Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Lakers vs. Thunder, Game 2: What to Watch For (Could JJ Redick Get Weird?)

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Lakers need a big upset in a big way in game two. What to watch for tonight in Oklahoma City. That's next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for stopping by Locked on Lakers, Brian Komenetsky, Andy Kaminetsky. It's game two night, Andy.

Starting point is 00:00:29 And if the Lakers are going to give themselves a shot at a win in, this series, improbable as it seems, at least according to the odds makers. You really could use a win in Oklahoma City in game two. You don't want to have to try to win four out of five. Obviously, they've got some ground to make up in ways that go even beyond Austin Reeves, who we spent a lot of time talking about for the big show on Thursday. He is something to watch for, obviously on Thursday. It was not the only thing, Andy, as we try to figure out how the Lakers might bamboozle their way into a game two victory.

Starting point is 00:01:12 I mean, we've talked about this many times heading into this series. They're just their margin for error is somewhere between tiny and non-existent. So they're going to have to do everything at the highest level possible for them. Like everybody has to be better. or even somebody like LeBron in game one who had a good game, LeBron's going to have to be better, even though he really didn't do anything wrong. Everyone has to raise up because they are missing their best player

Starting point is 00:01:44 against the team that has been better than them when they've been at full strength. But in terms of I rewatched a good chunk of the game. And one of the things that jumped out of me as a positive that hopefully they can look to replicate was just not just the way, they held Shea Gillers-Alexander in about as check as you can do for for Shea, just 18 points, seven turnovers. They did a really good job with a game plan of ball denial, like top-siding and making it hard for him to get the ball to begin with, like just a ton of work away from the play,

Starting point is 00:02:24 keeping Shea away from that action. Marcus Smart was chief among the people doing this, but in rewatching, noticed some really good possessions from Rui as well as part of this. And I thought they did a really good job of keeping Shea from discovering a rhythm while handling the ball and through handling the ball. And like they did it without following him. Like even Ryland Stiles in his postgame reactions to game one said that they thought he thought the Lakers did an excellent job defending Shea and like legitimately keep

Starting point is 00:03:00 him off the line. Like he's still going to have his moments. He still was efficient from the field. But it was a rare night where he had more assist than, I mean, more turnovers than assists. If they can try to replicate a lot of what they did in game one, knowing they're going to prepare for it, that's about as tough a night as Shay's had in a while.

Starting point is 00:03:23 But see, that's the thing that I look at. I was like, do you, in terms of like anticipating what's coming on Thursday night, Do you think you can do that twice? Both because Shea is just unlikely to turn. Turnovers special. It's just unlikely to do that again. Do everything exactly the same.

Starting point is 00:03:42 Maybe you keep them in check. Maybe he's under 20 points again or whatever. He's not going to turn ball over seven times again, the second time around. And I think both Oklahoma City and Shea will be more prepared for that. So like what's plan B? The Lakers did a, I thought, pretty good job defensively in game one. I mean, they didn't put a lot of pressure on Oklahoma City to score a lot of points. I feel like I'm sure Oklahoma City could have cranked it up a little bit more if they needed to, and they didn't.

Starting point is 00:04:17 And so, you know, they realized, you know, if we don't make things easy for the Lakers, they're probably not going to be able to come back in this game, especially with Reeves, playing the way that he was. So what happens if Shea does get a little bit loose? Like what's L.A.'s plan B? Because I do think you can look at this and say, all right, we're going to let Shea get his and keep everybody else down as much as we can.

Starting point is 00:04:45 Or we're going to try to bottle up Shea and see if that really gums up the offense. That's what they did in game one. And it worked really well. They were actually significantly worse. I'm sure this is something we'll talk. about there was significantly worse when shea was sitting than when he was when he was playing and so you know they got to clean that up jj talked about it at practice on uh on on wednesday

Starting point is 00:05:07 but i'm really curious as to what happened what's plan b if plan a from tuesday isn't as effective this time around which i'm guessing it won't be just because good teams adjust yeah i mean This is all about adjusting and adjusting to the adjustments. I would try, if possible, like, to see if you can do this again. If for no other reason, then forget that it worked well in game one. It's the most effective approach they've had to guarding Shea, certainly this season. So I'm not saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm saying see evidence that it's broke before looking to fix it.

Starting point is 00:05:54 Like I would. Sure. It's like it's the Durant double team thing. Yes. It's how they stop. It's backing off double teams on Shengu and you do something that works until it doesn't. And then you try something else. The thing that when we can start talking about it now, we'll carry it over after the break.

