- Jan 4, 2012
- 11,411
- 12,654
Not even sure why Caruso being brought up after Austin Reaves has come on.
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
- Start date
dontsteponmyshoes
Supporter
- Mar 12, 2004
- 13,275
- 16,446
Shaq beat up Gary Viti back in the day 
- Feb 29, 2000
- 88,767
- 47,981
that entire team couldnt make a damn shot after ad went down.
they shoulda been able to finish off the suns but nobody stepped the **** up
- Jan 18, 2006
- 40,395
- 45,154
darthska
Staff member
- Apr 30, 2004
- 47,036
- 31,708
It's not about JUST Carushow. We have Reeves, who is just a tad better even if it's just slightly. It's about the time lost in between Caruso's loss and Reaves emergence. It's not that we HAVE to have Caruso. It's that every team needs a guy like him and we had a guy like him and just let him walk. Well now we have a guy like him in Reaves sooooo all good. Continuing the Caruso conversation is just crying over spilled milk now. Awesome, the Bulls said it's a privilege to play with him. Cool. We have Reaves.
-foe
-foe
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
Lakers’ recent losses underscore the need to find more size on the trade market
The Lakers lost back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month in Cleveland and Toronto this week.
In one instance, Anthony Davis was available for only eight minutes before being ruled out. In the other game, Davis and LeBron James did not play at all. Both losses were justifiable, if not expected. It was a difficult back-to-back.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors are two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference – particularly at home, where Cleveland is 11-1 and Toronto is 10-3. The Lakers, despite their impressive win over the Milwaukee Bucks last week, have yet to prove they can consistently beat above-.500 opponents yet. That’s before factoring in the absences of James and Davis, the latter of whom has been the Lakers’ best player this season and recently emerged as an MVP candidate.
But the losses also magnified two key issues for the 10-14 Lakers: depth and size in the frontcourt, and length on the perimeter. Both shortcomings leave the Lakers needing to upgrade their roster.
Not every team plays two athletic 7-footers like the Cavaliers. Most teams can’t trot out lineups where every player is 6-foot-6 and above, like the Raptors. These happen to be two of the league’s worst matchups for the Lakers, given their roster construction.
But they’re not the only good teams with significant size and physical advantages on the perimeter against Los Angeles. And as the Lakers approach Dec. 15 and contemplate their different trade paths, including making a smaller move based around unloading Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and a first-round pick (likely with protections) or multiple second-round picks, improving the frontcourt should top their to-do list.
Teams aren’t necessarily looking to sell off 3-and-D wings – it’s arguably the game’s most valuable position outside of stars. But the Lakers will have options on the trade market, and finding a bigger small forward in the 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-9 range and/or a big capable of complementing Davis is a priority.
Wenyen Gabriel, who missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, has been the team’s second-best big behind Davis, but he’s better suited for the third or fourth spot on the depth chart. Thomas Bryant has provided a boost, especially offensively with his interior finishing and 3-point shooting, but he remains a defensive liability. After a solid 2021-22 season in Sacramento, Damian Jones has been one of the bigger disappointments in the rotation.
The wing has presented similar issues. Lonnie Walker IV (6-foot-4) and Austin Reaves (6-foot-5) have had to play more small forward than they should, and even some power forward in certain cases. Troy Brown Jr. (6-foot-6) has slid up to power forward for a career-high 43 percent of his minutes, per Basketball-Reference. The Lakers’ wing depth suffered another blow on Wednesday when Juan Toscano-Anderson, a wing/big hybrid, suffered a right ankle sprain.
In general, the Lakers play too many three- and even four-guard lineups. It’s a weapon that has worked on occasion, given the roster’s ability to get out in transition and attack off the dribble. But overall, many of the lineups have struggled, especially defensively, often giving up league-worst defensive ratings of at least 120 points per 100 possessions.
Here is the Lakers’ lineup data for their three-guard lineups, per Cleaning The Glass (min. 50 possessions). (Only guards that have played 250-plus minutes were considered. The guards that qualify: Reaves, Walker IV, Beverley, Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder and Nunn. Brown Jr. is a forward. Max Christie, at only 125 minutes, missed the cut.)
The Lakers' three-guard lineups data
Some of these lineups’ sample sizes are small enough for wild swings within a game or even a quarter to skew their figures. The Lakers’ losses to Cleveland and Toronto certainly affected these marks.
