The Trade The Lakers Should Make Before The Deadline

The NBA trade deadline is just a little over a month away (February 8) and it's no secret the Lakers are actively looking to trade one (maybe two) of their young, up and coming talents in the hopes to bring in a marquee star to Hollywood.  Here is one trade the Lakers should try to pull off as soon as possible.

Lakers Get:      Paul George and Jerami Grant from the Oklahoma City Thunder

Thunder Get:   Julius Randle and Luol Deng

Will the financials work?  Based on ESPN's NBA Trade Machine, the trade is financially feasible.

Why make the trade?

Paul George is currently a hired gun in Oklahoma City since being acquired from Indiana in an off season trade for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.  He has made it clear before being traded to the Thunder that he wanted to go home and play for his favorite childhood team, the Lakers and will be a Free Agent at season's end.  The Thunder organization run the risk of getting nothing back for George which will be a huge setback given Oladipo's success in Indiana.

The OKC Big 3 experiment hasn't panned out as expected.  The Thunder are quickly realizing that the trade for Carmelo Anthony has left glaring gaps in their team (rebounding, defense and bench production in particular) with minimal gains in offensive firepower given the Big 3's struggles to efficiently share the scoring load.

Given the issues around the OKC Big 3, Carmelo Anthony's time with the Thunder may be short lived as he may look to form a new Big 3 with "Banana Boat" buddy Chris Paul in Houston or join Lebron James wherever he decides to play next year.  The Thunder will be in need of a Power Forward to replace Anthony.  

Lakers Power Forward and sometimes small line-up Center, Julius Randle is a RFA in the offseason and is expected to receive lucrative offer sheets which many believe will be above his true value as a player which the Lakers won't be unwilling to pay.  Along with the backlog in PF's in the Lakers' roster, Randle has become the odd man out in the Lakers long term plans.

Randle's aggressive, attack the basket mentality can fit in well with Russell Westbrook's similar style of play.  Julius will be the recipient of numerous drop passes as Russell draws defenses and opens up attacking lanes and will address OKC team gaps (rebounding and post defense) made by the trade of Enes Kanter to the New York Knicks.  The Thunder will need to swallow Luol Deng's contract in this deal but with Paul George's departure, Deng is a decent fill-in at the Small Forward position since he is still a capable player and may contribute to better team balance.

Odd men out but both Deng and Grant will benefit from the change in teams

No doubt the Lakers will miss Julius Randle and his blossoming star level of play but given the team's roster of players, Julius is at a disadvantage given the limited number of minutes he can spend on the court to realize his full potential.  This trade, if executed, will be a win-win for both teams (and players) involved.

The NBA Stars Who Should Shine Bright In LA Next Year

The two stars the Lakers should bring in next year aren't named George or James.  The Lakers boast a talented young core that simply lacks a bona fide go-to-guy and championship experience.  Sure, these gaps can be filled by Paul George and Lebron James but it comes with a financial consequence that handicaps the organization from building a championship dynasty.  The two I'm about to reveal not only addresses the gaps but it will allow Magic and Rob flexibility to add more pieces to the Lakers Dynasty puzzle in seasons to come.

Player 1

Who: Marc Gasol

Why: He may not be the best center overall in the NBA but he's an upgrade to Brook Lopez.  He'll continue to put up all-star type numbers on a nightly basis with his consistent inside and outside offensive skills.  These skills will be further enhanced in Pick-and-Roll or Pick-and-Pop situations with Lonzo Ball.  He is a consistent defensive rebounder and provides enough defensive presence in the post to allow Laker guards to run over screens and play aggressive perimeter defense.

How: The Grizzlies are in limbo this season and may be looking at rebuilding next year which usually means getting younger.  Gasol will be 33 next season with one more year in his contract.  The Lakers should look to package a trade for Gasol involving Brook Lopez as a center for hire given his expiring contract and the very talented, very versatile and very young (23) Julius Randle.  As much as the Lakers want to keep Randle for all the obvious reasons, the team is stockpiled with Power Forwards and may end up overpaying for Randle's services if they re-sign him as a Restricted Free Agent (RFA).  The financials line up well and can be considered a win-win for both teams.

