LAKERS -at- SPURS - 11-25-22 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

 
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:13 pm    Post subject: LAKERS -at- SPURS - 11-25-22 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

First Road Win... Finally. The Lakers were the last team in the NBA without one.

They got off to a good start with a strong defensive first half as the Lakers held the Spurs to a season-low 41 points (Spurs were just 2-15 from three). The Lakers led by as many as 20 in the first half, despite the returning LeBron struggling with turnovers.

Like we’ve so often seen, they came out flat in the third again. That once 20-point lead was all but erased.

The interior D softened up as AD picked up foul trouble in the third (some lazy D by others causing AD to get into foul trouble). The Spurs also turned Laker turnovers into points the other way. The Lakers had no field goals in nearly 4 minutes to close the third quarter.

Heading into the fourth, the Lakers led just 4.

To start the fourth, LeBron attacked backcourt pressure and hit AD for a dunk. Reaves would catch the defense sleeping in transition and Pop would call a timeout sensing a moment shift. LeBron would get out on the break again for a dunk and layup a few minutes later and force another timeout.

A 16-5 Laker run to open the fourth regained control of the game. The Lakers carried that to the 105-94 road win.

LeBron -- -- Horribly turnover prone to start. He had 5 turnovers by the middle of the second quarter. They were sending a lot of help to him, but he wasn’t putting in a good effort to get passes over or around defenders. He had 9 points on 4-8 shooting in the first half. Midway through the third, he’d have nearly as many turnovers (8) as points (9) as he kept making mistakes. Almost all of these were passes. There was a charge and a fumbled dribble in the first half, but just sloppy passing and reads. His energy picked up to start the fourth as he got downhill a few times and was hustling. He looked healthy for sure on a dunk in transition followed by a layup on the break a few seconds later. That helped the Lakers put together a run. Some strong play by AD/LeBron while closing this one out. They imposed their will, and the Lakers got their first road win. Good to see him looking healthy. “He looked great. He was moving great,” Ham said. LeBron told him he felt good after this one. The Stats: He scored 21 points on 8-17 shooting (1-4 from three, 4-4 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 9 turnovers and 2 fouls in 33 minutes. He was a +16.

Davis -- -- Drawing instant doubles in this one, so I wouldn’t quite worry about the lack of massive numbers like we’ve seen. But I do think we lost some of the guard playmaking that set him up. Defensively, in that second half we really lost our anchor with some of the foul trouble. In the fourth, though, he had that jump in his step. Offensively, he and LeBron were putting pressure on the rim in that fourth. AD had a couple dunks. One on LeBron’s drive and dish. Another on a putback jam off a LeBron drive. He’d also hit LeBron cutting backdoor for a dunk. Next time down, he crashed the glass off a LeBron jumper and scored an And-1 putback. That felt like the dagger. Really like how those two looked in the fourth. Not as many FTs or getting AD on the move as the others, but still a hefty 25 and 15. The Stats: He scored 25 points on 10-13 shooting (5-7 from the line) to go with 15 boards (4 offensive), 4 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls in 35 minutes. He was a +16.

Walker IV -- -- Strong first half on his old home court. He scored 15 points on 6-9 shooting, including three threes. He probably should have had two more points, but blew a dunk. But the three ball was falling. The athleticism led to some scores at the rim. He was a key to the Lakers getting the Spurs on their heels early on. Some struggles to start the fourth quarter, missing several shots. Despite that, we got a run going. The Spurs gave him a tribute and Lonnie put up another good one. He said he was still a bit emotional after this one because of the bond he built with the community. The Stats: He scored 18 points on 7-16 shooting (4-9 from three) to go with 2 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 34 minutes. He was a +18.

Schröder -- -- No Pat Bev and LeBron back in the mix, we slid Schröder to play with the starters. I think this is probably where we should end up. Schröder running for half a quarter before Russ comes in and takes over. We saw a couple of scores where he hit LeBron in the post, then took the handoff baseline. This was an old go-to play that we ran in Dennis’s first stint here (Dennis would run this on his other teams prior to L.A.). He had a big And-1 midway through the fourth quarter, getting fouled while splitting a couple defenders and throwing up the runner. That pushed the Laker lead to 15. Defensively, a lot of picking up early and eating up some clock. He was also getting to loose balls quickly. “You could see the confidence and you could see his imprint on the game defensively,” Ham said. The Stats: He scored 9 points on 3-7 shooting (0-1 from three, 3-3 from the line) to go with 3 boards, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 29 minutes. He was a +7.

