Make or break time: The Los Angeles Lakers

[The4thHorseman]

I think the Lakers have consistently demonstrated they can play well against the Nuggets, play them tight, and put themselves in a position to win the game in the 4th quarter.

What's been just as consistent is the Nuggets ability to buckle down and finish the Lakers off. When the game gets really tight, the Nuggets are so much better offensively and more consistent on defense. I find every Lakers/Nuggets game I've watched since the playoffs, I feel like: well the Lakers can get this one if they have some great shooting luck! The Nuggets don't need the shooting luck as much. They have sound strategic advantages over the Lakers that they can depend on every time the game is close. The Lakers need something wild to happen, the Nuggets don't.

There's no point in saying one-game reactions like "i don't think MPJ will be perfect every game". He hasn't been perfect every game and the Nuggets have now beat the Lakers a whopping 8 times in a row. It's time to stop talking about this matchup like there's anything good to be taken away from a Lakers perspective. Accept that Denver owns you until further notice.

If ALL i wrote was abput MPJ, your post would make perfect sense but i mentioned lebron being no one foot for AT LEAST 4 of those losses. I know yall want to strip ever ounce of hope but it wont happen, lol. I read this board enough to see the emotional ties to lebron/lakers not winning. AGain, all the games have been close and the lakers havent been healthy in 90% while Denver has been. My hope is still there dawg, lol.

Jamal Murray just beat you on one foot. He wasn't even supposed to play in this one, just grinded it out. Jokic was clearly having back issues in that first half. Lakers were the much healthier team in this one. Excuses.

Joker was showing back issues last night? Did the announcers mention that at all?

[VanWest82]

If ALL i wrote was abput MPJ, your post would make perfect sense but i mentioned lebron being no one foot for AT LEAST 4 of those losses. I know yall want to strip ever ounce of hope but it wont happen, lol. I read this board enough to see the emotional ties to lebron/lakers not winning. AGain, all the games have been close and the lakers havent been healthy in 90% while Denver has been. My hope is still there dawg, lol.

Jamal Murray just beat you on one foot. He wasn't even supposed to play in this one, just grinded it out. Jokic was clearly having back issues in that first half. Lakers were the much healthier team in this one. Excuses.

Joker was showing back issues last night? Did the announcers mention that at all?

I watch with the sound off so I'm not sure but he was clearly holding is back and grimacing during stoppages in the 2nd quarter.

[The4thHorseman]

Jamal Murray just beat you on one foot. He wasn't even supposed to play in this one, just grinded it out. Jokic was clearly having back issues in that first half. Lakers were the much healthier team in this one. Excuses.

Joker was showing back issues last night? Did the announcers mention that at all?

I watch with the sound off so I'm not sure but he was clearly holding is back and grimacing during stoppages in the 2nd quarter.

If he was having issues, it would've been mentioned 10x throughout the game. He looked fine last night.

[VanWest82]

Joker was showing back issues last night? Did the announcers mention that at all?

I watch with the sound off so I'm not sure but he was clearly holding is back and grimacing during stoppages in the 2nd quarter.

If he was having issues, it would've been mentioned 10x throughout the game. He looked fine last night.

FWIW it was mentioned in the game thread last night too. I wasn't the only one who noticed it. Either way, clearly Nuggets players overcame their injuries and missing starters and were able to pull out an 8th straight victory over Lebron.

[cupcakesnake]

I mean, i am a lebron/laker stan so no, i dont think MPJ will be perfect every game. I do know lebron was on one foot for half of the Denver losses so I still have hope, lol

I think the Lakers have consistently demonstrated they can play well against the Nuggets, play them tight, and put themselves in a position to win the game in the 4th quarter.

What's been just as consistent is the Nuggets ability to buckle down and finish the Lakers off. When the game gets really tight, the Nuggets are so much better offensively and more consistent on defense. I find every Lakers/Nuggets game I've watched since the playoffs, I feel like: well the Lakers can get this one if they have some great shooting luck! The Nuggets don't need the shooting luck as much. They have sound strategic advantages over the Lakers that they can depend on every time the game is close. The Lakers need something wild to happen, the Nuggets don't.

