LAKERHOLICS PODCASTS

Outstanding podcast and thanks to Gerald for all of the spooky Halloween stuff. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the word that we were to wear costumes until three hours before the show. Dragged out my son’s old Afro wig thinking Gerald was going to go all out like LeBron and AD did for October 31st. Frankly, a soccer jersey and headband don’t make a costume to me.

Anyway, it’s always fun talking Lakers after a win, especially when we held the Rockets to 35 points in the first half and 85 for the game. Lakers defense starting to show signs of life. Also, have to love AD finally starting at the five, probably because of Dwight being out and the matchup with a stretch five in Wood. AD should get another shot at starting tomorrow night.

Slowly but surely, Frank is getting the team to buy in to D as their calling card while the offensive improvements continue to shine. Great game from Melo. Last game he turned 1 in 4 great games into 1 in three great games and is now working on 1 in 2 great games. Team shot poorly from deep in second half but it’s clear we have some guys this year who won’t forget how to shoot.

Give us a listen. I think you’ll enjoy the back and forth and Gerald always does a great job as a true professional podcaster with his banter and superb editing of the podcast. Thanks, Gerald.

Fun podcast for a change as the Lakers finally showcase their defense and Frank tells players you want minutes, then play D. Great to have Lee back and congratulations to him and Chandra for their wedding. May they enjoy a lifetime of love and happiness.

Great to see that I didn’t have to setup an intervention for Gerald over the Lakers performance. In fact, in retrospect, blowing that 26 point lead to OKC may have been a blessing in disguise as it finally seems to have gotten everybody behind playing defense.

Let’s hope we can take care of business against the Rockets and continue to play Lakers style basketball now that the Chicken Littles and Worry worts have crawled back under their rocks. Lakers may be short handed and a work in progress but the way we closed out the game last night should allow the GHE crew to relax and start to enjoy the NBA season.

Thanks again to Sean and LakerTom for the drive-by. I appreciate the kind words again. Two things A) I think LakerTom has a future in botany because he has a rosy view of things when it concerns all things Lakers. B) Where was Admiral Akbar, it was a trap!

-Lakers panicked at the end. Vet team playing a bunch of nobodies and
-Sadness at this point, I was angry a few games.
-It’s a disaster.
-“It’s only game #45, Gerald, calm down, man!”
-Chicago has a whole new team and is kicking butt, easy schedule? Sure, but they have done the job it would seem we are incapable of.
-From Bleacher Report: “But the collapse to the Thunder shouldn’t have been surprising the way the Lakers have played defense this season. They’re just not very good yet. Defense, above all, is the team’s primary issue moving forward, one they must address if they have an earnest hope of chasing another title.” It ain’t just the doomsayers here seeing major issues.
-Banner winning core perimeter defenders? All gone.
-It’s a mountain, LT, it’s a mountain.
-Rondo and Russ are bad news. Nunn could be an improvement.
-Rob traded our wing defenders (Kuzma, KCP and even Caruso) so I actually do believe.
-Glass isn’t just half empty, it’s bone-dry. The defense is a wreck.
-The 5 out set will not save this team, not with the guys who play big minutes shooting the way they currently are.
-Monk and Reaves getting minute is, in my opinion, the sole benefit of this stretch.
-Our offense is 116.5 points per game and we’re 2-3. Scoring isn’t an issue.
-Sean with the quote of the night: “the house is on fire and you’re roasting marshmallows.” LOL!!!
-Admiral Akbar MIA? See above, lol
-It is just one game, but in all the games the same pattern remains. At this point a good performance is the outlier, not the norm. That is the issue confronting this team right now.

Another great job by Gerald as the podcaster extraordinaire. While I love the humor and banter when we have Sean and Jamie on the podcasts, it’s also fun to go back and forth with Gerald, who’s always prepared and ready like a true professional.

To me, this game highlighted why we traded for Russell Westbrook: to win the non-LeBron minutes that have been our Achilles Heel the past three seasons.

There’s no reason why AD and Russ can’t dominate the 12 minutes of every game when LeBron rests the way they did tonight against an inspired Spurs team. The key to winning the non-LeBron minutes is Russell Westbrook doing his thing and unleashing Anthony Davis at the rim via lobs and put backs after Russ forced the Spurs big to guard him.

This is a big Freakin’ deal and we’re going to see it dramatically change how well the Lakers play going forward. We have never been able before to win the minutes when LeBron is on the bench. Now that’s going to change.