Game 6: Grizzlies @ Lakers, Friday, 9:30 CST, 7:30 PST

[TylersLakers]

Must win.

If we have to go back to Memphis, I don't think we have much of a chance in Game 7.

Keys To The Game:

1) Energy, Effort: We have to come out how we did in Game 3. Multiple efforts defensively, running in transition, feeding off the crowd.

2) Defensive Rebounding: It's been the biggest weakness that this team has had all year, regardless of personnel. We have to get rebounds and hold Memphis to 1 shot. There's zero reason why Memphis should be close in rebounding numbers. We have the talent to dominate this team on the boards and that's what needs to be done.

3) Make Shots:

Game 1: 16/37 3PT (43%) - Win
Game 2: 7/26 3PT (27%) - Loss
Game 3: 7/28 3PT (25%) - Win
Game 4: 10/36 3PT (28%) - Win
Game 5: 10/39 3PT (26%)

Ever since Game 1, we've shot the ball like crap. We need a game where we shoot 35+% from 3PT.

For that reason alone, I'd start Rui in place of Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is giving us nothing offensively and it's really hurting the spacing for LeBron and AD. Not to mention, Rui's been a much better rebounder than Vanderbilt has been.

4) Empty The Clip: No stone left unturned. Play LeBron 40 minutes. Play AD 42-44 minutes. Combine their breaks close to TV timeouts or end of quarter. Play LeBron for 6 minute stretches, break him for 2 minutes + TV timeout. If LeBron plays more than 6-8 minutes per shift, his energy level flatlines.

AD used to play 1st and 3rd quarters in full every game. Get back to that and bring him back in with 7-8 minutes left in the second and fourth quarters.

What can't happen under any circumstance is one of LeBron or AD on the bench to finish quarters. Memphis knows that's the time in the game they can attack and they've had their strong personnel in there ever since the first quarter of Game 3. It's killing us.

---------------------

Let's GO!!!!!!!!!!

[Beethoven]

We got this one.

[Beethoven]

I'm not even going to watch Friday nite. I got a long drive that nite, I want to enjoy my drive in peace and as soon as I get home around 11pm, I'll check the score to see 4-2 lakers moving on.

Yes. That is what I'll expect to see.

[JVL]

30+ by both Bron and AD. Game starts at 4.30am my time, gonna set my alarm and wake up early. I'm feeling a dominant W.

[snaquille oatmeal]

Let’s shut the door!

[tamaraw08]

30+ by both Bron and AD. Game starts at 4.30am my time, gonna set my alarm and wake up early. I'm feeling a dominant W.

Let me ask you, when was the last time BOTH of them dropped at least 26 pts in a game?????????

>>>>>

Granted they didn't play a lot of regular games together, but the closest thing was game 3 when James scored 25 pts when AD had a hot game.
What else????? closest thing Mar 29 when James also scored 25....I think you have to go back to the early games which ironically when they were losing so many games.....
It's a weird thing for me because when they won it all, both averaged 27 pts in the bubble. Now, it's one of them dropping 34+ while the other struggled scoring.

[TheHartBreakKid]

I think Lakers get it, but has anyone else been getting traumatizing flashbacks for the 06 matchup against the suns?

[tamaraw08]

Regression to the Mean or Law of Averages? Which one will eventually happen, as in one or more of this struggling players will catch fire this game.
Troy Brown is shooting 10% from 3.
James is shooting 16.7% from 3.
Schroder is averaging 5 pts/game
or God forbid.
Brooks is shooting 21.6% from 3
Tillman is shooting 25%.

[tamaraw08]

Must win.

If we have to go back to Memphis, I don't think we have much of a chance in Game 7.

Keys To The Game:


4) Empty The Clip: No stone left unturned. Play LeBron 40 minutes. Play AD 42-44 minutes. Combine their breaks close to TV timeouts or end of quarter. Play LeBron for 6 minute stretches, break him for 2 minutes + TV timeout. If LeBron plays more than 6-8 minutes per shift, his energy level flatlines.

AD used to play 1st and 3rd quarters in full every game. Get back to that and bring him back in with 7-8 minutes left in the second and fourth quarters.

What can't happen under any circumstance is one of LeBron or AD on the bench to finish quarters. Memphis knows that's the time in the game they can attack and they've had their strong personnel in there ever since the first quarter of Game 3. It's killing us.

---------------------

Let's GO!!!!!!!!!!

