The Lakers play the Clippers on back to back nights a “home and home” where the only difference is the color of the uniforms, what face appears on your season ticket, and whether there are photos of your players in the rafters or not.
Oh, and there’s a difference in quality of team, too. The Clippers are pretty much locked into the 4th seed in the playoffs and a match up with the Warriors in the 2nd round. The Clippers just got Blake Griffin back from his torn quad/broken hand/suspension from punching the team’s equipment man in the face. Griffin looked rusty, but that’s to be expected.
If they are to make a deep run, they’ll need him at his best, though they will also need to find ways to integrate him back into what they did while he was away. Anchoring the 2nd unit as a point-PF who has the ball all the time might be the best way to do that, but that’s a conversation for another day.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are looking to ramp up their young players’ minutes over their final six games. This means changes to the rotation and, ultimately, Brandon Bass and Lou Williams being moved to the bench. Byron Scott gave the veterans a heads up that they should be ready should circumstances call for him to extend deep into the rotation, but otherwise they are going to sit.
I don’t necessarily disagree with this approach, though I wish it weren’t playing out exactly this way. If I had my druthers, it would be Roy and not Bass who is out of the rotation at C. Bass has been the better player all season and that’s shown in both individual and team on/off numbers. On the wing, I might just play Lou at SF behind Kobe and/or Nance rather than giving Ryan Kelly those minutes. We know Kelly isn’t a SF. We also know Lou isn’t one. But at least Lou is a viable wing player in the NBA whereas Kelly is a PF only.
That would give me a 9 man rotation of Russell, Clarkson, Kobe, Randle, Bass, Huertas, Lou, Nance, Black. Anyways, it’s not my call, so we’ll get what we get. And I’m not even going to speak on why this is happening now vs. 10 games ago. Though we probably know why.
As for tonight’s game, the focus will shift back to Kobe who now only has 6 games left in his career. I was looking for Kobe highlights against the Clippers and found a bunch of random games I barely remembered. The most memorable play between these teams in the last several years is when Kobe tried to end Chris Paul by dunking on his head.
That play was memorable, but I’d argue the most interesting Kobe/Clippers moments are the ones we never got to see — or the ones we ended up seeing based on “basketball reasons”. There are differing reports about how close Kobe was to signing with the Clippers in the summer of 2004, but at the time there were serious questions about whether Kobe would take his talents down the hallway and join the other Los Angeles team.
And the, of course, there was the veto of the Chris Paul trade which ended up with Paul not on the Lakers but, instead, the Clippers. ESPN’s Baxter Holmes spoke with both players about the team-up which never was and the quotes bring back a bit of a sting about what could have been. The trade that wasn’t definitely affected the trajectory of both franchises and the affects are felt to this day.
When it comes to tonight’s game, I expect things to go as they have recently. The Clippers have dominated this matchup in recent years, with the Lakers stealing a game here or there but mostly ending up on the wrong end of some blowouts. The Clippers remain on of the better teams in the league and the Lakers are not. My hope is that we get a competitive game or, at the very least, an entertaining one.
Of the individual matchups, I am most interested in Russell vs. Chris Paul, Clarkson vs. JJ Redick, and Randle vs. Blake Griffin. The Clippers have the advantage in each and the Lakers young guys — besides Randle, at least — haven’t been at their best very often lately. Still, seeing how they measure up against their high quality counterparts is worth the time to tune in.
Where you can watch: 7:30pm start time on TWC Sportsnet. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM Los Angeles.
J C says
Bass has been very solid for the team this year.
I wonder if he and Lou W perceive benching at this point as some sort of punishment.
The formal “announced” way these decisions are being made public feels awkward to me and unnecessary – and smacks of upper Mgmt instructing Byron specifically since he hadn’t applied previous hints.
Anon#1 says
Back to back losses should seal the deal on the 2nd worst record in the league. Hard to imagine that as a Lakers fan I just wrote that 1st sentence and even harder to believe that I am excited about that level of futility. We need to keep this pick.
Bass has a players’ option and given the level of his play and the expanding cap its virtually a lock that he’s gone. I think he’d command too much of an increase in salary and contract length for the Lakers to be in the running.
JC – until the Lakers are past this ‘better to lose than win’ period we’ll have to deal with a weak coach and a poor management decisions. Its impossible to put lipstick on a pig and make it look good.
When talent tips the scale we’ll be able to attract a good coach. Even if the management remains the same a good coach can at least keep them out of the media glare.
KO says
Darius
Clearly you have a far better understanding of this yesm the Bryon. I agree with uour posts.
7 more games to end this mess. I saw a great young coach last night to win it all.
