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Not even LeBron James can save the hapless Lakers from themselves in humiliating loss to Celtics

Published

2 years ago

November 20, 2021

When LeBron James entered the game for his final stretch on Friday, his Los Angeles Lakers trailed the Boston Celtics by 11 points. This was hardly his fault. He was the only Laker with a positive point-differential at that moment. His team had won his minutes by four points … but lost the ones he missed by 15. This is standard LeBron protocol after 19 years. No player in NBA history has done more to lift underperforming teammates than James. An 11-point road comeback is old hat for him at this point. But one player can only do so much.

Three minutes later, he left the game with the Lakers trailing by 19. All told, the Lakers managed to turn a 14-point lead into a 22-point defeat. Such collapses have become commonplace this season. The Lakers blew a 26-point lead to the Thunder mere weeks ago, but LeBron’s return was supposed to prevent such embarrassments. James held up his end of the bargain. He managed to score 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting despite playing through an abdominal injury that just cost him eight games. But the Celtics helped expose a sobering truth about the team that he plays for, one that might never have been true for any other team for which he’s played. Not even LeBron James can save the Lakers from themselves.

The 8-9 Lakers are the first James team to be below .500 through 17 games since his rookie 2003-04 Cleveland Cavaliers. James was obviously absent for many of those games, but the primary value of acquiring Russell Westbrook was to prevent this exact situation. The Lakers were supposed to have two superstars capable of carrying them when James sat. They didn’t when he was hurt. They didn’t when he needed rest Friday. Of course, they didn’t really have a chance to. Frank Vogel’s bizarre rotations continue to kneecap the Lakers at every turn.

In James, Westbrook and Talen Horton-Tucker, the Lakers have three attackers at their best with the ball in their hands. Between the 3:54 and 1:56 marks of the first quarter, all three of them were on the bench while Rajon Rondo ran the offense. With Rondo on the floor this season, the Lakers have scored a paltry 97.2 points per 100 possessions. They predictably lost this stretch by two points. In the second quarter, he played a stretch with both James and Davis on the bench. The Lakers lost that one by another two points. These are inexcusable mistakes. Staggering is standard NBA procedure. It makes sense not to play minutes without at least one of your two best players on the floor. It makes sense to separate players with similar skill sets so you can make the most of what they bring to the table. The Lakers haven’t done that.

They’re not exactly making the most of their players even in the best alignments, though. Does it really make sense for James, Westbrook and Horton-Tucker to clear out while Avery Bradley works off of a dribble hand-off?

Late in the third quarter, the Lakers played nearly three minutes with James, Davis, and perhaps their three best shooters: Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington and Malik Monk. This is a lineup made for the James-Davis pick-and-roll that has been their late-game bread and butter over the past two seasons. The Lakers ran it once. On the other hand, they posted up twice in that span and used 14 total post-ups against the Celtics. No NBA team uses even nine per game, and most are below five. This is, again, common sense. They are an inefficient form of offense that bails out lumbering big men. Five of those post-ups came with Enes Kanter, maybe the worst pick-and-roll defender in the NBA, on the floor. That’s the one defensive skill he has. The Lakers didn’t tailor their game-plan to their opponent.

They didn’t tailor their roster to their superstars either. You know how you drop from No. 1 in defense to No. 18 in a single year? You get rid of all of your best point-of-attack defenders and entrust a 20-year-old with guarding the best opposing scorer. You know how you build a bench in which every player posts a negative plus-minus against your biggest rival? You devote two thirds of your roster spots to players making the minimum salary. You know how you hold yourself to 70 points in the last three quarters against that rival? You introduce a high-usage non-shooter into an ecosystem that relies on low-usage shooters.

Through 17 games, the Lakers have no discernible identity. The defense that won them the 2020 championship is gone. The transition attack Westbrook was supposed to spearhead has underwhelmed as the Lakers ranked second in pace entering Friday, but only eighth in fast-break points and 15th in points per possession in transition. Even when they roll out simplified lineups that facilitate the style that made them successful offensively over the past few years, they just can’t help but waste those possessions on the wrong kinds of shots.

James has lifted plenty of underwhelming teams to unfathomable heights. We’re talking about someone that made the Finals in nine consecutive healthy seasons. But those teams lacked talent. The Lakers lack something deeper. They lack cohesion. They lack common sense. Where James’ worst teams were once overcome by more talented foes, the Lakers are the team with the talent this time. It hasn’t mattered. They won’t get out of their own way. The Lakers are doing this to themselves, and not even LeBron James can overcome his opponent when his own team is standing in the way.

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Mike McDaniel Makes His Thoughts Clear About Dolphins’ Potential

Published

1 min ago

September 24, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

After picking up a resounding 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 3, the Miami Dolphins moved to 3-0 and are now the only remaining undefeated team in the AFC.

The Dolphins have looked like a team completely in rhythm, especially offensively as they dumped 726 yards of offense on the Broncos’ defense.

Mike McDaniels has to be happy with how his team has performed out of the gates of the 2023 NFL season as they look sharp and locked in every snap.

Miami was considered to be a Super Bowl hopeful coming into the season and there’s an argument to be made that they could be the outright favorite right now.

