BLAZERS -at- LAKERS – 1-10-17 - Thoughts and :-(( Ratings
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic    LakersGround.net Forum Index -> Thoughts and Ratings Reply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
DancingBarry
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief


Joined: 07 Sep 2001
Posts: 40188
Location: O.C.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:50 pm    Post subject: BLAZERS -at- LAKERS – 1-10-17 - Thoughts and :-(( Ratings

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back… Halfway through the season and the press will remind these young Lakers they have something to focus on – the playoffs. It’s brought up more and more with each game. The Blazers are one of the teams standing in their way. Whether the Lakers make it or not, they will at least get a taste of playing under some pressure and intensity.

They got a taste of that pressure in the second half tonight.

After leading by 2 at the half, the Lakers would score just 12 points in the third quarter as the offense ground to a halt as the Blazers put the clamps on. The Lakers didn’t get the engaged effort they wanted out of Randle, while Russell struggled again with his three shooting. After a sensational first half of passing, he didn’t scratch an assist in the second half.

All those little defensive plays and extra efforts that we talked about in the last game? None of that tonight in the third.

“The Orlando third quarter was incredible. We were talking, flying around on defense,” Luke said. “I guess we have to realize that whatever we’re doing at halftime, we’ve got to come out and really get warm because we had some good looks and we were getting some stops early in the third. We just couldn’t make any shots, and it was multiple people.”

Much will be made of a brush up with Lillard and Russell in this third quarter with Lillard finally scoring some points off that, but if anything came from that it was that the Blazers team D stepping up the intensity and the Lakers simply did not.

Want a taste of what it will take to make the playoffs? Fight through things when the pressure gets amped up. The Lakers scored just 30 points in the second half and fell 108-87.

“I didn’t really recognize that team out there, but hopefully it was a little speedbump and we’ll be back,” Luke said.


Russell -- -- He had all 6 of his assists in the first half. Love the passes to Deng and Mozgov on the break. Defensively, he had the Lillard assignment. In the first half, he helped hold him to 1-10 shooting. In the second half, you could see Russell staring at Lillard after a Russell drive that he drew a foul on. So there was something going on. Later in the third, Russell blocked a Lillard drive then Lillard went at him after he thought Russell purposely bumped him. Russell didn’t back down. Too much was made of this because Lillard finally started to come to life a little after that, but really, it was the Lakers offense that flatlined. So not Blazer scoring, but maybe their D came more to life if anything. Russell was 0-8 from three against the Blazers last time they played, tonight he was 0-7. That 0-15 is crazy. He was also missing some FTs, as well, so the shot just wasn’t there even without any D. I think the bigger problems were being unable to create some points for others or himself as the game went along. In the fourth, he had a possession where he sucked the air out of the ball after the Lakers had a momentary spark of life. He tried to set up the offense, it took too long, the play failed and resorted to a Clarkson iso attempt. The Lakers were just not clicking on that end. I’ll take holding Lillard to 20 points on 7-21 shooting. “I thought he was getting into the guards and fighting over screens,” Luke said. “I was very happy with the way D’Angelo played tonight.” The poor shooting game from Russell and poor offensive execution in the second half (he had no assists) were what hurt. That’s how it goes with young guys. I’m glad to see the better D on Lillard. He didn’t give him space like he had in the other games, so maybe a little learning (he did have one play where he played too tight on him and gave up a drive where Mozgov defended like a wet noodle). The first half passing by Russell was sensational. “We just didn’t make shots. The world is not ending,” Russell said. The Stats: He scored 9 points on 4-14 shooting (0-7 from three, 1-4 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 steals, 1 block and 3 fouls in 30 minutes. He was a -9. The Action: His kickout was picked off for a layup the other way. He missed a corner three on a swing pass. He swiped a pass in transition, posted his man up and hit the turnaround. He missed a layup working the post. He missed a wing three. He curled off the screen and hit the short floater deep in the paint. Perfect bounce pass to Deng in transition for the layup. A bullet feed to Deng again on the break for the throwdown. Great outlet on the next stop to Mozgov who leaked out and it led to a dunk (that pass was on the money from freethrow line to freethrow line). He hit Nick for the wing three. He missed a high-arching wing three on iso. Second Half: He was blocked from behind on the pull-up jumper. He iso’d on Lillard, attacked off the dribble and drew his third foul, he made one FT. He curled off the screen, kept his man in jail and hit the short floater. He swiped a kickout pass. He blocked Lillard’s drive. He missed a floater on a drive. He drew an illegal screen call on Plumlee. He missed a wing three getting his man in air. He missed a wing three. He missed a corner three on a kickout. He attacked across the lane, drew a foul and he missed both FTs. He sank a pull-up 17-footer. He missed a wing three. He setup Randle for FTs off the two-man game.

