CAN LAKERS BEAT PELICANS TWICE IN NEW ORLEANS?

[Beethoven]

Everyone on YouTube is celebrating the fact we have bona fide chance to go into the playoffs as a real 7 seed.

However, no one is mentioning the fact that we need to beat pelicans at their home this Sunday.
..Then play-in game against pelicans at their home..again.

This is tougher than anyone can realize.


I think pelicans have a confidence about this. Does ham know this scenario? He sure didn't know the implications today during the Memphis game by the way he conducted the team.
It wouldn't surprise me if ham doesn't see this far into the future that just nabbing 7th seed is not a walk in the park.

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Basically, it is analogous to the pelicans playing game 6 and 7 at their home against us in a playoff series being up 3-2 against us. It is that bad.

[DNP-Old]

If LAL beats NO tomorrow, they will have two chances to get into the playoffs. Either a 2nd win in NO for the seventh seed or a home game win against the winner of the 9-10 game for the 8th seed. If the loose to NO tomorrow (or had lost to MEM yesterday), they will probably end the season in tenth and have to win two road games to get the 8th seed. Your analogy is incorrect. If LAL looses a game to NO, they are not eliminated (as they would be in a playoff series), they just have a harder road.

[Beethoven]

That's my point... la loses tomorrow we're done.
The only thing that really matters is winning twice in New orleans

[stan francisco]

The opponent is inconsequential. To be the best you have to beat the best. Defense is our best chance to do that. From here on out it’s all about defense and how well we adjust game to game.

With D Lo’s (once again) disappearing defense of the last five games will be tough to win any series with. Why did he stop what he started? He tried on defense for a while.

At least Ham now subs Dinwiddie for him when he leaks buckets but it’s been obvious lately that opponents know our weakness all too well and any good coach will exploit it. Even the Memphis 18 yo scrubs yesterday knew.

[jehosafats]

Lebron 8 dimes away from a career 11k assists.

Yup, that's 41k pts, 11k rebs, and 11k asts.

[tamaraw08]

2 Straight wins to get 7th spot or 2 straight losses to get eliminated

[Beethoven]

Oh sheeeit... Timberwolves losing places Denver 2nd? I thought they go to 1st if they tiebreaker any of those two top teams. (Tiebreaker 3way puts them 3rd)

Oh well. Now we playing for 7th seems not good. I guess now we really have to believe "any opponent we get is inconsequential' ..

[dAdo dA dEvil]

I'd rather us win again in NO and play Denver than play twice in the play in and have a chance to be eliminated by the Warriors or the Kings. If we secure the 7th spot at least we need to lose 4 times before we get eliminated. Id rather take that chance than a single game against the Warriors or Kings.

[Beethoven]

I'd rather us win again in NO and play Denver than play twice in the play in and have a chance to be eliminated by the Warriors or the Kings. If we secure the 7th spot at least we need to lose 4 times before we get eliminated. Id rather take that chance than a single game against the Warriors or Kings.

Yeah it doesn't look good against Sacramento. Also curry will be licking his chops to get back at us for past postseason and our last playin together.

[tamaraw08]

I'd rather us win again in NO and play Denver than play twice in the play in and have a chance to be eliminated by the Warriors or the Kings. If we secure the 7th spot at least we need to lose 4 times before we get eliminated. Id rather take that chance than a single game against the Warriors or Kings.

Lakers lost by an ave of 5.5 pts to Denver with 4 Nuggets shooting 40+% from 3 while D'Lo shot 13% and James shot under 27%. What are the chances of that happening again? If DLo wets the bed again Ham should put a better defender like Vincent and hopefully he shoots at least 33% from 3 and somewhat bothers Murray's shot. Rui also seems to have found ways to contribute more. Hopefully too MPJ and KCP don't shoot like Steph..anymore.

[Beethoven]

I'd rather us win again in NO and play Denver than play twice in the play in and have a chance to be eliminated by the Warriors or the Kings. If we secure the 7th spot at least we need to lose 4 times before we get eliminated. Id rather take that chance than a single game against the Warriors or Kings.

