JAZZ -at- LAKERS - 2-16-22 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

 
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DancingBarry
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:50 pm    Post subject: JAZZ -at- LAKERS - 2-16-22 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

Down Goes AD, Lakers Still Find a Way to Win... Injuries hit the Lakers once again.

Late in the second quarter, AD came down after gathering a pass and rolled his ankle badly. He put a lot of weight on and it fully turned. He was done for the night and much longer.

The Lakers played and beat the Jazz without AD and Melo previously. They’d have to do that again tonight to try to keep the ship afloat.

Down 7 at the half after a poor 3-17 from three, they still had a chance in this game. The Lakers offense, however, resembled a bunch of guys at the park playing pickup ball.

And yet the Jazz struggled to get real separation as the Lakers trailed by just 8 heading into the fourth.

Midway through the quarter, they started to reel the Jazz in. Austin Reaves found Russ with a lob and then he’d score an And-1 himself in transition. Russ came up with a couple of back-to-back scores in the paint. Lebron then scored a layup and tied the game with 2:52 on a three.

The Lakers took the lead on the next possession as Russ attacked and LeBron cut behind him for the hammer dunk. The crowd exploded.

Tied up shortly later, LeBron swished a three on iso over Gobert. On the next possession with 1 minute left, LeBron looked fouled on a perimeter screen, but the call was overturned on a challenge. No foul, Lakers ball with 5 on the shotclock. Lakers couldn’t score.

On the defensive end, a great close out by Reaves to the corner forced a bad pass that Monk jumped for a steal. He was fouled with 44 seconds left for FTs. He’d make just one. After a Jazz three, the Lakers were up by 1.

After a stop, as the ball moved around, the gravity of the Lakers stars found Reaves wide open on a kickout, and the rookie buried a three with 17 seconds left to go up 4. Shot of the game.

It became a freethrow shooting affair for the Lakers. Russ to the line with 10 seconds left up 2, he made both FTs. The Lakers took the 106-101 come-from-behind win.

Big win, but a bigger loss with AD's injury.


LeBron -- -- He put on a show. Seeing the Rams’ Aaron Donald sitting sideline fresh off the parade seemed like it got him fired up. The Lakers were playing sluggish, and LeBron started to put on a show. This is why I’m a champion. This is why I’m one of the best ever. He’d score layups spinning in off the glass. He’d muscle his way to the rim like a fullback for scores. He’d explode off a pass for a soaring dunk to go up by 1. He nailed a huge three right in front of Donald. The two shared a long hug and words after the game. I hope LBJ finds some rest during All Star weekend. The Stats: He scored 33 points on 14-23 shooting (3-8 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers and 1 foul in 40 minutes. He was a +7.

Davis -- -- Welp, at least there is the All Star break, but he rolled that good. Thankfully, x-rays were negative. The Lakers had some nice two-man action flowing with AD tonight that lead to dunks or easy scores. He also had a couple early jumpers that looked good. But there will be little to no continuity for this team, apparently. He will have an MRI tomorrow. Hopefully, it’s less serious than it looked because it looked bad. We’re going to have run a lot more small ball. Lakers need to pick someone up off waivers that’s more playable than DJ. The Stats: He scored 17 points on 7-9 shooting (1-1 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 2 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks and 1 foul in 17 minutes. He was a -3.

Westbrook -- -- We needed his energy this game. The AD injury staggered the team. Vogel praised Russ for his leadership on the sideline keeping the team focused and still in the fight. The game was there for the Lakers if they could just find some spark. Eventually, they did and Westbrook was in the middle of all that. Good chemistry with AD early on. Their two-man game was clicking, maybe even better than it has this season. It was like they were finally finding a rhythm. When Dwight came in later, it was awful. Some miscues and turnovers. In the fourth, he was getting paint touches. The Lakers started to make some noise when Reaves found Russ for a lob. On the next possession, he made a great outlet to THT that led to the Reaves And-1. Russ also had an explosive pushout for a layup with about 5 minutes to go to cut the lead to 5. He’d also attack and find LeBron trailing for a big dunk. He’d get another key And-1 against Gobert. Really seeing some one-two punch from he and LeBron in that fourth. We need Westbrook imposing his will on opponents and we got it there during that fourth. Props also on hitting some clutch FTs with 10 seconds left. The Stats: He scored 17 points on 6-13 shooting (1-4 from three, 4-7 from the line) to go with 7 boards (4 offensive), 6 assists, 5 turnovers and 2 fouls in 33 minutes. He was a +5.

