5 THINGS

Done. If you saw what I saw I thought we were done the first game back from the ASB but kept coming back out of a stubborn belief in the purple and gold. Not so much the players currently wearing it but the spirit of what the Lakers are, to me anyway. In the end, like many things in life, faith wasn’t enough for this team to actually accomplish great things on the court. You need luck and, more than that, young players with skills and talent. We ain’t gone none of that. We got problems. Epic problems.

1. LeBron should shut it down right now. There really is no conceivable reason that he should push it. San Antonio is just as likely to overtake us with or without him playing on one leg and a bad ankle. But if he blows out a knee or an Achilles compensating for his injuries we’re in trouble next season and that’s an avoidable situation now.
2. No need to activate AD. Same as the above. Why risk anything now that will have an impact on next season? Makes no sense. Take the hit on the chin, realize whatever you did wasn’t enough, stop with the excuses and show up ready to ball in October when camp breaks.
3. What to do with Russ. Frankly, at this point, I think that all depends on Monk. If we can keep Malik without having to move Russ I think the Lakers run this back again. They’ll have ample excuses as to why it will work now. They’ll have fired Frank, Russ and LeBron have already figured out how to co-exist on a basketball court together, and injuries/bad luck/COVID/blah blah blah/ hampered us this season and lightning can’t strike the same team/players three times…can it? The options seem few and far between. W&Sing him sounds like it’s pretty much off the table based on reports coming out of Laker Land. Trading with the Knicks seems off the table at this point as well which is a bummer as that was a team I thought just might want to actually add Russell. That basically leaves two options:
   -trade Russ and either Reaves or a pick or two for Houston to turn around and buy him out for John Wall (I don’t see them sending us players who can actually contribute)
   -Dame asks to be moved specifically to the Lakers and reminds ownership how much he’s given to the franchise.
   The Wall option to me is a no-go. Watching Klay Thompson play like a shell of himself save for a game or two here and there is all I need but I could easily cobble together a length list of speedy guards who never came close to re-capturing the impact they had prior to an injury like John Wall suffered. We don’t need more old, hobbled or slow. Toss in that we’d be starting all over, again, trying to incorporate three ball-dominant players after the ones we have basically just figured out how to kind of play together and I just don’t see the logic. I can even see letting Monk walk rather than go down the Wall path, honestly. I’d have to give that some serious thought as to which side of the fence I’d want land, though.
4. Fire Frank? Again, there are a plethora of excuses why they might keep him on. Injuries, bad luck, he started playing the way the analytics told him, he listened to Kurt and also played Dwight more, he won us a banner, and so on. I think his time here has come to an end…but I also didn’t expect the Lakers to cheap out on this season like they have. So now another factor gets introduced: is there such a liquidity problem amongst the Buss kids/Laker ownership that they don’t want to pay 2 coaches? Remember they low-balled 4 other candidates prior to landing on Frank. My gut tells me they’ll still let him go…but I’m far from 100% certain of it at this point. Too many odd, terrible choices have been made in the name of saving some money to be ignored.
5. The rest of the team. Maybe keep Carmelo? Maybe, maybe keep Dwight? After that burn it down. Trade Nunn, if you can, maybe package him with THT for a player’s exception we can turn around and sign Monk and a real center with. No offense to the player who has the Bone Bruise That Will Not Heal but you need to go. I don’t honestly care what a 2 year old highlight reel shows you used to be able to do, I don’t believe you have heart anymore, that you’re willing to do the work needed to be a winner. So see the door Kendrick, if he opts in. I think he will based on how terribly this has all gone and how little money will be out there. Wenyan…not gonna lie, he shouldn’t be playing on a championship team. Has it been a fuzzy and warm story for this dismal campaign? Sure, and I always root for the under dogs. But we’re not trying to film the NBA version of The Mighty Ducks we’re trying to win. Does anyone really believe that WG is a rotational player on a winning team? I don’t see it. Since we’re likely keeping Stanley Johnson we have already checked the “plays with a high motor but can’t shoot well” box. We should learn from our mistakes of this season, that you need players who can do something other than take up space in order to compete in the NBA. All the aged vet minimums after anyone listed above should not be re-signed, I don’t care how chipper they are in the locker room.