Randle -- -- Sleepy first half with just 4 points on 2-4 shooting and 2 boards. He followed that up with an even more lethargic scoreless third quarter. Late in the fourth, he had a little bit of energy out there but it was way too late. Last 5 games prior to this one, Randle and Russell were averaging a combined 38 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals per game. They got the boards tonight, but the scoring wasn’t close. Just 6 from Randle. That killed them. Very few notes for him tonight compared to recent games. The Stats: He scored 6 points on 2-9 shooting (2-4 from the line) to go with 10 boards, 3 assists, 2 turnovers and 5 fouls in 26 minutes. He was a -8. The Action: He airballed a running jumper, not a good look. He threw a pass away instead of taking the 10-foot pull-up. He attacked to his right, drop-stepped back to his left and scored the layup. He attacked to his left and scored a layup. He missed a drive left. Second Half: He airballed a jumphook off some odd footwork. No challenge on a drive on the other end. He attacked, missed, got it back, missed and fouled. He picked up his third foul on a push under the offensive glass. He bricked a jumphook badly and wanted the foul. He pushed it up slowly, Mozgov filled a lane and he hit him for the dunk. Finally a tough challenge at the rim and we got the stop. He drew FTs on the screen-roll, he made one. He drew FTs on the offensive glass, he made one.

Deng -- -- Good job changing ends to make a passing lane available for Russell to find him in transition. That helped him on his way to a team-high 13 points in the first half. Like the last game, he struggled in the second half, scoring just 1 point the rest of the way. That pretty much summarized the game. They flying in the first half, then stuck in mud in the second half and struggled to score. The Stats: He scored 14 points on 5-10 shooting (1-2 from three, 3-4 from the line) to go with 6 boards and 1 steal in 30 minutes. He was a -22. The Action: He sold the D on a screen, attacked the rim on a straight line and scored the layup. He missed a face-up wing jumper. He crashed the glass to clean up a Mozgov miss. He got a Lillard switching, Russell fed him and Deng drew the FTs in the post attack, he made both. Quick swing pass to Nick who drew FTs on a three. He missed a layup in transition but got it back. He knocked down a toe-on-the-three-line jumper trailing the break. Great job changing ends with speed and Russell found him for the layup. He was blocked on a reverse. Again, he stepped on the gas in transition and again Russell zipped a pass to him for a throwdown. Second Half: Finally a good defensive rotation and he drew a charge on Plumlee off the two-man game. He missed a wing three. He drew FTs on a jumphook after crashing the glass, he made one.

Mozgov -- -- He was killing me in the second half. Weak challenges defensively, then bonehead plays on the offensive end. I don’t know if part of the D issues were some foul trouble in the first half, but I hate the plays where he doesn’t jump and holds his hands up in the air and guards flip layups up around him. Those need to be sent back. Again, I’m starting to think if you want him to play stronger D, you need to get him going on the offensive end. Some easy jumpers, some two-man sequences. Try to get him going more and maybe that will help on D. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 4-8 shooting to go with 2 boards, 2 turnovers, 1 block and 3 fouls in 20 minutes. He was a -12. The Action: He hit the short one hander off the Young drive and dish. He airballed a reverse. He attacked from the FT line and scored a layup. Finally a nice challenge at the rim. He was blocked on a layup after a late pass from Randle. He challenged a shot, leaked out and Russell found him with a pass the length of the court for the dunk. Second Half: He was blocked on a layup. He dunked, filing the lane with Randle on the break. Weak challenge on Lillard’s drive (he could have sent that one back easily, but just raised his arms). He tipped an offensive board out to the Blazers instead of grabbing it when no one was even challenging him, uggh. He missed an open 17-footer. He fumbled away a pass that hit him in the hands.

