Nance is missed

[stan francisco]

With Nance out, it's apparent how important he is to this team. He's the quiet guy that does everything from diving to the floor to setting picks to rebounding to running the break to... Nothing spectacular (bedsides his insane dunks) but runs all plays the right way. He's close to being the perfect role player.

I don't know what the stats say but I could only guess that 50/50 balls are in our favor with him on the floor, and the opposite without him. I could be wrong.

Although he's not a true veteran, he's still steady and smart enough for Ball to get consistency from. He's maybe our most disciplined regular rotation player. Lonzo is learning from whom he plays with — three rookies and Lopez (who has no brain on defense).

The point being, when he gets back, we'll go on a winning streak. Book it. I don't think Nance's injury has been made a big enough deal out of. Most likely when he is a few games back in, fans and media realize why we've lost a few games. Right now it's as if everyone is pretending he was never on this team, that it somehow didn't matter that he's out. It's a big deal, and in part what's causing Lonzo trouble.

He's a very important piece on this team. Like Rick Fox could be relied upon every night, same with Nance.

[RingsDontLie]

Connective tissue missing...? Thought this had something to do with his injury.

[Spanish_Laker]

When is he coming back?

[stan francisco]

When is he coming back?

I was hoping you or someone would tell us all.

I just tried google.com, "Larry Nance return date".

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.silverscreenandroll.com/platform/amp/2017/11/17/16671442/la-lakers-news-injury-larry-nance-jr-practice-hand

[iQon]

IMO, he's certainly been missed in quite a few games.

We're fortunate to have been able to rely on Clarkson and Julius coming off of the bench. Inserting Nance into that fold only makes our bench and rotations better.

[milesfides]

He’s our best big man, and it’s not even close really. His numbers, defense, unselfishness and b-ball IQ are creeping towards elite.

Which is why we should limit his role right now and showcase Randle and the other bigs.

[Kilroy]

The only thing Nance does better than Randle is have a contract beyond this season...
The only thing he does better than Kuzma is demand fewer touches...

Nance coming back does nothing but mean fewer minutes for Kuzma and Randle... Who have been our 2 best players most nights...

From a purely basketball standpoint, Nance should be the one we try to use to dump Deng...

[danfantastk32]

I like Nance, but you'all prob aughta get used to him not being here.

Can anyone point to a stretch of 30 games without this guy tearing a wrist, or breaking a finger, or a foot....or something?

It's stunted his growth, imo....but those first 10-12 games this season showed he had a higher ceiling than I though. I agree with Miles, in that he's prob our best big-man. Certainly with Ball out there. They work together really well.

And just when I started thinking "huh....you know, maybe he is part of our future" <------that night.

He asks his body to do too much. He overhustles in crowds, dunks with authority. All these things are good things...but the best ability, is availability (or reliability.....you choose) and that's what he's worst at.

Hope I'm ultimately wrong.....but I have Nance written down in the "what coulda been" category.

[danfantastk32]

The only thing Nance does better than Randle is have a contract beyond this season...
The only thing he does better than Kuzma is demand fewer touches...

Nance coming back does nothing but mean fewer minutes for Kuzma and Randle... Who have been our 2 best players most nights...

From a purely basketball standpoint, Nance should be the one we try to use to dump Deng...

Using the logic in the post I just wrote....I agree with you. I don't think he will have a lasting career. But luckily, all his stuff has been fairly minor injuries (albeit a TON of them) so he prob doesn't have a 'tag' in the NBA yet.

He looked great. If he comes back, they need to showcase him again, but keep the minutes down....and see if we can't entice someone to do something stupid.....like take he and Hart (and 2nd rounder) for Deng, we pull the trigger and walk away.

Id even go as far as to say trade him for a first-round pick. It sucks....I actually really really do like his game. But I don't think he will ever be that guy you can rely on.

[milesfides]

Kuzma? Please. Curb your enthusiasm, he has a bright future, but the only thing he does better than Nance is shoot.

In every other category Nance destroys him, most notably in defense.

Kuzma ranks 87 out of 89th power forwards in defensive plus-minus. Nance ranks 10th.

[Danny Darko]

When is he coming back?

Injured Nov 2nd estimate was 6 weeks on average, so 2nd week of December is likely

[BEazy]

Bill and Stu already said Nance was cleared for practice during the Suns game and he’s ahead of schedule. He’ll be back in a week or so.

[stan francisco]

Kuzma? Please. Curb your enthusiasm, he has a bright future, but the only thing he does better than Nance is shoot.

In every other category Nance destroys him, most notably in defense.

Kuzma ranks 87 out of 89th power forwards in defensive plus-minus. Nance ranks 10th.

Great proof of his hustle and IQ. Any defensive stat is usually the most interesting to take note of to me. In this case also because of how it changes Lonzo's running the offense.

You can't run the break if you don't get stops. Nance gets us stops. Ball doesn't yet know how to attack aggressively in the half court set. That's how Nance's sbsense has hurt Lonzo's game.

Winning streak starts upon his return. I think they'll go on a five win run.

