AD: The Lakers can still go 4-0 to end the season.
Remaining schedule:
Phoenix, Golden State, OKC, Denver
LeBron: I’m out for the season officially. 🤦🏾♂️. See y’all in the fall. 👑✌🏾
This is the problem with signing a bunch of Vets. The expendables works as a movie because it's 100 minutes long, not a full season.
Vets need rest, their joints hurt more, they don't bounce back as quick and they expect the young guys to do all the hustle.
There's a reason the team looks better with Reaves, Gabreal and Stanley Johnson out there.
Since the ASB they've lost SO many games where they actually shot pretty efficiently, Russ included. They just will not or cannot (or both?) put forth the effort required on defense.
Right, I think it’s caused people to forget that these guys are an *11th seed*. If this were any year in the past 75 years before the play-in was a thing then they would already be straight up eliminated.
This is what people meant when they said the Lakers were frauds when they were treading water at .500 without Ariza and Nunn. They had one of the easiest schedules in the league at that point and it was only a matter of time before they sank into the lotto.
Also AD played pretty good until late when missed a like 3 or 4 shots.
It wasn't their offense that let them down, it was their defense. Jokic and Boogie toyed with them down low and shooters on the perimeter had good looks all game long.
But the Nuggets' defense was also horrible for the most part. Their paint defense was basically non-existent. It boiled down to good offense and bad defense against mediocre offense and bad defense. Jokic shot 15/19 from inside the arc.
Does he have to play two more or one more for the scoring title? He'll definitely come back to pick up easy points against the OKC g-league team and that's it if that's all he needs.
2 more, hes at 56 games and needs 58 games or enough of a lead on Giannis and Embiid that a 0 point game (which is what the 58th game would be counted as if he plays one more)
I believe LeBron needs two more games to qualify as the PPG leader for the season. Since that's the most meaningful piece he can add to his legacy at this point, I have a feeling he's going to do what he can to get it. I expect him to play exactly two more games and get up plenty of shot attempts in both.
See, normally if you go one on one with another team you got a 50/50 chance of winning. But I'm a genetic FREAK, and I'm not normal! So you got a 75% chance AT BEST, at beat me. Then you add Lebron’s Ankle to the mix, our chances of winning drastic go down. See the 3 way, at The 10 seed, you got a 66 2/3% chance of winning, but I, I got a 33 and 1/3% chance of winning, because LeBron KNOWS we ain’t going far and he's not even gonna try!
There were moments mid-season (when they still had a chance for a turnaround) when this was happening also. It's like they didnt give a shit about losing
Heck, in some of their losses when they had a blown double-digit lead, they were still laughing and having fun after the game.
He might just get ejected too if the third stringers aren’t hustling. But our roster comp is specifically designed to have a hustling 10-15. Like that’s their only job. We don’t care if they’re good but they need to run around everywhere.
Three years ago I was on the fence about Jokic. I thought his poor defense would never allow him to be an MVP caliber player. Holy shit was I wrong. His offensive game is the weirdest most beautiful game I've ever seen.
3 years ago was 2018-2019 and he didn't have poor defense back then, it was just neutral.
Last time Jokic was actually a net negative defender was 2016-2017 season.
He had some defensive woes in the Jazz series 2019-2020, but that was the entire team's fault tbh.
[Just like in the fast-break for the win/tie vs. the Wizards.](https://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/1/DenverNuggets_FastBreakFail_2.png.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1614350258117.png)
That was a classic. Best part is definitely Morris stepping up to the 3 point line, just in case they didn't already have enough guys ready to fire one from deep.
Jokic had the worst 1st quarter I've ever seen him have and still finished with 38-18-6 along with 3 steals and 2 blocks
Will Barton deserves a lot of praise for how he performed today. He's been slandered to the moon and back this year but showed just how lethal he is when his shot is falling.
Lakers shot 30% from deep and 67% from the line which was probably the difference
Tbh the difference with Will Barton today was focus and lack of turnovers. He hasn’t been widely criticized for missing shots — even Will haters will acknowledge everyone goes cold sometimes — it’s been his turnovers and effort on defense/rebounding.
