The Lakeshow Review

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  • Lakers Blow Yet Another Chance To Take Command Of The Series

    At this juncture, it might be fair to surmise that this team has an identity crisis. After an inspiring effort in game two, where despite a poor shooting night the Lakers managed to tie the series, they came out flat during their first road contest against Minnesota. After a puzzlingly mediocre display during game three of the series, the team can’t seem to shake off its Jekyll/Hyde complex. Plagued by turnovers, lazy defense, and simply just an all-around display of poor execution, the Lakers fell to the Timberwolves 116-104, to fall behind two games to one in the best-of-seven Western conference matchup.

    As predicted, playing in front of their home crowd did in fact give Minnesota a jolt. Anthony Edwards, predictably, had his best game of the series, tallying 29 points to go with 8 boards and 8 assists, 2 steals and a block. Swingman Jaden McDaniels also erupted for 30 points (after a poor game two, following a 25-point outing in game one), while Julius Randle continued his strong play scoring 22 points. Minnesota seemed determined to break LA’s point of attack defense via Anthony Edwards’ lightning quick first step. This resulted in multiple drives to the basket where the defense collapsed and resulted in either an easy score or a kickout to an open shooter. The Timberwolves seem to have found a consistent formula by hunting for switches to make sure Edwards is blowing past his man and living in the paint. The Timberwolves played their best game of the series, where LA had no answers for them, as even when they pulled even or took a small lead, they never seemed to be in control of this game.

    Offensively, the Lakers enjoyed their best shotmaking game of the season. They made 17 three pointers, at a 42.5% clip. Execution-wise they looked capable of staying afloat during the game’s opening half. They even ran some floppy action early, in order to get Austin Reaves open looks from range, which he converted (it was encouraging to see Austin find his three ball). However, as the game progressed the Lakers seemed increasingly unable to get out of their own way. Lazy turnovers and bad defensive mistakes plagued them throughout the entire contest. So much so that absent these, it’s safe to say they very well could have won this game.

    Historically, over the course of a playoff series, trends begin to emerge. One consistent trend for this Lakers team has been their lack of effort and lack of focus, and they were on full display during this game. LA lost the turnover battle 19-11, and got decimated on points in transition (21-11) and points-off-of-turnovers (28-13). Minnesota’s athleticism, speed and length have been firmly established after last night’s game three. Their speed in particular proved tough for LA’s defensive rotations to keep up with, as breakdowns often lead to scrambling rotations that led to open threes. Edwards getting to the paint at will has left the team with no answers. The Lakers have also yet to adjust to Minnesota’s switching defense, as few could have anticipated their sudden willingness to switch everything. On a bright note, LeBron James figured some things out, having his series breakout performance with 38 points on 21 shots. However, with a struggling and ailing Luka Dončić (17 points on 16 shots) battling through stomach issues, the Lakers weren’t able to stay competitive in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, as their lack of a closer was apparent, sans an effective Luka. The team’s turnovers also proved to be costly, as they occured virtually at the most inopportune of times.

    In my opinion, a drastic change in personnel is needed. Both in the starting five and the bench. As it stands, the starting unit is too top heavy, and the bench is too thread bare. When Minnesota is trotting out legitimate firepower in the likes of Naz Reid and Donte DiVicenzo, the Lakers can’t counter with a Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt combo and expect to stay competitive. The Lakers are getting close to nothing in terms of production from their bench, while Minnesota is enjoying a consistent boost from game to game. This has been a consistent issue all series, but in my opinion, it really rose to the forefront during last game.

    I propose bringing Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura off the bench, then plugging both Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith in with the starters. Basically, we are trading offense for defense. And giving the bench a sorely needed scoring punch. As it stands, Anthony Edwards is starting to assert his dominance offensively, and the Lakers seem to have no answers for it. At least not on their starting unit. Sticking Austin Reaves or Rui on Edwards simply isn’t going to cut it. He is either too big or too agile for both of them. Having Vincent and Finney-Smith on the starting unit gives the Lakers the chance to establish the offensive two-man game of Luka Dončić and LeBron James. It gives LA room to run more Horns sets, with Lebron screening for Luka on the wing (or vice-versa), and have Gabe and Finney-Smith spaced out on opposite corners, with Jaxson Hayes on one of the elbows. The Lakers need to find a consistent stream if early offensne so that they don’t fall behind in these games. As it stands, the offense is very convoluted with Luka, LeBron and Austin. Frankly, Minnesota’s defensive length has really been bothering Austin. On the other hand, defensively, Finney-Smith can check Anthony Edwards. And Jarred Vanderbilt can spell Dorian when he checks into the game. This would give the team more balance. At this moment, this roster is very unbalanced. The Dončić trade, despite netting a true superstar, left many holes on the roster. In particular, the two-way presence of Anthony Davis and the 3&D punch provided by Max Christie. Concessions ought to be made in order to balance out the starting unit, and legitimize the bench. I don’t know if this would be on Head Coach JJ Redick’s plans, but I am personally a big proponent of this.

