Preview: LA Teams with Sabreena Merchant - a podcast by SB Nation

Preview LA Clipper and Los Angeles Lakers with Sabreena Merchant (@sabreenajm)
1:00 How are the dynamic duos doing in Los Angeles? Clippers: Kawhi Leonard isn’t exactly the player he was in the playoffs. He is being load managed and getting up to speed, and fans are getting used to that. Kawhi and Paul George haven’t had much time together. They are extremely imposing defensively. 
4:15 LeBron James has exceeded expectations because he’s playing defense all year and that is contagious. Anthony Davis is playing at DOPY level.
6:00 How are other teams trying to beat them? You have to hope that the Clippers have an off shooting night. Moe Harkless has been great on defense for them, willing to guard point guards. Lakers can be beat from the three point line, make LeBron be a jump shooter. 
8:30 Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell have been so important to the clippers because there were here last season, Harkless has made a difference and has been promoted to the a starting spot.
11:00 On the Lakers its been Alex Caruso and Danny Green who are probably the 3rd and 4th most important players.
12:00 LeBron really leads the Lakers locker room, while it is more by committee on the Clippers side. Harrell and Williams are the heart of that locker room. 
12:30 How has the coaching situation developed on the Lakers side? There was a lot of talk in the pre season that Jason Kidd was after Frank Vogel's job. Vogel seems to be in a good place. He’s been flexible, willing to admit when things are not working, can get Davis to play the five even if he doesn’t really want to because he has a lot of buy-in from the players. 
16:15 Lou Williams has been really good. He seems like he keeps getting better. Even though they have Kawhi and Paul George, so much of the offense is created by Williams. He’s the sixth man but at times he might be the most important person on offense. 
18:00 It is really hard to identify an under-the-radar story for the Lakers. The difference between the media surrounding the teams is huge, you wouldn’t think they have the same championship aspirations.
Follow Blazer’s Edge on Twitter @blazersedge, WHAT Pod @HoopsAndTalks
Subscribe to the podcast

Apple Podcasts

Google Play

Spotify


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Further episodes of Blazer's Edge: for Portland Trail Blazers fans

Further podcasts by SB Nation

Website of SB Nation