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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreThe overconfident Lakers’ furious fourth quarter rally ran out of gas and Jamal Murray’s clutch dagger three’s in the final 2:17 sealed a Game 3 win and saved the Denver Nuggets from going down 0–3 in the West Finals.
Nuggets’ players and fans may disagree with that assessment of where the Western Conference Finals stand but that’s what an objective comparison of the teams’ strengths and weaknesses and review of the game stats show. While the Nuggets deserve praise for hanging tough the last two games, the Lakers are still the better team with better superstars and a 2–1 lead in the series, despite how well Denver and their two superstars may have played.
All the Nuggets’ desperate win last night did was give them a brief reprieve to keep from going down 0–3. Tomorrow night, their backs are once again against the wall in another ‘must win’ game to keep from going down 1–3. Denver needs to win tomorrow night to keep this series alive because they know the odds of pulling off a third straight 1–3 comeback in these playoffs against a championship caliber Lakers team are close to impossible.
The cocky Lakers came into last night’s game with a 2–0 lead in the West Finals and the knowledge LeBron James is 17–0 when his team takes a 2–0 lead in a playoff series. Unfortunately, they forgot to bring their A-Game. The desperate Nuggets were the hungrier and more aggressive team, dominating the boards 53–34, winning the 3-point shootout by 15 points, making 9 more free throws, and building a 20-point fourth quarter lead.
With 10:24 left in the game, the Lakers came roaring back behind Rondo’s defense and LeBron’s offense and, in a stunning 4 minute 17 second burst, slashed the Nuggets’ 20-point lead to 3 points with 6:07 left on the clock. The game seesawed back and forth until, with just 2:17 left on the clock, Jamal Murray hit a dagger three to put the Nuggets up by 7 and then, with 53.3 seconds left, a second dagger three from 29 feet to seal the win.
Murray’s heroics, like Davis’ the game before, were the difference between winning and losing and the series now stands 2–1 in favor of the Lakers. The Nuggets can wish it were 2–1 in their favor but it could easily be 0–3. They dodged a bullet just like the Lakers did when Davis hit that game winning three. Bottom line, their backs are against the wall again tomorrow night when they must win or once again fall into that familiar 1–3 hole.
The problem the Nuggets face is the Lakers are unlikely to come out flat tomorrow night. The Lakers now know the Nuggets are capable of beating them and are going to come out treating the matchup like a close-out game. The Lakers know they let last night’s game get out of control and rallied too late. LeBron’s on a crusade to win his fourth NBA championship and AD’s going to be hungry to redeem his lackluster performance in Game 3.
The Lakers are going to come out looking to dominate the Nuggets early and coast to a wire-to-wire win. Here are the five reasons why the Lakers will win Game 4 and put the Denver Nuggets on the brink of elimination:
1. Playoff LeBron Will Emerge.
To be honest, the Lakers haven’t needed Playoff LeBron this postseason. However, last night’s loss and insinuations age and mileage are finally catching up with him are exactly what Lebron thrives on for motivation. James has only played 34.4 minutes per game in these playoffs, averaging just 25.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. In the 2018 playoffs, he played 41.9 minutes and averaged 34.0 points, 9.1 boards, and 9.0 assists.
The Lakers are now in the stretch run. With two wins to the Finals and six wins to the championship, it’s time for Playoff LeBron to take over. Look for LeBron to play 40 minutes with a monster triple double in a Game 4 win.
2. Anthony Davis Will Redeem Himself.
While he had 27 points on 9–17 from the field and 9–10 from the line, AD had a disappointing Game 3, especially after his clutch game-winning buzzer-beating heroics to win Game 2. He has openly admitted as much. Davis was passive the entire game, only grabbed two rebounds, and was never a factor with the game on the line. He simply did not deliver a performance worthy of a top-five superstar and team’s second best player.
But Anthony will get an opportunity to redeem himself tomorrow night when the Lakers look to win Game 4, take a 3–1 series lead, and put Denver on the brink of elimination. AD needs to play 40 minutes and dominate.