Even though Denver hasn’t been the most imposing team, to embarrass them the way they did should illustrate just how good Miami is.

The sky feels like the limit for this Dolphins squad and McDaniels doesn’t think any sort of ceiling should be placed on themselves via Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.

“Shame on us if we put a ceiling on what we’re capable of,” McDaniels said.

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel: “Shame on us if we put a ceiling on what we’re capable of.” pic.twitter.com/ecHoClwfHN
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 24, 2023

With Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill playing at the level they are, the offense will remain one of the most electric units in the league.

Couple that with their backfield tandem of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane and it’s hard to imagine any team being able to keep up with them on the scoreboard.

The defense has also shown signs of life, and if they’re able to do their job then there really aren’t many answers for the Dolphins.

Three weeks isn’t much of a sample size, but McDaniels has a point that there’s no telling what else this team is capable of.

The post Mike McDaniel Makes His Thoughts Clear About Dolphins’ Potential appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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Yankees lose to Diamondbacks, miss playoffs for first time since 2016

Published

5 mins ago

September 24, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, getting mathematically eliminated with a rainy 7-1 loss Sunday to the Arizona Diamondbacks as Zac Gallen got his 17th win.

Arizona (82-73) won for the sixth time in seven games and remained in position for the NL’s second wild card, a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs. The Diamondbacks also clinched their first winning season since 2019.

New York (78-77) was eliminated from contention with a week to play. The Yankees head on the road to Toronto and Kansas City is in danger of finishing with a losing record for the first time since 1992.

New York would have 85 wins if the Yankees finish 7-0. Baltimore (97 wins) and Tampa Bay (95) will split the AL East and the top wild card, and Toronto (87) is in position for the second wild card. Texas (86) could win the West or get a wild card in a race that includes Seattle (84) or Houston (85). Because the Astros and Mariners play three times in the final week, one must finish with more wins than the Yankees.

Gallen (17-8) allowed three hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked two. He won for the third time in four starts and had his fourth scoreless outing this season.

Tommy Pham and Christian Walker produced sacrifice flies on consecutive pitches in the first inning off Carlos Rodón (3-7) and that was enough for Gallen, who is second in wins, one behind Atlanta’s Spencer Strider.

Evan Longoria added a two-run single and Geraldo Perdomo had a sacrifice fly in Arizona’s three-run seventh following an error by New York left fielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a wild pitch by Randy Vásquez. Walker added an RBI groundout in the eighth and Gabriel Moreno hit an RBI double in the ninth.

The Yankees avoided getting shutout when Aaron Judge drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.

The game started about 50 minutes late and the rain never stopped. It grew heavier during the middle innings but lessened in the final innings.

Rodón allowed five runs — three earned — and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.

CALL A WEATHER FRIEND

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he was going to call Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore to get an update on the forecast.

Lovullo met Cantore in Atlanta when Arizona television play-by-play announcer Steve Berthiaume made the introduction.

“You get that, you got to take advantage of it,” Lovullo said before the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: 2B Ketel Marte (illness) was scratched from the original lineup.

Yankees: RHP Frankie Montas (right elbow) threw 25 pitches in two innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre Saturday and could be activated for the final week. A free agent after this season, Montas was 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games after being acquired from Oakland at last year’s trade deadline and has not pitched since Sept. 16, 2022. … C Jose Trevino (torn right wrist) said he plans to start hitting in a few weeks and should be ready for spring training. … OF Everson Pereira (hamstring) missed his ninth straight game.

UP NEXT

Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (12-7, 3.37 ERA) opposes New York RHP Clarke Schmidt (9-9, 4.65) Monday afternoon in the makeup of Saturday’s postponed game.

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Robert Saleh Makes Clear Statement On Zach Wilson After Loss

Published

9 mins ago

September 24, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The New York Jets have tried to remain even-keeled since Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles tear, but it might be time for them to start panicking after another loss.

Coming off an embarrassing defeat against the Dallas Cowboys, the Jets looked more competitive against the New England Patriots in Week 3.

New York was in a position to win the game late, but unfortunately fell short and would suffer their second loss of the season.

Zach Wilson has been starting for the team and he had another uninspiring performance as he only completed half of his pass attempts for 157 yards and no touchdowns.

Robert Saleh opted to try and run the ball more in order to protect Wilson, but with the Jets trailing he had no choice but to let the signal caller try and win the game.

The noise is only growing louder for New York to find another quarterback, but Saleh reiterated his confidence in Wilson via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.

“Zach Wilson gives us the best chance to win,” Saleh said.

Robert Saleh: Zach Wilson gives us the best chance to win. https://t.co/4AXEjm3vx6
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 24, 2023

There were rumors that New York was going to look around the trade market or free agency to bolster the quarterback room, but for now it seems like Saleh will continue rolling with Wilson despite his struggles on the field.

At 1-2, though, the Jets still have a chance to make up ground and get back into the playoff mix though it’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to do that so long as Wilson remains under center.

Week 4 could be the last straw as New York draws the Kansas City Chiefs.

The post Robert Saleh Makes Clear Statement On Zach Wilson After Loss appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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