we would get a top 5 pick because of the lottery odds and because other teams suck, too. Getting #6 would already mean we’d end up with nothing. It would make no sense whatsoever to build a ninja tanking strategy around that.
And I guess that self-perceived experts are nonetheless seriously discussing this means the site doesn’t live up to its reputation of having a quality comment section.
KO says
Did they change the name of this to Aaron’s World. Relax dude your fingers will fall off.
As for the game. Why is Sacre in the NBA?
That Wedt guy sure knows what he doing. Wish he was ever a Laker. Oh that’s right Phil ran him off.
Not so impressed with Randall so far. Am with GS. Might take division this year.
Oh well got to go before Aaaaaron bans me.
Quin says
Tanking doesn’t work. Some fans like it, because they think they’ll get a great draft pick and that’s exciting … to have the new young hot guy. But it doesn’t work. Cleveland drafted at least 2 busts in the top 5. Recently Detroit did it a few times in the top 7 or 8. AND Detroit tanked last year and lost out to Cleveland anyway, who had less than half the lottery chance. Their teams haven’t gotten any better. The only thing that has helped either of them is the fact that Lebron just joined Cleveland.
What hurt them most is the tanking itself, because it leads to coaching changes and confusion, and a loser attitude. You kill off the morale and excitement of your existing players by losing and reaching for more inexperienced players to worship. That’s not rebuilding. It’s just further deconstructing.
Aaron says
I would never ban you Ken… You’re too entertaining. And Randle was again impressive. He is super quick and powerful. He just needs to trust his jumper as Kobe said postgame… And of course lose a lot of weight. Right now he is fat Artest. We need him skinny Artest. He needs to model his game after the other powerful low center of gravity SFs… Anthony Mason, Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson, and Ron Artest. All of them needed to develop their shots and battled weight issues during their careers.
Oldtimer says
Lakers have no answer tonight by barrage of threes from the oh-oh players. I think this is a good loss, now they can evaluate their weaknesses during the preseason. It is better to lose some battles in the preseason than lose the war in a regular season. Off hand, they need defense against Klay and Stephen who produced the bulk of the scores. If those two cannot be contained, Lakers have no chance beating GS. Wow, I read here some comments about tanking and the season is just about to start. What a waste of effort if you are the player, what a waste of money if you are the fan and what a wasted season in paying Kobe 24.5 M just to declare surrender without firing a shot??? What advantage gained? To get one of the first 5 draft pick and deny the Suns. Is that a worthy objective for Season 2014-15? It is sham and also a shame to be a Laker fan whose objective for the season is to watch 82 games with an end objective is tanking. No Thanks.
Rubenowski says
You guys are very funny, but Aaron ain’t no troll. He’s just a jerk. But he’s our jerk. I can appreciate what he brings to the table: laughter, the every-now-and-then rolling of the eyes, the constant shaking-of-the-head, and the entertaining stories from his contacts In The Know. He also makes a lot of sense a lot of the time, which is, to me, highly intriguing. I tend to believe a lot of what he says (not this tanking theory). But gosh darn it, he believes in it so much you gotta love that in the guy.
To change the subject…
I think the Lakers will be back with a punch in a couple of years. With that new TV deal the NBA has signed, the Lakers will be able to keep the roll players they are developing now and also sign a couple of max guys. And best of all, Randle does not have to be a star in order for this to work. Randle could be our number 3 guy. So, we have a good number 3 guy and a solid bench with decent roll players and voila, now the Lakers become the coveted destination they once were. Sorry if I’m being too optimistic here, but I can dream, can’t I?
Renato Afonso says
John R!!!! I remember him from time to time. Fun times… Didn’t see the game, so nothing to add here.
The Dane says
I love the post game interview from Randle. Dude sounds very balanced, smart, humble and confident. Level headed… good stuff for a 19 year old.
BigCitySid says
Good news for the Lakers: “The Lakers have 16 sets of back-to-back games on their schedule, the fewest in the league.” Or would those of you who advocate tanking consider this bad news?
Aaron says
I will admit that I am def a jerk. Did someone say tanking doesn’t work and then listed the Cavs as an example? You mean the team that got enough young draft picks to attract lebron back while also being able to trade for Kevin Love?
Clutch says
Anyone thinking randle should play small forward (aaron) probably needs to watch a lot more basketball
Vasheed says
Randle came into camp a bit overweight but, he was told to basically take it easy early on as they evaluated his foot. We won’t really see how Randle sizes up until he gets to play against elite PF’s with length.
Sure fire bets in the draft are a rare commodity. I just don’t see the Lakers ninja tanking for a top 5 pick as a plausible story.
Anonymous says
chris y: we are bringing KD to the family! Kevin Durant will be a Laker
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Wasn’t chris y the guy that said we were going to sign Lebron and Mello this past off season?
Quin says
I sure did. That was me that named the Cavs. I mean … if tanking worked for the Cavs, they would have had only one good draft year … right? Cuz they’d be too good to be eligible the next. So what was their record last year?
And let’s be real … Lebron isn’t going back for the talent. It’s his home.
Unless you’re suggesting tanking 3 more years in a row and happen to know of a transcendental and loyal hometown hero LA can get in the process.
Tra says
Wasn’t chris y the guy that said we were going to sign Lebron and Mello this past off season?
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I believe it was the “jerk” who has commented around 20 x’s within this thread .. 🙂
George says
Well, I was a little disappointed in the Lakers performance last night. With two days off they should have been rested enough to play better perimeter defense. However, they looked like they had tired legs. I know its just a preseason game so you don’t want to draw too many conclusions.
I do have a concern with Hill. He excelled last year in a man off the bench role. We are now counting on someone who has never played more than 20 minutes a game to start and go up against a team’s #1 center/front line. Another fear is his durability, he has never played more than the 72 games he played in last year – in fact he has averaged only 52 games a season in his career.
On Monday, Hill had a great game and the Lakers fed off that and equally played well. When he is less effective, as he was against GS, then the Lakers’ effort also suffered. I’m hoping that the season does not hinge on Hill putting up a double double every night.
Dave says
George: I do have a concern with Hill. He excelled last year in a man off the bench role. We are now counting on someone who has never played more than 20 minutes a game to start and go up against a team’s #1 center/front line. Another fear is his durability, he has never played more than the 72 games he played in last year – in fact he has averaged only 52 games a season in his career.
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I think this is what played in the minds of the FO and is the reason why they went after Boozer – to provide front court depth. Hill is a wonderful talent but does not have the track record to back up his numbers in terms of more minute per game or over the course of a long season.
Truth be told I think the Lakers will end up playing Hill, Davis and Randle more than Boozer. While Boozer had some nice offensive numbers last night his plus/minus was -13 and only 3 rebounds. I think his defensive flaws will mean more minutes given to the youngsters and he’ll only get extended run when there’s foul trouble or injuries.