Player 2

Who: Klay Thompson

Why: Not only is Klay a perennial All-Star who has championship experience as a two time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors but he is also of championship pedigree because of his father Mychal Thompson who played with the Showtime Lakers.  Klay has proven to be a clutch performer and can be that go-to-guy the Lakers desperately seek.  He continues to be one of the best defenders in the league at the Shooting Guard position and is deadly from beyond the arc (46% this year, 42% career) which would not only fit well and thrive with Lonzo Ball's pass first mentality but it would create floor space for Brandon Ingram to penetrate and slash his way to the basket and eventually an All-Star ballot.  There would be little to no adjustment to know the offense or defense since the Lakers run the same system as Golden State.  This is due to Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton being a former assistant coach for the Warriors.  Did I forget to mention that Luke and Klay are close friends?

How: The Lakers should try to fashion an off-season trade by re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the primary trade asset.  KCP will continue to provide the Warriors with All NBA defense at the SG position and a reliable third option scoring threat behind Steph and KD.  This would of course all hinge on Klay wanting to be traded since he is under contract till the 2018-19 season.  But we can't count out the lure of being the "main guy" on an up and coming team especially if that team happens to be your father's former team with the second most championships in NBA history.  Oh did I forget Klay's from Los Angeles?

This is all speculation and wishful thinking of course but it never hurts to dream.  Do you agree?  Do you see other players being a better fit for the Lakers?  Let me know and as always, thanks everybody!

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I Want The Lakers To Bring Two Stars To L.A. - But It's Not Who You Think

The master plan ever since the Magic Johnson - Rob Pelinka era started in L.A. was to create enough cap room to sign two (2) superstars in the summer of 2018.  Many believe the two stars heading to Hollywood are none other than Paul George (PG13) and Lebron James but I beg to differ. 

Based on the roster of young talent they have now, the Lakers will need two specific star players to become a legitimate contender.  Before I reveal those two players, here's why it shouldn't be Paul George and Lebron James.

Too Many Small Forwards. Brandon Ingram is one season away from becoming a star player and less than two seasons away from becoming an perennial all-star.  So far this season, Brandon has shown glimpses of greatness but has yet to string these glimpses into one continuous show.  He still needs to properly utilize his mid range game (Read More) but it will only be a matter of time when everything will finally come together. 

All this progress will come to a screeching halt if Paul George and Lebron James joins the Lakers.  Both superstars play the Small Forward (SF) position, same as Brandon who will most likely need to move to the bench and lose valuable playing time.  George has shown the ability to play Shooting Guard (SG) but he admittedly prefers to play SF.  The current system the Lakers run requires an effective 3PT shooter at SG.  PG13 is a good 3PT shooter (37.3%) but prefers attacking the basket on offense.  Lebron on the other hand can move to Power Forward (PF) to allow Ingram to stay in the starting line-up but the requirements of the position (rebounding, post-up defensive assignments, movement without the ball) in Walton's system is not a great match for Lebron's skillset.  Lastly, both PG13 and Lebron are suspect defenders outside the SF position where they excel.

Long Term Success Is Unsustainable. The Lakers will have $47 million in salary cap space to sign both Paul George and Lebron James.  Let's assume Rob is unable to move the remaining $36 million of Luol Deng's contract but Jeannie Buss approves going into luxury tax territory to sign the two megastars.  The Lakers would have a strong though poorly balanced starting line-up (assuming both stars accept their new roles) of Lonzo Ball (PG), Paul George (SG), Brandon Ingram (SF), Lebron James (PF) and Larry Nance, Jr. (C).  The bench would be composed of Jordan Clarkson (G), Josh Hart (G), and Kyle Kuzma (PF) with Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant seeing playing time depending on needed defensive match-ups.  This MIGHT be good enough (I highly doubt it) to challenge the Warriors and Rockets in the Western Conference but still falls short of rebuilding a championship franchise.  On top of that, they will be paying a huge luxury tax for the foreseeable future with little to no financial flexibility to sign let along re-sign quality players to help bolster the roster.  