Young -- -- Nick got the assignment on McCollum along with Clarkson. In McCollum’s last 4 games, he’s averaged 35 points on 54% shooting. McCollum had 15 points in the first half and finished with 25. Nick only got back a few of those points, sinking a couple of threes and getting fouled on another. He’s been slumping a bit lately, hopefully, those two threes are him coming around again. But it was a flat outing. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 2-9 shooting (2-5 from three, 2-3 from the line) to go with 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 foul in 28 minutes. He was a -6. The Action: He attacked down the lane and dumped it to Mozgov for the short one. He missed a fade at the FT line. He was fouled on a corner three for FTs, he made two. He curled off a screen and hit the three. He swiped a pass in the corner. He missed a wing three. He swished a wing three. He blocked Lillard’s drive. Second Half: He missed a wing three. He missed a corner three in transition. He missed a wing pull-up. He missed a long sideline three. He missed a tough chuck from the perimeter.

Clarkson -- -- Defensively, he helped Nick with the McCollum assignment. Some more engaged D with Clarkson again in this one. Very happy with the effort he’s been making there lately. He had a couple more steals in this one (getting rejected badly in transition on one…that was a low light). The offense kind of turned into iso ball at times and Clarkson had a few of those moments. It looked like Luke talked to his team (getting ticked at Ingram) and Clarkson took the queue on that in the fourth because he moved the ball a little better. But too little too late. The Stats: He scored 9 points on 3-9 shooting (2-5 from three, 1-1 from the line) to go with 1 board, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 fouls in 23 minutes. He was a -13. The Action: He sank a tech FT. He swished a sideline three off the kickout from Robinson. He poked a ball loose from behind his man to get a stop. He missed a leaning jumper on an inbounds. He swished a sideline three out of a timeout. Second Half: He missed an iso three at the buzzer. He swished a pull-up jumper working off the screen. He stripped his man for a steal but was rejected badly in transition. He missed a long three at the shotclock buzzer. He hit Ingram with an extra pass for the three. He missed a wing three on iso. He probed and missed the off-balance drive.

Williams -- -- We had him defend Allen Crabbe instead of Evan Turner this time. Much better decision as Turner just killed Lou last time. He held his own against Crabbe. Very quiet second half from Lou when we needed a spark offensively. No one was stepping up. Some credit to the Blazers for switching and playing very mobile with their bigs, but Lou just missed some he usually makes. The Stats: He scored 10 points on 4-10 shooting (2-3 from the line) to go with 1 assist and 1 foul in 16 minutes. He was a -6. The Action: He faked the three, attacked right and took it all the way for a layup. He drew contact with no call and missed the jumper. He missed a wing three in transition, you could tell that was off from the release. He sank a three drifting to his left to start the second quarter. He was stripped in transition, turnover. He swiped a pass on the switch with Ingram. He swished a deep three after a jab step. He missed a baseline fade. He missed a floater. Second Half: He missed a layup at the rim (should have had that one). He got a switch, attacked quickly and hit the floater over the big. Not close on a drive against a big.

