GAME 67: Lakers (37-28) @ Clippers (44-22)—Thurday 7PM PDT

[SK21209]

Looking back, it's crazy to think that we were widely considered the most talented team going into last season when our roster outside of Kawhi and PG was:

Bev
Zubac
Lou
Trez
Shamet
Harkless
JaMychal Green
McGruder

Turning those last six into Morris, Ibaka, Batum, Rondo, Mann, Kennard and Cousins is a pretty big upgrade if they're actually all available.

[nickhx2]

i seriously wouldn't have considered cousins/rondo an upgrade, either. seeing is believing, and same for batum/mann/kennard's impact.

[RingColluder]

Let's calm down a minute and wait for the playoffs. We just played a totally undermanned Lakers team and guys like Lou and Trez were 1 and 2 for 6MOTY before faltering in the playoffs.

On a personal level it's nice to win, but I don't factor this game in whatsoever given the awful stretch we just had against actually healthy good teams (and the Pelicans).

[NickP]

Yes. How dare anyone enjoy a win?

[RingColluder]

Yes. How dare anyone enjoy a win?

You just can't help yourself despite the mods warnings, can you?

[esqtvd]

Read on Twitter

I'm not gonna lie, I kinda feel sorry for trezz. He's being abused ever since last year. I'm not sure what he can do to add more to his game. His defense can't be better overnight and he can't play against similar size forwards or guards because they have the speed factor.

I thought Vogel would use him more efficiently, but trezz might not be long for the league. I can't see him being around for more than 2 more years.

Also he doesn't have Doc in his corner anymore who was arguably his biggest fan. Doc created the Lou/Trez combo, made it the highlight of the team, and pretty much rode it til the wheels fell off. Lou found a new lifeline in ATL where he was back home and is on a team that was desperate for a guy to put up points on the second unit and basically found another place where he can shoot at will. Trez's support system is completely gone while he's on the Lakers. Bron will abandon a player in a minute if things so south. Klutch steered him down the wrong road. Charlotte was the proper move for him

The counterargument is that Doc made something out of nothing, so the problem wasn't Lou and Trezz, it was our dependence on them--and that was on the FO. Lou and Trezz put up nearly sixty 20-point games between them, which we still haven't replaced [Marcus has only 10]--the FO hoping to make it up this year with a much deeper rotation. [Although it was more luck that genius that Ibaka and Batum were available and interested after being kicked to the curb by their own teams.]

When Trezz was unable to perform in the Mickey Mouse Invitational for personal and physical reasons, there were no alternatives. Trezz was cut to 19 mpg and Zu was bumped up to 25 mpg [which remains about his effective minutes limit] but it wasn't enough.

BTW--Zubac performed at career-best level, and his playoff totals from 2020 are eerily similar to his performance this year.

You is what you is.

2020 playoffs: 24.6 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.8 bpg
2021 reg seas: 22.7 mpg, 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg


As for poor Trezz, it's easy to single him out but the Lakers are a hot mess--their bottom 5 over the past 15 games [since Drummond's arrival]:



Kentavious Caldwell-Pope minus-3.0
Dennis Schroder minus-4.2
Montrezl Harrell minus-4.2
Kyle Kuzma minus-4.9
Anthony Davis minus-7.9

[RingColluder]

People thinking this game means anything despite AD barely playing, LeBron not playing, Dennis not playing.


If we were missing Rondo/Bev, Kawhi and PG barely played and the Lakers crushed us we'd have the exact same attitude as they do. Come on people

[RingColluder]

Read on Twitter

I'm not gonna lie, I kinda feel sorry for trezz. He's being abused ever since last year. I'm not sure what he can do to add more to his game. His defense can't be better overnight and he can't play against similar size forwards or guards because they have the speed factor.

I thought Vogel would use him more efficiently, but trezz might not be long for the league. I can't see him being around for more than 2 more years.

Also he doesn't have Doc in his corner anymore who was arguably his biggest fan. Doc created the Lou/Trez combo, made it the highlight of the team, and pretty much rode it til the wheels fell off. Lou found a new lifeline in ATL where he was back home and is on a team that was desperate for a guy to put up points on the second unit and basically found another place where he can shoot at will. Trez's support system is completely gone while he's on the Lakers. Bron will abandon a player in a minute if things so south. Klutch steered him down the wrong road. Charlotte was the proper move for him

The counterargument is that Doc made something out of nothing, so the problem wasn't Lou and Trezz, it was our dependence on them--and that was on the FO. Lou and Trezz put up nearly sixty 20-point games between them, which we still haven't replaced [Marcus has only 10]--the FO hoping to make it up this year with a much deeper rotation. [Although it was more luck that genius that Ibaka and Batum were available and interested after being kicked to the curb by their own teams.]