The Lakers will be unable to re-sign quality players with James and George

I can list out other reasons why the Lakers shouldn't sign Paul George and Lebron James next season  but I would like to switch gears and talk about which two star players the Lakers should desperately try to bring in next season.  Not only did I consider player skill set and team financials/contracts but I tried to look at how these signings would impact their former teams for feasibility.

The Lakers should bring in these two star players next season.

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Lonzo a Bust? Don't Think So

So many basketball experts (and fans alike) have been quick to label Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball a bust with just 19 games played this season.  Expectations for any #2 draft pick are usually (and rightfully) high but the pressure placed on this 20 year old's shoulders has been further intensified along with every accomplishment scrutinized to a fault due to the off court (social media driven) comments by his (very) proud father, Lavar Ball.

Be it as it may, Lonzo for the most part has been handling all the distractions like a seasoned pro which speaks volumes about his mental fortitude.  This characteristic will prove beneficial when the best basketball decision needs to be made in a split second with the game on the line.  In his 19 games, he has shown a great deal of poise in pressure situations and has demonstrated the court vision and basketball IQ that got Magic Johnson excited about drafting him after his freshman year in UCLA.  Lonzo currently boasts a better assist to turnover ratio (2.7) than Kyrie Irving (2.55), Steph Curry (2.14) and Russell Westbrook (2.11) while being on the court longer than Irving and Curry.  There are no signs of Lonzo's mental toughness regressing and it looks like it will only get better as he settles into his NBA career.   

Much has been said about Lonzo's shooting form and how he will need to change it to be a successful scorer in the NBA.  His poor shooting percentage (25% from 3 point range and 31.5% overall) along with his dreadful accuracy on the free throw line (42.9%) will not keep the "bust" labelers quiet.  However, I don't believe it's his form or mechanics that is causing him to shoot so poorly from the field but rather his timing and rhythm.  If you watch Lonzo during pregame shoot arounds, he often sinks ten or more 3 pointers consecutively.  It's during the game that his shooting goes awry and it is simply because of his pass first mentality.  He inadvertently takes himself out of his shooting rhythm as he tries to make the best decision for the team resulting in a great deal of misses on his end.  Getting into his offensive flow is what he needs to figure out to fix his shooting woes while also playing the most complex position on the team.

Lastly, Lonzo has recorded two (2) triple doubles so far in his young career.  With Russell Westbrook and James Harden accomplishing this feat with regularity, people are downplaying Lonzo's abilities and skills as a basketball player.  What most Lonzo naysayers fail to realize is that Luke Walton's offensive system is not conducive to point guards getting triple doubles.  The Lakers are currently running an offensive system that revolves around constant ball movement similar to the pass friendly offensive scheme of the Golden State Warriors where Walton was an assistant coach.  Very rarely does the system allow one player to dominate the ball at any given time with all players expected to find the best scoring opportunity.  In fact, ever since Steve Kerr took over as head coach for the Warriors and implemented this system, back-to-back MVP point guard Stephen Curry recorded a triple double only three (3) times in 3 years.  If you include the playoffs, the likelihood of Steph Curry recording a triple double is 1%.  Though only 19 games into the season, the probability of Lonzo getting a triple double in the same system is 10.5%.  Not bad for a 20 year old rookie.

Bust you say, I don't think so.

    

What's Wrong With Lonzo's Shooting?

As of this post, Lakers' star rookie Lonzo Ball is averaging a less than spectacular 8.8 points per game with a 30% field goal percentage while shooting 23.4% from beyond the arc.  Many experts have pointed to his unorthodox mechanics for his shooting woes.  Some have criticized his relaxed demeanor on the court affecting his ability to put the ball through the basket.  So what's really wrong with Lonzo's shooting?  To tell you the truth, NOTHING.  There's nothing wrong with his mechanics or approach to scoring.

Lonzo is simply a 20 year old rookie point guard trying to figure out how to play in the NBA. 

