The terribly mediocre Lakers

[snowmanny]

First of all, it was great for Carlisle to give Walton all that cover.

Secondly:

Lavar and his kids are a"story" in the same way that steaming hot urine is a "beverage."

and it's reasonable to call out ESPN on their clickbait trash stories and their clickbait trash sources and remind ESPN that when they report trash they jeopardize not only their reputation but also their access to actual sources.

 

[nighthob]

Totally agree with Carlisle, but I think it would only be fair for ESPN and others to see it through for the rest of this season. The offseason is the best time for self-reflection.

I agree, in fact, I think that they should spend the first week of July reflecting on this as they give 24-7 coverage to LaVar recruiting LeBron and Paul George for the Lakers.

 

[E5 Yaz]

I think Carlisle needs to chill. His commenting on this only helps to make the story even bigger. Like it or not, Lavar and his kids are a story and will continue to be for the foreseeable future

Lorenzo is a story because he's an NBA player. LaVar and the other sons are not a story

 

[bosockboy]

First of all, it was great for Carlisle to give Walton all that cover.

Secondly:



and it's reasonable to call out ESPN on their clickbait trash stories and their clickbait trash sources and remind ESPN that when they report trash they jeopardize not only their reputation but also their access to actual sources.

Walton was around the ‘86 locker room with his Dad. Lots of Celtic loyalty in this I think.

 

[Tony C]

What a shitty situation for this kid.

We don't know LaVar Ball but given what we do know about him, it may be asking a lot to expect his kid to get him to shut up (Lonzo says as much during the interview). As far as the rest of the interview goes, while Lonzo doesn't give Walton a ringing endorsement my take is that he was just trying to give standard answers to get done with a line of questions that clearly made him uncomfortable.

Its easy to criticize the kid for not stepping up and trying say something to (or about his dad) but if you have ever been around any situations similar to this (star athlete kid, controlling parent) you know its not that easy.

Well said.

The Lakers performance tonight (from the box, anyway) maybe was some form of team-wide response.

 

[wilked]

Well said.

The Lakers performance tonight (from the box, anyway) maybe was some form of team-wide response.

I think it’s simpler

They played the Hawks at home, who have won exactly 3 games on the road

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Well said.

The Lakers performance tonight (from the box, anyway) maybe was some form of team-wide response.

From the small part of the game I watched, it looked more like the response was coming from ATL, given how little defense they played.

 

[joe dokes]

First of all, it was great for Carlisle to give Walton all that cover.

Secondly:

and it's reasonable to call out ESPN on their clickbait trash stories and their clickbait trash sources and remind ESPN that when they report trash they jeopardize not only their reputation but also their access to actual sources.

I think we agree. ESPN actually has a reporter in Lithuania hanging with the Balls.

Walton was around the ‘86 locker room with his Dad. Lots of Celtic loyalty in this I think.

I think it's also telling that Bill has kept quiet publicly here. Given what I assume is his loyalty both to his son and to UCLA, he probably has a lot to say. But he's not a stupid grifter.

 

[sezwho]

please dont joke about this

That would be a great sequel! Not quite the look though, back to central casting

On a more serious note, ESPN is absolutely not going to stop covering Lavar and the NBA needs to just get over it. If they blackball him there will be plenty other bright lights for his special kind of train wreck.

ESPN is in the eyeballs market and they are the ones giving the NBA money, not the other way around.

 

[joe dokes]

I'd like to see Popovich answer questions during a sideline interview in an ESPN game with some variant of "we're on to Lithuania."

 

[Dim13]

Walton with a pretty funny response to why he took Lonzo out in the first quarter last night:

https://deadspin.com/luke-walton-jokes-he-took-out-lonzo-ball-because-his-d-1821873784

 

[Sprowl]

Lonzo's airballs are uglier than most. I want to root for the kid (mostly because his dad is such an a-hole), but somewhere in his palette, Lonzo needs more Rembrandt.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

A Ringer article on just how bad LAL has been: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/9/16867672/los-angeles-lakers-historically-bad-five-year-stretch. The numbers:

"At their current pace this season, the Lakers would finish their five-season run from 2013–14 through 2017–18 with the 24th-worst winning percentage in the 1,300-plus sample. Take out overlaps — for instance, counting only one of the 1996 to 2000 Grizzlies and 1997 to 2001 Grizzlies, who possess the bottom two spots on the list — and the Lakers would fall to 12th-worst."

