Steve Ceruti

And because Westbrook has been really needed and important for them to just walk out onto the court and think there's no one that's his equal, I think it's actually like an important personality to have on this basketball team. And I also think it's the first time that I've seen Westbrook finally be like, OK, I know I'm not the guy.

And there are times where I think he's almost so in a hurry to get the ball back to Jokic, he actually screws it up. So there's another element of this that we saw with that L.A. game where they were brilliant against Denver defensively. where there's just certain things that other teams will probably ignore. So the playoff stuff for Westbrook, I'm going to look at differently.

And there are times where I think he's almost so in a hurry to get the ball back to Jokic, he actually screws it up. So there's another element of this that we saw with that L.A. game where they were brilliant against Denver defensively. where there's just certain things that other teams will probably ignore. So the playoff stuff for Westbrook, I'm going to look at differently.

And there are times where I think he's almost so in a hurry to get the ball back to Jokic, he actually screws it up. So there's another element of this that we saw with that L.A. game where they were brilliant against Denver defensively. where there's just certain things that other teams will probably ignore. So the playoff stuff for Westbrook, I'm going to look at differently.

The Aaron Gordon stuff, even though his shooting numbers are really good, it's clear that it's part of a strategy for the other team to just kind of ignore him. Um, I'm a little worried about where's the spacing? Where are those spacing lineups going to come from when you're running the two-man game of Murray and Jokic on one side?

The Aaron Gordon stuff, even though his shooting numbers are really good, it's clear that it's part of a strategy for the other team to just kind of ignore him. Um, I'm a little worried about where's the spacing? Where are those spacing lineups going to come from when you're running the two-man game of Murray and Jokic on one side?

The Aaron Gordon stuff, even though his shooting numbers are really good, it's clear that it's part of a strategy for the other team to just kind of ignore him. Um, I'm a little worried about where's the spacing? Where are those spacing lineups going to come from when you're running the two-man game of Murray and Jokic on one side?

Are you just going to have guys on the other side of the paint ignoring everybody else? And if you look at points, percentage of points from three... Denver is last in the NBA on the percentage of their points from the three-point line. But when they won the title, they were 20th. Lakers, look out. Offense, 10th. Defense, 13th. Last year, 15th on offense, 17th on defense.

Are you just going to have guys on the other side of the paint ignoring everybody else? And if you look at points, percentage of points from three... Denver is last in the NBA on the percentage of their points from the three-point line. But when they won the title, they were 20th. Lakers, look out. Offense, 10th. Defense, 13th. Last year, 15th on offense, 17th on defense.

Are you just going to have guys on the other side of the paint ignoring everybody else? And if you look at points, percentage of points from three... Denver is last in the NBA on the percentage of their points from the three-point line. But when they won the title, they were 20th. Lakers, look out. Offense, 10th. Defense, 13th. Last year, 15th on offense, 17th on defense.

It's about the defense holding up because this team is on fire defensively. Their last 15 games, 12-3, number one defensive team in the NBA overall. which still seems like long-term, like is this who they're going to be? They're just going to be one of the best teams on defense. When they added Donchich to LeBron and to Reeves, those are your closing three perimeter guys. So how...

It's about the defense holding up because this team is on fire defensively. Their last 15 games, 12-3, number one defensive team in the NBA overall. which still seems like long-term, like is this who they're going to be? They're just going to be one of the best teams on defense. When they added Donchich to LeBron and to Reeves, those are your closing three perimeter guys. So how...

It's about the defense holding up because this team is on fire defensively. Their last 15 games, 12-3, number one defensive team in the NBA overall. which still seems like long-term, like is this who they're going to be? They're just going to be one of the best teams on defense. When they added Donchich to LeBron and to Reeves, those are your closing three perimeter guys. So how...

How is that going to hold up defensively? I don't know. Maybe LeBron steps up enough, has stepped up. Maybe Luka plays a little bit more pissed off in the playoffs. Reeves at least is in good position. So they were so good in that Denver game. I just can't believe that it's good. I can't believe the profile is this good.

How is that going to hold up defensively? I don't know. Maybe LeBron steps up enough, has stepped up. Maybe Luka plays a little bit more pissed off in the playoffs. Reeves at least is in good position. So they were so good in that Denver game. I just can't believe that it's good. I can't believe the profile is this good.

How is that going to hold up defensively? I don't know. Maybe LeBron steps up enough, has stepped up. Maybe Luka plays a little bit more pissed off in the playoffs. Reeves at least is in good position. So they were so good in that Denver game. I just can't believe that it's good. I can't believe the profile is this good.

The best part about this question of what is possible for the Lakers this year is that the Luka trade felt like a franchise reset where you're kind of punting on 25. But if they keep up this defensive run that they're on, which again, it feels a little impossible. But I mean, you know, what's wrong with being the sixth best defense in the NBA since the trade deadline?

The best part about this question of what is possible for the Lakers this year is that the Luka trade felt like a franchise reset where you're kind of punting on 25. But if they keep up this defensive run that they're on, which again, it feels a little impossible. But I mean, you know, what's wrong with being the sixth best defense in the NBA since the trade deadline?

The best part about this question of what is possible for the Lakers this year is that the Luka trade felt like a franchise reset where you're kind of punting on 25. But if they keep up this defensive run that they're on, which again, it feels a little impossible. But I mean, you know, what's wrong with being the sixth best defense in the NBA since the trade deadline?

The fact that we were talking about him as a dark horse title contender, I think, is a compliment in itself. There's also some other stuff worth looking at. 66 minutes per game in February of Finney Smith, Vincent Vando, and Jackson Hayes. Look who I'm just never going to like.