As many who have played the game can attest, scoring requires a flow, a rhythm, a mentality to be effective.  This rhythm comes easier from a shooting guard or small forward position whose natural role on the team is to score.  Their minds are already set on scoring.  The primary role of the point guard however is to be the court general who facilitates the team's offense in order to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.  They rarely have set plays called for them to take the shot and will usually need to be the decision maker based on what they read in the defense.  This is a difficult task for most NBA veterans, what more for a 20 year old rookie?

As mentioned above, point guards have to create their own scoring opportunities more often than not.  Very rarely are they able to run off screens without the ball so they can take spot up jumpers.  Most shots have to come off the dribble, usually with an opposing big man in front of them or a backcourt defender hot on their heels.  Lonzo is not the most physically gifted player who can simply out-muscle or out-jump his way to a score.  He still has to figure out the spacing between opponents and spots on the court where he can take his shots within his offensive flow.  He's already had a number of shots blocked but it's all part of his learning process.

The more games Lonzo has under his belt (along with mentoring from veteran teammates, coaches and the President of Basketball Operations who happens to be one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history), he'll start to understand where his game fits in the NBA environment.  Sooner than later, he'll start to develop that much needed rhythm and we'll see him become a more effective shooter.  What he lacks in dominating physical gifts, he makes up in basketball IQ and we'll soon be singing him praises as we approach the new calendar year.

Let's all sit back and enjoy watching his progress towards super stardom.

The Move That Will Make Ingram A Star!

Since Magic Johnson announced that Brandon Ingram was the only untouchable Laker in the offseason and that he expects the 20 year old to average 20 points a game this season, the second year player has had trouble dealing with the immense pressure put upon him.

He has shown glimpses of brilliance and is averaging a respectable 14.8 points per game helping the Lakers to a promising 4-5 record.  But he has yet to string together consecutive high scoring games to deem himself the team's go-to-scorer.  It's not as if he lacks the skills or the physical gifts to be an upper echelon scorer in the NBA.  He has sound shooting mechanics, guard-like ball handling skills and a wingspan that would make blocking his shot almost impossible.  So what else is lacking?  What is keeping him from realizing all his potential?

Brandon Ingram only needs to do ONE thing to allow his offensive game to explode.  It's simple really and already part of his offensive arsenal.  What is it you ask?

Brandon simply needs to shoot more mid-range jump shots.  That's it. That's all.  Simple.  Here's why...

Early into this season, Brandon has relied on his ability and length to drive to the basket for scoring opportunities.  This has been his primary offensive move.  With this, defenders have learned to sag towards the basket or drop below screens whenever he has the ball in his hands.  This gives them a slight defensive edge while making it harder for Brandon to score which has resulted in a 45.1% shooting percentage.

Making the pull up jumper his primary offensive weapon, Brandon will keep defenders guessing how to position themselves thus putting him at an advantage.  His length and high release along with a quick jab step will make it virtually impossible for defenders to block this shot.  If he can consistently knock them down, he becomes a scoring threat anywhere on the court.  This will open up more space to operate and present more scoring opportunities.    

3 Adjustments The Lakers Need To Make

After an encouraging OT win versus the Washington Wizards, the Lakers took a couple of steps backward by losing back-to-back games against the Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.  Inexperience may have been the biggest factor in those losses but there are other things the Lakers need to address if they plan to contend for a playoff spot this season.

Here are 3 adjustments the Lakers NEED to make to play better.

1) More Play Calling From The Bench - The Lakers are a young squad learning how to play in the NBA while adapting to a new system.  Lonzo seems reluctant to pull the trigger on obvious scoring opportunities, Brandon Ingram thinks he can only drive to the basket to score, Jordan Clarkson can't decide if he wants to shoot or pass and Kyle Kuzma has been relegated to picking up garbage baskets.  One way to remedy some of these offensive woes is for Coach Walton to do some play calling when the team gets into scoring droughts or lulls.  Don't get me wrong, there are benefits in having players figure out the system on their own but occasional play calling from the bench can minimize miscues and help the team reestablish an offensive rhythm.      