    Regardless, I believe this team needs some type of shake-up. Minnesota seems to have figured them out, and nothing the Lakers are throwing at them is coming at any surprise. The Lakers need to throw in some wrinkles for Minnesota to adjust to, because if they don’t, I don’t think the Lakers can pull off this series. The Timberwolves are playing their game and dictating the terms. They have all the momentum, and the Lakers need to find a way to regain some of it, if not all. Championship teams are fearless when it comes to making adjustments. Are these Lakers championship-caliber? I guess game four will bring us closer to being able to answer that question. In the meantime, Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Even The Series The Hard Way

    94-85. This is the type of score you’d have associated with a mid 2000s contest, instead of a contemporary one. But that’s the type of game the Lakers and Timberwolves played last Tuesday, when LA eeked out a hard fought and physical battle to tie the series at one apiece. The Lakers proved they can hang with Minnesota’s physicality, but one would think there would have to be a bit more in their arsenal in order to pull off this series.

    The Lakers raced out to a 35-14 lead by the end of the first. One which was propelled by exceptional energy and intensity to start the game; after a comprehensively flat performance in game one. They were able to get out and run, getting some easy buckets in transition, as well as making the Timberwolves show their help early and making them rotate their defense. Yet again, this was something that was absent during their previous loss, where they consistently attempted to attack a set defense as opposed to being aggressive in forcing them to rotate. Luka Dončić got off to his customary hot start, hitting a bank-in three from the top of the key after a high pick and roll early in the opening quarter, which set the tone for his team. Luka finished with a stellar 31 points on 20 shots, while grabbing 12 boards and dishing out 9 assists, after only having one dime during game one. This game, the Lakers were able to offer a more well rounded offensive attack, with LeBron contributing 21 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, and Austin Reaves chipping in with a 16/5/5 slash line. Ideally, you’d like to get a bit more juice from this big three, but in a low scoring affair, every contribution matters. Rui Hachimura also clocked in at double figures with 11 points.

    LA displayed some different looks offensively compared to the first game, finding early success with their horns sets (which is when the ballhandler sets up high at the top of the key, with two players on opposite elbows ready to screen and two shooters spaced out on each corner). The Lakers generally continue to successfully attack small v. big switches, whether its Luka on Gobert or Reaves on Gobert. They also were able to get LeBron some easy looks near the elbow early in the game. LeBron, however, needs to do a better job of attacking mismatches in the post, particularly when smaller guys like Mike Conley are switched onto him. He’s been mostly ineffective on these during the first two games. Improved effort also helped LA attack the offensive glass which led to more second chance points. Unlike the previous game, LA was able to win the rebounding battle 41-34. Minnesota won the turnover battle 14-13, however the points-off-turnovers tilted towards LA, 15-13. The points-in-the-paint ended in a 46-46 draw. Unlike game one, the Wolves did not dominate in all the hustle categories, as LA’s heightened intensity seemed to catch Minnesota by surprise, who came out of the gates determined to outmuscle the Lakers. This is certainly encouraging.

    Despite their hot start, and an evident uptick in urgency, the Lakers weren’t able to find a consistent source of shot-making, as the team sputtered and stagnated offensively for significant stretches during game two. The Timberwolves successfully chipped at LA’s lead both late in the first half, and early in the fourth quarter. In a crucial turn of events, the Lakers were able to win the third quarter, which secured them a sizeable cushion heading into the fourth. And it was needed, as the the team struggled to maintain its scoring pace after a hot start and end the game on a high note So far, this has proved to be a theme for the Lakers during both games. They have struggled to settle into an offensive groove. I still think they’re going to need even sharper execution out of their horns sets (the man at the elbow is usually catching the ball too far out), and they’re also going to have to continue incorporating a healthy dose of stagger screens (Luka has been very effective attacking out of these throughout his career), and even more step-up screens in order to counter ice coverages and allow the ball handler (whether Luka, Reaves or LeBron) to snake the screen and get to the middle of the floor, where the defense becomes more vulnerable. In general, more counters will be necessary for when the Timberwolves are anticipating an action, and are able to blow it up after they’ve seen it a couple of times. Which the’ve been doing so far in these first two games, thus halting the Lakers’ offense.

    The Timberwolves continue to playing very aggressively on both sides of the ball. Surprisingly, they haven’t employed a great deal of drop coverage, instead opting for more switching on both ball screens and handoffs. Throughout the regular season, Minnesota ranked 27th as the team least likely to switch defensively on ball screens. This has perhaps taken the Lakers by surprise, as they still seem to be adjusting to the Wolves’ sudden willingness to switch everything on the perimeter. LA needs to be even more aggressive in attacking these mismatches/switches, and preach even more off-ball movement in order for LeBron and Luka to rack up assists on timely cuts to the hoop.

    Offensively, the Timberwolves’ best player seems to be Julius Randle, who despite his past playoff struggles, has found success going up against the likes of Rui Hachimura and LeBron James. This game, he led his side with 27 points on 17 shots, as well as a team high 6 assists. All-league standout Anthony Edwards also had 25 points on (on 22 shots) to go with 6 boards. Ant has been kept relatively quiet (by his lofty standards). So you have to figure he will burst out for a big game in Minnesota. The Lakers did a good job of not over-helping on drives to the basket, which was a significant factor in slowing down Minnesota’s specialists such as Naz Reid (9 points) and Donte DiVicenzo (4 points). Both of whom had big nights in game one, and both are seemingly surgical at punishing reckless over-helping. The Lakers, for the most part were able to stay at home and not show their help early. It doesn’t hurt that their defensive intensity was also much improved. Minnesota’s lack of playmaking could pose an issue for them, as in this game both Randle and Edwards missed several reads on double teams, and missed key potential assists on off-ball movement (Edwards was held to 0 dimes after tallying 9 in game one). But even so, Randle’s physicality and willingness to attack Hachimura or LeBron with the ball in his hands must be accounted for. However, LA is still best served to have the help defense stay at home against Randle and force him to be a one-on-one player throughout the series. In my opinion, this is a good gamble. Time will tell with Edwards, who has yet to have one of his customary big games this series, but if/when he does, hopefully Randle won’t be joining him.

