SUNS -at- LAKERS - 2/10 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

 
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DancingBarry
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:33 pm    Post subject: SUNS -at- LAKERS - 2/10 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

40 Wins... Phil Jackson used to talk about getting 40 before 20 -- 40 wins before 20 losses -- as the sign of an elite team. The Lakers pushed their record to 40-12 with the 125-100 blowout against the visiting Suns.

Nothing like an undermanned Suns team to mask your troubles for a day.

The Lakers were too big, too strong and dominated the glass with a massive 30 rebound advantage.

While their bigs were controlling the glass, Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 23 points (making 4-5 from three) to help lead the Lakers to victory.


LeBron -- -- He was on the quadruple-double pace tonight. A little better effort than the last one. There were still some missed rotations on D or sloppy passes/offensive fouls, but he certainly seemed more focused. He had some easy scores just backing guys down. The three ball was also there (he is really good on that SLOB play we run where he comes off the weakside screen to take the inbounds and drain the three straight away). We were able to get him some extra time off in this game as we had a big lead midway through the fourth and he didn’t need to return. The turnovers really need to get cleaned up. The Stats: He scored 17 points on 6-16 shooting (3-6 from three, 2-4 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 9 assists, 1 steal, 8 turnovers and 2 foul in 30 minutes. He was a +16.

Davis -- -- A lot of straight post touches in this game, which forced the D to collapse and had him moving the ball. I love whenever we get LeBron cutting off those doubles. He goes hard and draws so much attention. If LeBron gets the ball it’s usually trouble for the D. I’d also like to see more high-low or big-to-big passing from him (he and Howard teamed up for one score). Good things usually happen off those. Nice job getting to the line in the third quarter to manufacture points. He was pretty frustrated with the officials tonight. A lot of seemingly easy ones around the hoop that should have been called. The fans later were irritated with the refs even though we were up 20. The Stats: He scored 25 point son 9-17 shooting (0-3 from three, 7-8 from the line) to go with 10 boards (3 offensive), 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 2 foul sin 31 minutes. He was a +9.

Green -- -- “We have good matchups for different types of offensive threats,” Vogel said. Green’s size and length on D against Booker was important to keep him from going to work in the post against our smaller guards. We did a good job keeping Booker in check in that regard (10 points on 2-11 shooting and 5 assists with 3 turnovers). In the second half, Green was stone cold, missing three threes as well as adding a travel off the three line. But I will take that if we keep the opponent’s stars in check. The Stats: He scored 5 points on 2-7 shooting (1-6 from three) to go with 1 board, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 25 minutes. He was a +3.

McGee -- -- The Suns were without Ayton, so we had a size advantage if we wanted to pursue it. Green got challenged quite a bit at the rim in this one and came up empty (got dunked on, too). Quiet night overall. He got his buckets on a tip-in and threw down a lob pass with one hand (on a set play with a screen from Green). The Stats: He scored 4 points on 2-3 shooting to go with 7 boards and 2 fouls in 15 minutes. He was a +6.

Bradley -- -- It’s a sure bet we are running the first play of every game for him. We’re trying to get him going early, which has been working well of late. This is how you make your role players more effective. Get them some pet plays where they can feel comfortable and contribute. Your stars will always find a way, but getting everyone else to edge up their production is key. Right now, I feel like he’s going to sink a three everytime he gets sets and fires. He’s just in a great rhythm, getting nice arc on the shot. He had the backbreaker three midway through the fourth quarter. The Lakers would score again after that and push the lead to 20 to force a timeout. He’d sink another three threes tonight. The Stats: He scored 12 points on 4-7 shooting (3-4 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 1 steal and 3 fouls in 23 minutes. He was a +11.

Caldwell-Pope -- -- He had a dunk and three in transition. Also tipped in a missed three for a score. Quiet game, but effective. When we get as many guards contributing as we did tonight that’s a long night for the opponents. Glad to see him back in the mix and didn’t look sore or slowed by his recent injury that kept his time short in the last one. The Stats: He scored 13 points on 4-7 shooting (1-2 form three, 4-4 from the line) to go with 1 board, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 25 minutes. He was a +17.

Kuzma -- -- The rotations changed as they were might make it easier to finish games with AD, Kuzma, LeBron more. Kuzma was active again on the glass. Defensively, some time against Oubre (LeBron, as well) and Oubre ended up with the -34 with 10 points on 4-9 shooting. Kuz had the luckiest basket of the game as he attacked in the fourth and was hacked before he could get a shot up, it still somehow banked in for an And-1. Very under control in this game. You can see him slowing things up a bit and reading the floor. Again, loving the extra stats from Kuzma in this one (boards, assists, blocks, steal). The Stats: He scored 9 points on 4-5 shooting (1-2 from three, 0-1 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers and 1 foul in 20 minutes. He was a +14.

