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LA LAKERS
PHOENIX |
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208.5
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Final
119 |
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| 719 | LA LAKERS | 207 | 207 | | 720 | PHOENIX | -8.5 | -12 |
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| All Games | 27-55 | -1.6 | 40-39 | 44-37 | 103.0 | 51.4 | 45.0% | 48.8 | 109.2 | 55.2 | 46.8% | 57.6 | | Road Games | 13-28 | +5.3 | 22-18 | 23-17 | 102.0 | 52.2 | 44.1% | 49.0 | 110.4 | 57.0 | 47.1% | 59.0 | | Last 5 Games | 2-3 | +2.4 | 2-2 | 2-3 | 109.4 | 52.8 | 46.7% | 45.2 | 112.6 | 55.8 | 49.5% | 56.0 | | Division Games | 6-10 | +3.7 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 101.8 | 50.6 | 43.6% | 48.7 | 111.7 | 56.9 | 47.7% | 59.0 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 103.0 | 51.4 | 38-85 | 45.0% | 9-25 | 38.1% | 17-22 | 75.7% | 49 | 9 | 24 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 5 | | vs opponents surrendering | 101 | 50.5 | 38-83 | 45.4% | 8-22 | 35.9% | 18-24 | 75.8% | 51 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Team Stats (Road Games) | 102.0 | 52.2 | 38-85 | 44.1% | 9-24 | 38.7% | 17-23 | 75.4% | 49 | 10 | 23 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 5 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 109.2 | 55.2 | 42-90 | 46.8% | 8-22 | 36.1% | 17-24 | 72.7% | 58 | 13 | 26 | 19 | 10 | 14 | 5 | | vs opponents averaging | 101.6 | 50.8 | 38-83 | 45.6% | 8-22 | 35.9% | 18-24 | 75.6% | 51 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Stats Against (Road Games) | 110.4 | 57.0 | 42-90 | 47.1% | 8-22 | 36.9% | 17-24 | 71.5% | 59 | 13 | 26 | 20 | 10 | 14 | 5 |
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| All Games | 48-34 | +16.3 | 52-29 | 37-41 | 105.2 | 53.6 | 46.3% | 51.0 | 102.6 | 51.7 | 45.6% | 51.1 | | Home Games | 26-15 | +1.8 | 23-17 | 21-17 | 108.1 | 55.1 | 47.7% | 51.0 | 102.7 | 51.9 | 45.6% | 50.0 | | Last 5 Games | 2-3 | -1.8 | 2-3 | 1-4 | 98.2 | 51.0 | 47.3% | 45.2 | 99.4 | 46.8 | 46.2% | 51.0 | | Division Games | 8-8 | -3 | 10-6 | 8-8 | 107.4 | 55.0 | 46.2% | 51.6 | 106.7 | 54.4 | 47.0% | 51.0 |
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| Team Stats (All Games) | 105.2 | 53.6 | 39-83 | 46.3% | 9-25 | 37.2% | 19-24 | 75.8% | 51 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 8 | 15 | 5 | | vs opponents surrendering | 101.4 | 50.7 | 38-83 | 45.5% | 8-22 | 35.9% | 18-24 | 75.6% | 51 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Team Stats (Home Games) | 108.1 | 55.1 | 40-83 | 47.7% | 10-25 | 38.5% | 19-25 | 75.4% | 51 | 12 | 19 | 22 | 9 | 15 | 5 | | Stats Against (All Games) | 102.6 | 51.7 | 38-83 | 45.6% | 7-20 | 34.1% | 20-26 | 76.6% | 51 | 11 | 20 | 21 | 7 | 15 | 4 | | vs opponents averaging | 101.3 | 50.6 | 38-83 | 45.5% | 8-21 | 36.0% | 18-24 | 75.6% | 51 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 8 | 14 | 5 | | Stats Against (Home Games) | 102.7 | 51.9 | 38-83 | 45.6% | 7-20 | 34.7% | 20-26 | 76.7% | 50 | 11 | 19 | 22 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: LA LAKERS 96.4, PHOENIX 96.3 |
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| 10/28/2014 | HOUSTON | 90-108 | L | 7 | L | 207 | U | 28-79 | 35.4% | 53 | 11 | 31-73 | 42.5% | 64 | 13 | | 10/29/2014 | @ PHOENIX | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10/31/2014 | LA CLIPPERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/1/2014 | @ GOLDEN STATE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/4/2014 | PHOENIX | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/9/2014 | CHARLOTTE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/11/2014 | @ MEMPHIS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/12/2014 | @ NEW ORLEANS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/14/2014 | SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| 10/29/2014 | LA LAKERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10/31/2014 | SAN ANTONIO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/1/2014 | @ UTAH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/4/2014 | @ LA LAKERS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/5/2014 | MEMPHIS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/7/2014 | SACRAMENTO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/9/2014 | GOLDEN STATE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/12/2014 | BROOKLYN | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/14/2014 | CHARLOTTE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| |  | LA LAKERS: GUARDS: At 36 and coming off multiple injuries, it seems unlikely that vintage KOBE BRYANT will ever return. Still, he'll get to the line enough to be among the league's scoring leaders . . . JEREMY LIN will start and be useful when his streaky shot gets hot . . . NICK YOUNG demanded the Lakers re-sign him, and what Swaggy P wants, Swaggy P gets (after L.A. struck out on every free agent). He'll miss the first couple weeks of the season as he recovers from thumb surgery . . . XAVIER HENRY will try to establish himself as a deep threat off the bench . . . JORDAN CLARKSON is the kind of big guard they've paired with Bryant over the years. He could be a year or two away from contributing . . . STEVE NASH is out for the season with a back injury. He's likely played his last game as a member of the Lakers. FORWARDS: You know it's been a rough offseason when CARLOS BOOZER, who no contending team wanted, is your prize. He's still a zero at the defensive end, but Boozer can shoot from mid-range and could see more minutes in a thin L.A. frontcourt . . . WESLEY JOHNSON gives them a spot-up shooter on the wing who brings some defensive versatility . . . They'll probably pair Boozer and teenager JULIUS RANDLE together often. The rookie has drawn comparisons to Zach Randolph . . . RYAN KELLY is a serviceable stretch-4 for the second unit. CENTERS: JORDAN HILL will see time at the 4 and 5 spots. His per-minute rates are strong, but his stamina is not . . . C'mon, who doesn't like ED DAVIS? . . . The Lakers will likely use Boozer, Hill and Davis as undersized centers, because entering the year they only have lead-footed ROBERT SACRE as a true 5. He's not a candidate to play more than 20 minutes per night. | | PHOENIX: GUARDS: This is GORAN DRAGIC's team, and he'll continue to thrive in head coach Jeff Hornacek's up-tempo system . . . ERIC BLEDSOE's contract extension took longer than planned, but both sides are happy it's done. Durability is a concern, but he's an explosive scorer who can defend, and a fringe All-Star when he's healthy . . . They do have a logjam in the backcourt with ISAIAH THOMAS coming in. Thomas would likely become a high-energy sixth man, a role he's better suited for than a starter . . . GERALD GREEN will see solid minutes considering he can play both wing spots. The question is whether the vastly improved three-point shooting was for real . . . It's a developmental season for 20-year-old rookie TYLER ENNIS . . . ARCHIE GOODWIN will need to polish both his point-guard skills and his shooting. FORWARDS: MARKIEFF MORRIS was a highly effective stretch-4 with the second unit last season, and he could be in for a full-time role now that Channing Frye is gone . . . Retained as a free agent, P.J. TUCKER will continue to be a glue guy in the starting five . . . MARCUS MORRIS has fallen behind his twin brother in the rotation. He's more of a 'tweener who doesn't quite fit in that stretch-4 role . . . Rookie T.J. WARREN fits Hornacek's system and should have his way with opposing bench players. He's a below-the-rim, mid-range shooter with limited upside, but crafty enough to pile up points against second-unit talent. He'll miss the first two weeks of the season with a fractured thumb . . . ANTHONY TOLLIVER gives the Suns some depth at the 4-spot, and he fits the system with his long-range shooting. CENTERS: MILES PLUMLEE is the best option in an underwhelming rotation in the middle. He's an energy guy who does little else . . . He lost his rookie season, and ALEX LEN is still in the developmental stage. His upside is much higher than Plumlee's, and he might get minutes because of his screening and defensive mobility. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER PRO BASKETBALL PREVIEW (LA LAKERS-PHOENIX) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Lakers-Suns Preview* =====================
