Author: Soccerhuz
There will be a time in the future where analysts and potentially even fans start to claim that Harrison’s move wasn’t all that terrible after all if Luka fails to win a championship. If the Mavericks earn an NBA Finals victory soon, there may be a time where people even say that Dallas won the trade. It’s crazy to think about, but it is possible. Doncic’s defense was far from reliable on Sunday. As a result, the conversation has turned to blasting his defensive performance as opposed to the fact that Luka scored 38 points in an extremely competitive playoff…
“Defense wins championships.” That three-word phrase has consistently been Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison’s reasoning for trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Doncic’s Lakers were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-113 in Game 4 of their playoff series on Sunday, however. The defeat led to eye-opening remarks from Kendrick Perkins of ESPN on Monday morning, via ClutchPoints. “Watching the fourth quarter, the second half, the fourth quarter in particular, I saw what Nico Harrison was talking about,” Perkins said on ESPN First Take. “When it comes down to the reason why he traded Luka. He traded Luka…
A Clash of Emotions and High Stakes In an arena charged with anticipation and turmoil, a single exchange on the court illuminated how thin the line can be between passionate play and personal outburst. Amid a tense battle in a crucial playoff matchup, an explosive verbal exchange stands as a stark reminder that even superstars are not immune to fervent scrutiny from agitated fans. In a game that ended 116–113, the high-pressure encounter between two determined teams underscored the fine margins separating victory from defeat. With playoff survival hanging in the balance and one side staring down a daunting 3–1…
The Lakers’ problems don’t stop at the center position, either. For years, Pelinka’s infatuation with scoring combo guards took a championship roster filled with two-way talents, physicality and athleticism and stripped it of that identity almost altogether. Pelinka traded Danny Green for Dennis Schroder and also traded Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Russell Westbrook. Pelinka allowed Alex Caruso to walk in favor of Talen Horton-Tucker. It wasn’t until Pelinka finally traded D’Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith that they took a step back in that direction and the impact was immediate, as Redick has admitted, too. Even with Finney-Smith, though,…
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in desperation mode as their first-round NBA Playoffs series shifts back to Crypto.com Arena, and they’re a loss from elimination. They find themselves in this spot because Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, and the rest of the organization’s leadership made the decision to ride out the string with LeBron James and Anthony Davis without investing further into that core. Lakers coach JJ Redick reached such desperation Sunday that he played only five players in the second half of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson criticized Redick for. Now,…
Julius Randle dropped in another timely basket in the second half and turned toward the sideline as he shuffled back on defense, beating his chest with both fists to further boost the decibel level at Target Center that was roaring all afternoon as the Minnesota Timberwolves took control of the series with the Los Angeles Lakers. Randle has been a handful for the Lakers in this matchup, delivering for the Timberwolves a consistent scoring alternative to star Anthony Edwards. He has taken grueling turns guarding Luka Doncic and LeBron James, too, and played with a gusto that wasn’t on display…
Referees missed the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic getting fouled with 33 seconds left in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA said Monday. The Lakers were down 114-113 in Sunday’s game when Doncic got tripped up — it appeared to be advertent — by Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels near midcourt. Doncic retained possession as he hit the floor, and the Lakers called a timeout to avoid an eight-second violation. That was one of two uncalled fouls that came late in one-point playoff games Sunday, the other being New York’s Josh Hart fouling Detroit’s…
It’s possible that the NBA world may have both over and understated the ramifications of the failed trade between the Charlotte Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers. The over-staters harped way too long about the impact it would have on both Mark Williams and Charlotte. To his credit, the veteran big man returned to the Queen City and operated as a consummate professional over the ensuing months. Williams played big minutes with the Hornets, never hung his head, and quickly put the awkwardness of the situation in the rear-view mirror. Those on the other side of the aisle may have…
Coach J.J. Redick made two bold strategic moves that nearly led the Lakers to a Game 4 victory in Minnesota, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Redick decided to replace center Jaxson Hayes with Dorian Finney-Smith for the start of the third quarter, and he used the same five players for the entire second half. Buha notes that Gabe Vincent nearly checked in at one point, but Redick changed his mind and stayed with the same unit for the full 24 minutes. The move seemed inevitable with Hayes, who has been limited to seven points and eight rebounds in the…
After a nail-biting 116-113 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4, the Lakers have been pushed to the edge of elimination. What could have been a good game for LA was ruined by Anthony Edwards, who looked refined with his “shoot it every time” mentality in the final quarter. Sure, the other side had LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, who gave their best, but it was simply not enough to stop Edwards. But here’s an even more interesting fact: Lakers head coach JJ Redick simply refused to make a substitution after halftime. For all 24 minutes of…