2) Make The Simple Pass - Since the Lakers drafted Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick, we've heard basketball experts predict his Magic-like passing abilities will infect the rest of the team.  As encouraging as this may sound, this has led to a number of players who are less skilled in the art of the pass trying to make the spectacular assist which have led to untimely / costly turnovers.  It would be in everyone's best interest to leave the spectacular passing to Lonzo while the rest of the Lakers just focus on making the straightforward pass.  A simple pass will promote ball movement, make defenders rotate thus opening up scoring opportunities while hopefully limiting turnovers that can turn into points for the opposition.

3) Establish Rotation Continuity - Coach Walton has been rewarding players who have shown offensive efficiency and/or defensive effort with more playing time whether they started the game or came off the bench.  This is obviously a solid coaching strategy but in turn it has also prevented this young team to develop much needed chemistry.  The Lakers' are unable to sustain offensive proficiency or defensive effectiveness when there is little continuity in player substitutions.  The coaches may still be figuring out the best combinations so I'll give them more time to get the mix just right.

Do you agree with these adjustments?  What other adjustments, if any, would you make?  Leave a comment below and let's GO LAKERS!

Lakers Are Learning How To Win

The Lakers notched their second victory of the season in thrilling fashion against a formidable Wizards team in overtime.  The boys didn't play flawlessly but are steadily improving and showing the league they are learning how to win.  Here are my key observations from tonight's 102-99 OT victory.

The Lakers are starting to develop a defensive mindset.  Just like how Lonzo's passing is getting infectious with his teammates, KCP's defensive tenacity is rubbing off on this young group of Lakers.  Unlike previous games, most of the jump shots taken by Washington were contested with very few miscues preventing wide open attempts or lay-ups.  The Lakers were also effective defending the pick and roll resulting in their first game holding their opponent below 100 points.  

Julius Randle continues to show he's a valuable part of the team. He didn't play many minutes in the first half but was a force to be reckoned with in the 4th quarter when the Lakers made their comeback to force the game into overtime.  Once again, Julius was a rock on the defensive end as he effectively stopped Wizard guards on switches, blocked shots and provided help defense on dribble penetration.  He still needs to calm down on offense as he committed untimely turnovers but did hit a crucial three pointer in the final minute of regulation.  His play was rewarded by Coach Walton by keeping him on the floor for the entire OT period.

Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance, Jr. were solid once again at the forward position as they combined for 33 points and 13 rebounds.  Even though he didn't have a stellar game from beyond the arc, Kuzma didn't show any fear taking shots down the stretch and is slowing becoming a go-to shooter in crucial moments.  Like Randle, Kuzma played in the final crucial minutes of regulation and all of OT.

Let's hope this game will mark the emergence of Brandon Ingram as the Lakers' go-to-guy.  He played timid during the first three quarters but something clicked in the final period.  Gone were the wild drives to basket which usually left him in awkward situations resulting in poor shot attempts or turnovers.  He took (and made) pull up jumpers from the elbow, a shot he needs to utilize more given his length and skill.  He started playing with controlled aggression resulting in crucial baskets, none more than his game tying drive and tip-in to force OT.  

The Lakers are starting to know what it takes to win.  Lonzo had a second straight subpar shooting night but still found a way to contribute to the team's victory pulling down 8 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists.  Continuity in player rotation is still something that needs to be sorted out but I'm sure Coach Walton and his coaching staff will figure it out soon.  Things continue to look up for the Lakers and I anxiously look forward to seeing them finally become the contender we all know they can be.

Celtics Saviors

Losing Gordon Hayward for the season was a significant below to the Celtics' chances to contend for the Eastern Conference crown.  However, not all hope is lost and Boston can still contend IF...

Marcus Morris returns from injury soon and contributes to the tune of 11-12 points per game while playing solid defense.  The Celtics will need to find ways to make up the 15 to 17 points per game they lost with Hayward.  Gordon may have averaged 20 points with the Jazz last year but his offensive production would most likely dip this year playing alongside Kyrie and Jaylen Brown.

