2017-18 Lakers Season Watch Thread (27-34, 10th Slot on 3/2)

[hwangjini_1]

Saltlover predicted 13-28 at the halfway mark. We'll see if he's right! His predictions were money last year (end of November and December records, etc.) unless I'm mistaking him for someone else.

true on salty. but who could have predicted the impact kuzma has had on the lakers? he must have won 3-4 games for them in all honesty.

without him the lakers would have really had a terrible record.

[SHAQATTACK]

Saltlover predicted 13-28 at the halfway mark. We'll see if he's right! His predictions were money last year (end of November and December records, etc.) unless I'm mistaking him for someone else.

true on salty. but who could have predicted the impact kuzma has had on the lakers? he must have won 3-4 games for them in all honesty.

without him the lakers would have really had a terrible record.

agree .....is is way more important than Ball

[rondofan1255]

Found Salt's prognostications for future reference:

When they were 5-5 I said the Lakers would go 4-6 over their next 10 (they’ve gone 3-5 so far), before going on a lengthy period where they win 1-2 games over a month.  I think they’ll be no better than 13-28 at the 41-game mark.  Hopefully I can find this post in 7 weeks to see how I did.

When they were 5-5 I said the Lakers would go 4-6 over their next 10 (they’ve gone 3-5 so far), before going on a lengthy period where they win 1-2 games over a month.  I think they’ll be no better than 13-28 at the 41-game mark.  Hopefully I can find this post in 7 weeks to see how I did.

I'm all in on the saltover prognostication train!

choo choo!

I have also given up on the pick barring lottery magic.

I think Dallas, Sac, Hawks and Bulls are pretty clearly the bottom 4.
Suns and Nets, perhaps Knicks and a few others will also be at the bottom.
Hard to see them finishing much worse than 8th worst record.

I haven’t.  I still think they’re about a 25-win team.  They probably go 4-6 over their next 10, but then quickly fall back in the standings.  Look at their schedule in December — they might not win a game.

Are the Lakers actually good?

No.  They've just been on a string of catching teams from thousands of miles away in the middle of road trips, coming off games against more difficult opponents.  They have 17 home games against teams from East of the Mississippi -- this is their 5th such game, despite being only 10 games into the season.  In other words, so far 50% of their games have been Eastern teams at home (including Memphis due to geography), and going the rest of the way only 16% of their games will be like this.  Heck, if you want to thrown in New Orleans, 60% of their games have been at home vs. Eastern teams.  This has pretty much been the easiest portion of their schedule for the entire season, and if they hold on and win tonight, they'll have gone 5-5 during it.  [EDIT: It looks like on the other side of their road trip East this week they have one more easy stretch, with 2 vs. Suns, hosting Chicago and Philly, and @ SAC over a 6 game stretch.  Then it's five months against the real teams of the NBA, and not at home nearly as much.]

I think they're a 24-28 win team.  Unfortunately for lottery odds this year, it probably means they'll be somewhere between 5th and 8th worst.  But they're not good, and we'll certainly get to watch the draft lottery with a reasonable chance of excitement, but with a higher chance of disappointment.

[CelticsElite]

magic up 11 on the pistons in the 4th quarter
lakers move to 4th worst if magic win

[Neurotic Guy]

magic up 11 on the pistons in the 4th quarter
lakers move to 4th worst if magic win

Thank you! Something to do as I bask in misery here.

[Neurotic Guy]

WT

[Neurotic Guy]

Orlando wins.  Good news. 

[jpotter33]

Magic win! This is the one consolation of this sad night.

[CelticsElite]

Got the win

Lakers now 4th worst because they have less wins

[trickybilly]

Got the win

Lakers now 4th worst because they have less wins

Woot!TP!!

[Phantom255x]

Got the win

Lakers now 4th worst because they have less wins

[Sophomore]

Got the win

Lakers now 4th worst because they have less wins

That works!

[BringToughnessBack]

Us getting the 4th pick almost as likely as coming back vs Rockets after being down 26 😁..starting to warm up to potential pick conveying!

[CelticsElite]

List of most important wins we need tomorrow;
Tier 1
-Need clippers to win (vs Lakers)

Tier 2 (8th seed chasers. All have only 12 wins)
-nets
-hornets
-Bulls

Tier 3 (bottom feeders)
-mavs
-hawks
-kings (or suns)

If we can get these 6 or 7 wins, it would be crazy. Really just the clippers win would be enough for to keep the Lakers where they are but any other win is very welcome

[Ilikesports17]

Best part about this is I actually believe Memphis and Dallas to be better teams than LAL.

Expect both to finish ahead of LAL. Im worried about Sacremento, Orlando, Brooklyn and Chicago.