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Home teams 8-0 this weekend
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
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darthska
Staff member
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Agreed, but the road goes through DEN.
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i’d rather go through Denver in the WCF than the first round. Gives me more lakeshow to watch. Damn i wish we’re playing OKC instead. Woulda taken gm1
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not me.
these guys will be way fresher in first round than wcf
by guys i mean lebron cuz we all know sadly hes the best player on the team still
these guys will be way fresher in first round than wcf
by guys i mean lebron cuz we all know sadly hes the best player on the team still
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Really gonna be interesting what we do this offseason
Actually we already know. Run it back with AD, Bron and Ham and make changes around the margins. SMH
it’s all about business. All about the farewell tour. Lebron is #2 in jersey sales. Lakers are always on national TV because of Lebron. Jeanie doesn’t care about winning
Actually we already know. Run it back with AD, Bron and Ham and make changes around the margins. SMH
it’s all about business. All about the farewell tour. Lebron is #2 in jersey sales. Lakers are always on national TV because of Lebron. Jeanie doesn’t care about winning
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Yes it does, just wish we could have built some momentum before we meet them.
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You go through OKC let’s say in 6 games
Team ends up facing Clips/Mavs. Let’s say they get through them in 5 games.
13 games deep considering they played 2 play in games to be 8th seed and another 11 games before flying to Denver. WCF games are every other night. I rather see them face Denver in first round with some “fresh” legs and extra day or two off in between games depending how far they push the series.
Only reason I would want this team to be 8th is if Denver somehow got knocked out before the Lakers play them. That’s a double edge sword itself, you’ll have the naysayers saying Lakers got through the easy route.
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Lakers need someone to set the tone
If they not going to be more physical than the Nuggets, kiss the series goodbye
He is undoubtedly thee best 39 year old in NBA History. Full stop. Absolutely incredible what he's doing at this age. Been awesome to watch.
Zero, 39 year olds have led their teams to titles. Entire league history. And while he's been great, as we have seen, he doesn't play defense like he used to. He isn't able to play 46 minutes like he used to, play a dominant full 4 quarters like he used to. There IS dropoff. That too, needs to be considered.
Zero question he is the best 39 ever. No argument from me.
Duncan won a title at 37, with 3 HOFers around him. Kawhi, Parker, Manu. (+ a HOF coach)
And then on top of that Diaw and Danny Green.
Do we have THAT sort of roster around Bron?
Bron is throwing some really solid jabs, but father time is undefeated. Keeping him and AD as a pairing is a business decision. Generate revenue. NOT pursue chips, which is all we should be caring about. I don't give af about Jeanie's pockets.
darthska
Staff member
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That's how 'unprecedented territory' works.
Soooo... 'roster.' The solution wouldn't be be trading him, it would be focusing on the roster.Duncan won a title at 37, with 3 HOFers around him. Kawhi, Parker, Manu. (+ a HOF coach)
And then on top of that Diaw and Danny Green.
Do we have THAT sort of roster around Bron?
That's how 'unprecedented territory' works.
Soooo... 'roster.' The solution wouldn't be be trading him, it would be focusing on the roster.
Tim Duncan was taking 10 million dollar a year deals........
Bron is taking Max dollar contracts.
If they want to keep Bron (for dollars) then trading AD is the play.
If they want to honor Bron and send him to his choice and build around AD, fine.
If they want to keep both, they no longer care about getting more banners.
The inevitable Ham firing + Trading for Trae Young should help illuminate my point even further in two months.
Before you ask, his option next year is 51 million dollars.
At age 40.
Duncan was getting 10 million, and beating Bron in his prime.
Jeanie, Rob, Bron, AD, Klutch, they are ALL part of the problem.
But Ham is going to take the fall (like Vogel, like Russ) and the same 5 folks in charge will remain in charge and we will fight for the play-in again next year, a year older for each, and their salaries will go up even further..........
And younger guys (in their prime) are going to win the chip this year, and next year, same as every other year, in history. Which is what we used to do, before we hitched our wagon to a 35 year old instead of a younger superstar which is what Jerry Buss would do. (Magic, Shaq, Kobe)
Kareem got to go out winning because Magic, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, Green, Rambis were all set.
When Shaq got old(er) and more expensive, Jerry went with Kobe.
