Lakers in Charlotte: More Lineup Changes?

The Lakers begin their three game road trip in Charlotte, North Carolina against the Hornets. They beat Charlotte in November, 107-92.

Six weeks until the season ends and the strategy of musical chairs continues for Byron Scott and the Los Angeles Lakers. Scott’s only exercise these days is the string pulling that has become predictable enough to be bland. His strange decisions were never intended for chemistry purposes, nor were they designed for wins or anything more concrete than the immediate chore of getting through one game at a time, one road trip at a time, one week at a time. All roads lead to the lottery and the top 5 pick even if it is disguised as something else. Mediocrity and failure are rooted into the Lakers soil and Byron Scott is going to be last person with a shovel to dig it all up.

The Lakers, coming off a three game winning streak that meant absolutely nothing, enter the land of tobacco and Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets with more lineup news. Byron Scott intends to play Tarik Black more. Somewhere down the line he wants to start Jeremy LIn (again). He may even give up on his Ryan Kelly/Robert Sacre experiment and use Ed Davis more. Scott is playing checkers while the rest of the NBA (excluding the 76ers, Timberwolves and Celtics) are playing chess. The foaming of the mouth at his randomness is hardly worthy the emotion and psychosis it is eliciting on a nightly basis. This is how you get into the lottery, so be thankful for the punishment of Byron Scott.

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Less was expected of the Lakers coming into this season but more was expected from the Charlotte Hornets after their successful 2013-14 season that ended with a playoff exit, and their acquisition in the free agent summer frenzy of Lance Stephenson, a brooding, recalcitrant but talented player who wanted as much money as he could get, winning be damned. He was supposed to give Charlotte the scoring punch they needed, someone who could create his own shot, drive into the lane, be physical in the paint and more importantly be the toughest person on the Charlotte team with his blanketing style of defense.

It’s a cautionary tale for Lakers fans who rest their hopes on the free agent market. Sometimes it fails and you are stuck with that player. The Hornets, at one point, tried to move Stephenson but had no takers for his $9 million dollar deal with no opt-out. So they have a marriage with an annulment coming next year. In the meantime they have had injuries to Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. Winning with a patch up crew never, ever works in the NBA. Currently, Charlotte is 10^th in the Eastern Conference but tied with the 7^th seed with 33 losses. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks for a playoff berth by one game but let’s be real. They’ve won 10 more games than the Lakers. They are not a good team.

Charlotte averages 94 points a game, 4^th worst in the NBA. They can’t make shots, only Philadelphia clanks the rim more. They have flunked 3-Point Shooting 101. But they defend. They contest shots and rotate to shooters and get into the passing lanes. Teams don’t make shots against the Charlotte Hornets which brings the Lakers to an interesting dilemma. They can’t make shots either, ranked 24^th in the NBA. Against the best defenses in the NBA, the Lakers are 5-16, scoring 95 points per game.

The Lakers played Charlotte in November and beat them by 15 points in Staples Center. It was the Lakers first win of the year and an omen. After five straight losses they handled the Hornets with ease even though Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson had 40 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin had 42 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists. The Lakers have played 52 games since that November 9^th Charlotte game. They are a scintillating 15-37.

All roads lead to the top 5 pick.

Next: Lakers Playing Catch-Up With NBA

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