Brown -- -- Better game with LeBron back now. He had 7 points on 3-3 shooting in the first half. He knocked down both threes he took. It just seemed like he slipped back into the better play he had before LeBron went down. Some bad defense in the third quarter. On one play, he tried to leak out while his man cut to the hoop. This led to an And-1 on AD as they had a man advantage in the paint. (AD would pick up his third foul shortly later, so some lazy D by Brown contributing to bigger issues). The Stats: He scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting (2-2 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 1 steal and 1 foul in 29 minutes. He was a +0.

Westbrook -- -- I didn’t realize he played quite that few of minutes in this one, just 19. He wasn’t scoring well, but his passing has been so key for those second units. Multiple times in this game, the Spurs tried to pressure Westbrook bringing the ball up. He ate that up. He blew past guys, got downhill and that spelled trouble. This was leading to multiple defenders, pressure on the rim and scores for others. Throw in some kickouts to guys who were hitting shots had he’d get 7 assists in those short minutes. His only bucket in this one was on an outlet by Wenyen to Russ leaking out for a dunk. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-7 shooting (0-3 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls in 19 minutes. He was a -2.

Reaves -- -- He was a +15 off the bench when everyone else was a negative. Reminds me of those Caruso +/- stats. The three ball wasn’t dropping but he was still able to get some points. On one play he grabbed a defensive board, pushed it out, went behind his back, then picked up speed heading into the offensive zone where he’d score the layup off a high gather change of direction. He also hit a pull up on a crossover to get into the lane. Defensively, he got outsized a bit in the third quarter on a couple plays, but was generally a glue guy, hustling and challenging shooters like he does. I figure Reaves is going to play off the bench quite a bit now because of cap hold issues this summer if he starts more than 40. But we’ll likely see him closing quite often. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 3-8 shooting (0-3 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 7 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers and 1 foul in 29 minutes. He was a +15.

Gabriel -- -- He had a great battle for an offensive board off a missed FT in the first quarter, pitched it out, then grabbed the missed three off that, kicked it out again and this time we nailed the three. Then on the defensive board, he quickly outlet for a Russ dunk on the next possession. We went small at the backup C, but that extra effort he played with tonight helped us survive those minutes. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-1 shooting to go with 5 boards (2 offensive), 2 assists, 1 turnover and 1 foul in 13 minutes. He was a -5.

Nunn -- -- Three ball wasn’t dropping so he wasn’t too efficient. He had 7 points on 3-6 shooting in the first half. He’d hit a floater snaking the pick and roll. He hit a three off a Wenyen offensive board. He attacked the three line, got into the defender’s body and scored a layup. Defensively, some good effort trying to stay in front of his man. The Stats: He scored 9 points on 3-9 shooting (1-5 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 2 boards, 1 assist, 2 turnover and no fouls in 15 minutes. He was a -6.

Toscano-Anderson -- -- Back healthy, he got in for a minute of garbage time. The Stats: He was a -2 in 1 minute.

Christie -- -- He came in with 1:37 left for some garbage time run. Wish we could have had him out there for a full quarter’s worth of run, but the team played that awful third quarter again. The Stats: He was a -2 in 1 minute.

Ham -- :bwhip:-- Key Moment: After the sluggish third quarter, that opening run in the fourth quarter. The Lakers won the first 5 minutes of the fourth, turning defense into transition. Good job by LeBron and AD leading the charge there on both ends.

Key Substitution: AD, LeBron, Reaves, Walker, Schröder unit to start that fourth. Credit those guys for some hard play. That’s a potential closing lineup. You take Russ out of the equation and, hopefully, Reaves can man the SF spot for you most nights.

Key Stats: We shot a weak 8-27 from three (29.6%) and a strong 17-20 from the line (85%). As long as the three shooting isn’t ridiculously bad, just weak like tonight, the team can compete. The Spurs shot a poor 6-33 (18.2%). The Lakers need to do a better job on the turnovers (21) and defensive glass (Spurs had 19 offensive boards). That’s a lot of possessions we gave away. Credit the D for holding them to 21, 20 and 19 in three of the four quarters.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:15 pm    Post subject:

First
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:33 pm    Post subject:

Thanks as always, DB!

The game started well, despite the sloppy play. That was to be expected, with LeBron returning, and having to make adjustments. What I was glad to see was LeBron continuing the team ball we've been witnessing recently. That needs to continue.

I'm not going to be overly critical of Hamm. He's a rookie HC, and learning what it that job entails, as the season progresses. That said, while I liked the starting line-up, his subsequent rotations really confused me. We saw no Bryant, after he'd been playing really well for us, since he's been back. That was just weird, imo. Also, no minutes for our rookied, Max Christie. Before he went into protocols, he was getting playing time, and playing well on both ends of the floor. Better than Nunn. And, WAY better than Schroder. Not sure why you wouldn't just continue to ride that, and see how long he can continue that good play.

