2020 Key Reg Season games remaining..

[Beethoven]

So out of the 27 remaining games of the regular season, these are the 11 key games that I believe will bolster or wane the chemistry, confidence, and outside perception (not as important) heading into the playoffs:

March 3 PhiladephiaWIN

March 6 MilwaukeeWIN

March 8 @Staples hoboWIN

March 12 Houston

March 15 Denver

March 16 @Utah

March 18 Utah

March 24 @Toronto

April 1 Indiana

April 5 Oklahoma City (will be second game of back-to-back)

April 9 hobo (will be third game of three consecutive games in a row)


the other sixteen games: so far 3-2
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Going into this, assuming we maintain our ability to close out lesser teams at home or on the road, even if we lose all 11 of these key games, the 1seed is maintained, except only if the 2seed (currently six games behind and in diff division) lose only 4 games or less rest of way (we currently have tie-breaker w 2seed (denver)). <5 games or less for hobos since if they beat us once more, they'll have the tie breaker>

Obviously, we dont want to just "dial it in" and hope for only the numbers to work for us; the best scenario is to win as much of these so that the stretch April 7 through April 15 can be a much needed DNP for Lebron and AD perhaps.

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What you think will be the mentality (during game of course, not what they believe or say before the game) will be for these 11 games? I really hope we can make a statement by winning the ones we have to counter for like Toronto/Philly/Bucks. hobos not too sure as the jury is still out on if we dont want to present any schemes to give them something to churn on for the playoffs. So we may be losing the rest of those against them.

[NippySudz]

I doubt the lakers will be playing full strength in the regular season in april. Lakers would probably have the number 1 seed locked up by april. they will look to rest their guys after clinching.


There's only 4 key games. Philly, Milwaukee, Clippers, Houston. They've beat utah like they stole something. Toronto, they may want to get that back, but seeing how the bucks are playing, I don't see raptors as a threat to anyone.

There are 3 teams in the west who I think that are confident they have a good shot coming out of the west. That's Lakers, clippers, and Houston. Denver hopes they can, but if denver runs into superstars, denver's inexperience shows and they will not make it.

Winning all those key games won't matter to teams that are not threats to them. The bucks won't be phased because they won against indiana or okc. Winning against the clippers, pocket rockets, philly and bucks are the largest statements the lakers can make.

[Beethoven]

^not mad we're calling your team the hobos?

[NippySudz]

^not mad we're calling your team the hobos?

Why be mad? Personally, I don't understand the rivalry, but its whatever.

Personally, I find the "fan" badblood funny. Considering that both organisations don't have that type of animosity towards each other.

I guess I have to be from LA to understand. I do wonder if Lakers make the finals, are the bucks going to get the same type of comments? Probably not lol.

[Beethoven]

Yes you got to be from L.A. bro. When i see a kawhi Leonard billboard I road rage

[NippySudz]

Yes you got to be from L.A. bro. When i see a kawhi Leonard billboard I road rage

understandable. He's my fav player currently. Sorry lol

but back on topic, I think those are my 4 key games. I think as far as statement goes. Of course it would be nice to win those other games to ensure the first seed as fast as they can but those are my key 4 games for the lakers.

I think in those statement games, I think its the bench that has to show up for the lakers when lebron is out. The statement will be louder if the lakers win and I guess 'prove' to contenders that this lakers bench is capable of helping the lakers win a chip. I'd go bucks more importantly and clippers second that they have to prove it to. The net rating when giannis sit is still positive for the bucks. For kawhi, its barely positive, for lebron its negative. They have to show they they're just as scrappy as milwaukee's bench.

The bench showed out against the celtics. That was a statement game.

[Dmagic]

I figure this is as good as any place to drop this post. Look yall. Let's be real about this. The lakers look great this year. Everything to like about a team. We got it . But we lost to the clippers and bucks. Until we beat at least the clippers. No laker fan will feel comfortable

[Beethoven]

^ Yeah i dont see any answer to the hobos or the bucks. The buck stops there. I mean, we've tried everything under the sun, what else can we devise up? Best hope is to just see if we can get lucky and win the remaining against them.

[Beethoven]

Well, here it is, March 6th and 8th games against the full strength Bucks and hobos teams.
The climax of judgment criteria going into the playoffs.
We gotta win these two games at home, so as to say it is reasonable that each team won at their home.
If we lose these, well, I would say we will need lots of luck going against them in the playoffs.

This is it right here. We'll find out by Sunday night.

[Beethoven]

Well, here it is, March 6th and 8th games against the full strength Bucks and hobos teams.
The climax of judgment criteria going into the playoffs.
We gotta win these two games at home, so as to say it is reasonable that each team won at their home.
If we lose these, well, I would say we will need lots of luck going against them in the playoffs.