    All in all, the Lakers were able to outlast the Timberwolves in a hard fought and physical game. One that got testy at times, but to the Lakers’ credit, they were able to maintain their composure. In this game, the team rode its great effort and intensity. However, they were not able to successfully compliment that intensity with consistent shot-making. A more aggressive game plan on the pick and roll is still missing. With a ball screen virtuoso in Luka Dončić, who’s also flanked by some very capable offensive players, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be running some kind of screening action seemingly every possession. Far too often do these possessions devolve into isolations, where the Lakers don’t have the athleticism to combat and break down the Wolves. They need to do so as a unit; by incorporating screens and off-ball movement both more frequently and purposefully. You can expect Minnesota to bounce back at home in terms of their intensity. And you can expect their role players to be more involved. The Lakers should make sure that game two’s tenacity travels with them, and they should also be cognizant of the fact that improved execution will be needed to fill the scoresheet. One would be unwise to predict another slugfest, as in the case of Minnesota, teams usually play more energized and focused at home. I credit the Lakers for being able to bounce back after game one’s humiliation. But the question remains, can they build off of their momentum, or will their offensive output continue to stagnate? Either way, the series is tied, and the onus is now on the team to capitalize on the opportunity to reclaim the home court advantage. Now is not the time for complacency.

    Go Lakers.

  • The Curse Of Complacency

    In the NBA, failing to show up will get you embarrassed. That’s what happened to the Los Angeles Lakers during last night’s playoff opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ever since trading for Luka Dončić during mid February’s trade deadline, the Lakers have been riding high, with a feeling of invincibility. Having won 19 of their last 32 games since the Luka trade going into the postseason, the team has maintained an air of confidence that emanates from JJ Redick’s coaching staff trickling down to its players. Even though there were some certified stinkers along the way (blow-out loss at Boston, a choking clinic against the Bulls, a baffling no-show versus Golden State to name a few) the prevailing thought has been that the good has outweighed the bad and when the team is on, it can beat anybody. That is not, however, a champion’s mentality. Championship teams take every loss to heart. They don’t hang their heads on the good, but rather on the bad. And they obsess on how to fix it. Think of Kobe’s Lakers or Jordan’s Bulls. You knew after a loss, those teams would be out for blood on the following night. You could almost anticipate the course correction, and come to expect it. 

    The Lakers’ gameplan during a 117-95 beatdown at the hands of Minnesota was riddled with flaws. The type that scream unprepared, lackadaisical, unfocused and nonchalant. This year’s Lakers, however, are not the type of team who can just show up and win. At least they’ve yet to prove that they are, and we shouldn’t assume that they can. Because despite the star power and marquee attractions, this team hasn’t accomplished much. Following a 50-32 season, they’re just another playoff team in a loaded Western Conference. Their opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, are only separated by a single game from the Lakers, sitting at 49-33. These are two evenly matched teams, for all intents and purposes. After a loss like tonight, it would serve the coaches and the players right to look themselves in the mirror and demand more, because it will take more to overcome a team that was hungrier and more focused during last night’s Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. 

    The Lakers were behind the eight-ball for most of last night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite coming out of the gates swinging, led by Luka Dončić’s 12 out of the team’s first 18 points. However as time went on, it was clear that the Wolves came to play a 48 minute game and LA did not, as they chipped away at the Lakers’ lead and never looked back, leading at one point by as much as 26 points. The main culprit, in my opinion, was the haphazard execution on defense. Missed rotations and assignments made this game seem like a random early January contest, as opposed to one in late April. The team seemed to be walking on mud, and plagued by fundamental mistakes such as helping from the strong side on drives to the basket. Which resulted in a host of open shots for the likes of Minnesota’s Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels. It would behoove Redick and his staff to identify and assign sensible help responsibilities, so the team isn’t needlessly hemorrhaging corner threes to the opposition. Help should come from the weak side, and the low man should not be the man helping off of the strong side corner. This type of philosophy will get you bounced from the playoffs quickly and efficiently. Despite his rookie status, Head Coach JJ Redick has thus far proven smart and resourceful. So I reserve confidence that he and his staff will address these glaring issues. 

    Offensively, the team was merely predictable. Relying heavily on isolation, and making minimal use of ball screens (an area where Luka Dončić feasted against the Timberwolves during last year’s playoffs). Moving forward, the Lakers will need to employ more pick and roll. But not just more ball screens, but rather better ball screens. More sophistication on the types of ball screens utilized will go a long way. Loop action, stack pick and roll, flare screens, stagger screens, etc. all need to find their way into the playbook. High pick and rolls are fine, but when that’s all that’s implemented, teams can quickly sniff it out and blow up the action. The Lakers need more counters to those automatics. Those high pick and rolls can’t devolve into isos as soon as they don’t go anywhere. Actions, even if unsuccessful, need to flow into other actions, in order to keep the defense guessing. Conversely, that’s precisely what the Timberwolves were able to accomplish. Aside from their hot shooting, they also combined crisp ball movement and execution to consistently keep LA on its heels. Led by Jaden McDaniels’ 25 points and 9 rebounds, and Anthony Edwards’ 22/8/9 slash line, Minnesota filled the box score by committee. Bench ace Naz Reid also chipped in with 23 points on 6 made threes (many of them corner ones after the Lakers helped off the strong side). Following the Wolves’ third quarter blitzkrieg, the game had been seemingly put away. 

