My apologies for the bare bones preview today, folks. A lot going on outside of the site that required my attention. Thanks for understanding.
The Lakers conclude their 5 game road trip in Dallas on Friday night, hoping to bounce back from three straight losses. The team now sits at only 1-7, last place in the West (or, technically, tied for last place with the Pelicans).
The last game, a loss to the Magic, offered some bright spots even though it was a last second defeat at the buzzer. The game was close throughout, several of the team’s young players had good games, and rookie D’Angelo Russell closed out the game — gaining good experience in the process.
The Lakers can only hope for similar results tonight. They will have Kobe back in the lineup, however, to help (maybe?) with that process. After sitting out the last two games (Heat, Magic), Kobe returns from his sore back to his starting spot at small forward. We will see if he eases his way back into the lineup or falls right back into his team high 29 usage rate. I think everyone would benefit if he took the former approach, but that’s a conversation for another day.
As for the opponent, the Lakers are familiar with the Mavs having already faced (and lost to) them earlier in the year. Dirk is having a throwback year, playing great basketball and shooting the lights out. The Mavs are still dealing with key players being banged up, but as Chandler Parsons and Wes Matthews get healthier, this team will look to try and get back to the playoffs and try to make some noise that they have been unable to make in recent seasons.
For them, getting there means winning games like this one agains an inferior opponent. For the Lakers, it would simply be good to get another win. A loss wouldn’t be the end of the world, but a 1-8 record against the schedule the team has had isn’t very good, that’s for sure.
Where you can watch: 5:30pm start time on TWC Sportsnet. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM.
Dwight says
The Mavs are 4-4. The Lakers have only played one team with a winning record at game time: Miami @ 4-3. The schedule maker tried to give the Lakers a break. It will get harder from here.
barty says
I guess Kobe just needed a rest 🙂
Fern says
Hot start, nice, the other game Dallas came out hot, now it’s our turn, let’s see if we can mantain, team looks fluid and agressive…
Gene says
B.S. took out Clarkson too soon…Game changes…
Joel says
Why in God’s name do the Lakers keep switching pick-and-rolls with Dirk?
Gene says
Williams… Minus 20 at half…
Kevin T says
Man, Bass is killing the team with his horrible play. He was much better last few years. What happened?
Tim says
Lakers with 10 points in the paint and 18 turnovers after three quarters, look like a team that has been on a long road trip.
LKK says
Lakers have no one that can get to the basket. Randle is being played for the drive and teams are backing off him. Kobe can’t turn the corner any more. Clarkson and Russ need to try to make plays going towards the basket.
Joel says
This is one ugly game. Lakers just about hanging around though.
Hale says
Hibbert’s jump hook is ugly…
like this game
Joel says
Lou Williams has been impossibly bad tonight. That dumb foul and technical were just the icing on the cake.
Fern says
That was a great pass from Rusell to Williams and instead of shooting the easy jumper tried to attack the rim to draw a foul, didn’t got touch, misses and get himself a tech, that my friends was game…
Fern says
Losing every winnable game there is, i guess these are growing pains but boy they are painful, defense is stabilizing but man this is frustrating, that minus 19 by Williams was an albatross…
matt says
That might have just been the worst game I’ve ever watched, so frustrating. Is every player on our team lame or what. You think lou’s minutes will go down. I knew kobe would cool off. Bass wow same fumble back to back. Lakers find a way to lose dallas was terrible, but i guess we out terribled them.
matt says
Ya it seemed like whenever lou came in the game the whole team went cold
KO says
Another crap game for Lou. Now 29% on year. Anothe and 3 bad games Randall. Horruble team and zero coaching. 15 win team. Embarrising!
Lakafan says
15 ko? No way in heck they reach double digit Wins with the worst coach of all time!! How this guy got 4 nba coaching gigs is astonishing! Plays his boy Lou and bass even though they’re garbage and then benches randle towards the end to bring in 0-9 Metta! Why is black riding pine again? Why isn’t nance getting more burn? Why the heck did Mitch sign Lou and bass? Why can’t jim hire a decent young coach instead of 3 straight retreads?? Will we ever be good again with the 3 stooges in the front office (yes Jeannie is a stooge too)!?
