BULLS TOO MUCH ON THE GLASS FOR LOS ANGELES as the YOUNG LAKERS Take a Hit on their Home Court:
The Los Angeles Lakers Power Forwards may have said it best Sunday night after the loss to the visiting Chicago Bulls:
"We Got Bullied on the Glass." _ Larry Nance Jr.
Junior had a career-high 18 points, many of which were of high-fly variety, as he grabbed oop passes and put-backs for dunks.
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| 18 on the clock and 18 Points for Nance Jr (Career High) |
"We didn't guard anybody tonight...Coach said we can shoot the ball real well, we just didn't guard anybody.. Jimmy went crazy" _Julius Randle
"Jimmy Went Crazy," Indeed:
Jimmy Buckets went to the line on four occasions alone in the first quarter. He was 7 of 8 for a total of 14 points to end the quarter. The ridiculously hot hand of Lou Williams kept the Lakers close. Lou's inspired play included a clutch buzzer-beating three to end the first quarter tied with Chicago. Lou went cray as well: 25 points, 8-14 FG, 5-6 3pt, 4-6 Fts.
Highlights of A Nance Jr Dunk and Lou's buzzer-beating 3
The Bulls "JB" ended the game with 40 on 14 of 23 shooting (only 1 attempted 3) and 12-14 from the charity stripe. The Bulls were 20/28 as compared to the Lakers 15/21 from the line.
"We set the tone with our Fouls.." _Luke Walton
Butler was aggressive early going right at D'Angelo Russell and his "wounded knee." D'Angelo was attempting to "play through" the sore knee he woke up to Friday that prevented him from playing then.
"This is what separates great players from the rest." _ Antawn Jamison
"You're going to have nagging injuries. You might have some tendinitits or something, but at some point you're gonna have to learn to play through it."_James Worthy
Russell may have thought he was doing the team a "service" by playing through the injury but in reality this may have been one of the biggest mistakes of the game. In fairness to the young guard, no one on the Lakers was slowing Butler down.
"D'AngeRUSS" was 3-11 FG, 2-9 3pt.
Clarkson was 1-12 FG, 1-3 from 3.
And, as a Team, the Lakers were giving up way too many second chance points. They got out-rebounded by the Bulls 56-37. Many of those "rebounds" were "Fifty-Fifty" Balls the Lakers had chances to grab but were either out of position or lacked the effort to capture.
Surprising Stat of the Game:
TURNOVERS. The Lakers had 10 versus 16 by the Bulls
This IS a young team and this IS a process. But, like any young team and as Coach Walton has been preaching since the Summer, "it ALL starts with defense."
There were glimpses of "pretty basketball" however..
Lower body, ie "leg workouts" like lunge work will not only strengthen any problematic knees they will help with the jumpers and all around defense. The individual is going to have to put the effort in to be great however.
This young season's perhaps most difficult test is upcoming. With two losses in a row, on their home court to boot, and OKC coming to the house it will be interesting to see how ALL these Lakers respond.
