Thursday Hoops Preview

By Craig Kwasniewski

All Star break is right around the corner so let's take a quick look at tonight's games (all times Pacific):

Dallas @ Houston (5:00 PM): With Devean George out I don't even know if Dallas should even show up. It'll take a big "circle the wagons" moment for the Mavs to rally behind their injured forward and his 39.1% FG percentage. This is why they pay coaches like Avery Johnson the big bucks. I'm sure he'll find a suitable replacement like a microphone or ball rack.

That being said, the Mavs are on an eight game winning streak, they mauled Houston 95-74 last week and are playing a road game the night before All-Star break. Dallas lacks motivation tonight as Houston wins this one 98-91.

Cleveland @ LA Lakers (7:30 PM): Can someone please explain why Kobe and LeBron face each other twice in five days? Shouldn't the schedule makers spread out these games a few weeks? You're talking two of the best players in the game and rather than milk a potential rivalry over a period of time, we see them match up all three times in one week (including the All-Star game)?

The Lakers are seriously reeling (4 game losing streak, 4-10 since January 17th). The biggest shock in Lakerland is the importance of Luke Walton to the their success, especially in the triangle. I knew he had excellent basketball IQ, but I never considered him the third most important Laker (behind Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic or course!). The Lakers are 3-8 since he went down with an ankle injury against Charlotte. Over that 11 game stretch the Lakers really miss his ability to move the ball and find the right man in the Triangle. Radmanovic really looks lost filling in for Walton and the Laker defense has gone from average to a flat out sieve (thank-you Smush Parker!).

Still, I see the Lakers winning 107-103. LeBron's posse, his luggage and groupies are all in Vegas and much like Dallas, I don't see the Cavs bringing their A-game. Plus, the Lakers play to the level of their opponents and will bring a far better defensive effort than Tuesday's loss to New York (or as I like to call it, "a night of a 1,000 F-Bombs.")

Comments

[basketbawful]

It's not just Luke Walton...the Lakers are 15-17 after starting the season 15-6. And hey, didn't you call Utah a fraud for cooling off after the 12-1 start? But at least they're above .500 since (23-16 to be exact)...including 6-1 without their leading scorer/rebounder/percentage shooter. Just sayin'. :)

[Joe]

As much as I'd like to see the CAVS get another one from the Lakers, I totally agree with you. Sadly, it seems LeBron has been phoning it in a lot lately and his mind is probably already on Vegas.

[Craig]

"And hey, didn't you call Utah a fraud for cooling off after the 12-1 start?"

Sometimes (actually a lot of times) I have to eat my words.

[basketbawful]

"Sometimes (actually a lot of times) I have to eat my words."

Heh. Here's the thing, though. I honestly believe that the Lakers biggest problem is their lack of production from the point guard position. Yes, yes, I know that the Triangle Offense is supposed to eliminate the need for a play-making point guard. But even so, in the past Phil's teams always had a PG that was *at least* able to run plays and consistently hit the open jumper. Smush Parker is an absolute failure in that respect.

Conversely, much of Utah's success is due to the emergence of Deron Williams. And, sure enough, he's been carrying them in Boozer's absence. Amazing what an offseason with John Stockton will do...

[Craig]

"Smush Parker is an absolute failure in that respect."

Change that to, "Smush Parker is an absolute failure."

I actually found myself thinking that Sasha Vujacic would be a better starter than Smush... SASHA VUJACIC!!! The Lakers have been sorely lacking at the PG spot pretty much since the 2003 season, when Fisher was in his (as you might say) pre-corpse days. Since then; Gary Payton (2003-04, Billups exposed his lack of defense), Chucky Atkins (2004-05, ZERO defense), Smush Parker (present day).

Jordan Farmar might fill the role in a few years, but the Lakers really need to upgrade at the point for them to move up to a second tier team (with Utah, San Antonio, Miami and Detroit).