Lakers lost by an ave of 5.5 pts to Denver with 4 Nuggets shooting 40+% from 3 while D'Lo shot 13% and James shot under 27%. What are the chances of that happening again? If DLo wets the bed again Ham should put a better defender like Vincent and hopefully he shoots at least 33% from 3 and somewhat bothers Murray's shot. Rui also seems to have found ways to contribute more. Hopefully too MPJ and KCP don't shoot like Steph..anymore.

We have the tools....but the tool user is dumb

What if ham doesn't use rui that well again and starts trying to pound a nail with a screwdriver?

[dAdo dA dEvil]

I'd rather us win again in NO and play Denver than play twice in the play in and have a chance to be eliminated by the Warriors or the Kings. If we secure the 7th spot at least we need to lose 4 times before we get eliminated. Id rather take that chance than a single game against the Warriors or Kings.

Lakers lost by an ave of 5.5 pts to Denver with 4 Nuggets shooting 40+% from 3 while D'Lo shot 13% and James shot under 27%. What are the chances of that happening again? If DLo wets the bed again Ham should put a better defender like Vincent and hopefully he shoots at least 33% from 3 and somewhat bothers Murray's shot. Rui also seems to have found ways to contribute more. Hopefully too MPJ and KCP don't shoot like Steph..anymore.

We have the tools....but the tool user is dumb

What if ham doesn't use rui that well again and starts trying to pound a nail with a screwdriver?

Let's just hope that Ham already knows how to do adjustments. This team is very capable to go up against any team. AD and Bron had been good this season. Reaves and Rui improved from last season. DLo can be good if he at least try to play defense. We have Gabe and Spencer to replace DLo if he can't play D. Taurean can hit threes. Jax and Max can be effective in little minutes. We have tools. We just need to know how to utilize them.

[LAKESHOW]

No. To defeat twice at home rarely happens

[zuju]

Lakers lost by an ave of 5.5 pts to Denver with 4 Nuggets shooting 40+% from 3 while D'Lo shot 13% and James shot under 27%. What are the chances of that happening again? If DLo wets the bed again Ham should put a better defender like Vincent and hopefully he shoots at least 33% from 3 and somewhat bothers Murray's shot. Rui also seems to have found ways to contribute more. Hopefully too MPJ and KCP don't shoot like Steph..anymore.

We have the tools....but the tool user is dumb

What if ham doesn't use rui that well again and starts trying to pound a nail with a screwdriver?

Let's just hope that Ham already knows how to do adjustments. This team is very capable to go up against any team. AD and Bron had been good this season. Reaves and Rui improved from last season. DLo can be good if he at least try to play defense. We have Gabe and Spencer to replace DLo if he can't play D. Taurean can hit threes. Jax and Max can be effective in little minutes. We have tools. We just need to know how to utilize them.

Reaves has not improve much. He became very inconsistent this season. Defense is barely on par.

Better separate Dlo and Reavess' court time. Pair Gabe or DVD with them.

Still hoping Vando can come back on time

[stan francisco]

I think OP’s question will be answered by Ham’s inability or ability to adjust to Willie Green’s adjustments.

[Kilroy]

Nothing we've seen all season, or even in past seasons, would say this is possible... So until they do it, it's not realistic... Anything can happen, but yeah...

[Beethoven]

Ok. We did it.

Let's take on mcnuggets

[LAKESHOW]

Commenting on the game. Zion was nearly unstoppable. Glad we secured our seat. Denver is gonna be a battle

[loveshaq007]

let's f*** up Denver... get our revenge for all that **** talking

[stan francisco]

Nice win!

I guess Dinwiddie, Reaves, Christie, Vincent, Reddish, Vando will have to tag team Murray. Time for D Lo’s defense to place him on the bench. Coach Malone will make it so.

When is Vando coming back? A healthy Vando can be a game changer for us. Elite defender, switchable 1-4.