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2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Pacific Division

October 23rd, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 NBA regular season gets underway just a couple days from now, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and having you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, Central, Southwest, and Southeast divisions so far, we’re moving on to the Pacific today…

Golden State Warriors

(App users, click here for Warriors poll)

Los Angeles Clippers

(App users, click here for Clippers poll)

Sacramento Kings

(App users, click here for Kings poll)

Phoenix Suns

(App users, click here for Suns poll)

Los Angeles Lakers

(App users, click here for Lakers poll)

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
  • Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
  • New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
  • Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)

Central:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (66.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (44.5 wins): Over (55.03%)
  • Indiana Pacers (44.5 wins): Over (73.06%)
  • Chicago Bulls (38.5 wins): Over (61.9%)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (34.5 wins): Over (67.48%)

Southwest:

  • San Antonio Spurs (58.5 wins): Under (57.4%)
  • Houston Rockets (44 wins): Over (52.76%)
  • Memphis Grizzlies (42.5 wins): Over (59.69%)
  • Dallas Mavericks (38.5 wins): Over (69.71%)
  • New Orleans Pelicans (37 wins): Under (70.9%)

Southeast:

  • Atlanta Hawks (43.5 wins): Over (59.84%)
  • Charlotte Hornets (42.5 wins): Under (62.22%)
  • Washington Wizards (42.5 wins): Over (51.6%)
  • Orlando Magic (37.5 wins): Over (54.42%)
  • Miami Heat (34.5 wins): Under (61.45%)
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Lakers Worked Out Hasheem Thabeet

October 21st, 2016 at 6:31pm CST by Luke Adams
  • Former second overall pick Hasheem Thabeet hasn’t played in an NBA game in more than two years, but he’s still working hard to salvage his career, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders details. Kennedy takes a closer look at Thabeet’s training regimen, adding that the Knicks, Lakers, and Wizards have all recently worked out the 29-year-old.
  • Former Lakers guard Smush Parker hasn’t given up on the NBA either, according to Brian Rzeppa of D-League Digest, who says that the 35-year-old plans to play in the D-League this season.
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Lakers Interested In Retaining Metta World Peace As Assistant

October 21st, 2016 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

Metta World Peace is one of three players in the running for the Lakers’ 15th and final regular season roster spot, battling Yi Jianlian and Thomas Robinson for that opening. None of the three players have fully guaranteed salaries, but Robinson has youth on his side and Yi has an incentive-heavy, trade-friendly contract, giving them the leg up on World Peace.

Still, even if the veteran forward doesn’t earn the Lakers’ final roster spot, the Lakers might like to keep World Peace around. According to Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, the Lakers have interest in the 36-year-old as an assistant coach. Sources tell the ESPN duo that World Peace’s impact as a veteran mentor to the team’s young players last season was a major reason why the team re-signed him this year.

World Peace indicated earlier this month that he’d like to continue his playing career for three more seasons, so it’s no surprise that Stein and Shelburne suggest he’d prefer not to retire, even if the Lakers decide to cut him.

Still, if World Peace doesn’t make the Lakers and can’t land an NBA roster spot elsewhere, his willingness to transition into a coaching role is worth monitoring. He and Lakers head coach Luke Walton were teammates for multiple years with the Lakers, so it would be a good match for World Peace to join Walton’s staff in Los Angeles.

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Clarkson Needs To Continue Defensive Improvement

October 18th, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

It’s unclear if Jordan Clarkson will be in the starting lineup or coming off the bench for the Lakers this season, but regardless of his role, the guard needs to continue to improve his defense, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes. “We watch tape at our coach’s retreat and they gave us the analytics on him defensively, and he was not good last year at defense. He was not good,” coach Luke Walton said. “He’s been maybe our most consistent perimeter defender since the start of camp. A big part of defense. if you’re going to play it on every possession, is enjoying the idea of trying to get stops and trying to make it hard on your guy,” Walton said. “He’s a year older, who knows what it is, but he’s done a great job for us.”