One clear observation is that Reaves is the common denominator in all net-positive lineups. At 6-foot-5, Reaves is the tallest of the guards. Remove him, and every other three-guard combination is a net negative. Despite his shooting struggles in Cleveland and Toronto, Reaves remains the Lakers’ third most important player because his versatile skill set allows him to adapt to and improve any lineup.
Another takeaway is that two of the three worst lineups feature Westbrook and Schroder together (each player is in three of the four worst lineups). The Lakers have been outscored by 17.8 points per 100 possessions with those two playing together, with opponents shredding the Lakers to the tune of 132.1 points per 100 possessions.
Three of the five most-played lineups are net positive, implying that head coach Darvin Ham at least has a read on which lineups are working and which aren’t. The Lakers should refrain from the smaller combinations (any combination of Westbrook, Beverley, Schroder and Nunn) in three-guard variations. If any of those players are playing together, there needs to be more size in the frontcourt to compensate. Reaves and Christie, an underrated rebounder at 6-foot-5, might be the two exceptions.
Still, the larger point stands about the Lakers’ ceiling as a group being capped if they don’t upgrade on the wing and/or in the frontcourt. It is a greater need for them than even 3-point shooting, though the Lakers improving both with one or two moves is ideal.
The Raptors’ size was a significant factor against the smaller Lakers on Wednesday. Toronto scored 58 points in the paint and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds — two issues that have persisted for the Lakers all season.
“It’s a huge factor,” Ham said. “And a couple of times, I looked out there and Gary Trent Jr. was the smallest one on the floor. He’s 6-6. So it’s like, you got guys out there that’s 6-9, athletic, can dribble, pass and shoot. It’s a hell of a challenge to try to overcome.”
Nunn added that the Raptors’ size and length on the perimeter was a “mismatch” for the Lakers.
The Lakers current league ranks in points allowed in the paint (26th) and opponent offensive rebounds per game (25th) aren’t favorable. The latter is partly due to their second-ranked pace; Los Angeles is 13th in opponent offensive rebound rate, which is far more respectable. At the same time, they’re 23rd in opponent second-chance points, meaning that opponent’s offensive rebounds tend to prove more costly against them than the average team.
The Lakers close out their six-game road trip in Philadelphia — another big, long team — and then Detroit. Reinforcements should be on the way: Davis, James and Beverley are day-to-day, per Ham. They will likely play Friday, with Ham suggesting James and Beverley, the two oldest Lakers, simply needed rest on the second night of a back-to-back.
Nothing from the back-to-back losses this week is necessarily surprising. It was just a reminder of what the front office’s focus should be in trade talks over the coming days and weeks. With the way Davis is currently playing, perhaps they beat Cleveland and/or Toronto if he’s healthy and available. The Lakers’ margin for error is obviously greater when Davis and James are playing at top-10 levels.
Davis’ surge has ironed over some of the Lakers’ deficiencies, but there are still legitimate concerns with the rotation that the team needs to address if they want to sustain their improved play over the course of the season.
The Lakers lost back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month in Cleveland and Toronto this week.
In one instance, Anthony Davis was available for only eight minutes before being ruled out. In the other game, Davis and LeBron James did not play at all. Both losses were justifiable, if not expected. It was a difficult back-to-back.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors are two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference – particularly at home, where Cleveland is 11-1 and Toronto is 10-3. The Lakers, despite their impressive win over the Milwaukee Bucks last week, have yet to prove they can consistently beat above-.500 opponents yet. That’s before factoring in the absences of James and Davis, the latter of whom has been the Lakers’ best player this season and recently emerged as an MVP candidate.
But the losses also magnified two key issues for the 10-14 Lakers: depth and size in the frontcourt, and length on the perimeter. Both shortcomings leave the Lakers needing to upgrade their roster.
Not every team plays two athletic 7-footers like the Cavaliers. Most teams can’t trot out lineups where every player is 6-foot-6 and above, like the Raptors. These happen to be two of the league’s worst matchups for the Lakers, given their roster construction.
But they’re not the only good teams with significant size and physical advantages on the perimeter against Los Angeles. And as the Lakers approach Dec. 15 and contemplate their different trade paths, including making a smaller move based around unloading Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and a first-round pick (likely with protections) or multiple second-round picks, improving the frontcourt should top their to-do list.
