Phoenix @ Lakers, Playoffs GM4, 5/30

[kblo247]

What's up with KCP

He had a quad contusion and hyperextend knee. They rested him because he wasn’t right. And you know for him to say he wasn’t right he had to not be right

[Liam_Gallagher]

I'm not really sure where to post this rant, so I guess it belongs in the game 4 thread since it's slightly related.

I'm not saying this season is Vogel's fault, but it's partially his and Pelinka's.

The main issue with the Lakers this season is a lack of identity. When the offseason hit and the Lakers replaced Green, Howard and McGee with Schroder, Harrell and Gasol, it was obvious that we were going to become more of an offensive team and less of a defensive one. That was fine, because all you want in the NBA is your team to have an identity. When you're in the middle and trying to pick and choose an identity on the fly, you're going to get beat by a team with one. Right now the Phoenix Suns know who they are more than the Lakers know they are.

Early in the season our identity was clear - we had our rotation set and started off 21-6. We beat Milwaukee and Boston on the road, we showed we were dominant. And then things went downhill with injuries.

One week it's Trez playing, the next it's Gasol, the next week Drummond comes and messes the whole thing up. Vogel is all over the place.

The Lakers don't have an identity. I don't know if I'm going to see Morris start tomorrow or Gasol. It's all a tossup and we're throwing crap at the wall and trying to see what sticks. And why in the world isn't Vogel staggering Schroder and LeBron's minutes? It's mind boggling. He knew exactly how to stagger Rondo and LeBron, I'm puzzled as to why he's confused this time around.

Vogel needs to stick to a rotation and it probably should be Trez at the backup 5 and Drummond starting. There are too many politics with sitting Drummond, it would look bad on us to bench a player after luring him in the buyout market. Future buyout guys would avoid Rob.

[chefy]

I would start Harrell with Drummond.

Just don’t like the energy and effort this team is showing so starting Harrell might help.

I want Drummond, Harrell, and Schroder to attack the Suns’ interior. Run some P&R’s or post up Lebron idc.

Put a lengthy defender on Paul to disrupt his play making and jump shots. On offense I want Schroder to attack him as well.

I want Kuz to do yoga or meditate before the game because something's up with this dude.

I also wanna see Drummond and Harrell gang up on Crowder and cut his BS once and for all.

[Hans1984]

Bad game. I don't see us winning this series. Davis is like a glass cannon. You can't win like that.

[Kilroy]

Start Morris next to Drummond... Have Gasol coming in quick though... Rotate Trez in with Gasol...

Trez and Drummond linups are like feet with two big toes...

[tamaraw08]

Yeah, but Schroder has a tendency or not showing up to important games. He **** the bed against the Portland and Dallas games and he **** the bed today when AD went down that should automatically indicate to him that he needs to step up the scoring load...

I've been on him all season... I get it, but tonight he wasn't a huge negative like he can be.. He played solid D on both CP3 and Booker... He just didn't hit his shots.
Not a great game, but I'd say he had 2 great games already this series... so can't hate him for this one.

I like the shots McLemore hit, but he's a liability on Defense, so I'm not sure why we kept him in so long. We looked broken on that end of the floor after he came in... And Kuzma doing kuzma things...

I'm extremely frustrated, but I'm not really mad at anyone in particular... If AD's done for the season, we're done anyway, so it is what it is...

Schroder could have done more IMO, but it just seemed like the whole team wasn't focused and had a collective lack of energy as if they were hit by a bug or something, maybe they just couldn't help but think about AD.
Going back to Dennis, he actually has a very respectable 59%TS%(higher than AD and Lebron), as in averaging 16.5pts on just 11.7 attempts. I am not saying though that he deserves a max contract or anything like that.
Lakers are doing pretty good holding the Suns under 45FG% with a paltry 32.2% from the 3pt area, most of it is bec Vogel's great defensive system and him not playing bad defensive players like Ben, THT etc.
Vogel might be at least the top 2 best defensive minded tactician that ever coached Lebron but unfortunately, he's got to be one of the worst in terms of drawing up plays that will surely help this team get high % shots. They had 2 days rest after game 3 but I never saw his team get some easy buckets unlike the Suns who seemed to average 7 dunks for games 1-3.
For game 5, the most crucial guy for me is Vogel, how he makes offensive schemes, I don't care if it's milking a Schroder/Lebron screen/roll, a UCLA OR a back cut, some flex offense, draw some FREAKING SET PLAYS!!!

