Moderators: Kilroy, Danny Darko, TyCobb
9-11
11-10SmartWentCrazy wrote:It's extremely unlikely that they end up in the top 3.They're probably better off trying to win and giving Philly the 8th pick than tanking and giving them the 4th.
Still trying to adjust to a new coach and life without three key members of the rotation, the Los Angeles Lakers are focused on taking one small step at a time.
The Lakers will try to begin working their way back to the .500 mark Sunday night when they host the Utah Jazz, who could be without two impact frontcourt players of their own.
Los Angeles (9-11) fell to 4-6 under coach Mike D'Antoni with a 114-108 loss at Oklahoma City on Friday night.
Steve Nash isn't expected back until at least next week and Steve Blake is out at least six weeks with a torn abdominal muscle, leaving third-stringer Chris Duhon as the starting point guard.
Making matters worse, All-Star forward Pau Gasol has averaged just 10.1 points on 38.8 percent shooting since D'Antoni took over and could miss his fourth straight game because of tendinitis in both knees.
The Lakers, however, still have Kobe Bryant, the NBA's scoring leader at 28.4 per game. Bryant finished with 35 as Los Angeles cut a 19-point deficit down to four in the final minute Friday.
Dwight Howard added 23 points and 18 rebounds and even improved at the free-throw line, where he's shooting a league-low 47.7 percent. He shot 5 for 7 against the Thunder after making 12 of 24 in his two previous contests.
"It's not like we're going to get together and start winning right away," Howard said. "We're learning how to play together. We're getting better. This is not on anybody's time table but ours."
While it hasn't translated into many wins, Los Angeles has at least been better offensively lately, averaging 108.2 points in its last five games after scoring 96.4 in its previous five.
That could continue against a Utah team that has lost nine of 12 on the road, where it is allowing 108.2 points per game.
The Jazz (11-10) closed a three-game homestand with a 131-99 rout of Toronto on Friday. It was only the sixth time since the 1997-98 season that Utah scored 130 points or more in regulation.
After going 1 for 10 from 3-point range in a win over Orlando on Wednesday, the Jazz came back to hit 13 of 23 from long range - the sixth-highest total in team history.
Marvin Williams, Randy Foye and DeMarre Carroll each made three 3-pointers. Foye ranks among the NBA leaders with 51 3-pointers this season.
As one of the best fast-break teams (15.9 points per game) in the Western Conference, Utah might be best served pushing tempo after Los Angeles was outscored 26-8 in that area on Friday.
The Jazz outscored the visiting Lakers 15-7 on the break in a 95-89 victory on Nov. 7 - the last game for coach Mike Brown before he was fired by Los Angeles.
While Bryant paced the Lakers with 29 points, Foye scored 17 - including five 3-pointers - and Al Jefferson had 18 and 10 rebounds as the Jazz won their third in a row over Los Angeles.
"We've just got to play Utah Jazz basketball and not worry about what the Lakers are doing and I think we'll have a great chance," Foye said.
Utah, however, might be without leading scorer Jefferson (back spasms) and reserve forward Derrick Favors (plantar fasciitis) again. Both are considered game-time decisions after missing Friday's contest.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
ratra_1211 wrote:Lets beat them soo hard they dont know what hit them!
Lets goo Lakeeerrrrrsssssssssssss
Kobe System wrote:ratra_1211 wrote:Lets beat them soo hard they dont know what hit them!
Lets goo Lakeeerrrrrsssssssssssss
Kinda like how Marquez knocked out Pacman?
Anyways, Leggo Lakers!
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
Sorry I forgotDeep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
Anklebreaker702 wrote:I can't remember the last time it wasn't fun to watch the Lakers. It's not the losses some of those I can handle, it how pathetic we look at times.
