Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

An anomaly. Come on you know the deal with that call

 

Moral victories are the only kind we can live on in a rebuild so here we go:

1. It's been a common refrain of mine but this is the kind of game that you need out of young players. Think back to the 2008-2010 years and think about the Thunder and Warriors in that time. They were the "young, scary team that nobody wants in the playoffs" and that's what we're aiming to be right now. The results have been mixed (mostly bad) all year, but last night was a perfect example of what we need.

2. This was the best game I've seen Ingram play obviously. It wasn't just the 30 points, it was the defense late on Durant, the made free throws, the confidence. He had it all going for him in a rare performance. This is the kind of performance that changes league perception. Looking back on his career, we'll point to this game and say, "that's when the league really took notice". Already we saw NBA players tweeting about his performance and watching last night there was more than one occasion when Durant looked genuinely flummoxed by what Ingram was doing. This is the game that shows why he might be untouchable, but more importantly this is the game he needs to play every night.

3. It was great to see Lonzo not only knock down some shots, but some tough ones around the rim as well. He took that heat check three and drilled it from way outside with a short follow through and everything. For a moment I thought he was going to switch the momentum and we were going to go on a big run. Then he got subbed out and it didn't happen. He also switched capably onto Durant and Green a few times. Most players underestimate how tall and long he actually is, it's part of why he has so many blocks as a guard.

4. Julius was a man possessed defensively. He had multiple challenges at the rim that weren't fouls that frustrated the Warriors. My only semi complaint was his passes out of the post being too slow and too telegraphed at times. It seemed like they would feed him and then wait and watch instead of setting off-ball screens or cutting. Overall Julius's energy changed everything about that game and he's looking a lot more like Draymond these days than we've ever seen before. If he played every game like last night, there'd be no choice but to keep him at all costs. More and more he's convincing me that if we have to choose between Clarkson and Julius, Clarkson needs to go (I would have said the same thing before the season started, but I'm getting more convinced by the day). If he plays like this every day, he'll make me eat crow on trying to trade him for a 1st.

5. Most importantly this is yet another game that Paul George and/or LeBron James and/or DeMarcus Cousins or whomever can look at the young guys and think, "that's where I need to be next summer". These youngsters almost beat a historically great Warriors team. What could Paul George do with them? What could LeBron do?

 

I miss Chuck. That was such a great show.

 

To me, I couldn't even classify it as a steal! If Jokic sits the game out, they're down their two best players. We should blow this team out.

 

No I got you. I just feel like a game like two nights ago really needs to be a turnaround for a couple young guys at least for a game or two. I want to see Ingram play with that same mindset against this Denver team that really shouldn't have a good answer for him. Ball needs to continue to be aggressive.