When Trezz was unable to perform in the Mickey Mouse Invitational for personal and physical reasons, there were no alternatives. Trezz was cut to 19 mpg and Zu was bumped up to 25 mpg [which remains about his effective minutes limit] but it wasn't enough.

BTW--Zubac performed at career-best level, and his playoff totals from 2020 are eerily similar to his performance this year.

You is what you is.

2020 playoffs: 24.6 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.8 bpg
2021 reg seas: 22.7 mpg, 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg


As for poor Trezz, it's easy to single him out but the Lakers are a hot mess--their bottom 5 over the past 15 games:


Kentavious Caldwell-Pope minus-3.0
Dennis Schroder minus-4.2
Montrezl Harrell minus-4.2
Kyle Kuzma minus-4.9
Anthony Davis minus-7.9

Given his contract (and not giving awful contracts out to people like Kennard) we would still be better off w a 3 man big rotation of Zu, Demarcus and Harrell who all have very different games for different matchups. Lou is washed, but the issue was just lineup swaps last year not necessarily the talent level of them at the time (but yes the personal reasons for Trez played a factor).


All the Lakers are desperately reliant on LBJ not as a scorer but his unique ability to make all his teammates better. I'm not worried whatsoever about the Lakers playoff chances even w a loss to Trailblazers tonight. Seen too many "elimination games" from LeBron over the years to ever count him out. The benefit of them in the play in tournament would just mean by the time we potentially play the Lakers they'd be too gassed to compete w us if we can win a quick series.


Probably the Trailblazers are the better matchup for us so a win for them would be ideal tonight.

[MartinToVaught]

There honestly aren't many matchups where Trez is useful. He just made a post-prime Cousins look young and spry again. I would much rather have JaMyke back from last year's team than Trez.

[playaloc916]

Looking back, it's crazy to think that we were widely considered the most talented team going into last season when our roster outside of Kawhi and PG was:

Bev
Zubac
Lou
Trez
Shamet
Harkless
JaMychal Green
McGruder

Turning those last six into Morris, Ibaka, Batum, Rondo, Mann, Kennard and Cousins is a pretty big upgrade if they're actually all available.

Three of those players went from some of the strongest assets to borderline liabilities in the playoffs. Shamet fell off a cliff right from the beginning of the season (didn't he get covid or something?). He went from killing the Warriors and being interviewed by Rachel and TMac on ESPN, to basically turning into Jerome Robinson. Lou and Trez (moreso Trez) went from an unstoppable duo to being no-shows.

It's unfortunate the off court stuff happened with Trez. Lou was a little better, but not having Trez eliminated one of the strongest weapons of the team, LouTrez PnR. Then Lou left the bubble but when he came back, he was definitely not the same. If Trez never had the off court problems, I'm really curious how the team would've looked...

That being said, the new acquisitions definitely look better on paper.

[esqtvd]

Looking back, it's crazy to think that we were widely considered the most talented team going into last season when our roster outside of Kawhi and PG was:

Bev
Zubac
Lou
Trez
Shamet
Harkless
JaMychal Green
McGruder

Turning those last six into Morris, Ibaka, Batum, Rondo, Mann, Kennard and Cousins is a pretty big upgrade if they're actually all available.

Three of those players went from some of the strongest assets to borderline liabilities in the playoffs. Shamet fell off a cliff right from the beginning of the season (didn't he get covid or something?). He went from killing the Warriors and being interviewed by Rachel and TMac on ESPN, to basically turning into Jerome Robinson. Lou and Trez (moreso Trez) went from an unstoppable duo to being no-shows.

It's unfortunate the off court stuff happened with Trez. Lou was a little better, but not having Trez eliminated one of the strongest weapons of the team, LouTrez PnR. Then Lou left the bubble but when he came back, he was definitely not the same. If Trez never had the off court problems, I'm really curious how the team would've looked...

That being said, the new acquisitions definitely look better on paper.

