The Evil Empire Revisited: Lakers General thread

Brickowski

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Apparently Popovich cursed out Howard during the game.  Popovich was trying to run a play for Howard but instead of staying in the huddle, Dwight was off laughing and socializing.
 

NYCSox

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Ah fuck they're going to catch the Rockets. You can't lose to the goddamn Wizards when you're trying to make the playoffs.  :angry:
 

Mugthis

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I don't think they catch Houston--they are too close in talent and Houston has a decent 2.5 game lead with only 24 games left. That's equivalent to an 8.5 game lead head-start to start the season and I'm not sure the Lakers are 8.5 games better than Houston. In fact, according to Hollinger's Power Rankings, Houston is the 4th best team in the NBA (106 rating) while the Lakers are 11th (101 rating). According to the Simple Rating System, Houston is the 7th best team in the NBA with a 3.6 rating while the Lakers are again 11th (1.4). Without looking at strength of remaining schedule, I'd say it's unlikely (possible, of course) that the Lakers pass Houston. In fact, the Lakers may lose ground on Houston.
 
West Hollinger Power Rankings:
 
1. SAN, 109
2. OKC, 109
3. HOU, 106
4. LAC, 106
5. DEN, 105
6. MEM, 103
7. LAL, 101
8. DAL, 101
--
9. GSW, 99
10. UTA, 99
 
Simple Rating System:
1. OKC, 8.5
2. SAN, 8.4
3. LAC, 6.3
4. MEM, 3.9
5. DEN, 3.7
6. HOU, 3.6
7. LAL, 1.4
8. GSW, 0.4
--
9. UTA, -0.1
10. DAL, -0.1
 
Lakers are clearly better than GSW, UTA, and DAL, so they'll probably stave off Dallas (today certainly helped with that). Their best shot may be passing Utah, which is the 9th or 10th best team in the West and only has a 3.5 game lead, which is equivalent to a 11 game head start. The Lakers are also clearly better than Golden State, but they are 5 back there, including 6 in the loss column, which is equivalent to a 15 game head start. I doubt the Lakers are 15 games better than Golden State, but they may be 11 games better than Utah.
 
Their playoff odds reflect this challenge, because even though they are the 7th best team according to Hollinger's model, they only have the 9th best odds of making the playoffs, down at 31% (this will rise a bit after today, I imagine). 
 

Mugthis

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Luckily the Lakers should lose in 4 or 5 against the Thunder or Spurs in the first round even if they do make the playoffs. They only have a 0.6% of making the Finals and a 0.1% chance at winning the finals. The embarrassment of missing the playoffs with such a stacked roster would be incredibly enjoyable though--and certainly some sort of a black mark for those that think Kobe is anywhere near the greatest ever. 
 

bbc23

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Here's a different way to look at it:
The Lakers are only 2 losses back of Houston, and play them in the season finale
In theory they only have to make up 1-2 losses in the next 25 games depending on how the tiebreakers work out
I think it's likely the Jazz slip soon though, as they play a very tough schedule the remainder of the year
 

bbc23

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I've heard that word surrounding the Buss funeral was that Phil is going to become some sort of vice-president/executive with a close eye on how D'Antoni does next season
 

Tony C

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Mugthis said:
Luckily the Lakers should lose in 4 or 5 against the Thunder or Spurs in the first round even if they do make the playoffs. They only have a 0.6% of making the Finals and a 0.1% chance at winning the finals. The embarrassment of missing the playoffs with such a stacked roster would be incredibly enjoyable though--and certainly some sort of a black mark for those that think Kobe is anywhere near the greatest ever. 
 
they'll get rolled by the Thunder, but I do worry about how they'd match up with the Spurs.
 

ElUno20

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To quote Barkley from this last Thursdays show, even if they do make. they're gonna get beat like a drum.
 

Nick Kaufman

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I dunno. It seems to me like Howard is regaining some of his agility back. And Nash seems a bit sprier too. And don't forget that once they go through their fourth antidoping control of the season, no one can test them for doping again till summer.
 

Tony C

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Nash? No, he's had back spasms the last two games -- one stinker and one okay game, and definitely hurting. Not sprier.
 
Howard maybe, but coming off the all-star break it may just that he's been a bit more rested. Be interesting to see how he does tonight in Denver. In fact, Howard's numbers have been really good all year, I don't think he's been the problem in any case.
 

bbc23

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Please don't tell me you actually believe the team that is 23-3 at home crushed the 10-18 road team on the 2nd night of a road back to back, that's just nonsense
 

bbc23

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Lakers have finally clawed back to .500, and play OKC on the road Tuesday
 
I just looked at Utah's schedule for the next 10 games though (they are 2.5 games ahead of the Lakers) 
@ Milwakee
@ Cleveland
@ Chicago
@ New York
v Det
@ OKC
v Memphis
v NYK
@ Houston
@ San Antonio
I only see 1 game (home v Detroit) that they could even be considered the favorite, perfect opportunity for the Lakers to strike
 

dhellers

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bbc23 said:
Lakers have finally clawed back to .500, and play OKC on the road Tuesday
 
I just looked at Utah's schedule for the next 10 games though (they are 2.5 games ahead of the Lakers) 
@ Milwakee
@ Cleveland
@ Chicago
@ New York
v Det
@ OKC
v Memphis
v NYK
@ Houston
@ San Antonio
I only see 1 game (home v Detroit) that they could even be considered the favorite, perfect opportunity for the Lakers to strike
Drat.
 