Hamm, so far, seems to exhibit the tendencies of a old school coach. Rookies, no matter how well they are doing, won't get time over vets. Even if those same vets are not producing. Those kinds of coaches operate from a comfort approach, as opposed to a production approach. Nunn, Bev...these guys are vets, and make Hamm feel comfortable playing them. Maybe I'm reading too much into this. But, that's just how I feel.

Imo, our bench should be Russ, Reaves, Christie, Gabriel, Bryant. Russ, and Reaves give you playmaking. Reaves and Christie give you solid perimeter D, high b-ball IQ, and floor spacing. Gabriel and Bryant give you an interior presence on both ends of the floor, and they have great chemistry with Russ. Would love to see that, next game against the Spurs.

Good win, not great. But, I'll definitely take it. Lakers!
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:36 pm    Post subject:

Quote:
I figure Reaves is going to play off the bench quite a bit now because of cap hold issues this summer if he starts more than 40.


If there is a cap hold issue, I guess that could be true, though it seems weird that they would be worrying about this in November. However, it seems like the more obvious answer is that Reaves is a SG/SF, not a PG. If Beverley is out, Schroder is going to start at PG. Walker is the starting SG, so Reaves is going to play on the second unit with Westbrook or Nunn at PG. In the games that Reaves has started this year, either Beverley or Nunn were in the starting lineup. More recently, Lebron was out. When Davis, Lebron, Brown, and Walker are all available, Reaves isn't going to start. The fifth spot will go to a PG.
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deal
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:02 pm    Post subject:

Thanks DB!


Good game.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:18 pm    Post subject:

I was definitely pleased to see a sub-100 score for the opponents, even if they are a pitiful team offensively. Lebron only taking three attempts from beyond the arc was also a pleasant surprise.

The main complaints are towards the TOs (primarily Lebron's poor passing as DB noted in the OP), the lack of any minutes for Bryant, and the small lineup we ran in the third which (of course) turned out to be our worst defensive period.

As an aside, seeing Poeltl against us for the first time this season shows why he gets respect offensively, but I didn't see anything worth breaking the bank for him defensively.
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mad55557777
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:43 pm    Post subject:

Small lineups got killed again, who could’ve thought that
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:46 pm    Post subject:

joeblow wrote:
I was definitely pleased to see a sub-100 score for the opponents, even if they are a pitiful team offensively. Lebron only taking three attempts from beyond the arc was also a pleasant surprise.

The main complaints are towards the TOs (primarily Lebron's poor passing as DB noted in the OP), the lack of any minutes for Bryant, and the small lineup we ran in the third which (of course) turned out to be our worst defensive period.

As an aside, seeing Poeltl against us for the first time this season shows why he gets respect offensively, but I didn't see anything worth breaking the bank for him defensively.
Lakers are taking the opportunity to always be 1+% after every game

Lakers don’t seem to have many plays that they have a great of trust outside just give the ball to LBJ

For long stretches late in the third quarter, AD was having lunch at the 3pt line and not moving. Result - TOs
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:10 pm    Post subject:

Reaves --But we’ll likely see him closing quite often. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 3-8 shooting (0-3 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 7 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers and 1 foul in 29 minutes. He was a +15.

Schröder -- -- No Pat Bev and LeBron back in the mix, we slid Schröder to play with the starters. I think this is probably where we should end up.

Walker IV -- -- Strong first half on his old home court. He scored 15 points on 6-9 shooting, including three threes. He probably should have had two more points, but blew a dunk. But the three ball was falling. The athleticism led to some scores at the rim.

Those three around AD & James had a good feel to it. Schroder makes me feel "safe" around those two as opposed to the more athletically gifted, but turnover-proned Westbrook.

Unless they gets some crazy offers I'm glad we'll have the funds to re-sign Reaves , and if he keeps it up, Walker IV. They're keepers.

Thanks DB!
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:13 am    Post subject:

Man, I wish we could play the Spurs every night....
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:53 am    Post subject:

Why we not playing T.Bryant?

Btw, how did the poetl audition go?


Last edited by governator on Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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leor_77
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:59 am    Post subject:

unleasHell wrote:
Man, I wish we could play the Spurs every night....


The problem is that everyone will eventually play them, including the teams we are / will be competing against in the standings.
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:39 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB

Part of me just wants to believe (and thinks) if they just made one of those rumored deals (whether it involves Russ, or not), they actually may have something.

Maybe.
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:45 am    Post subject:

Yay Road winning!

Thanks DB
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joeblow
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:15 pm    Post subject:

unleasHell wrote:
Man, I wish we could play the Spurs every night....

<Looks at tonight's schedule...>
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:17 pm    Post subject:

Thanks, DB! This is the first game of which I've watched a significant portion (don't want to jinx them).

LBJ looked like a top-3 player still. I'd like a tad more of AD being aggressive in the paint.
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