3. Lakers Defense Will Dominate.
The Lakers had the third best defense during the regular season and have the fourth best defense in the playoffs. Their team identity is defense and they pride themselves on their ability to stop opposing teams’ superstars. They shut down Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in the first round of the playoffs and James Harden and Russell Westbrook in the second round. They’re confident they can do the same to Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
L.A. may have found the defensive key in the fourth quarter last night as their zone held Denver to just 21 points with a 77.8 defensive rating. Look for Frank Vogel to use that zone to crank up the pressure in Game 4.
4. Lakers Will Control the Boards.
The Lakers are the bigger and better rebounding team, 9th in the regular season with 45.7 rebounds per game versus the Nuggets 20th with 44.1. In the playoffs, LA is 7th with 44.0 boards and Denver 13th with 41.4 boards. In the two games they won, the Lakers outrebounded the Nuggets 39 to 34. In the one game they lost, however, the Nuggets dominated the boards 53–34, which is why they were able to build a 20-point lead in the fourth.
One of the Lakers’ strengths as a team is their edge in size and athleticism, which usually translates into winning the rebounding battle. The Lakers will come out and impose their domination on the glass tomorrow night.
5. The Lakers Will Make their Threes.
When opposing teams pack the paint and dare the Lakers to shoot from deep, they need to make their threes to win. In the two games the Lakers won, they shot 38.7% from deep. In last night’s loss, they only shot 23.1%. In the ten playoff games the Lakers won, they shot 39.2% from deep. In the three games they lost, they only shot 22.9%. For the series, the Lakers have shot 34.1% from deep, just a notch below their 35.5% playoff average.
One of the Lakers’ vulnerabilities is their average 3-point shooting, which is why opponents try to clog the lane and force the Lakers to shoot from deep. Fortunately, the numbers strongly suggest the Lakers will make their threes.
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The same strategy should also be deployed against Jokic with Anthony Davis. Make the Nuggets’ two stars work on defense.
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Nice write up LT, some good stuff here.
1) I hope so. While I don’t believe in the ‘playoff’ prefix for professional sports I do believe we will see a more focused and determined LeBron James tonight. While we may not see him posting up on the low-block and abusing the Denver defense like I believe we should I do expect him to get to the rim more. Now that’s determined as much by the players he’s sharing the floor with. He needs a rolling big man, likely Howard but we’ll see what the fouls dictate, and he needs a couple three ball shooters and Davis. So somebody needs to get hottish from three, hopefully more than one guy and James needs to not settle for mid-range fade-aways.
2) Davis needs to spend less time guarding Jokic. As Buba astutely pointed out in hsi response to my, AD banging against Nikola for extended minutes isn’t a recipe for Laker success. If you want Davis a little fresher for the close out of a game then you need more minutes from Hoawrd and McGee. I would prefer Howard, he’s the better defender and looks fresher in general, but you also want Dwight with 3, maybe 4, fouls going into the 4th quarter and that’s not something we’ve really been able to count on. Fair or not, Dwight has a rep and has a tendency to pick up 1-2 silly fouls/game. That hurts us in terms of his availability. At any rate, I think we should switch up the center rotation Start Dwight but play JaVale when Mason is on the floor, absorb those minutes, don’t need AD banging against scrubs, save him for the 4th.
3) This could be points 1-5. Our defense needs to figure out the pick and roll dilemna that Jokic and Murray present. It’s not like the Lakers are alone in struggling to contain the duo, the Clippers are at home for that specific reason, Utah, too. The zone worked but now it won’t be unexpected, blitzing Murray opens passing lanes and he’s not the passer Nikola is, that might work a little bit, too. All in all i think we need to commit better to stopping The Team and live with solid star output, you have to giv something up and it’s easier to shut down the other 3 players on the floor. We especially need to dominate when Jokic sits on D. We cannot afford to lose or even break even in those minutes.
4) We at least need to keep it competitive. This is where Paul ilsap does a lot of damage and the Nuggets are great at the tap out off misses. We need to box out better and go up with 2 hands, especially our guards. But if it’s not close we’re in trouble.
