Share your predictions regarding the upcoming contest vs. the Rockets. The guys must do what well to get the W for game 5? Who on the Rockets should Purple and Gold be wary of? Will the game be a high-scoring affair or more slow paced? Any injury updates to share?
I wish Lakers would play Reaves and Luka. They both need to get in shape if the Lakers are going to move to the second round. Most likely it will be the OKC team and they are good. The Lakers did not play good on game four, so if they play the same way, they are going to lose because what they done to let the Rockets win is they gave them motivation. I would almost bet that Durant will be there for game five.
Now as to who to guard real close are as follow: Sengun, need to double these guy. Ayton should be able to trade some blows with him, but Hayes needs help. Hayes is tall, but he is light in weight. Amen Thompson is another that lives on the free throw line, can not let him do that. Do not foul him if possible, Another who has been killing the Lakers because who ever is suppose to be guarding him is not doing his part. He is Reed Sheppard a young guard who finds his way to be wide open and he does not miss much. Need to stay close to this guy.
If Durant plays, he is getting old also and slow. The Lakers have had success by doubling him and make him pass the ball, or he ends up turning the ball over. Do not try to guard him one on one with a Kennard. He is too tall and can shoot right over a shorter player. Need to have a taller player guarding him, either LeBron or Hayes.
If the Lakers fall behind on scoring, maybe it might be time for JJ to explore other players he has on the bench. I noticed that LeBron and other starters looked very tired on game four. So use some of them fresh legs just waiting for a chance to show their skills.
I don't think they could repeat 23% shooting for the entire game if they tried.
Being a home game, I think there's every reason to believe that they will get back on track and finish this series.
There may though have been some assistance regarding the poor performance. Ayton was playing well before the bogus termination. The contact was clearly accidental. After the game though, Smart ($35k) and Kennard ($25k) verbally confronted the refs and had to pay for it.
Though it was crystal clear to me that the Lakers were 'homered' by the refs., what actually happened? How much would corporations pay a couple of refs to continue to profit from the ad revenue with a longer series perhaps? Sen the Goon leading with elbows and shoulders was never called once for this behavior for example? Both of our bigs seem compromised on defense as a result, Ayton of course being tossed from the game, and even the Goon was surprised, and later Thiero for even less contact than DeAndre. This is what Smart was addressing!
The Lakers lose if our bigs are not present on both ends of the floor. If anything questionable was going on, they would be the least obvious and most effective targets. I say this to point out that if both Smart and Kennard were barking loudly at the refs, there's something to it, and for me, Silver is an extension of the previous schmuck whom are transforming the entire sport from an aggressive American style to a mamby-pamby European style, again, for profit, by taming Americans to expand the league internationally.
The Lakers only had 21 foul shots to the Rockets 31, another anomaly given the history of the Lakers this season. Our guards literally took expensive penalties for the team making sure that the league was on notice that the players were aware that something was up, and Silver's league barks back by claiming authority over the behavior by punishing actions unworthy of punishment.
The Lakers remained quiet for the last 18 minutes of the game, to sustain the calm, and addressed it after the game in a respectful and disciplined manner and were still fined? Get the picture? Do not question your oppressors! I wonder if Charles spoke out about this? Though severely compromised himself, he still is the only sports caster that I know of with the courage to say what needs to be said.
Interesting take. I agree on most. I actually think they want to drag this series out so that either team is exhausted playing the Thunder so that they can get an easy sweep. The NBA wants that team to win and it pretty clear if you pay attention to any Thunder game. SGA got free throws in a post game interview. I’m kidding, but I’m not far off.
I don't think it matters who faces the Thunder or if they are tired or not. All challengers welcome and all challengers will be defeated...
I can’t stand the Thunder. SGA is such a smug pile. I hope someone beats them. Having an unbeatable super team that the refs back is perfectly okay with the NBA and it pisses me off. If the Lakers started a super team, the entire league and all the owners would freak out and the NBA would veto it.
I think the Spurs have a chance to beat them given that collectively, the Spurs guards are superior to SGA alone, and then there's Wemby.
The Spurs back-up point guard is DeAaron Fox!
The Spurs back-up point guard is DeAaron Fox!
I’d love to see it.
Yes the Spurs do have a chance of upsetting OKC, but I also think that a healthy Laker team with Luka and Reaves back at 10 0% might surprise many. After listening to Smith this morning on First Take, I hope the Lakers will give the OKC a good serious. But I am not sure if Luka will even play against OKC. He has been kind of soft when he faces tough teams.