Bonus point, for me, would be to fire Rob Pelinka who basically orchestrated this poorly run garage sale of an NBA team. I hold him to the fire more than anyone because it’s his job to evaluate and sign the best talent available and we didn’t do that. It’s his job to let the superstars know whey we’re not just going to do whatever they want and we didn’t do that. It’s his job to convince ownership that spending a little more on a player like Alex Caruso, who to be sure would not have been enough to make this season drastically different but when it comes down to a game or two he does swing that needle your way, is totally worth it. Rob failed every test presented to a GM of an elite sport franchise this season and should pay the exact same price Frank Vogel will. He won’t, and he should go to every mural of Kobe and Gigi in Los Angeles and the world beyond and thank them personally. I’m not sure anything other than his relationship with Kobe is saving him, to be honest.

Without LeBron I had this stamped, signed sealed and delivered as a loss. Then the game started and I thought we were at least playing the way you want to see a team without it’s best player rally. Then the 76ers shot 371 free throws. Then we came back. Then we lost. Still, it was a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be. Getting late for the Lakers.

1. Russell’s solid outing. Other than the 7 turnovers and nascent trips to the free throw line (not by his design, mind you) I though Russell had a pretty good game. If he got the Harden treatment he would have gone to the line a few more times. Russ scored when we needed, tried to make the right play and generally played like the player I thought we traded for. It’s been a slog for Russ and he’s endured quite a lot of flack for a season for whom he is not entirely at fault for. But he, too, has his own responsibilities to shoulder for this dumpster fire of a season. It’s games like last night, and his play over the last couple of weeks, that makes me think the Lakers might run the trio back.
2. Stanley’s stellar start. He faded in the scoring department after the first quarter but SJ came out with a head of steam and got us off the mark in the first quarter. He scored 13 points (which was what he ended with) and took only 2 more shots after the 1st frame but he also had the tough assignment of guarding James Harden, which I thought he did effectively. He also didn’t force his own offense after his hot start with 8 assists to lead the team along with Russ’s ocho. Johnson’s passing and handle have been a revelation to me as he has shown an above-average ability to make productive reads, can get to where he wants to on the floor (although some of that is out of sheer disrespect from the opposition who are playing him to get into the paint and try to score, that will eventually be scouted better).
3. Dwight can still bring it. This is one of the more personally infuriating plot lines of the season. Dwight gets a start, plays well, sits for 3 games we usually lose. I just don’t get it. If Frank is doing this because the internal analytics team is telling him our offense is SOOOOO much better with Dwight off the floor they don’t understand basketball at a basic level. Is the spacing better? Yeah, I guess, but that’s not the be-all-end-all of a basketball team. Great spacing helps, yes, but so do these funny things called defense, rebounding, setting solid screens and size. So it will, to me at least, be quite ironic if Frank has foregone minutes for Dwight in the name of the over-used, over-referred to, and often flat wrong, theory of how the game should be played based on analytics. Let the big man loose while you still have a prayer Frank, offense isn’t as important enough to sacrifice all of your defense for. That’s the deal with the Devil the Lakers have made with LeBron at the center. Yes, the offense looks wonderful, but the defense sucks and we keep losing. So, while outscoring the opposition is the way to win, you don’t get there focusing on one end and entirely ditching the other.
4. Free throws. Can’t be ignored. At one point the 76ers were approaching 20 and we were stuck on three. This after Russ got thrown to floor on a driving layup (no call), and Embiid landed on Stanley’s left shoulder which was deemed a rather excellent blocked shot by the official standing roughly 9 feet away. Johnson’s yapping after that one earned him a tech, the other one was gifted to Dwight who complained that he wasn’t afforded the same luxuries on defense (grabbing, pushing, etc.) that Joel was getting. This is a league of reputations, for better or worse, it’s why you need to work extremely hard not to get pigeon-holed in the NBA. Give up big leads, it’ll happen because the other team will smell blood if they can just make a couple of late buckets, breathe on James Harden wrong=foul, create space through bodying up means it’s a really tough call to make. The Lakers are on the wrong end of a lotta reputation issues and it’s not fun to watch. What also can’t be ignored is that they put themselves in those holes by blowing big leads to inferior teams all season long, not playing hard consistently for 48 minutes, and generally acting like an entitled team of destiny and not a team that has to earn it’s way for the first 2/3’s of the season.
5. Here come the Spurs. I’m not sweating the 9th spot at this point, I’m expecting us to finish 10th…at best…and can easily envision a scenario where we play ourselves right out of the play-in rounds, as well. Don’t believe me? Cool, that’s what I call cognitive dissonance and willfully ignoring reality. Because with a scant 2 games separating us and 9 games to go for both teams we need to win more than we’ve shown ourselves capable of doing. 3 games is our longest winning streak of the season. T-h-r-e-e. The Spurs schedule looks like this:
   