Bingo across the board. That's why I blamed the front office first and foremost last offseason.

J-Myke was dumped outright [or vice-versa] and Shamet--19 mpg and even had to start 4 games--was complete rubbish and was traded for Kennard, who won't even make this year's playoff rotation.

Still, we were running on all cylinders when the COVID hit and Trezz won the 6MOY. 18 ppg off the bench is no small feat. But he was a shell of himself in The Bubble after his beloved grandmother died...and frankly still is. Or you might also say that his "biggest fan" got more out of Montrezl Harrell than anyone ever did or ever will again--see also: Jordan, DeAndre


BTW, in the "you is what you is" department--Landry Shamet's numbers are eerie too:

LAC 2020: 27.4 mpg, 9.3 ppg, .404 FG%, .375 3pt%, 1.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.8 TOpg
BKN 2021: 22.5 mpg, 9.3 ppg, .405 FG%, .384 3pt%, 1.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.8 TOpg


I too am looking forward to the new guys making life easier for KL and PG if nothing else. They are much more rounded players than Lou and Trezz to be sure and let's not forget your boy Reggie, who is playing the best ball of his career.

[esqtvd]

People thinking this game means anything despite AD barely playing, LeBron not playing, Dennis not playing.


If we were missing Rondo/Bev, Kawhi and PG barely played and the Lakers crushed us we'd have the exact same attitude as they do. Come on people

Yes, but we looked GOOD. Played disciplined, not scatterass. Lakers did not lay down, in a laugher. And they only lost by 5 tonight against Portlandia.

I hate to admit when I have to respect LA's OTHER team. To return to your post, Ty left our STARTERS in until 5-6 minutes left. This was a laugher played with total respect. Add LeBron to the equation and I think we still beat them.

By 3. Maybe 5.

[RingColluder]

People thinking this game means anything despite AD barely playing, LeBron not playing, Dennis not playing.


If we were missing Rondo/Bev, Kawhi and PG barely played and the Lakers crushed us we'd have the exact same attitude as they do. Come on people

Yes, but we looked GOOD. Played disciplined, not scatterass. Lakers did not lay down, in a laugher. And they only lost by 5 tonight against Portlandia.

I hate to admit when I have to respect LA's OTHER team. To return to your post, Ty left our STARTERS in until 5-6 minutes left. This was a laugher played with total respect. Add LeBron to the equation and I think we still beat them.

By 3. Maybe 5.

You are very optimistic, I give you that

[NickP]

This was such a great win. A really really great win. Did I mention how great of a win this was?

[NippySudz]

Also he doesn't have Doc in his corner anymore who was arguably his biggest fan. Doc created the Lou/Trez combo, made it the highlight of the team, and pretty much rode it til the wheels fell off. Lou found a new lifeline in ATL where he was back home and is on a team that was desperate for a guy to put up points on the second unit and basically found another place where he can shoot at will. Trez's support system is completely gone while he's on the Lakers. Bron will abandon a player in a minute if things so south. Klutch steered him down the wrong road. Charlotte was the proper move for him

The counterargument is that Doc made something out of nothing, so the problem wasn't Lou and Trezz, it was our dependence on them--and that was on the FO. Lou and Trezz put up nearly sixty 20-point games between them, which we still haven't replaced [Marcus has only 10]--the FO hoping to make it up this year with a much deeper rotation. [Although it was more luck that genius that Ibaka and Batum were available and interested after being kicked to the curb by their own teams.]

When Trezz was unable to perform in the Mickey Mouse Invitational for personal and physical reasons, there were no alternatives. Trezz was cut to 19 mpg and Zu was bumped up to 25 mpg [which remains about his effective minutes limit] but it wasn't enough.

BTW--Zubac performed at career-best level, and his playoff totals from 2020 are eerily similar to his performance this year.

You is what you is.

2020 playoffs: 24.6 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.8 bpg
2021 reg seas: 22.7 mpg, 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg


As for poor Trezz, it's easy to single him out but the Lakers are a hot mess--their bottom 5 over the past 15 games:


Kentavious Caldwell-Pope minus-3.0
Dennis Schroder minus-4.2
Montrezl Harrell minus-4.2
Kyle Kuzma minus-4.9
Anthony Davis minus-7.9

Given his contract (and not giving awful contracts out to people like Kennard) we would still be better off w a 3 man big rotation of Zu, Demarcus and Harrell who all have very different games for different matchups. Lou is washed, but the issue was just lineup swaps last year not necessarily the talent level of them at the time (but yes the personal reasons for Trez played a factor).