Starting point is 00:06:10 I mean, obviously, Andy, the hard thing for the Lakers is, you know, you talk about adjustments and then adjustments to the adjustments and so on and so on and so on. The Lakers just have fewer adjustments available to them than they otherwise, you know, certainly than Oklahoma City. They just don't have as many options for stuff they can do to counter, you know, changes in strategy from OKC. This is the problem when you are the lesser team and the team missing your most important player. I mean, Jalen Williams is extremely important to the thunder.

Starting point is 00:06:53 And I think if the thunder advance in this round and the further they go in the playoffs, I think Jalen Williams' absence will start to matter more. But it matters less when you are the better team, much less when you're the better team going up against an opponent that is missing their best player. JJ and his staff, they're going to have to think really well on. the fly make adjustments very well in the moment and everybody else is going to have to execute at a super high level like the rewatching similar to what we talked about with during the houston series so many of the turnovers that the lakers had against the rockets were enforced and really were just carelessness or trying to get ahead of themselves or whatever you can get away with it

Starting point is 00:07:49 much more against the rockets than you can against the thunder, you will not get away with it against OKC. It will not happen. Let's talk a little bit more about that next, because what you're describing there to me is one of the really difficult one of, because one of the really difficult balances that the Lakers are trying to navigate in this series, where as you note, they have fewer elite plays. They have, you know, everything is sort of stacked against them here. So we'll get to that next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by DoorDash.

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Starting point is 00:11:22 fresh memes, and the group chat that literally never sleeps. Download the Reddit app today. So, Annie, one of the things that I think is so challenging I'm wondering how the Lakers can handle this is that line between

Starting point is 00:11:44 aggression and getting sped up or being too quick. The Lakers have to try to take advantage of any little crack that they see, any opportunity to run, any opportunity where it looks like easy points might be at the other end, they're going to have to try to force the issue. And that is going to naturally lead to some turnover. So I think like a certain tolerance for it is probably just kind of built in because they have

Starting point is 00:12:13 to take risks in this series. But like do they get a little bit better? at picking and choosing, at recognizing what's a good risk versus a bad one. And it's a fine line. You know, the ratio was just a little bit off in that first game. And they have to do better. But at the same time, they've got to find easier points. Even if Reeves has a bounce back game, they're presumably going to be need, you know, if he was, if he hit half of his shots in that game, they're at about a, you know, they're at 100 or 102 or something like that. It's better, but they need more than that, I think, to win.

Starting point is 00:12:54 One of the things that I noticed from the first half to the second half is the ball movement and the player movement and the general forcing thunder defenders to be occupied more with action as opposed to stationary assignments, way better in the first half in the second half. and it's, I think, a big reason why the Lakers, while they finished the half down eight, remember you and I were texting during the game, you're like, all things considered, not too bad, like not perfect,

Starting point is 00:13:24 but they look like they are hanging with the thunder, and then the second half devolved for a lot of reasons, but I think one of them was they just were not keeping the thunder on their heels as much or just making them guess more. It's hard to truly put a defense, this good on their heels, period. But I don't think they did a good enough job just making them work. And because they weren't moving as much,

Starting point is 00:13:53 I thought they lost more opportunities to make things happen in the lane or around the rim or some of the deep seals that they were getting in the first half. I just, I think they made it a bit easier for a really good defense to defend them in the second half. So that's something that I think insofar as it's not even so necessarily so much about risk reward ratios as far as taking chances because you're right. They're going to have to. But if nothing else, just putting themselves in a position where maybe the reward for the risk gets a little bit higher, I think they need to make sure that they are just remaining more in motion, period. Let me put this to you because I do think what you're talking about is true.

Starting point is 00:14:41 And we talked about it after the game, you know, on Tuesday night into Wednesday. We, for Wednesday short show, we did a lot on depth, you know, focus on the Vando injury, but looking at a lot at the depth problem the Lakers have. And so I think part of what you're talking about in terms of movement and all that stuff, the waves that they run at you in terms of Oklahoma City, I think wear you down. Sure. I don't love the options that the Lakers have as you get deeper and deeper into the bench. I think it's almost certain that if they start reaching for Nick Smith, for Brony, for Dalton Connect, whatever it might be, particularly ball handlers, that those guys are going to get eaten up, I do wonder if the Lakers have to try to just figure out we need to cobble together 14 more minutes from.

Starting point is 00:15:41 guys who can just really go fast, especially with Vanderbilt, presumably unavailable for game two at least, like just go play really, really hard, as hard as you can, as fast as you can. Do Thero, just put them out there, the athleticism, see what happens. Like guys like that,

Starting point is 00:15:59 actually Thero might be a really good option, I think, to see. Put them out there for 10 minutes, eight minutes or whatever. Not so much because you think Thero himself will be really good, but at the very least, he's going to go fast. At the very least,

Starting point is 00:16:17 you might get an oop dunk out of it or something. You might get a couple really crazy plays as well, but it's eight minutes that somebody else can sit and come back and play just a little, have a little bit more left in the tank. I get coaches tend to shorten their rotation unless you're Mark Dango because you have 17 players who are really good.

