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Tag: Lakers

Shamit Dua: “If You Had to Offer [Zion] the Max, You’d Do It”

March 12, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Buoyed by the CJ McCollum acquisition, Brandon Ingram had taken his game to a superstar level, but the wiry wing has recently been sidelined with a right hamstring strain (@Pelicansnba/Instagram).

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Shamit Dua, host of the In the NO podcast, discusses the promising, young New Orleans Pelicans, whose vastly improved defense and deadline acquisition of guard CJ McCollum has them jockeying for a play-in spot. Shamit discusses McCollum’s arrival, including what it’s unlocked for star wing Brandon Ingram, before exploring New Orleans’ new dual-big man starting lineup, Herb Jones’ seismic contributions to its defensive leap and the team’s prospects for the remainder of the season and beyond. Among other forward-looking topics, Shamit pays special attention to the franchise’s consequential upcoming summer decision regarding Zion Williamson’s future as its centerpiece. Enjoy some delectable excerpts below:

2:10-2:57: “From the get-go, CJ has brought professionalism, leadership and just attention to the franchise in a way that it hasn’t had before. You can tell that this is the player that all of his peers voted as the president of the [National Basketball] Players Association. He knows what he’s doing, both on and off the court, and it’s the kind of leadership that the team has really needed. Obviously on the court, he’s been producing at an extremely high rate. I think he’s up to like 27 points per game as a Pelican. He’s jelling well with the other players on the team, creating open looks and just all in all making the Pelicans offense that much more dynamic and that much more difficult to defend.” Continue reading

Espo: “There’s No Asterisk” on Suns’ Finals Berth

July 3, 2021 / / 0 Comments

For the third time in franchise history, the Phoenix Suns have secured a berth into the NBA Finals (@Suns/Instagram).

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The Phoenix Suns are headed to the 2021 NBA Finals, and there absolutely should be no asterisk attached to their stellar run, according to guest Greg “Espo” Esposito, host of the Solar Panel Podcast. And why should there be? Phoenix bounced back from a 2-1 deficit to dethrone the defending champions before sweeping the MVP Jokic-led Nuggets. Then, the Suns took down a deep and resilient Clippers squad in a gritty series that could have gone either way. Espo breaks down how the Suns just keep on winning and provides a brief glimpse into their forthcoming Finals appearance against either the Bucks or Hawks.

6:05-6:20: “What you’ve seen is a maturation process for Devin [Booker]’s game. You’ve seen leadership. You’ve seen just the chance for him to finally on the NBA’s big stage, the playoffs, prove that he is not an empty calories guy.”

8:28-9:19: “Having grown up a big Charles Barkley fan, I’ve always taken issue with the ‘If a guy doesn’t win a championship, you have to kind of pooh-pooh his career and his legacy.’ … Basketball is a team sport. Individuals can have big games, but what you’re seeing with the Suns is proof yet again that nobody wins alone. This team is truly a team, and the thought that Chris Paul’s legacy or his career wasn’t impressive until Year 16 when he finally made it to the Finals just seems somewhat laughable. But that’s the storyline. That’s the way things are perceived nationally.” Continue reading

Espo on Suns’ “Cinderella Story”: CP3 “Helped Them Grow Up”

May 19, 2021 / / 0 Comments

According to Greg Esposito, veteran point guard Chris Paul has made a splash in his first season in the desert, teaching the young Suns how to compete each and every game (@Suns on Twitter).


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The 2020-21 NBA regular season has officially come to a close, and one of the most pleasant surprises was the year the Phoenix Suns recorded. Suns fans already had reason for optimism after an 8-0 performance in last year’s Orlando bubble, but rarely does a team make the jump so quickly from outside of the playoffs all the way to the No. 2 seed, especially in the crowded Western Conference. We’re joined this episode by Greg “Espo” Esposito of The Solar Panel podcast, who attributes this growth to the veteran leadership of new addition Chris Paul, the coaching of Monty Williams, and a cadre of supporting players who all have effectively filled their roles when their names have been called. Espo also takes us through a few potential playoff scenarios, including a possible first-round matchup with the defending champion Lakers.

Note: This episode was recorded on Sunday, before the Suns were locked into the No. 2 seed and the full seeding in the play-in games was still yet to be determined.