Sat, Mar 26	@New Orleans
Mon, Mar 28	@Houston
Wed, Mar 30	vsMemphis
Fri, Apr 1	vsPortland
Sun, Apr 3	vsPortland
Tue, Apr 5	@Denver
Thu, Apr 7	@Minnesota
Sat, Apr 9	vsGolden State
Sun, Apr 10	@Dallas

Sun, Mar 27	@New Orleans
Tue, Mar 29	@Dallas
Thu, Mar 31	@Utah
Fri, Apr 1	vsNew Orleans
Sun, Apr 3	vsDenver
Tue, Apr 5	@Phoenix
Thu, Apr 7	@Golden State
Fri, Apr 8	vsOklahoma City
Sun, Apr 10	@Denver

So feel free to dismiss the reality that we are facing being eliminated from the playin round. The tie-breaker will be decided by the team with the better in-division record, I believe, since we split the games between our two teams this season. We’re behind on that score, as well, and we’re facing pretty tough in-division opponents from here on out.

Anyhow, they’re all “must-win” from here on out and frankly that was the case after the All Star break. But, in a fashion typical for this team, we’ve continually squandered each and every possibility to make this season easier and so here we are: just likely to be the 10th seed as the 9th and facing a complete and utter collapse. Miss the playoffs with LeBron, AD, and Russ? To me that signals a total tear down, re-evaluation of our talent assessment (like who decided THT over Caruso) and so on. What it’ll signal to Jeannie is anyone’s guess.

In another game where LeBron attained a lofty place in NBA history the Lakers made it a point to play like crap. They came out hot on offense but managed one quarter of decent defense (the first) before getting lazy with their rotations, inept with their footwork and none of it was helped by Vogel choosing to guard 7’3″ Kristaps Porzingis with the likes of Bradley, Westbrook and other small players. Thus, despite LeBron moving to second on the All Time scoring list the Lakers fell to 30-41 with a meager .5 game lead over the Pelicans.

