Crushing headaches do not mix with writing game previews. This is something I knew already, but am reminded of today as I try to type words onto a white screen reflecting light which might as well be Shinobi ninja stars being guided right into my eyeballs.
So, forgive the brevity.
The Lakers play the Jazz tonight in a return to Staples Center. After going 1-3 on a road trip which saw them play those four contests in five nights, the team is back in action after only a day off. The “rest” may help, but I doubt it. The first game back from a road trip can often be just like another road game. Players have to settle in, attempt to get back to their regular routines, and then get right back on the court to play basketball again. At least they get to sleep in their own beds.
If the circumstances didn’t affect them, though, tonight’s opponent will. The Jazz haven’t jumped out to the type of start indicative of the successful year many predicted for them, but that has mostly been due to injuries and the disconnect of lineups and rotations birthed from them. The Jazz are still a good — and maybe very good — team, but more specifically usually give the Lakers problems.
Derrick Favors bothers Julius Randle. Rudy Gobert’s paint protection and ability to finish above the rim creates problems. George Hill is, you know, good at both offense and defense. Rodney Hood seems to always get up to play the Lakers. Oh, yeah, and they have that Gordon Hayward fellow who should be an all-star.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are banged up. Their starting backcourt is out and Jose Calderon is now out too. Larry Nance is also questionable. If Nance doesn’t play, 4 of the team’s top 11 players will be out. For a team which depends on its depth, that’s bad. Really bad.
This isn’t to say the Lakers have no chance. Being at home should help. If Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, and Brandon Ingram can play well, they might have enough offense to keep the game close. If Randle can overcome the issues Favors often gives him, it can be closer still. If Deng and Mozgov also step up and defend their positions well, it may tilt the game in the Lakers’ direction. That’s a lot to ask for, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Where you can watch: 7:30pm start time on TWC Sportsnet.
Joel_ says
MWP starting, what in the world?
Mid Wilshire says
This has got to be the strangest starting line up I’ve ever seen: Metta and Ingram are the starting guards.
This is what happens when you’re banged up, I guess.
30twhite40 says
Randle with a little bit of defense, gets the steal and the wide open slam dunk.
KevTheBold says
So far,.. So Good !!
MT87 says
I love the effort tonight. Black is setting great screens and sucking up offensive rebounds. Lou Williams is working his usual black magic.
Mid Wilshire says
The Lakers look more spry tonight. They needed to come home and take a day off. At the end of their road trip, they had completely run out of gas.
Joel_ says
Well that escalated quickly…
Shaunis007 says
So we could all agree that luke pretty much lost us this game right with the dumb ass starting lineup
At one point we had huertas,lou,and clarkson all out there as a bench unit …. start one of them and we dont fall behind 20 – i think the starting group is like -30 midway through the 3rd
Joel_ says
As well as Luke has done in general, I think he’s overdoing it with some of these BS starting lineups. He’s basically forcing the bench to claw back double-digit deficits in every game. There’s too much front line talent missing to be this hell-bent on keeping the bench unit intact.
KenNewport says
Keno
Joel_ says
Tarik Black hurt now. 🙁
LKK says
Really hard to see any Lakers’ positivity in this game. I’m a bit disappointed in Clarkson and Randle. This is a great opportunity for them to assert themselves and it’s just not happening.
30twhite40 says
Looks like Tarik Black hurt his ankle, last thing Lakers need is another injury.
LKK says
Luke needs to give Zu some run.
Joel_ says
Lakers are doing such an awful job of denying dribble penetration. Way too many straight-line drives being allowed.
KenNewport says
First game this year Luke messed up. Metta was a damb minus 26. He is not an NBA player anymore. Got killed on defense and can’t stay with anyone. Why they kept him instead of Brown makes zero sense. Needs to be released and bring up D League guy. Metta is a coach not a player. Deng, Metta and Ingram are your 3 worst shooters Luke. You can’t start that. Not sure if a see a win this week.
Joel_ says
KenNewport I think MWP may be Luke’s version of Anderson Varejao… 😀
LKK says
Tarik done for the game… right ankle sprain. Aargh!!
Joel_ says
In unrelated news, Klay Thompson has 60 points through 3 quarters…
Joel_ says
Haha these guys don’t quit do they?
30twhite40 says
Hope that either Huertas or Clarkson start the next game. Maybe that will help the Lakers get off to a better start.
Joel_ says
30twhite40 Needs to be Clarkson I think. Huertas is too much of a traffic cone on defense. Just no more MWP please.
Vasheed says
Russell is supposed to be evaluated, today. The Lakers are getting close to being eligible for a hardship exception requiring at least 4 players to be injured who are out for at least 3 games.
The Lakers are still trying hard but, they’ve gone from deep to looking really thin.
LordMo says
Sigh….
Ok Luke and the Lakers need to have a “sitdown” and figure out a few things.