IF, I say IFFFFFFFF they could have added Kawhi along with Bron/AD, and kept Caruso, Kuzma, future picks etc, we might have had a shot at a similar effort. (Or insert Jimmy Butler if they cast a wider 3rd star search etc etc etc)
AD alone isn't enough.
At age 40.
Duncan was getting 10 million, and beating Bron in his prime.
Jeanie, Rob, Bron, AD, Klutch, they are ALL part of the problem.
But Ham is going to take the fall (like Vogel, like Russ) and the same 5 folks in charge will remain in charge and we will fight for the play-in again next year, a year older for each, and their salaries will go up even further..........
And younger guys (in their prime) are going to win the chip this year, and next year, same as every other year, in history. Which is what we used to do, before we hitched our wagon to a 35 year old instead of a younger superstar which is what Jerry Buss would do. (Magic, Shaq, Kobe)
Kareem got to go out winning because Magic, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, Green, Rambis were all set.
When Shaq got old(er) and more expensive, Jerry went with Kobe.
IF, I say IFFFFFFFF they could have added Kawhi along with Bron/AD, and kept Caruso, Kuzma, future picks etc, we might have had a shot at a similar effort. (Or insert Jimmy Butler if they cast a wider 3rd star search etc etc etc)
AD alone isn't enough.
darthska
Staff member
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Duncan wasn't beating Bron.
1. It wasn't 1 on 1.
2. Duncan wasn't anywhere close to.... *looks at this past Lebron season*... THAT.
Take away his age and call him Laker SF.
Do you think Laker SF, with those stats, what you see on the court, do you think that's worth just $10mil, like this Duncan you're referencing?
Not 'Trade Captain & Magic.'
1. It wasn't 1 on 1.
2. Duncan wasn't anywhere close to.... *looks at this past Lebron season*... THAT.
Take away his age and call him Laker SF.
Do you think Laker SF, with those stats, what you see on the court, do you think that's worth just $10mil, like this Duncan you're referencing?
Well, and more injured, and less dominant.
Again: roster.
Not 'Trade Captain & Magic.'
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I know you're frustrated with the current state of the team but I'm interested to hear what you would like the Lakers to do this offseason. Jeannie is paying well into the luxury tax so you can't say that she cheap or doesn't care about winning, she's putting her money where her mouth is.
We can trade for Trae Young but we would need to gut the roster and I'm not sure if this would move the needle. Short of our young players making a big leap there isn't a move the Lakers can make that will put them on Denver's level. Denver has a younger, more athletic team with one of the greatest players ever in his prime. Does not much anyone can do.
I'm as critical of Ham as anyone but firing him and getting a new coach isn't a magic bullet, this roster has structural issues and we have a lot of one-way players.
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Anytime you can get smaller, give up depth, and more defensively challenged, you have to do it.
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Every direction of a Trae trade is a disaster.
And it is exactly something Rob would do.
And the price on Spida will be even higher than Trae. Luckily easier to match salaries. But Cavs can have some patience due to success.
And it is exactly something Rob would do.
And the price on Spida will be even higher than Trae. Luckily easier to match salaries. But Cavs can have some patience due to success.
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I think saying keeping those two are all about generating revenue is a bit of an extreme take on the situation, but I get what you’re saying.
If I owned the team and realized my main dudes aren’t good enough to win it all but they’re still pretty damn good I think it’s a tough decision whether to blow things up and start over OR spending enough to field a competitive team until they can figure out the next move.
MIKE LOWERY
formerly chuck finster
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Is Schroder/KCP/Caruso/Bron/AD + Kuzma better than this current team?
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Schroder, Caruso, KCP, Hield (Kuz+Trezz), Bron and AD would've had this team in a better spot. And they still could've had Reaves and probably Rui.
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MIKE LOWERY
formerly chuck finster
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Yeah, another active body for him to score on/over/through. 
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`S---, it's tough': A promising start for Lakers turns into same old sad story vs. Nuggets
For the ninth consecutive time, the Lakers left a game against the Nuggets searching for answers. Will they ever beat Denver?
theathletic.com
Lakers’ promising start turns into same depressing story vs. Nuggets. `S—, it’s tough’
By Jovan Buha
Apr 21, 2024
DENVER — Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham’s message to his team entering its rematch with the defending champion Denver Nuggets was to learn from the past and, more importantly, move forward.
