Lakers need to finish 5-2 to hang onto Western Conference #8 Seed

April 5, 2013 Leave a comment

With the Lakers dominating 101-81 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, the fight for the West’s coveted #8 seed is now essentially a two-horse race between the Lakers and Utah.

With the loss Dallas falls two games behind the Lakers in the loss column, but because the Lakers won the tie-breaker it is actually a three-game lead. After losing to Denver Thursday, the Mavs would have to go 7-0 the rest of the way and hope the Lakers stumble to 3-4 to overtake L.A. Not happening.

Golden Nugget: Denver beats Utah, helps out Lakers

The Lakers chances of making the 2013 NBA Playoffs significantly improved Wednesday night when the Denver Nuggets beat the Jazz in Utah. It was a game the Lakers needed Utah to lose, as the Jazz have 3 remaining games with lowly New Orleans and Minnesota (twice) still on their schedule.

The Lakers now own a half game advantage over Utah for that eighth and final playoff spot with seven games remaining on their schedule. The Jazz still have a tough home game with possible first-round opponent Oklahoma City coming up, as well as road tests at Golden State and Memphis.

Utah has it much easier down the stretch than the Lakers. While the Lakers play all but one of their remaining games at Staples Center, they face much tougher opponents. Given Utah’s favorable schedule, that game against the Grizzlies to close the regular season could decide who get the #8 seed in the West.

Home Cookin’: Projecting the Lakers final seven games

Make no mistake about it Lakers fans– the season was on the line Tuesday night when L.A. and Dallas squared off. Had the Lakers lost that game, it’s likely that either the Jazz or the Mavs would have grabbed that eighth and final playoff spot.

With that huge win and Utah’s loss to Denver, the Lakers most likely need to go 5-2 down the stretch to make the playoffs. This is assuming that the Jazz lose two of the three following games: at Golden State, vs. Oklahoma City, at Memphis. There’s a good chance they do just that.

The Lakers need the Oklahoma City thunder to beat the Jazz in Utah

The Lakers need the Oklahoma City thunder to beat the Jazz in Utah next week.

The Lakers need to win their home games against New Orleans, Golden State and Houston. If they can’t win those games, they probably don’t deserve to make the playoffs. They also need to find a way to win at Portland, second night of a back-to-back after the Hornets game. It will be the Lakers’ last chance to win both sides of a back-to-back so the pressure is on.

If they win those four games, the Lakers could go 1-2 against their toughest remaining opponents: vs. Memphis, at L.A. Clippers and vs. San Antonio. Given that all three of those games are at Staples Center, the Lakers might even be able to steal two out of three.

This sets up a wild weekend in Los Angeles as the Lakers almost certainly have to win one of their two games against the Grizzlies or Clippers or risk missing the playoffs altogether.

Filed under LAKERS BLOG, SEASON Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

LAL @ SA preview: Kobeless Lakers battle bad-to-bone Spurs

April 11, 2012 Leave a comment

In a possible Western Conference Finals preview, the Kobe-less Los Angeles Lakers travel to San Antonio to take on the red-hot Spurs. This is the first of three meetings in the next two weeks between the rivals and will help dictate playoff positioning. Here are 4 pregame story lines for tonight’s game:

No Mamba Snakes in San Antonio

It’s true, there are no Black Mambas in San Antonio, Texas. In case Lakers fans haven’t heard, Kobe Bryant will miss his third straight game tonight against the Spurs with a painful shin injury. Alas, there will be no Willis Reed-like entrance for Kobe from the tunnel just before tip-off as Coach Mike Brown has already ruled Bryant out for the game. Unfortunately for Lakers fans, all-stars Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are all expected to play after sitting out a game Monday to rest. The Spurs are red-hot, winners of 11 straight before losing to Utah without their studs so the Lakers will need to come to play.

Fishing for an Identity without Kobe

Even with Kobe in the lineup, the Lakers have not looked like the same team lately. Last week they lost to an inferior Houston Rockets team at home, a game in which Bryant played but Bynum got ejected in. The Lakers followed that up with a blowout loss in Phoenix and a win in New Orleans in which they needed a 15-2 run in the 4th quarter just to pull out a 2-point victory. Without Kobe in the lineup and no Derek Fisher to save them in 0.4 seconds, the Lakers will need to find team chemistry fast or Lakers fans can expect another Phoenix-like blowout.