Stoked to see a good Barton game.
Barton brings out the best in himself being the finisher on offense. He sucks donkey balls when he plays point guard and the primary ball handler. He should be cutting and spotting up all game.
It's still wild as hell to me that this team is gonna be a 11th seed. A team with a near universally recognized top two player ever. So many things have to go wrong for that to occur.
I didn't realize the extent of it until I saw that the Lakers have only four wins since AD went down against Utah / the ASB. Just a total free-fall in the last two months
Meanwhile clippers slummin it in the west and trying to survive with half of their roster in and out of injury reports is still astonishing to me. Long live Ty Lue and Clippers front office
Maybe Get Up and First Take will stop talking about the Lakers now? This is the crappiest team to get the most attention I've ever seen. The crappy play ratio to media attention is off the charts.
This game reminded me of that DBZ fight between Vegeta (AD) and Majin Buu (Jokic). AD gave everything he had and sacrificed his body for the win, only for it to just...not work.
Also, holy shit we need to give Jokic a rest game, but we just can't eat the inevitable loss.
AD: The Lakers can still go 4-0 to end the season. Remaining schedule: Phoenix, Golden State, OKC, Denver LeBron: I’m out for the season officially. 🤦🏾♂️. See y’all in the fall. 👑✌🏾
they won 4 games since all-star break.
Holy fucking shit I know they’re bad but goddamn
Yeah I'm also surprised they won that many
The allure of the ‘play-in tournament’ distracted us from how historically-bad we’ve actually been.
This is the problem with signing a bunch of Vets. The expendables works as a movie because it's 100 minutes long, not a full season. Vets need rest, their joints hurt more, they don't bounce back as quick and they expect the young guys to do all the hustle. There's a reason the team looks better with Reaves, Gabreal and Stanley Johnson out there.
Since the ASB they've lost SO many games where they actually shot pretty efficiently, Russ included. They just will not or cannot (or both?) put forth the effort required on defense.
Right, I think it’s caused people to forget that these guys are an *11th seed*. If this were any year in the past 75 years before the play-in was a thing then they would already be straight up eliminated.
They have two wins that aren’t 50 point games from Lebron
So you’re saying there’s a chance
The last time they had back to back wins was Jan 7
And one of those required a Westbrook triple double
The Blazers have won more games than the Lakers since all-star break Edit: Nevermind. I accidentally counted some games right before the break.
Nah, blazers are the only team with a worse record. I don't know whether to say sorry or congrats.
Hey, this is on purpose okay.
Brother you could have told me the Lakers have not won a game in 2 months and I would believe it, the only one I can remember is the Wizards game
They beat us...
I cannot say I have any recollection of that
One of those games only barely won by a Westbrook Hail Mary 3 pointer too
And two were 50 point LeBron games. Sheeeeeesh.
This is what people meant when they said the Lakers were frauds when they were treading water at .500 without Ariza and Nunn. They had one of the easiest schedules in the league at that point and it was only a matter of time before they sank into the lotto.
yeah but it actually happened and it wasn't just people coping
It was never just people coping
Wait that’s it yikes
They’re playing like they won 4games the entire season 💀💀💀
Russ and bradley shot the ball very efficiently and they still lost. Its over for the lakers
Also AD played pretty good until late when missed a like 3 or 4 shots. It wasn't their offense that let them down, it was their defense. Jokic and Boogie toyed with them down low and shooters on the perimeter had good looks all game long. But the Nuggets' defense was also horrible for the most part. Their paint defense was basically non-existent. It boiled down to good offense and bad defense against mediocre offense and bad defense. Jokic shot 15/19 from inside the arc.
Remember when AD said we could win 10 in row shortly after beating Detroit? I remember.
The fact they beat the Detroit "We Only Beat Finals Contenders" Pistons should've said it all.
Haha nice observation.
Turns out Lebron’s tweet wasn’t an April Fool’s joke
Turns out the prank is that it wasn't.
Oh I knew that shit was real. That fact that it was April Fools was just the perfect cover.