All the Lakers are desperately reliant on LBJ not as a scorer but his unique ability to make all his teammates better. I'm not worried whatsoever about the Lakers playoff chances even w a loss to Trailblazers tonight. Seen too many "elimination games" from LeBron over the years to ever count him out. The benefit of them in the play in tournament would just mean by the time we potentially play the Lakers they'd be too gassed to compete w us if we can win a quick series.


Probably the Trailblazers are the better matchup for us so a win for them would be ideal tonight.

Trezz-zu-harrell sounds horrible. That's only one defensive center In that whole line up. I'm glad trezz is gone personally but I wish he succeeded somewhere else despite what happened last year. Sucks that he's virtually unplayable in the playoffs.

Cousins is a 3rd string player, still has a great skillset but he was toying with trezz. As if he was still in all star form.

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[NippySudz]

Let's calm down a minute and wait for the playoffs. We just played a totally undermanned Lakers team and guys like Lou and Trez were 1 and 2 for 6MOTY before faltering in the playoffs.

On a personal level it's nice to win, but I don't factor this game in whatsoever given the awful stretch we just had against actually healthy good teams (and the Pelicans).

I agree. The Lakers game doesn't tell us anything about the lakers but it was a nice win and considering we drop games we should have won way more last year and some this year, it's just nice to get a win that doesn't go wire to wire. Get guys good rest.

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[Clemenza]

Read on Twitter

I'm not gonna lie, I kinda feel sorry for trezz. He's being abused ever since last year. I'm not sure what he can do to add more to his game. His defense can't be better overnight and he can't play against similar size forwards or guards because they have the speed factor.

I thought Vogel would use him more efficiently, but trezz might not be long for the league. I can't see him being around for more than 2 more years.

Also he doesn't have Doc in his corner anymore who was arguably his biggest fan. Doc created the Lou/Trez combo, made it the highlight of the team, and pretty much rode it til the wheels fell off. Lou found a new lifeline in ATL where he was back home and is on a team that was desperate for a guy to put up points on the second unit and basically found another place where he can shoot at will. Trez's support system is completely gone while he's on the Lakers. Bron will abandon a player in a minute if things so south. Klutch steered him down the wrong road. Charlotte was the proper move for him

The counterargument is that Doc made something out of nothing, so the problem wasn't Lou and Trezz, it was our dependence on them--and that was on the FO. Lou and Trezz put up nearly sixty 20-point games between them, which we still haven't replaced [Marcus has only 10]--the FO hoping to make it up this year with a much deeper rotation. [Although it was more luck that genius that Ibaka and Batum were available and interested after being kicked to the curb by their own teams.]

When Trezz was unable to perform in the Mickey Mouse Invitational for personal and physical reasons, there were no alternatives. Trezz was cut to 19 mpg and Zu was bumped up to 25 mpg [which remains about his effective minutes limit] but it wasn't enough.

BTW--Zubac performed at career-best level, and his playoff totals from 2020 are eerily similar to his performance this year.

You is what you is.

2020 playoffs: 24.6 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.8 bpg
2021 reg seas: 22.7 mpg, 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg


As for poor Trezz, it's easy to single him out but the Lakers are a hot mess--their bottom 5 over the past 15 games [since Drummond's arrival]:



Kentavious Caldwell-Pope minus-3.0
Dennis Schroder minus-4.2
Montrezl Harrell minus-4.2
Kyle Kuzma minus-4.9
Anthony Davis minus-7.9

That's basically the same thing I said but worded differently

[RingColluder]

Let's calm down a minute and wait for the playoffs. We just played a totally undermanned Lakers team and guys like Lou and Trez were 1 and 2 for 6MOTY before faltering in the playoffs.

On a personal level it's nice to win, but I don't factor this game in whatsoever given the awful stretch we just had against actually healthy good teams (and the Pelicans).

I agree. The Lakers game doesn't tell us anything about the lakers but it was a nice win and considering we drop games we should have won way more last year and some this year, it's just nice to get a win that doesn't go wire to wire. Get guys good rest.

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Yup I totally agree. A nice scrimmage but bizarre to see acting like we just beat a team that was anything close to competitively built at the moment.