Jayson Tatum steps up his offensive production by 3 to 5 points.  The stellar rookie already averages a noteworthy 12 points and 9 rebounds per contest.  He's got a high ceiling and Tatum will only get better as he learns to play in the NBA.  The key will be Kyrie who should have it in his best interest to accelerate the young man's learning curve.

The rest of the Celtics are already maxed out in terms of offensive output so it will be up to these two to become the X-Factor(s) needed to make a serious run at dethroning the Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference mountain.    

Some Positives After Lakers Loss To Pelicans

The Los Angeles Lakers fell short of completing an epic come from WAY behind victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.  Despite the loss, which dropped them to a record of 1-2, there were a few positives the Lakers should continue to build on.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be a great asset to the team this season.  Whether he'll stick around for more years to come will depend on how well he continues to play.  One thing is for certain, KCP is a great defender, just ask Dante Cunningham.  Let's hope his defensive tenacity will rub off on the other Laker guards.  Oh and he can shoot the ball pretty well. (20 points on 64% shooting)

Jordan Clarkson is instant offense and will make a serious run at Sixth Man of the Year honors.  He led the team in scoring with 24 points but more importantly he did it efficiently taking 18 shots and making 10 (56%).  He was one of the catalysts in the Lakers comeback and will be in the game during crucial moments.

Julius Randle got a chance to show his value to the team as he played tough, physical one-on-one defense against DeMarcus Cousins during the Lakers run that erased a 21 point Pelicans lead.  I'm sure this effort won't be lost on the coaching staff and we may get to see Julius on the court more playing alongside Nance, Jr. or Brook Lopez as the go-to big man reserve.

If Randle builds on this game and continues to play well, Kyle Kuzma's versatile play may create a new, somewhat better, problem for Coach Walton and his assistant coaches.  Kuzma could end up being the small forward behind Brandon Ingram.  He continues to impress the coaches and fans alike by scoring 20 points, grabbing 6 rebounds while shooting 54% from the field and playing solid team defense.

Lonzo Ball had an off shooting night but is starting to establish himself as the leader of the team.  The next couple of games will test these young Lakers on what they've learned so far as they face the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.      

"What Were They Thinking"

With the first week of the 2017-18 NBA season coming to a close, check out what some players are thinking but not willing to say out loud...in my opinion. 😅

Chris Paul better heal quickly before "The Beard" losses his patience.

KD and Steph got other things on their mind after being ejected from the game against Memphis.  No need to panic Warrior faithful, they'll be alright.

After leading the team in rebounding for the second straight game, Russ can see why so many basketball experts labeled Carmelo a one-dimensional player.

3 Reasons Why The Cavs Win The East...Again

The 2017-18 NBA season is barely underway but it looks like we already know who will be representing the East in the NBA Finals.  Here are 3 reasons why the Cavs make it back to the NBA finals.

1 - No Contenders, Just Pretenders.  After Cleveland, the Eastern Conference is stocked piled with teams pretending to be contenders.  Before the start of the season, Boston shed their pretender status and was anointed by most basketball experts as "almost elite" and would pose the biggest threat to Cleveland's dominance in the East.  That all changed in a heartbeat when Gordon Hayward was lost for the season after suffering a horrible leg injury in the first 5 minutes of their season opener.  Boston now joins Washington and Toronto as the only teams with the distinction of being "talented enough to win against anybody on any given night" but lack the depth to sustain a high level of team performance in a best of seven series.  The Wizards have John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Raptors have DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry and the Celtics have Kyrie Irving and his "star" by committee of Al Horford, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.  They will eventually have to contend with a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has not 1, not 2, not 3, not even 4 but 6 all stars caliber players on their roster.  Granted, injury and age may have taken a little away from some of these all stars but there's plenty left in the tank for one last run.

2 - The Bench.  With the addition of Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, and Dwyane Wade, the Cavaliers now boast talented players such as like Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith (starters from their 2016 NBA Champion team) off the bench.  They also have former NBA MVP Derrick Rose at point guard who will start for now as Isaiah Thomas rehabilitates his way back from a hip injury.  If that isn't enough, teams will have to deal with three point sharpshooter Kyle Korver, defensive minded Iman Shumpert and versatile Jeff Green.  The real challenge may lie with Coach Ty Lue as he tries to find enough minutes to keep all his players sharp and in sync throughout the season.