Feel good read of the morning.

 

[wilked]

Enough with the winning.... Time to get back to what they do best

 

[BigSoxFan]

Enough with the winning.... Time to get back to what they do best

LaVar needs to get his ass back to LA already

 

[Red Averages]

Upcoming 12 game schedule: Home vs SA, @ Dal, @ Mem, @ OKC, vs Ind, vs NYK, vs. Bos, @ Chi, @ TOR, @ ORL, @ BKN, @ OKC.

They likely won't be favored in any of those. They have 2 games on that stretch on 2 days rest, all others are 1 day rest. Nothing like stretch of 8-12 games on the road to bring you back down to the cellar.

 

[benhogan]

LaVar needs to get his ass back to LA already

LaVar lit that fire! Clearly, he's the reason for the turnaround.

or

playing two horrendous teams at home helps. As Red astutely points out more losses on their way

 

[uk_sox_fan]

Upcoming 12 game schedule: Home vs SA, @ Dal, @ Mem, @ OKC, vs Ind, vs NYK, vs. Bos, @ Chi, @ TOR, @ ORL, @ BKN, @ OKC.

They likely won't be favored in any of those. They have 2 games on that stretch on 2 days rest, all others are 1 day rest. Nothing like stretch of 8-12 games on the road to bring you back down to the cellar.

538 has them favored in the home games v Ind and NY (19 & 21 Jan) albeit by 1 pt in each. Of the other 10 games in this stretch in which they're dogs, only the Orlando game (31 Jan) is seen to be closer than 4 1/2 points (Magic are also 1 pt favorites).

They're expected to win 3.75 of those 12 games in aggregate, a .313 winning pctg (down from their season-to-date rate of .325)

 

[uk_sox_fan]

538 currently has them finish 4th-from-last (by a good 2-game margin from the Griz) with 26.9 wins (a .330 winning pct for the remaining 42 games) whilst basketball-reference has them 3 wins and .072 better and in the #6 slot with more thana win better than the #5 Bulls and #4 Suns.

Both models are starting to have the Hawks, Kings and Magic solidify their hold on the Top 3.

 

[Sam Ray Not]

"At their current pace this season, the Lakers would finish their five-season run from 2013–14 through 2017–18 with the 24th-worst winning percentage in the 1,300-plus sample."

In those 4.5 seasons, the Warriors have picked up — wait for it — 216 games on the Lakers in the historic standings.

Unfortunately, they remain 637 games behind. :,-(

 

[uk_sox_fan]

In those 4.5 seasons, the Warriors have picked up — wait for it — 216 games on the Lakers in the historic standings.

Unfortunately, they remain 637 games behind. :,-(

So if the Lakers go winless for the next 8 years and GS wins every game...

 

[sezwho]

So if the Lakers go winless for the next 8 years and GS wins every game...

Hope springs eternal...

I'm just happy I have a reason to go to tankathon.com again.

 

[wilked]

Last few years, and max number of wins to be "Top (Bottom) 5"

2016/2017:

Pick 1 - 20
Pick 2 - 24
Pick 3 - 26
Pick 4 - 28
Pick 5 - 29

2015/2016:

Pick 1 - 10
Pick 2 - 17
Pick 3 - 21
Pick 4 - 23
Pick 5 - 29

2014/2015:

Pick 1 - 16
Pick 2 - 17
Pick 3 - 18
Pick 4 - 21
Pick 5 - 25

I am going to set 25 wins as my target for the Lakers...