I am concerned about fatigue. Lebron is 38 nursing a foot tendon injury. Not only he is showing signs of exhaustion, but I can imagine the pain in his foot every time he runs on the court.
AD is just 30 years old .... a 37 year old body. A normal basketball contact is like a very forceful hit on his shoulder/hip/rib etc etc.
he has "only" missed 3 games since January 25 after coming back from injury. From the past 3 years, he tend to get hurt or injured after playing 25-35 games... Kawhi missed more games and still got injured....
I am frustrated with Ham's lack of creativity and adjustments on how help AD and James get higher % shots.
Get some backdoor cuts,
use James' wide body providing a solid screen for AD and cut from the weakside etc.
Use the player Ja is guarding as a screener and force a mismatch for James down low.
Schroder doing a 1 man full court press and force Brooks to set the offense.
How about letting AD float/patrol the middle and "defend" and dare Dillon to take those bad shots? Ham must be creative and disrupt Memphis' offensive flow.

[Kilroy]

Tillman goes off because LeBron is guarding him most of the time and LeBron isn't expending energy trying to shut him down...

I'd like to say home cooking is going to get D'Lo going, but that hasn't happened so far... I think Reaves and Schroder will play better at home... A game where AD scores 30 and has a double double, should have been a sure win for us, especially with LeBron contributing a 20 pt doulble double himself... So IDK... I think it comes down to D and coaching.

We need to come out and lock down... If we can't do that, we're in trouble...

We also need some adjustments from our Coach. Leave Vande in longer... Let Rui guard Tillman a little more... try some other shooter and give them a couple shots to get hot before yanking them.

And if DLo isn't even warm, ride Schroder till he drops. At least when he's not hitting, he gives you solid D.

[Pythagoras]

Let’s go fellas! Put these guys away!

The good news is, if they can get by the Grizz, I don’t think anyone left in the West matches up against them as well.

[TylersLakers]

Must win.

If we have to go back to Memphis, I don't think we have much of a chance in Game 7.

Keys To The Game:


4) Empty The Clip: No stone left unturned. Play LeBron 40 minutes. Play AD 42-44 minutes. Combine their breaks close to TV timeouts or end of quarter. Play LeBron for 6 minute stretches, break him for 2 minutes + TV timeout. If LeBron plays more than 6-8 minutes per shift, his energy level flatlines.

AD used to play 1st and 3rd quarters in full every game. Get back to that and bring him back in with 7-8 minutes left in the second and fourth quarters.

What can't happen under any circumstance is one of LeBron or AD on the bench to finish quarters. Memphis knows that's the time in the game they can attack and they've had their strong personnel in there ever since the first quarter of Game 3. It's killing us.

---------------------

Let's GO!!!!!!!!!!

I am concerned about fatigue. Lebron is 38 nursing a foot tendon injury. Not only he is showing signs of exhaustion, but I can imagine the pain in his foot every time he runs on the court.
AD is just 30 years old .... a 37 year old body. A normal basketball contact is like a very forceful hit on his shoulder/hip/rib etc etc.
he has "only" missed 3 games since January 25 after coming back from injury. From the past 3 years, he tend to get hurt or injured after playing 25-35 games... Kawhi missed more games and still got injured....
I am frustrated with Ham's lack of creativity and adjustments on how help AD and James get higher % shots.
Get some backdoor cuts,
use James' wide body providing a solid screen for AD and cut from the weakside etc.
Use the player Ja is guarding as a screener and force a mismatch for James down low.
Schroder doing a 1 man full court press and force Brooks to set the offense.
How about letting AD float/patrol the middle and "defend" and dare Dillon to take those bad shots? Ham must be creative and disrupt Memphis' offensive flow.

The fatigue and how it impacts LeBron is my number 1 worry. Not only now but going forward. I know he's had an up-and-down season availability wise. But he's also played a bunch of games in a row and for the first part of this series and leading up to this series, he had a ton of rest. The fact that he's this tired and his legs are THIS shot is concerning. 5-6 minute shifts combined with a 1 minute break wrapped around a TV timeout or end of quarter situation should be the goal.

If I was Darvin Ham, I'd do the following.. and I haven't been able to get this out of my head the past 48 hours. Just been waking up thinking about rotations. Someone book me into a therapy session. Or a hypnotist. Or an exorcist. Either one is good.