[tamaraw08]

I'm not really sure where to post this rant, so I guess it belongs in the game 4 thread since it's slightly related.

I'm not saying this season is Vogel's fault, but it's partially his and Pelinka's.

The main issue with the Lakers this season is a lack of identity. When the offseason hit and the Lakers replaced Green, Howard and McGee with Schroder, Harrell and Gasol, it was obvious that we were going to become more of an offensive team and less of a defensive one. That was fine, because all you want in the NBA is your team to have an identity. When you're in the middle and trying to pick and choose an identity on the fly, you're going to get beat by a team with one. Right now the Phoenix Suns know who they are more than the Lakers know they are.

Early in the season our identity was clear - we had our rotation set and started off 21-6. We beat Milwaukee and Boston on the road, we showed we were dominant. And then things went downhill with injuries.

One week it's Trez playing, the next it's Gasol, the next week Drummond comes and messes the whole thing up. Vogel is all over the place.

The Lakers don't have an identity. I don't know if I'm going to see Morris start tomorrow or Gasol. It's all a tossup and we're throwing crap at the wall and trying to see what sticks. And why in the world isn't Vogel staggering Schroder and LeBron's minutes? It's mind boggling. He knew exactly how to stagger Rondo and LeBron, I'm puzzled as to why he's confused this time around.

Vogel needs to stick to a rotation and it probably should be Trez at the backup 5 and Drummond starting. There are too many politics with sitting Drummond, it would look bad on us to bench a player after luring him in the buyout market. Future buyout guys would avoid Rob.

A lot of Vogel's decisions are based on what is the best lineup that would match up DEFENSIVELY. Harrell would surely inject life to their very weak offense but Frank is adamant that the Lakers would not be exploited on certain weak spots. Both Trezl and Marc are not great in switching on screen/rolls and pick and pops and CP3 is a master of exposing slow bigs esp on the perimeter.
If he sticks with Harrell, they will likely score more but they will also likely allow more points too, main reason Howard and JMG barely played last playoffs and I'm betting that's the main reason why they didn't return. The cheat code of course is the hope that AD will play the 5 so there would NOT BE ANY WEAK POINTS, but then this injury happened.

[EggIsCooling]

“Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a Champion” Rudy T.

[NippySudz]

I would start Harrell with Drummond.

Just don’t like the energy and effort this team is showing so starting Harrell might help.

If you put harrell in with ayton, Ayton will eat. Boban chewed up Harrell last year and doc refused to take him out. If you want Harrell to succeed, he has to be put in to match Saric/Kaminsky minutes.

[tamaraw08]

I would start Harrell with Drummond.

Just don’t like the energy and effort this team is showing so starting Harrell might help.

If you put harrell in with ayton, Ayton will eat. Boban chewed up Harrell last year and doc refused to take him out. If you want Harrell to succeed, he has to be put in to match Saric/Kaminsky minutes.

That will be playing 8 mins then bec Ayton plays 40 mins/game for this series... unless, you put him next to Marc, but again their defense suffers mostly when they both have to switch in the perimeter...

[JVL]

Suns board is already celebrating their second round. I hope we stun them tonight, lose G6 and thrash them in G7 with AD.

[Jedi32]

Suns board is already celebrating their second round. I hope we stun them tonight, lose G6 and thrash them in G7 with AD.

Meh, even if they do beat us they aren't winning a chip. Of course a team like that would be celebrating the second round.

[NippySudz]

I would start Harrell with Drummond.

Just don’t like the energy and effort this team is showing so starting Harrell might help.

If you put harrell in with ayton, Ayton will eat. Boban chewed up Harrell last year and doc refused to take him out. If you want Harrell to succeed, he has to be put in to match Saric/Kaminsky minutes.

That will be playing 8 mins then bec Ayton plays 40 mins/game for this series... unless, you put him next to Marc, but again their defense suffers mostly when they both have to switch in the perimeter...

8mins from harrelll might be the right recipe. I don't see Harrell being in the league for more than additional 1-2 years because of his size and defensive deficiency.

Trezz can score in bunches. If he gives the lakers 10 points in 8 mins, I think the lakers should take that and hope Shroeder can score 20, kuz give you 15-20, and Lebron go for 30+