Lakers are currently 1-3 without LeBron in the lineup - but the schedule turns a bit more favorable over the next stretch of games. Bron looks like he'll sit for at least another week or two - and the Lakers just need to stay afloat during that time lest they find themselves quickly snatched out of the playoff picture.

But this is an interesting time to scrutinize this team to see who can run with the wolves in the next couple of years to vie for titles. What's clear is that without a second all-star - this currently comprised roster is not sufficient to compete for a title.

Poll result (7 votes) Yup (2 votes) Vote Nope (4 votes) Vote BI's team (1 votes) Vote

which bodes well for when LeBron (and Rondo) come back

(and we're seeing the evidence of just how bad that team was now) - which does bode well, but in order to really compete this team will have to continue to grow at an accelerated pace, which is a lot to ask for a young core in their early 20's.
-->

________________________________
There are dozens of us! Dozens!

good role player.

-->

without Lebron AND Rondo.

the rest of the gang is talented, they play hard, but they're dumb as all fuck and lord almighty they cannot shoot FTs to save their lives. basically what you'd expect out of a young supporting cast without their main horse and a strong leader

<--- Big Baller World Order

he's on his second surgery of the year - two freak injuries. Better to happen now as opposed to May.


-->

Missing Rondo, Chandler hobbled, Kuzma hobbled & potentially out, Mcgee recovering from a serious respiratory illness...team is running on fumes down the stretch of games, all compounded by missing free throws.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

Just as I believe they could win 10 straight if healthy and rolling, they could easily lose 10 of 12 with key guys missing and the turnovers/poor free throw shooting plaguing.
-->

Lakers now 1-4 without Bron.

-->

... that they're just gathering to offer in a package for Anthony Davis.

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

Other than LAL and Boston - what better trade packages could be offered in the foreseeable future?

-->

hard to win without three starters

************************************************************

and hasn't been available for most of the season thus far.

Kuz was in the lineup at the beginning of this stretch - and should play tomorrow in Dallas.

But yea - this team can't sustain with its core continually sidelined to injury.

-->

Rondo was great on Christmas. He could have that type of impact and help keep things afloat with LeBron out. He’s not as necessary when LeBron is healthy.

Likewise, Kuzma is also a killer as his ability to create offense for himself becomes extra important with LeBron out, let alone LeBron and Rondo. Killer combo of injuries at the same time.

but this team shouldn't have such dramatic drop-off without Rondo. They should play better tomorrow night with Kuz back.


-->

who wouldn't get talked about if they weren't on the Lakers.

Probably should've tried to move all of them years ago, when other GM's were actually fooled.

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

This team went from being discussed as a viable threat in the Western Conference (after beating GSW on Christmas Day and being a top 4 seed) to being out of the playoff picture in just 2 weeks without LeBron lol.

This team is a 30-35 win team w/ out LeBron. No other player in the game creates such a land-shift in a team's stature as does LeBron. Cleveland is the worst team in the East this year. With LeBron they are conference champions.

-->

.

<---
Fuck a sig, my presence is enough.

niggas know it dont get no sweeter.

-->

..if this were just about Lebron's absence, I might be concerned.

Rondo & Kuz are significant absences as well.

I'm more concerned about Rondo's overall availability/health this year than Bron.


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

If his return is on Sunday at home against Cleveland, that means winning one of the next three games.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

-->

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

He was integral to helping the Lakers take back control of the GS game where were eventually blew them out. Lonzo is not ready to run the show full time. If Rondo was there we'd be .500.

Also, the GS game should count. When Bron went out we had a +20 point lead and GS got it back down to 2 points. Yet we ended up winning by a wider margin that when LeBron was playing. That doesn't happen without Rondo.


Hell look at New Orleans with Rondo last year and without him this year.. yikes...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

>Hell look at New Orleans with Rondo last year and without him
>this year.. yikes...

wanted him last year in CLE but alas...

he's had two freak injuries/surgeries and has only appeared in 14 games thus far this year. Lakers really need him right now but he hasn't been an integral/consistent starter yet. Once he gets healthy, his impact will be felt (as it was in the G.S. game) - but it's kind of hard to pin this 1-5 losing skid on Rondo being out when he's been out essentially all season thus far.


-->

cmon brah...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

and have had significant injuries this year.

Rondo is solid - but he ain't the land-shift presence that you're making him out to be.

-->

Rondo, McGee, Beasley, Kuzma have all missed games during this timeframe..

and 3-5 is disingenuous if you consider what happened in the GS game and how they ended up blowing the Warriors out with LeBron out of the game.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

>Rondo, McGee, Beasley, Kuzma have all missed games during
>this timeframe..

Lakers went on a great run w/ LeBron with Beasley, Rondo & Ingram out several games -- this is a deep team and they should be able tread water with LeBron out when their core has remained relatively intact through the stretch.