5) This, to me, feels like wishful thinking. We just don’t have shooters with knock down DNA. JR has that but is a huge liability on D. Waiters seems to have gone to Waiters Island and pulled a castaway on us. Seemed like he could contribute but is oftn in street clothes most nights which is disappointing. If you want Caruso’s D you have to live with his spotty outside shooting, same goes for Danny Green and Rondo. In my opinion, the guy we need to unlock from three is one Kyle Kuzma. If we can get K-squared going from the outside it opens up an entirely different game. I think w should try and get the man from Flint going early and see if w can force a different defensive posture from Denver. Mainly, if you’re open, don’t think twice just let it fly.
Our bench needs to be better than their bench and we’ll put ourselves in a good position to go up 3-1.
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1. Don’t diss LeBron, Jamie. He’s going to dominate tonight.
2. Don’t diss AD either. He’s going to dominate tonight.
3. Way to stop them on offense is hunt them on defense.
4. We will dominate boards. Last game was an outlier.
5. GHE response as usual. We hit our 3’s in 10 of 13 games.
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The Lakers used 6 5-player lineups in the 3 games against the Nuggets. 5 had positive net ratings and 1 was negative.
Here are the five with positive net ratings:
1. Howard, Rondo, Green, Davis, Caldwell-Pope: 7 min, +31.3
2. James, Rondo, Davis, Caruso, Kuzma: 21 min, +22.5
3. James, Howard, Green, Davis, Caldwell-Pope: 15 min, +22.5
4. Rondo, Davis, Caldwell-Pope, Caruso, Kuzma: 10 min, +11.4
5. James, McGee, Green, Davis, Caldwell-Pope: 24 min, +6.4What does this tell us? The McGee lineup is not terrible but not worthy of the most minutes.
Here is the one with negative net rating:
6. James, Rondo, Morris, Caruso, Kuzma: 13 min, -41.2
What does this tell us? Don’t play Morris without Davis or Howard. Frank used this when Plumlee was in game and it backfired badly.
Who should start? I do buy the theory of not getting Dwight into foul trouble although the flip side is it’s a chance to get Joker in foul trouble. But I think the best move is to start Morris instead.
That’s a lineup that’s played together well, gives us better 3-point shooting, more speed on the break, and quicker rotations on defense. It worked against the Rockets and should against the Nuggets.
What about the bench? I would play LeBron and AD 40 minutes and limit bench to Rondo, Caruso, Kuzma, and Howard. I would also try to use those four proven lineups that have worked and avoid any new combinations. Time to lock and load and put Denver on the brink of elimination.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreNo disrespect to LeBron James, who valiantly took the mantle from Kobe Bryant and carried this team through the most difficult and unprecedented season in the history of the NBA, but Anthony Davis is the Lakers’ future.
When AD’s game-winning buzzer-beating dagger-three splashed through the net, it was like the world stopped, the team’s legacy clock reset, and the era where Anthony Davis takes over as Lakers top superstar officially began. Out of respect, the Lakers will still be known as LeBron’s team like they had been known as Shaq’s team but the cognoscenti will know the moment had come when the team’s future depended on AD like it once did with Kobe.
Great as LeBron James is, the Lakers will only go as far as Anthony Davis can carry them. We saw hints of this throughout this long disjointed season and its harsh reality during the second half of last night’s Nuggets’ game. There will be games LeBron can still dominate just like there were with Shaq but the time has finally arrived when LeBron and the Lakers need to look to AD to close games like Shaq and the Lakers needed to look to Kobe.
While LeBron James is still the King and MVP of the regular season, it will likely be the ascent of Anthony Davis to Finals MVP and best player in the league that wins the Los Angeles Lakers their 17th NBA championship. That’s what this season, the Klutch Sports driven trade for AD, LeBron’s taking the baton from Kobe, and James’ respect and deference to empower Davis has all been about: winning championships and building a legacy.
This has been an unbelievably tough season for the Lakers with obstacles like the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, the five-month coronavirus layoff, and losing home court advantage to the bubble repeatedly blocking their way. But the basketball gods may finally be smiling on the Lakers as the bubble playoffs have eliminated the Bucks and Clippers, their main competitors, and cleared the road for Los Angeles to win its 17th NBA championship.
