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Pacific Rim |
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[PACIFIC RIM] On paper, this one should go in favour of the Kings.
Clarkson is an up and coming great guard with size, speed and versatility.
Selected in the second round a few years ago, he has proven most of the league
wrong in their assessment of his ability. He has just signed a new four year
deal to stay with the Kings and he is a huge part of their future. He hasn’t
taken full advantage of all the usage with Conley on the shelf, but maybe it
can be this week. Owns season averages of around 14 points and 6 dimes. Brooks, who has been getting dem’ cheques for about a decade
now, relies on quickness and offensive ability. In particular, his jumpshot.
Yep, it’s pretty much all about the jumpshot, as he is too small and weak to do
much else. His offensive awareness has allowed him to drop 10 dimes per game,
so you could argue he is more versatile. He has been filling in for George Hill
who has a sore toe (really?). In his time with the reins, he has been solid,
but had a really poor week three. Will be looking to bounce back. A heavyweight bout if I ever saw one. Dwyane Wade is
basketball royalty. He has been so good for so long. Perennial MVP and All-Star
candidate. His move to the Lakers this off-season has looked to revitalise his
game and body after languishing away in the rudderless Atlanta the prior
season. As a Laker, he has been able to average Wade-esque numbers of 19-4-4,
but what jumps out is his fantastic efficiency. Low turnovers, high %s. He’s
happy in LA LA land. The battle of the swiss army knives! Iguodala is one of the most celebrated NLL players in
history. Champion. Finals MVP. All-Star. Greeny’s boy. He has supreme
athleticism, great defense and a solid repertoire of go to moves (layups,
dunks, fadeaways and threes). As a younger player he was much more of a
playmaker, but is still capable. He is a jack of all trades. Balance is a
strength of the Lakers, and as their poster boy gets on in years, he has taken
a back-seat a little more. His numbers don’t reflect the impact he has on this
team, both spiritually and in reality. Nicolas Batum is cut from much the same cloth, with
versatility his calling card. He has just signed a massive multi-year deal to
stay with the Kings and is locked into the small forward spot. He was seen as a
great fit next to Conley and Klay, as he can be effective without the ball and
a playmaker with the ball. So far this season, he has only been able to
contribute 10-4-4, but it’s the things he doesn’t do that allows other Kings
players to thrive. Marvin Williams was hand-picked by the 2K genius greenmig. He got him for just Aron Baynes and must be thrilled with the way he has responded to being a Laker. He has been red-hot from distance and provides that stretch four presence, while being a solid defender, that it seems most teams are trying to develop now. He allows the wings in Wade and Iggy to slash and drive and lets Plumlee patrol the paint. He will really take Powell out of his comfort zone on the perimeter. Williams is averaging almost 19 points and 6 rebounds a game – and is shooting 2.5 threes per game at over 50%. Wow.
The big boys. Both players are out there for the same
reasons – to rebound, to box out, to block and to finish around the rim. Dedmon
is actually quite effective despite his lack of name value. Plumlee has come
into his own over the last couple of years and patrolled the paint for the 2016
Championship Lakers. This is where Lakers make their money, their deep rotations.
The Lakers boast some real scoring power coming off the bench with Speights and
Ginobili being two of the better bench scorers in the NLL. Shump is a fantastic
defender and Hawes will stretch the floor. Gerald Green is a renowned NLL
glitch scorer and will carry most of the bench load for the Kings. West and
Hump will provide grit and strength in the paint. |
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X-Factor |
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The bench will play a huge factor in this game and I just can't go past the Lakers bench. They have proven volume scorers and if they are on their game, they will put the Kings away in the minutes where the role players take the stage. I think getting Marvin Williams back is huge for the Lakers and he will also be an x-factor, showing what the Lakers are with him, after seeing what they were like without them. Expect him to come out firing after finally finding a home where he can start and thrive. The Lakers and Kings rivalry goes back a long time, and I think this will be another great episode. Lakers by 5-7 points. |