>and 3-5 is disingenuous if you consider what happened in the
>GS game and how they ended up blowing the Warriors out with
>LeBron out of the game.

After they had built a lead w/ LeBron in the game.

But you're right - the lakers aren't 3-5 w/ out LeBron during this stretch - they're 3-6.

-->

>>Rondo, McGee, Beasley, Kuzma have all missed games during
>>this timeframe..
>
>Lakers went on a great run w/ LeBron with Beasley, Rondo &
>Ingram out several games -- this is a deep team and they
>should be able tread water with LeBron out when their core has
>remained relatively intact through the stretch.
>
>>and 3-5 is disingenuous if you consider what happened in the
>>GS game and how they ended up blowing the Warriors out with
>>LeBron out of the game.
>
>After they had built a lead w/ LeBron in the game.
>
>But you're right - the lakers aren't 3-5 w/ out LeBron during
>this stretch - they're 3-6.
>
>-->
Yeah.. as guys were during the stretch were LeBron is out... lol
Dude GS got the 18 point lead down to 2 points and the Lakers won by +20...

And they were 4-6 to start the season *with* LeBron playing..

*shrug*..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

BI/ZO/HART with Kuz and Bron as the Lakers Death lineup could be intriguing this spring.


Bron being out is giving them the opportunity to find their games together.

------------------
One Hundred.

we leaked buckets like the titanic and he was taking such a beating that it was killing him on the offensive side.

<--- Big Baller World Order

They won't be totally reliant on him to make things happen. He can just orchestrate plays at key moments to help them win games. Bron can truly get his Magic on going forward. Control the game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

-->

what's y'all's take on him? because he looking wild sus right now, on the cusp of booty

to the point I'm beginning to wonder if shipping off Randle and Beige Messiah was a good idea.

If he didn't have the local buzz that he has - I think fans would be very low on him at this point. Hate to say that I agree with SAS - but i do re: Lonzo. Sometimes he looks like he doesn't necessarily care for the game and plays wildly indifferent -- other times he's engaged and looks like Jason Kidd 2.0. He did miss preseason and is coming off serious injury (so the first 20 games really was his training camp) - but I'm hoping to see more fire in him moving forward. I think it's safe to say that he'd very much be in play for a blockbuster trade featuring multiple Lakers in exchange for a Big Fish.

-->

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

Jason Kidd (rookie year):
11+ ppg
7+ apg
5+ rbg
FG%: 38%
3pt FG%: 23%

Lonzo Ball (rookie year):
10+ ppg
7+ apg
7 rbg
FG%: 36%
3pt FG% 30%

yea i guess you're right. No similarities whatsoever.

J. Kidd came into the league as a swiss-army knife guy who needed to work on his shooting - and transformed from a bad shooter to a reliable spot-up 3 point shooter, very good from the free throw strike (after being abysmal early in his career as a shooter).

but yea - nothing alike.


-->

You seem like a younger dude, which is fine.


But, did you watch Kidd's early days? Specifically his Rookie year, because that's what you are comparing?

He was special- especially as the season went on.


Lonzo ain't special. And that's okay. But he just isn't.

I was quite young when he was a rookie - but watched him in Dallas and much more so in New Jersey.

>He was special- especially as the season went on.
>
>
>Lonzo ain't special. And that's okay. But he just isn't.

I may be in the minority - but I think Lonzo shows flashes of being very special. It took Kidd quite some time to develop into the hall-of-famer he is. I'm not saying Lonzo will become that caliber of player - but he shows flashes of being that kind of potential.

-exquisite vision
-elite play-making/passing instincts
-unselfish
-capable of playing/processing at a very fast rate
-fast hands and great size at PG to defend at a high level

He's not Kidd, of course. But Kidd wasn't the eventual star he turned out to be during his rookie year, either.

-->

>I was quite young when he was a rookie - but watched him in
>Dallas and much more so in New Jersey.
>
>>He was special- especially as the season went on.
>>
>>
>>Lonzo ain't special. And that's okay. But he just isn't.
>
>I may be in the minority - but I think Lonzo shows flashes of
>being very special. It took Kidd quite some time to develop
>into the hall-of-famer he is. I'm not saying Lonzo will
>become that caliber of player - but he shows flashes of being
>that kind of potential.
>
>-exquisite vision
>-elite play-making/passing instincts
>-unselfish
>-capable of playing/processing at a very fast rate
>-fast hands and great size at PG to defend at a high level
>
>He's not Kidd, of course. But Kidd wasn't the eventual star
>he turned out to be during his rookie year, either.
>
>-->

I don't really have a dog in this fight.

I actually think the Kidd comparisons early on, and now, are a little unfair to Zo because that is a very high bar in my opinion.

I don't think he'll hit that bar obviously, but I do think folks should be patient while also having reasonable expectations.


I haven't watched every game of course, but he does seem too passive/not engaged a lot of the time.