Teams aren’t necessarily looking to sell off 3-and-D wings – it’s arguably the game’s most valuable position outside of stars. But the Lakers will have options on the trade market, and finding a bigger small forward in the 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-9 range and/or a big capable of complementing Davis is a priority.
Wenyen Gabriel, who missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, has been the team’s second-best big behind Davis, but he’s better suited for the third or fourth spot on the depth chart. Thomas Bryant has provided a boost, especially offensively with his interior finishing and 3-point shooting, but he remains a defensive liability. After a solid 2021-22 season in Sacramento, Damian Jones has been one of the bigger disappointments in the rotation.
The wing has presented similar issues. Lonnie Walker IV (6-foot-4) and Austin Reaves (6-foot-5) have had to play more small forward than they should, and even some power forward in certain cases. Troy Brown Jr. (6-foot-6) has slid up to power forward for a career-high 43 percent of his minutes, per Basketball-Reference. The Lakers’ wing depth suffered another blow on Wednesday when Juan Toscano-Anderson, a wing/big hybrid, suffered a right ankle sprain.
In general, the Lakers play too many three- and even four-guard lineups. It’s a weapon that has worked on occasion, given the roster’s ability to get out in transition and attack off the dribble. But overall, many of the lineups have struggled, especially defensively, often giving up league-worst defensive ratings of at least 120 points per 100 possessions.
Here is the Lakers’ lineup data for their three-guard lineups, per Cleaning The Glass (min. 50 possessions). (Only guards that have played 250-plus minutes were considered. The guards that qualify: Reaves, Walker IV, Beverley, Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder and Nunn. Brown Jr. is a forward. Max Christie, at only 125 minutes, missed the cut.)
The Lakers' three-guard lineups data
Some of these lineups’ sample sizes are small enough for wild swings within a game or even a quarter to skew their figures. The Lakers’ losses to Cleveland and Toronto certainly affected these marks.
One clear observation is that Reaves is the common denominator in all net-positive lineups. At 6-foot-5, Reaves is the tallest of the guards. Remove him, and every other three-guard combination is a net negative. Despite his shooting struggles in Cleveland and Toronto, Reaves remains the Lakers’ third most important player because his versatile skill set allows him to adapt to and improve any lineup.
Another takeaway is that two of the three worst lineups feature Westbrook and Schroder together (each player is in three of the four worst lineups). The Lakers have been outscored by 17.8 points per 100 possessions with those two playing together, with opponents shredding the Lakers to the tune of 132.1 points per 100 possessions.
Three of the five most-played lineups are net positive, implying that head coach Darvin Ham at least has a read on which lineups are working and which aren’t. The Lakers should refrain from the smaller combinations (any combination of Westbrook, Beverley, Schroder and Nunn) in three-guard variations. If any of those players are playing together, there needs to be more size in the frontcourt to compensate. Reaves and Christie, an underrated rebounder at 6-foot-5, might be the two exceptions.
Still, the larger point stands about the Lakers’ ceiling as a group being capped if they don’t upgrade on the wing and/or in the frontcourt. It is a greater need for them than even 3-point shooting, though the Lakers improving both with one or two moves is ideal.
The Raptors’ size was a significant factor against the smaller Lakers on Wednesday. Toronto scored 58 points in the paint and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds — two issues that have persisted for the Lakers all season.
“It’s a huge factor,” Ham said. “And a couple of times, I looked out there and Gary Trent Jr. was the smallest one on the floor. He’s 6-6. So it’s like, you got guys out there that’s 6-9, athletic, can dribble, pass and shoot. It’s a hell of a challenge to try to overcome.”
Nunn added that the Raptors’ size and length on the perimeter was a “mismatch” for the Lakers.
The Lakers current league ranks in points allowed in the paint (26th) and opponent offensive rebounds per game (25th) aren’t favorable. The latter is partly due to their second-ranked pace; Los Angeles is 13th in opponent offensive rebound rate, which is far more respectable. At the same time, they’re 23rd in opponent second-chance points, meaning that opponent’s offensive rebounds tend to prove more costly against them than the average team.
The Lakers close out their six-game road trip in Philadelphia — another big, long team — and then Detroit. Reinforcements should be on the way: Davis, James and Beverley are day-to-day, per Ham. They will likely play Friday, with Ham suggesting James and Beverley, the two oldest Lakers, simply needed rest on the second night of a back-to-back.