Start: Schroder/Reaves/Rui/LeBron/AD

- Schroder guards Bane
- Reaves guards Ja
- LeBron guards Brooks (free safety - resting on D)
- AD guards Tillman (Keeps AD in the paint)
- Rui guards JJJ (He's done a great job defensively against Jaren, provides spacing)

- At the 6 minute mark, sub LeBron out for Vanderbilt, D-Lo in for Schroder: D-Lo/Reaves/Vanderbilt/Rui/AD
- At the 4 minute mark, bring LeBron back in for Rui: D-Lo/Reaves/Vanderbilt/LeBron/AD
- At the under 3 minute mark timeout, sub in Schroder for Reaves: Schroder/D-Lo/Vanderbilt/LeBron/AD

LeBron plays 6 minutes - Gets rest. Plays 3 minutes - gets rest. Plays 2 1/2 minutes - gets rest. Plays 9 or 10 first quarter minutes.

2nd Quarter - Start: Reaves/Beasley/LeBron/Rui/Gabriel - Size mixed with shooting.

- See how this line-up does and see how Memphis' personnel is. If it's going well, sit AD till the 7 minute timeout. If not, bring him back in around 8 minutes. This group has to commit to rebounding which is why I like having all 3 of LeBron, Rui and Gabriel in. We've been running LeBron, Rui, Troy Brown, Schroder and Beasley and been getting killed. Having Gabriel in for Troy Brown is the way to go.
- At the under 7 timeout, sub out LeBron and Reaves. Bring in Schroder and AD. If Beasley is playing well, keep him in. If he's not, sub him out for D-Lo: Schroder/Beasley/Rui/Gabriel/AD - Haven't seen Gabriel and AD together in a while but it was successful in the few times we went to it down the stretch.
- At the 5 minute mark, bring LeBron, D-Lo and Reaves back in for Rui, Beasley, Gabriel: Schroder/D-Lo/Reaves/LeBron/AD
- At the under 3 minute mark timeout, sub in Rui for Schroder or D-Lo (whoever's playing worse): D-Lo/Reaves/Rui/LeBron/AD

- Rinse and repeat for second half and the closing line-up will be LeBron, Reaves, AD with whoever's playing the best. Maybe AD comes in a little earlier in the fourth quarter.

AD: Plays 40-42 minutes
LeBron: Plays 39-40 minutes.
Rui and Reaves: Each of them probably 38-40 minutes.
D-Lo and Schroder: One plays 20 minutes, with whoever's best playing 25-30 minutes.
Vanderbilt plays 12 minutes
Beasley plays 6-12 minutes (depending how his first half goes)
Gabriel plays 8-12 minutes

That's 6 guys playing big minutes with Vando, Beasley and Gabriel chipping in.

[Kilroy]

I'm probably going to miss all of this one... Prior engagements and what not... So good luck fam.

[tamaraw08]

Must win.

If we have to go back to Memphis, I don't think we have much of a chance in Game 7.

Keys To The Game:


4) Empty The Clip: No stone left unturned. Play LeBron 40 minutes. Play AD 42-44 minutes. Combine their breaks close to TV timeouts or end of quarter. Play LeBron for 6 minute stretches, break him for 2 minutes + TV timeout. If LeBron plays more than 6-8 minutes per shift, his energy level flatlines.

AD used to play 1st and 3rd quarters in full every game. Get back to that and bring him back in with 7-8 minutes left in the second and fourth quarters.

What can't happen under any circumstance is one of LeBron or AD on the bench to finish quarters. Memphis knows that's the time in the game they can attack and they've had their strong personnel in there ever since the first quarter of Game 3. It's killing us.

---------------------

Let's GO!!!!!!!!!!

I am concerned about fatigue. Lebron is 38 nursing a foot tendon injury. Not only he is showing signs of exhaustion, but I can imagine the pain in his foot every time he runs on the court.
AD is just 30 years old .... a 37 year old body. A normal basketball contact is like a very forceful hit on his shoulder/hip/rib etc etc.
he has "only" missed 3 games since January 25 after coming back from injury. From the past 3 years, he tend to get hurt or injured after playing 25-35 games... Kawhi missed more games and still got injured....
I am frustrated with Ham's lack of creativity and adjustments on how help AD and James get higher % shots.
Get some backdoor cuts,
use James' wide body providing a solid screen for AD and cut from the weakside etc.
Use the player Ja is guarding as a screener and force a mismatch for James down low.
Schroder doing a 1 man full court press and force Brooks to set the offense.
How about letting AD float/patrol the middle and "defend" and dare Dillon to take those bad shots? Ham must be creative and disrupt Memphis' offensive flow.