3 - Lebron, Lebron, Lebron.  A starting line-up that has Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade and a healthy Isaiah Thomas will almost guarantee you a trip to the Eastern Conference finals.  Now add the best player in the NBA to that line-up, need I say more?  See you in June.            

5 Things We Learned About The Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers notched their first win of the season against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.  The victory came just a day after their loss to the Clippers on opening night and gave us a glimpse of what we can expect from this young squad.  Here are 5 things we learned about the Lakers.

1 - The defense still needs to improve.  Whether is was defending off of screens or post-up isolation, the Lakers need to make better decisions (be crafty) to compensate for their lack of brute strength.  Too often they found themselves stopping dead in their tracks when Phoenix big men would set screens usually leading to dribble penetration or open jump shots.  Our front court defenders must be quick on their feet so they can beat their opponents to spots since we lack the physicality to move them in the paint.  A lot of this comes from experience and they are getting plenty of it already.  I think they'll be fine.  KCP coming back from suspension should help as well.

2 - Brandon Ingram is a true small forward.  He's too slow to defend at the 2 and not strong enough to play the 4.  He was still having issues playing physical defense against other small forwards especially in the post but I'm sure he'll figure out how to use his crazy length to compensate for his feathery weight.  BI had a solid game offensively at the 3 to the tune of 25 points.  He's still learning how and when to be aggressive offensively given that 24 of those points were scored in the first 3 quarters.  Progress nonetheless.

3 - Julius Randle is quickly becoming an afterthought.  The solid play of Larry Nance, Jr. as the starting power forward and Kyle Kuzma's ability to score almost anywhere on the floor is starting to spell the former #7 pick's doom.  What's worse is that Randle brings the flow of the offense to a screeching halt whenever he touches the basketball and his defense is less than noteworthy to keep him on the floor for extended minutes.  When the game was still up for grabs in the final minutes, it was Nance and Kuzma sharing the PF duties while Randle was buried deep in Coach Walton's bench.  Barring injury to Nance or Kuzma, Julius may not be a Laker for long.

4 - Brook Lopez is a keeper. (For the right price)  He's not flashy and he kinda lumbers up and down the court but make no mistake the guy can flat out score.  Whether it's a jump hook from the free throw line, a spin move fade away jump shot or a bomb from three point territory, he's a great option when the offense stalls since he can put the ball through the hoop in so many ways with very little help.  He's not a great rebounder and he doesn't have the defensive presence of a DeAndre Jordan or Hassan Whiteside but he quietly gets the job done.

5 - Lonzo Ball is for real.  He'll be cashing all the checks his dad wrote in no time.  Lakers did a better job putting the rock in his hands and he got to show everybody why Magic Johnson was so dead set on drafting him.  He had a few hiccups in this game but played like a veteran with the game on the line.  He finished with almost a triple double scoring 29 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 9 assists.  Brandon Ingram missed a three-pointer that went in and out which would have given Lonzo his first triple double of his NBA career.  What was more impressive was the fact he didn't look disappointed.  I guess he'll just get it in his next game.  Big Baller!          

Should the West Elite Worry? Not Yet...

The Oklahoma City Thunder's new Big Three got off to a tremendous start as they convincingly destroyed Carmelo's former team, the Kristaps Porzingis led New York Knicks with a final score of 105-84.

Paul George led the Thunder in scoring with 28 points while Melo chipped in a solid 22 points.  Russell Westbrook recorded his first triple double of the season with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists.  With Steven Adams chipping in 12 points, the Thunder seem poised to challenge the Warriors, Spurs and Rockets for Western Conference supremacy.

But looks can be deceiving.  The Thunder bench was non-existent combining for a pathetic 16 points and a measly 13 rebounds.  Sure, the fire power in the starting 5 is awesome but there will be off-nights and the bench will need pick up the slack when that happens.  Team rebounding might also be an issue when the point guard led the team in this category.

