Pre-Season Games

[TheHartBreakKid]

I think the two extremes here are:

1. Preseason doesn't matter at all...team will come off firing and start with playing dominant basketball
2. Preseason is a great sign of what's to come....till will start off like the 2013 team and dig themselves in a whole that they may never recover from.


I think the middleground is what's most likely. I think the results in the preseason raise a valid concern about how this team will start the season. I think even ignoring the winless record, and focusing on the times that the stars did play together, it's pretty showing that there will be a learning process for this team, which will be reflected on the team's early record. However, I don't think there is any reason to think that the Westbrook experiment is failing/will fail, or to fully think that the team isn't capable of playing winning basketball early in the season.

I think the most likely scenario is that the team will start off slow and hover around 0.500 to start the season before really gathering momentum. We will see some dominant performances where everything clicks. We will see some underwhelming performances where the team manages to pull out a win just based on pure talent. And we will have a couple of "those games" where everything is off and a motivated more fluid team will run us out of the building.

I'm predicting a 5-5, 4-6, or 6-4 type of start for the first 10 games. But barring a major injuries or a full on chemistry collapse, I think it'll be all up from there

I'll take it if it's a regular balanced schedule but their first 7 of 10 games are at home including 2 versus Houston, 2 of 3 road games are against the Spurs and Thunder. The first 2 games vs the Warriors and the Suns would be their toughest IMO. They can butcher bad teams and squeak by decent squads but the question is if they will actually improve esp on the defensive side.

see, this is where I have to admit that I failed to do the most basic thing when predicting the first 10 games which was to actually look at the schedule. You are absolutely correct that a 5-5ish start in their schedule will be much larger cause for concern that I made it seem like. I just took a look and that's an insanely easy schedule. I think based on the same performance as I was expecting, I'm going to update that to 7-3 projection, but my point regarding how they will start with stands. I think we will see some inconsistent/ borderline poor basketball to start the season, and a steady climb after that.

[tamaraw08]

How long are we going to keep saying AD has to play better. This goes all the way back to last season. 38% FG in the pre-season. Really? I won't even get started on his free throw shooting. I'm definitely concerned. I have little to no confidence in AD being a pick n pop guy at this point. Last two seasons he shot 41% from 10-16 ft and 33% for 16-3P. I won't even mention his 3P%. This is a player who's repeatedly said he prefers to play PF. I can't think of a decent PF who takes as many jumpers as he in today's game and shoots so poorly. Forget the role players,, this team isn't going anywhere unless AD plays like a top 15 player.

I expect this team will struggle for at least the first month of the season. Defense has been really awful thus far.

Great points, I think I posted disturbing stats about AD last year too, but I was more focused on the rise of his attempts from beyond 10 feet and the decrease of his FT attempts. His TS% last year was his LOWEST in 9 career seasons, FT rate of under 35% his lowest in 8 years as compared to 48% in 2019. I compare him to a spoiled little brat kid who toys with his food. He is so good and he knows it that he wants to re-invent himself with his fancy dribbles, step back, taking a runner off with a wrong foot etc.
The good news is he knows when flip the switch in the playoffs esp game 2 and 3 vs the Suns.
But you mention about their awful defense? Do you still remember about our interesting "discussion" regarding this, several weeks ago?
I re watched the Kings game and saw how Carmelo guarded Hield with his eyes instead of moving his feet. Buddy positioned himself just a quarter inch beyond the 3pt area and calmly took his open shot. Hopefully Frank would show these types of clips and to everyone and hold everyone accountable. I can see Vogel kneeling down to Rob, begging him to get Avery Bradley asap.

OMG,
https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-l-a-claims-avery-bradley-off-of-waivers/2021/10/18/

[Ball so hard]

I’m not a fan of picking up Bradley, another undersized SG. Bradley, Nunn and Monk are all 6 2” ish. I thought we looked small on the court during the pre-season. Rob has yet to impress me with building a team.

[Ballerhogger]

I think the two extremes here are:

1. Preseason doesn't matter at all...team will come off firing and start with playing dominant basketball
2. Preseason is a great sign of what's to come....till will start off like the 2013 team and dig themselves in a whole that they may never recover from.


I think the middleground is what's most likely. I think the results in the preseason raise a valid concern about how this team will start the season. I think even ignoring the winless record, and focusing on the times that the stars did play together, it's pretty showing that there will be a learning process for this team, which will be reflected on the team's early record. However, I don't think there is any reason to think that the Westbrook experiment is failing/will fail, or to fully think that the team isn't capable of playing winning basketball early in the season.

I think the most likely scenario is that the team will start off slow and hover around 0.500 to start the season before really gathering momentum. We will see some dominant performances where everything clicks. We will see some underwhelming performances where the team manages to pull out a win just based on pure talent. And we will have a couple of "those games" where everything is off and a motivated more fluid team will run us out of the building.

I'm predicting a 5-5, 4-6, or 6-4 type of start for the first 10 games. But barring a major injuries or a full on chemistry collapse, I think it'll be all up from there

I'll take it if it's a regular balanced schedule but their first 7 of 10 games are at home including 2 versus Houston, 2 of 3 road games are against the Spurs and Thunder. The first 2 games vs the Warriors and the Suns would be their toughest IMO. They can butcher bad teams and squeak by decent squads but the question is if they will actually improve esp on the defensive side.

see, this is where I have to admit that I failed to do the most basic thing when predicting the first 10 games which was to actually look at the schedule. You are absolutely correct that a 5-5ish start in their schedule will be much larger cause for concern that I made it seem like. I just took a look and that's an insanely easy schedule. I think based on the same performance as I was expecting, I'm going to update that to 7-3 projection, but my point regarding how they will start with stands. I think we will see some inconsistent/ borderline poor basketball to start the season, and a steady climb after that.

Agreed ad needs to get into shape

[Ballerhogger]

How long are we going to keep saying AD has to play better. This goes all the way back to last season. 38% FG in the pre-season. Really? I won't even get started on his free throw shooting. I'm definitely concerned. I have little to no confidence in AD being a pick n pop guy at this point. Last two seasons he shot 41% from 10-16 ft and 33% for 16-3P. I won't even mention his 3P%. This is a player who's repeatedly said he prefers to play PF. I can't think of a decent PF who takes as many jumpers as he in today's game and shoots so poorly. Forget the role players,, this team isn't going anywhere unless AD plays like a top 15 player.

I expect this team will struggle for at least the first month of the season. Defense has been really awful thus far.

Great points, I think I posted disturbing stats about AD last year too, but I was more focused on the rise of his attempts from beyond 10 feet and the decrease of his FT attempts. His TS% last year was his LOWEST in 9 career seasons, FT rate of under 35% his lowest in 8 years as compared to 48% in 2019. I compare him to a spoiled little brat kid who toys with his food. He is so good and he knows it that he wants to re-invent himself with his fancy dribbles, step back, taking a runner off with a wrong foot etc.
The good news is he knows when flip the switch in the playoffs esp game 2 and 3 vs the Suns.
But you mention about their awful defense? Do you still remember about our interesting "discussion" regarding this, several weeks ago?
I re watched the Kings game and saw how Carmelo guarded Hield with his eyes instead of moving his feet. Buddy positioned himself just a quarter inch beyond the 3pt area and calmly took his open shot. Hopefully Frank would show these types of clips and to everyone and hold everyone accountable. I can see Vogel kneeling down to Rob, begging him to get Avery Bradley asap.

OMG,
https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-l-a-claims-avery-bradley-off-of-waivers/2021/10/18/