[Grades] Grades v. Lakers 2/14/2017

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#1




Link to Boxscore

Afflalo ( C+ ) -- the good? Well, was part of the starting unit, which it was generally better to be than be part of the bench tonight. Didn't stretch the floor, but worked more as a mini-Rudy with midrange and post stuff. Got heavy minutes as Joerger trusted his defense and decisionmaking more down the stretch, but not sure he was great in those aspects.

Cousins ( A ) -- look a Kings player just notched 40pts 12reb and 8ast, becoming the 12th guy in NBA history to do that. I'm not going below an A. Just waded through helpless Laker defenders and was our sun and moon tonight -- whenever he left, we just stopped. That said, enough warts to lose the "+", including early TOs, missed FTs, and what could have been a big oopsie on a late goaltend on a 3pt shot.

Koufos ( C+ ) -- ineffective numbers and what he got were a direct result of Cuz. But actually played some good backline defense during his minutes. Lack of offense meant he got chased by Lakers smallball.

McLemore ( B- ) -- went through stretches where he was absolutely still career-high hot from three, and it was a big help. But also had a number of decisionmaking errors, the worst of which was allowing a Lakers breakaway rather than catching his own ball for a travel. Defensive shakiness probably what gave Afflalo the late minutes instead.

Collison ( C ) -- I almost went lower, but the burden he is having to bear is going to keep his grades afloat until he has no excuses again. Started off the game helping Cuz, but ineffective without him, and near the end of half developed massive butterfingers. Got torched in the 4th by Lou Williams, and went through one of his unclutch TOfests as we tried to give the game away. Did hit one big wide open three. Missed another in the final minutes but Cuz saved us.

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Barnes ( B ) -- better than his numbers tonight. Came in in our dead quarter missing and missing his threes, but he showed some control as pretend-PG, got us a few hoops, and mostly gave us great hustle. Two huge offensive boards late were critical in saving our bacon as we once again were in a one-possession game.

Cauley Stein ( B- ) -- not terribly effective in the first half as the Lakers sat on his rolls, he regressed into passivity on the boards, and he showed little else on either end. But was very effective in his second half minutes, got rolls to the hoop from several people, knocked balls away for steals, and generally was much more lively and effective.

Tolliver ( C- ) -- made several really nice plays, including an unusually strong rebound for him, and an unusually competent post up over a smaller defender. But there just weren't enough of them. He missed his threes, wasn't on the glass otherwise, and his -17 in 19 minutes nearly countered Cuz's +19.

Richardson ( INC ) -- there has been some regression here. made one or two saavy plays, but mostly played like a rook during the quarter when we could not score, and never returned.
 
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#2
I don't know if anyone else mentioned this in the game thread, but a very key play occurred at the start of the 2nd half that may have aided the Kings holding on for the W.

Remember the Kings pressuring the inbound and catching the Lakers off guard thus forcing them to call a timeout before any time ran off the clock? Well, not having that timeout on the final possession likely cost the Lakers a much better shot attempt.

Well played Coach Joerger.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#3
I don't know if anyone else mentioned this in the game thread, but a very key play occurred at the start of the 2nd half that may have aided the Kings holding on for the W.

Remember the Kings pressuring the inbound and catching the Lakers off guard thus forcing them to call a timeout before any time ran off the clock? Well, not having that timeout on the final possession likely cost the Lakers a much better shot attempt.

Well played Coach Joerger.
They had a timeout. Their coach is just the son of a Deadhead.
 
#4
upload_2017-2-14_22-26-33.png

I honestly wonder if Westbrook can keep up this insane level of play to end the season. He HAS to be hurting right now! Regardless, we are right in this thing still after all the turmoil. Looks like we're hitting a bit of a stride while entering the easiest part of our schedule.
 
#6
They had a timeout. Their coach is just the son of a Deadhead.
My mistake, I thought Peaches said they had no timeouts. Still, nice move by Coach Joerger to start the half.

