Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by therealdeal, Jun 20, 2016.

  1. Kenzo

    Kenzo - Lakers All Star -

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    Too bad, they weren't mad enough at Cleveland last year ;)
    We had no chance without Russ and Jules, 149 points allowed is still ridiculous though...
     
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  2. Battle Tested20

    Battle Tested20 Moderator Staff Member

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    same thing I was thinking. I knew last night would be a blood bath.
     
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  3. jbiggs

    jbiggs - Rookie -

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    thankful i slept thru this game based off the box score
     
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  4. Doc Brown

    Doc Brown - Lakers Starter -

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    We can officially take the W out of Ha_ks and D_ight and replace those with two more L's in AtLLLanta. Eat it D_ight.
     
  5. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    really nice win against the hawks. it looked bleak early, but when the hawks were playing great ball and only up 10 or so, i thought the lakers would have a shot to climb back in. i think they let up on the gas a bit and forgot that these aren't byron's lakers.

    great scrappy work on the boards in this one from nance, black, and robinson especially. love that young can carry the offense one half, then lou in another. it's almost like having one kobe! ok, maybe one old kobe.

    anyway, any win the lakers can scratch out during this tough stretch in which they're playing good teams whilst being forced to play calderon as a starter is a great thing.
     
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  6. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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    .500 basketball again.
     
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  7. Cookie

    Cookie The Dame of Doom Staff Member

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    Our bench scored 65 points. Man, I love that unit. They have talent but score so much off of hustle and energy plays. Always giving 100%. Black and Nance play very well off each other.
     
  8. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    Nice heartfelt win against Dwight Coward and co. Got a little worried when they went down big in the first, but way to fight back and really take it to the opposition. Just another great team win.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2016
  9. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

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    you mean the first? cause we ran them out of the building in the fourth
     
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  10. wcsoldier81

    wcsoldier81 - Lakers All Star -

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    Great win , 9-9 for a 17-65 team with the 3rd hardest schedule and without 2 starters !
     
  11. Alcindor

    Alcindor - Lakers Starter -

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    Honestly these first 18 games may have been the worst part of our schedule but December may be worse.

    Some stats so far:

    We are 3-4 vs the top six teams in the Western Conference this season, a .428 avg.
    We are 2-1 vs the top six teams in the Eastern Conference this season, a .667 avg. Small sample sizes I know. Still, We only had 11 games vs. the East's top 6 last year. Compare to last year:

    By comparison, we were 1-21 vs top six in West last year. Yes 1-21. That's 0.47 avg. Disgusting.
    We were 2-9 vs the top 6 in the East last year. That's .222.

    Overall, the cumulative record of teams we have played is 148-139. That's counting each team record one time for each time we played them. So the Hawks for instance count as 20-14 not 10-7 since we've played them twice.

    Our schedule has been tough so far with games vs GSW (x3), Spurs, Hawks (x2), Thunder (x2) and the Bulls. That accounts for 1/2 (9) of our games so far. And we won 4 of those.

    We've been out our 2 top players for 3-4 games now in the worst section of our schedule yet we're .500 and in the 8th playoff slot.

    Still a tough spell up ahead. From now (11-27 to 12-31):
    Road Games: 12
    Home Games: 6
    Games vs teams in playoff standings: 10
    Games vs teams not in playoff standings: 8

    It will be tough to hold @ .500 until the end of December, however if we aren't too far off .500 it's hard not to think we won't be in the mix for a bottom playoff slot by virtue of schedule alone as there is NO doubt the first half of the season is tougher than the second.

    From January on:

    Road Games: 21
    Home Games: 25
    Games vs teams in playoff standings: 19
    Games vs teams not in playoff standings: 26

    That's something to look forward to.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2016
  12. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Yes indeed and Minnesota is now 5 - 11.
     
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  13. scnottaken

    scnottaken - Rookie -

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    of course if the refs call the bs like they did last time no team can beat them.
     
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  14. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

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    if we can win as much as we lose during this dark December, we're golden
     
  15. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Oh .... Oh ... and the Clippers just scored 70 points with their 2nd loss in a row. This is the optimism thread right? Let me be first in with, "now it begins ... not later in the playoffs"

    :Shaqwink:
     
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  16. raviator

    raviator - Rookie -

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    This makes me smile because before we went with Luke every sports writer was blasting the front office for letting Thibs get away. Hell even I was to a point. But based on what he wanted, it turned out to be a smart move plus it proved the FO already had their sights set on Luke; another very smart move. And here we have a rookie coach and his team outperforming a veteran coach with a team with supposedly better talent than our own. Well maybe they do have better talent in Wiggins and KAT, but at this point our boys are playing better basketball than those guys.
     
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  17. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    And we might be willing to send them Deng if they say please LOL
     
  18. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

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    SI's The Crossover Power Rankings by Jeremy Woo

    14. Los Angeles Lakers (9–9)


    Last Week: 15
    Net Rating: -2.6


    Nick Young intercepting a pass intended for Lou Williams, blatantly traveling and then nailing the game-winning shot was far and away the best moment of the first month of the season. It’s also the neat epitome of why you should love the Lakers right now. There’s not a ton of rhyme or reason, they aren’t really guarding anyone and it’s fairly unclear who’s actually leading this team on the floor, but don’t question Luke Walton’s SoCal cult of personality. Just inhale.

    This team is fun. This team may not be good, but when it’s midnight on the East Coast and you’re weighing whether or not to stay up and watch basketball, the Lakers’ answer has more often than not been a yes. We’re in so deep that there are already new rumors about Phil Jackson coming back to L.A., and they should actually scare Lakers fans (and send Byron Scott’s ghost cackling around the Staples Center). Because the Lakers are an attractive property again, and that’s with D’Angelo Russell injured and Brandon Ingram still in chrysalis and Timofey Mozgov starting at center.

    It’s going this well.

    So well, in fact, that I don’t think anyone has asked the husk of Kobe Bryant how he feels about it. Four guards are leading the team in scoring, they’ve got the fourth-worst scoring defense in the league, and yet nine wins feels like 40 compared to the last few seasons of Lakers basketball. With the Timberwolves still treading water, here’s this season’s Fun Young Squad. Dreaming of a first round series against the Clippers, yours truly, Jeremy.
     
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  19. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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  20. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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    You know things are going well when there is a positive Lakers article on ESPN.

    http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...second-unit-emerging-as-first-rate-performers

     
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