As bizarre as it sounds, we still can pull it off. The pieces are there, but injuries, the Lakers' coach, and its star players keep getting in the way of maximizing our chances to succeed.
- Injuries: I've advocated for a 2020 D12 replacement to go specifically against the Joker all season long. The idea from Pelinka was to use Bamba for that purpose, but he has been injured. It may be too much to ask for high pevel impact with no serious game play in months, but here we are. He doesn't have to stop Jokic, just make him a bit less efficient for stretches.
- The Coach: Ham gets a ton of blame for the losses we've suffered feom in this series. The man continues to insist that Hobbit ball with three guards is the way to victory, and against a big front court like Denver, it has predictably failed hard.
Even more specifically, how can he justify giving DLo so many minutes in three games? Not to mention, as the coach he is the main one that should put a stop to LeBron's "I'm Steph Curry!" fantasies. These are self-inflicted wounds that prevented us from doing better in at least two winnable gamea, and Ham should pay for them with his job if we get swept.
- Star Players: One name that is NOT on this list is DLo. And because he is not a star player for us, why does he get so much playing time? Completely shut him down for one game and live with the results. His defense
LeBron's task is simple... stop taking more than a couple of threes a game. That's it. He spends way too much time trying to build a narrative and put up narrative sequences that he abandons playing the game the right way, and it is killing our team's chances.
There is no other play that the Lakers regularly use (LBJ takes more threes than anyone on the team) that coach Malone for Denver would rather we call at the end of games in a tight contest than "LeBron for three!" The bricks (and losses) speak for themselves, but he keeps insisting on doing it!
AD has been far less efficient in scoring, and it definitely has hurt our chances to win. I am not as hard on him when compared to LBJ and Ham because ar least AD is "failing" (on offense) doing the right thing, and he at least had one stellar game in the series. I'm sure a lot of energy is poured out being elite on defenae AND trying to get 35+ points with a good FG%, but that's what we need.
Oh, and even on defense, it would be nice if he closed out on Murray a lot closer at the three point line... it's just another open attempt for him when AD is so far back to protect from a drive.
~~~~
The Lakers are at home tonight. Go all out with proper adjustments and a focus on making smart choices for 48 minutes and we can win one game at a time. Make defense the No. 1 focus toing forward and we fan pull it off:
1. No DLo. He is targeted on defense and he lacks confidence on offense.
2. Ham needs to impose our will on a big team in the Nuggets by being as big as possible all game long ourselves. Use Bamba to see if he can contribute. Stop killing us with three guard lineups.
3. Continue to use multiple players of size and intelligent double teams vs. Jokic. It worked decently for the last two games at times.
4. Use bigger guards like Troy Brown for defensive purposes when Vandy is not on the floor to guard Murray, then take your chances that no other players not named Jokic can dominate.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144461 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Mon May 22, 2023 7:51 am Post subject:
I had thought that the Lakers win game 3 at home but that didn’t work out. Maybe game 4 instead? Or it’s a sweep. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
IMO Mo's injury has been suspect. How long does it take for a sore ankle injury to heal? Is this a reverse LGSRS?
Personally, I don't think Mo is in the Lakers future plans.
If the Lakers tank tonight, I'll be very disappointed. _________________ Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
Last edited by jodeke on Mon May 22, 2023 11:49 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 35812 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Mon May 22, 2023 12:21 pm Post subject:
I just want to win one game in this series while the Celtics get swept, so we can come in third place out of the league for the season. _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
IMO Mo's injury has been suspect. How long does it take for a sore ankle injury to heal? Is this a reverse LGSRS?
Personally, I don't think Mo is in the Lakers future plans.
If the Lakers tank tonight, I'll be very disappointed.
Yeah who knows what was going on there (lol @ "reverse LGSRS" ) and I seriously doubt that he is in the Lakers future plans. But as of right now he's tall and he has 6 fouls available so just go out there and try and get some rebounds Mo!
I just want to win one game in this series while the Celtics get swept, so we can come in third place out of the league for the season.
Pretty much my view. Have some pride, dont let them celebrate on the home floor. Also, hopefully the Nugs think "hey wouldnt this be nice to celebrate in denver instead..."
If we outlast the Celtics ontop of that, I'm good.
Just please dont come out and just give up if Nugs happen to take a bit of a lead. So many times in a 3-0 situation you see the team down 0-3 just sorta "up and die" during the game and get blown off the floor, in part due to them thinking about the enormity of the task ahead of them after losing 3 games.
Go out with some pride! _________________ "One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z
IMO Mo's injury has been suspect. How long does it take for a sore ankle injury to heal? Is this a reverse LGSRS?
Personally, I don't think Mo is in the Lakers future plans.
If the Lakers tank tonight, I'll be very disappointed.
Yeah who knows what was going on there (lol @ "reverse LGSRS" ) and I seriously doubt that he is in the Lakers future plans. But as of right now he's tall and he has 6 fouls available so just go out there and try and get some rebounds Mo!
Get us one game. Let Mo do a Charles Barkley smackdown on Jokic. I don't want him injured just use all 6 fouls ol skool. _________________ Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
IMO Mo's injury has been suspect. How long does it take for a sore ankle injury to heal? Is this a reverse LGSRS?
Personally, I don't think Mo is in the Lakers future plans.
If the Lakers tank tonight, I'll be very disappointed.
Yeah who knows what was going on there (lol @ "reverse LGSRS" ) and I seriously doubt that he is in the Lakers future plans. But as of right now he's tall and he has 6 fouls available so just go out there and try and get some rebounds Mo!
Get us one game. Let Mo do a Charles Barkley smackdown on Jokic. I don't want him injured just use all 6 fouls ol skool.
Just play him, what do we have to lose _________________ "One thing I admire about Kuzma is his unwavering confidence. He truly has no idea that he’s not as good as he thinks." - Killer_Z
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