Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:01 am

(32-40)Image at Image(33-40)

Monday, March 25, 2018, 4:00 PM PDT
Little Caesars Arena • Detroit, MI

Referees: James Capers (#19), Nick Buchert (#3), Brett Nansel (#44)

Replay Center: Kane Fitzgerald, Michael Smith

Line: Pistons -4.5

Local TV: Spectrum SportsNet

Image

GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT PISTONS


by NBA.com

As the season winds down, the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to give their prized rookies as much playing time as possible.

Point guard Lonzo Ball and forward Kyle Kuzma have played heavy minutes in March, with Kuzma continuing to make the stronger impression. During the month, Ball is averaging 9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.3 steals in 37.4 minutes per game but is shooting just 31.9 percent from the field.

Kuzma is averaging 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 37.5 minutes while shooting 46.4 percent.

The rookie duo will continue to see plenty of action when the Lakers finish off a road trip against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

Kuzma was the star on Saturday when the Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak. He posted 25 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in a 100-93 victory. Kuzma, the 27th overall selection last June, was acquired in a draft night trade with Brooklyn.

"I'm very competitive," Kuzma told the Los Angeles Times. "Those first three quarters I really didn't shoot the ball well. Just told myself I wasn't going to lose this game and I just really tried to lock in."

Ball, the second overall pick, nearly notched a triple-double with 12 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. He reached double digits in points for the first time in seven games despite going 1 of 6 beyond the arc. He's shooting 14.8 percent (8 of 54) on 3-point attempts in the last eight games.

The Lakers (32-40) will likely be without two of their top players on Monday. Isaiah Thomas has already been ruled out because of a sore right hip.

"I tell all our players to be honest about how you're feeling and (what) you need, especially the guys that have been around the league for a little bit," Lakers coach Luke Walton told the Times. "He said it's been sore and he thinks a couple days off will help."

Small forward Brandon Ingram has missed the last 11 games because of a groin injury and is doubtful.

The Pistons (33-40) have taken advantage of some soft spots in their schedule to win three of their last four games. Those victories have come against lottery-bound Sacramento, Phoenix and Chicago.

They pummeled the Bulls on Saturday for the second time this month. Detroit made 13 3-pointers in the first half and rolled to a 117-95 win.

Shooting guard Luke Kennard, the No. 12 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has averaged 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists during the past nine games, including a 13-point, three-rebound, six-assist performance against Chicago.

Point guard Reggie Jackson enjoyed his best outing since recovering from a severe ankle sprain that cost him 37 games. Jackson scored 15 points in 22 minutes.

"I was actually happier in the second half to see him go to the basket because he wasn't doing that in the first two games (since returning)," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. "First two games he only had one of his 20 shots in the restricted area and then (Saturday) he went to the basket three or four times in the second half. That was a real good thing for me to see."

Jackson is gaining more confidence in the ankle each game

"I got a little more burst after I attacked the basket once," he said. "I got a few opportunities to try again and it felt good."

The Lakers won the first meeting 113-93 on Oct. 31 in Los Angeles.


http://www.nba.com/games/20180326/LALDET#/preview
I LOVE BASKETBALL! GO LAKERS! #18 COMIN' UP STRONG!!! TOO EASY, JUST WAAAAY TOO EASY!!!!! NEXT! :rollyellow:
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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:04 am

Actually, this case is somewhat important in the sense that a win puts us ahead of the Pistons in the overall standings, thereby lowering the odds even more that the Chowds wind up with a lucky ping pong ball if we finish ahead of Detroit. Homecoming games for KCP and Kuz could give us the extra spark we need to finish this battered/bruised road trip with a 2-2 record!
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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby lakerevolution » Mon Mar 26, 2018 12:46 pm

That coast-to-coast by Randle in the first quarter was epic! He's a lot of fun to watch because he enjoys the game so much.

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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 1:53 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:Actually, this case is somewhat important in the sense that a win puts us ahead of the Pistons in the overall standings, thereby lowering the odds even more that the Chowds wind up with a lucky ping pong ball if we finish ahead of Detroit. Homecoming games for KCP and Kuz could give us the extra spark we need to finish this battered/bruised road trip with a 2-2 record!


This is a 50/50 game, like us the Pistons can be really Good but also really Bad. Most of the media had the Pistons being a Playoff team this season, they have been a huge disappointment. Us on the other hand are right on pace to win 35/36 games which is about right how the media was picking us.
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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:14 pm

We lost 112-106. Only 9 games left in the season. Record = 32-41
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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:07 am

Not a bad effort at the end of a long road trip. They made 'em when it counted and we missed 'em. Our roster is too thinned out to sustain much of anything, but once again we took it to them!. I knew that Randle would one day be a great match up with that asshole Blake Griffin and that day came a lot faster than I thought. PAY JULUS RANDLE. At 23, he's our best player and looking more and more like an all-star every day! Kyle Kuzma? Him, too.
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Re: Game 73: 03/26/18 Lakers at Pistons GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Tue Mar 27, 2018 7:13 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:Not a bad effort at the end of a long road trip. They made 'em when it counted and we missed 'em. Our roster is too thinned out to sustain much of anything, but once again we took it to them!. I knew that Randle would one day be a great match up with that asshole Blake Griffin and that day came a lot faster than I thought. PAY JULUS RANDLE. At 23, he's our best player and looking more and more like an all-star every day! Kyle Kuzma? Him, too.


We need to re-sign Randle and sign Paul George. We will be a Playoff team next season with a main core of George, Randle, Kuzma, Ingram, and Lonzo - all young guys too. Put 2 more 3 point shooters around those guys and we are in business. I would be calling guys JJ Redick for example. I cant stress enough how important having at least 1 deadly 3 point shooter means. When Bogdanovic scores more than 15 points in a game, the Pacers are nearly unbeatable because of his 3's/stretching the floor. In games where he scores in single figures the Pacers struggle. He's only their 3rd best player behind Dipo and Turner but is very important.
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