By JORDAN GARRETSON STATS Writer
Los Angeles (0-1) at Phoenix (0-0), 10:00 p.m. EDT
The Phoenix Suns aren't going to sneak up on teams after making the biggest improvement in the NBA last season. It might not matter against the Los Angeles Lakers, who could be in even more trouble after their already short-handed roster took another hit with a devastating injury.
Phoenix opens its season Wednesday night seeking its seventh straight home victory over the Lakers.
The Suns won 48 games in their first year under Jeff Hornacek - a league-best 23-win improvement from 2012-13. However, they still missed out on what would have been their first playoff bid since 2010, finishing a game behind eighth-place Dallas.
A full season with Eric Bledsoe - who was signed to a five-year, $70 million deal - figures to help. Injuries limited him to 43 games last year, though the Suns were 28-15 in those contests.
When healthy, Bledsoe combined with Goran Dragic for one of the league's most exciting young backcourts. Dragic was named the league's Most Improved Player, averaging a career-best 20.3 points after previously scoring 9.5 per game for his career.
The Suns puzzled some when they added another offensive-minded point guard to the mix with Isaiah Thomas, who scored a career-high 20.3 points per game for Sacramento.
Phoenix may even use the entire trio simultaneously at times.
"Sometimes for a three- or four-minute stretch it might change the direction of a game if we were a little slow and need something picked up," Hornacek said.
The Suns led the league with 18.7 fast-break points per game and their 98.2 possessions per 48 minutes was the league's eighth-highest rate, yet they want to play at an even faster pace this season. Thomas' explosiveness should help them do that.
"We want to pick that up, we want to be one, two or three and really try to get the ball out of bounds and go with it, put pressure on the other teams," Hornacek told the team's official website.
The Lakers took a 108-90 loss against Houston on Tuesday, their worst season-opening setback since a 114-96 defeat at Philadelphia in 1968-69. Los Angeles also lost Julius Randle - the seventh overall pick in June - to a fractured tibia after a collision under the basket in the fourth quarter.
"We'll help him through this, and he'll come back a better basketball player," said Kobe Bryant, who scored 19 points. "That's the goal, is to try to find a silver lining in this. He'll use the time to come back and be stronger."
Bryant was playing in his first regular-season game since December after a knee injury limited him to six contests in 2013-14.
The loss of Randle makes things even more difficult for a team already without Steve Nash, Nick Young, Ryan Kelly and new addition Wayne Ellington due to injuries. That group averaged a combined 35.9 points per game last season.
Carlos Boozer scored 17 in his Lakers debut, joining Bryant as the team's only players to score more than 11.
Gerald Green averaged 24.0 points on 54.0 percent shooting in his final three games versus Los Angeles last season. Phoenix is hoping Green can be more consistent after he averaged 19.8 points during a 30-game stretch from Feb. 8-April 11. He averaged 13.5 points in his other 52 games.
The Suns haven't won seven straight at home against the Lakers since Nov. 8, 1991-April 13, 1994.
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| | Last Updated: 4/19/2024 12:50:32 PM EST. |
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