There are some Laker fans that over-rate him, and others. Like, if it takes flipping BI and Lonzo to land something special, you do it. No question.

I like Lonzo, and I think he can be at least a 2-time all star....but Jason Kidd was ELITE ELITE ELITE at every level, 2-time Mr. California, consensus AA in college, etc.

Zo's numbers are very similar to Kidd's, but he ain't having that impact.


www.Tupreme.com

The FO and staff all talk about the same things: defensive identity, playing fast, and playing unselfish. Lonzo does all three of those things at an elite level. Yes his offensive hesitation is frustrating but he in terms of what we want to do as a team and bringing in another max player this summer, a low usage player who can fill many cracks while being an all-pro defender and pushing the pace is exactly what you want.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

I like Lonzo a lot - but I think even the FO would move him if it meant receiving AD in a packaged deal. Outside of that you're probably right - he'll be staying.


-->

but i believe it got us Kuzma in the end iirc.

<--- Big Baller World Order

>but i believe it got us Kuzma in the end iirc.

I can see it. Kuzma is the kind of dude you need on the team. I kinda wish D'Tective (LMAO) could have stuck around

Their skillsets were perfectly complementary. Getting rid of Mozgov had to happen though and that probably soured the relationship between Mintz and the Lakers, leading to Randle not sticking around.

I'll take that any day of the week for DLo...and that's coming from someone who was and still is one of his most ardent supporters. It worked out for all parties involved.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

Been saying it since his college days.
He’ll be an average pro and that’s fine.

<---
Fuck a sig, my presence is enough.

Never loved and rooted for a player as much as him since young FroBe.

And not so much because Lonzo's a UCLA cat, but because, philosophically, there's so much about his game that I love: understated, super unselfish, vision for days, doesn't care about his own stats, all business in interviews. Absolute consummate team player.

But that same sort of demeanor shows up in weird ways on the court. He doesn't care about his stats but he's visibly affected when his shots not falling. He can disengage from games after mistakes. But when he's on? He's a fucking black hole on defense and no one on the team runs the fast break better than him.

Saw a comment on reddit that really makes sense to me... Lonzo's like a basketball savant with a preternatual understanding of the game that decades-long stars will never achieve but he flunked out of Basketball 101 and is complete shit at some of the most basic fundmentals. This weird dichotomy explains his polarizatation, regardless of whether you're a fan of him or not.

I love him so much but goddamn is he frustrating. You're right, he may really just be an average pro. And that's fine... and terrifying.

Fortunately, there's a lot more to basketball than scoring. If you really want to see his impact, look at his individual and team defensive ratings. Same goes for BI currently.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

I think Rondo is actually a better comparison than Kidd.

And this guy as far as his defense is better than young Rondo, shoots better than young Rondo, and has the benefit of Bron and Magic in learning how to properly run a team in the half court offense.


I think late in the season and in the playoffs is where dude's defense is going to shine, because he's Rondo quick and 6'6"...

If he is shooting 35% or better from 3 the rest of the season, they are in good shape with him.

------------------
One Hundred.

reporting that Bron has a hernia and will miss at least another month.

Hope they're trolling for likes. Can't find anything credible to substantiate it.

-->

------------------------------

17x NBA Champions

Third in defensive efficiency since Lebron got hurt...that's clearly our foundation. Just need to get the offense going

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

https://cdn-b-east.streamable.com/video/mp4/y8bgl_1.mp4?token=G-Rn4Xul8aAAqzdK5tiC8A&expires=1547110496


https://cdn-b-east.streamable.com/video/mp4/kslwe_1.mp4?token=vu1EJfqE58Rb9XQMaTIMNQ&expires=1547110387

https://cdn-b-east.streamable.com/video/mp4/ype9o_1.mp4?token=7DctsqnhLqCiii-2qnGFyQ&expires=1547110501  

be still my beating heart

The offspring :-D

PSN & XBL: LOQuent

NO WAY this healthy ass starting 5 is 5 games under .500 under SVG right now

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

one of my favorite days of the week. They literally celebrated when he got fired, because then he could be on the show for a full day, ever week...lol

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

gonna have to check that out. aside from wishing he was still our coach for floor reasons, i love his personality.

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

<---https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DL9AVTQ

no one said he was "the answer"

i said they wouldnt be this trash

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

Damn man...that 41 in 29 mins is great but you gotta damn near try not to have 1 fucking assist.

<--- Big Baller World Order

If not and unless you're doubled, keep shooting. The best part of his game last night was that he got nearly all his looks within the flow.

---------------------------------
<--The drought is over

"have fun reveling in your pettiness tho" (C) Dula summing up 98% of OKS

"I didnt finish a damn thing...matter of fact I jerked off after she left."
-Kobe speaking to investigators

L D E A

The win at Dallas followed by last night's win were huge for this team's confidence.

It's reassuring to see that this is not Cleveland (who were 4-26 w/out LeBron in the lineup).

-->