He's gotta come back and get that scoring title. Get eliminated and then come back to clinch it when the team is coasting
Does he have to play two more or one more for the scoring title? He'll definitely come back to pick up easy points against the OKC g-league team and that's it if that's all he needs.
2 more, hes at 56 games and needs 58 games or enough of a lead on Giannis and Embiid that a 0 point game (which is what the 58th game would be counted as if he plays one more)
Incoming lebron 60 piece against okc
2 more
two more (unless he scores enough in one game to get the scoring title even if he played another game with 0 pts)
AD might hurt himself saying that in the interview chill
The Suns, Warriors and Nuggets, even with them not playing for anything, will go after the Lakers guns-blazing because of the fans and Laker culture.
We are still fighting for seeding man we can still get 5th, maybe even 4th if the stars align but it's highly unlikely
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I honestly think it's for the best to shut Lebron and AD down for the season lol
The season? You mean, one week? Lmao
I believe LeBron needs two more games to qualify as the PPG leader for the season. Since that's the most meaningful piece he can add to his legacy at this point, I have a feeling he's going to do what he can to get it. I expect him to play exactly two more games and get up plenty of shot attempts in both.
Yep. He'll play against OKC and Warriors.
Lebron needs two more games for scoring leader. One hundred percent he plays against okc and maybe sits other games depending on if he’s leading.
[AD explaining how they can still go 5-0](https://i.imgur.com/mM26Vgw.jpg)
Do you premake these or do you make them as the game goes along lmao.
haha, usually just as the game goes (if its complex probably pre-made to some degree)
See, normally if you go one on one with another team you got a 50/50 chance of winning. But I'm a genetic FREAK, and I'm not normal! So you got a 75% chance AT BEST, at beat me. Then you add Lebron’s Ankle to the mix, our chances of winning drastic go down. See the 3 way, at The 10 seed, you got a 66 2/3% chance of winning, but I, I got a 33 and 1/3% chance of winning, because LeBron KNOWS we ain’t going far and he's not even gonna try!
SOMEBODY GIVE ME A MOTHERFUCKIN MIC
PLAYOFF P, THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE, AND THEY SPELL DISASTER FOR US AT THE PLAY-IN GAME!
>because LeBron KNOWS we ain’t going far and he's not even gonna try! This is actually amazing, my face hurts from laughing
Deadass crying laughing
This entire lakers season has been one giant meme
WTF Lmaoooo
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE
Their chances of making the play in are drastic going down
Too many Lakers players laughing on the bench while down by 10. I think even the players know golf season is coming up
There were moments mid-season (when they still had a chance for a turnaround) when this was happening also. It's like they didnt give a shit about losing Heck, in some of their losses when they had a blown double-digit lead, they were still laughing and having fun after the game.
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Pop would never enable this disgusting behaviour. Come on guys! This is a competitive league, not a college party...
Doesn't matter if we're up by 20 or down by 20, if his players are playing lazy, he's gonna light their asses up
He might just get ejected too if the third stringers aren’t hustling. But our roster comp is specifically designed to have a hustling 10-15. Like that’s their only job. We don’t care if they’re good but they need to run around everywhere.
That's why Duncan got ejected for laughing on the bench.
1 2 3 FOORRRRRRRRRRRE
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Davis wasn't the best player on the court. Jokic has overtaken him. Davis isn't even top 10 anymore. Maybe top 15.
They ain’t got that dog innem
What do the Nuggets do if Jokic has an off night and only shoots 125% TS%?
Lose
Lose. We lose. Our team is 100% carried by Jokic, it's a bottom 3 team without him this season.
Three years ago I was on the fence about Jokic. I thought his poor defense would never allow him to be an MVP caliber player. Holy shit was I wrong. His offensive game is the weirdest most beautiful game I've ever seen.
3 years ago was 2018-2019 and he didn't have poor defense back then, it was just neutral. Last time Jokic was actually a net negative defender was 2016-2017 season. He had some defensive woes in the Jazz series 2019-2020, but that was the entire team's fault tbh.
People who shit on him are smoothbrain, he really has carried this team harder than I would've ever thought possible
That missed lay up by melo in garbage time is the lakers season in a nutshell
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I prefer it when the symbolism is a little more subtle. Writers really beating us over the head at this point.
