Lakers at Warriors Game Day 2026-02-28

What are your predictions? Any injury updates to share?

I posted this at the tail end of last game and thought it was fitting to post it here. Did I miss aanything? ........................... That's the problem right? Wing defense is non existent. The Sun's clearly exploited that and made a ton of them. Further, defensive intensity was not elevated much towards the end of the game. Why did O'Neal get a wide open shot? Luka is proving to be childish in my view and he never gets blamed until the fans called him out for the non-shot against Orlando. He's a friggin' ball hog and his game rolls in patterns based on his....

Hypothetically speaking, would you trade Luka for Giannis right now? I agree with you by the way. Watching Luka ***** at the refs while the rest of the team has already transitioned to defense on the opposite side of the court is obnoxious. I know he doesn’t play defense anyway, but it’s still frustrating to watch.

I would not trade Luka for Giannis. I really have never like Giannis game. He is a tall power forward, but his offense is mostly dunking. Lakers can not do much this season with the team anymore. LeBron is still playing at a high level but a lot slower then what he used to be. He turns the ball over too many times on stupid long passes from one end of the court to the other, 50% chance it will be intercepted. He can not be traded this season because he has a no trade clause. But with the money they pay LeBron the Lakers should be able to get a couple of 25 year old good players with that money for next season. I am not happy with Ayton either, he is not a good fit with the Laker team this season. He looks lost to me most of the time, and he must have small hands because he can not catch hot passes. Also too much complaining. I also think the Laker problem goes deeper then the players. I think who ever does their scouting have not done a good job. Look at the Spurs how well they have rebuilt their team, and I am not talking about Wemby. I am impressed with the rest of the team, that is what I call good scouting. The Pistons have made some great additions. They do not go around looking for super stars, they just look for talented players that fit and can play both defense and offense.

Here's a perfect example of the Lakers' Blind Spot. Stars are always right and management is only wrong when they lose more than is acceptable. To call out Luka is to question the overarching commitment the Lakers have made to him, a reflection of themselves, but as well perhaps an admission that Nico was right. They are looking everywhere but the obvious answers to determine what is wrong.

The media supports this blindness too by making reference to it, equally blind, in their articles, for example the excerpt attached below. Is anybody thinking clearly in this organization? I'd say Austin Reaves and his agent are very clear minded on and off the court!

The good news is that I suspect the new management will sort things out beyond what Leftist LA can emotionally tolerate, and that's the REAL issue isn't it? It's simply too uncomfortable, on many levels, to question a star's behavior and accountability [cue screaming teenager's face].

Perhaps these are all symptoms of the post Jerry Buss era, slowly and finally coming to an end?

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Article link:

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/rob-pelinka-lakers-president-excuses/

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I would not trade Luka for anybody. I would though play him at the 2 as mentioned. Take him out of his current leadership by proxy role. Kobe was a 2 as a comparison. I would not trade Austin for anybody and I would play him at the 1. His BB IQ and on court timing is off the charts and he makes his teammates better. Giannis could replace LeBron, and yes he is a true forward, but it would significantly change the Lakers game back towards a Showtime style rather than LeBron's slowed down half-court approach when not driving the diesel on his solo fast breaks. I think Ayton signed his departure notice when he called out management in the media, the Capela comment, but who would be his replacement? The Lakers think Walker Kessler is the answer but then we would be hearing about how poor poor Luka no longer has a lob threat. Nobody else like Wemby exists on Planet Earth, so perhaps the Lakers enter a rebuilding stage and wait for the right center to emerge working with Jax on the fast squads and Kessler on half court sets. KAT may be available, ironic given that the Lakers chose D-LO over KAT, and he could be as close as the Lakers could get to a Luka/Austin complimentary Center that they could realistically acquire. All of this though addresses offense while the Lakers need a wing stopper like Caruso who they traded away for nothing and keeping a player who is close to being squeezed out of the NBA. Was Finney-Smith a difference maker last season? Not at all, so the Lakers are seeking a rare 2 way player the likes of which is also very hard to find. The Lakers issue is....

Dare I say with the substantial list of GS players who are out this ought to be an easy game for the Lakers?

If they play inclusively, sure, but will they?

I hope that JJ plays the bench this game and someone lets Luka know that despite the obvious low offensive output of the bench, he is the problem. Also, despite his confidence problem, Dalton can give you 20 on any given night. How does leaving him to wither make any sense especially when Rui is out?

JJ, another guard coach with no clue how to play forwards...

Lakers super sharp from deep- Smart the triple there and it's a *24* point lead.

Can't be allowing all these layups now- lead all of a sudden down to 14.

Good power move by Lebron there bullying his way along the baseline for 2

Lakers up 18 at the half- good shooting, and on D getting lots of deflections.

Lakers up by eighteen points at the half. But that is when Laker fans get nervous about the Lakers because they are known to let other teams back into the game when they have a big lead. Ayton is not playing good, can not catch a ball, usually fumbling it. And I am not happy with Luka's game. He has not even tried a three point attempt, just lazing around the court and not really motivated. LaRavia needs to get more into the offense then what he is. Defense sux's too many Warriors left wide open with not a Laker within ten feet. So sure the Lakers are winning so far, but the Warriors are without two of their best players in Curry and Butler. Lets hope the Lakers win this game, they need a win.

Dalton seems uninterested and lethargic...

Good finish for the Lakers tonight. Still disappointed on Ayton's game.

I agree. I think he wants out of a Laker team.

Shaq called him out saying that if you are going to call out your team the way Ayton did, you had better play well the next game. Ayton was 4/10...

Highlights:

I attempted to stick to my guns and skip watching this team until I see three consecutive wins. I broke and watched this game. Although I’m happy for the win, I focused on primarily watching Ayton and how he hurts this team. The guy is 7-0 with a 7-6 wingspan and appears to be in good shape. His lack of effort, on the other hand, is difficult to explain. Maybe someone else can explain it better, but what I’ve noticed is pretty simple. He just doesn’t care. Offensively, he just sort of stands around. Every once in a while, he will throw up a screen towards the three point line which doesn’t typically do anything. After the screen he will stay where he is at looking around for another potential screen. He sort of moves in and out of the post sometimes and throws up his hands for a lob but is typically in terrible position foe a play like that. Defensively, more standing around. He never picks up switches. If their big is on our smaller guards, he just sort of says, “f-it”. Usually, the offensive team has already broken through the defense for a lob, a layup, a dunk, or a drive/kick out for a three. If they miss, and I saw this multiple times last night, he just stands there with no attempt at the defensive board. The reason he had 10 boards last night is because the ball basically falls into his hands and he’s 7 feet tall. It’s alack of effort. Hayes goes out there and busts his a** for this team. He’s not as big, but at least he cares. Start him or Timme. Ayton is just collecting a paycheck. Again, maybe someone else can explain it better, but that dude is a problem.

I’m happy they won though!