There's no point in saying one-game reactions like "i don't think MPJ will be perfect every game". He hasn't been perfect every game and the Nuggets have now beat the Lakers a whopping 8 times in a row. It's time to stop talking about this matchup like there's anything good to be taken away from a Lakers perspective. Accept that Denver owns you until further notice.

If ALL i wrote was abput MPJ, your post would make perfect sense but i mentioned lebron being no one foot for AT LEAST 4 of those losses. I know yall want to strip ever ounce of hope but it wont happen, lol. I read this board enough to see the emotional ties to lebron/lakers not winning. AGain, all the games have been close and the lakers havent been healthy in 90% while Denver has been. My hope is still there dawg, lol.

I'm not here to crush your hope, lol... or am I?

There's always hope, I just think that kind of hope is more of the miracle/injury luck variety at this point. Remember Lebron's foot was only ouchie for 4 out of those 8 games.

Playing a team tight, and being able to close games are seperate but related things. I watched a lot of 2022 and 2023 Raptors and they were low key a really good tactical team that were much better than their record suggested. But their clunky halfcourt offense mean't they were always at a big disadvantage in crunch time so they lost more close games than a good team should. That's how the Lakers feel to me when they play Denver. The Lakers can do everything right, fight to win the possession battle, play with more energy, get hot from 3 for stretches... but if it's close in the final 5 minutes: Denver is going to their unstoppable half-court offense built around the Murray/Jokic pick and roll (surrounded by shooters and cutters), while the Lakers are still just trying to gut out tough points. I always feel the Lakers need multiple miracle threes in those close games, which means I think Denver wins those games 9 times out of 10.

Wake me up when the Lakers win one! It might have to be next year. Let's face it: the Lakers have been playing better lately (on offense, at least), but most of the teams just ahead of them are also turning up the heat. The Houston Rockets are the only Western team trying to win that has a worse record, but even they have a better point differential (and better schedule weighted performance) than the Lakers.

The Lakers have already had their miracle (AD and Lebron's health) and even with that they haven't been good enough. It's way past time we accept this is just an average team.

[The4thHorseman]

I watch with the sound off so I'm not sure but he was clearly holding is back and grimacing during stoppages in the 2nd quarter.

If he was having issues, it would've been mentioned 10x throughout the game. He looked fine last night.

FWIW it was mentioned in the game thread last night too. I wasn't the only one who noticed it. Either way, clearly Nuggets players overcame their injuries and missing starters and were able to pull out an 8th straight victory over Lebron.

Yes, Jokic overcame an injury that was never mentioned during the game. I guess if it makes you feel better about the Nuggets win, then roll with it.

[Chuck Everett]

3-1 thus far and now only .5 games behind the Mavs for the 8th spot (.5 games ahead of the Warriors).

[Marrrcuss]

I mean....

Let's just say the Sacremento game on Wednesday isnt a must win, but the 6th spot is still a possibility. Anything above the 9th seed is gravy.

[LoveTheNBA23]

5-2 since the original post with the remaining SOS now at 17th. The hard part of the schedule is out of the way.

[In-N-Out 247]

Getting the win against Sacramento on Wednesday would be huge. Always tough to win there, but it will be a second day of a back to back for the Kings while the Lakers will come in with two days off

[dWadeOwnzYou]

This team is an oddity record wise where the whole make or break doesn't necessarily applies to them which we've learned from these hard schedule. What they prove to us is that, they can contend as well as anybody. They've beaten all of the top team minus the Nuggets and that looks a whole lot better then just losing to the inferior teams. You have to feel pretty good about yourself.

[levon]

This team is an oddity record wise where the whole make or break doesn't necessarily applies to them which we've learned from these hard schedule. What they prove to us is that, they can contend as well as anybody. They've beaten all of the top team minus the Nuggets and that looks a whole lot better then just losing to the inferior teams. You have to feel pretty good about yourself.

It's appropos that you wrote this because to me the Lakers are Heat west, with better talent but way worse coaching. I have no doubt that they would've made the Finals last year had we swapped conferences and with a coach like Spo taken at least one from the Nuggets.

Alas, I don't think either team beats the Nuggets. But it's crazy to me how the top 4 bubble teams are still basically the top teams in the league irrespective of record. The regular season has never mattered less.

