2019-2020 Official Regular Season Thread

[trojanfan12]

Championship or Bust

They look good sooner than I thought they would. I don't think they'll be able to get past the Clippers without adding one more dependable bench guy. Iggy, for about 15 or so minutes per game would be a nice addition if they can get him.

Right now, they have about 8 guys that I would trust. I think they need 9 to get past the Clips.

 

[DJ]

6-1, bitches.....

 

[Sportsguy9695]

3rd in a row. Oldest player to ever get 3 in a row. He can tie the Lakers record of 4 in a row set by Magic if he does that against the Heat on Friday.

He’s a beast. Really don’t catch many of his game here on the east coast

 

[trojanfan12]

In the moment I always want them to win and I get very frustrated. They stayed between that 8-12 range pretty much the entire game then they make a great run late in the 4th...TT had a lot to do with that and then Love basically bricks two shots.

They are competiting though, even the games that look lopsided they are in the game for 3 1/2 quarters.

Yep, young guys still making mistakes but expected. Garland is looking very tenative, he doesn't even want to shoot at times. Passed up an open jumper to go with the floater, it will take time.

Agree 100%. I watch the games and get into it. Hope they pull it out. But know on the end keeping that pick is best for the team.

Thinking the same about Garland. He's young and can improve on those floater (some look like they might bring rain). Kept hearing the stories about his longrange shooting in his workout making them fall in love.....I'd like to see him take more and live with the results.

That's how I was watching Lakers games the past few years. Want them to be competitive, want to see the kids develop, but not so much that it costs them ping pong balls. lol

 

[dtgold88]

A lot of guys can win games and make teams incrementally better. Larry Brown was great at that.

But the truly great coaches preside over the teams great dynasties and have sustained success at the highest level with multiple core groups.

Pop and Phil are 1 and 2 in some order.

Also, success in college should be viewed differently from success in the NBA. For a good coach, winning in college is a lot easier. And if you value that success heavily, then you have to bring guys like coach K, John Wooden, etc. into this debate. They have better resumes also.

Heck, Brad Stevens getting to back to back championship games at Butler then getting 1 game away from the NBA Finals in 2018 is as impressive as anything on Brown’s resume if you value consistent winning over winning it all with great talent.

Probably should also minimize a title some when each time it was done with arguably the best player in the game. Maybe the best 2 at times.

 

[dtgold88]

Out of sync after the 1st qtr.
It happens.

wait a minute......we don't play the role of In the Moment Guy in blowout losses?

I kid....I kid. Sort of.

 

[trojanfan12]

Not even sure he got everyone to buy into team concept. Certainly not in LA......just too talented not to win.

Sure he did. He got Shaq and Kobe to co-exist and he got MJ to buy in.

He also got Kobe to buy into trusting his teammates during his 2nd stint with the Lakers.

 

[dtgold88]

its almost as if they did not want to win it....lol

I will tel lya- in the moment i want them to win - but after the game i can definitely be happy with a very good effort and the fact that a loss keeps us closer to keeping our pick and possibly adding a big time player.

This is a roster that- if it is allowed to grow and makes certain changes-- just needs that one big time player- and if you are the Cavs you almost certainly have to get that either through the draft or trade---- which either way that pick gives you ammunition.

Cedi made some dumb mistakes last night from when I was watching. Garland looks like he is a 19 year old right now....

but you can at least see the plan and the talent.

Garland definitely looks lost at times like Sexton did early last year. And, yes, just because Sexton turned it around wont mean Garland will. Hopefully Sexton's work ethic rubs off on him.

would like to see him take more 3s.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think both teams accomplished what they wanted out of the deal.

There is no way any team gets value, but Ingram scored 40 points Monday night for New Orleans, so that looks promising for him

 

[dtgold88]

He's still trying out different groups. He seemed to have settled into some rotations, but then Kuz came back and he has to fit him in. I expect we'll see some different rotations when Rondo returns too.