Ingram -- -- Luke was all over him in the fourth quarter for pounding the dribble and not moving the ball. The offense kind of fell apart into that from several players, but Luke’s not going to have Ingram build any bad habits. Ingram took the criticism in stride and swished a catch-and-shoot three in transition and another wing three later. No pouting, just getting back to work. Good job dodging the questions well about this exchange in the postgame interview afterward, too. “We started getting stagnant a little bit,” Ingram said of the game. He also said he needs to be more vocal and try to move the ball when that is happening. Early on, he was attacking the pressure D early on and drawing fouls (but missed half of his FT attempts in the first half). The Stats: He scored 11 points on 3-6 shooting (2-2 from three, 2-4 from the line) The Action: He attacked, got swatted and it led to a layup the other way. He hit Deng trailing the break for a jumper. He attacked the pressure D but choked the layup. He was fouled on a perimeter reach, he made one FT. Nice work tapping a defensive board over a big to himself and then pushing out the break. Excellent perimeter challenge to partially block or force an airball on the three. He attacked the pressure D and drew FTs in the paint, he made one. He crossed over on the drive and drew more FTs, he made one again. Second Half: He threw a pass away on a drive. He forced Turner into an airball on iso. He missed a pull-up wing jumper. He swished a step-back wing jumper on iso. He swished a corner three off a swing pass in transition. He drained a wing three.

Black -- -- He said before the game that the coaches this year have been “a breath of fresh air.” Scott buried him, out of the rotation. Luke has made him a key part of the rotation. Luke sat him at one point and had a conversation with him. That probably would have had Scott put him in a doghouse for a month or two. Tarik also struggled from the line tonight, missing a couple. The Lakers as a team just went 14-26 from the line. Uggh. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 2-4 shooting from the line to go with 4 boards, 1 assist, 1 turnover and 1 foul in 17 minutes. He was a -6. The Action: He muscled his way across the lane and drew FTs, he made one. He crashed the glass on the Randle miss and drew FTs on the putback attempt, he made one. Second Half: His inbounds pass was stolen under the hoop to give up another score.

Robinson -- -- Loved the first half rejection on Davis’s throwdown attempt. It seems like Robinson is good for at least one electric play a game. We need more guys able to do that on D. Someone pulled the plug on the Lakers electricity in the second half. The lights were off and nobody was answering the door. He at least played with more energy than our starting bigs when he came in in the second half, but that didn’t amount to a lot. No real impact on the glass in this one. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 4-6 shooting to go with 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block and 2 fouls in 16 minutes. He was a-9. The Action: He crashed the glass to recover a miss, then fed Clarkson for the three. He gathered a pass in transition and scored the short one over his man with his left. On the other end, he rejected Davis’s dunk attempt at the rim on help D (that was vicious). Short on a jumphook after a spin. Second Half: He took a pass down the lane, spun and hit the jumphook. He hit a runner in the lane when Lou found him. He missed a jumper. He booted a drive out of bounds. He scored a layup on a drive.

Huertas -- -- Garbage time minutes for Huertas. You could maybe make a case for trying to bring in one of Huertas or Calderon earlier in this game, but our second unit is usually more reliable and that is usually the kiss of death. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-1 shooting to go with 1 board, 1 assist and no fouls in 3 minutes. He was a -2. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He checked in and gave up an easy layup immediately to Lillard. He swished an elbow pull-up jumper.

Calderon -- -- In with a couple minutes left. I would have just left Ingram out there to get more time. Calderon might pull a muscle sitting that long. The Stats: He didn’t shoot or get any other stats in 2:25. He was a -3. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He avoided pulling a muscle.

World Peace -- -- Garbage time minutes with Calderon late. The Stats: He was scoreless, going 0-1 in 2:25. He was a -3. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He missed an awful looking 18-footer.