That last part will be difficult for the Lakers to do when their tortured history with the Nuggets continues to repeat itself.
In many ways, the Lakers’ 114-103 loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series felt like an extension of the previous eight losses. Nikola Jokić was the best player on the floor, with Los Angeles finding no way to prevent him from scoring easily or generating wide-open layups and 3s for his teammates. Jamal Murray hit circus shot after circus shot. Once the Nuggets ratcheted up their intensity and execution in the second half, they were on a different level than the Lakers. D’Angelo Russell struggled and looked unplayable.
Denver has now beaten the Lakers nine straight times, with little indication that will change anytime soon.
“We could have been better,” LeBron James said. “I thought we played some good ball tonight, but we could’ve been better. We know … we just don’t have much room for error versus this Denver team, especially on their home floor. It’s just a team that’s been through everything. Obviously, they’re the defending champions, so you gotta execute, you gotta make shots, you gotta defend. And then, you can’t give them extra possessions.”
The need to play near-perfect basketball against the Nuggets was a common refrain from James and Ham in the days leading up to Game 1. For the first 18 minutes of Game 1, the Lakers appeared to be doing just that. They led 49-37 with 6:05 left in the first half, precisely executing their offensive sets and powering their way to the rim. They were shooting 61.3 percent at that point; the Nuggets were shooting just 37.8 percent. The Lakers were 16-of-21 on 2-pointers. Anthony Davis and James were dominating the superstar battle, outscoring Jokić and Murray 30-19.
Then, through a combination of Denver’s urgency, the Lakers turning the ball over, failing to keep the Nuggets off the glass and out of transition, playing too much one-on-one and settling for poor shots offensively, the game turned. Denver outscored Los Angeles 77-54 over the final 30 minutes.
“S—, it’s tough,” Ham said. “A championship team is not gonna beat themselves too often.”
The result was another wasted opportunity for the Lakers. This was the game they needed to get to break the losing streak, change the narrative and give themselves a legitimate chance to win this series despite entering it as a significant underdog.
If it didn’t happen last night, will it ever happen?
The Nuggets didn’t play well for more than half the game. A lot went right for the Lakers. Their stars thrived. Yet it still wasn’t enough to produce their first win against the Nuggets in 492 days and counting.
Davis (32 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks) and James (27 points, six rebounds and eight assists) both scored at least 25 points for just the third time against the Nuggets during the nine-game losing streak. The Lakers only turned the ball over 12 times, normally a low figure, but one that paled in comparison to Denver’s six turnovers. They dominated the free-throw battle (17-of-19 for LA versus 5-of-6 for Denver). Murray had an off-shooting night (9-of-24).
All of that added up to the Lakers only leading by three points, 60-57, at halftime. Then, the game predictably flipped in the second half, with the Nuggets using a 13-0 run in the second half of the third quarter to assume a double-digit lead and command of the game for good.
Denver didn’t have a turnover in the second half, which is an indictment of the Lakers’ defense and its lack of disruption. For the game, the Nuggets dominated offensive rebounds (15 to 6), second-chance points (18 to
, turnovers (6 to 12), transition points (21 to 14) and points in the paint (64 to 54).“We can’t be bad at defensive rebounding and transition,” Davis said. “It’s something that we struggle against this team with since last playoffs. … Once again, that’s our Achilles heel. We have to be better in both departments, if not one.”
James, who had seven turnovers and only scored eight points on six shots in the second half, called out the team’s focus.
“I’ve never played on the championship team and didn’t pay attention to detail,” James said. “There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. You have to.”
Russell, who finished with 13 points on 6-of-20 shooting, was again the face of the Lakers’ shortcomings versus Denver.
Last postseason, he averaged just 6.2 points per game on 32 percent shooting and 13 percent from 3 against the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. He was moved to the bench ahead of Game 4 and only played 15 minutes.
This season has featured a redemptive arc for Russell, who reestablished himself as an elite shooter and the Lakers’ third-best offensive threat. But that has yet to translate in the Denver matchup, a notable problem for a Lakers team with championship aspirations.