[Kilroy]

Nance's Defense and BBIQ is overrated IMO... He's got great hustle and as a result is a good help defender, but he misses assignments and rotations, and is a just an OK man defender...
And Kuzma isn't just a little bit better on offense... He's on a whole other level... Forget the massive dunks for a sec... Kuzma does all that and can shoot from anywhere... All while contributing more assists and basically the same rebounds... Plus he's a rookie and 3 years younger than Nance... Nance is already 25... Basically he's already in his prime and can't stay healthy.

Sell high...

[stan francisco]

Kuzma? Please. Curb your enthusiasm, he has a bright future, but the only thing he does better than Nance is shoot.

In every other category Nance destroys him, most notably in defense.

Kuzma ranks 87 out of 89th power forwards in defensive plus-minus. Nance ranks 10th.

Wait a minute. Rankings by whom?

[milesfides]

Nance's Defense and BBIQ is overrated IMO... He's got great hustle and as a result is a good help defender, but he misses assignments and rotations, and is a just an OK man defender...
And Kuzma isn't just a little bit better on offense... He's on a whole other level... Forget the massive dunks for a sec... Kuzma does all that and can shoot from anywhere... All while contributing more assists and basically the same rebounds... Plus he's a rookie and 3 years younger than Nance... Nance is already 25... Basically he's already in his prime and can't stay healthy.

Sell high...

Well you're simply wrong on many different levels.

Defensively, I don't know what you're seeing. Eye-test shows that Nance has consistently been our best team defender for a couple years. Statistically, Nance consistently ranks among the league's best defenders at his position, according to most defensive metrics. Kuzma, among the worst.

And you're also wrong in:

Rebounds (per 36): Nance 12 > Kuzma's 8.
Steals: Nance 2 > Kuzma 0.5
Blocks: Nance 1 > Kuzma 0.1
fg%: Nance 64 > 51

Kuzma is the better outside shooter, yes, in nearly everything else Nance dominates him. Dominates.

Nance is two and half years older than Kuzma, isn't yet 25, let's not get carried away here. Neither is in their prime.

Health-wise, Nance still played in 77 percent of the games in his first two years, nothing structural about his injuries, the most recent being his hand - which has healed very quickly.

And I like Kuzma a lot, but be a bit objective here.

Anyways, the correct play is to have Nance as a small ball center or move Kuzma to SF and Ingram to SG. Nance should be a good fit w/ Kuzma.

[Kilroy]

Nance's Defense and BBIQ is overrated IMO... He's got great hustle and as a result is a good help defender, but he misses assignments and rotations, and is a just an OK man defender...
And Kuzma isn't just a little bit better on offense... He's on a whole other level... Forget the massive dunks for a sec... Kuzma does all that and can shoot from anywhere... All while contributing more assists and basically the same rebounds... Plus he's a rookie and 3 years younger than Nance... Nance is already 25... Basically he's already in his prime and can't stay healthy.

Sell high...

Well you're simply wrong on many different levels.

Defensively, I don't know what you're seeing. Eye-test shows that Nance has consistently been our best team defender for a couple years. Statistically, Nance consistently ranks among the league's best defenders at his position, according to most defensive metrics. Kuzma, among the worst.

And you're also wrong in:

Rebounds (per 36): Nance 12 > Kuzma's 8.
Steals: Nance 2 > Kuzma 0.5
Blocks: Nance 1 > Kuzma 0.1
fg%: Nance 64 > 51

Kuzma is the better outside shooter, yes, in nearly everything else Nance dominates him. Dominates.

Nance is two and half years older than Kuzma, isn't yet 25, let's not get carried away here. Neither is in their prime.

Health-wise, Nance still played in 77 percent of the games in his first two years, nothing structural about his injuries, the most recent being his hand - which has healed very quickly.

And I like Kuzma a lot, but be a bit objective here.

Anyways, the correct play is to have Nance as a small ball center or move Kuzma to SF and Ingram to SG. Nance should be a good fit w/ Kuzma.

You're right... He turns 25 in Jan... I had to look it up the first time, not sure where I got 25. Still Kuzma just turned 22 in July..

I'm not a huge fan of either of them... I like Kuzma better than Nance because he's younger and better, nothing more than that.

I'm watching the few games Nance has played this year... Sample size is only 9 I believe, and he was extremely inconsistent in those games, so I'm basing some of my opinion of him on last season, when I thought his Defense was over rated.

And I said Nance was a better defender than Kuzma... Not sure what in those numbers justifies the word 'Dominates' but Ok...
I think his reputation as an 'elite' defender is inflated, and I think Kuzma's better, more reliable offensive weapons far outweigh the Defensive deficiencies...

[meetbishop]

I noticed his importance last year when he was out. When Russell was out we were still winning games until he was out. He bring something to this team that does not show up on the stats sheet.

He is our perfect glue guy!! Hope he comes back soon.

[LakersSoul]

When is he coming back?

Injured Nov 2nd estimate was 6 weeks on average, so 2nd week of December is likely

Nance return for the Clippers game is very possible as he has been participating in full contact practices.

http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nba/342330/larry-nance-(hand)-targeting-monday-vs-lac

[mcscotty]

Nance is a guy that any team would love to have, and according to Magic a lot were inquiring about his availability last summer.