DieTryin says
Just got back from game at AA arena. Heading back to Cali in Monday. Flew in I today because my buddy had an extra ticket in the premium section. Wore my Laker’s hoodie!! Did not expect a Laker’s win coming on the heels of a very forgettable road trip BUT this was a pick up street ball game disguised aa an NBA game. Horrendous basketball from both contestants.
But the substitution patterns that Scott employs are impossible to understand. Why play Bass and Williams after they proved conclusively that they did NOT have it tonight. One small blessing is no Kelley but OMG what a disorganized bunch. Turnovers through the roof and an embarrassing performance in the paint. This team is not just tired but a lacks so much in general awareness and fundamental basketball principles. This is a reflection first and foremost on the coach. Yep talking to you Byron. But also on the front office who through this painful losing streak has been anything but open and transparent. Time to move on …
New coach
New GM
New Chapter…focus on the young players so that that they can develop into whatever they are ultimately going to be. PLEASE.
B
Lawrence Ross says
We really are trying to stay in the bottom three, aren’t we? I watched this game, saw us jump out to the 19-9 lead, and was kinda hyped. I should have known better. Been watching the Lakers for 45 years of my 49 year life. Even the Pig Miller years weren’t like this. But I’m betting that any Van Gundy would have gotten us to 4-5. I still think this is a 35-40 win team if we had competent coaching, but Scott? Was a damn mystery why he got the job in the first place. Now it’s a riddle why he’s still there. Horror of horrors, I’d take Mike Brown over him. Okay, just needed to rant. I’m so ticked off.
Sam says
Decrease minute or completely bench: lou, nick, brandon bass… That rotational second unit toward end of 1st is horrendous… When these three play together…
Increase minute please: nance, tarik, brown…
Three hussle young players, will make their mistakes but who cares! Better than the above ball hogging chuckster!
Look, we will lose a lot of games this year, but its ok! Get the young guys minute, get to the bottom of the league and we get to keep our lottery! Its ok!!
As for the game…
Kobe was super hot then went completely cold, stamina-related? Probably… So maybe only play him first 8min of 1st and 3rd? But BS is too much of a kobe fan to even consider this…
I thought jordan had a good game, and d’angelo has a decent one… I find D’angelo get more comfortable as the game went on, and even showed some emo toward final minutes of the game, nice to see…
Warren Wee Lim says
I hope we lose every game from hereonin so we finally get ourselves a new coach.
On offense, we go dribble, iso, brush screen, feed out, dribble, iso, bailout three.
On offense, we go 1 screen, three.
On offense, we go iso iso iso, can’t get in, feed out, bail out three. I saw bailout threes from Randle and Hibbert in the last 2 games too.
Where’s PNR? Where’s the high screen for Russell to operate? Where’s Clarkson cutting or going to the corner? Where’s Kobe spotting up to increase his efficacy?
On defense, yea just foul if your man gets by you. Which is like everytime.
Do we even have a coach?!
J C says
Let’s start an official countdown now.
How many more games/losses before our non-coach gets canned?
I like lucky 13.
13 games.
1-12 record.
Maybe 2-11.
Anyone?
Anonymous says
How much more rope is Jeanie going to give Jim? His plan to sign two max free agents has created a cycle of poor rosters and losing teams.
It’s happening again this year and when we strike out for free agents next summer we’ll see the same mishmash roster designed for cap flexibility next season.
Jim is a league wide joke and if Jeanie doesn’t act quickly she’ll be one too.
KO says
Anon. What makes you think Jeannie is also not a joke? Go look at her twitter picture she uses. Probably win’t see owner of Spurs with twitter photo stsnding naked with basketball in front of his privite parts.
She is as bad with as poor a history as Jim. I would be embarrassed for my 11 year old to follow that. Show some class this is sports not playboy.
JC it would take 2 and 23 by Christmas and load boos by fans. Kobe wanted him and as we know its the year of the Kobe and be damed what us long time fans want.
Perhaps we set up 30 from this site to carry signs in front of Staples. ENOUGH BS AND TAKE THE BUSS OUT OF TOWN TOO.