GAME 57: LAC (27-30) vs. DAL (33-23) | 97-99 loss

[DanSchwartzgan]

This game felt like a loss almost the entire time.  We had a nice run and small lead in the middle of the first and then with the exception of a brief lead at the same point in the third, we played from behind the entire game.  

I get that Luka scored 45 points and all, but he was 38% through three quarters and hit two of eight FT's during that time.  He just couldn't get it going most of the game and didn't get much help at all.  It really makes sense to me that the FO went after some bench help.  Two guys who started at the beginning of the season are gone/unavailable (KP and THJ).  To replace them, we have basically robbed what was a good bench of two important contributors.  

The starters played fine in this game.  Where we lost it was late first/early second and again late third/early fourth.  You can call this bench time.  You can also call this single PG time.  Either way, it didn't work.  We lost 10 points in each of those stretches.  This group of starters has been surprisingly successful, but even a great starting five can't compensate for a bench that bleeds 20 points to a good team.