Russell opened the game well, making three of his first four shots. It appeared as if he was finally slaying his Denver demons. But he went ice-cold after the hot start, making just three of his final 16 shot attempts and looking overmatched on both ends by Denver’s perimeter size and athleticism.
The Nuggets targeted Russell, who was often matched up against Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Russell struggles to defend players like Caldwell-Pope that constantly move without the ball, whether it’s curling around screens, slipping and cutting to the basket or keeping Denver’s offense whirring around the Jokić-Murray two-man game. It’s unclear who Russell can feasibly defend in Denver’s starting lineup.
He again may be out of place in this series. The Lakers could stand to use more Spencer Dinwiddie (13 minutes) and Gabe Vincent (eight minutes) in Game 2 to slow down Murray (22 points and 10 assists) and Caldwell-Pope (14 points). Russell is an obvious choice to play fewer minutes.
Despite Russell’s poor performance on both ends, Ham played his starting guard 41 minutes and said he’s going to stand by his player.
“D-Lo is a huge reason why we’re here in the first place,” Ham said. “I’m not going to bail out on my player just because he’s missing the shots that he normally makes. So, same shots were going in against New Orleans and other games that he’s played in to help us get to this point. So, it just wasn’t his night. Shooters are going to have nights like that. But I want him to remain aggressive. That was a good thing, I saw him being aggressive. His energy remained great. He remained positive. So, we’ll go back and try to get better from the film and try to have a better performance Game 2.”
Russell brushed off his performance and said he’s looking forward to Game 2.
“I mean, I can’t be mad,” Russell said. “I don’t recall the last time I got 20 shots. So, for me to get 20 good looks — not 20 ‘good,’ probably five or six of them were questionable. I know what I’m capable of. So, honestly, I’m excited. I’m excited about that.”
Russell, who shot 1-of-9 on 3s Saturday, is now 3-of-24 (12.5 percent) on 3s against Denver in the playoffs.
Los Angeles could also benefit from better mixing up its coverages against Jokić, whether in the form of a new primary defender or in the locations from which they double team and help off other players. Jokić, who had 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, shot 8-of-9 with Hachimura as his primary defender.
The Lakers had greater success using James and Davis as Jokić’s primary defender. James, in particular, was able to front Jokić and get into his legs a bit. He’s done the best job against Jokić across the nine matchups.
“I’m sure a bunch of them were contested,” Ham said of Jokć’s scoring over Hachimura. “They weren’t open. The kid’s a hell of a player. Like, you’re going to play great defense, and he’s still going to score. … And yeah, if we have to go to something else, adjustment wise, we do have a couple more things that we can throw at them.”
Davis said he’s willing to switch onto Jokić full-time, if necessary.
“We’ll make a proper adjustment going into Game 2, and, if that means I’m on him for the whole game, then so be it,” Davis said.
With each consecutive loss to Denver, the pressure against the Lakers grows heavier. They’re not just battling the rest of the series — they’re fighting the matchup’s history, too. Each Nuggets win cements that this has been a one-sided rivalry over the past 12-plus months.
The Lakers are remaining optimistic, at least publicly. Ham said he’s convinced this will be a “hard-fought series.” James dismissed the notion that the previous results will lead to LA doubting its chances of winning the series.
“I don’t ever get into it a ‘here we go again’ mindset,” James said. “It’s one game. They protected they homecourt. We have another opportunity on Monday to come back and be better. We know how challenging it’s going to be. We know how difficult this opponent is and how great they are. So, that’s all a part of the game.”
And what exactly gives James the confidence the Lakers can eventually break through?
“Because it’s a seven-game series,” James said.
(Top photo: Andrew Wevers / USA Today
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The optics of how easily Jokic Sabonis Nurkic etc go through AD’s chest isn’t helping him win DPOY
MIKE LOWERY
formerly chuck finster
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Before Rudyard got to the Timberwolves, Ant said Rudy wasn't that great of a rim protector and that Porzingus was better. It's weird how the league just has him top 2 every year without fail. Especially since he isn't the most liked guy.
Jokic routinely cooks Gobert so that really shouldn't matter.
It's weird how the league just has him top 2 every year without fail. Especially since he isn't the most liked guy.Jokic routinely cooks Gobert so that really shouldn't matter.