Derek Fisher, 0.4, 0.4 shot, Fisher Spurs, Fisher Spurs shot

Maybe the greatest shot of all-time. Maybe the Lakers shouldn't have traded D-Fish...

Big Men + Big Bench = Big Win

If the Lakers have any chance of beating the Spurs, their all-star big men will have to dominate the older, slower Tim Duncan inside. Pau Gasol has played well in Kobe’s absence and will have to stay aggressive, while enigmatic Andrew Bynum needs to just play defense, rebound and shut his mouth. The Lakers will also need more than single digit points from their bench tonight to match up with arguably the best bench in the NBA this season. Solid efforts from Matt Barnes, Troy Murphy and particularly Steve Blake will be essential tonight for a Lakers victory.

Birthday Sessions for Ramon

Other than the Lakers’ twin towers and bench output, the final x-factor tonight will be birthday boy Ramon Sessions. On his 26th birthday, Sessions will have his hands full with legit MVP candidate Tony Parker. While Parker has the rings and the experience, Sessions at this age is faster and hopefully can drop 26 points on his 26th birthday while making sure the Lakers control tempo.

Lakers fans, do the Lakers have a shot tonight without the Black Mamba? What will the final score of the game be?

 

Hunter23 contributed to this article.

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Sessions with Ramon – Lakers Coach Brown down to start Sessions

March 23, 2012 1 Comment

It’s Friday Lakers fans…who’s down for some Sessions? I’ll tell you who, Lakers Head Coach Mike Brown! Coach Brown has finally decided to start Sessions at Staples Center on this fine Friday evening and Lakers fans couldn’t be happier.

Here’s how the conversation probably went down today at Lakers practice:

Coach Mike Brown: “Ramon, please sit.”
Ramon Sessions: “Sure Coach, what is it?”
Coach Mike Brown: “I’m gonna get you high today.”
Ramon Sessions: “Excuse me?”
Coach Mike Brown: “You heard me. I’m gonna start you today.”
Ramon Sessions: “Okay. Why?”
Coach Mike Brown: “‘Cuz it’s Friday, Steve Blake ain’t earned the job, and you ain’t got shit to do. And we’re playing the ‘Blazers’!”
Ramon Sessions: “I’m ready Coach.”

And with that conversation begins the Ramon Sessions starting point guard era. Lakers fans have a right be excited, as Sessions in the starting lineup gives the Lakers a legitimate shot at winning the 2012 NBA championship.

‘Top Ramon’ Sessions: Instant Noodles, Instant Offense

Since being traded to Los Angeles for Luke Walton and Jason Kapono, Sessions has provided instant offense off the bench at a previously-weak point guard position for the Lakers. In just four games with the team, Sessions has already been filling up the stat sheet including a 17 point, 5 rebound & 9 assist explosion against the defending champion Mavericks on Wednesday night. I love Derek Fisher, but I’m not sure D-Fish scored 17 points all season. Lakers fans had already been calling for Coach Brown to start Sessions, going as far as using Twitter (#startsessions) to get the message out.

Ramon Sessions, Lakers, Lakers trade, startsessions

Nothing like starting Sessions on a Friday Lakers fans...

Ramon eager to get in Plays and Film Sessions

Sessions has been eager to learn the playbook since being traded to the Lakers during the NBA trade deadline. Upon learning of the deal, he reportedly e-mailed Lakers assistant coach Chuck Person to learn a few plays right away before arriving in Los Angeles. After the Lakers beat up the Mavericks on Wednesday 109-93 in Dallas, Sessions used his off-day to come to the Lakers facility with a handful of coaches to absorb as much of the playbook as possible. His work ethic and determination along with his stellar play has payed off quickly as Coach Mike Brown will start Ramon Sessions at point guard tonight against the Portland Trailblazers.

Lakers fans, do you think Ramon Sessions starting at point guard makes the Lakers a legitimate contender for the NBA championship?

Filed under SEASON Tagged with , , , , , ,

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