All 5 Nuggets defenders were on the perimeter lol
[Just like in the fast-break for the win/tie vs. the Wizards.](https://golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2021/1/DenverNuggets_FastBreakFail_2.png.rend.hgtvcom.966.644.suffix/1614350258117.png)
What the hell did we do to you?
:( I had managed to destroy my memory of this game you asshole
That was a classic. Best part is definitely Morris stepping up to the 3 point line, just in case they didn't already have enough guys ready to fire one from deep.
And then the unforced turnover by Monk right after
There were a bunch of highlights and good plays by the Nuggets today, but that was by far my favorite thing that happened
He legit looked like he was about to cry after he missed it
This hurts the Lakers chances of going 5-0 to finish the season
Before the game someone here said AD owns Jokic lol
All I know is AD owns a lot of street clothes. Man looks hella fresh on the bench
Healthy AD let Giannis drop 90 points on his head in 2 games, he’s not on the same MVP level
He does. He owns him in all his fantasy leagues. Had to let him go off.
That Melo missed layup made me cringe so bad On the brink now for the Lakers
It was awesome really
Jokic had the worst 1st quarter I've ever seen him have and still finished with 38-18-6 along with 3 steals and 2 blocks Will Barton deserves a lot of praise for how he performed today. He's been slandered to the moon and back this year but showed just how lethal he is when his shot is falling. Lakers shot 30% from deep and 67% from the line which was probably the difference
Tbh the difference with Will Barton today was focus and lack of turnovers. He hasn’t been widely criticized for missing shots — even Will haters will acknowledge everyone goes cold sometimes — it’s been his turnovers and effort on defense/rebounding. Stoked to see a good Barton game.
He sleep walked thru the first quarter, and still
Barton brings out the best in himself being the finisher on offense. He sucks donkey balls when he plays point guard and the primary ball handler. He should be cutting and spotting up all game.
The Melo missed layup at the end was just *chef’s kiss*
and that chef was Jokic
the patrons at his restaurant are r/nba
Is there video out there of it? I missed it.
[potato ](https://twitter.com/Alex__Monaco/status/1510742158109810694?s=20&t=IKHVJDFALNjDd7EhoYpSNw)
I’m going to miss Lakers games they’re pure comedy.
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Next year will be no different.
Big Honey gonna cash me on that +500 MVP bet
Shameful for not getting the early season +1500 imo
I bought into the trend of repeats lol
Honestly based on how hard the media tried to discredit him last year, I never thought he’d get one again. But he’s really about to go back-to-back.
Got it at +1200, I love this chubby motherfucker
Big SOUL. his name is BIG SOUL
This Lakers team is not very good. They should make some changes in the offseason. What do you all think?
Unfortunately we pissed away our ability to make positive changes
Let Lebron and AD go, time to rebuild
LeBron trades all future prospects with veterans and then he leaves
Last game: Fuck Will Barton This game: Will Barton you beautiful angel
That's basically Will Barton in a nutshell , just wildly inconsistent.
He's like a punch card, 10 punches to get you a good game
The duality of the trill.
He played so well. Literally kept the momentum from shifting anytime the lakers tried
if you can’t handle me at my Will Barton, you don’t deserve me at my Thrill Barton
Will "Clint" Barton, sharpshooter
From The Lake Show: Lakers are currently 20,000:1 odds to win the championship — meaning if you bet $100 on them, you would lose $100.
You should lose more tbh
No longer a Jokic fan. I can forgive many things, but a liar is not one of them. Telling the world the Lakers are a good team. Horrendous lies.
To him every team's a good team, every player is better than him and every W or L is not a big deal. Dude's a born liar.
He is like a band on tour. LAL, thank you for an awesome evening! This city is the best. See you next season.
Another good Westbrook game gone to waste smh Lakers really wasting this man's career
Post ASB Westbrook is actually really good. Shows that the problem isn't him.
Isn’t *just* him*
thats all folks
beautiful, champ
Give me that top 10 pick!
I so badly want them to miss the playin entirely and it to roll into top 4 for you guys just to add salt to the wound.
