Gm 27: Lakers at Thunder GAME THREAD
Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 3:22 pm(4-22)
at 
(17-9)
Saturday, December 19, 2015, 2:00 PM PDT
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Referees: Zach Zarba, Derrick Collins, Tre Maddox
Line: Thunder -16
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la ... story.html
at (17-9)Saturday, December 19, 2015, 2:00 PM PDT
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Referees: Zach Zarba, Derrick Collins, Tre Maddox
Line: Thunder -16
GAME PREVIEW: LAKERS AT THUNDER
By Eric Pincus, LA Times
The Lakers (4-22) are on the road Saturday for their ninth game away from Staples Center over their last 11 contests. They'll visit the dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder (17-9), the third-best team in the Western Conference.
The Thunder are gradually learning how to play under first-year Coach Billy Donovan, winning seven of their last 10.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have only four wins this season, although they recently defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, one of the bottom three teams in the East.
Kobe Bryant will sit out because of a sore shoulder. There’s a chance Oklahoma City reserve Anthony Morrow might miss the game for personal reasons.
Key matchup
Jordan Clarkson will likely draw the assignment to cover Thunder All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook.
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Westbrook is one of the NBA's most ferocious scorers, averaging 25.6 points a game, but he's also a deft playmaker with 9.4 assists a night.
While he's not as efficient as All-Star forward Kevin Durant, Westbrook shoots a steady 46.5% from the field. If he has a weakness this season, it's his 30.8% shooting from behind the three-point arc and 4.7 turnovers a night.
Clarkson is right behind Bryant as the Lakers' second scorer at 14.9 points a game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 38.9% from three-point range. Clarkson also averages 3.6 assists and 1.9 turnovers.
X-factor
With Bryant out, the Lakers might start rookie Anthony Brown to match up with the Durant, a former MVP.
Durant is averaging 27.2 points a game along with 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He's shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.1% from three-point range and 89.2% from the free-throw line.
The Lakers can also try to guard Durant with Nick Young and veteran Metta World Peace.
Outlook
In many ways, the Lakers have improved over the last month but with or without Bryant, the Thunder is going to be too much to handle on Saturday.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la ... story.html
I know Kenny it's ugly. You are the most positive person I know regarding this team, having patience, and with our FO. I have always been positive too 100% of the time up until we didn't take Okafor then just watching this crap is flat out mindboggling. I mean we are Bad! I still love the team, always will and remain somewhat patient but being critical of our play needs to be done when it should be. Your Post actually made me laugh because you never say anything negative about this team but that 1st Qtr was among the worst I have ever seen too in my life! "time to do some chores" 
I am heading into work so I hear ya Brethren. In the past, I used to actually swap days with someone just so I didn't miss a Laker game so I could party a little but now I just follow them at work because I pretty much know what the result will be.