Of course this is just the first of an 82 game season and we will see how things progress.  OKC Thunder fans do have something to get excited about but it's too soon to seriously think they can contend for the title, "Best in the West".  The next 10 to 15 games will give us a better picture where they stand and I will follow their progress very closely.  I'm sure you will too.

Nowhere To Go But Up

The Lakers' 2017-18 season got off to a less than spectacular start against the Clippers on Thursday night.  In a word, the Lakers were SLOPPY.  They were as sloppy as any team with a bunch of new players playing significant roles could be.

The starting 5 of Nance, Jr., Deng, Lopez, Ingram and Ball was an experiment (due to the KCP suspension) that went horribly wrong.  The defensive match-ups were dreadful in almost every position.  Blake Griffin had his way with whoever defended him at the forward position due to Nance's lack of strength and Deng's lack of youth.  We have confirmation that Brandon Ingram is true and true a small forward because looked lost at the 2 on both offense and defense.  The Laker guards had trouble fighting through high screens which led to wide open jump shots or clear driving lanes to the basket.  Lonzo was tentative in his first NBA game (which was to be expected) and it affected his timing resulting in very little offensive opportunities for both himself and his teammates.

The one bright spot of the starting 5 was Brook Lopez who played solid methodical offense.  This was dimmed a bit as he was a non-factor on the defensive side of the court.  He didn't rebound well for a big man and did little to intimidate opponents from posting up or dribble penetrating their way to the basket.  The image below summed up our defensive woes for the night.

Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson looked comfortable and played a game worthy of Sixth Man of the Year accolades.  But he was the only bright spot off the bench.  Because of Nance's promotion to the starting line-up, the bench lacked significant energy and hustle.  Julius Randle doesn't seem as effective as a reserve and Kyle Kuzma didn't have playmakers alongside him to help open up scoring opportunities for himself and was relegated to picking up loose balls and scoring on broken offensive sets.  Andrew Bogut tried his best to be the bruiser of the team but Lonzo knows first hand who was the more physical team of the night.  Patrick Beverley welcomed the #2 pick of the draft with his usual brand of in-your-face defense while yelling "first team" (First All Defensive Team) at the young Lakers every opportunity he had throughout the night.

I did however like the fact that Lonzo did not back down from Beverley's antics which will only expedite his learning curve as he strives to be one of the best point guards in the league.

Hats off to the Clippers who showed they can continue to be a threat without CP3.  Whether or not they are a true contender remains to be seen.  Blake looks comfortable being the main man of the team and DJ seems to be a man on a mission to have the largest FT% improvement (from the previous year) in history as he shot 4 for 4 from the stripe, oh he also pulled down 24 rebounds.

The NBA season just started and the Lakers still have plenty of games to hit their stride.

Let's Sit Back and Enjoy!

The 2017-18 NBA season officially kicked off two days ago but as a Los Angeles Lakers fan, the season really starts today against our cross town rivals - The Clippers.

Like the Lakers, the Clippers had their share of off-season drama with Chris Paul being traded to the Houston Rockets and Doc Rivers being relieved of his President of Basketball Operation duties.  But I'll be totally honest, I don't really care.

What excites me is seeing the new era of Lakers basketball take the court under the leadership of Mr. Showtime himself, Earvin "Magic" Johnson.  I can't wait to see how Lonzo Ball will lead the team with his dynamic court vision and uncanny passing skills.  I'm looking forward to seeing Brandon Ingram break out into an "almost" all-star caliber player.  I'm excited to see if Kyle Kuzma can become the steal of the draft.  I want to see how Coach Luke manages all that young talent and making them into a serious threat for the final playoff spot in the very loaded Western Conference.  Can Jordan Clarkson win Sixth Man of the Year?  There are so many things to be excited about the Lakers this year.

And I'll leave it at that.  I'm excited and I'm sure you are too.  But I'm not going to get too excited, not yet at least since they haven't played a single regular season game.  I'm just gonna sit back, relax and enjoy every single game for now and hope the Lakers put things together and start to make strides towards meeting and hopefully exceeding their potential.  Go Lakers!