The fatigue and how it impacts LeBron is my number 1 worry. Not only now but going forward. I know he's had an up-and-down season availability wise. But he's also played a bunch of games in a row and for the first part of this series and leading up to this series, he had a ton of rest. The fact that he's this tired and his legs are THIS shot is concerning. 5-6 minute shifts combined with a 1 minute break wrapped around a TV timeout or end of quarter situation should be the goal.

If I was Darvin Ham, I'd do the following.. and I haven't been able to get this out of my head the past 48 hours. Just been waking up thinking about rotations. Someone book me into a therapy session. Or a hypnotist. Or an exorcist. Either one is good.

Start: Schroder/Reaves/Rui/LeBron/AD

- Schroder guards Bane
- Reaves guards Ja
- LeBron guards Brooks (free safety - resting on D)
- AD guards Tillman (Keeps AD in the paint)
- Rui guards JJJ (He's done a great job defensively against Jaren, provides spacing)

- At the 6 minute mark, sub LeBron out for Vanderbilt, D-Lo in for Schroder: D-Lo/Reaves/Vanderbilt/Rui/AD
- At the 4 minute mark, bring LeBron back in for Rui: D-Lo/Reaves/Vanderbilt/LeBron/AD
- At the under 3 minute mark timeout, sub in Schroder for Reaves: Schroder/D-Lo/Vanderbilt/LeBron/AD

LeBron plays 6 minutes - Gets rest. Plays 3 minutes - gets rest. Plays 2 1/2 minutes - gets rest. Plays 9 or 10 first quarter minutes.

2nd Quarter - Start: Reaves/Beasley/LeBron/Rui/Gabriel - Size mixed with shooting.

- See how this line-up does and see how Memphis' personnel is. If it's going well, sit AD till the 7 minute timeout. If not, bring him back in around 8 minutes. This group has to commit to rebounding which is why I like having all 3 of LeBron, Rui and Gabriel in. We've been running LeBron, Rui, Troy Brown, Schroder and Beasley and been getting killed. Having Gabriel in for Troy Brown is the way to go.
- At the under 7 timeout, sub out LeBron and Reaves. Bring in Schroder and AD. If Beasley is playing well, keep him in. If he's not, sub him out for D-Lo: Schroder/Beasley/Rui/Gabriel/AD - Haven't seen Gabriel and AD together in a while but it was successful in the few times we went to it down the stretch.
- At the 5 minute mark, bring LeBron, D-Lo and Reaves back in for Rui, Beasley, Gabriel: Schroder/D-Lo/Reaves/LeBron/AD
- At the under 3 minute mark timeout, sub in Rui for Schroder or D-Lo (whoever's playing worse): D-Lo/Reaves/Rui/LeBron/AD

- Rinse and repeat for second half and the closing line-up will be LeBron, Reaves, AD with whoever's playing the best. Maybe AD comes in a little earlier in the fourth quarter.

AD: Plays 40-42 minutes
LeBron: Plays 39-40 minutes.
Rui and Reaves: Each of them probably 38-40 minutes.
D-Lo and Schroder: One plays 20 minutes, with whoever's best playing 25-30 minutes.
Vanderbilt plays 12 minutes
Beasley plays 6-12 minutes (depending how his first half goes)
Gabriel plays 8-12 minutes

That's 6 guys playing big minutes with Vando, Beasley and Gabriel chipping in.

Great Job staggering those minutes for the core players but I still worry about the lack of effective sets with multiple options or counters from Ham and Jent. They just can’t afford to just stand around and let James create for everyone.
I envy other teams motion offense and screening schemes from the Warriors, of course you can’t run 15 sets but at least get about 5-6 plays where they can get higher % shots.

[JVL]

DLo is cooking. AD looks scared on defense, doesn’t want anything to do with Tillman.

[TylersLakers]

Big stretch with LeBron on the bench and a TV timeout. I’d give Bron 30 more seconds after this timeout and get him back in.

Great start. Love the defensive activity.

[JVL]

Keep Bron on the bench, this lineup is killing the Grizzlies.

[dAdo dA dEvil]

Great 1st quarter. That last foul called on Reaves is ridiculous.

Sent from my CPH1937 using RealGM mobile app

[Ball so hard]

Great 1st quarter. That last foul called on Reaves is ridiculous.

Sent from my CPH1937 using RealGM mobile app

You can always expect these bs calls in a one sided game.

[Ball so hard]

Russel playing a good game so far… however, please don’t get trigger happy.