bigger lead against pacers and at hm but yea NOP on a 10gm losing streak so of course you knew Lakers would end it for them lol
This is why I don't quite understand when people say: "oh, we're just 2 games behind...," "when we make the playoffs, we can beat anyone," etc. This was the most important game for us, and we could not even overcome NO, after leading basically the whole game. The mistakes were inexcusable, and Ham just doesn't know what he's doing. Especially defensively.
Damn it to hell!! They dirty birds were on the verge of season collapse. This was all I wanted this season, no championship, nothing, just a better record than the Pelicans and the dumb team cannot even give it to me.
That sequence with 2:23 left in the game, when they couldn't secure the board, NO got a few shots off, then BI got fouled and made two: ballgame. And aye: it is frustrating AF. We were up by 11. Kyrie Irving or no, I want a team that doesn't give up 42 in the 3rd. I want a Top 5 Defensive team. Guess I have to wait. Better D and some bona fide marksmen from 3, por favor, Jeannie. Next year? Practically all our games are close. No one blows us out. But we've come up losers in close games more than winners. And man, does it frikkin' blow.
I hear ya. Every loss sucks but this one felt deflating, like "who do we think we're foolin' we're making the play-in?" BI always plays us like he's KD. He kills us. Man, I love his game. Respect.
Not having better D is on the coach from not using or at least trying early in the first half (what would be the f****** harm) to see if you could get some productive minutes out of Christie and JTA. Mentioned elsewhere they’ve earned it to at least be checked out in games early to see if maybe better than playing always his fall back security blanket too small lineups against talented much taller scorers and hoping for the best out of them. If it’s clear they’re overmatched then keep on a short leash, but not too short with Max to keep his rhythm and confidence up. Vogel NO DOUBT would have this squad playing better D. Much better than what he had to work with last year.
a defense as bad as ours is on coaching, imo. our personnel aren't great defensively, but they're much better than last year's group as individuals. so frustrated with this particular game, which is really just more of the same, but in the most painful way possible. had a chance to basically end NO's season and probably ended ours instead. edit: oh and another night of every team ahead of us winning, too. super.
I would think you're right about Vogel and the team D. When a team is 3-4 games under .500 on February 4th, the coach will get people questioning his usage, and for sure there seems to be a lack of utilization of skilled players. Guys who deserve more mins (in my opinion): JTA, Christie (esp for his spot-up shooting, but also his hustle), and Wenyan when we need some rim protection. I thought it kinda strange that Hachimura immediately got so many mins when he got here. But any coach is gonna be second-guessed when the team is in this position. I recall great Laker teams in which you knew who was starting every game, who's the 6th man, what guys are likely to get minutes, and when, and it was like clockwork. There were always 3-4 guys you'd never see unless it was garbage time, and there was a lot of garbage time, with many wins of over 20 points in a season. Clearly, we ain't got that situation.
Exactly. Phil used to have really short rotations that were stable from the first game of the season but we were winning too and he wasn’t mismatching guys ridiculously size wise on much taller scorers.
We had this one... until we didn't. Don't think this was on any one player. It's the end of a long road trip and we got out coached.
Only 28 games left. This was a very bad loss. Got to dig ourselves out of a very big hole going forward. Not quite sure they are up for it. Tonight was not a good sign.
Well Westbrook got all the minutes maybe he should have had more of this year, after emerging from the life threatening coma caused by the bone bruise that damn near killed him.
basically what i've been spamming in all the threads now. not sure if it's arrogance, but they definitely don't want it as much as they should. and i can't buy lebron's stuff about how the losing eats at him. ok, then lead, and do it by example. tell the team and the coach that we're not going to give up 130 points to s***balls on the regular because that's unacceptable to you. the espn headline: "lebron gets to within 36 of kareem, but pelicans snap 10-game losing streak" sort of says it all. how about lebron scores 20ppg in games we win 104-97? and i'm not pinning it all on lebron, just that he is the leader of the team. he and ham are the ones that can demand accountability. defend or sit. every possession. problem is that includes the big dogs. AD is up to it.