Monk -- -- He picked up two fouls midway through the first and had to sit early. Not one of those dynamic scoring games from Monk. He’d hit a couple of threes and get into some midrange jumpers and floaters. He had a bad drive and turnover attacking the lane with 4 minutes left. No plan, got caught OC and threw it away. Lakers were down 5 and could have cut it to 3 or 2 there. He needs to covet that possession more. Some fight in his defensive game. His size is always an issue, but he’s definitely improved on that end of the floor this year. Vogel trusted him late, but did sit him when he had a moment to make a defensive sub late. But Monk came up with a big steal late. Reaves had a great close out to the corner and pressured the passer. Monk swiped it and drew FTs. The Stats: He scored 13 points on 5-12 shooting (2-6 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 5 boards, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 turnover and 4 fouls in 29 minutes. He was a +8.

Johnson -- -- With AD down, we probably see more minutes from Stanley as one of our bigs. He has the best offensive rating on the team with a 112.9 (Reaves is second with 111.4). It’s just the small ball that opens up the floor for that. This was never more apparent than a month ago in that game against the Jazz where he dominated in the fourth quarter (10 of his 15 total points and a +18 on the night). A lot of that was working off the LeBron screen and going strong to the basket. We didn’t go to that tonight. Some nice cutting from Johnson for his scores, but it was a fairly quiet night. Defensively, he gives us enough post base that it allows him and LeBron to switch without much issue. The Stats: He scored 4 points on 2-6 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 2 boards, 4 assists and 1 foul in 19 minutes. He was a +0.

Reaves -- -- Love that Reaves has that clutch gene. Last time we met this team, they tried going at Reaves to the detriment of their offensive flow. He got stops, drew offensive fouls, an overall excellent game despite scoring just 4. In this game, it may have been a coincidence, but twice after Reaves scored, the Jazz called a timeout. He does get the crowd going. He had an And-1 layup against Whiteside using his body well in transition (after lobbing to Russ on the break previously) and we cut the lead to 7 midway through that fourth. The Jazz must have known what was coming because he’d get the biggest shot of the not. Russ attacked the paint, hit LeBron who was cutting and LeBron kicked to Reaves, wide open. He had missed his previous three threes, but this one was money. Clutch. Best net rating on the team at 7.0 prior to this game (Malik second at 3.1 is second). Reaves was a +8 tonight, which led the team with Malik (+8 also). We need those guys on the floor. They give the team balance and youth around our older stars. The Stats: He scored 9 points on 3-6 shooting (1-4 from three, 2-3 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 foul in 29 minutes. He was a +8.

Horton-Tucker -- -- THT had 4 blocks in this game. He’s got those Inspector Gadget arms that allow him to get a good challenge. But he was giving some second efforts that caught some guys. Some recovery trackdowns and another on a jumper. Love it. Offensively, he struggled to score. He’d swish a fade in the lane over Gobert for his only bucket. I like the effort on D. We did a lot of switching. Sometimes that would leave him on a big under the hoop. He and Austin had to battle and box out to get the team stops. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-6 shooting (0-4 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 5 boards (3 offensive), 3 assists, 4 blocks and 4 fouls in 31 minutes. He was a +7.

Ariza -- -- He got the start in the second half for AD. He’d make a three on a handoff from Stanley for his only score. Those are plays that catch the D off guard. Stanley is sometimes covered by a big or someone in drop coverage (Gobert on this play). So if you get those screen handoffs or kickbacks and shoot while you have an advantage, that’s a pretty good look. Ariza, once again, missed both his FTs in this game. Killing me on those. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-3 shooting from three (0-2 from the line) to go with 3 boards and no fouls in 19 minutes. He was a -8.

Howard -- -- He probably wasn’t in the mix tonight, but AD’s injury had him in the rotation in the second half. When LeBron sat, he was in. I imagine that’s how we go with AD out. We will be back to LeBron at the C spot. Dwight scored on an O board putback. He’d also earn FTs and knock them down. Time for Dwight to step up as he’s back in the rotation. The Stats: He scored 4 points on 1-3 shooting (2-2 from the line) to go with 5 boards (2 offensive) and 3 fouls in 12 minutes. He was a +1.