Nothing from the back-to-back losses this week is necessarily surprising. It was just a reminder of what the front office’s focus should be in trade talks over the coming days and weeks. With the way Davis is currently playing, perhaps they beat Cleveland and/or Toronto if he’s healthy and available. The Lakers’ margin for error is obviously greater when Davis and James are playing at top-10 levels.
Davis’ surge has ironed over some of the Lakers’ deficiencies, but there are still legitimate concerns with the rotation that the team needs to address if they want to sustain their improved play over the course of the season.
- Jan 8, 2006
- 30,560
- 33,906
Still *****ing about Caruso 
- Jul 16, 2017
- 22,590
- 16,315
Bc we could have both.
I mostly posted to see the reaction. The caping people do for the front office is quite hilarious.
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,761
- 17,754
- Jul 29, 2012
- 4,736
- 5,521
Zach Lowe podcast they were talking about bringing Kuzma back as good fit (size, shooting, rebounding) on the wing
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,761
- 17,754
Lakers’ recent losses underscore the need to find more size on the trade market
The Lakers lost back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month in Cleveland and Toronto this week.
In one instance, Anthony Davis was available for only eight minutes before being ruled out. In the other game, Davis and LeBron James did not play at all. Both losses were justifiable, if not expected. It was a difficult back-to-back.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors are two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference – particularly at home, where Cleveland is 11-1 and Toronto is 10-3. The Lakers, despite their impressive win over the Milwaukee Bucks last week, have yet to prove they can consistently beat above-.500 opponents yet. That’s before factoring in the absences of James and Davis, the latter of whom has been the Lakers’ best player this season and recently emerged as an MVP candidate.
But the losses also magnified two key issues for the 10-14 Lakers: depth and size in the frontcourt, and length on the perimeter. Both shortcomings leave the Lakers needing to upgrade their roster.
Not every team plays two athletic 7-footers like the Cavaliers. Most teams can’t trot out lineups where every player is 6-foot-6 and above, like the Raptors. These happen to be two of the league’s worst matchups for the Lakers, given their roster construction.
But they’re not the only good teams with significant size and physical advantages on the perimeter against Los Angeles. And as the Lakers approach Dec. 15 and contemplate their different trade paths, including making a smaller move based around unloading Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and a first-round pick (likely with protections) or multiple second-round picks, improving the frontcourt should top their to-do list.
Teams aren’t necessarily looking to sell off 3-and-D wings – it’s arguably the game’s most valuable position outside of stars. But the Lakers will have options on the trade market, and finding a bigger small forward in the 6-foot-6 to 6-foot-9 range and/or a big capable of complementing Davis is a priority.
Wenyen Gabriel, who missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, has been the team’s second-best big behind Davis, but he’s better suited for the third or fourth spot on the depth chart. Thomas Bryant has provided a boost, especially offensively with his interior finishing and 3-point shooting, but he remains a defensive liability. After a solid 2021-22 season in Sacramento, Damian Jones has been one of the bigger disappointments in the rotation.
The wing has presented similar issues. Lonnie Walker IV (6-foot-4) and Austin Reaves (6-foot-5) have had to play more small forward than they should, and even some power forward in certain cases. Troy Brown Jr. (6-foot-6) has slid up to power forward for a career-high 43 percent of his minutes, per Basketball-Reference. The Lakers’ wing depth suffered another blow on Wednesday when Juan Toscano-Anderson, a wing/big hybrid, suffered a right ankle sprain.
In general, the Lakers play too many three- and even four-guard lineups. It’s a weapon that has worked on occasion, given the roster’s ability to get out in transition and attack off the dribble. But overall, many of the lineups have struggled, especially defensively, often giving up league-worst defensive ratings of at least 120 points per 100 possessions.
Here is the Lakers’ lineup data for their three-guard lineups, per Cleaning The Glass (min. 50 possessions). (Only guards that have played 250-plus minutes were considered. The guards that qualify: Reaves, Walker IV, Beverley, Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder and Nunn. Brown Jr. is a forward. Max Christie, at only 125 minutes, missed the cut.)
The Lakers' three-guard lineups data
Some of these lineups’ sample sizes are small enough for wild swings within a game or even a quarter to skew their figures. The Lakers’ losses to Cleveland and Toronto certainly affected these marks.