[RingColluder]

The counterargument is that Doc made something out of nothing, so the problem wasn't Lou and Trezz, it was our dependence on them--and that was on the FO. Lou and Trezz put up nearly sixty 20-point games between them, which we still haven't replaced [Marcus has only 10]--the FO hoping to make it up this year with a much deeper rotation. [Although it was more luck that genius that Ibaka and Batum were available and interested after being kicked to the curb by their own teams.]

When Trezz was unable to perform in the Mickey Mouse Invitational for personal and physical reasons, there were no alternatives. Trezz was cut to 19 mpg and Zu was bumped up to 25 mpg [which remains about his effective minutes limit] but it wasn't enough.

BTW--Zubac performed at career-best level, and his playoff totals from 2020 are eerily similar to his performance this year.

You is what you is.

2020 playoffs: 24.6 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.8 bpg
2021 reg seas: 22.7 mpg, 9.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg


As for poor Trezz, it's easy to single him out but the Lakers are a hot mess--their bottom 5 over the past 15 games:


Kentavious Caldwell-Pope minus-3.0
Dennis Schroder minus-4.2
Montrezl Harrell minus-4.2
Kyle Kuzma minus-4.9
Anthony Davis minus-7.9

Given his contract (and not giving awful contracts out to people like Kennard) we would still be better off w a 3 man big rotation of Zu, Demarcus and Harrell who all have very different games for different matchups. Lou is washed, but the issue was just lineup swaps last year not necessarily the talent level of them at the time (but yes the personal reasons for Trez played a factor).


All the Lakers are desperately reliant on LBJ not as a scorer but his unique ability to make all his teammates better. I'm not worried whatsoever about the Lakers playoff chances even w a loss to Trailblazers tonight. Seen too many "elimination games" from LeBron over the years to ever count him out. The benefit of them in the play in tournament would just mean by the time we potentially play the Lakers they'd be too gassed to compete w us if we can win a quick series.


Probably the Trailblazers are the better matchup for us so a win for them would be ideal tonight.

Trezz-zu-harrell sounds horrible. That's only one defensive center In that whole line up. I'm glad trezz is gone personally but I wish he succeeded somewhere else despite what happened last year. Sucks that he's virtually unplayable in the playoffs.

Cousins is a 3rd string player, still has a great skillset but he was toying with trezz. As if he was still in all star form.

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Especially in the regular season, not every game requires a defensive center, esp when Zu's offensive deficiencies are glaring at times. Let's not act like Harrell didn't save us for multiple multiple games last season in the RS with his tremendous play. Especially against a scrub team like the Lakers would have been nice to see him dominate them.

[NippySudz]

Given his contract (and not giving awful contracts out to people like Kennard) we would still be better off w a 3 man big rotation of Zu, Demarcus and Harrell who all have very different games for different matchups. Lou is washed, but the issue was just lineup swaps last year not necessarily the talent level of them at the time (but yes the personal reasons for Trez played a factor).


All the Lakers are desperately reliant on LBJ not as a scorer but his unique ability to make all his teammates better. I'm not worried whatsoever about the Lakers playoff chances even w a loss to Trailblazers tonight. Seen too many "elimination games" from LeBron over the years to ever count him out. The benefit of them in the play in tournament would just mean by the time we potentially play the Lakers they'd be too gassed to compete w us if we can win a quick series.


Probably the Trailblazers are the better matchup for us so a win for them would be ideal tonight.

Trezz-zu-harrell sounds horrible. That's only one defensive center In that whole line up. I'm glad trezz is gone personally but I wish he succeeded somewhere else despite what happened last year. Sucks that he's virtually unplayable in the playoffs.

Cousins is a 3rd string player, still has a great skillset but he was toying with trezz. As if he was still in all star form.

Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using Tapatalk

Especially in the regular season, not every game requires a defensive center, esp when Zu's offensive deficiencies are glaring at times. Let's not act like Harrell didn't save us for multiple multiple games last season in the RS with his tremendous play. Especially against a scrub team like the Lakers would have been nice to see him dominate them.

Respectfully I don't care about the regular season and I'm not saying Harrell won't have games where be looks great. Just on average, he won't be the player you are to depend on if you want to go far.

Did you forget that atlanta game last year where we were up 20+ points, even more than that to a trey young-less hawks and lost the lead and lost the game because doc refused to play Zu any time in the second half?

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