A Second Two In A Row For Lakers
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 10:42 pm
Emphatic 40 Point Blowout Is Key Victory For Lakers
Shabazz Napier has impressed his first two games in purple and gold
Tension perfumed the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room before their most recent home game against the Denver Nuggets. This was the most critical contest of the season. A team fighting for a playoff spot, they'd been just 3-10 at the Staples Center, with a 7-6 away mark. Awaiting them were their bitterest archrivals, a feud ignited by a war of words between their respective front offices and exacerbated by the Nuggets' high profile summer chase of cult and hometown hero DeMar DeRozan two years ago. The Lakers won when Denver finally tired of waiting and pulled their offer, but the acrimony bubbled on. That they were two of the teams, along with Pacific squads Golden State and the other Los Angeles franchise, hunting for that postseason invite.. well, that just put even more pressure on.
It was also the dawn of a new system, something never before seen that shocked everyone familiar with even the most basic tenets of Jestorball - an ideology that preached length and intensity. For tonight, the crowd would hear the words, "At shooting guard, standing 6 feet even and 175 lbs... Shabazz Naaaaaaapiiiiiiiiiiiiier!" But the weight of the historical moment didn't appear to faze the newest Laker as he pulled out his earbuds to answer a question.
"No, I'm not nervous. Nervous is when you play for Minnesota, and the GM wanders the arena during practice shouting 'Trade! Trade!' every day. I'm excited, actually. This is a great group of guys and they're really building something fun here. I've been really lucky in my career so far, getting the chance to play for two smart teams, and I loved hearing what Coach said about their honing my game. That's not something you get in Minnesota, where you're drilled in system, system, system. I've seen what this team does for guys' careers - DeMar, Giannis, and now hopefully me."
Napier's first game was a resounding success - hitting 8 of 9 shots, his only miss one of his 3 point attempts, for 18 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals - in a road win over the Thunder. He also played elite defense against Terry Rozier, holding him to 4 of 13 shooting. However, the Player of the Game honors went to DeMar DeRozan with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals playing next to McConnell.
But this game, DeRozan won't even be in the starting lineup. He's slotted as the 6th man, playing, much as he has throughout this season, three positions, and getting starter-level minutes in doing so. At the locker across from McConnell's, the Lakers' most loved player is laughing at teasing from his teammates at coming off the bench.
"It's happened every place I've played. Start off a starter, then moved to the bench. It's all good though, you know? Because when that happens, it means that we're winning. And I'm like a 6th starter when you think about it. So I'm okay. Get us to the playoffs, and it's all good, man. We're a team. Not like McFuckits, needing to ride Paul George's coattails to have any success."
Head coach Terry Stotts gathers the team shortly before warmups to deliver his pregame message. "I want you to go out there and punch those bastards in the mouth from the get go. We're won the last five quarters we've played (Ed. Note - The Lakers won the last period in a close home loss to the Celtics before sweeping the Thunder in OKC.), so let's get out there and take command of this from the beginning."
And so the message was received, the Purple and Gold routing the hated Nuggets by 40 points and executing a second straight all game sweep - making it nine quarters in a row they've won. Denver shot just 32.1% and made only 1 of their 10 three point attempts. Leading the charge on offense, DeMar DeRozan in that 6th starter role, racking up 28 points and 2 steals for his second straight Player of the Game showing. Shabazz Napier impressed again - a 12 point, 10 assist, 6 rebound outing with just 1 turnover. Nik Stasukas rattled off 21 points, and Giannis "The Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo, as he has all year long, made plays everywhere for 22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks against Denver's lone legitimate star, Josh Smith.
With the win and Golden State's two losses, the Lakers have climbed back to within a game of the 8 seed. Recordswise, Denver, the two L.A. teams, and Golden State are all in play for the last spot, though with the rumored Day 60 revamp of the Red and White, many are, just as they did in preseason, tipping the Clippers to ascend from the bottom of the Pacific and grab third place and playoffs by season's end.
But the Lakers aren't simply sitting on their current roster. Sources say the front office has reached out to numerous teams regarding trading for a superstar, turning the surplus of young talent and picks into a Tier 1 player to make the true focal point. "If we get it done, that's great," said one insider on condition of anonymity. "If we don't, that's fine too - we're still in position to find a big man heir for Omer Asik in the draft and then pursue a superstar via free agency next summer once Asik and Jimmer Fredette's contracts expire."
