“It’s either win the championship or get S. It’s very black and white to me.”
kobe bryant said those words later lakersIt was his 62nd loss in the 2015-16 season, setting a franchise record for losing seasons for the third consecutive year, and his final season in the NBA. His point was that a year when a team doesn’t win a title is a waste.
“Whether we set a franchise losing record or make the playoffs and lose in the Western Conference Finals, it’s the same thing to me,” Bryant continued. “Maybe a lot of people don’t understand that and don’t understand that, and that’s fine, but to me they’re all the same: win a championship or be in the same boat as us. Either.”
That may sound like an exaggeration, but the Lakers have always said that’s the way they do it. They won’t be holding up a division title banner or celebrating a conference finals appearance. Reportedly, they only acknowledged the in-season tournament title in the rafters of the arena. The league pressured them to do so.. Their general manager, Rob Pelinka, is Bryant’s close friend and former agent. repetition said He has the same standard: Any action that doesn’t move the Lakers closer to a title isn’t worth it.
So if championships are all that matters, the Lakers’ decision heading into Tuesday’s NBA play-in matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans is simple: Throw the game.
Yes, it is.
You can rest star players, compensate for injuries (or actually rest them), or you can use your inner Cavaliers to play a big four tank line. It doesn’t matter how they do it, they just need to do it to avoid the Denver Nuggets.
Does that seem like the opposite of competition? perhaps. But if we accept the logical conclusion that not winning a title every year is a waste, then the Lakers should do everything possible to maximize their chances of winning a title.
You know what doesn’t? They will earn a play-in postseason berth and earn the No. 7 seed…and earn a first-round matchup against the Nuggets, who dominated last season’s Western Conference Finals and defeated Los Angeles eight straight. As for likely three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the answer appears to be zero.
Is it a risk for the Lakers to essentially lose their chance at the playoffs and go to a one-game winner-take-all scenario against the Lakers? golden state warriors Or the Sacramento Kings? of course. If they did that, wouldn’t it be humiliating…and lose the next play-in game, giving the Bass family some nice playoff revenue gate revenue in the process? clearly.
But if we’re just going to judge a team based on whether they actually win a championship, let’s channel our inner Paul Atreides and have a drink. distilled insect vomitand realistically lay out the future path.
On the other side of Door No. 1 is a win over the New Orleans Pelicans and a first-round matchup against a team that has beaten them eight straight, and a possibly lackluster Anthony Davis. He was injured in the team’s final game of the regular season.. Considering how thoroughly Jokic dominated that matchup inside while Jamal Murray replaced and grilled smaller guards on the perimeter, it’s hard to imagine this Lakers team winning more than five games against Denver. Is there anyone who seriously thinks so? I’ve never seen that, and I haven’t seen any evidence this season to suggest that’s the case.
So what about on the other side of Door No. 2? Try giving Davis and LeBron James two more days of rest before a matchup with the breathtaking remnants of the Sacramento Kings or Golden State Warriors. What about it? Is it all for a chance to play in the One-Eight against the Oklahoma City Thunder?
The Thunder certainly deserve respect, but they’re also a young team that has looked dominant this season with the Lakers winning three straight, and they seem to have a distinct advantage at the rim. If they win that series, they will either face a team in the Mavericks, a team that seems to be a better opponent for Los Angeles than Denver, or they will have a final day with the Los Angeles Clippers as co-tenants of Crypto. Either you will be given the opportunity to give LeViction notice. . And if they make it to the conference finals, they can theoretically hope they get injured or the Timberwolves or Suns beat Denver, giving them at least a chance to play against them.
Being punted out of the postseason once again by the Nuggets is no honor. The same people who criticize and criticize the Lakers for avoiding Denver will do the same if they lose another lopsided series. If the title is all that really matters, who cares? All the Lakers can do is try to maximize their chances.
Now, please note that this is all hypothetical. The Lakers are as risk-averse as any other NBA team (if not more) to avoid embarrassment and spit on tradition against a Pelicans team they seem to own. I don’t think so and I wish the team the best on the other side. bracket (or bet on the ridicule that would result from losing to the Kings or Warriors by doing so). I doubt LeBron will stand by and allow them to (voluntarily) avoid that smoke, and the Lakers have enough pride as professional athletes to believe they probably have a chance against the Nuggets. right.
But that’s not the case. At least not a completely sane version. So, if we’re being realistic here, their decision is clear whether this season is really a title or a loss. Rest your starters against Denver, take your chances in Game 2 of the play-in, and give it your best shot. They will try to do everything they can to upset a Thunder team that has the advantage in the matchup before facing a team that has little chance of winning the series.
That’s why it’s called ducking. Call it cowardice. Let’s call it strategic. And so should the Lakers, if increasing their odds of winning a title is truly important to them.
