The Los Angeles Lakers saw their playoff hopes officially dashed on Friday night as the Brooklyn Nets eliminated the purple and gold officially with a 111-106 in Staples Center.
The Good: JaVale McGee
To steal a phrase from co-tenant Ralph Lawler, oh me, oh my. JaVale McGee had the greatest game of his career, pouring in 33 points and 20 rebounds with six blocks. The list of Lakers centers to accumulate those numbers are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal. The list of NBA players in the last 15 years to reach that stat line is Andre Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins.
It was a valiant and historic performance from McGee.
The Bad: Everyone else
McGee finished 15-of-20 from the field tonight. Players not named McGee shot 22-of-76 from the field. The Lakers finished 9-of-36 from the three-point line, including Kyle Kuzma’s 3-of-11 performance. With their playoff lives on the line, the Lakers went down without a fight, truly a microcosm of their season.
The Ball: An off-court mess
While Ball remains sidelined and is not making news on the court, off the court is an entirely different matter. Ball severed ties with Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster after money loss allegations. Per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne’s report, Ball has lost $1.5 million. It’s a matter that won’t be solved quickly, unfortunately, and will likely drag out in a public matter going forward.