Shabazz Napier has impressed his first two games in purple and gold
Tension perfumed the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room before their most recent home game against the Denver Nuggets. This was the most critical contest of the season. A team fighting for a playoff spot, they'd been just 3-10 at the Staples Center, with a 7-6 away mark. Awaiting them were their bitterest archrivals, a feud ignited by a war of words between their respective front offices and exacerbated by the Nuggets' high profile summer chase of cult and hometown hero DeMar DeRozan two years ago. The Lakers won when Denver finally tired of waiting and pulled their offer, but the acrimony bubbled on. That they were two of the teams, along with Pacific squads Golden State and the other Los Angeles franchise, hunting for that postseason invite.. well, that just put even more pressure on.
It was also the dawn of a new system, something never before seen that shocked everyone familiar with even the most basic tenets of Jestorball - an ideology that preached length and intensity. For tonight, the crowd would hear the words, "At shooting guard, standing 6 feet even and 175 lbs... Shabazz Naaaaaaapiiiiiiiiiiiiier!" But the weight of the historical moment didn't appear to faze the newest Laker as he pulled out his earbuds to answer a question.
"No, I'm not nervous. Nervous is when you play for Minnesota, and the GM wanders the arena during practice shouting 'Trade! Trade!' every day. I'm excited, actually. This is a great group of guys and they're really building something fun here. I've been really lucky in my career so far, getting the chance to play for two smart teams, and I loved hearing what Coach said about their honing my game. That's not something you get in Minnesota, where you're drilled in system, system, system. I've seen what this team does for guys' careers - DeMar, Giannis, and now hopefully me."
Napier's first game was a resounding success - hitting 8 of 9 shots, his only miss one of his 3 point attempts, for 18 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals - in a road win over the Thunder. He also played elite defense against Terry Rozier, holding him to 4 of 13 shooting. However, the Player of the Game honors went to DeMar DeRozan with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals playing next to McConnell.
But this game, DeRozan won't even be in the starting lineup. He's slotted as the 6th man, playing, much as he has throughout this season, three positions, and getting starter-level minutes in doing so. At the locker across from McConnell's, the Lakers' most loved player is laughing at teasing from his teammates at coming off the bench.
"It's happened every place I've played. Start off a starter, then moved to the bench. It's all good though, you know? Because when that happens, it means that we're winning. And I'm like a 6th starter when you think about it. So I'm okay. Get us to the playoffs, and it's all good, man. We're a team. Not like McFuckits, needing to ride Paul George's coattails to have any success."
Head coach Terry Stotts gathers the team shortly before warmups to deliver his pregame message. "I want you to go out there and punch those bastards in the mouth from the get go. We're won the last five quarters we've played (Ed. Note - The Lakers won the last period in a close home loss to the Celtics before sweeping the Thunder in OKC.), so let's get out there and take command of this from the beginning."
And so the message was received, the Purple and Gold routing the hated Nuggets by 40 points and executing a second straight all game sweep - making it nine quarters in a row they've won. Denver shot just 32.1% and made only 1 of their 10 three point attempts. Leading the charge on offense, DeMar DeRozan in that 6th starter role, racking up 28 points and 2 steals for his second straight Player of the Game showing. Shabazz Napier impressed again - a 12 point, 10 assist, 6 rebound outing with just 1 turnover. Nik Stasukas rattled off 21 points, and Giannis "The Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo, as he has all year long, made plays everywhere for 22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks against Denver's lone legitimate star, Josh Smith.
With the win and Golden State's two losses, the Lakers have climbed back to within a game of the 8 seed. Recordswise, Denver, the two L.A. teams, and Golden State are all in play for the last spot, though with the rumored Day 60 revamp of the Red and White, many are, just as they did in preseason, tipping the Clippers to ascend from the bottom of the Pacific and grab third place and playoffs by season's end.
But the Lakers aren't simply sitting on their current roster. Sources say the front office has reached out to numerous teams regarding trading for a superstar, turning the surplus of young talent and picks into a Tier 1 player to make the true focal point. "If we get it done, that's great," said one insider on condition of anonymity. "If we don't, that's fine too - we're still in position to find a big man heir for Omer Asik in the draft and then pursue a superstar via free agency next summer once Asik and Jimmer Fredette's contracts expire."