Lakers look completely lost without Lonzo

draftnightsuit · Post #1 » by **draftnightsuit** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:07 pm

The Lakers had been competing hard against quality teams with Lonzo, even though they weren’t winning. They looked like a young team learning how to win.

Their last 5 losses with Lonzo had all been by margins under 10. Their last 3 losses without Lonzo (all at home), have been by double digits.

I watched some of the Lakers-Clippers game last night and the Lakers had nobody to push the ball up the floor and play their pace (fastest in the league). Ingram was forced to be the primary ball handler. Also, their defense looked horrible on all fronts.

More proof that Lonzo is a Kidd-like floor general who sets the pace on offense and leads the team defense. And his jumper has been trending upward.

BorkLazer · Post #2 » by **BorkLazer** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:16 pm

Or it shows that Walton is incapable of adjusting the offense

FlatearthZorro · Post #3 » by **FlatearthZorro** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:21 pm

draftnightsuit wrote:The Lakers had been competing hard against quality teams with Lonzo, even though they weren’t winning. They looked like a young team learning how to win.

Their last 5 losses with Lonzo had all been by margins under 10. Their last 3 losses without Lonzo (all at home), have been by double digits.

I watched some of the Lakers-Clippers game last night and the Lakers had nobody to push the ball up the floor and play their pace (fastest in the league). Ingram was forced to be the primary ball handler. Also, their defense looked horrible on all fronts.

More proof that Lonzo is a Kidd-like floor general who sets the pace on offense and leads the team defense. And his jumper has been trending upward.

I'm not so sure how much he helps. He's had good games as of late, but overall he's had some really poor ones too. Who's your PG sans Ball and how much time is he gonna miss?

Yoshun · Post #4 » by **Yoshun** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:23 pm

It's a combination of being lost without Lonzo and Clarkson not being a starting caliber PG. He's a solid back up 2 who can play back up point for limited stretches. He's not a good defender and isn't a guy you want running your offense. Lonzo, for all his shooting problems, is a good defender and has great court vision. In the future, the Lakers are going to have to get themselves a solid back up PG.

Zingod · Post #5 » by **Zingod** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:32 pm

Because they don't have any point guards?

Idc wtf they were thinking this offseason, playing lonzo 35-40min a night like he's prime magic and dont need no backups?

Tim Kempton · Post #6 » by **Tim Kempton** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:32 pm

Jason Kidd also improved the Mavs by 23 games, taking a 13-69 Mavs team to a 36-46 record in his rookie year, whereas the Lakers' record is on pace to be similar to last season.

Commending Lonzo Ball for helping the Lakers lose by close margins is the most loser-ish, self-defeatist thing I've read on these boards in quite sometime.

spicy6 · Post #7 » by **spicy6** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:37 pm

we're playing clarkson at point, thats why theres no flow. Even with lonzo we're a bad team, without him its even worse which i didnt think was possible.

lamscott · Post #8 » by **lamscott** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:43 pm

For anyone who does not understand how Lonzo helps, you guys don't watch Laker games. Their offense has become stagnant with Clarkson playing point guard. Ennis and Caruso are crap. They should have invested in a backup.

Also, do they have any set plays in the half court? Sheesh.

Post #9 » by **dockingsched** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:47 pm

Unfortunately the lakers are one of the worst offensive teams in the league with or without Lonzo, though his impact is visibly missed.

Without Lonzo they’re arguably the worst offense in the league, with him they’re a more respectable bottom 3.

TheCustodian · Post #10 » by **TheCustodian** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 4:51 pm

Or it could be that it's impossible for a team with no bench to speak of to play 5 games in 7 days at the same level.
But nah... must be Lonzo.

JellosJigglin · Post #11 » by **JellosJigglin** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:01 pm

This team is unwatchable without Lonzo. They're the same bottom dweller of the last few years, not even competing. The losses with Lonzo were not his fault. He had them competitive in pretty much every game this season. They just don't know how to close. As a Laker fan I just can't watch them without Lonzo. I can watch them lose if they're at least competitive and fun to watch. But losing while playing garbage iso ball and getting blown out is not watchable. My life is too busy to dedicate 2 hours of my day to that crap. Of course all the hater dimwits care about is points, points, points. Simple-minded plebes.

Optms · Post #12 » by **Optms** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:02 pm

BorkLazer wrote:Or it shows that Walton is incapable of adjusting the offense

There's nothing to adjust that's going to change the outcome with Jordan Clarkson running the offense.

Optms · Post #13 » by **Optms** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:04 pm

TheCustodian wrote:Or it could be that it's impossible for a team with no bench to speak of to play 5 games in 7 days at the same level.
But nah... must be Lonzo.

Well yeah.

Lonzo being out forces Clarkson to the starting role essentially leaving the bench depleted. Lonzo in the lineup balances out the team. So yeah, it is Lonzo.

Karate Diop · Post #14 » by **Karate Diop** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:32 pm

Luke is big into narratives and he bought the Kuzma hype hook line and sinker. I think that's hurt LA more than Lonzo, who wasn't exactly setting the league on fire with his play...

Patches Perry · Post #15 » by **Patches Perry** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:35 pm

Literally every Laker player except Lonzo is a tunnel vision scorer. It's a terrible situation for him.

NBAFan93 · Post #16 » by **NBAFan93** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:43 pm

If only the Lakers had another former #2 pick PG who could take over the role while their current #2 pick PG is out injured...one who was already playing a lot of minutes at the 2 spot who could just move over...

Oh well - maybe they can tank next season to get such player in the 2019 draft (eye roll).

I guess they may have been better w/ Lonzo than w/o him in the past 3 games, but they were still losing a lot before Lonzo went out, so who knows.

JB2 · Post #17 » by **JB2** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:52 pm

some of ya'll just refuse to give Lonzo any credit

NBAFan93 · Post #18 » by **NBAFan93** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:55 pm

Optms wrote:
TheCustodian wrote:Or it could be that it's impossible for a team with no bench to speak of to play 5 games in 7 days at the same level.
But nah... must be Lonzo.

Well yeah.

Lonzo being out forces Clarkson to the starting role essentially leaving the bench depleted. Lonzo in the lineup balances out the team. So yeah, it is Lonzo.

I don’t think they even started Clarkson last night - I couldn’t even tell who was supposed to be their PG for the first 7-8 minutes of that game last night. It was pretty bad. They were way too reliant on Lonzo as the only true PG before - maybe that was the bigger reason why they played him so many minutes, not necessary stat padding...

Post #19 » by **Nolan** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:55 pm

Less to do with Lonzo and more about how not so great that team is as a whole. Lonzo does make a difference and things flow better with him but it's not like they were lighting the world on fire with him in the lineup either.

Lakers roster is a hot mess.

Post #20 » by **jazzfan1971** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 5:55 pm

You need a good PG to survive in this league.