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A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers).

Preview and Chat: Lakers vs. Suns

by


The Lakers are now in an interesting position and it’s one their head coach is even starting to recognize. Through six games, the team is now 3-3 with back to back wins over the Hawks and the Warriors. The team’s schedule to start the year has been difficult, with every team they’ve faced projected to make the playoffs and four of their six games coming on the road.

To be .500 through this stretch is, then, an achievement worth acknowledging. And while I am not ready to alter my preseason projections about how good this team could be (I am still looking at a best case scenario of ~35 wins which would more than double last year’s total), I am a bit higher on them than I was — to the point where I am now a bit more interested in win/loss outcomes for each game than before the campaign began.

Which leads us to tonight’s game against the Suns. As noted, the Lakers are coming off two straight wins including a blowout over the Warriors. The Suns are, like the Lakers, viewed as an up and coming team, but it would be more than fair to say that this match up looks like one the Lakers should win. That’s an interesting place to be this early in the year and one I am not sure I expected the team to be in much this year at all. I mean, most outlets had the Lakers as the worst team in the conference and in real contention to keep their top-3 protected pick. To now be looking at games as winnable and for their head coach to be talking about the need to watch out for let down games…I did not see that coming, especially not early in the season.

But this is where we are and I am quite interested in seeing how this team does with a little wind in their sails. Will they be overconfident? Will they not play as hard? Will they take their foot off the gas pedal at all?

If the answer to any of those questions is “yes”, then tonight would be a bad night for that to happen. The Suns fit the profile of teams which, in the past, have really given the Lakers problems. They are explosive on the wing with Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, and Devon Booker. They have a some size in the middle and a defensive minded C who will challenge the rim on both ends in Tyson Chandler. They have some decent defensive options on the perimeter with PJ Tucker and Jared Dudley, and some interesting young players who have some talent in Marquese Chriss, Tyler Ulis, and TJ Warren.

If you do not play hard against this team for any stretch, they will attack you and have the ability to score in bunches regardless of what their statistical profile says.

Tonight, then, I am most interested not necessarily in the individual match ups (which there are several good ones) or even in how well the team executes (though this is obviously important). What I am interested in is seeing how hard the team continues to compete, how engaged they are defensively, and how active they are in working through their sets offensively. If there is a lot of standing around or too much isolation ball, a lot of defensive breakdowns or a lack of attentiveness on the glass it will be interpreted as complacency — even if it’s not. I don’t make the rules.

In saying all that, maybe the Lakers are due for a bad night. Maybe they’re due to not hit shots or for their inexperience to show up. Or maybe they’re due to play even better than they have been — against the Warriors and Hawks, they actually looked average for long stretches but were able to hang on/stay close because of timely plays. Neither scenario would surprise me, actually. And that’s one of the reasons I love watching this team and why they intrigue me so much.

We’ll see how things go.

Where you can watch: 6:30pm start time on Spectrum Sportsnet.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lou2 says

    You’ve expressed my feelings about this game and the start of the season perfectly. I am overjoyed that they are 3 and 3, shocked even. Can they possibly be this good. I was hoping for 30 wins and now 40 seems possible, more even. If they are that good then they should win this game. So, a good reality check.

  2. _ Robert _ says

    Wow – team is playing great.
    I still do not like the roster that we created around the
    youngsters, but Luke is making it work.
    Luke is back on track for COTY. As I said before the year started, if Lakers
    win north of 35 he is going to have a great shot at this.
    They won the expectations game before the year and now they
    are greatly exceeding them(a great
    combo).

  3. LKK says

    As Darius pointed out, the Suns have lots of offensive firepower so this will be a good test of the Lakers’ defense. In addition, Booker and Bledsoe are fine perimeter defenders so the Laker backcourt will have to be up for the challenge. Good matchup featuring loads of young talent.