One clear observation is that Reaves is the common denominator in all net-positive lineups. At 6-foot-5, Reaves is the tallest of the guards. Remove him, and every other three-guard combination is a net negative. Despite his shooting struggles in Cleveland and Toronto, Reaves remains the Lakers’ third most important player because his versatile skill set allows him to adapt to and improve any lineup.
Another takeaway is that two of the three worst lineups feature Westbrook and Schroder together (each player is in three of the four worst lineups). The Lakers have been outscored by 17.8 points per 100 possessions with those two playing together, with opponents shredding the Lakers to the tune of 132.1 points per 100 possessions.
Three of the five most-played lineups are net positive, implying that head coach Darvin Ham at least has a read on which lineups are working and which aren’t. The Lakers should refrain from the smaller combinations (any combination of Westbrook, Beverley, Schroder and Nunn) in three-guard variations. If any of those players are playing together, there needs to be more size in the frontcourt to compensate. Reaves and Christie, an underrated rebounder at 6-foot-5, might be the two exceptions.
Still, the larger point stands about the Lakers’ ceiling as a group being capped if they don’t upgrade on the wing and/or in the frontcourt. It is a greater need for them than even 3-point shooting, though the Lakers improving both with one or two moves is ideal.
The Raptors’ size was a significant factor against the smaller Lakers on Wednesday. Toronto scored 58 points in the paint and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds — two issues that have persisted for the Lakers all season.
“It’s a huge factor,” Ham said. “And a couple of times, I looked out there and Gary Trent Jr. was the smallest one on the floor. He’s 6-6. So it’s like, you got guys out there that’s 6-9, athletic, can dribble, pass and shoot. It’s a hell of a challenge to try to overcome.”
Nunn added that the Raptors’ size and length on the perimeter was a “mismatch” for the Lakers.
The Lakers current league ranks in points allowed in the paint (26th) and opponent offensive rebounds per game (25th) aren’t favorable. The latter is partly due to their second-ranked pace; Los Angeles is 13th in opponent offensive rebound rate, which is far more respectable. At the same time, they’re 23rd in opponent second-chance points, meaning that opponent’s offensive rebounds tend to prove more costly against them than the average team.
The Lakers close out their six-game road trip in Philadelphia — another big, long team — and then Detroit. Reinforcements should be on the way: Davis, James and Beverley are day-to-day, per Ham. They will likely play Friday, with Ham suggesting James and Beverley, the two oldest Lakers, simply needed rest on the second night of a back-to-back.
Nothing from the back-to-back losses this week is necessarily surprising. It was just a reminder of what the front office’s focus should be in trade talks over the coming days and weeks. With the way Davis is currently playing, perhaps they beat Cleveland and/or Toronto if he’s healthy and available. The Lakers’ margin for error is obviously greater when Davis and James are playing at top-10 levels.
Davis’ surge has ironed over some of the Lakers’ deficiencies, but there are still legitimate concerns with the rotation that the team needs to address if they want to sustain their improved play over the course of the season.
Of course we been known Lakers need more Bigs.
I've said it 80,000 times the last 2 years. Jovan Buha is waaayyyy late on the reporting
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
- Feb 16, 2011
- 8,398
- 8,133
Reaves has indeed filled the caruso void…..If AR can pack on some muscle and get his body up, BOY he can hit another level offensively and defensively.
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
- Feb 5, 2013
- 39,385
- 40,877
si
se
puede
se
puede
- Mar 24, 2001
- 44,833
- 66,536
Lakers been getting dragged in Philly for years now. I think they're due
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
- Jun 4, 2016
- 8,975
- 20,596
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
- Feb 29, 2000
- 88,767
- 47,981
whats the status on lebron and ad?
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,927
- 129,276
- Mar 24, 2001
- 44,833
- 66,536
Think the Bucks game sealed his fate. Then following that up with 10 assists to AD in DC. He's here to stay
- Apr 24, 2006
- 18,756
- 13,108
Is that Lonzo to Ingram game winner the last time we won there?
Won’t be surprised if Maxey plays. Guys always come back against us
- Jan 18, 2006
- 40,395
- 45,154
Hopefully Gabriel is back soon.
He really provides a lot of energy.
He be OC sometimes but really solid.
He really provides a lot of energy.
He be OC sometimes but really solid.