Bazemore -- -- He came in late in the third quarter. Ellington sucked it up in the first half offensively, so Vogel switched things up. Baze swished a high arching corner three on a kickout from Reaves for his only score. He also picked his man on the perimeter for a steal. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-2 shooting from three to go with 1 board, 1 assist and 1 turnover in 7 minutes. He was a +2.

Ellington -- -- Had he hit some of those threes in the first half, we wouldn’t have been behind. He had some good looks, couldn’t knock them down. Defensively, a couple of moments with a stop on JC and another steal on Gobert under the hoop. The Stats: He didn’t score on 0-3 shooting from three to go with 2 boards, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 foul in 4 minutes. He was a -2.

Vogel -- -- Key Moment: AD going down with the injury near the end of the first half obviously the key moment, but nothing to do with coaching. The team was still in this game after that and through most of the night. The offensive play calling was atrocious, but they got their stars rolling. Still, it was a rookie drilling the dagger three with 17 seconds left on a kickout. The thing about that play is seeing how guys were cutting off Russ in this game. Johnson had a nice one earlier. LeBron with a big dunk in that fourth on a cut. So LeBron again cutting on this play led to the kickout to Reaves. Good to see some purpose there.

Key Substitution: Closing the game with Reaves and the small ball with LeBron at the C spot. They got stops. Turn the Jazz into an iso team and they struggle.

Key Stats: The Lakers were 6-27 from three going into the fourth. Law of averages says they were due. Lakers went 4-9 from three in the fourth. They won the quarter 35-22.
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DrDent
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:55 pm    Post subject:

Thanks DB.

Bitter sweet win. Keeping fingers crossed on AD, and also that the team found something tonight.
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2022 10:57 pm    Post subject:

THANKS DB!
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danzag
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:52 am    Post subject:

Thanks, DB.

This ASB will be great for AD. Won't miss a lot of games.
I really like the way our offense looked at some times. Lots of easy buckets for AD
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governator
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:54 am    Post subject:

Re-group, rest for all-star, get healthy (AD, Nunn, Melo...), and get better
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danzag
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:07 am    Post subject:

Also Westbrook was doing a decent job going into the paint and drawing the defense
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PenG_
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:20 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB!

Great win and a nice 4th quarter redemption from Lebron. AD has such terrible luck and I wish him a speedy recovery.
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Dr. Laker
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 7:41 am    Post subject:

PenG_ wrote:
Thanks DB!

Great win and a nice 4th quarter redemption from Lebron. AD has such terrible luck and I wish him a speedy recovery.


Ditto.
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A Mad Chinaman
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 8:33 am    Post subject:

Dr. Laker wrote:
PenG_ wrote:
Thanks DB!

Great win and a nice 4th quarter redemption from Lebron. AD has such terrible luck and I wish him a speedy recovery.
Ditto.
Same sentiments

Unfortunately, questions on what is needed to keep AD healthy and how teams should deal with his injuries

Remember how Jordan had injuries in the first years of his career while rarely missing games afterwards - just like Kobe
Note: there are freak injuries but there are legitimate concerns

Shockingly, AD’s history of injuries have prompted trade ideas (https://deadspin.com/the-lakers-might-want-to-look-into-trading-anthony-davi-1848551243/amp).

Glad that WB is playing better. Hopefully Lebron/WB will become the Dynamic Duo because of their ability to stay in the court

Since media pundits have mentioned that unless Dwight or DJ become a viable option on offense, their PT and usefulness will be limited. Should some set plays/P&Rs/lobs for Dwight be necessary to allow him to have more PT

Silver lining is that KNunn/Melo/AD will be seen on the court at the same time. Silver lining is that the Nets/76ers/Knicks are also having major issues.

Vogel will have to find a way to limit LBJ’s PT so that we can do damage in the playoffs - especially since it appears that they will be in the “Play-In” position. Could this be an “advantage” to limit LBJ’s PT???? Could this (along with the ASG break) allow Vogel to devise some plans where we can punish opposing teams going small with Dwight at the 5

**IF** the Lakers are healthy, they still can do serious damage.

Get Better Fast, AD!
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