The OtherArena

[jdw]

Strong bounce back after the terrible sloppy play in the first half.

Frank went five deep on the bench with Kuz out. It's going to be interesting to see how he shakes out the bench when the side is full healthy.

[jdw]

That was a game that they easily could have lost. Let down game. Looking ahead. A subpar game from the bench. Had trouble putting the game away. That Hawks helped out by being garbage in the last thee minutes.

That we win when playing poorly isn't a bad thing. There are going to be a lot of opponents like this, and settings where the Laker's brain is elsewhere. Don't need to win all of them, but pulling out some like this is good.

[Steve Yohe]

It was the type of game a normal team would lose. Seemed to be sleep walking. They have been super in regard tp effort, but it's hard to keep going. Them still getting the win, is something. I don't think they'll win the Milwaukee game. The normal storyline would be for them to lose.--Yohe

[jdw]

Even great teams drop games like this.

Remember the 73-9 Warriors lost to the 17-65 Lakers... by 19 points!

They added KD the next year, won 67 games... and lost to another bad Lakers team by 20 points.

We'll drop some games like this later in the year. The guys will get board, or be bit (more) banged up, or something will happen.

[JAG]

Bucks losing tonight makes that game even tougher.

Not to mention the trap game in Indy tomorrow.

Two great tests for a team that has had almost every answer.

Jagdip

[jdw]

Jag called it. Add in some possible load management on AD with the ankle. Bound to drop one of these.

Let's see what they can cook up against the Bucks.

[JAG]

If I could be talked into the Indy loss being kind of encouraging despite the croak at the end, this was discouraging as fuck

24-5 so I know, but...

Just reinforces what we know. Need a shooter, a wing defender and another shot creator.

Iggy and ?

Buyout season is far away, so they just gonna have to keep trampling the non-top tier teams until they get guys that can do some of those things better.

AD played 40+ minutes, so there’s no excuses. Can’t lose the Clipper game or they gonna look like fugazis.

Jagdip

[corrado]

This article pertains to Kawhi Leonard's infamous uncle Dennis, but there's some Lakers tidbits here:

https://www.complex.com/sports/2019/12/kawhi-uncle-reportedly-asked-for-illegal-perks-including-ownership-stake-during-negotiations

Lakers may have dodged a bullet. He would've added some more levels of dysfunction that they have gradually gotten rid of with the hot start.

[JAG]

That one will leave mark.

Clips have punked them twice. This time after LeBron and AD held the special practice and made it clear they wanted the game.

And that was with Paul George playing like the bitch he is.

AD shooting a fade-away brick over a small defender on his biggest shot of the game and LeBron getting dickslapped by Beverly on the last one tells you all you need to know.

Good to know LeBron has put Kuz on the trade block. And I know LeBron wasn’t right, but odds are he won’t be in May either.

Jagdip

[Steve Yohe]

The missed FT by James killed any chance of them coming back. And he should have taken the shot instead of passing to Pope for the 3 pointer. Then he turns it over.

Something is wrong with him. We have no chance if our #1 ballhandler can't shoot FT.

It seems to be falling apart. Hope it doesn't kill our chances of keeping Davis.

Kuz sucked all year & then come out in the 1st haft hitting shots.....& dies in the 2nd haft. There is no one left to trade but him, & I think he knows it. The lack of a 3rd guy to create shoots is killing our chances.

The Clips have been punking us for years now. Boston is someone we see twice a year, we should transfer all our hate to them. I already hate their announcers.--- Yohe

[corrado]

Bron apparently is nursing a groin injury and may miss time. They're in a slump after their hot start and could be sliding down the top of the West.

That hot start he had is why they were wise enough to not include Kuzma in the AD trade. Although Ingram had a stellar game in the Pelicans' upset over Denver. Im sure that's going to be a debate question for years. Keeping Kuzma over Ingram.

[jdw]

On the trade, my guess is that Griffin wanted Ingram rather than Kuz for the all around game. I don't think the potential of Kuz was as well liked around the league as the potential of Ingram.

Funny thing is how many 3P that Ingram is tossing up in NOLA and how well he's shooting them. It's not like the Lakers didn't work with him on it and encourage him, but for whatever reason it's stuck in NOLA.

* * * * *

The game was disappointing. Impressive comeback by the Clips after being down, and getting nothing from Lou in the game and a mediocre offensive game from PG13.

Doc pretty much knew his rotation that he wanted to focus a lot of minutes in. We had the issue of Kuz being "hot" and trying to mix him into the rotation and figure out how it fit.

We need to keep Bron healthy. Getting the #1 seed doesn't matter if the Clippers end up #1 - they are still games at Staples. The Clips are likely to get on a role barring injury - their schedule softens up while ours tightens up.

[jdw]

Good bounce back win. Bench was massive on a night when the starters were off their feed.

[Steve Yohe]

If Kuz can play like that if will solve a lot of problems. This may be a one year thing, he regret it his whole life if he doesn't get it together. Just shoot it. James & Davis will adjust to him. Need to do something in the 2nd haft too.

Pope should start. Makes big plays.---Yohe

[corrado]

good back to back wins against some formidable foes. seems as if their slump is over.