Howard -- -- Great job again on the offensive glass. “We know they were missing a lot of their bigs,” Dwight said. He went to work with 15 boards (5 offensive) in his 24 minutes. He won’t get credit for drawing fouls to regain possession or just forcing the other team to not control a board because of his pressure, but he had a few of those in there, too. He had two tip-ins off freethrow misses tonight. It’s rare you see one, but two? Those are especially painful for an opponent. Just too big, too strong for the Suns tonight. The Stats: He scored 14 points on 6-6 shooting (2-4 from the line) to go with 15 boards (5 offensive) and 3 fouls in 24 minutes. He was a +19.

Rondo -- -- A new season high. It was the Suns, of course, but Rondo is often given the same space against a lot of team. He was just feeling it and got aggressive as a result. We did make one change in this one that might have helped him. We ran him more with starters, earlier in the rotations (more on that below in Vogel’s section). Good stretch in the first half to open this game. He ball-faked and sank a three on a kickout. He attacked from the corner for a layup. Then, next trip down, quickly drained a three straight away when his man went under the screen. That forced the Suns to call a timeout. After that, he’d hit a pull-up at the FT line, attack for a floater and knock down another three when AD was doubled. He had 15 points on 6-8 shooting (3-4 from three) in that first half. Best half of his season and he was a +10. In the second half, he’d attack the paint for scores again and stretch the floor for scores. Certainly, the game is much easier for us when you’ve got him rolling like this. Lately, he’s been a bit frustrating to watch. Nice to have a good one to enjoy. The Stats: He scored 23 points on 9-13 shooting (4-5 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover and 4 fouls in 27 minutes. He was a +22.

Caruso -- -- He didn’t play the first half as Rondo was having his best half of the season. I’m not going to read anything into this as Rondo was on fire, so you have to milk that. If we see Rondo stone cold and Caruso not in the mix, then you will hear it. “I still intend to use a 10-man rotation,” Vogel said. Just garbage time minutes tonight. The Stats: He didn’t score on 0-1 shooting from three in 5 minutes. He was a +2.

Daniels -- -- He came in for garbage time and quickly hit a three on his first touch. Then missed everything else. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-5 shooting from three to go with 3 boards in 5 minutes. He was a +2.

Cook -- -- Garbage time action and he missed a couple of chucks. The Stats: He didn’t score on 0-2 shooting from three to go with 1 board and 1 assist in 5 minutes. He was a +2.

Dudley -- -- He missed a three and scoop down the middle of the lane in garbage time.The Stats: He didn’t score on 0-2 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 2 boards and 1 foul in 5 minutes. He was a +2.

Vogel -- -- Key Moment: When Rondo started knocking down shots to open the second quarter, the Suns were in trouble.

Key Substitution: Some substitution pattern changes. We saw LeBron sit midway through the first and third for Rondo, then brought him back with around 2:30 left to close the quarters. We sat AD and went with Howard. This gives Rondo a little more time with starters and a little less time with bench/AD. And, of course, LeBron out there to close the quarters. Whether it was a coincidence or not, Rondo had his best half of the season. “We’ve been struggling to close out those quarters,” Vogel said.

Key Stats: The Lakers had a 59-29 rebounding advantage (16-3 on the offensive glass). Just too big for the undermanned Suns. “If we don’t get those rebounds, we have to make sure we get back on the other end,” AD said about using their size smartly.

Vogel Tech: With 2:31 in the first half, he yelled at the refs after AD lost the ball in the post. Not that big a deal, but the Lakers inbounds play off that tech was sweet. LeBron cut into the key off a high screen from AD with some speed. That attracted AD’s man and allowed an open runway for AD to hammer down a lob dunk off the inbounds pass.
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Klone_dd
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:50 pm    Post subject:

Good comfortable win! Thanks DB.
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Dr. Laker
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 11:02 pm    Post subject:

Thx, DB!
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:24 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB. I love how LJ was encouraging Kuz (who had a good all around game tonight) He knows we are going to need Kuz to raise a banner. If we get an uptick from Kuz and AB, we will be TOUGH to beat.
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deal
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:53 am    Post subject:

Yep, thanks DB!
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danzag
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:23 am    Post subject:

Thanks, DB!
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:12 am    Post subject:

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akgolf
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:46 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB!
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Baron Von Humongous
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 8:25 am    Post subject:

Didn't watch the game, but the coaching staff's response is going to be tripling down on Rondo, eh?
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Killakobe81
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 10:56 am    Post subject:

Baron Von Humongous wrote:
Didn't watch the game, but the coaching staff's response is going to be tripling down on Rondo, eh?


Nah, it wasn't that dude was hot and making the right plays. Sure he still can't defend but outside of fouling Rubio can't say he did much to hurt us on that end... you shouldn't read to much in to that game...
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unleasHell
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 11, 2020 5:44 pm    Post subject:

Baron Von Humongous wrote:
Didn't watch the game, but the coaching staff's response is going to be tripling down on Rondo, eh?


I'm hoping that all this talk about the Lakers wanting another PG has lit a fire under him...!

He was unstoppable!
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