Ya, I just read an article mentioning that he is still out "indefinitely". It also mentioned that a return next series is unlikely.
We need Reaves and Luka if the Lakers expect to upset the OKC team. I hope I am wrong, but I saw what OKC done to the Lakers during the regular season.
The last time the Lakers faced OKC including Doncic and Reaves, they lost by about 30 points twice in 3 days.
OKC derails the Lakers slow down approach and I don't think the Lakers can adjust to run with them for 4-7 straight games.
Anything's possible but this is about as impossible as it gets.
The last game was the day that both Doncic and Reaves were injured.
The Lakers did follow that up with a six game winning streak including the playoffs, without Doncic and Reaves, but none of those wins were against the Thunder.
Guess the Game predictions for me will have the Thunder winning by similar margins...
I would love to be wrong.
Game strategy: Figure out what the Spurs are doing and copy that, and Reaves will likely be back by then too. Maybe Doncic's style is part of the problem where OKC is concerned...Strategy and Pace vs Athleticism and On-the-fly interchangeability and interoperability. Their approach keeps hitting you relentlessly including the bench players and especially on defense. The Spurs are capable of running with OKC and beating them at their own game, and then there's Wemby. The Lakers are not and would have to stop their track and field approach which relies upon youth, speed and stamina.
Coming off a 96-115 loss to the Rockets. What adjustments must the Lakers make to bounce back and win game 5? One win away from advancing. How do you see this one going? Who should get more playing time?
Awesome to see Austin out there especially hitting his first 3...
Andre has clearly decided to Plaaaaaaay tonight.
Why can't he do this every night?
Ayton is holding his ground against the Goon, forcing passes to the perimeter.
Reaves is causing disorientation amongst the Rockets defense. They can't leave him open and they are following him out and beyond the perimeter. This changes their ability to pack in the defense and clog the lane. Quiet but very impactful.
Lakers down four at the half. Reaves has played good, Kennard has not, so we got to get these guys to start working as a team and cut the turn overs down. LaRavia zero points, Vando zero points. Need somebody that can hit some three point shots. That is where the Rockets are beating the Lakers.
Oh boy, here we go letting this team get back into the series. We lose tonight and it a whole different story. They already throwing up the white flag? WTF is going on here?
Yep, this one is over. Been watching this team long enough to know when they are going to blow it. Whole different series now.
JJ is not the smartest coach in these playoffs. Game five he hardly played any of the bench players. LeBron looks very tired, but he still tries to play HERO ball. When he is that tired he will not make those long shots, they will fall short. He was even missing free throws. JJ if he was smart he would insert every once in a while Knecht or Smith. JJ is stubborn and is sticking with his starters which are not going to win any thing. If he does not change, he is going to lose the series to the Rockets. He does not have the players in the starting five to tighten the rotation that much.
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 42 | 22 | 6-13 | 4-9 | 6-8 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +5 |
| Tari Eason | 31 | 18 | 6-11 | 2-6 | 4-5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 |
| Alperen Sengun | 43 | 14 | 5-9 | 0-0 | 4-4 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | +8 |
| Amen Thompson | 46 | 15 | 4-14 | 2-5 | 5-8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | +5 |
| Reed Sheppard | 35 | 12 | 5-12 | 2-7 | 0-0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | +2 |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | 11 | 6 | 2-5 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +6 |
| Aaron Holiday | 13 | 5 | 2-5 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +4 |
| Josh Okogie | 18 | 7 | 3-6 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +3 |
| Totals | 33-75 | 14-40 | 19-25 | 34 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 4 |
| Player | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 39 | 25 | 9-20 | 0-6 | 7-10 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -5 |
| Rui Hachimura | 37 | 12 | 5-11 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +5 |
| Deandre Ayton | 38 | 18 | 9-14 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +2 |
| Marcus Smart | 37 | 11 | 3-7 | 3-7 | 2-2 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -7 |
| Luke Kennard | 31 | 1 | 0-4 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | -3 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 6 | 2 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -8 |
| Jake LaRavia | 9 | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 10 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -8 |
| Austin Reaves | 34 | 22 | 4-16 | 2-8 | 12-13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | -5 |
| Totals | 32-76 | 7-27 | 22-27 | 41 | 19 | 15 | 5 | 5 |
Rough shooting, especially from deep, and too many turnovers. In a defensive-oriented game, you just have to take care of the ball better. Being able to have a couple more chances on goal can be the difference between winning and losing this series.