    The gameplan deficiencies were also complemented by mental deficiencies, and the Lakers did not come in ready to match the Timberwolves’ grit. Missed defensive boards, poor defensive rotations, unnecessary over-helping, dumb closeouts, weak picks and bad shot selection were all on full display last night. The Lakers were out-rebounded 38 to 44 and lost the turnover battle 10 to 13. Minnesota also won the points-off-turnovers battle 18 to 9 and outscored the Lakers in transition 25 to 6. Clean sweep in all the hustle categories. LA needs to find a way to counter Minnesota’s swarming athleticism with smarter play, better effort and a more tenacious approach to the finer details. With the home court advantage dissipated, a sense of urgency is needed to even the series and go into Minneapolis with an eagerness to return the favor. That is a champion’s mentality. Go Lakers. 

  • Role Players Are Key In Lakers Playoffs Hopes

    As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves to kick off the 2025 NBA Playoffs, all eyes will be on their two mega-stars Luka Dončić and LeBron James. However, the teams’ title hopes will rest on the shoulders of those lower on the food chain. Names like Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dorian Finney-Smith and Jaxson Hayes will all have a say as far as how far the team goes in this year’s playoffs.

    This series in particular will be a crucial one for big man Jaxson Hayes. He is the only ‘true’ center currently on the team’s rotation (I don’t expect Alex Len to get any meaningful minutes outside of garbage time). Offensively, Hayes’ value comes in the form of his ability to dive to the rim on screens and finish. As well as him utilizing his athleticism for lobs and put-backs. This series looks to be a Jaxson Hayes series. Given that Minnesota is a team that likes to hedge and blitz on ball screens. They also like to play drop coverage a good deal, but might be deterred from doing so, as Luka Dončić usually thrives in those types of coverages. Minnesota also happen to be one of the teams least likely to switch on defense, as they rank 27th in the NBA in ball screen switches. This provides ample opportunity for Hayes as a roller, finisher and potentially as an outlet man on the short roll as well. His ability to set good screens, occupy the defense as a roll man, as well as his finishing at the rim will absolutely be key. As we know, Hayes isn’t much of a pick and pop threat, nor does he score consistently or effectively on post isolations. So the entirety of his value offensively is predicated on being dynamic on the pick and roll and utilizing his athleticism to finish strong at the rim. This is the series for him to showcase those qualities. It won’t surprising if the Lakers decide to shelve Hayes in crunch time scenarios, as they usually like to go with their “death” lineup, i.e. their “smaller” lineup during such moments. With this in mind, against a bigger and physical opponent in Minnesota, it will be important that Hayes’ minutes, whether it’s 15 or 20 or 25 minutes a night, are maximized to their fullest.

    The pick and roll is the ultimate team game (within the game). Its impact is predicated not only on the synergy between the ball-handler and screen-setter, but also on the sharpness in which the off-ball players cut, spot-up and space the floor. Which leads me to my next role player whose impact the Lakers could potentailly benefit greatly from: Rui Hachimura. Rui is someone who’s nonchalantly been a key figure in the Lakers’ strong finish to the regular season. Since the Dončić trade, he’s been shooting close to 39% from beyond the arc, with over 5 attempts per game. He’s also been scoring over 13 points per game, to go with 5 rebounds per game, doing so on 51% from the field. These are robust totals for a fourth option, to flank Dončić, James and Reaves. The Lakers will need some semblance of *this* Rui to show up against Minnesota. With pick and roll savants like James and Dončić on the ball, guys like Rui will almost certainly get a healthy dose of clean looks which could be a swing factor of sorts, depending on the efficiency in which he can knock down these looks. Aside from Finney-Smith, Rui is perhaps LA’s most important pick and pop option. And against drop coverage, these are worth their weight in gold. Defensively, Rui is also crucial. As he is likely one of the bigger players when the Lakers decide to play small. Can he successfully guard someone like Julius Randle? Can he battle with Rudy Gobert down low when the team is playing small? Can he make the defense pay with timely cuts when they help off of him? Can he run the floor during transition? These are all questions that’ll determine how effective this team can be. Of course, you want guys like Gabe and Vando contributing high caliber minutes as well, but if Hachimura can be a top six player in this series, then that’s big upside for LA.

    They say defense wins championship. But any great team needs balance in order to make a deep run. The Lakers’ ability to extract maximum value from their depth chart beyond their top three guys will go a long way to strengthening the team’s title aspirations. The Rui’s, Vincents’ and Hayes’ are just as vital to the team as the Luka’s and LeBron’s. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers vs Wolves: Series Breakdown

    The Los Angeles Lakers will square off against the Minnesota Timberwolves to open their 2025 postseason this Saturday April 19th. After finishing the season 50-32, good for third in the Western Conference, they will begin the chase for the franchise’s 18th championship. Their first round opponent will be the Minnesota Timberwolves, who at 49-33, finished 6th in the Western Conference. This should be an interesting matchup as both teams have strengths and weaknesses that may wind up being pivotal factors throughout the series. Let’s get into them.

