LA LAKERS 2017-18 Pick Watch Thread * Keep an eye on Brooklyn *

[3D Chess]

Crazy to see the Lakers and Kings with the 2 easiest schedules of that bunch, given they're in the West, while the two toughest SOS teams are from the East.

[klemen4]

As things look now, one of things must happen Lakers to finish bottom 5:

- Lopez or Clarkson injury (do not wish to anyone, just saying)
- Clarkson trade (could happen but at deadline, clears 12,5 million for their 2019 FA)
- Deng trade (if a guy like Randle would go in a trade as sweetener)

It looks now that Clarkson may be their best player...so

Lakers team constructed as today is probably in 7. - 9. range...

[klemen4]

Lakers now have 6 wins, beating 3 bottom 6 teams (2X@PHO, BRK) and at home WAS, MEM and DET.

They have 12 games (6 home, 6 away) remaining with bottom 6 teams, plus last 5 games of season when all could be decided for opposing teams...Thats potentially 20 "winnable games".

November
17.11. PHO L
21.11. CHI W
22.11. @SAC L

December (UPDATE 30.12.)
X

January
7.1. ATL
9.1. SAC
13.1. @DAL
26.1. @CHI

February
2.2. @BRK
6.2. PHO
10.2. @DAL
23.2. DAL
24.2. @SAC
26.2. @ATL

March
28.3. DAL

April
1.4. SAC

Last 5 games:
4.4. SAS - playing btb at LAC day before, Pop resting players
6.4. MIN - playing btb at DEN day before, with 3 games left in season their playoff position could be set
8.4. UTA - probably out of playoffs
10.4. HOU - probably playoff seeding already fixed
11.4. @LAC - probably out of playoffs
............................................................................................................................................

Than there is another 21 home games against better teams, where based on home court they will win some.
OKC, CHA, SAS, IND, NY, BOS, OKC, POR, ORL, CLE, DEN, MIA, MIL

L: GSW, HOU, GSW, POR, MIN, MEM, LAC
W: DEN

Surprise away wins:
HOU, MIN, MEM, OKC, TOR, ORL, OKC, NOP, MIN, MIA, SAS, DEN, GSW, IND, NOP, MEM, DET, UTA

L: DEN, NY, CLE, GSW
W: PHI, CHA, HOU

For us to have a chance Lakers should not win more than 13/20 "winnable games" (1/3) and more than 7/21 home games (1/8) against better teams. That is 20 wins, plus 6 they have now and lets say 4/25 surprise away wins (3/7)...that would put them at 30 wins.

30 probably is to much...doubt Brooklyn and lets say PHO can get more.

Probably the line we are looking for us to get top 5 pick is Lakers not winning more than 26-28 imo.

[Crossy2008]

As things look now, one of things must happen Lakers to finish bottom 5:

- Lopez or Clarkson injury (do not wish to anyone, just saying)
- Clarkson trade (could happen but at deadline, clears 12,5 million for their 2019 FA)
- Deng trade (if a guy like Randle would go in a trade as sweetener)

It looks now that Clarkson may be their best player...so

Lakers team constructed as today is probably in 7. - 9. range...

Add in that next year's draft is the last year will the old lottery format, and it seems even less likely. But, if the Lakers win at their current rate, they'd win about 33 games. Given that they have had an easy schedule and the West should get a lot harder as the season goes on, I wouldn't be surprised to see their win total at sub-30.

There are a lot of factors at play with that pick. If it doesn't convey, then I think Smart is more likely to be signed. Yet, there are some very intriguing players in next year's draft. In the back of my mind I am hoping it doesn't convey this year.

[tfmiii]

Crazy to see the Lakers and Kings with the 2 easiest schedules of that bunch, given they're in the West, while the two toughest SOS teams are from the East.

Agreed, that is odd.

Also do SOS take into account days of rest, catching teams on 2nd night of b2b? Or playing teams on last game of a road trip? Nets have already had a lengthy west coast trip.

Twice I know of Lakers had a road game when they were waiting a day for home team to arrive (Bos, Phx), that seems to me to definitely impact strength of schedule (not like they've had a bunch of road games either)

One factor some have pointed to is late season collapse, but LAL had incentive to tank last 3 years (and were rewarded each time). No such incentive this season. However as Nets showed last year that does not preclude a collapse - especially if you are trying to develop or showcase young players.

[Jingles]

Too early to look too hard at SOS if you ask me. Most of the league is bunched together in the middle still with only 3 or 4 games of separation. Early enough that certain schedule oddities or issues gelling in the early-going make an outsized impact. Some good teams are artificially low, others are artificially high, while some bad teams may look artificially godawful.

Atlanta, for example, started with a 5 game road swing and just finished a 3 game trip on Monday, and have also been saddled by a whopping 4 b2bs already (all losses). Way too early to tell whether or not they're appreciably worse than the Lakers, who began the season with a very favorable travel schedule. Their first foray outside a 2hr flight from LA resulted in 3 comfortable losses. We won't be able to speak too solidly to their draft position until the 2nd half—literally, as game 42 for them begins a 21A/11H stretch which encompasses two full months of basketball.

[reload141]

Lakers play Suns again tomorrow, that's the 3rd time already this year.

[Gant]

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[meatball sub]

Find it funny Lonzo is in the news for staying late & working on his shot after the Sixer game & getting a haircut ahead of the game against the Suns tonight.

A good game against the Suns isn’t going to fool anybody into thinking he’s fixed his jumper

[ViperGTS]

Find it funny Lonzo is in the news for staying late & working on his shot after the Sixer game & getting a haircut ahead of the game against the Suns tonight.

A good game against the Suns isn’t going to fool anybody into thinking he’s fixed his jumper

He dropped 29 last time. Then again, he’s bricking wide open jumpers now so I don’t even think the Phx non existent D is going to help.

[meatball sub]

That's what I mean. He knows he can have a good game against the Suns, so the entire thing seems completely contrived. One of the two good games he's had all season came against the Suns -- but one of his worst games was against them too.

[klemen4]

With Russel injury now Brooklyn will be worst than lakers...pick is gone... Lal now 7th worst, best case

[Shamrock]

Lakers December schedule is brutal. Lots of l’s in there

[Homerclease]

Great looking scoreboard out there tonight so far.

[williambh3]

Find it funny Lonzo is in the news for staying late & working on his shot after the Sixer game & getting a haircut ahead of the game against the Suns tonight.

A good game against the Suns isn’t going to fool anybody into thinking he’s fixed his jumper

I heard he was working on his shot again today. Pick has no chance

[leper-con]

phoenix is a steaming pile of dung. They can't even spell defence.

[leper-con]

Lakers announcers mocking phoenix for a lack of defence.

[brackdan70]

With Russel injury now Brooklyn will be worst than lakers...pick is gone... Lal now 7th worst, best case

get yourself acquainted with Bol Bol and Nazeron Reid

[Celtics_History_Lesson]

May the power of a thousand Suns send down energy to evaporate the Lakes.

Not important, in one way, but Nets win.

Go Kings, go Suns, go Draft Pick.

This one night of games could determine if the Celtics get pick 2 to 5.

[CelticsPride18]

Suns are choking.