Walton -- -- Down 12-8, Luke called a timeout after the defensive rotation broke down and gave up a dunk… Ingram in for Randle, sliding Deng to PF at the 6-minute mark, down 1… Timeout with the Lakers up 1… Black, Clarkson in for Mozgov and Young out of that… Lou in for Russell, score tied… Robinson in for Deng with 1:39 left… The Lakers led 26-25 after the first quarter… Timeout up 5 with 8:35 left. Clarkson with a three on the subsequent play out of that… Deng and Julius back in for Black and Robinson, Lakers up 3… Young in for Clarkson… Lakers led by 1 midway through the quarter when the timeout came. Russell in for Ingram… Up 6, they forced a timeout getting out in transition… Mozgov picked up his third foul and Luke left him out there for a possession before bringing Black back… The Lakers led 57-55 heading into the half. The Lakers were 7-12 from three... Luke ticked at the effort of Mozgov and Randle on the glass and yanked them both midway through the quarter, down 5. Clarkson and Ingram also in for Young and Deng… Offense struggling, clanking shots inside and out… He sat Russell for Lou, Lakers down 7… The Lakers trailed 78-69 heading into the fourth… Luke called a quick timeout after giving up a couple of layups in a row early in the fourth. Game on the line here, down 13. The Lakers didn’t push back… He sat Robinson for Mozgov… Mozgov out for Randle, Lou out for Russell, Deng out for Young as the Lakers go small down 19… Huertas dusted off for Clarkson… Deep bench garbage time… Luke had his Mike Brown moment after this one saying he wasn’t sure what happened with the team and would have to look at the tape…


Last edited by DancingBarry on Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Omar Little
Moderator
Moderator


Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 90299
Location: Formerly Known As 24

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:51 pm    Post subject:

Yuck. First.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Inspector Gadget
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 18 Apr 2016
Posts: 46492

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 10:52 pm    Post subject:

Thanks DB.

I'm expecting a good effort against San Antonio and hopefully that 2nd half was just a glitch.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Chronicle
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 21 Jul 2012
Posts: 31930
Location: Manhattan

PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:58 pm    Post subject:

I missed this game, and yet apparently it looks like I didn't miss anything
_________________
Kobe
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Andre2K
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 12199

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:14 am    Post subject:

Loved the way Luke got into Ingram's face when he didn't move the ball in that sequence. And Ingram responded well to it.

You are right on the money on Mozgov DB. He is mobile, tall and athletic there is no reason why he shouldn't be a difference maker and be the rim protector the team needs, he should challenge shots more at the rim I think he just stands there with his arms up because the refs never give him the benefit of a doubt
_________________
My Dream Starting 5 next Season

Pg Lonzo
Sg Kawhi
Sf Ingram
Pf Lebron
C Dedmon

Bench: Caruso, Hart, Bullock, Kuzma, McGee etc
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
TooMuchMajicBuss
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 17 Sep 2008
Posts: 21064
Location: In a white room, with black curtains near the station

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:25 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB. Looked at the box score after watching the game:

Lillard: 20 pts on 21 shots, 8 rb, 6 assists, 2 to, 0 steals, 1 block in 31 minutes.

Russell: 9 pts on 14 shots, 8 rb, 6 assists, 2 to, 3 steals, 1 block in 30 minutes.

Remarkably similar other than scoring, and that's with Russell 0 for 7 from 3, and 1 for 4 from the ft line.

If Russell had shot his normal percentages for the season he'd have been close to Lillard's 20 pts. Those 3's were almost as wide open as the FT's he missed.

Problem is, Portland was able to run its offense in the second half and the Lakers couldn't. 12 points in the third quarter? Worst quarter of the season for the Lakers, best defensive quarter of the season for the Blazers.

Portland did step up it's defensive intensity, to a level I haven't seen them play against any other team in the league this year. Their defense normally sucks. I guess that's how Lillard actually won that little tiff. Fired up the Blazers, and the Lakers looked like they had almost no semblance of an organized offense in that 3rd quarter.

Dang. 10 games in a row now. Sick of taking grief from Blazer fans where I live. Silver lining is it's snowing here in Portland and I get to work from home tomorrow and avoid Blazer fans like the plague until they lose to Cleveland.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
eddiejonze
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 19 Dec 2013
Posts: 7191

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:37 am    Post subject:

lillard sure is cocky for someone who aint won squat
_________________
Creatures crawl in search of blood, To terrorize y'alls neighborhood.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Worthy42
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 19952

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:46 am    Post subject:

eddiejonze wrote:
lillard sure is cocky for someone who aint won squat


He ducked coming back for the Warriors game so he wouldn't have another 45 pt loss on his resume, to come back against us the next game in our last meeting with him. Dudes got little man syndrome. Still bitter he's not getting votes for the All-Star team.

and Thanks DB.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
A Mad Chinaman
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 6121

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:47 am    Post subject:

Kids still don't understand what is required to win games - consistency. They put in a good effort and satisfied. With Deng, Mosgov and LouWill (yes, even Him) are good teammates but not providing the needed mentorship.