Hint hint
DieTryin' says
Curious about lumping Bass with Hibbert. Also agree that if given the choice I would rather see Lou instead of Kelly. Expect a loss but hopefully we can keep it interesting. Would be nice to see some cohesive play by the young guys. Interested to see how Black does tonight with some extended run.
Basketball reasons. Despite the Stern veto (and it was quite stern indeed from a Laker’s fan standpoint) it is likely that the combination of Kobe, Paul & Howard would not have led to another championship but at least we wouldn’t be having discussions about team tank. To better times.
karen says
The young laker core are really bad against a good team.
KevTheBold says
So how about the win against the warriors, or the hard fought games against the spurs?
It’s the end of a long season for the kids, who have not yet adapted to the nba schedule.
Question: have you ever posted a positive remark ?
karen says
Yes i have but how do you turn this team and scott into a positive. They are what they are. If you really think this group is going to entice top tier free agents its not going to happen. What will happen they will get 2nd tier and overpay just to get someone. Case in point for example hibbert
LKK says
I despise the Clippers. As if the veto wasn’t bad enough, Der Kommisar Stern rubbed salt in the wound by trading Paul to the Clippers. A fine kick in the azz to the Lakers, who propped up the league for many years via revenue sharing and because of their brand’s popularity. Still SMH over how the league could act as the owner of a team. The collusion of owners like Cuban and Gilbert combined with a clear conflict of interest from Stern greased the skids for the Lakers’ downfall. End of rant.
LKK says
MWP showing some pride with his play. He seems to have awakened the rest of the team.
Anonymous says
Randle has zero offensive game outside the paint. Painful to watch.
Anonymous says
Hibbert has zero offensive game — even in the paint.
Baylor Fan says
Minnesota is showing what it means to play with pride at the end of a long season. If Rubio could shoot a lick, they would be a dangerous team.
J C says
Baylor fan
Agreed.
Minny’s got some very nice pieces to build on.
Towns is a towering talent.
Warriors look tired – now they’ve gotta win out to beat the record and that’s looking unlikely.
The Lakers hoping that 55% holds up.
matt says
Thon maker looks awesome, so did exum
BigCitySid says
– I was among the majority of Laker fans who were very disappointed when the commissioner
killed the CP3 to Laker deal. Imagined the combo of Kobe, CP3 & D12 would of, at the very least,
made our team a top 4 team in the West. In hindsight I wonder. Kobe & D12 probably never
would have hit it off and Kobe has never shown a willingness to change his style of play with
anybody who was as ball dominate as CP3 is. So I don’t see any reason to continue to hold on to
that issue.
– Three year nightmare almost over.
Anon#1 says
Kev: The Lakers are 16-61. Their three year glide path is negative. They will have set franchise records for losses in three consecutive years. Yes, the team has played well for very brief periods but nothing sustained like over a 20 game period.
If we’re really being honest we don’t know if the kids are stars or just decent starters. Its possible that the team’s best player or players are not even on the team yet.
I get that you are optimistic — but the facts don’t support anything other than we are a 16 win team with a bad coach and an FO that is better known for being dysfuntional than for being astute.
Yes, we have young talent — but as mentioned we’re not sure what they are. Absent the pick there is no sure fire way to get better this summer. A Tier One FA wants to get paid and win. We can’t satisfy both needs. The rising cap just minimized our greatest advantage: 20 teams will have $20+ million dollars in space this summer.
If we lose the pick and can’t sign KD/Whiteside/DeRozan/Barnes/Batum/Leonard then next year’s team will be similar to this year’s: one year contracts, expiring deals and lower level FAs. We’re looking at a team with a 25 win ceiling, again.
That’s why so many of us want to see changes at the top. Lakers management is using a blueprint that worked 20 years ago but is not suited to the new NBA. There needs to be a leader in the FO with a clear vision of what the Lakers should be. Someone that can articulate that vision to a coach and to free agents. The current FO just feels as if they are always treading water.
bluehill says
The FO had a plan that they tried to execute in free agency over the past two years and it obviously has not worked. Once they airballed on the high-profile FAs, there wasn’t much they could do to upgrade talent during the season, and Byron seemed incapable or unwilling to adjust to the team he had rather than the one he wanted, so there wasn’t as much improvement there as we would have liked.
This offseason they will start with as clean a slate as one would expect after several abysmal seasons. It’s an opportunity that is unfortunately earned after sucking for a while, but it is still an opportunity that hopefully will not happen very often in the future. My biggest concern is that the FO tries to do the same things as they have done the past few years rather than take advantage of the position they are currently in.
Gary says
Three year nightmare almost over.
__
Well, there is a 55% chance that it is. It’s the 45% chance that it isn’t which worries many of us.
I have to agree with Anon#1, in the past a Tier 1 free agent might take a long look at the Lakers, despite our situation, because they wanted to get paid. Getting paid and winning is a tough combination to beat and clearly we can’t.