No disrespect to the Nuggets, Heat,or Celtics but this season is the Lakers’ best opportunity to win a championship with the Bucks and Clippers gone and the healthy Warriors and the new look Nets back in the mix next year. Who knows how long LeBron James can continue to cheat Father Time, what blockbuster moves franchises may make to create new superteams, or how long the coronavirus pandemic will devalue home court advantage.
When LeBron James joined the Lakers in free agency two summers ago, critics said he did it for family reasons. In retrospect, the decision was a calculated move to enhance his legacy and chances to become the GOAT. LeBron could play four more seasons after this, retire at 40-years old after his sixth season and maybe fourth championship as a Laker, and trump Michael Jordan as the GOAT with seven NBA championship rings.
No NBA superstar has ever had the career savvy and vision of LeBron to understand how combining his star power, the Lakers’ legacy, and AD’s talents could give him his best chance to surpass MJ to become the GOAT. That’s why he has deferred to AD and is willing to give him the opportunity to become Finals MVP and best player on the planet and even take a pay cut on his last contract with the Lakers. It’s all part of his master plan to win.
That clutch step-back dagger three at the buzzer by Anthony Davis not only positioned the team six games away from their 17th championship but also gave the rest of the NBA formal notice the Anthony Davis era had begun.
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I seriously think AD’s buzzer-beating game-winning three was a transcendental moment in Anthony Davis’ career that officially puts the rest of the NBA on notice he’s arrived and is going to challenge Giannis, KD, Luka, and all of the other pretenders for LeBron’s crown as GOTE (Greatest of This Era).
I also think it’s a part of LeBron’s grande master plan to create a legacy for him as a Laker Great and catapult him past Jordan in the eternal GOAT conversation. I imagine he and Rich Paul talking about how LeBron could catch and pass MJ and theorizing about joining the Lakers, leveraging their legacy to get Anthony Davis there, and then playing 5 or 6 years and winning 3 or 4 more rings before retiring to become the acknowledged GOAT.
Of course, we need to take advantage of the path before us and win this championship, which will open the floodgates for deals to even get better for next season. That means semi-closing out the Nuggets Tuesday night to go up 3 zip to take their soul along with their heart. 10 down, 6 more to go. The Four Horsemen can smell the barn so it’s full speed ahead and take no prisoners.
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Thanks, Sean. By the way, fabulous job on the Lakers Fast Break Podcast last night. You had us splitting sides we were laughing so hard. That Isle of the Misfit Toys take on JaVale was classic.
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Right on, John. Kobe’s is a huge reason why LeBron and Anthony Joined the Lakers. Kobe showed them how important the Lakers could be to how high they could aspire and go as professional basketball players as well as their post game careers. LeBron and AD have embraced everything Kobe and the Lakers represent. The Lakers were an integral part of LeBron’s career masterplan and quest to become the GOAT!
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Aloha Jamie,
nice recap. i would like to add a 6th point to your 5. i love Rondo after he delivered that perfect bounce pass to AD for the win. while everyone was going crazy, he just casually walked down the court with a slight smile, like “No big deal, thats what we do”
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I saw that too, Michael. Very classy and he led AD perfectly on that bounce pass. The other sidebar was one of the Nuggets punching the basketball in anger after AD’s show splashed through the net.
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I also want to make sure nobody mistakes my article as being critical of LeBron or takes it as a dig against LeBron. He is still the best player on the planet but make no mistake, the Lakers are entering the Anthony Davis era and LeBron is the one making sure AD gets every opportunity to shine and win. Takes a special superstar who actually cares more about his team winning than his own personal stats. Bron does what the team needs to win. That’s what makes him special.
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LOL. What a game to miss, Buba. Fortunately, we’re in the era where nothing is ever missed. I must have watched the game winner a 100 times already. Don’t miss the post by Gerald of the shot from a bunch of different angles. It’s the best way to relive it.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreAs we get ready to for Game 2 in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, one of the big questions to consider is who has been the Lakers’ third most valuable player so far in the NBA bubble playoffs?
After staying with essentially the same starting lineup most of the season, Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel has made several major adjustments both to the starting lineups as well as his rotations since we started the playoffs. Before the playoffs, the talk was about the Lakers needing Kyle Kuzma to step up and be the team’s third star to be win a championship but now other players like Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard have started to emerge.