Plantiers Wart

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Couple that with the lakers next 10...
 
@OKC
@New Orleans
vsToronto
vsChicago
@Orlando
@Atlanta
@Indy
vsSacramento
@Phoenix
vsWashington
 
Where I think they can 6-4, while I see Utah going 3-7 in their next 10.  That would put the Lakers a half game up. 
 
I see them making the playoffs, but they need to get to 6 to have a legit shot to survive the first round.  
 

Nomar813

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The Magic went full hack-a-Dwight and sent him to the line 39 times tonight.  Unfortunately, it backfired.  He raised his free throw percentage by more than a point.
 

swingin val

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Nomar813 said:
The Magic went full hack-a-Dwight and sent him to the line 39 times tonight.  Unfortunately, it backfired.  He raised his free throw percentage by more than a point.
I dont understand why teams do this. At least wait until you see what your defense can do until you hack him. Play man to man, if a pick and roll looks bad, or a Kobe iso looks unpromising, hack Dwight then. 
 

deanx0

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Brickowski said:
Maybe they're tanking for the lotto pick.
 
I'm sure that the Suns, who own the pick, would love for them to tank. Particularly because the pick is not lottery-protected.
 

Brickowski

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deanx0 said:
I'm sure that the Suns, who own the pick, would love for them to tank. Particularly because the pick is not lottery-protected.
According to Prosportstransactions.com, after a series of trades involving the Lakers, Suns and Cavs, the Suns in 2013 have the least favorable of the Lakers pick (top 14 protected), the Cavaliers pick, the Kings pick (top 13 protected), and the Heat pick. 
 
So the Lakers keep the pick if it's top 14.  I believe those protections lapse in 2014.
 

Brickowski

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Curtis Pride said:
In other words, the Suns would be getting the Heat pick.
Yes, and assuming that website has it right, the Lakers would keep their first rounder if it falls from #1 to #14. 
 

Stu Nahan

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Remember this one the next time some bitter Lakers fan brings up Pierce. Kobe played this one for all it's worth.

EDIT: So Kobe played the first quarter and is sitting out the rest of the game. What was the point? Sending another toughness related message to Howard? The whole thing just seems silly to me.
 

Nick Kaufman

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Come on. Kobe is hyper-competitive, wanted to play no matter what, tried it, wasn't a good idea, he sat.

Btw, first play of the game West just hacks Dwight, really grabs his hand as Howard is trying to put the ball on the basket, no foul. That was one of the most eggregious and obvious no calls I ve ever seen to the point of wondering whether the refs were on a bet when to call the first foul like Dogherty said they used to do.
 

bbc23

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I see it as more of them going back to what they were supposed to be.
You can consider that whole 1st 1/2 of the season to be pretty unlucky no matter how poorly they played because of injuries, new coaching staff etc.  I don't believe that their scoring margin dipped into the negatives even when they were 17-25.  
Edit: Apparently Sherwood Strauss kinda went over this by saying they were +1.0 at the 31 game mark
 

ishmael

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Everybody pretty much assumes that the Lakers will make the playoffs, but nothing is guaranteed. Utah has 8 games against sub .500 teams remaining, while the Rockets and Lakers each have 7 -- if the Lakers take another night off or a few players like John Wall go off, then things could get mighty interesting down the stretch.
 
All of this requires that Utah and Houston start playing better, but the Jazz already have a head to head tiebreaker against the Lakers and the Rockets can grab that tiebreaker too if they beat LA on the road to close out the season.
 

NYCSox

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It's not happening. Lousy Utah can't win at home against the D-League Knicks. Look at the garbage the Knicks put out there last night. 
 
I hope they give DiLeo a playoff share for that stupid Bynum trade. Nice job asshole, trading for completely damaged goods.
 

cromulence

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Yeah, my POV is biased cause all I've seen of the Jazz is the two Knicks games. But wow, those are two god-awful games. I'd be pretty surprised if the Lakers can't stay ahead of them.
 

Brickowski

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cromulence said:
Yeah, my POV is biased cause all I've seen of the Jazz is the two Knicks games. But wow, those are two god-awful games. I'd be pretty surprised if the Lakers can't stay ahead of them.
Not if they can't beat Phoenix with JO as the Suns' starting center.  But I'm rooting for the Lakers to make it, because I don't want them in the lottery. 
 

Brickowski

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Does "top 14 protected" mean that Phoenix is protected or that the Lakers are protected?  IMHO ESPN is just wrong.  The usual meaning, when a "protected" pick is traded, is that the team trading the pick keeps it if the protections kick in.  
 

scottyno

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blowing a 17 pt 3rd quarter lead at home vs the wizards is a good way to miss the playoffs
 

jon abbey

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Lakers down 63-40 at halftime in GS. I believe a L here will make them 6-13 when all four of Howard/Gasol/Kobe/Nash play, pretty funny.