Plus, I don’t think we can minimize the concern about the FO/coach. How long will Jim and Mitch be there? Who will be the coach? With Jim’s deadline a year away can anyone speak to what the future looks like?
Again, if you can get paid and win in a more stable environment are the Lakers too much of a risk at this point? I think the answer is yes.
Keith says
Anon#1 and Gary: I take it you think KD isn’t coming…
That’s a bummer.
KevTheBold says
karen April 6, 2016 at 5:41 am
“Yes i have but how do you turn this team and scott into a positive. They are what they are. If you really think this group is going to entice top tier free agents its not going to happen. ”
I have never seen a positive post from you, only complaints.
Look we all know the team is inexperienced, yet it takes years to draft and train a championship team.
In the mean time, all we will see is sparks of what is to come.
When those bright spots shine, or we have good games, you are silent,.
We only hear from you when you want to downgrade our talent, or complain
of all things as to why Nick Young is not playing???
How can you consider yourself to be objective when you have a thing for Nick?
Lastly who said anything about enticing free agents?
The team is not ready, and to be honest, free agents are a shortcut that rarely works out.
We need only to be patient, as that’s all we can do.
Negativity only makes those that vent feel better at the expense of us all.
KevTheBold says
Anon#1
“Kev: The Lakers are 16-61. Their three year glide path is negative. They will have set franchise records for losses in three consecutive years. Yes, the team has played well for very brief periods but nothing sustained like over a 20 game period.
I get that you are optimistic — but the facts don’t support anything other than we are a 16 win team with a bad coach and an FO that is better known for being dysfuntional than for being astute.”
The facts are that no team with a core of mainly draft picks, starts off as we would like.
Especially under the circumstances that this team has had to endure in Kobe’s farewell tour, team composition, and team coach.
All we are going to see is sparks of talent, which we have seen enough of to make any long term thinker and basketball aficionado optimistic.
People that lack foresight or talent sight, love to complain and fuss over details which we have zero control over, i.e. free agents, or front office staff, then act as though anyone who can see the seeds of growth are somehow naive, when all championship teams build from draft picks, keep them together, and grow a winning team.
Complaining about the process at the beginning only serves to spotlight those who have little insight into the way it works.
Anon#1 says
All we are going to see is sparks of talent, which we have seen enough of to make any long term thinker and basketball aficionado optimistic.
People that lack foresight or talent sight…
Complaining about the process at the beginning only serves to spotlight those who have little insight into the way it works.
___
My comments were specifically about this summer and next year. However, since you are prescient, perhaps can you tell us how it works?
KevTheBold says
Anon#1 April 6, 2016 at 1:16 pm
“My comments were specifically about this summer and next year. However, since you are prescient, perhaps can you tell us how it works?”
———–
This summer, next year,.. your time frames are too narrow.
And I have already posted the process,..as have many others here,..
It doesn’t take prescience, only a look at the warriors and spurs, and even the lakers…
You will discover that shortsighted impatience, had little to do with it.
Gary says
Lastly who said anything about enticing free agents?
The team is not ready, and to be honest, free agents are a shortcut that rarely works out.
__
I think Jim has based his rebuilding of the Lakers on signing multiple max free agents.
Anon#1 says
This summer, next year,.. your time frames are too narrow.
__
Again, my comments were about this summer and next year.
I wasn’t commenting on how long before we have a championship team — that’s your timeline objective. I get that, as a fan, you are willing to wait as long as it takes. Good for you.
LT Mitchell says
Kev,
With all due espect, it is possible, in fact it’s quite easy, to state your opinion without trying to belittle others with different viewpoints. This is FB&G, not the dreaded YouTube comment section. Let’s try to keep it that way.
KevTheBold says
LT Mitchell
“Kev
With all due espect, it is possible, in fact it’s quite easy, to state your opinion without trying to belittle others with different viewpoints. This is FB&G, not the dreaded YouTube comment section. Let’s try to keep it that way.”
—–
If you have another word for shortsighted, by all means enlighten us.
As for my posts in response to the pessimists, this forum could also use more comments on what is going right, versus what is obviously going wrong.
Isn’t the world difficult enough as it is without constant comments from those that only see the glass half empty?
I view that as more youtube than anything.
Which by the way is more insulting that anything I posted, simply because it’s invalid.
You simply don’t desire anyone to disagree with you and firmly.
Anonymous says
Kev …just stop.
KevTheBold says
If the pingpong balls favor us, all the better.
If not, the process remains on track, requiring smart additions.
With the right coach, we could be back in contention in 3 to 4 years.
Expecting anything less time wise is feeding unnecessary frustration.
Those that enjoy seeing the growth, will have a good time; making the best of what is there.