    One of the first things that immediately pops to mind when looking at these teams is the question of SIZE. Minnesota are very big, and tough up front with a frontcourt that features the likes of Rudy Gobert (who is the reigning and 4x Defensive Player of the Year), Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Namely Gobert, who gives the team a formidable defensive presence both in rim protection and in his versatility guarding the pick and roll. It remains to be seen how the Lakers will attempt to solve this size mismatch down low. Short of doing this, the Timberwolves will clearly enjoy an advantage on the boards and in the post which will be incumbent on the Lakers to neutralize. We saw, during last year’s playoffs that Luka Dončić is capable of having great success against Minnesota’s defense. With Dallas last season, Luka was relentless in looking for switches out in the perimeter against Gobert and attacking him in space. This resulted in a large bulk of Luka’s scoring, particularly late in games, when the score is close and the action slows down. We’ve also seen LeBron over the years have success at attacking Gobert, having the size and strength to finish over him at the rim.

    On the other hand, the Lakers present certain challenges for Minnesota on the pick and roll. With a trio of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Lebron James, the team has three ballhandlers capable of initiating and running screen and roll action at a high level. Dončić and Reaves in particular are capable of really hurting a defense if it chooses to drop on ball screens. If LA’s main perimeter stars are allowed to walk in to clean pull-up looks on ball screens then that is certainly an advantage for them. However, in order for the Lakers to successfully pull Minnesota’s bigs out of the paint, their pick and pop threats like Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith will have to be on their game as far as shot making. Otherwise, the Wolves can simply stay at home on screens all night and congest the paint for LA’s ballhandlers.

    However, Minnesota offers LA similar challenges when they have the ball. Anthony Edwards, in particular is an elite offensive player, who managed to finish in the top five in league scoring. He’s been playing great basketball, and has proven deadly both on the midrange and behind the arc, not to mention his downhill finishing and shot creation. Containing him will be a major hurdle for the Lakers, who outside of Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt, do not have defenders with the size and athleticism to guard Edwards. Finney-Smith is perhaps the team’s best option to put on Edwards, as he can also contribute on the offensive end when he gets it going. If LA elects to slot Vanderbilt on Edwards, they run the risk of Vando’s sub-par offense affecting the team’s gameplan on that end. There’s also the option of doubling, pre-rotating and loading up on the ball. In my opinion, this is a viable strategy, given how dangerous of a weapon Ant is, and how little playmaking the Wolves have outside of him. If the Lakers can successfully double and trap Edwards (particularly on iced screens on the sidelines), suddenly, his teammates are in a position where they have to make high level decisions with the ball. When those teammates are Naz Reid, Julius Randle and an older Mike Conley Jr., it’s worth the gamble. We may also see the Lakers elect to zone up occasionally, in order to have Ant encounter multiple defenders and dare other playmakers to beat them.

    As it is usually the case, these high level playoff series more often than not come down to individual matchups. Minnesota does not have many options to slot on Luka, whose combination of size, strength and craftiness makes him a perennially tough cover. Then there’s the LeBron factor; similar to Luka, and even in his latter stages, LeBron James is still a tough cover for just about anybody. Minnesota’s best perimeter defender is Jaden McDaniels. It will be interesting to see who the Timberwolves elect to start him on, and if they rotate him on LeBron and Luka (and perhaps even Reaves), depending on who has it going on the Lakers’ side. Anthony Edwards is always a capable defender because of his physical gifts and athleticism, however he is also the team’s best offensive player and primary ballhandler/playmaker. So perhaps tasking him with guarding Luka or LeBron will wear him down, considering he also runs the offense. If Mike Conley is guarding Austin Reaves, then that is an area where LA can excel. There aren’t many other options to put Conley on, as the Lakers are a fairly big team, despite often playing without a true center.

    Defensively, the Lakers will have major challenges in guarding Minnesota’s offense, who boast several three point threats such as Mike Conley, Donte DiVicenzo, Anthony Edwards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid. This is why having crisp and disciplined defensive rotations will be key. The Lakers will also have to find a way to put Julius Randle in a position to take catch and shoot threes, where he has been much less effective. The team will have to continue its knack for fronting the post and negating deep post touches, as they’ve done throughout the year. Most importantly, they will have to find a way to consistently compete on the boards, as they will most likely continue playing their brand of positionless basketball with Jaxson Hayes sitting on the bench for extended stretches.

    Ultimately, this series will come down to a battle of styles. Big versus positionless. Lakers like to overwhelm teams by spreading the ball out and relentlessly attacking in space, where Minnesota likes to bully and intimidate teams with their size. It remains to be seen how much Jaxson Hayes will play. As the Lakers tend to play their best basketball when they’re picking and popping teams into oblivion with DFS and Rui while wreaking havoc with Luka, LeBron and Reaves ball screen actions. If the Lakers can be effective in attacking Minnesota’s drop coverage, and manage to play one of their bigs off the court, then they are in a good spot. If Minnesota is only playing one big by the end of games, that is a good sign. It will mean the Lakers are effectively countering the Wolves’ size with their floor spacing.

