I’ll be honest here. This isn’t exactly the most must-see game for either team, let alone for any NBA fan. The Lakers have the Dallas Mavericks for the third of their five-game home stand. This would’ve been a marquee match-up in 2011. Not so much in 2016. The Lakers are 2-13 in December since their 10-10 start. The Mavericks are tied for last place in the West at a sparkling… 9-23 record.
These days, when you think of Dallas pro basketball, you think of Harrison Barnes (maybe not but work with me here). He’s done a good job as the #1 option for the Mavs (20.4 points per at under 47 percent shooting!). The Laker fans remember that; the former Warrior scored 31 points as he led them to a 109-97 victory over the city of angels in their first meeting early November. But if you haven’t cared about the Mavs this year, a familiar face should be playing tonight. Dirk Nowitzki has played only eight games this season due to his lingering Achilles injury and he’ll probably only see about 15 minutes of action. But to all of us hoop fans, 15 minutes of Dirk is better than no Dirk. We all know the game is that much better with him.
As for another player to watch out for, Steph Seth Curry should not disappear from the Lakers’ radar. He scored a career-best 23 points in that first game, including four three-pointers. High-energy big man Dwight Powell caused the Lakers some headaches as he had 10 points and five steals. The Mavericks still have ace defender Wesley Matthews and former all-stars Deron Williams and Devin Harris (neither guard stepped on the court in the first meeting), who are all capable of big games. They’ll get more energy from wingmen Dorian Finney-Smith and Justin Anderson and former Warriors center Andrew Bogut is ready to bruise up anybody like this is Tekken 6. Unfortunately for Dallas, J.J. Barea (who went for 18-7-8 in their first game and has historically been a nuisance to the Lakers) will not suit up for them as he has an Achilles injury of his own.
As mentioned before, this Dallas team hardly resembles the perennial playoff team of the past. This edition of the Mavericks team would rather make the game feel like it’s being played underwater; they are second to last in pace in the league. The goal here is to take their time and get a good shot but, unfortunately for the Mavs, they have trouble scoring. Dallas averages 94.8 points per game, which goes for last in the NBA. As for offensive rating, they score 103.3 points per 100 possessions, which is good for 27th. More proof? Mavs are 29th in field goal percentage (.428). They do put up a lot of threes but they’re 21st in percentage (.344). Lastly, they’re last in free throws attempted at 18.1 per game. Scoring for the Mavericks feels like a trip to the dentist for them. They can’t even counter their lack of scoring with good defense; they’re 23rd in defensive rating (109.7 points per 100 possessions).
Which should make this game a cakewalk for the Lakers, right?
No, of course not. After all, Dallas beat them by 12 in November 8th. We all know that the Lakers’ defense is porous this season (29th in defensive rating to the tune of 112.1 points per 100 possessions). The culprit of last game was the turnover battle (Lakers had 16 compared to 11 by the Mavs). So, really, the Lakers can make the Mavericks look like the Steve Nash Suns teams of old.
The good news for the Lakers is that they’ve played a little better in the last couple of games. They beat the Clippers on Christmas Day and barely lost against a strong Utah Jazz team on Tuesday. The problem right now that they’re having trouble playing a consistent four-quarter game. They tend to bog down to isolations in stretches and, sometimes, the Lakers seem content in staying at their spots daydreaming instead of making cuts, weaves, and helping out their teammates by setting screens. That’s when they lose the lead and, in most cases, the game (we all witnessed the last play against Utah, right?).
It’s about keeping their energy and staying with the game plan for all four periods. The Lakers play their best when they’re making the defense chase the ball instead of pounding the rock like awful drummers on a Rockband game session. It’s been proven that for this team, as the Big Aristotle said, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I may have given the credit to the wrong person but nevertheless, they are so much better together.
Defensively, the Mavs shoot a lot of threes and the Lakers tend to leave the shooters open. If the Lakers communicate more often and don’t get lost in switches, they should be fine. Also, the Mavs are very good at taking care of the ball (third fewest with 11.4) so it would be great if L.A. can put more pressure on them. And let’s hope anyone can stop Harrison Barnes. Barnes was so unstoppable in that first clash that Luke Walton even sent in Metta World Peace to defend him. I love MWP but this isn’t 2004 and I hope it doesn’t have to come to that.
