Lady Luck kind to Lakers in Vegas: The ice in D'Angelo Russell's veins too much for Ben Simmons and the 76ers

      It seemed as though the Lakers may have been suffering from a little Hangover effect Saturday night as no one could hit a shot, make a pass, or defend the hoop.

The Lakers may have been a little drunk on their success 

Friday Night as they face Ben Simmons and a 76ers squad

that is much tougher than New Orleans.  

     The first half of basketball, between the Los Angeles Lakers and 76ers, is something that I am sure everyone would like to forget.

Especially the Sixers.

Philadelphia played three games in the Utah Summer League, had a day of rest, a  30-25 Halftime advantage, a 16 point lead in the third quarter and they managed to lose to the Lakers by one point.

A similar back-forth happened between these two teams in last summer's match which featured picks two (D'Angelo) and three (Okafor).  This year it was about 1 v 2.




Ben Simmons enters the building and it is only a matter of time before BOOS rain down when Bennie's mug is plastered on the Jumbo Screen.  Speaking of elephants in a room, Jim Buss was there again and was seated at his center-court position, again, right across from the Lakers Bench.  Simmons got more Booos Saturday night but, ahem, ESPN/NBA TV did not show Jimbo on the screen like they did twice in game one.

All Eyes were on Ben and Brandon (picks 1 and 2)

Simmons looked good though.  He almost had a quadruple double (7 Turn-Overs).  His vision, speed and passing dominated.  Many of those turn-overs are acceptable due his having the ball a majority of the time and in some cases his teammates are ill-prepared for his passes.  He found them often for 8 assists.  His "back-court" mate (yes, Simmons started at the "4" but really played point guard) T.J McConnell led the Sixers with 12 points, including an end-to-end layup past D'Angelo Russell that put his team up by one with 1.8 seconds left.  D'Angelo admitted to being schooled on that play.  He was.  And did.  D'Angelo has a lot of work to do with his feet and defensive positioning.

But, if it wasn't for D'Angelo Russell's performance down-the-stretch, the Sixers walk away with their forst victory in Vegas rather then the Lakers being 2-0.  It was the first of TWO Larry Nance Jr.'s skying statuesque dunks that may have had Steve Wynn looking out from his penthouse suite wondering why the ground was shaking.


"LARR-EEE... LARR-EEE... LARR-EEE..."

The LARRY chants kicked in after this thunderous dunk, but fans also greeted LARRY with the chant earlier in the game when Nance Jr. air-balled his first attempt from the field.

Respect.  So EPIC.  THIS is WHY you COME.  THIS is why you drive some 5:35 hours (Trafiic) and risk bumper-to-bumper bullshit traffic on the 15 freeway on a sweaty Sunday Night.  This is shit that television cannot bring you.  Larry Nance Jr. Reminded US of Larry Nance, his father, chills ran down our spines and the crowd noise and energy was off the chain.

Larry Nance Jr. threw done two Giant Hammers on the 76ers that were reminiscent of his father (shown here).  Juniors energy (13 pts, 7 steals, 4 blocks, 8 board) propelled the Young Lakers to their second victory.  Brought chills down my spine.

Lakers begin waking UP (I was hoping that someone gave these Lolly-Gaggin Lakers some Red Bulls and Vodka for their Hangover).

Nance has another tomahawk slam.

The crowd erputs.  If you left during that strecth, like homie and home girl in fron of us, then you missed out on the best dunks of the game and D'Angelo had begun dropping bombs from the outside.

At one point, during the Fourth Quarter,  a fan on the big screen mimicked D'Angelo Russell, mouthed, "I have Ice in my veins" several times all while pointing down to his left forearm.  Russell was definitely cool under pressure hitting essentially two game-winning shots to edge Philly at the wire: 22 points on 3-9 3PT field goals and he is on record as saying in conclusion, post-game with J.A. Adande, "I played like shit!" D'Angelo ends the game, from deep, and the ice water floweth.  Without Nance tearing it up on both sides of the ball, however, the Lakers have no chance for Loading to win the game at the end.

 

D"Angelo Russell showing fans and teammates something this season.  More than anything, Mr. Russell is accepting responsibility for his play.  He is being accountable and understands he has a ways to go.  Meanwhile, D'Angelo beasted down-the-stretch with inspired play of his own dropping in 4 of 5 late for his Lakers to get the dub.  And, even if this TEAM was drunk on the champagne of their own success and adrenaline that happens from all of the deserved excitement that fans out here in Vegas got to see.

Other Notes (Jibber-Jabber and opinion fodder of another kind:

TJ McConnell went schoolyard out here and dribbled ALL OVER the floor..  These Lakers, who were swarming Buddy Hield and the Pelicans one night earlier, could not stop Ben Simmons and McConnell from driving all over.  Zubac seemed sluggish but eventually drains two key buckets in the fourth that the team desperately needed.  Auguste had ANOTHER nice game and compliments this team/core very well.  I would like to see Auguste gets chance with the Varsity squad if he continues to play ball like this.

McConnell needs to be on a roster (if he is not already)

Ben Simmons sliced and diced very much like LeBron does cutting through the lane and finding people for sick dump passes.  Yes.. he is good.  Scout: Shut him down on the perimeter; do not let him roam free; take away his passing lanes/ options.  Force Simmons to be a post.  When he is posted assume pass.  His post offense is weakest.

D'Angelo/Nance?Brown maturing nicely with rookies Ingram and Zubac.  Zubac has better game of the two, again, and may not have been in towards the end due to an eye injury he suffered down the stretch.  Even though he, Ingram and the rest did not play as well as they did in game one, they rallied and willed themselves to a win.

Epic performance: