labronzoblog

[labronzoblog]

Welcome to the Brandon Ingram Show

I’ve always considered minor injuries early in the season as opportunities for growth but this one leaves my palms in a cold and clammy sweat. As you probably already know, Lebron suffered a groin strain during the Warriors game Christmas Day. He’s listed as day-to-day but we all know those kinds of injuries rival some of Loki’s best tricks. He might think it’s good one day and give it a go and but then suffer a few setbacks and then next thing you know the season has already ended like a Thanos snap. I know, I know, I’m being overly pessimistic, but it’s just my defense mechanism keeping the purple and gold in me from bleeding out into a flat line.

Enter Ingram, the interim #1 guy. I’m kind of excited, to tell you the truth. We haven’t really seen what Brandon can do without Lebron this season yet, and we know he’s worked so hard during the off-season as per his Instagram workout videos. It’s funny, those clips really keep us engaged year-round where in the past we were left in the dark for the most part after the playoffs were over. Anyway, I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Ingram’s signature spaghetti finishes around the rim and some of that sweet-sweet midrange game he’s inherited from Kobe and the other greats who preceded before him, which is definitely a lost art among the new school 3-point-Curry-NBA.

Projected Ingram stat averages while James is out: 24pts/6rebs/4asts/1stls/0.8blks

It will be up to Brandon and company to keep the Lakers in playoff position while James misses an unknown number of games, a very important task for a very young group of individuals. We’re only 2.5 games back from the 1 seed but also only 2 games away from being ousted the top 8 altogether. I know Kuzma will continue his stellar December play, but what we really need is for Lonzo and Hart to step up with some concrete production to keep us breathing above water.

And hopefully no more “pops” this season unless it’s the sound of champagne being opened in June to celebrate some beautiful marriage, or better yet, a championship. Cheers.

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A Worthy Swap for a Superstar?

With Ingram out these next few games, and of course, Rondo’s hand still in the shop, we now find our Big Baller Lonzo Ball thrusted back into a leadership position, something we haven’t seen since his UCLA and Chino Hills days.

With his recent dunk going viral and the words “Lonzo… bringing the SMOKE…” reverberating worldwide throughout ESPN’s channels and various social media outlets, it’s safe to say he’s finally turned an aggressive corner. I’ve said before he’s been knocking on the door of his potential, but I think, now, he’s ready to show his ugly ass mug in front of the peephole.

Situations like these are where diamonds are discovered, where the gold shines and the purple veins reign. Here in LA we’ve been due for a tectonic shift. Look for Lonzo to be more immersed in games, with the offense actually running through him, especially with the 2nd unit. This is the kind of shakeup we needed, and thankfully it’s happening this early in the season. An invaluable opportunity for growth. 

Stat predictions while Ingram is out:

18pts/9asts/6rebs/2stls/1blk (EDIT: maybe I was being too ambitious with the points average lol)

After this 3-4 game stretch Lonzo’s trade stock will undoubtedly be at an all-time high, peaking timely with December 15th looming, when the free agent trade restriction will be lifted. I’ve always thought Lonzo’s our must-keep piece out of our young core, and I still keep that same energy, but he’s also years from his prime and Lebron’s turning 34 before the New Year. And if we have a chance to trade for the Unibrowed Superstar... I honestly don’t know how I’d feel about it. Hopefully it’s not him to go, though, because I really don’t want to have to change the name of this blog. 

Haha, let’s get this W tonight.

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The #2 Pick That Was Promised

Lonzo has been knocking on the door of his potential as of late, and it’s goddamn beautiful to watch. His numbers won’t always show the effect he has on games, but there’s no doubt BOTH ends of the floor are markedly improved when he’s being aggressive. He’s already flexing defense good enough to compete for an individual accolade at season’s end, especially if the Lakers finish as a top seed. And his 3pt shooting has finally resurfaced back from his UCLA days and is respectfully serviceable. Teams who sleep on him from deep will now pay the Big Baller Brand price.

But let’s stop here for a moment. I’d like to thank Rajon Rondo for his sacrificial injury, a blessing in disguise so Lonzo can play a little more freely. It’s funny, this is the exact role I wanted to see Rondo in, mentoring Lonzo from the bench without taking a single minute from him. There’s been numerous reports saying Lonzo likes Rondo getting in his ear to piss him off—effectively motivating him, which is exactly what Lavar, the most hated father in all of sports, did to push his son to get to this level in the first place. Hey, if it works, it works, right?

I could tell you a bunch of numbers that show how well Lebron and Lonzo pair while on the floor together, but that’s just not what I’m about. I know, I know. Plus minus this, plus minus that. Offensive and defensive rating blah blah blahhhhh. Fact is, they’re like two peas in a pod. Two turtles in a half shell. Two bagels with cream cheese and a tomato. Two bunnies and spaghetti. Okay, I’ll stop there, you get the point. Basically he’s the ideal point guard for Lebron, and continued patience for the 21-year-old will be imperative for future playoff success. I am in constant countdown of “training days” our young kidd has until the postseason begins. 136 more days. 64 more games to make mistakes. Let’s get it.

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“That's My Dawg”

One thing is clear: Tyson Chandler did not play inspired basketball in Phoenix. Like the kids say these days, he got his “bag”, but at what cost? His playing prime? His basketball soul? Four long years, $52 million dollars. Heh, I guess I don’t blame him. Nobody would. But he obviously wasn’t there mentally with the Suns. They were like a dead marriage just waiting for the kids (Booker) to grow up.

I’ve always thought Mark Cuban made a huge mistake by not keeping the 2011 Dallas championship team together. Sacrilege in basketball, right? You’ve always got to run it back, no matter what. But no, he traded Tyson away to New York and let Caron and Barea walk, just like that. Dirk did stay, but after being stripped of his knights, his power quickly waned and the Mavericks conceded the throne to a hungry Miami juggernaut.

Mind you, their 2011 playoff run included the beatdowns of both prime Kobe AND prime Lebron, as well as a trio of pre-MVPs in Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. Who else can say they had foes of their caliber, one after the other? With that, you could argue they were one of the greatest teams in NBA history. At least top 10. What a mistake it was to split them up. I can’t say this enough. And Tyson was in the middle of all of it. He was like their impenetrable shield. It’s as if he has this aura that radiates a devotion to defense throughout his entire team, like he’s got the battle drums going when he’s on the floor. You feel it. And the opposition feels it, too.

But that Dallas high was over quick, and years after his ambitious endeavor in New York with Melo and the money bag in Phoenix, Chandler grew tired. What was once promising situations turned out to be disappointment after disappointment. He was so far from himself. So far from basketball that meant something. The fire he once played with was nothing but a flicker left. But here he is now, back in Lala land. And he’s home, home at last.

California grown, Compton tested. A Dominguez High School product. He is now playing for the team he once cheered for as a kid. Hell, he probably even has posters of Shaq and Kobe on his walls in his childhood home. Here, I think, he’s found a fountain of youth. As if once again he has a worthy cause for his frontline services. A new hope. A reason to sacrifice his body in the paint. A reason to once again, don the sword and shield, now with arms anodized in purple and gold. Tyson Chandler is rejuvenated.

The Atlanta Hawks. The 2nd of a back to back. A hungry young guard scheming to steal his dinner for the night. And a floater destined to sink every heart of every fan in attendance. The block. The eruption of years-bottled emotion. A flurry of fists that could put out every fire in Southern California. And then the warm embrace. A sense of validation. A man repurposed—The King’s Guard. Or, as James would say, 

“That’s my dawg.” 

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Sunday!

Let’s begin with last night’s game. Good win. Good defense. Good bench production. Good overall, but not great. I’ll give them a B due to the level of difficulty being very, very low. I mean, let’s face it, we were playing the Kings, lol. As for D’Aaron—I think he’s a stud. He’s in a good situation—great situation, actually. The Kings are giving him the keys and they’re letting him do whatever he wants: speed, make illegal turns, hit some deer—all without a seatbelt. See, that’s how you nurture a budding All-Star point guard. Not like Luke, who gives Lonzo the car without any gasoline. And when he does let him drive, he parks him on the bench as soon as he strays from the lines. I’ll stop there, though, as I think I’ve exhausted this topic enough lol. 

LAL ATL PREVIEW 11/11

Here we are. Another night. And another rookie to light us up. Lollllll. If this doesn’t end in a blowout, I’ll be upset. Forreal. They’re currently 3-9 and very bad. They do, however, have a prized young point guard by the name of Trae Young, so it should be an exciting game if we don’t play any defense. I’m actually very high on this kid; I thought he should’ve been the number one pick (he went 5th). Even if they don’t win much, he’s still incredibly valuable for his ability to fill the seats. He’s just spectacular to watch, as we’ve already seen from some of his early work in Oklahoma.

But yeah, there really isn’t much to preview for this game. Maybe Jeremy Lin has a new haircut? Idk. The Hawks really suck. And if we lose, I’m throwing my TV out the window. Have a nice day :)

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Too Much Talent?

There’s something about having TOO much talent (what am I even saying?), especially if there’s no considerable gap in ability: there’s no clear cut pecking order. What was good about last summer, before the arrival of Lebron and his mud pack, was that it was clear as day: Lonzo would be our PG and 3rd option, Kuzma #2, and Ingram our #1 and closer.

But with our key additions (THANK GOD) we now have Lebron, Rondo, Stephenson, Josh Hart 2.0, and McGee to add into the mix. And with Tyson Chandler’s arrival it’s like “HOW MUCH HELP DOES LEBRON EVEN NEED?” Of course, James is our obvious #1, but after that, it’s as if the rest of our guys are like a begrudging bunch of bridesmaids trying to catch a bouquet.

The good news is that I don’t think Chandler’s bearded splash will bother McGee’s production all that much. He doesn’t play too many minutes as it is, and he’s better in bursts of energy to make use of his elite athleticism. Chandler can fill the remaining minutes nicely—solidly, and will probably close out games as they grow slower in the 4th. Actually, a very complementary skillset to McGee. And, let’s not forget, he was Dirk’s rim protector back in 2011 when they won the ‘ship. We should all take a moment to thank James Jones for colluding with Lebron on this one, lol. The only question is: will his 36 year old body hold up? Hopefully.

Okay, so about this pecking order dilemma. When someone’s role is clear, there’s a sense of confidence gained. This is also a decision a player has to make for himself, too. You know that saying, “To be a good leader, you must first be a good follower.” If our young core and suicide squad come together and find harmony in their roles I think we’d have a pretty good chance at beating just about anybody. As it is now, we’re a freakin’ mess. Kuzma’s asking for the ball at the end of games these days, while, of course, Lebron expects to have it. Don’t forget Ingram—he deserves touches, too. And Rondo (this mfer…) definitely wants minutes over Lonzo and has probably begun a silent coup d'etat to overtake his starting position (think of it like a long con). Stephenson and Josh Hart have also been making their case day in and day out, respectively. 

What do we really need to succeed? I believe two key roles must develop.

Ingram must take on the responsibility as perimeter enforcer. Shut those guards down. Use your length. Smother them until they get nightmares about Mister Slender and his long fingers. Most of his energy should be expended on the defensive end. The points will come naturally.

Kuzma. Just be that 3-and-D guy and rebound the ball (he’s only averaging 4.8 ffs). This is what we need from him. Forget about the 30 point games and the fashion shows and the roasts. Just make sure Lebron has room to operate and be there to rebound the ball if he misses. Play some fucken defense too, please. And again, the points will come naturally.

But wait, how do the Warriors make it look so easy to have so much talent? The secret to their success lies in a player that’s so unbelievably unselfish. Stephen Fucking Curry, a 2x MVP, en route to his 3rd (have you seen his percentages this season? Jesus). He’s the reason he and Durant can co-exist. He doesn’t give any fucks about being “the guy” (God bless him). Klay Thompson also happily shares the spotlight and conforms to being their 3-and-D guy, even when he's a proper All-Star SG. And Draymond—he does just about everything else.

We’re very much of a foggy mirror of the Warriors, minus the 3pt shooting. We like to go small—skinny and tall, and score a lot of points. We just need the steam to settle to find out who we are. And we’re getting there. I just don’t think we have any more time to wait.

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Let’s Talk About the Ball in the Room

Lakers are apparently “Pleased with Lonzo Ball’s progression, though are looking for more consistency.” What the fuck is this? What about giving him some consistent minutes? What if we just start with that? Lonzo is currently 41.3% from 3. How is he not on the floor for 33-36min a game? How are we letting Rondo take his minutes, stunting his growth?

The way I see it, our young core has 72 more games to prepare for the post-season. We don’t have anymore time to waste, as Lebron’s prime has already started to make it’s descent, as if he’s at that moment on a teeter where it feels like your stomach is slowly floating into your chest. Every minute of experience on the floor counts. Luke acknowledges that Lonzo is a “Game winning, game changing player” yet shows no confidence in leaving him out there. How is he going to make these game winning plays when he’s over at the bench in a damn thumb war with himself? We decided we’re going with the young core instead of trading, so why aren’t we investing more into our promising point guard? You mean to say we have the best player in the world in Lebron and we aren’t doubling down?

I get it. Rondo is a veteran. Blah blah blah. But I see him like I see hypertension. A heart disease we don’t really feel, but it’s there, and it’s slowly killing us. Lol, maybe I’m just blind. Maybe Lonzo isn’t good at all. Or maybe it’s because I still see Rondo as a Celtic, like a trojan horse who has breached our golden castle with plans to poison the king. 

Please, just play the kid unconditionally. That’s what star point guards need in order to grow. Free rein. Free to make mistakes. Free to fail, too, if that’s really his fate after all. 

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A Case of the What-Ifs

I’m just going to come out and say it: I would’ve traded Kuzma and Hart for Kawhi. I know, I know… 

Magic has been critical of Luke this past week but who’s being critical of Magic? Is Jeanie keeping him in check? Or is she star-struck by her very own employee and friend, unable to reprimand him after our dismal start? Where’s our “Mother of Dragons”? Where’s HIS admonishment?    Dracarys.

