Lakers vs. Suns: It’s already safe to write off the Lakers’ title hopes

The Los Angeles Lakers opened up their home schedule against the Phoenix Suns, a team they had already lost twice to in the preseason. Just like the Golden State Warriors, the third game actually counts in the win/loss column. A word to the warning for delusional Lakers fans that thought the preseason did not matter. Stop reading here.

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to 0-2 with an embarrassing 115-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns. After finishing the first quarter with a 26-23 lead, the Lakers scored 18 points in the second quarter and 23 points in the third. Phoenix on the other hand scored 71 points during the same span. The Lake Show was down as much as 32 points in this game before Los Angeles made the score a little more cosmetic.

The good from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

Seems like Russell Westbrook finally got his game through customs…in the first quarter.

Russell Westbrook has been terrible for most of the preseason and after a 8 point, 4-13 performance, the situation really bottomed out for the high-profile free agent. Maybe after LeBron James gave him some advice to watch a comedy and hang out with the wife and kids, Westbrook figured out that he is stronger than 95 percent of the guards in the NBA and he can do business in the post.

After Frank Vogel took the blame for Russ’ struggles, Westbrook responded by being more aggressive. Not only did he match the 8 points from the previous game in the first quarter, he drew two fouls from Devin Booker taking him out of rhythm. After that, Russ wasn’t heard of much.

LeBron James was shooting like Ray Allen…in the first quarter.

The King is unconscious from behind the arc folks. Like it’s an out-of-body experience the way he’s shooting the basketball. Hopefully, he doesn’t fall in love with popping his hands back (Man that is a bad habit to break when shots aren’t falling!) but right now, he is shooting on all cylinders.

He was the best player on the floor for the Lakers. The problem is…if he’s playing at a higher level than his teammates, the team is in trouble. Anthony Davis is supposed to be at this level on a consistent basis.

The game ended.

Understand that all of the good stuff happened in the first quarter. Sure they scored 38 points in the last quarter, but the game was over after the third.

The bad from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

LeBron got in a little bit of foul trouble!

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but based on how hot he was (He knocked down all four shots for 11 points!) this was a major problem for the Los Angeles Lakers. Granted the calls during this game for both sides were suspect, but the offense suffered big time in the second quarter when he sat down.

It seemed the entire Lakers team was in foul trouble!

Let’s put this in perspective. The Suns were in the penalty with over 9 MINUTES left in the second quarter. We’ve talked about LeBron’s foul issues, he wasn’t alone, to say the least.

• Russell Westbrook had three fouls in the first half.
• Avery Bradley had two fouls in only eight minutes. To be clear, he’s the Lakers’ best perimeter defender these days.
• Anthony Davis had two fouls that threw him out of rhythm in the first half with 1-5 shooting.
• Dwight Howard had two fouls. But is anyone surprised?

Phoenix had a parade to the charity stripe for free points while the Lakers kept right on fouling. How bad were things with Howard? He fouled Chris Paul 23 feet from the basket trying to get a steal and then almost got a technical by shoving him.

The Los Angeles Lakers have absolutely no offensive system at all! 

Here’s Frank Vogel’s offensive playbook…

• Give the ball to LeBron James and let him figure it out. Hopefully, there’s a shooter in the corner if things go bad.
• Give the ball to AD on the left wing and let him figure out if he will go to the paint, go to his left for a fadeaway or shoot a fadeaway jumper from that spot.
• Russell Westbrook? Well, the first quarter plan worked and then…afterwards? Let him figure it out.
• Everybody else on the roster? Follow the stars…be ready and yes…figure it out. 

This team is depending on fast-break basketball to beat teams. The only problem with this plan is you need defense to start a fast break. The Lakers haven’t stopped anybody.

The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

This is game two and this writer has written the Los Angeles Lakers off for winning a championship! 

Look, folks, it’s over. The Lakers are in trouble and deep down they know it. This is a scene of implosion folks.

Lake Show Life spent the entire preseason spelling out every defensive breakdown that led them to six straight losses. The perimeter defense was bad before the injuries and now that THT, Kendrick Nunn and Trevor Ariza is out, it is now a train wreck.

This is a product of Chris Paul putting on a Broadway show breaking down the Lakers’ defense. When he sat down, Cameron Payne picked up where CP3 left off. Until Frank Vogel (He is a defensive coach right?) or someone besides the Lake Show Life staff decides to mention the horrid defense this team is playing, this team will have more incidents like this.

Okay, Rajon Rondo might get fined for this…

Let’s see…a gun gesture to an NBA fan. Granted the fan might have said something because he got kicked out but seriously? With this embarrassing display from these players, it is clear that…

Let’s keep this simple…Frank Vogel has to go!

This is the second game of the season played in front of a capacity crowd on national television and players are getting physical on the sideline? Getting into confrontations with fans? Who’s leading this bunch?

Frank Vogel lost this team as soon as Andre Drummond was put in the starting lineup LAST YEAR! Now things are getting worse. It’s time for David Fizdale to take this team over!

Take that to data!!!