[jkvonny]

Lakers/GSW are probably definite locks for the 9/10 play in spots.
Rockets and Jazz seasons are shut down, won't catch Lakers/GSW.

5-8 spots are probably going to be Pels, Kings, Suns , Mavs. Could be in any order.

Lakers do not want to face the Kings or/and Nuggets in the playoffs. Those teams have been very bad matchups for them the past few seasons. Sabonis, Jokic usually knocks AD around, too.
Sacramento plays similar to OKC, fast......difference is OKC is way more younger than Sacramento. Kings have savvy vets.
Like the Nuggets..... Kings knows how to close out the Lakers.
OKC Thunder has to learn that first, too young.

[NyKnicks1714]

Yeah Lakers are 4 losses back at best of anyone ahead of them when you factor in tiebreaks. With 15 games or so left, that's all but impossible to overcome. Their schedule is favorable but if they go 11-4, Dallas would have to go 8-8. Just not happening. If there's any team they have a remote chance at passing, it's PHX.

[jkvonny]

This team is an oddity record wise where the whole make or break doesn't necessarily applies to them which we've learned from these hard schedule. What they prove to us is that, they can contend as well as anybody. They've beaten all of the top team minus the Nuggets and that looks a whole lot better then just losing to the inferior teams. You have to feel pretty good about yourself.

Hopefully they don't run into the Kings as well.

[life_saver]

This team is an oddity record wise where the whole make or break doesn't necessarily applies to them which we've learned from these hard schedule. What they prove to us is that, they can contend as well as anybody. They've beaten all of the top team minus the Nuggets and that looks a whole lot better then just losing to the inferior teams. You have to feel pretty good about yourself.

Wolves were extremely banged up when they lost vs Lakers last week...Gobert,KAT, SloMo, Morris all were injured, front court had pretty much no depth

[reddyplayerone]

This team is an oddity record wise where the whole make or break doesn't necessarily applies to them which we've learned from these hard schedule. What they prove to us is that, they can contend as well as anybody. They've beaten all of the top team minus the Nuggets and that looks a whole lot better then just losing to the inferior teams. You have to feel pretty good about yourself.

Hopefully they don't run into the Kings as well.

Yeah I'd really rather not have to see the Lakers play either Denver or Sacramento in a 7 game series.

That's one too many trap matchups imo. Maybe it's possible for the Lakers to get through the play-ins and through a first round matchup against an OKC or Minny?

That's about as far as I see this team getting this year though. Even then things will have to break their way.

[PedroFlu]

At this point, the whole organization has probably acknowledged they simply don't have enough material to think about contending. 9-10 place in the West is exactly where they belong.

It's evident in 2024 you won't contend led by a 39yr old guy. It's simply not feasible, as great as LeBron is in NBA. It never was. Maybe as the 3rd or 4th guy, surrounded by complete players - but not as a 1a-1b star. AD does his part on defense though, he absolutely carries the team.

I simply don't think that you can build a real contending team around AD and LBJ anymore, considering cap restrictions. Boston, Denver, and others are simply too good. It's impossible.

Also parting ways with LeBron doesn't solve anything. I don't know, they simply have been stuck since the Westbrook move in 22. Realistically, that move closed their window. Last season a lot of stuff went right so they reached their highest point and could feel better about themselves... but that also brought the illusion this could be considered a contending team if they kept the pieces - it never was.

We tend to keep thinking the complementary players aren't good enough, but matter of fact is their star duo is the problem - LeBron's age/limitations bring a relatively low ceilling for them.

They're stuck and will be in the next few years. Unless a superstar signs there (always unlikely, and something that cant be really planned for)... Absolutely no clear solution for them.

[Kilroy]

As a lifetime Laker fan, watching them stumble their way into the play-in every season is nauseating... I hate the play-in because it rewards teams who were mediocre for much of the season, with an extra chance...

So, while I'm fairly certain they'll find a way to get into the playoffs, I don't care, and won't pay attention unless they're playing well heading into the WCF.

[durden_tyler]

As long as we get that Lakers vs Warriors play-in, i think we're fine.