Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:02 am

(34-42) LAKERS AT PELICANS (32-45)

Sunday, March 31, 2019, 3:00 PM PDT
Smoothie King Center • New Orleans, LA

Referees: Jason Phillips (#23), Aaron Smith (#51), Jonathan Sterling (#17)

Replay Center: Sean Corbin, Eric Lewis, Kevin Scott

Line: Pelicans -4

Local TV: Spectrum SportsNet

Image

GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT PELICANS


The Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for a while.

Both have lost several players to injuries and are taking an extended look at younger players as the season winds down to try and figure out who is worth retaining during their impending rebuilding efforts.

They will be utilizing very different lineups than they planned on using when they meet Sunday night in New Orleans.

"We're bloodied, but not bowed," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said after practice Saturday.

But in nearly the same breath, Gentry said forward Darius Miller, who suffered an adductor strain in a 121-118 home victory against Sacramento on Thursday, likely won't play again this season.

Point guard Frank Jackson won't play against the Lakers because of a concussion and All-Star forward Anthony Davis (lower backs spasms) will be a game-time decision.

Two starters -- guard Jrue Holiday and forward E'Twaun Moore -- saw their seasons come to premature ends because of injury, and New Orleans traded Nikola Mirotic to Milwaukee at the trading deadline.

Forward Christian Wood has played in just three games since being claimed off waivers March 20, but he already has shown significant potential.

He has scored a career-high in points the last two games, getting 23 in a loss to Atlanta on Tuesday and 25 against Sacramento.

"I'm not surprised," Wood said. "I've always had this confidence. I am a little surprised at how many minutes Coach is giving me. I'm making the most of my opportunity. I feel like I'm getting into a groove."

New Orleans has used 30 different starting lineups this season and the one it has used most frequently has only been utilized nine times. The one Gentry envisioned being his nightly lineup was together for just five games and the Pelicans won all five of those games.

The Lakers are closing in on the Pelicans, having utilized 24 different starting lineups.

Three of their top young players -- guard Josh Hart (knee), guard Lonzo Ball (ankle) and forward Brandon Ingram (shoulder) -- are done for the season.

But it was one of the oldest Lakers -- 33-year-old guard Rajon Rondo, who played with the Pelicans last season -- who stood out in a 129-115 home victory against Charlotte on Friday.

Rondo had 17 assists -- tying the most by a Laker in 21 years -- as Los Angeles shot 56.0 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent on 3-pointers.

The victory dealt a blow to the Hornets' hopes of making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Playing the role of spoiler is about all that is left for the Lakers as they complete their sixth consecutive losing season.

"We wanted to be in the playoffs as bad as the other team, but, unfortunately, we're not there," said Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who had 25 points. "So why not wreck some other teams?"

Los Angeles had lost six of eight before Friday night. So, the victory added something significant to the experience the young players have been getting.

"If you can't win, you can't really enjoy it," rookie guard Mo Wagner told the Los Angeles Daily News.

The home team has won each of the previous meetings with the Pelicans prevailing 128-115 on Feb. 23 and the Lakers winning 112-104 on Dec. 21 and 125-119 on Feb. 27.


https://www.nba.com/games/20190331/LALNOP#/preview
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:04 am

Go South Bay Lakers!
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby lakerevolution » Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:37 pm

Es la hora de la basura.

Garbage time.

The fates have been far too unkind to us, and we have helped them along by making consitently questionable decisions. Our time in the sun will be coming back soon.
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:26 pm

lakerevolution wrote:Es la hora de la basura.

Garbage time.

The fates have been far too unkind to us, and we have helped them along by making consistently questionable decisions. Our time in the sun will be coming back soon.


Hopefully we'll bring JaVale McGee back next season with the Room Exception ($4.8M) on a long term deal. Alex Caruso plays the right way and is clearly an NBA player. He should be signed in the offseason to a multi-year contract.

Here's a great article on why it makes sense to make Jimmy Butler the Plan B for next season, although I believe Kawhi, Klay and Kyrie are such long shots, then why not make him Plan A? A starting lineup of Javale, Kuzma, LeBron, Butler and Lonzo makes a ton of sense, with BI coming off the bench. He can be a perfect sixth man because he can sub in for anyone.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/282 ... bron-james

In terms of the tanking thing, I don't give a rat's ass. The only real reason to tank is if we're going to trade the pick as part of a deal for AD (or another star). The acquiring team would obviously want a higher pick. Otherwise, it's just a crapshoot anyway IMO. Once again, the offseason will be more exciting for us than the regular season. I want the old days of returning rosters with boring summers.
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:40 pm

McGee 23 Points and 16 Boards. Lakers win 130-102 and that was even with the great Lance Stephenson putting up a goose egg :waaaaa: :roflmao: "lol4:
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:51 pm

