Game Debrief: What Went Right And What Went Wrong?

This was a good win against a team whose Super Bowl was this game - Clippers season is lost but this was a cup game against the lakers they came out to play particularly with Kawhii back.

Add in winning it without a key starter ayton.

Defense is a problem with the Rui lineups - all the advanced metrics were raising red flags on Rui's defense before Lebron came back and now with Lebron the defense without Ayton and Rui misplaced as a starter was really bad.

Same thing happpened with Utah - second half JJ goes with his preferred defense oriented crew with some combo of Laravia, Smart, and Gabe and the defense gets a lot better

 

Lakers finally pull away from Clips at the Crypt, 135-118 to go to 13-4. I thought Clips offense was impressive, better than what Reggie and the PBP guy on NBC thought. Were there breakdowns for both teams? Yea, but the game was pretty intense until a few mins into the 4th, when we got separation. And somehow kept it.

Luka, Bron and AR combined for 99 points. Lakers shot 57% for the game.

Doncic had 32 at the half and seemed a cinch to hit 50, but his 2nd half wasn't as fiery. Still, 43/9/13 ain't bad, eh?

Clips drop to 5-13. I thought they were better than that but I guess not. I agree that Lue doesn't use Zubac effectively. The Clips seem to have rancid team chemistry, and I wonder how much of that is just having Kawhi and Beardie on the same team...

NBC effed up at one point in the 3rd when they cut to a meaningless sign with the announcers still yapping, then to a commercial while the game was still going.

I thought the refs had a bad game.

Of the top 6 teams in the West right now, OKC has gone 9-1 over their last 10; Lakers/Nuggets/Rockets/Suns are 8-2 over their last 10 and the Spurs are 6-4.

Our defense needs tightening, that's for damned sure. Hurts to have Ayton out. Jaxson got 30 mins and held his own.