Game Debrief: What Went Right And What Went Wrong?

this team constantly quits on Defense for large parts of the games, and then everything falls apart, and this is even against bad teams.

I don't understand how this is possible, I get Lebron being 40 years old, but he's not the only culprit, it's like they are content with being a play-in team.

 

this team isnt a "player" away from being contenders, treadmill team but nobody wants to admit it

 

-33 after break.
f***ing embarrassing

 

On Cooper night these guys decide not to play defense. The irony.

 

Lakers lose to San Antonio, 102-126. It was a tie game going into the 4th.

The Coop presentation got me a little teary-eyed. Then the last 16 minutes of the game got me crying for a completely different reason; different emotions.

We were up 10 when Max hit a 3 with 3:57 left in the 3rd Q. Then, we stopped playing defense and offense. The last 4 mins of the 3rd were hideous. The entire 4th was stupid.

Tied at the beginning of the last quarter, SA won the 4th 37-13.

Beginning of 4th Q: tied:
4th Q:
SAS 37
Lakers 13

Our bad D set us up for bad O. I'm gonna say we rusty AF. Everyone is weirded-out by the fires. Who knows? We're not that bad. Spurs are not that good. We had 19 turnovers. We were lucky to be in the game at the start of the 4th, much less tied.

It looked like SA got 90% of all the 50-50 balls.

Lakers, after 2 games canceled by the fires, lose their 3rd straight to a Texas team, and if I'm not mistaken it looks like Lakers Hell just ahead. Again. Let us hope we can pivot and go down some other corridor this time. From where I sit, a loss next game to MIA and we're officially back in Lakers Hell.

After a nice run and acquisition of D F-S, we rose to 4th in West...we lose a close one to HOU, give a stupendously bad performance in DAL, lose at home to SA after a week of local horrors and canceled games, and we slip back down to 7th. Such is the West in the NBA these days.

 

Oh, I’ve said it here several times.
This is why I’m not handing out those firsts for just anyone.
This team is like three very good upgrades away, at the very least to have a shot.

 

Meh..our draft record is spotty and there won't be a single superstar, looking to force their way to the Lakers, if we seriously think, that not spending a couple of future FRP, to upgrade around Lebron and AD, is a good idea. Come here for what? To spend the rest of their career in mediocrity, while we hold on to future picks for the next "rebuild"?

 

.... or get gutted for them to force their way here, by themselves, with the AD type trade demand.

 

the only modern path to long-term contention is to draft a superstar or trade for a very young one. otherwise, the financials make it very difficult to field a complete team.

if you spend all your future picks for modest current upgrades, you've eliminated both paths, really.

not sure the "trade the picks" folks understand how far out some of these will be.

 

You are probably right.

I'd like your opinion.... outside of this season and probably the next in which it's obviously not going to happen, do you think we can make moves necessary to contend during AD's window of being a top 10/15 player in the League or should we blow it up completely and hoard draft picks?

 

A "modest" upgrade can put you over the top too. I'm not sure what super, unbeatable team exists, currently in the NBA either. There are a few teams, that would be in contention with a " modest " upgrade, we are one of them.

 

I don't buy that, you need two-way players in almost every position, look at C Bags last year's team. Or maybe have one superstar at most that doesn't defend while the rest of the team does. Too many of our players just don't have it on D. Rui, and Austin are not defenders, Lebron used to be good at it when he cared, but he doesn't have the tank anymore. Let's not pretend this is 2020 Lebron still, it's not.

 

Every year is different, it's not some mold at play, it's the team that maximizes it's best players period. I don't view Rui as a foundation piece at all. I'd trade him for Vucevic, that's my preference. Now all of sudden your rotations flipped. AD can more play PF, DFS and Vanderbilt become more impactful, along with Max and Gabe. You brought a lot of versatility to your rotations with one move. You can now deploy defensive minded guys around Lebron or AD. Hell Lebron is still a better defender than Austin or Rui as it is.

You also just brought in some more offense, floor spacing and rebounding. If you want to up the ante, and do another minor move, flip JHS for Sharpe. You just brought in more size, athleticism and rebounding.

Everyone doesn't have to be some kind of great defensive player or above average. There is always more than one way to skin a cat, or put together a contending ball club. I just pointed out two " moderate " upgrades that would transform this team, and it didn't cost a single FRP.

A lot of folks are so stuck on what we've been doing, that's it hard to imagine doing things differently. I don't have that problem. We should set trends, based off of what we have, not worry about copying what someone else is doing. Go BIG!!! IMO

 

Felt really down after this one: the fires, cooper's jersey retirement and to lay an egg like this when it looked you were about to get blowout in your favor was rough.

 

Meh would be a perfect description of this team now n few yes more

 

Then you will have a field day complaining about it.

 

Naw, i accept facts and dont have the purple tinted glasses you have at all times

 

Suit yourself. I'm perfectly fine with these purple tinted glasses.

 

https://hoopshype.com/2025/01/14/nb...two-second-round-picks-for-jonas-valanciunas/


https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-trade...vucevic-bulls-could-settle-second-round-picks