 

[Manzivino]

For comparison sake, the lowest 5 win totals at a similar point of the schedule from a games played standpoint (i.e. teams having played 38-43 games as they have this season):

2017/8:
Pos. 1 - 11
Pos. 2 - 12
Pos. 3 - 13
Pos. 4 - 13
Pos. 5 - 13

2016/7: (3 of 5 finished in the bottom 5)
Pos. 1 - 8
Pos. 2 - 11
Pos. 3 - 12
Pos. 4 - 12
Pos. 5 - 13

2015/16: (same 6 teams finished with the worst 6 records)
Pos. 1 - 4
Pos. 2 - 9
Pos. 3 - 11
Pos. 4 - 12
Pos. 5 - 13 (two teams)

2014/5: (4 of 5 teams finished in the bottom 5)
Pos. 1 - 5
Pos. 2 - 7
Pos. 3 - 8
Pos. 4 - 12
Pos. 5 - 13

So the top of the lottery is a lot more condensed at this point than in years past, but the threshold for being within the bottom 5 records has remained consistent and being in the bottom 5 at the halfway mark of the season is a good sign that a team will end the year there.

 

[HowBoutDemSox]

Including tonight, the Lakers have played 23 home games and only 18 road games. Will be fun to see them play as that evens out.

 

[BigSoxFan]

They’re probably going to win again tonight against a depleted Spurs team. Not good.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

They’re probably going to win again tonight against a depleted Spurs team. Not good.

This Spurs team doesn't look they could score 80 points in a gym by themselves. 15-0 run for the Lakers.

 

[BigSoxFan]

This Spurs team doesn't look they could score 80 points in a gym by themselves. 15-0 run for the Lakers.

Yup. This one is over. Big game on Saturday night with the Mavs.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Yup. This one is over. Big game on Saturday night with the Mavs.

It looks like Pop brought his neighbors for a pickup game.

 

[JakeRae]

It's general a mistake to give up on any NBA game when a team is shooting 25% in the second quarter. That sort of awful shooting tends not to last.

 

[BigSoxFan]

It's general a mistake to give up on any NBA game when a team is shooting 25% in the second quarter. That sort of awful shooting tends not to last.

Nope. It’s over

 

[amarshal2]

Wins - # of teams
10 - 1
11 - 1 (Lakers)
12 - 2
13 - 2
14 - 1
15 - 3

They’re a short winning streak away from being outside the bottom 5. I think the 6+ is the bigger concern.

Oy. Ummm...they’re a long losing streak from being bottom two! Ahem, ahem.

 

[uk_sox_fan]

Yup. This one is over. Big game on Saturday night with the Mavs.

And even bigger one Monday @Mem. Two losses and they could re-right the ship. 48% chance they lose them both...

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

It looks like Pop brought his neighbors for a pickup game.

Wonder if Pop is doing what he can to prevent the LAL pick from conveying to the Cs. . . .

 

[BigSoxFan]

And even bigger one Monday @Mem. Two losses and they could re-right the ship. 48% chance they lose them both...

2 wins would be devastating. Starting to get pessimistic about this pick but I’m probably overreacting to their recent stretch.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Wonder if Pop is doing what he can to prevent the LAL pick from conveying to the Cs. . . .

Why would he care? And if he does care, why would he be happier with Philly getting the pick? The Lakers pick is a lose/lose for everyone in the league except the Sixers and Celtics, really.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Pop is a national treasure.

"Luke [Walton] has been schooled in this game from the time he was a little kid,” Popovich said. “And he doesn’t even know what he knows probably, just by osmosis, whether it was living at home, [or] in school as a player. He’s had tremendous experience. As a player, he wasn’t the best athlete in the world. But those are the guys that sometimes understand the game better because it comes a little tougher to them. They understand what wins and loses, what they have to do to get an advantage and really understand the game, which he does. He inherently understands the game, and not everybody does. And then the icing on the cake, he gets to spend a few years up with Steve [Kerr] at Golden State with a great organization, and a great group.

So, he’s way more than ready to handle this situation. But it’s a situation that’s gonna take time. It’s a process. And it certainly doesn’t need any outside chatter from people who don’t have a clue and haven’t gotten over themselves.”