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Walton Unsure Of Final Roster Cuts

October 17th, 2016 at 10:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito
  • The Lakers still have two roster cuts to make in order to reach the regular season maximum of 15 players. Coach Luke Walton is still undecided on who will stay and who will go, telling Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) that he has “no idea” who he’s going to waive just yet. The three players who are likely on the bubble are Metta World Peace, Yi Jianlian and Thomas Robinson.
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Kerr: Walton Would Have Only Left For Lakers

October 16th, 2016 at 9:13pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the Lakers are the only team that could have tempted Luke Walton to leave Golden State, writes Joey Ramirez of NBA.com. Walton spent two years on the Warriors’ bench and served as Kerr’s lead assistant last season. He accepted a five-year deal in May to take over in Los Angeles, where he spent the first eight seasons of his playing career. “He’s such a great guy,” Kerr said. “He’s become one of my best friends. We’re all gonna miss him, but we’re all happy for him. I know he wouldn’t have taken any other job but the Laker job to leave Golden State.” 
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Walton Helped Deng Decide On L.A.

October 12th, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • New coach Luke Walton helped lure Luol Deng to the Lakers, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Deng liked the impressive history of the franchise and the idea of living in Los Angeles, and of course the four-year, $72MM offer was a huge factor. But he says the transition to Walton, who took over the team after serving as Steve Kerr‘s lead assistant in Golden State, helped seal the decision. “He’s new to coaching, but he has a positive mindset,” Deng said. “The way he coaches, he really respects players and demands respect back.”
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Lakers Waive Zach Auguste, Julian Jacobs, Travis Wear

October 12th, 2016 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have begun making cuts from their offseason roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived camp invitees Zach Auguste, Julian Jacobs, and Travis Wear. All three players will hit the free agent market, assuming they clear waivers later this week.

While Wear and Jacobs saw 11 total minutes in the Lakers’ four preseason games to date, Auguste didn’t see any action. None of the three players had a fully guaranteed salary, but Auguste did have a modest $60K guarantee on his deal, so that figure will remain on the team’s cap following his release.

After cutting Auguste, Jacobs, and Wear, the Lakers will have 17 players on their roster, including 14 on guaranteed contracts. Yi Jianlian, Thomas Robinson, and Metta World Peace appear to be vying for the 15th and final roster spot, with Yi likely holding the edge due to his guarantee ($250K) and his incentive-heavy, trade-friendly contract. Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets that Yi will likely have to beat out Robinson, with World Peace a long shot to make the team.

As for the trio of players waived today, all three could eventually end up joining the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers’ D-League affiliate. Jacobs, in particular, is a candidate to join L.A.’s D-League squad, tweets Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet.

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Young Likes Walton's Positive Approach

October 10th, 2016 at 10:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • Lakers swingman Nick Young appreciates the way new coach Luke Walton has delivered his message of getting Young to improve defensively, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes. Young often bristled at the way former coach Byron Scott criticized him publicly, Medina notes, but Walton has tried a more positive approach. “You have a coach that is telling you to shoot the ball and has confidence in you,” Young told Medina. “All he wants you to do is play defense and do whatever you want on offense. That gives yourself a lot of confidence.”
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Russell's Strong Outing Gives Hope For Future

October 10th, 2016 at 1:49pm CST by Eddie Scarito

A breakout performance by D’Angelo Russell during Sunday night’s preseason game against the Nuggets may bode well for the Lakers‘ future as the team still seeks an identity, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com writes. “It means a lot,” Russell said about scoring a game-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting in about 32 minutes. “We don’t want to go through losing seasons. We don’t want to go through rebuilding as an excuse of losing. We’re rebuilding, but we still find a way to win games, and we’re capable. We have the pieces. We don’t have an All-Star guy or anything like that. Hopefully some potential [All-Star] guys, but we’re taking everything serious.”

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