1. LeBron is number two. It’s an amazing accomplishment over-shadowed only by how utterly awful the Lakers have played in all but a handful of games. Accumulating that many points in the NBA requires, luck, skill, durability, great teammates, and above all dedication. Honestly, just about everything the Lakers a re seemingly lacking in this season. Still, for a half it looked like the Lakers might do right by LeBron and make it a winning affair. James, if he plays another 2 seasons of relatively healthy basketball, will surely pass The Captain and occupy the number 1 spot all by himself. While the impact of the three point shot, the fact LeBron came out of high school, and that he was always a featured player in every season he played all played a part in LeBron getting to this point it’s indisputable that LeBron has put in the work and dedication to his craft required to get to this level.
2. Westbrook’s great night. It occurred to me that we may have just watched one of the last great shooting nights of Russell’s career. Never a highly efficient scorer Russ was on fire from all over last night. So much so that I was hoping Russ would have been a little more aggressive looking for his own shot later in the game. While that didn’t happen Russ still had a great follow up to his game-saving antics the night before.
3. THT’s not so great game. Another donut for Talen who really looks lost to me this season. Making terrible reads on defense, not attacking the basket like we know he’s capable of doing, and generally playing like a guy who didn’t deserve a raise last summer. If there ever was a debate as to if the Lakers chose the wrong player betwixt Talen and Alex (for me there never was, I’d have gone Caruso in every scenario imaginable) one would imagine this season of mediocre play, regression and general malaise from a young player who hasn’t done much would be enough.
4. Refs an easy excuse but faulty. The issue was more with our general lack of defensive intensity and poor match ups. We also got lazy on offense in the 4th when LeBron ran outta gas. I wish the team and/or the coaches were as good at recognizing when LeBron has hit a wall as I seem to be. When he does hit that wall we need him to go into decoy, off-ball mode not 35′ three point hero ball mode. Monk didn’t get many late looks, we generally just went to the LeBron/Melo two-man game that lives on the perimeter. Need to do better. If you don’t attack the defense you don’t get to the line. Was there a rather large difference between the free throws awarded to each team? Yes, but there was a legit reason why. I counted 5 free throws I thought we should have been awarded, mostly in the first half except for one Westbrook drive. That’s not enough for the game to swing our way. Wizards were the aggressor, credit goes to them.
5. Missing the playoffs has become a real outcome for this season. San Antonio is 3 games back and could knock us out of the playoffs. We play New Orleans twice in the next couple weeks and with 11 games back and our post ASB winning percentage being what it is and the general lack of interest the Lakers have shown regarding competing for 48 minutes I can quite easily envision a world where we lose all but one or two games going forward and San Antonio sneaks past. If that happens nobody, and I mean nobody, with a meaningful job title should be around next season. Our talent evaluation other lan late round draft picks is garbage, the front office is run by the superstars and the coach defaults to them, as well. In short this team is an utter mess and frankly deserves to miss the playoffs the way they play on most nights. After deriding the playin last season LeBron will be counting his lucky-ass stars that it exists now because otherwise they wouldn’t have a hope of sniffing the playoffs. That could still happen.

Another game Monday against Cleveland, not sure which version of the Lakers will show up and honestly I don’t think it matters anymore. this team can’t sustain effort for 48 minutes which means they’ll be done no later than the 1st round. Davis coming back or Nunn “lighting it up” in practice means nothing now. Too little, too late. The habits we laughed off as “it’s just one game!” months ago are now the habits that will lead this team to become possibly the most disappointing Laker team every assembled.

For a game at least the slide slowed. Frank got the absolute most one can expect out of journeyman Wenyan Gabriel who hit all three of his 3 pointers, 7-8 shots overall, and brought some desperately needed size. Also returning to the starting five was one Dwight Howard who played 24 minutes and brought support in the form of defending the paint and boxing out. The game ball would have to go to the beleaguered Russell Westbrook who sent the game into OT with a clutch steal and three pointer.