It’s not like the Lakers shot badly in their previous game against Dallas; they shot just under 49 percent. Jordan Clarkson, who was a completely different player in early November, scored 22 points. Nick Young scored 20 in that game and, shockingly for all of us, we don’t have to worry about him not giving his all; he’s been the Lakers’ most consistent player on both ends. Julius Randle has been great since coming back from seeing the birth of his child. Lou Williams will probably get to the line another dozen times. We’d also like to see D’Angelo Russell have a great game and for Brandon Ingram to hopefully get more points on the board.
By the way, if the Lakers win, they’d only be three games behind the 8th spot in the Western Conference! So maybe this game has some implications, after all!
Forget what I said on the top of this preview.
Where you can watch this grand spectacle: 7:30 PM on TNT. National television! And if you somehow live in the East Coast and you love the Lakers, it’s 10:30 PM for you guys. Hope you can function on little sleep the next day!
Oh, and if you have (only) access to talk radio, you can listen to the Lakers at ESPN Radio Los Angeles 710 AM.
BigCitySid10552 says
Don’t want to be cute or “understanding” here. Bottom line: Lakers are at home, coming off a days rest, are pretty healthy, and playing a bad team. Lakers should win. No excuses Let’s get it done.
KevTheBold says
BigCitySid10552
So far so good BCS,.. they are looking spry tonight,..
30twhite40 says
Lakers need to avoid their usual prolonged dry spell that allows a team back in this game. Lead at the half, keep up the good game in the second half.
30twhite40 says
And the Lakers hit their dry spell of 5+ minutes. Not a good start to the third quarter.
fern16 says
This team has my balls in a 5 year grip. Losing this damn lead kills me…millennial team
30twhite40 says
Walton clearly frustrated in that in-game interview. Lakers keep doing the same things and will eventually learn not to do what they are doing.
fern16 says
In the lead they begin to play individually and dumb. want me to throw the remote to the tv…
fern16 says
Like i said before they find tthemselves in the lead and its like “gahhh get it on fire!!!”
matt24 says
1st half dlo looks like a future all star, 3rd qtr dlo looks like a bust
matt24 says
Why tarik black is not playing is beyond understanding?
fern16 says
matt24 Because he is hurt.
matt24 says
Dlo got big headed
matt24 says
Naw i read somewhere that he lost his spit to trob
matt24 says
Dlo and randle need to be called out
matt24 says
Trob and deng together is garbage
fern16 says
matt24 he’s been injured man i rather have trob anyways but this team is killing me
KevTheBold says
matt24
More like the Lakers looked like a playoff team in the 1st half, and like a bottom dweller in the 3rd. Which means they look exactly like a young team, but a young team with promise.
Once they learn to keep their intensity and precision during a whole game, then we will have a playoff team.
matt24 says
Black and trob together
matt24 says
Randle ingram young clarkson and russell
Are you kidding me, byron scott gots nothing on this terrible rotations
KevTheBold says
matt24
Seems to me he’s trying to get his shot back.
30twhite40 says
Another tough learning experience for the Lakers. One terrible quarter (the third) they could not overcome. 1st half showed what the Lakers can be, 2nd half showed how much work the Lakers need to make to improve as a team.
matt24 says
D’angelo russell, night and day 1st and 2nd half
Mid Wilshire says
Well. The Lakers certainly deserved to lose this one. They got outscored 51-32 in the 2nd half after leading by 7 after 2 quarters.
Dallas had 42 rebounds and 24 assists. The Lakers had 34 rebounds and only 15 assists. As I’ve said before, you have to win these micro-battles if you want to win games in the NBA.
Also, the Lakers’ defense was pathetic; they allowed Dallas to shoot 49.4% from the field and 45.2% (14-31) from 3. If you put all of that together, you have a virtually guaranteed loss.
On the positive side, Nick Young shot well (6-8 overall, 5-6 from 3 for 17 points and TRob looked excellent (and may have been our best player tonight): 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block. Also, Jordan Clarkson had 15 points on 7-11 shooting (following a game in which he went 6-10). He also had 3 steals but zero assists.
This, I guess, is what it looks like to go through growing pains. I keep wondering what kind of player Brandon Ingram is going to be in 3 years. But until then, my friends, it’s one step forward and two back.
matt24 says
Deron williams had 11 assist like it was nothing, d’angelo russell career high in assists is 8
matt24 says
Brandon ingram is the next scottie pippen
matt24 says
Tarik black got alot of hate on the last post. Meanwhile trob has taken his spot and is getting eaten alive in the post.
KevTheBold says
Hmm, 12th year in the NBA, vs 2nd year.
Yeah,…that’s an apt comparison; not to mention that assists are tied to the recipient actually making the shot.