Starting point is 00:16:40 I wonder if JJ needs to just break some glass here and go deeper into the bench. I don't ask for much in the years that we've covered this team, but if JJ does actually put Thero on the floor, I just want a camera during the broadcast fixed on JJ's face as he's watching not just a rookie, but a raw rookie at that who unfortunately because of injuries, barely played this season, and this is such a high-stakes moment to put Thero in. Like, you're not wrong in terms of what you might be looking for from it and just

Starting point is 00:17:21 raising general energy. But regardless, he sighs. He's big enough and he can kind of, but, you know, let me ask you this, though, like if you had to choose, because I think you're, you both of us have really enjoyed Thero minutes this year. I love it to Thoreau. I wish we could have seen more. I call that kid the Cracken.

Starting point is 00:17:41 I want him released. I'm going to name some players. You tell me, like, not just based on your personal preference, because the answer is I'd rather see personally, it would just be more fun to watch Thero play than all these people. But would you rather, do you think it's more likely to be beneficial with Thero or Dalton? Probably Thero.

Starting point is 00:18:07 I mean, look, here's the thing, though. I mean, not to shoot down the premise of, of how you're framing this, but the reality is it depends on what you're looking for. Like when you brought up Nick Smith as an example. Basically what I'm thinking of is what I put out there before. If you are looking for something different, yeah, go ahead. Like for example, when you brought up Nick Smith

Starting point is 00:18:29 as an example of a ball handler that could get eaten alive by Thunder Defenders, I think there is a good possibility of that. However, if you can find ways to leverage Nick Smith into an off ball catch and shoot threat, then there might be some utility form with this team that is starved for scoring. And you just kind of hope that on the other end, he doesn't do too much damage

Starting point is 00:18:53 and that offensively, he's just very responsible when he has the ball. He makes quick decisions. He either shoots, moves it, and that's it. Like, you're on a dribble limit. Like, you're on a dribble limit of three dribbles tops, Nick Smith, Jr., and within three dribbles or less, you either shoot that thing or to quote the poet LeBron James, you swing that MF.

Starting point is 00:19:16 Like those are your options. So a lot of it is going to depend on what you'd want. Like Brony, for example, might be able to provide a certain degree of defensive utility. And we've seen he's had some little bit of success penetrating the lane, but he is a very reluctant shooter and scorer. and particularly given the issues that they're having putting up points, you can only have Brony turn down so many shots before he's actively damaging what's happening out there. So a lot of this really is going to depend on what the assignment is and who else is out there

Starting point is 00:19:58 with them. Well, I also too. We saw what Case and Wallace did to Brony. When there's like in a playoff atmosphere when you've got Caruso and Wallace and guys like that that are just going to show no mercy to either one of those guys. I don't think either one of them can dribble against these players. That's sort

Starting point is 00:20:16 of why I went to Thero because I think ultimately if you're going to go down deeper into the roster and you've got to start pulling guys, A, you've got to sort of try to replace Vando's minutes a little bit and Thero fits that mold better than the other guys. Absolutely.

Starting point is 00:20:32 I mean, honestly, I think if you were looking for just pure offense, that's actually where I would give Dalton a try. He's got a little more size. And hey, he's a hooper. I mean, he's got off, he will not be shy about shooting. I think, you know, but he's got a little bit more size to be able to get out there. And the athleticism, I think, to stay with, I just don't think he's very good. That's a different question.

Starting point is 00:20:56 My basic premise is, I think you've got to go deeper in the bench. I would not close the door, given JJ's situation right now, were I him? I would not outright close the door on anybody. I would have the door more ajar for some players than others. But given what the Lakers are up against right now and a fatigue factor that may already start to set in for game two, I think he's talked a lot about we got to get weird. I think this is another area where he's going to have to maybe get a little weird.

Starting point is 00:21:32 That would be weird. Locked on Lakers on YouTube is where you hang out with over 38,000 subscribers of course, will be with you for all the post-game coverage, covering what we hope will be, a shocking upset in-game 2 for the Lakers, sending the series back to L.A. one-to-one. That would be really cool. We'll see if it happens. Everyone enjoy the rest of your day. Enjoy the game. We'll see you later.

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Lakers vs. Thunder, Game 2: What to Watch For (Could JJ Redick Get Weird?)

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