It’s easy to say the Lakers’ third star is the open man or their elite defense but history tells us the team is more likely to need a key role player to emerge as the third most valuable player to win the NBA championship. Will that be a current starter like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope or Danny Green or a key reserve like Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, or Dwight Howard. At the halfway point, we’re starting to see who could be legitimate candidates.
To help you analyze those candidates, let’s look at how individual Lakers ranked according to the following key playoff player stats per NBA.com:
Net Rating, Plus/Minus, Points, Assists, Rebounds, Blocks, and Steals.
Net Rating Per Game
One of the key stats used to compare a player’s overall performance is Net Rating because it measures the difference between the player’s offensive and defensive rating. Danny Green’s net rating is best on the team and tops LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which makes him a serious candidate.
Plus/Minus Per Game
Plus/Minus is another stat analysts like to use to compare players as it measures how the team does when a player is on the floor and includes intangibles such as fit, chemistry, and things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Danny Green’s third best plus/minus adds to his candidacy.
Points Per Game
There’s a case to be made that points per game is the best stat by which to measure who is the Lakers’ third most valuable playoff player. The Lakers do need a third consistent scorer to complement LeBron and AD. Kyle Kuzma being the team’s third best scorer makes him a top candidate.
Assists Per Game
Next to scoring, a second playmaker to play alongside and free up LeBron James from being the Lakers’ only facilitator and to run the offense when he rests is always near the top of the list of Lakers’ needs. Rajon Rondo’s elite playmaking, though only in three games, catapults him into contention.
Rebounds Per Game
As expected, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the Lakers’ best two rebounders. Controlling the boards has always been a critical factor both aton the defensive and offensive glass for teams to win in the playoffs. Dwight Howard’s elite rebounding makes him a legitimate candidate.
Blocks Per Game
There’s truth in the axiom ‘defense wins championships’ and Frank Vogel’s defensive philosophy has always been defense starts inside-out with rim protection. The surprise is Dwight Howard not making the list but JaVale McGee should be added as a candidate because of his shot blocking.
Steals Per Game
Steals are often an underappreciated defensive stat but impact the team’s offense because they often lead to easy transition points on the offensive end. Rajon Rondo’s 2 steals per game in limited games and minutes should add to his candidacy as the Laker’s third most valuable playoff player.
Summary of Rankings
Here’s a recap of where each Lakers player finished as far as the playoff top five rankings for the seven statistical categories discussed above:
Obviously, the Lakers’ third most valuable playoff player should contribute in multiple areas like LeBron James and Anthony Davis have done. Per that criteria, the leading candidates so far are Rajon Rondo and Danny Green. We’re slightly past what hopefully is the halfway point in the Lakers’ quest to win the championship, so a lot can change as competition and pressure ramps up as we finish the Conference Finals and then the NBA Finals.
We’ll continue to track who’s performing as the team’s third most valuable player as the Lakers pursue the franchise’s 17th NBA championship and follow up at the end of the playoffs with a final article and award.
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Most of the time, I find the stats confirm the eye test. In writing this article, I expected Rajon Rondo to emerge as the leading candidate at the halfway point to the championship to be the Lakers’ leading candidate for third most valuable player on the team and that was true. What I didn’t expect was for Danny Green to be right there with Rondo as a legitimate candidate.
It’s an easy read despite the length as I display charts showing the top five Lakers players in each of seven different statistical categories that I believe are excellent measures of the players’ contributions to the team’s success as well as a summary chart that shows where each player ranked for those categories.
Hope you enjoy. I will be following up with an article and award at the end of the playoffs for the Lakers’ player who was the third most valuable player for the Lakers in the playoffs. Please read and comment. Thank you.
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I’d say our defense is the 3rd most but in terms of getting LeBron some off ball rest, easy buckets and leadership Rondo edges Dwight.
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What’s interesting is, as impressive as Rondo and Dwight have been so far in the playoffs, the sample size is small. Rondo has only played in three games and Dwight was only resurrected after multiple DNPs against the Rockets.
Right now, I would have to agree Rondo has been the team’s third playoff MVP but we’re just starting the second half of the championship quest so there’s plenty of opportunity for Danny Green, Markieff Morris, and Dwight Howard to make their cases. Or even KCP or Alex, which is great for the Lakers.