1. Westbrook staying the course. It’s easy to give up, especially for fans who have little to no impact on the outcome of things. For a pro athlete there can’t be any quit, though. If there is that means you have entered the “toast” phase of your career as a player. Russ has withered a lot of criticism from inside and outside the NBA. From professional chump Patrick Beverley to ex-champ Kendrick Perkins to 88,265 media heads and most of the Laker fanbase Russ has heard it all season long. He got a little of that back last night with a needed (for all parties involved) triple-double and a solid game overall.
2. 20 points away. LeBron is about to become the second greatest point scorer in NBA history. That from a guy with a ‘pass-first’ mentality. It’s astounding to me the numbers this man has accumulated, creating the one-man statistical category of the triple 10,000, and he’s brought home the hardware to validate all of it in the form of ring;s trophies and other accolades. James has another solid game and we won without him scoring 50 breaking therealhtj’s prophecy of “we’ll win if LeBron scores 50 (although it did last for far too many games, lol). Had LeBron gotten to 50 he would be on the cusp of passing Karl Malone and occupy the #2 all time scoring leader spot.
3. Wenyan’s big game. I’m not going to lie, I consider this game of Wenyan’s to be an anomaly. The big man from Sudan tied his career high with 17 points and 9 rebounds. We needed every single stat he brought, though, and if…somehow-some way…he can keep up this level of production up to some degree or another it’ll help the Lakers a lot. 6 teams in 3 seasons can be seen two ways” a prospect who needs time and/or a defined role to develop or a player tossed in because the $$$ works and who knows maybe something can come of it. Well kid, here’s your chance to make the most of a rough start to your career.
4. Avery Bradley re-asserting himself. These games a re coming fewer and farther between, at least on offense. AB is one of our better by percentage three point shooters but he’s been in and out of the lineup since just before the ASB. If he’s back and healthy it means Frank has a good teo-way option that I think should come off the bench. Along with Reaves it gives us some defense and shooting in the second unit which we desperately need. Russ usually plays longer into the 1st quarter so having a secondary ball handler who can run an offense and hit shots helps give Russ a tool to use. Nice to see AB make some great plays on defense and he should have gotten that charging call that was a block.
5. Stick with Dwight. I thought from the beginning that Dwight should have been our starting center. That going to LeBron at the five is a weapon to be deployed strategically and not to be overly-relied upon. We get killed on the glass every game LeBron spends the majority of his minutes at the 5. Yes, LeBron had 2 game-saving blocks last night but overall for the majority of the game we are a team that is vulnerable in the paint. We need somebody with size, defensive and rebounding acumen to help LeBron out and man the paint. That isn’t Carmelo Anthony, either, who has done well this season on defense given his rep. Well is not what Dwight brings, especially when healthy and motivated. We may have helped him lose focus by not being clear and honest about his role, for sitting him for games on end. The man has pride and plays best when he’s playing for it. It’s another reason I think Frank won’t have a job after the season in that I am of the opinion we mismanaged Howard all season long.

Need to keep it rolling tonight. We simply can’t afford to win one game and then lose 3 or more after that because…who knows why. If you’re not ready to play hard, do everyone a favor and don’t play. LeBron is leaving it all out there, every night, do him the courtesy of putting forth the same effort and focus.

Here we are again, losing to a better team. That’s right, a LeBron James-led Laker squad isn’t as good as the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’re better in literally every facet of the game except, maybe, post-game attire. Other than that, we’re a team in free fall and they’re a team on the rise. I’m sick of this; I just wish the Lakers were, too.

1. LeBron’s 20+ point streak ends. After another subpar shooting game (8-21, 1-8 from three and 23-5 from the free throw line) ended one of the more entertaining and frankly competitive things about this team came to an end last night. James had another gassed game and the Lakers losing ways unless the King scores 50+ kept on rolling. We’re 2-9 since the All Star break and those 2 wins coincide with James scoring 50. Therealhtj’s prophecy has held true so far.
2. Russ getting dissed. From “I can’t let the fans besmirch my name!” to “I don’t care what KAT and Pat-Bev say!” Westbrook isn’t finding any of the respect he so obviously craves. Here’s an idea: play better.
3. Beat down on the glass. We got our clocks cleaned in the rebounding dept. Dwight Howard, in a whopping 16 minutes, led the team with 6 boards. Disgraceful. The small ball the Lakers play is pathetic fool’s gold.
4. Too many threes when we couldn’t hit them. The Lakers went back to some of the older players last night, like Ellington and Bradley. Didn’t matter as we couldn’t hit a three to save our life.
5. Failing at NBA 101 type stuff. We can’t do anything right at this point. We forced 2 more turnovers but lost the points off of turnovers battle by 6 (17 to 11), we don’t box out or go hard for rebounds, and we miss a lotta free throws. vAll opf this made for the second wire-to-wire loss in as many games.

I don’t think this team even deserves to back into the playoffs at this point. We’re awful, play without pride and can’t execute basic basketball fundamentals. It’s pathetic.