Maybe looking T when the Shaq/Kobe teams were great closets
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
OregonLakerGuy
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 23 Feb 2005
Posts: 13207
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:13 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Vin
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 03 Jan 2013
Posts: 6005
Location: France

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:33 am    Post subject:

We didn't put the ball in the basket enough in the 2nd half. I haven't read it anywhere but it was our biggest mistake. Maybe GT can confirm it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
yinoma2001
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 19 Jun 2010
Posts: 119487

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:25 am    Post subject:

CJ McCollum is the real deal. I think I like him better than Lillard to be honest (who is starting to get a big head).
_________________
From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
JM
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 25 Jun 2005
Posts: 1281

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:14 am    Post subject:

yinoma2001 wrote:
CJ McCollum is the real deal. I think I like him better than Lillard to be honest (who is starting to get a big head).


Lillard isn't a bad guy. He has always been confident (and fairly loyal/convivial with the local community.) After management blew the team's increasingly good chances (letting Aldridge go etc.) at moving up, Lillard is naturally frustrated at losing. CJ, IS the real deal (what Clarkson should be,) but Lillard is terrific.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
yinoma2001
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 19 Jun 2010
Posts: 119487

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:17 am    Post subject:

JM wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
CJ McCollum is the real deal. I think I like him better than Lillard to be honest (who is starting to get a big head).


Lillard isn't a bad guy. He has always been confident (and fairly loyal/convivial with the local community.) After management blew the team's increasingly good chances (letting Aldridge go etc.) at moving up, Lillard is naturally frustrated at losing. CJ, IS the real deal (what Clarkson should be,) but Lillard is terrific.


CJ is less marketable, but equally (or more) effective than Lillard IMO. Lillard is a good player, but hyped a bit too much. His act against DLO was tired last night.
_________________
From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
pio2u
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54519

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:17 am    Post subject:

Good stuff, thanks DB!

I expected a much better effort, against an average team at best, that has now beaten us ten straight times.
IMO we very much lack consistency and heart. It's going to take a little more time before the young guys actually "get it."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
pio2u
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 26 Dec 2012
Posts: 54519

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:18 am    Post subject:

JM wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
CJ McCollum is the real deal. I think I like him better than Lillard to be honest (who is starting to get a big head).


Lillard isn't a bad guy. He has always been confident (and fairly loyal/convivial with the local community.) After management blew the team's increasingly good chances (letting Aldridge go etc.) at moving up, Lillard is naturally frustrated at losing. CJ, IS the real deal (what Clarkson should be,) but Lillard is terrific.
Agreed
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
TooMuchMajicBuss
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 17 Sep 2008
Posts: 21064
Location: In a white room, with black curtains near the station

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:30 am    Post subject:

pio2u wrote:
JM wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
CJ McCollum is the real deal. I think I like him better than Lillard to be honest (who is starting to get a big head).


Lillard isn't a bad guy. He has always been confident (and fairly loyal/convivial with the local community.) After management blew the team's increasingly good chances (letting Aldridge go etc.) at moving up, Lillard is naturally frustrated at losing. CJ, IS the real deal (what Clarkson should be,) but Lillard is terrific.
Agreed


When you talk about which players are loyal to their communities, very civic minded and active with charities Lillard is a top notch guy. On the court he's competitive, but he's not like Dragic looking get under people's skin.

Still, I can see him frustrated with his team's losing record, in what they consider a must win game to keep their playoff spot, not liking a 20 year old kid getting physical with him, not liking how hard they were having to work to put this Laker team away at that stage of the game. DLO's getting stronger and he's not the only physical player in the league, Damian's going to have to get used to it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Jakanzi
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 10 Jan 2017
Posts: 206

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:42 am    Post subject:

This is one of the first games where I felt like the offense let the Lakers down more than the defense, which actually strikes me as progress.