Right now, looks like we could see a starting lineup of LeBron, AD, Green, KCP, and Dwight going forward with Rondo, Kuzma, Morris, Caruso, and occasional THT off the bench. That’s a rotation with all 10 players playing well right now, which is why we’re winning.
I feel for JaVale. I could see Frank starting him again to see how he could do but I don’t think that makes sense. Tough to handle but JaVale is up to it. Just raises issues for next season. If Dwight starts and excels and the Lakers win, we might have to spend our MLE to keep him. That would likely mean McGee would join the Lakers trade package along with Kuzma and Green.
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I think McGee gets another start. At least one but I also won’t be blown away if Dwight gets the nod and we go smaller a little more often. Right now we played 21 out of 48 minutes of small ball, that includes the garbage time minutes for JVMG. I could see that getting as high as 30-33 mpg. Like Stu Lantz says: let success be your guide.
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As for defense being our third star, I think it’s this team’s identity and permeates everything we do as a team. And truthfully, a team’s identity is more important than a third star. Saying defense is our third star underappreciated and demeans how important it is to our success as a team. It’s our IDENTITY! Who we are!
Now the open man, that’s a better option if we can’t specify one player as the third star. That’s more of a game to game situation. For a stretch like the playoffs, where we have to win 16 games, I think we do need at least one and maybe two role players to step up and become the consistent difference makers. Right now, my bet’s on Rondo and Howard being those two players… with a little help from the ‘open man.’
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lol, Frank Vogel was the one who said defense is our 3rd superstar dude. Fire the coach!!!! Just kidding. I don’t think it “demeans” a single thing. It’s showing it respect. Frank referred to the open man as being our best scoring option after LeBron. One way or another, nothing original about this convo. We’re just rehashing what the coach already said.
Open Man: https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-frank-vogel-discloses-who-will-serve-3rd-option/
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LMAO. Of course it was Frank who said the third man was the open shooter and our defense. That’s why I used them. They were his attempts to deflect from the reality that no Laker had stepped up to be the team’s third star. SMH.
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Lakers Fast Break wrote a new post
Read MoreGerald is back with Rafael Barlowe from NBA Draft Junkies as they recap Game Three of the Heat-Celtics.
Don’t forget to Subscribe to our shows and leave us that 5-Star Review with your questions on Apple Podcasts or e-mail us at lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com!
Presented by our friends at NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.com, Pop Culture Cosmos, Zero Cool Films, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available for purchase HERE), and Retro City Games!
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreIt was Playoff LeBron, Playoff AD, Playoff Rondo, and Playoff Dwight. The Lakers’ Four Playoff Superstars could have been the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse far as the helpless and hapless Denver Nuggets were concerned.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was a masterpiece of playoff basketball orchestrated by a quartet of Lakers’ superstars, including two of the greatest playmaker-big man tandems from the NBA present and past. Representing the present were the 2020 First Team All-NBA playmaker and center duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Representing the past were future HOF point guard and center Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard.
Together, the Lakers’ Four Horsemen gave the upstart Nuggets a dose of reality, breaking the game open early in the second quarter with a 17–1 run and then finishing them off with an 11–2 burst early in the third quarter. Those two runs were triggered by the Lakers’ elite defense, which totally shut down Nuggets’ superstars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and held Denver to just 21 points in the second and 20 points in the third quarters.
The LeBron James and Anthony Davis starting superduo combined for 52 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists while the Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard backup superduo contributed 24 points, 4 boards, and 9 dimes. With first half foul trouble and the game decided early, the Nuggets’ superstar duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray only played 25 and 29 minutes and were held to a combined 42 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists
The Lakers as a team recorded 33 assists compared to 23 for the Nuggets. The Playoff LeBron and Playoff Rondo playmaker tandem contributed 21 of those assists, having a hand in 74 of the 126 total points the Lakers scored. Meanwhile, the Playoff AD and Playoff Dwight center duo posted 50 points and 13 rebounds, clearly outplaying the Denver center tandem of Nikola Jokic and Mason Plumlee, who had just 30 points and 10 rebounds.
