Lakers

As bad as things have been in Los Angeles, the drama could be just getting started. Plus, a few thoughts on buzzy NBA prospects, Cade Cunningham's breakout, ...

If Westbrook takes a jumper with a lot of time on the clock and LeBron cutting to the basket, it’s benchable behavior. Poku seems to be taking fewer risks as a playmaker, perhaps a sign that he’s picking his spots better and focusing on making the right play rather than the sexy one. Now he’s just flowing, playing within the rhythm of the offense, and making an effort on defense. Westbrook is a future Hall of Famer, but he needs to be benched for his putrid shot selection and defense. Is it his passive-aggressive way of expressing frustration with the bricks by Westbrook? Is he just resting his 37-year-old legs? Westbrook continuing to shoot jumpers remains a laughable indictment of his inability to adapt and/or the coaching staff’s inability to get him to change. This is my 10th year covering the draft, my ninth year publishing a guide, and my sixth with The Ringer. But his perimeter scoring is the cherry on top of a delicious sundae that sets him up for a decade of NBA success. And he didn’t let anyone stand in the way of winning. On defense, he has instincts, length, and the versatility to defend across positions. Johnson was having his best stretch of the season before he was sidelined by a right quad contusion. The Pistons landed a great player with the trajectory to be a star.

LeBron James scored 30 points, but the Lakers had a second consecutive ugly first quarter en route to a 114-103 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

“It takes its toll on your individual psyche and the psyche of your group. The Lakers have lost 10 consecutive games on the road. The Lakers scored just 12 points in the first quarter, which was tied for a season low in a quarter. They got down and didn’t let go of the rope.” And we’re not letting go of the rope. “So we had thought there was a chance with the back-to-backs, he would sit out the second night.”

The Lakers big man will take a big step forward today as the team has him planned for on-court action.

...But getting cleared to shoot, I don’t know if I’ll be cleared to jog a little bit now where I can get on the treadmill. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to jump a little bit. "As far as the shooting, I’m not too sure if I’ll be able to do some movement.

The Los Angeles Lakers are like a TV drama that makes things that so many people might aspire to or dream about seem utterly miserable.

“There’s just too many too many times where we just get into big deficits,” said Lakers head coach Frank Vogel. “It takes its toll on your individual psyche and the psyche of your group and you're constantly trying to push your guys to be better and coach them hard but also trying to keep them lifted. They've never lost to James in L. A. and have won six straight in the building formerly known as Staples Center. The last time they lost was Nov. 30th, 2014. In contrast, the Raptors keep plugging. The Raptors are no one’s definition of NBA royalty, but they win. They needed the breathing room -- a 20-10 Lakers run cut the Raptors' lead to 11 with 3:20 to play but Barnes broke the L. A. pressure and made a perfect lob to Precious Achiuwa to calm things. They’re in ninth place in the West, a game ahead of 10th-place New Orleans. The championship James won with Davis in the bubble in 2020 stands as a James high point -- and nothing wrong with that. The Lakers could take a lesson from the Raptors, honestly. But it’s the only time the Lakers have made it out of the first round since he moved to Brentwood, and this season is setting up to be a new low point as they struggle to avoid missing the play-in tournament. The Raptors also surpassed the pre-season over-under for wins set for them by most oddsmakers. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, scoring more than 20 points for a personal-best seventh straight game. When LeBron James manoeuvred his way to Los Angeles prior to the 2018-19 season, it seemed like he had found the perfect place to play out his unfathomable career.

There were lots of ugly reactions across Twitter after the Lakers were totally inept against the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

Other than a brief, desperate run by L.A. late in the fourth quarter, the game was never the least bit competitive. Almost nothing went right, and the 114-103 final score wasn’t indicative of how humiliating the game really was. On Monday, the Purple and Gold gave up the first nine points of their contest against the Toronto Raptors. From there, it was garbage time; Toronto led by 21 at the end of the first quarter.

Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-100 during game six of the Western Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty ...

Instead of taking the high road and going, you have to make a comment like that, it’s kind of funny.” Phoenix smelled blood in the water and buried the Lakers, then used that momentum to make a Finals run. Even if they didn’t as explicitly say they would win if healthy like Davis did, the implication is the same even if the wording was different. Hell, the Suns themselves have had no problem bringing up their own injuries during their playoff run and why that may have led to them coming up short of the title. “I really don’t want to paint a picture that if he doesn’t get (injured), we win that series because I think that takes away from how good (the Suns) are, how good they were last year. So on Sunday, head coach Frank Vogel and Davis were asked if they felt the latter’s injury is the reason the team lost the series. They were definitely a team that could have beat us with Anthony. You’re only able to take advantage of good fortune if you’re in the right position with the right amount of skill. After a hot start to the campaign, the team was ravaged by maladies. In the NBA and sports lexicon, “luck” has become a sort of taboo word, one that comes with negative connotations. Those realities intersected in the first round of the playoffs. That’s a credit to their talent, preparation, and durability, and their 2021-22 campaign, though, serves as ample evidence that they are a supremely talented group as well.