Lakers are .500: A re-cap of the 3-3 start, Jim Buss might be right and the Phoenix Suns Tonight

     Well this "that season" for the Lakers.  This is the so called year that Jim Buss was referring to when he said that if the Lakers were not in contention in three or four years that he would step down.  This chatter started to change a bit last year during the Lakers all-time worst season.

D'Angelo Russell (1), one of the rewards of the Lakers past dismal seasons showing he does have "Ice in his veins."

Speaking of (worst seasons and such..)

     It is interesting to see, hear and read all the so-called pundits, experts and analysts that rank players and teams in the preseason.  I believe the consensus was that the Lakers would finish last in the Western Conference this season. Uhhhhh.... what?  Where were YOU LAST SEASON?!

Many, if not all of us, believed the Lakers would "better" their record last season from the 21 wins of 2014-15 right?  Well, the Lakers had another one of those "top 3 protected" picks that they did not have a chance at unless they were amongst the last rungs of the NBA ladder.


 The Lakers were BETTER than their 21 win AND their 17 win records indicate in my opinion.  
But, in the words of a long-time Lakers Season Ticket Holder I sat next to last season vs Memphis at Staples (1 of the few games Kobe "sat out"),

"We Want the Pick.."

The Lakers GOT THEIR PICK in Brandon Ingram (14) shown here firing one off in Lakers Summer

     Soooo, say or think what you want but A) there were at least 13 games of horrible coaching with respect to line-up moves and situations and B) T....t...t...t...Taaaaank syndrome seemed to set in every now and again so that the race to the bottom remained in tact.  One of the bottom dwellers last season is the team the Lakers face tonight (6:30 pm PST), the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers "edged" Phoenix and the Celtics out for number 2 and went with Ingram.  The Suns took Dragan Bender, a 7'1 ish shooting guard at number 4.  You heard me.  

The reason why Bender "handles the ball so well" is because he has played a lot of point guard.  And, dude likes to shoot from the perimeter.  Not to say he has no inside game to speak of but he looks to be most suited and comfortable at guard and this is where the Suns played him during the summer where we saw him guarding wing players like Jaylen Brown.

Dragan Bender (35) "guards" Jaylen Brown (9), 2016 picks 4 and 3 respectively.  At 7'1" Bender is a perimeter player.

      The Suns are "guard heavy" and one of those guards is perhaps the best shooter of the 2015 draft, Devin Booker.  Booker is averaging 19.8 thus far.  Eric Bledsoe, who the Suns acquired* in an off-season trade in 2013, is at 17.2 and Brandon Knight is averaging 13.2 points and leads the team with 5 assists.  Knight was acquired in another three team deal* in the 2015 off-season.

Devin Booker (1) might be the best shooter of the 2015 draft, taken 13th.  Let's see what D'Angelo and the Lakers D says

     These guards are all good and they are all fast.  Their second-round draft pick, Tyler Ulis (Kentucky), AND their top pick (Bender) are not really seeing the floor thus far.  The Lakers had their chance at Ulis but went with Zubac instead at number 32.  And, what a pick. 



The caveat for Zubac this season will be

Ivica Zubac: Second Round Gold again for Lakers

opportunity as the Lakers have a pretty full deck.  Look to possibly see Zubac pull "Clarkson-Like" double- duty with the DFenders and Lakers this season.  That being said, once Ivica has the right opportunity, ie "PT" Playing Time we may see that the Lakers scored the best big in the last draft.  He is a skilled big and a ball-hawk defender that in time will tally the blocks for the purple and gold.


Lakers 3-3 Roller-Coaster Re-Cap:

After game one (a Lakers Victory):  The Lakers will go 82-0!

After going 1 and 3 (prior to the Atlanta Game) "If they don't win tonight, I don't know WHEN they will get another "double u."

After beating Atlanta and GSW to go 3-3:

The Lakers will win the championship in 2017!

Well, if that last remark is true or if the Lakers are in contention this season that would make Jim Buss correct and safe in his position of management.  Bitter-Sweet?

So, I like the Lakers in tonight's matchup and not because they have played well all season, nor because they have beaten the A-T-L and GS dubs in the last two, but because their roster is a better roster than the Suns.

This is home turf and Luke Walton has his young team focused and poised on D-Fending Staples.  

Tonight will be a great test of the defense and maturity of the Lakers.

But, who is going to guard Randle?

 And as far as Jim Buss is concerned?  

At some point is there credit where credit is due?

Ingram (14), Nance Jr. (7) and Russell (1) all seem to be shining bright and so does Lakers Brass