3Peatkb24 wrote:McGee 23 Points and 16 Boards. Lakers win 130-102 and that was even with the great Lance Stephenson putting up a goose egg :waaaaa: :roflmao: "lol4:


I keep going back to his bout with pneumonia and that it took him a long time to get back to full strength. He's actually become a wise veteran who still has a bout 4 good years left in him. For a guy who was mocked as a low IQ player along with his Wizards teammate Andray Blatche, he has come a long, long way!
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 7:00 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:
3Peatkb24 wrote:McGee 23 Points and 16 Boards. Lakers win 130-102 and that was even with the great Lance Stephenson putting up a goose egg :waaaaa: :roflmao: "lol4:


I keep going back to his bout with pneumonia and that it took him a long time to get back to full strength. He's actually become a wise veteran who still has a bout 4 good years left in him. For a guy who was mocked as a low IQ player along with his Wizards teammate Andray Blatche, he has come a long, long way!


I agree, if we do not bring him back something is wrong. That would be a huge blunder :WTFface:
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:06 pm

I LOVE BASKETBALL! GO LAKERS! #18 COMIN' UP STRONG!!! TOO EASY, JUST WAAAAY TOO EASY!!!!! NEXT! :rollyellow:
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:15 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:


That is an amazing stat. I did not know that. He has been playing really good too. A lot of being a good or a great team is about chemistry and we just never had that this season. I think we had a roster that was playoff material talent wise but chemistry wise we did not.
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:43 pm

3Peatkb24 wrote:That is an amazing stat. I did not know that. He has been playing really good too. A lot of being a good or a great team is about chemistry and we just never had that this season. I think we had a roster that was playoff material talent wise but chemistry wise we did not.


Not unexpected before the season started with this weird roster they put together, but after they started clicking, man were things looking up. And then the injury tsunami hit. So we will never know whether that chemistry would have continued to improve (the likelihood) or whether it would have just been short-lived. Maybe they gave Zubac to the Logo because he wasn't a part of that chemistry during that period of the season and they realize the errors of their ways by not having a true stretch 5 like Brook Lopez, to compliment JaVale McGee. Who the fuck knows. But damnit, can we please have a NORMAL season where that fucking injury bug doesn't destroy everything next season? Is that asking too much? Maybe they should get a new training staff. I don't know. But TrueFan's mantra was always HEALTH - HEALTH - HEALTH. Since his passing, we haven't really had ONE season where we haven't been at the bottom of the league in this category. PLEASE!!!
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby 3Peatkb24 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 10:56 pm

KobeMVP888 wrote:
3Peatkb24 wrote:That is an amazing stat. I did not know that. He has been playing really good too. A lot of being a good or a great team is about chemistry and we just never had that this season. I think we had a roster that was playoff material talent wise but chemistry wise we did not.


Not unexpected before the season started with this weird roster they put together, but after they started clicking, man were things looking up. And then the injury tsunami hit. So we will never know whether that chemistry would have continued to improve (the likelihood) or whether it would have just been short-lived. Maybe they gave Zubac to the Logo because he wasn't a part of that chemistry during that period of the season and they realize the errors of their ways by not having a true stretch 5 like Brook Lopez, to compliment JaVale McGee. Who the fuck knows. But damnit, can we please have a NORMAL season where that fucking injury bug doesn't destroy everything next season? Is that asking too much? Maybe they should get a new training staff. I don't know. But TrueFan's mantra was always HEALTH - HEALTH - HEALTH. Since his passing, we haven't really had ONE season where we haven't been at the bottom of the league in this category. PLEASE!!!


Yeah TrueFan nailed it regarding health. If a team isn't healthy, especially with its stars then they have no chance to win it all. Losing Lonzo really hurt IMO, it hurt our defense and that is a fact. I am glad Ingram will be ok for next season. We have had some major bad luck with injuries going back to Kobe's injury that ended his season in 2013.
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Re: Game 77: 03/31/19 Lakers at Pelicans GAME THREAD

Postby KobeMVP888 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:43 am

3Peatkb24 wrote:
KobeMVP888 wrote:Yeah TrueFan nailed it regarding health. If a team isn't healthy, especially with its stars then they have no chance to win it all. Losing Lonzo really hurt IMO, it hurt our defense and that is a fact. I am glad Ingram will be ok for next season. We have had some major bad luck with injuries going back to Kobe's injury that ended his season in 2013.


Nash went out in Game 2 that season. Dwight Howard played with a bad back. Pau's knees gave him problems all season. The starting backcourt against the Spurs in the opening round was Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris for at least one game as I recall. It's been a mess for a long, long time.
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