Boy what a moronic decision not to call a TO when you didn't gain possession off the missed FT until barely over 6 seconds remaining and the defender pressuring Lou Williams.

Dumb basketball.
 
#10
A tough fought win. I think we are really seeing the impact of Lawson's injury. He takes a ragtag bench squad, gets them to attack, often picking up the pace with DMC on the bench. It's a different look than the starting unit and very effective. With him injured, we just can't seem to keep things together when Cuz is not on the floor. I think with Lawson in this game we push the lead in the 4th and win going away.
 
#11
My mistake, I thought Peaches said they had no timeouts. Still, nice move by Coach Joerger to start the half.

Boy what a moronic decision not to call a TO when you didn't gain possession off the missed FT until barely over 6 seconds remaining and the defender pressuring Lou Williams.

Dumb basketball.
Nah! The tank commander was just doing his job. Thank you Luke Walton.
 
#13
They had a timeout. Their coach is just the son of a Deadhead.
Walton's announcing PAC-12 this year is almost continuous rumblings of a deranged man this year. Pure comedy!

View attachment 6418

I honestly wonder if Westbrook can keep up this insane level of play to end the season. He HAS to be hurting right now! Regardless, we are right in this thing still after all the turmoil. Looks like we're hitting a bit of a stride while entering the easiest part of our schedule.
Looking at standings on ESPN, where they have last 10, I noticed, that OKC is 4-6, but then looked through their schedule in last 10 - they are fine, unless they catch an injury bug.
 
#17
Demarcus is completely insane. I mean he just dropped 40-12-8 and I am sitting here, honestly asking myself whether he had a good game or not. Compared to the standard he sets night in and night out, going 2-7 from 3 and and 12-19 from the line is - in some crazy way - an off game for him now? This guy is a potential HOFer and unlike anything the NBA has ever seen. If we ever manage to get out of our own way as a franchise and start winning. Watch out NBA.
 
#18
My mistake, I thought Peaches said they had no timeouts. Still, nice move by Coach Joerger to start the half.

Boy what a moronic decision not to call a TO when you didn't gain possession off the missed FT until barely over 6 seconds remaining and the defender pressuring Lou Williams.

Dumb basketball.
If I'm not wrong the Lakers broadcast said they had 2 20s left
 
#19
Nice win against the Lakers. This would have been the classic let down game we usually have. Our bench struggled, Cousins had to save us and he did. Monster game. Everyone knows the other stats. But more impressive was Cousins being +19 and even tempered. McLemore was also impressive with +16. The Lakers gave us all they had. Nice win!
 
#20
Sweet Lou caught fire to make this game interesting and could have won it on that last shot, but he missed with Matt Barnes looming like a deranged barroom brawler:D

Boogie and the Fellas got the job done against that Lakers team. That Barnes pass from the high corner to the top of the key is being scouted and guys are leaping for it. Stolen the same way two games in a row. Put some mustard on it Matt!

Winning is fun and I am loving this team. Boogie said it best post game, "they don't always do things right but they fight every game."
 
#21
I thought Ben played much better defense than anyone else on Lou Williams. Was getting irritated at the end there watching him abuse Collison and Afflalo. Wish Joerger would have subbed Ben in there for defense alone. Other than that I thought Ben had another solid game. Tried to do a little too much and it became obvious with the dumb turnovers. Nearly every one of his passes and drives result in a turnover. They just need to get the guy 3 point shots the way they do for Tolliver and Barnes. Play to his strengths.

Cousins had some stupid plays early on but his play down the stretch (other than that goal tending) was awesome. He scored nearly every time he had the ball and he hit his free throws when they counted. He's had a lot of help from other guys the last few games but this game was won on his back.
 
#22
My mistake, I thought Peaches said they had no timeouts. Still, nice move by Coach Joerger to start the half.

Boy what a moronic decision not to call a TO when you didn't gain possession off the missed FT until barely over 6 seconds remaining and the defender pressuring Lou Williams.