QUOTE]

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Why would he care? And if he does care, why would he be happier with Philly getting the pick? The Lakers pick is a lose/lose for everyone in the league except the Sixers and Celtics, really.

Was only half-serious but it's in the Spurs interest to make the pick as far down as possible so that (hopefully) BOS or PHI would have to add a less talented player.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Was only half-serious but it's in the Spurs interest to make the pick as far down as possible so that (hopefully) BOS or PHI would have to add a less talented player.

Figured you weren’t being serious because I highly doubt the Spurs are concerned at all with anything related to the Eastern Conference. They have to figure out a way to beat both Houston and Golden State, an incredibly tall task, for any of this stuff to even matter.

 

[Sam Ray Not]

Figured you weren’t being serious because I highly doubt the Spurs are concerned at all with anything related to the Eastern Conference. They have to figure out a way to beat both Houston and Golden State, an incredibly tall task, for any of this stuff to even matter.

Their first order of business may be holding onto the #3 seed, as they're now only a game ahead of Minnesota, with a worse net rating. If Kawhi never gets fully healthy, they're going to struggle to make it out of the first round.

As a GS fan, I have to say the idea of Philly with the pick is significantly less scary than Boston with the pick — less scary existing team, less scary head coach, less scary front office which makes them more likely to bungle the pick if they get it. (But since the Cs are my #2 team, I hope they get it, consequences to my Warriors down the road be damned).

 

[BigSoxFan]

Lakers up 8 early on Mavericks. This week has been a disaster. They’re playing good basketball and it’s making me sad.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Lakers up 8 early on Mavericks. This week has been a disaster. They’re playing good basketball and it’s making me sad.

Even with a win here, they are the 6th worst team in the NBA. It's going to be a stressful year in regards to the pick. There's Orlando, Atlanta and then 7 other teams who could finish 3rd or 10th and it's basically going to come down to shit luck.

It's possible the Kings are in that Orlando/Atlanta range and that the Griz, Bulls and Hornets work their way into a 3rd tier of awful. I guess we'll find out but it's going to be a roller coaster ride.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Huge run for Mavs. Now up 7.

 

[Sportsbstn]

The lakers beat the 2 worst teams in the league then beat a San Antonio team siting half their starters. The lakers are still a very bad team

 

[McBride11]

I should know this, but is the 2-5 conveyance based upon the Lakers finishing spot OR what the ping pong balls come out to be.

For example, if they finish 3rd but the ping pong give them #1, do the Cs get that pick or not.

 

[kenneycb]

Ping pong balls

 

[InstaFace]

I should know this, but is the 2-5 conveyance based upon the Lakers finishing spot OR what the ping pong balls come out to be.

For example, if they finish 3rd but the ping pong give them #1, do the Cs get that pick or not.

It's based on what pick in the draft it ends up being, which is affected partly by pingpong balls but not entirely. As posted a few times around here, we know the odds of it conveying based on what the team-rank finish of the Lakers is:

I posted this a while ago, but a useful reminder... odds the pick conveys based on LAL finishing position:

1 75%
2 80.1
3 80.4
4 70.9
5 46.5
6 15.2
7 10.7
8 7.2
9 4.4
10 2.9
11 2.1
12 1.8
13 1.6
14 1.3

1-4: really good chance
5: coin flip
6-8: not likely, but possible
9+: very unlikely

I think there's a chance they end up in that 6-8 "very unlikely to convey" range, but getting any higher than that is more about the ineptitude of Dallas/Atl/SAC/Chi/Pho than about the Lakers' talent (barring injuries).

That summary there is a pretty good way to think about it.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Mavs refuse to take any shot inside of the 3 point line. They also have refused to make any since they built a 10 point lead. Lakers are now up 1 with 4 minutes to go

 

[BigSoxFan]

Mavs refuse to take any shot inside of the 3 point line. They also have refused to make any since they built a 10 point lead. Lakers are now up 1 with 4 minutes to go

Down 5 with 1:30. Ugh.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Down 5 with 1:30. Ugh.

The Mavs fucking handed them this game