    Nevertheless, this will likely be a hard fought series, with both teams bringing major areas of strength to the table. There are no easy series in the Western Conference, and despite the 3-6 seeding difference, only one loss separates the Lakers (50-32) from the Timberwolves (49-33). I expect to see high level playoff action right off the jump, as both of these franchises have managed to reach the conference finals within the last two seasons and are both aiming for deep postseason runs. Let’s get these playoffs started. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Set to Play Timberwolves in Round One

    In typical fashion, this season’s Western Conference playoff race came down to the final day of regular season play. After clinching the 3 seed on Friday against Houston, the Lakers rested their starters in the final game of the season against the Portland Trailblazers. Predictably, the team dropped the contest, by a final score of 109-81. Rookie Dalton Knecht was the lone bright spot, scoring 27 points, while grabbing 8 boards. Prodigal Son Bronny James and retread journeyman Alex Len each had 4 points. Portland was led by a balanced attack, which saw all five starters net double figures in scoring, led by guard Delano Banton’s 23 points. The contest was of little consequence however, as LA did not dress any starters or key rotational players, opting instead to play their rookies and end-of-the-bench guys. It was a well earned day of rest for LA’s top players, as they look to round one of the playoffs.

    In other news, the Clippers took down the Warriors in overtime, which effectively sends the Warriors to the play-in and helps the Clippers secure the 5 seed, setting up a first round matchup with Denver (4 seed). The Minnesota Timberwolves secured the 6 seed after besting the Utah Jazz, which means they’ll face the Lakers (3 seed) in round one. Top seeds Oklahoma City and Houston will await the results of the play-in before they know their opponents. It should be an interesting next couple of days.

    As far as the Lakers, they’re in a good spot. They will have home court advantage in the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 Disney Bubble. Their next opponent however, is no slouch. The Timberwolves are tough. They have an all-around superstar in Anthony Edwards, who finished in the top 5 in league scoring. Their top 8 guys include Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniel, Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVicenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Mike Conley. Very solid group; nice mix of veterans and young legs. I still question the on-court fit with Julis Randle, but alas, this is a very good team. Thankfully for the Lakers, they have a blueprint for success against Minnesota. It was provided by Luka Dončić during last season’s NBA Playoffs, when the 5th-seeded Mavericks bounced the 3rd-seeded Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. During that series, Minnesota Head Coach Chris Finch elected to play Rudy Gobert in mostly drop coverage, and occasionally up-to-touch, during pick and rolls. They used Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaden McDaniels on traps, and had Karl Anthony Towns (who is no longer with the team) hedge on ball screens to avoid switching. Dončić was masterful in utilizing the pocket of spaces provided by the drop and up-to-touch coverages to put his own defender in jail and rise up for high percentage midrange looks. Dallas also utilized a variety of stagger/double ball screens in order to force Gobert into drop, and add a wrinkle of complexity on switches. Throughout that series, Luka was effective at kicking it out to open shooters in the corners when help defenders collapsed the paint.

    This series, Lakers center Jaxson Hayes will be critical. His ability to set good picks and be a dynamic pick and roll big for Luka and LeBron will be key. Another crucial component is the play of Austin Reaves. If he can provide yet another effective pick and roll ball handler, that will give the offense yet another dimension, as it will allow both Luka and LeBron to play off-ball. Minnesota has a bevy of athletic defenders on the wing, so dissecting their perimeter defense will certainly be a challenge. Rui Hachimura is an another important component to the team’s offense, as his knack for filling the lanes in transition and ability to hit open jumpers is paramount. His output will be needed in order to counter that of Minnesota star sixth man Naz Reid, who always seems to save his best for the Lakers. The team’s other perimeter players such as Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith should also be counted on to hit open shots and defend at a high level. Team-wise, the Lakers will need to focus on attacking from their 5-out sets, and bringing Gobert out of the paint as much as possible. 

    Defensively, the main goal is containing Anthony Edwards, whose all-world athleticism can give any defense the yips. I expect the Lakers to utilize some combination of Vanderbilt and Finney-Smith for guarding Edwards. As I also expect Minnesota to target switches in order to get Edwards to attack someone like Luka from a triple threat position out in space. The Lakers’ ability to switch and not give up easy offense will be key. Minnesota shooters like DiVicenzo, Reid and Conley are all formidable, and it will be important for the Lakers to stay home on shooters without allowing ball handlers like Edwards to collapse the defense. 

    This should be a good series, as both teams have their strengths that they bring to the table. Both teams have also been to playoffs and certainly don’t lack experience. I think it will come down to the Lakers ability to hit open shots and put Minnesota’s bigs in compromising positions on ball screens. The Lakers will need balanced output from their main stars, and also find a way to not be overwhelmed by Minnesota’s athleticism. I expect this to be a hard fought series, and I think the Lakers can prevail. Until then, Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Secure 3 Seed as Luka Dončić Dominates

    The Los Angeles Lakers came out last night and took care of business. In the midst of a heated playoff race, one where many scenarios where up for grabs, the Lakers did their part to control their own destiny and lock up the 3 seed in the Western Conference. And they did so convincingly. Beating the Houston Rockets in Los Angeles by a score of 140-109.

    Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 39 points (on 13-19 from the field), while adding 8 boards, 7 assists and a steal. Austin Reaves chipped in with 23 points (on 9-15 shooting) to go with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The Rockets, who have already clinched the 2 seed in the Western Conference, opted to rest their starters. However, they received great production from young stud Cam Whitmore (who the Lakers foolishly passed on during the 2023 NBA Draft, never forget!) to the tune of 34 points (on a clean 13-19 from the field). All in all, it was nice to see the team come out focused and put the clamps down on this game. Yes, the Rockets all but ceded the contest by shelving their starters, but they’re still an extremely well coached team and one who the Lakers may encounter down the line.

    Xs and Os wise, the Lakers didn’t do anything special in this game, but were definitely solid. They were able to count on the individual brilliance of Luka Dončić (39 points) and Austin Reaves (23 points). Early on, they spread the floor with their patent 5 out offense. They were able to exploit switches out in the perimeter as well as provide ample space for their main ballhandlers to create offense. Luka in particular, utilized his unique ability to collapse the help defense to find open shooters like Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith (who scored 18 points on 6 made three pointers). LeBron James also had a strong performance, scoring 14 points in 22 minutes, before exiting the game midway in the 3rd quarter due to injury. But it did not make much difference, as Luka Dončić proved to be the star of the game once again. In this game, he unleashed the full offensive arsenal, from driving to dishing to midrange pull-ups to post-ups to stepback threes. In particular, when he gets that midrange going, he’s virtually unstoppable. If not for his six missed free throws (8-14 from the stripe) he likely cruises to yet another 40 point outing. Thankfully, no late game heroics were needed, as JJ Redick pulled his starters thru the 4th quarter as the game was seemingly in hand and the Lakers won comfortably.

    Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick remarked a few days ago that he wanted to see the team win all remaining games to clinch their playoff seed. Well, they came one game shy of meeting that objective. Outside of their gut-wrenching loss to Oklahoma City five days ago (one that saw Luka Dončić receive a questionable ejection) the team has played good basketball, by winning four out of their last five contest to up their record to 50-31, securing the 3 seed in the Western Conference. Outside of a disappointing loss to Golden State a little over a week ago, the team has managed to finish strong despite some rocky stretches during the last few months, where both LeBron and Luka have shuffled in and out of the lineup due to injury.

    Alas, we finally have some clarity, as the LA Lakers are locked in to the 3 seed in the West. All that’s left now is how seeds 4-8 will shape out. If Golden State beats the LA Clippers on Sunday, then they jump to the 6 seed. However if the Clippers prevail against Golden State, Minnesota will likely take the 6 seed, dropping Golden State to 7. This game in particular has substantial implications for both the Warriors and the Clippers as the loser will likely fall into the play-in. Both Minnesota and Denver are both expected to win their final contests. Minnesota will play Utah, who are tanking, and Denver will play Houston, who are set to rest their starters once more. So the Clippers/Golden State game will be the one to watch as far as how the West’s bracket will play out. As usual, the Western Conference has proven to be quite the dogfight this season. Outside of Oklahoma City’s dominance, no playoff team has really managed to create much distance from each other. It’s great to see the Lakers take care of their business and finish strong. but there are still many challenges, as now the real season begins. Hopefully these next few days will be vital as far as the team being able to catch their breath and prepare for the postseason. Namely LeBron who has battled some nagging (groin) injuries late in the season. After Sunday’s games are finalized and the play-in tournament is done, we’ll know for sure what the West playoff bracket will look like. In the meantime, Go Lakers.

  • Making Sense of the Playoff Picture 

    Following an emotional and crucial win at Dallas last night, the LA Lakers find themselves in the midst of a heated playoff chase. With two games left to go in the season, the only thing that is for certain is that nothing is for certain. Outside of Houston (2 seed) and Oklahoma City (1 seed), every other teams’ playoff futures rely on their ability to take care of their own business, and perhaps even some scoreboard watching. In the case of the Lakers, who currently sit at 3rd in the Western Conference (with a record of 49-31), they would need to secure at least one win between Friday’s contest versus Houston, or Sunday’s matchup against Portland. 

    If the Lakers manage to lock up the 3 seed, the next logical question would be: who gets to the 6 seed and plays them in the first round? As it stands, seeds 4-8, Denver (48-32), LA Clippers (48-32), Golden State (47-33), Memphis (47-33)  and Minnesota (47-33) are all within two games of each other. I don’t think the Lakers should waste any time worrying about who their opponent will be. The team’s primary focus in these next two games (Houston and Portland) should be a simple one: WIN. Take care of the business at hand and worry about playoffs seeding and opponents later. As it stands, Golden State, Memphis and Minnesota sit at 33 losses, meanwhile Denver and LAC each have 32. It’s still too early to call, and even the Lakers themselves have at best a 1-game cushion over all five of these teams. It’s been yet another season of parity and razor-thin margins in the Western Conference. But the only remedy for uncertainty is simply to win.

    For now, we know that the Lakers will finally avoid the vaunted play-in. However, a worst case scenario could see them drop as low as the 5 seed. Every single team below them, that’s still in the playoff chase, will be aiming to avoid the play-in as well, so there will be stiff competition for how the West’s playoff picture will shake out. The Lakers next game will be against Houston, who are above them at the 2 seed, and locked in to that spot. The Lakers have already beat Houston, doing so only a few days ago during their last homestand. It would benefit them to come out again with that same intensity, and put their best foot forward in order to secure a well-earned playoff seed. After that, they will have some clarity as to where they stand on the playoff bracket and will head into the playoffs with some measure of momentum, something ALL championship-aspiring teams should always look to do. Short of that, they will likely find themselves in a pressure-filled game against Portland (in Portland) where they have always been persona non-grata and where the home fans will be hungry for their team to play the role of spoiler, and drop the Lakers out of home court advantage in the first round. Not to mention, they run the risk of getting leapfrogged by the teams that are currently below them. 