1) Move Clarkson back to the starting lineup for now… Kid can play!
2) Everyone keeps saying this is a young team but it is not. You have a collection of journeymen with 4 young players. As I have pointed out before contrary to the belief on this board we are not really a young team period. Don’t know if you can really make long term progress playing sub .500 ball. Coaches start pressing for wins over growth. Then you have Lou Williams jacking up 25+ shots a game…. Err reminds me of the Derek Smith led Clipper teams. Dont like it!
3) Either go back to the youth movement or make “The Trade”. Sorry guys there is not anyone on this roster that is going to take us to the mountaintop… Just ain’t! We have some players that are going to be solid in the NBA and maybe some All-Star selections here and there but thats it. So make a trade or go back to the draft because the Lakers need a “SuperStar” caliber player for long term success. And this I remind you is the Lakers people… We don’t play .500 ball we play for rings! So, while while I’m encouraged a bit by this season … That’s it! Cannot fool me or rope me in with Marketing ploys and meaningless wins.
4) Luke this ain’t the Warriors. Last I checked the Lakers have a little legacy of their own…. I’ll go with that instead. We have been pretty successful with our own formula over the years. Sprinkle in some old with the new Luke and develop your own brand of ball. The Warriors have 2 Superstars and 2 bonafide All Stars on their team!
5) Trust the process! Wait my bad wrong team lol. But exactly what are we doing here? Still see no coherent strategy or direction here. Looks like they are trying to make the playoffs at all costs. So you load up on role players and has beens that you overpay? Hmmm… Losing the protected pick in the best draft in 15 years to save Jimbo’s arse…. There goes the Superstar we needed…
Priceless!
MT87 says
LordMo 1. I agree that Clarkson should move to the starting unit if Dlo isn’t coming back right away
2. This is a young team. We have seven players aged 24 or younger. They don’t carry the team on a nightly basis but a young core rarely does; that will come later.
3. There is no trade we are going to make right now that is going to turn this team into a contender. At most a trade would turn us into the Knicks after they traded for Carmelo. Furthermore, we aren’t going to be winning any rings as long as the best players in the world are all concentrated in Cleveland and Oakland. Tanking hurts the talent we do have without any guarantee that we keep our pick. Even if we were to successfully tank and keep the pick, we still wouldn’t be a contender next year so you’re gonna have to get used to some .500 basketball regardless.
5. The strategy seems pretty clear to me. Let the young guys develop and run a fun system so that we are both attractive to free agents as well as full of trade assets. At some point we are going to have to add a piece or two but I don’t see any logic to doing it right now.
Vasheed says
LordMo
1) I agree!
2) The core of this team is young. Most of the guys who are over 30 likely won’t be here in a year or two. Mozgov may be the exception. I’m not too sure Deng is going to stick unless they simply cannot move him. At the start of the year many of us were looking for improvement coming in a sub 500 year.
3) I’m always open to a trade. The devil is the details. If anything the Lakers playing well has increased the value of many of their players including older guys like Lou and gasp Nick! A trade doesn’t necessarily have to be one that guts the Lakers core of young players.
4) I think Luke is doing fine. The difference between last year and this year is night and day.
5) If the Lakers make it to within even a stone’s throw of the play offs this year, then next year when they have some more spending money they are going to be an attractive free agent destination. This is the kind of momentum that builds a great team.
FredP says
LordMo This rant is about a year out of date. Luke has been pretty consistent with his rotations and playing time had been even before the injury bug bit. The first unit has been solid at times even though Deng is playing out of position at SF. The second unit has been spectacular and has the look of a playoff team rotation. If the Lakers did not have 4 PG’s on the roster, I might agree with your point about Clarkson. However, Clarkson and Williams work well together and I am not sure it makes sense to break them up. It has been better to wait and see how Russell is doing and how long it will be before he returns. For me the wildcard remains Ingram. His game is much more rounded than advertised and he elevates the play of those around him.
As far as playing for rings, watch Cleveland and Oakland this year. Both teams are very good. The Lakers youth are as good as any in the league so I am not sure why anyone is in a hurry to trade them. Philadelphia has taken the break down to be bad to a new low level and maybe they have one player to show for it. It makes more sense for the Lakers to develop their young core and add players though free agency as needed.
KevTheBold says
LordMo
Interesting how you pick a timeto post this, when Walton has huge gaps in his arsenal and during a gauntlet of games which are historical in difficulty.
I suppose you believe this loss gives credence to your opinion, but imo, it weakens it tremendously.
Your post would be valid maybe in a year or possibly two from now, if we were still on the same level, but with a young new coach, a core of young players, injuries galore and vets past prime for the most part, there is no support for such firm statements.
Seems to me you are simply a bit short on patience today.
LordMo says
KevTheBold LordMo
Lol… And a little bored too!
matt24 says
Forget hardship, need to waive mwp and calderon now, and sign d-league players