This is it right here. We'll find out by Sunday night.

[Beethoven]

Now , this thread was made originally in the context of maintaining 1seed in the West. But now w the possibility of taking over 1seed throughout , the focus is different and the thread doesn't really apply anymore.
How do you go about resting LeBron and ad when all the remaining games are now key if we are going to chase the overall 1seed ?

This is going to be delicate to tread over for Frank.


However if are going to weigh the options and deem rest is of more value than overall 1seed, well hell then , we can load manage LeBron and ad for the remaining 20 games.

[Kilroy]

Houston looks lost right now but I'm thinking bounce-back game for them and let-down for us... That one could be tough.

Denver is going to play us tough, but we may be up for it, Toronto is going to suck, but I think we're still smarting from our last meeting so that may be another statement game.

OKC and Utah will try but we should handle them if we're not resting for the Playoffs.

I think we try to bust the Hobos in the mouth one more time and carry the mo into the post season, but only if we're in good shape in the first half, otherwise we may go into rest mode.

IDK... There's a lot of logic in coasting a bit... Maybe just focusing on Denver, Toronto, and do a heat check in the first quarter against the Clips, and see how it goes.

Our biggest opponent from here out is health.

[Beethoven]

How does lebron stating that he'll play if he is not injured figure into this stretch?
Im confused bc some people say he will miss games to rest up prior to the playoffs but then he firmly claimed that he always plays for the paying fan if he can.

[TKainZero]

Lakers have a chance to catch the bucks


Bucks just lost to pitiful phx, Denver tonight without Giananis again.

[Beethoven]

^yeah however to catch the Bucks they got to lose 3 more games (including let say tonite against the denver).

It is kind of possible they will lose three more but that means we need to be perfect and be 20-0 rest of way. (they have tie breaker).

I dont think it is really viable to be chasing the overall 1seed.

that is why i say perhaps it is best to just forgo that idea, and just try to maintain west conf 1seed by keeping above the next team but also gives us plenty of flexibility to rest lebron and AD. (if lebron is actually willing to rest if he is capable of playing)

[snaquille oatmeal]

^yeah however to catch the Bucks they got to lose 3 more games (including let say tonite against the denver).

It is kind of possible they will lose three more but that means we need to be perfect and be 20-0 rest of way. (they have tie breaker).

I dont think it is really viable to be chasing the overall 1seed.

that is why i say perhaps it is best to just forgo that idea, and just try to maintain west conf 1seed by keeping above the next team but also gives us plenty of flexibility to rest lebron and AD. (if lebron is actually willing to rest if he is capable of playing)

why do they have the tie breaker?

[Beethoven]

^yeah however to catch the Bucks they got to lose 3 more games (including let say tonite against the denver).

It is kind of possible they will lose three more but that means we need to be perfect and be 20-0 rest of way. (they have tie breaker).

I dont think it is really viable to be chasing the overall 1seed.

that is why i say perhaps it is best to just forgo that idea, and just try to maintain west conf 1seed by keeping above the next team but also gives us plenty of flexibility to rest lebron and AD. (if lebron is actually willing to rest if he is capable of playing)

why do they have the tie breaker?

At the moment the bucks have a better division and conference record. yeah, if by so doing getting tied in the overall records we end up having better conf record then we get the tiebreaker i guess.

actually sort of confused on the tiebreaker here.

[TKainZero]

^yeah however to catch the Bucks they got to lose 3 more games (including let say tonite against the denver).

It is kind of possible they will lose three more but that means we need to be perfect and be 20-0 rest of way. (they have tie breaker).

I dont think it is really viable to be chasing the overall 1seed.

that is why i say perhaps it is best to just forgo that idea, and just try to maintain west conf 1seed by keeping above the next team but also gives us plenty of flexibility to rest lebron and AD. (if lebron is actually willing to rest if he is capable of playing)

why do they have the tie breaker?

At the moment the bucks have a better division and conference record. yeah, if by so doing getting tied in the overall records we end up having better conf record then we get the tiebreaker i guess.

actually sort of confused on the tiebreaker here.

1 game back in the loss column

It can happen. Lakers are playing great
Bucks without gianis are not the same

[Beethoven]

I looked at the tiebreakers closely. It seems like we will lose on all accounts so we have to have the best record outright. That means if we stay at 13 losses they have to be at 14 losses. But we aren't going to be only at 13 losses.
Also giannis isn't going to be out for long. Maybe out one more game before returning anyways.

[Spanish_Laker]

It's already a wrap, nobody cares about the remaining games.