  4. fern16 says

    I share the concern about coming out flat. And while it happens and is bound to happen several times this season, it happens to the best of them, i consider this game a barometer of sorts of how this team will react. I know is really early and the sample is still small but games like this should be winnable. Its up to the guys to mantain the intensity and that hard earned momentum. Im cautiously optimistic about this team performance this season but i consider the playoffs unrealistic. Getting to the playoffs would require a jump of about 30 wins. An extremely steep hill to climb. But the future looks bright at last. GO LAKERS…

  6. fern16 says

    I think Luke took a page out of Phil Jackson’s “challenge to motivate” book. Don’t look flat at all.

  9. Joel_ says

    I can’t wait to see how Ingram looks when he starts hitting his jumpers on a consistent basis. His floor game is already better than I expected.

  10. MT87 says

    The offense looks so much better this year.  I love that weave they ran to get clarkson going downhill with black trailing for the lob.  It was a pretty play that got everyone involved and the Suns had no idea what to do with it at all.

  14. LKK says

    Lakers should be up big as bad as Phx. is playing. Their poor shooting is allowing the Suns to hang around.

  15. Joel_ says

    Actually, never mind just Ingram – is it me, or have the Lakers missed an inordinate number of open shots this season? You’d think things could get even better if they start knocking those down.

  16. MT87 says

    Joel_ They have missed an incredible number of open shots so far this year.  Sooner or later that is going to regress to the mean but in the meantime it is a little frustrating.

  22. 30twhite40 says

    Larry Nance Jr still being evaluated after his head hit the floor earlier in the game. He will not return, concussion and will miss Tuesday’s game.

  23. fern16 says

    People can say what they want about Mosgov. That he is overpaid ect ect. But he fit like a glove on this team. And i really like how he runs the floor, a lot of times it seems he is the first one back and he positions himself beautifully for fast break dunks.

  24. Joel_ says

    Sloppiness is catching up to the Lakers now. They were getting away with it before because Phoenix was just as bad.

  25. MT87 says

    fern16 I like what he brings too.  It seems safe to say that he is better than he showed last year with the Cavs and he fills a role here.  The contract is bad but it wasn’t the worst one out there by a long shot.

  26. LKK says

    Great play by Ingram… blocked the shot…filled the lane and finished the fast break….loved how as he was filling the lane he was getting his steps right to lay the ball up.

  28. MT87 says

    Lots of misses right at the rim.  Need to get the ball back into Julius’ hands and let him go to work.

  31. LKK says

    JR with a great block… then sets a great pick for a Clarkson jumper….little things. DAR with a steal, assist and a 3! 9-0 run to put the Lakers up 10.

  40. fern16 says

    No one mentions it but Luke’s work with this team has been superb is there a higher word than that? If there is his work is that. I had high expectations of him and he somehow has shattered those. And by a country mile.

  42. Busboys4me says

    Because the Suns beat us twice in preseason, I thought we would lose this game. I was pleasantly surprised. The hustle and the confidence is Kobesque without being as selfish. They truly believe in Luke and his system.

  43. tnrc75 says

    I thought the Lakers would win that after they beat the Warriors.  It’s clear these guys believe and seeing them a year older and with a coach that trusts them is wonderful.  It’s been a rough few years for Lakers fans but we can see the future is bright now and I think as the D continues to tighten up while our offense continues to cause headaches for defenses, our progress will be massive.

  44. A Horse With No Name says

    MT87 fern16  The contract reflects the market.  Similar deals abound (e.g. Ian Mahimi).   But it’s the Lakers, so watch the miserable wretches who get paid to make noise do their thing and generate hits.  So predictable.  As I’ve said before, everything has to be contextualized: a bottom team looking to field a competitive roster isn’t going to get below market deals for vets like a contender or even mid-tier teams.  The lakers did what they had to do.  Deng hasn’t looked good, but Mozgov has really been great–just what they hoped for: a massive guy who can get up and down the court, rim protect, rebound, tap out misses etc.  Thus far he isn’t even being used as effectively as he could be in the pick and roll.  That’s partly on D’Angelo, but also reflects a greater desire (correctly so)  to emphasize movement and spacing offensively.