The total domination by the Lakers’ Four Horsemen is reflected in their individual plus/minus ratings. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both posted +15 ratings while Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard recorded +13 and +14. Since they led by as many as 27 points late in the third quarter, the Lakers were able to rest their stars in the fourth quarter. James only played 31 minutes, Davis only 33 , Rondo only 22 , and Howard only 16 minutes.
Game winning play like the Lakers showcased in the second and third quarters to put Game 1 away demand contributions from more than the superstars and the Lakers got great performances from their role players. Caldwell-Pope chipped in 18 points on 6–10 shooting and 3–5 threes, Kuzma added 11 points on 5–8 shooting and 1–2 threes, Morris 9 points on 3–4 from deep and elite defense, and Green 8 points and stellar defense.
While it’s just one game and the never-say-die Nuggets have proven their resilience by coming back twice in these playoffs from 1–3 deficits, these Lakers are clearly not the overachieving Thunder or choke prone Clippers. The Lakers are not only hitting on all cylinders and peaking at the right time, they’re also led by four sure-fire future HOF players who are on a quest seeking a championship and redemption in the eyes of their critics.
LeBron James is ‘pissed’ he only received 16 of 101 votes for the 2020 MVP award given yesterday to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anthony Davis is out to prove that he and not Antetokounmpo deserved the 2020 DPOY Award. Rajon Rondo has a chip on his shoulder and wants to prove Playoff Rondo still lives. And Dwight Howard wants to erase three DNP’s and the bad taste of being a dysfunctional teammate and win his first NBA championship.
The Lakers have their sight clearly focused on winning the franchise’s 17th NBA championship and are now just 7 games away from reaching that goal and proving to the haters and doubters they’re the best team in world. They’re not going to take their foot off the gas or the throats of the Denver Nuggets. With the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers no longer in the way, the Lakers can see the finish line and sense the championship.
Head coach Frank Vogel and his coaching staff have done a masterful job managing their roster, rotations, and game plans. Now the Lakers’ Four Horsemen can smell the barn and clearly see the championship finish line.
9 Games down and 7 to go to win their 17th championship and redemption.
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Sometimes, it seems like the Lakers never get the respect they deserve. LeBron has a valid gripe about only getting 16 out of 101 votes for MVP. As does AD for not winning DPOY. Too many East Coast media types who don’t stay up to watch West Coast games. It’s insulting that Rajon Rondo’s and Dwight Howard’s contributions to the Lakers winning get less attention than the numerous memes dissing their HOF careers. Ef those saying Playoff Rondo is a myth or comparing PG to Dwight. Going to love seeing the haters and doubters eating their crow when the Lakers’ Four Horseman win the franchise’s 17th championship.
And a roaring shout out to Frank Vogel and the Lakers’ coaching staff for the fabulous job they’ve done these playoffs not only in putting together great game plans for our opponents but also getting the players ready to play and making the smart savvy adjustments like starting Dwight instead of JaVale in the second half. And Kudos for McGee still leading the cheering from the bench. The team first culture Vogel and his staff and LeBron and AD have instilled in this team is why they’re in the conference finals and the Bucks and Clippers have been sent fishing.
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LOL. I’m in favor of winning, Jamie.
As I said in my comment to your ‘5 Things,’ I’ve never been a fan of the Lakers going big for several reasons.
First, I believe today’s game, rules, and matchups make going small the smart thing to do, especially when you have the best two-way small ball center in the league.
Second, it’s very difficult for most bigs to defend a player beyond the arc. JaVale certainly can’t do that. AD can and depending on the opposing center, Dwight can, especially against Jokic because he is quicker and faster.
Third, going big plays into the hands of most better teams’ defensive strategies against LeBron James, which is to pack the lane to keep him out of the paint. Yes, you can sometimes counter that with dunks but it depends on the matchup and who’s throwing and catching the dnks.
Fourth, I believe for the most part in the stats, especially when they match my own eye test and both of those say JaVale McGee has not played well since the middle of the season. His numbers have been atrocious and his contributions in question. Dwight’s been better and based on how I see him playing right now, I have no problem if he were to start the rest of the playoffs. He’s a great matchup against Jokic and could be good against Bam too. He’s much quicker and faster than JaVale and more physical and aggressive.