I'm almost afraid to say anything about Dwight. I don't want to jinx it. lol

comment to which you replied the typical one for a Lebron team.....win and the fans will credit Lebron, lose it's the coach. And, of course, even in a win the coach will get ripped often.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I hear what you're saying, but the comeback actually started with him AND AD on the bench. big part also was Kuzma finding his game...

was just giving some cred where it was due. Mostly because our bench NEEDS to step up on the kinda nights that we were having...

The Lakers just finished a road trip and beat everyone on the road and none of them were easy teams. I think was was impressive and huge

 

[dtgold88]

Sure he did. He got Shaq and Kobe to co-exist and he got MJ to buy in.

He also got Kobe to buy into trusting his teammates during his 2nd stint with the Lakers.

You saw them more than me, but from the outside still comes down to too much talent to not win. Did he forget how smart he was after the Shaq deal and before Gasol arrived?

 

[trojanfan12]

You saw them more than me, but from the outside still comes down to too much talent to not win. Did he forget how smart he was after the Shaq deal and before Gasol arrived?

Definitely had a lot of talent. But over the years we've seen plenty of talented teams underachieve or blow up because the stars ego's couldn't be managed.

I think the Shaq/Kobe feud would have blown up faster without Phil there to manage their ego's.

As for Pau, that Lakers team was actually looking really good and like contenders before the trade for Pau. It was interesting too because that was coming off the summer where Kobe had demanded a trade and ripped Bynum.

Bynum was playing like an all star at the time, but got hurt right about the time the trade for Pau was made.

It also helped that Pau was pretty much the perfect guy to pair with Kobe.

 

[dtgold88]

Definitely had a lot of talent. But over the years we've seen plenty of talented teams underachieve or blow up because the stars ego's couldn't be managed.

I think the Shaq/Kobe feud would have blown up faster without Phil there to manage their ego's.

As for Pau, that Lakers team was actually looking really good and like contenders before the trade for Pau. It was interesting too because that was coming off the summer where Kobe had demanded a trade and ripped Bynum.

Bynum was playing like an all star at the time, but got hurt right about the time the trade for Pau was made.

It also helped that Pau was pretty much the perfect guy to pair with Kobe.

Agree not a lock to win with the most talent, but we've never really seen him do much when he didn't have the most talent. At least not in the way of titles (and without titles, he is not held in such high regard).

I might even say his best coaching job was the year MJ left.

 

[Shanemansj13]

and his other 30+ minutes? There were other guys allowed to box out Heyward, as well.

Did I talk about other guys. These are all key plays that he messed up on during the stretch. The brick over Smart from 4 feet was shocking though...maybe Wiggy is on to something lol

 

[trojanfan12]

Agree not a lock to win with the most talent, but we've never really seen him do much when he didn't have the most talent. At least not in the way of titles (and without titles, he is not held in such high regard).

I might even say his best coaching job was the year MJ left.

Agree. That's why I don't rate his coaching, at least the X's and O's part, that high.

He got MJ to buy into trusting his teammates, he got Kobe and Shaq to co-exist longer than probably anyone else could have and he got Kobe to trust his teammates (once he had teammates that he could trust) in his 2nd stint.

But when it came to actual X's and O's, that was always more Tex Winters than Phil.

 

[DJ]

No Vegas line on Lakers-Heat......straight up bet on who wins?


@bksballer89, @TurnUpTheHeat, @Heatles84

 

[DJ]

He’s a beast. Really don’t catch many of his game here on the east coast

The Least Coast.

Morning, SG.

 

[bksballer89]

No Vegas line on Lakers-Heat......straight up bet on who wins?


@bksballer89, @TurnUpTheHeat, @Heatles84

Why would any Heat fan take a straight up bet?

 

[dtgold88]

Did I talk about other guys. These are all key plays that he messed up on during the stretch. The brick over Smart from 4 feet was shocking though...maybe Wiggy is on to something lol

The brick that rolled in and out? Guys miss uncontested shots, too......did you miss where Theis missed an uncontested layup in the same time frame? Shit happens. Love also had a key block during their comeback but that would ruin the narrative.

Just me, but he isn't the one who would feel my wrath if I was upset about the loss....but, yeah, would have been nice to have hit the 3.