So, what if he traded for Kawhi? Would our team still be 4-5 to begin the season? As the Raptors stand now, they’re 8-1. Eight and fucking one. Granted, Mr. Kawhi was handed the reigns to a 1-seed, but it’s his talent that’s making DeRozan’s departure a non-issue. Really, the only thing that seems to be “off” in the North is Kyle Lowry doing phantom handshakes. Maybe a psych consult is in order over at Air Canada, lol.

Seriously though, what if our starting lineup was Lonzo, Ingram, Kawhi, Lebron, and McGee? Can you imagine that team’s potential defensive prowess? Who could beat that team? The Warriors? Yeah, maybe, probably, but we’ll never know. Is Magic too afraid to play their window? Is he too afraid to go all-in? Are we wasting a prime year of one of the greatest to ever play? I fucking hope not.

Okay, since we can’t keep dwelling on what we can’t change, let’s talk about tonight’s jurassic matchup. Our first true test, up against East’s former number one contender. This won’t be easy, I’ll tell you that. With reports of Kawhi possibly missing the game due to a sore ankle, I am quite frustrated. As a basketball fan, you WANT to see this matchup between him and LBJ, even if it means your team having a lesser chance at winning.

Things to watch out for:

Danny Green’s outside shooting. Don’t sleep on this guy. This ex-Spur can single handedly cut a team down.

Respect the gatekeeper. Serge Ibaka is still a blocking machine. Float it high, hit the glass quick, or pass it up.

Bench play. They set the bar league-wide in terms of depth. Our defense can’t let up once their starters leave the floor.

With this game being the 2nd of a back to back, our core really needs to step up and flex their greatest strength—blistering youth. Outrun them. Outwork them. And admire their universal publicly funded healthcare system. 

Having said all that shit, maybe we can just bank on the fact that, historically, Lebron just straight up dismantles the Raptors like he’s an Indominus Rex. I learned this first-hand as I lost a good chunk of change betting against him last summer, lol. Maybe his presence alone triggers some PTSD, just like the effect 24 had after his merciless 81. 

Is it 630 yet?

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PREVIEW: LAX (3-5) VS PDX (6-2)  11/3 7P

Here we are, already, with the much needed rematch. Thank god. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been waiting 16 days for this. 384 hours. Twenty-three thousand minutes. And a lot fucking seconds, lol. Okay but really, I’m kind of excited for tonight.

Key difference between their first meeting two weeks ago and tonight’s: our starting backcourt is revamped with triple Bs and a really slender man. With Lonzo starting and BI now shifting to the 2, we gon’ be a problem. D. Lill and CJ dropped a combined 49 on us in the first game and spoiled Lebron’s debut, so certainly, we have to get even. It’s quite hard to win a game when two stars pummel you to a fine orange pulp, but that was with our B-team running against them (Rondo, KCP, respectively). I fully expect the length of ZOGRAM to bother the shit out of the two Trailqueens. Yup—name a better defensive backcourt—thought so! This new guard tandem is going to save Luke’s ass, I promise you that.

The Nik Stauskas conundrum. This dude really killed us in October. 24 points in 27 minutes. What the fuck, right? We HAVE to keep this guy cold. No easy baskets. No good looks. Don’t even greet him before the game. Our problem is we don’t exactly have any defensive stoppers sitting on our bench, so it’s important we put forth some team effort in containing him. Hart, Rondo, and Lance need to all blow in his ear, or find another way to bother his shooting. 

Establish dominance with an early lead. This is especially important when on the road. Can’t be playing catchup when the floor ain’t yellow. Lebron needs to start setting the tone early. Drive to the basket early and often. Lobs to McGee early and often—before he needs that early breather. Try to get their bigs in foul trouble. Do all of this early and the late game will come easy. Keyword: early. 

3pt shooting. Actually, we shouldn’t expect to shoot well from distance being on the road. It will be more important to get some easy baskets around rim. Penetration from Ingram, Lebron, and Kuzma will be vital. Movement without the ball, cutting to the basket will be critical. Get some points in the paint, first, and then maybe we can get some good looks from the outside line. 

Rebounding. Dude, fuck. This is always one of our issues. They murdered us last game in this department. Box the hell out of Nurkic. Wrestle him. Make him say uncle. Make him say Lavar. I don’t care, whatever it takes. Clothesline him if you have to. 

Best case scenario: blow them out and rest Lebron in the forth, and have him decent for the 2nd game of the back-to-back against the Raptors (Kawhi is waiting). This is a pivotal weekend, for the team, and especially Luke. We have to make a statement: that we’re going to win with Luke and he’s not going anywhere. That we’re a force to reckon with. We have to let the league know, now, that if you play the LakeShow we’ll drown you.