    It’s important for the team to buckle down and play focused basketball in these last two games, in order to enter the playoffs with some swagger and pizzaz, as opposed to merely limping into them. These Lakers have quite simply played great basketball during the seasons’ second half, particularly after the Luka Dončić trade. So it would be a shame to see the team dip in the standings because they took their foot off the accelerator during these last two games. So in my opinion, the teams’ objective should be a rather simple one: WIN and hopefully have the playoffs be an extension of a strong regular season finish. Go Lakers.

  • Operation: Homecoming

    From tipoff, it was clear that this wouldn’t be your ordinary early April game. Emotions were pouring from the hometown fans for their former hometown kid. A player whom they saw drafted, developed and blossom into a star. A young man who made his journey from Slovenia (by way of Real Madrid) into the bright lights of the NBA seven years ago in 2018. A generational talent who led Dallas to its third NBA Finals berth just last year, and was considered by many to be the franchise’s cornerstone. The Prodigal Son, Luka Dončić, returned to his old stomping grounds in Dallas for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2nd. 

    The Lakers looked to get back on track, on the second night of a back-to-back, following a tough 1136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night. A game that saw Dončić receive a questionable ejection after being handed a second technical for the night during the final minutes of the fourth quarter. To make matters worse, this was a game The Lakers seemed to be in control of, before Luka’s ejection. Safe to say, the team was in dire need of a win tonight, as they’re looking to secure a top 3 playoff seed and avoid the vaunted play-in tournament; and dropping consecutive games would certainly not help that cause. The stage was set and the lights were bright for Dončić to return to the American Airlines Center in Downtown Dallas, a place he once called home, and put on a show for the hometown fans while helping his new team secure a much-needed road win. And put on a show he did. 

    The Lakers prevailed in a hard-fought 112-97 win. Dončić wasted no time going to work. His 45 points matched a personal season-high, becoming just the second player in NBA history to record 45 point outings for and against the same team in the same season. LeBron James added 27 points (with 13 of them coming in the final quarter) while Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves each contributed 15 and 11 points apiece. Naji Marshall, of the Mavericks, lead his team with 23 points, while former Lakers Anthony Davis and Max Christie (both part of the Luka trade) scored 13 and 11 points respectively. 

    Game-plan-wise, the Lakers continue to have an answer for opposing teams’ big men, holding AD to just 13 points on 13 shots. Davis was double-teamed or trapped after virtually every catch, mostly in delicate areas of the floor such as the baseline, which limited Davis’ passing angles and court vision. It bears mentioning that Dallas’ main perimeter star Kyrie Irving is out with injury, and their other marquee name Klay Thompson did not play to his standards (only scoring 6 points). The LA defensive trio of Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent and James Goodwin were instrumental in disrupting passing lanes and forcing Dallas turnovers, particularly during their half court sets. Luka also had a strong defensive game with 4 steals. The Lakers won the turnover battle 12-20. 

    Offensively, LA spread the floor, attacking primarily from a 5-out set. Early on, they found success running pistol action (which is when two wings combine for either a handoff or a ball screen at the wing, with the center trailing the play at the top of the key), which often led to switches, leaving Dallas center Derrick Lively guarding either Reaves or LeBron out in space. The team continues to thrive in transition (15 fast break points to Dallas’ 13) anchored by the playmaking of the trio of Luka, Reaves and LeBron. One particular play of note was a breathtaking alley-oop from Reaves to LeBron early in the 2nd quarter. 

    But the star of the night was one Luka Dončić. His 45 points led both teams substantially, and also tied his Lakers season-high which he set versus Milwaukee earlier this season. Coach JJ Redick made a conscious effort to allow for Luka to operate in space within the half court, often targeting switches that Luka successfully attacked. It was clear that this was a game were he would get to shine his offensive prowess. It didn’t hurt that he shot a blistering 7-10 from beyond the arc, mostly on stepbacks, when attacking said switches. In my opinion, Rui Hachimura had a strong performance with 15 points (on 3-7 from beyond the arc) successfully spacing the floor for Luka on the half court, draining a couple of corner threes, and finishing his baskets in transition. Dallas tried hedging on Luka ball screens late in the 4th quarter, but they were successfully countered with Rui and Austin Reaves short rolls. Austin is a great playmaker in these situations, and Rui can hit the pull up jumper when the defense sags. LeBron James also did his part to help the team pull away late, scoring 13 of his 27 points in the final quarter. Luka put the finishing touches after hitting a stepback three and a driving layup in consecutive possessions before exiting the game to a round of cheers and nostalgia-ridden applause. 

    It was a bitter sweet moment for the Mavs faithful, but from a Lakers perspective, this was certainly a performance to build upon. The team was gassed following a tough loss last night, but they found a way to tough it out and find enough balance to complement Luka’s Superstar Of The Night performance and triumphant homecoming. The goal now should be to finish the season strong and secure that 3 seed. Go Lakers.