Dumb basketball.
fwiw in the post-game coach Joerger said he would have done the same thing - not let the defense have time to plan for Lou Williams and just play it out. I thought we just did a great job of denying him a good look at the end, after we had been rolling out the red carpet for their 3 shooters all night.
 
#23
Im shocked Walton played Cousins how he did. Straight up most of the time and with guys like Black and Nance. If he had watched tape you probably throw someone like Luol Deng and have people swarming in around him and at the rim.
 
#24
Cousins is calm in victory.
I hate the Lakers almost as much as Golden State.
LA is a model for how to draft players that can help their team.
 
#25
fwiw in the post-game coach Joerger said he would have done the same thing - not let the defense have time to plan for Lou Williams and just play it out. I thought we just did a great job of denying him a good look at the end, after we had been rolling out the red carpet for their 3 shooters all night.
Normally, I'd agree. For all the reasons Walton stated -- not to allow the defense to set, because the ball was in the hands of the player they'd have drawn a play for anyway, etc.

However, I think the limited amount of time remaining and the fact that they didn't secure the rebound right away and had to go length of the court necessitated a timeout there. I'd say the same thing even had Lou Williams made that shot. I just don't believe it was a smart move given the circumstances.

IMO, the idea was ok until they lost 2-3 seconds gaining possession and then Williams had to retreat a few steps from Collison's pressure. Walton should have called the timeout at that point to gather and inbound in the front court w/ 4-5 seconds left. But he froze up and didn't recognize that it was turning into a rushed possession.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#26
Im shocked Walton played Cousins how he did. Straight up most of the time and with guys like Black and Nance. If he had watched tape you probably throw someone like Luol Deng and have people swarming in around him and at the rim.
That actually has become the book -- sacrifice an undersized PF to be the first line of defense, then save your center/shotblocker to lurk behind the play and come on over to block or alter the shots, and send quick doubles from other positions.

But there has always been two books about how to stop superstars. In Book 1, you load up to stop them, knowing it makes it easier for their open teammates. Book 2, you play them straight, let them get theirs, but stick with their teammates and assume they aren't going to beat you alone.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#27
LA is a model for how to draft players that can help their team.
You mean historically?

Because right now LA is a model of the dangers of assuming too much about a rebuild. A couple of years ago Peaches was screaming about trading Boogie for Russel and maybe Randle, and L.A. fans were all no no, that's giving up too much.

Wonder how they would feel now?

I absolutely believe in rebuilding tactics until you find that superstar, but there are absolutely no guarantees, and very few superstars to go around. Maybe more right now than we have seen in some time, but under any decent definition, probably still a dozen or less. Which given the length of guys' careers, means maybe 1 per draft on average. So you have to be THE single team to get the superstar this draft (obviously some drafts you get 2 or 3, some none at all). Its a hell of a crapshoot. Once you find one, you better hang on.
 
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hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#28
You mean historically?

Because right now LA is a model of the dangers of assuming too much about a rebuild. A couple of years ago Peaches was screaming about trading Boogie for Russel and maybe Randle, and L.A. fans were all no no, that's giving up too much.

Wonder how they would feel now?

I absolutely believe in rebuilding tactics until you find that superstar, but there are absolutely no guarantees, and very few superstars to go around. Maybe more right now than we have seen in some time, but under any decent definition, probably still a dozen or less. Which given the length of guy's careers, means maybe 1 per draft on average. So you have to be THE single team to get the superstar this draft (obviously some drafts you get 2 or 3, some none at all). Its a hell of a crapshoot. Once you find one, you better hang on.
That's cause "Peaches" wants Boogie gone. It was always a terrible deal for us. He'd probably try to talk us into a Plumlee brother and a late lotto pick as a good deal just to rid ourselves of Cuz's "cancerous" ways. I'm always going wish we have a high draft pick to find Boogie's wingman and push us from fringe playoff team to legit contender, but I'm considerably more optimistic now than I was two weeks ago. If Ben and Willie can contribute consistently we may actually have a team here.