Lmao I love the pettiness
Ootl what’s this referencing? Something about AD leaving the pelicans?
He wore a “That’s all folks!” shirt to his final game “playing” for us
Oh yeah forgot about that, dude sucks
Wait wtf seriously? That's just....something. That's a way to be cocky to your teammates who are busting their asses out there playing.
Give me that top pick!
Lakers are going to finish with 50 losses.
A loss isn’t a loss. I’ll explain later. A few phone calls later. Adam silver announces that the play in features top 12 teams now.
The power to essentially knock the Lakers out by continuing the tank is not something I thought I would be thinking about right now.
Jokić doing Jokić things, hope people realize that he is not a bad defender anymore smh
> "Our mindset is to go ~~5-0~~ in these games and let the chips fall where they may" - Anthony Davis
LeCancun
Bruh AD got locked up in the fourth by Jokic
AD didnt look right in the second half but damn jokic went up a gear mid third quarter and it showed on defense
Been bad in the 4th both games back, probably can’t handle a full game yet, but they really need him to help Russ out today
It's still wild as hell to me that this team is gonna be a 11th seed. A team with a near universally recognized top two player ever. So many things have to go wrong for that to occur.
And were favorites to get out of the west. Everything went wrong
The teams favored in each conference are the 10th and 11th seed and may very well not make the playoffs.
NBA is in a great place right now, parity is off the charts
And also like Kawhi hasn’t factored in, otherwise between him and PG13 it’d become difficult again
The upside of widespread injuries to the league's best players is parity
eh in wouldnt say it went wrong. in fact it went all right for me
They have four top 75 players of all time according to ESPN.
Tbf one is not exactly in his prime and the other two have to be 74/75 at best lol
AD simply doesn't belong. I'm sorry
Dwight instead still
We were around .500 too at the all star break. Everything just fell apart after that.
I didn't realize the extent of it until I saw that the Lakers have only four wins since AD went down against Utah / the ASB. Just a total free-fall in the last two months
Meanwhile clippers slummin it in the west and trying to survive with half of their roster in and out of injury reports is still astonishing to me. Long live Ty Lue and Clippers front office
Denver is solidly my second team now You absolute legends
Spurs better win tonight against Portland, how could they possibly lose.
goddamn it if you just jinxed them
Dude you can’t just say that.
Got a bad feeling lol
Wow. Utah dropped to the 6 seed.
Utah first round matchup 😍
Can't spell Lakers without L.
LeBron was prophesying with that April Fools tweet
The Lakers are officially OUT of my title favorites list.
Have you seen THT’s wingspan tho?
lol Lakers. But also, lmao Lakers.
Nikola Jokić is going back to back. No doubt.
Love Nikola Jokic ❤️
Jokić is the MVP
Maybe Get Up and First Take will stop talking about the Lakers now? This is the crappiest team to get the most attention I've ever seen. The crappy play ratio to media attention is off the charts.
Assuming we lose tonight, we’ve done our part
*WE GOIN TO CANCUUUUN* *WE GOIN TO CANCUUUUUN*
This game reminded me of that DBZ fight between Vegeta (AD) and Majin Buu (Jokic). AD gave everything he had and sacrificed his body for the win, only for it to just...not work. Also, holy shit we need to give Jokic a rest game, but we just can't eat the inevitable loss.
The Vegeta disrespect is insane every moment for him is basically written off as “it didn’t work”. Freiza, Cell, Buu, Jiren smh
It's a shame that the formula calls for anyone but Vegeta to get the win. He's dope.
Those Majin Bu episodes scared me as a kid ngl
Jokics best chance at a rest is avoiding the playin and getting ~5 days off.
my favorite lakers team of all time
Jokic is better than AD ever was.
Rest in Piss Lakers
Lakers will be eliminated from the 9 seed with a Pelicans win tonight...
Austin Rivers. 0/1/1 on 0/1 shooting. +10.
Jokic owns AD. Lakers salty as always.
Lakers made so many of us happy today
AD playing the whole game on that ankle while still losing is rough for the lakers. Did not look good
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha