James Edwards III: Dwane Casey starts his presser sending out his condolences to those at Oxford High School. “It’s sad you can’t send your kid to school safely.” Called it a senseless act and also said he appreciates the first responders.
Detroit Pistons Rumors
The first shot you officially took in the NBA was blocked. Do you remember who blocked it? Jerami Grant: Nah, I don’t. Let me know, let me know. It was Matt Bonner. Jerami Grant: F****** Matt Bonner? Damn! What the f*** was I on?
Defensively, Cunningham needs to learn some of the intricacies of positioning when rotating, but that’s true for almost every young player. He’s been solid defending on the ball against players of different skills and sizes, while also making an impact in the passing lanes away from the ball. Maybe Cunningham lacks the explosiveness of a potential MVP or an annual first team All-NBA player. Plenty of executives and scouts around the league felt that way even before the draft. But he has enough scoring skills and all-around goods to become a star in this league.
But more problematic is that some of this is simply effort — the Lakers deciding to put more energy into defending with pride and passion. That has been absent for long stretches; it wasn’t there in the fourth quarter Sunday when the Pistons went on a run that could’ve meant all sorts of things for the Lakers had they not held on. “When we get a lead, we have to take the three ball out. There’s way too many breakdowns or short closeouts or playing sort of ‘first-quarter defense’ when they’re looking to bomb threes,” Vogel said. “You have to adjust. We didn’t do it well enough tonight.”
5d
Frank Vogel not expecting retaliation in LeBron James, Isaiah Stewart reunion
Kyle Goon: Frank Vogel says he doesn’t anticipate any sort of “retaliation” today against the Pistons after the scuffle between LeBron and Isaiah Stewart last week, but said he and the Lakers will have more “awareness.”
Omari Sanfoka II: On the LeBron-Isaiah altercation last week, Casey said he was upset that the Pistons lost a 15-point lead. Isn’t concerned about them playing each other again tonight. “I thought we lost momentum in all of that. It’s in the rear view mirror, guys are professionals.”