When the Blazers bring it they are a more talented and more experienced team. I actually thought the loss had less to do with the Lakers effort and more to do with the Blazers locking down on D in a way they haven't been able to all season but they've shown they can when Aminu is in the lineup.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Dylandogg
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 13 Apr 2001
Posts: 680

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:23 am    Post subject:

I only got to see the first half. But even in the first half it looked like Portland's D was bothering the young Lakers. Portland was aggressive, staying up on guys, doubling and switching well. This resulted in some misses on what should have been easy baskets and caused the Lakers offense to get out of sink.

I am not surprised Portland amped it up even more in the second half. They smelled blood in the water. But, this is why we do not want to tank. When a team tanks, other teams do not step up their game. So, the tanking teams, full of young players, never get really challenged, and thus they miss out on very important growth opportunities. That is what our young guys just experienced. Let's see how they respond.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Laker's Fan
Franchise Player
Franchise Player


Joined: 27 Jun 2002
Posts: 12812

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:48 am    Post subject:

Turned the game off mid 3rd quarter. As a vestige of the Byron years I have no patience for the team not giving effort. Clearly didn't come out in the 2nd half ready to work.

Fortunately there have been way fewer of those games this year.
_________________
Austin Reaves keeps his game tight, like Kobe Bryant on game night.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Lakers#1Team
Retired Number
Retired Number


Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 36360
Location: Nomad

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:31 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Dr. Funkbot
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 24 Sep 2001
Posts: 8188
Location: Eagle Rock

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:02 pm    Post subject:

Laker's Fan wrote:
Turned the game off mid 3rd quarter. As a vestige of the Byron years I have no patience for the team not giving effort. Clearly didn't come out in the 2nd half ready to work.

Fortunately there have been way fewer of those games this year.


cosign
_________________
R.I.P. Doc Buss
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Jakanzi
Starting Rotation
Starting Rotation


Joined: 10 Jan 2017
Posts: 206

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:15 pm    Post subject:

Portland up 17 on Cleveland in the third right now and been in control the whole game. Cavs could still come back but for me this kinda confirms that when locked in, Portland is just a flat out better team than the Lakers (despite their mediocre record and defensive numbers) and showed it, especially with Aminu.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
DancingBarry
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief


Joined: 07 Sep 2001
Posts: 40188
Location: O.C.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:52 pm    Post subject:

Jakanzi wrote:
Portland up 17 on Cleveland in the third right now and been in control the whole game. Cavs could still come back but for me this kinda confirms that when locked in, Portland is just a flat out better team than the Lakers (despite their mediocre record and defensive numbers) and showed it, especially with Aminu.


Agree. Maybe some guys weren't as good as they showed in playoffs last year but I don't think they're as poor as they've shown this season.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Shaber
Star Player
Star Player


Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 3731
Location: The other side

PostPosted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:16 pm    Post subject:

Jakanzi wrote:
This is one of the first games where I felt like the offense let the Lakers down more than the defense, which actually strikes me as progress.

When the Blazers bring it they are a more talented and more experienced team. I actually thought the loss had less to do with the Lakers effort and more to do with the Blazers locking down on D in a way they haven't been able to all season but they've shown they can when Aminu is in the lineup.


Lakers need to tape Portlands game and rewind it every film session. To learn to play the same kind of D. We'd propel to the playoffs.
_________________
.

Lakers depth chart

PG Johnson / Goodrich
SG Bryant / West / Scott
SF Baylor / Worthy / Cooper
PF Mikkelsen / Hairston / McAdoo / Gasol
C Chamberlain / Abdul-Jabbar / O'Neal / Mikan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Reply with quote
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    LakersGround.net Forum Index -> Thoughts and Ratings All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2
Jump to:  

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum






Graphics by uberzev
© 1995-2018 LakersGround.net. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.
LakersGround is an unofficial news source serving the fan community since 1995.
We are in no way associated with the Los Angeles Lakers or the National Basketball Association.


Powered by phpBB