4:54-5:23: “I had them going like 41-31. I thought a 5 or 6 seed was probably where they’d top out. I did not see this coming. And a big part of it was they’ve been healthier than most teams, but I just did not see them being a top two team in the West, finishing with 51 wins and an over .700 winning percentage. It was not in my wildest dreams.”

9:19-10:38: “His [Chris Paul’s] talent is undeniable, but what he brought to this young group was a mindset, an approach to the game. And they did not take any night for granted this year. … And every night, they came out and they played hard. Rarely did they lose back-to-back games. … That’s Chris Paul’s doing. It was like having a head coach on the floor that went completely along with Monty Williams’ philosophy as the coach off of it. And that’s what Chris Paul did for this team. He helped them grow up.” Continue reading

Sekou Smith: “In the West, Everybody is Swinging for the Fences at All Times”

December 18, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Guest Sekou Smith is “juiced” about seeing an unleashed Zion Williamson in his sophomore NBA season (Erik Drost/Creative Commons).

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Sekou Smith of NBA TV, NBA.com and the Hang Time podcast returns to the show to survey the ultra-competitive West, a conference replete with fascinating storylines ahead of the season’s start. For instance, should the Lakers be considered heavy favorites, what’s going on in Houston, which teams are best primed to squeeze into the postseason and what can we expect from the Warriors following a lost ‘19-20 season? Sekou tackles all these Western Conference questions and more, plus he offers a bonus Giannis extension reaction and Aaron delivers a Spurs-themed Sexy Stats segment coming out of the break.

*Due to dynamic advertising, time stamps may vary:

7:09-7:38: “To me, there’s a built in advantage for (head coach) T(yronn) Lue in familiarity that wouldn’t have been there otherwise. He’s the kind of human being – knowing him as well as I do – and kind of coach who’s going to be extremely beneficial to the Clippers as an organization. You’re talking about a guy who’s had experience with the pressures that come with a win-or-else proposition like he had with LeBron.”

11:16-11:53: “They’ve changed the expectation for themselves in the postseason, which if you’ve built the way that they have – which I think is some of the best front-office work, roster building, player development we’ve seen in the past few years – then you’re right where you want to be. You’re in that conversation among the best teams in the Western Conference. You have young stars who are entering into their primes. You have even younger potential stars, like Michael Porter. Jr. – Bol Bol being an even bigger reach but certainly with an upside that is really incomparable when you think about his size and skill set.” Continue reading

WC Finals: Lakers’ “Seamless Partnership” of Stars Vs. the “Never-Quit” Nuggets With Harrison Faigen, Katy Winge

September 22, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Harrison Faigen isn’t sure the Lakers should stick with their latest defensive approach against Nikola Jokic but is otherwise pleased with their defensive dominance this postseason (Keith Allison/Creative Commons).

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The Los Angeles Lakers, a team dismissed by some before the playoffs as not deep enough to win it all, have placed themselves two wins from their first NBA Finals appearance in a decade. They lead the never-say-die Denver Nuggets 2-0 after Anthony Davis’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer secured a thrilling Sunday night victory. To break down the series and its many compelling storylines, OTNB is joined by Harrison Faigen, Editor-in-Chief and writer for SB Nation’s Silver Screen & Roll, and Katy Winge of Altitude TV and Altitude Sports Radio.

*Time stamps may vary due to dynamic advertising:

Faigen (9:05-11:16): “This is one of the most seamless fits I think we’ve ever seen between two superstars…I think that by far the biggest [factor in Davis wanting to play for the Lakers] was getting to create this seamless partnership with LeBron James, where both of them are constantly making each other better. Anthony Davis is probably the best big man that LeBron James has ever played with, arguably his best teammate in terms of being able to make him better and how Davis does things that kinda paper over LeBron’s weakness, and LeBron does things that paper over Davis’. It’s just been complete symbiosis this year, both on and off the court.
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Harrison Faigen: “There’s Genuine Dislike Between (Lakers and Clippers)”

May 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Faigen (in light blue), with other reporters, interviews Kobe Bryant during the Laker’s final season.

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SB Nation’s Silver Screen & Roll writer and editor-in-chief Harrison Faigen discusses the present state of the Los Angeles Lakers as uncertainty swirls around a potential NBA return this season.

Time stamps may vary due to dynamic advertising:

7:56-9:03: “The only way to change this [mental health stigma] and have people be more comfortable talking about it is to have more people talk about it openly and have it not be that big of a deal. And so I want it to not be a big deal when I talk about being afraid to go outside or being afraid to go back to work. These are things we all feel on some level or another…We’re all feeling that, and everyone who’s struggling should be able to talk about that. One of the most insidious things, at least with my own mental illness, was it made me feel like I was weird and that there was something wrong with me and that you shouldn’t talk about it because other people aren’t going to be able to relate. What I’ve found through talking to other people…and the overwhelming feedback to the piece was that there a lot of other people going through these same things, and that appreciated that I was willing to talk about it.”

14:18-15:38: “Nobody was seriously thinking that LeBron [James] was washed [up], but there were more doubts about him going into this season than there probably ever have been…He’s mostly been a really important part of the Lakers defense, he’s been basically their sole competent ball handler on offense, and for him to be doing that at 35 with the workload that he needs to take on and not really load-managing…I think it’s probably as good of a 35-year-old season as anyone’s ever had.” Continue reading

Will & Grace Co-Creator David Kohan: “This Is the (Clippers’) Year”

July 31, 2019 / / 0 Comments

David Kohan could not believe when he awoke to a record number of text messages congratulating him on the Clippers’ acquisitions of George and Leonard (13th Vision/Twitter).

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David Kohan, along with his friend Max, created the long-running hit comedy series Will & Grace. But the Emmy Award winner is also one of the biggest Clippers fans we know, and boy was he excited to preview the upcoming season in Clipperland, one which he believes will be “the year.” Boasting the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and a deep supporting cast, the Clippers are primed for a breakthrough season. Coincidentally, Will & Grace just made a big announcement of its own: the show will be ending after one final season. Following the Clippers discussion, David touches upon that as well as his sister’s stellar TV series, Orange Is the New Black. Some special clips (Clips?) have been excerpted below:

4:15-4:26: “I thought for a second when Chris Paul was joining the team, ‘Well, this is about as good as it’s gonna get as a Clipper fan.’ But I was wrong. This is about as good as it gets.”

7:36-7:43: “Suddenly, it felt like we were frontrunners, and I’ve never felt that way as a Clipper fan before.”

11:40-12:07: “More than anything, If Jerry West is there, I feel like he’s a magician. There’s no greater architect of a team. There’s no one whose imprimatur means more than Jerry West. … His instincts are always right. It’s uncanny to me. So, it’s like, ‘In Jerry we trust,’ right?” Continue reading

Tomer Azarly: The Clippers Want to “Build Own (LA) Identity”

April 7, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Patrick Beverley, according to Doc Rivers, is “unstat-able,” and guest Tomer Azarly agrees (FrenchieInPortland/Creative Commons).

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Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points goes in depth and breadth on the special 2018-19 Clippers team that has exceeded expectations despite significant player turnover. The Clippers are back in the playoffs, but whom should they hope to avoid in the first round? Tomer also touches upon what’s made the Clippers so effective, including super-subs Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, “unstat-able” Pat Beverley, Landry Shamet’s outside shot, reinvigorated coaching from Doc Rivers, clutch play and more. Obviously, the discussion closes with some Kawhi Leonard talk. Enjoy some noteworthy clips/Clips (*Due to dynamic advertising, excerpt time stamps may vary per listener):

10:30-11:15: “That [loss to the Lakers] complicates things a bit more, because they could certainly fall to the 8 seed and see the Warriors in the first round. I think right now Portland is probably the matchup they want to see…The Rockets, I think, are a matchup they really, really do not want to see…James Harden is in the midst of the greatest scoring season I’ve ever seen…The Denver Nuggets pose an interesting threat, but I think their lack of experience, and we’ve seen over the last couple weeks where they’ve struggled to sort of have consistency on both ends of the floor. We’ve seen Nikola Jokic’s lack of patience with the officials. Teams are really going at him and Jamal Murray in the pick and roll, which I think is a very exploitable scenario for the Clippers.”

16:30-17:08: “In speaking to some players, there was that two-day gap between when Tobias was traded and when they made the Avery Bradley trade and the Ivica Zubac trade. And over that two-day period, it was very weird in that they [the players] were just like us. They didn’t know, ‘Hey, are we tanking? Are we trying to make the playoffs? What is our endgame here, because we just got picks from Philly, we just got a young guy in Shamet, Wilson Chandler, those guys?’ And so once they made the trade, especially for Ivica Zubac, once they got solid role players in JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple, solid role players, solid veterans who have played the game for a while, I think it wasn’t that hard for them to put it together.”
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