So yeh, I can support the Lakers playing big ball with Dwight because it works whereas it was not working with McGee. The numbers showed it and anybody who wasn’t blind could not help seeing it with the eye test. By the way, the numbers from last night showed Dwight second on the team with a net rating of 42.4 (121.2 offrtg – 78.8 defrtg). JaVale, by the way, was -50.0 (95.5 offrtg – 145.5 defrtg). When stats and eye test match, believe it!
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Just giving you a little rubbing LT. JVMG was pretty bad, agreed. Might see DH starting for this series and the great thing about JaVale is he’s the consummate teammate. No pouting, shows up for practice, cheers on his squad. I love it.
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LOL. After the effing program erased my response, I was ready for bear. Your above response I can agree with.
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You have to expect a little retorting when you’ve posted article after article calling for Morris to start, or at least play the majority of minutes at the 5. I remember thinking after Frank put Dwight in and he got a key deflection, block and foul on Jokic in the first few possessions he was on the floor for “LT is going to be hopping on the Dwight train pretty quickly, lol”
For my part I don’t much care how the W appears. I prefer the style, power and grace of the big man basketball game to the modern everyone does pretty much the same thing on offense we see nowadays. I have a few notions on how to even the playing field and re-incorporate the big man into the modern game.
Some of that is on bigs that can do more than just defend, as well. Dwight might be the last, best of the old school post player. If you can’t at least be a pick and pop threat in the modern game chances are you have a niche role on defense and you’re going to top out there.
What Frank has shown me in the playoffs is the ability to do what D’Antoni has never shown me: the willingness to modulate his vision with what works. D’Antoni and Morey traded away their ability to play a center and match up. They believed, foolishly, that forcing a team to play their game gave them an overwhelming advantage. Had they not run into the Lakers it may have actually worked (although I think the Nuggets and/or the Clippers would have also taken them out).
Frank likes the traditional center anchoring the post, AD likes have a traditional center to bang against other bigger, bulkier dudes for the majority of the game. Both are able to change it up and rise to the occasion…when needed. But not as a first resort, and not until it’s been proven to be ineffective. I can appreciate that.
The great thing about being a Lakers fan right now is having the luxury of having this debate as opposed to “why do we keep $%@ #ing losing game 1?!?!?!?!” Good problems to have.
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Lastly, in regards to Playoff Rondo making big ball work. I disagree there. The defense is what makes our bigger line up work. Dwight being able to stay in front of Nikola while also not biting on head fakes is one key. AD and LeBron taking on the challenge of playing their best defense is another. And the perimeter and bench players sticking to the game plan and not gambling for steals might be the biggest factor of all. The gambling on plays is where playoff Rondo shines in that he gambles waaaaaay less on risky steals that force our defense to compensate and leads to easy buckets for the other team.
The other thing he does is relieve a ton of pressure on James. When Rondo’s on the floor LeBron can be regular old superstar LeBron. he doesn’t have to be do everything to make this work LeBron. Because, if we’re being honest, Frank really doesn’t have much of an offense. There a re a couple pet plays they run but a lot of it based on simply getting the ball into the paint to one of our many talented interior scorers. He makes smart reads, solid passes (although he has a tendency to over-throw his fastball and have the pass sail off-target when he’s being chased out of position).
I’m a big Rondo fan, have been for many years now and I had advocated having him come to the Lakers before he was a Laker even though he lacks the skill set of the small ball game. I’m not certain how many other Laker fans can say the same thing. While I don’t necessarily endorse the legend of Playoff Rondo I do think that, like many of the great playoff performers, he locks in more, gambles less and makes the simple (better?) play more often when there’s more to play for than in the regular season. If that bequeaths a “Playoff _______” moniker then we need to add a bevvy of players to the list. Playoff Kyle comes to mind as he’s stepped up pretty large so far, Caruso, too.
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One offensive adjustment the Lakers should make is to take a page out of the Nuggets’ game plan and have LeBron James hunt switches to get Jamal Murray defending him like Denver does to get a Lakers’ guard on Jokic. This not only will give LeBron an advantage but also wear Murray out and get him in foul trouble.