HORNETS AT LAKERS: It's the long-awaited return of the ROCK BOTTOM ANGLE! Long Winded Old School Write-Up right here!!!

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2018 Record: I'm not keeping one. I care about one thing only...this game below.

The Rock Bottom Angle - 

What does it mean? It means you take a team when they are at their lowest low because there is nowhere to go but up. And up is the only way for that team to redeem itself after a nationally recognized loss or a significant losing streak, or both.

Here we get both the loss and the streak.

The last time we used this angle, St. John's -4.5 crushed Tulane by 25 after losing to the Delaware State Hornets the previous game last year.

Now we have the Lakers in a very similar spot.

The only debate here is whether this is actually rock bottom. I say it is. You may say otherwise. And that is your prerogative.

In terms of evidence, what's most important is the spot and what the Lakers players say because it is their mentality for this game that we wil bet here that must be entact and committed to pulling off this angle.

We need extreme embarrassment. We need shame. We need castigation by coaches and players. Why? Because these players, no matter how much they lose, are egomaniacs, and when the losing becomes overwhelming, they must snap out of it to maintain some granule of sanity and dignity.

#1 So what's the first ingredient? The Lakers have lost 8 in a row and now stay home to redeem themselves to finish up a 4 game homestand against weak remaining competition (Hornets, Hawks, Kings). If you are going to turn your season around or at a minimum, make it appear brighter and more hopeful, winning, and winning right NOW is of the utmost importance.

So you respond, "Hey I'd rather wait for the Hawks game. That's the one they'll win because the Hawks are worse." You may be right. But if you wait, you'll PAY for the privilege of taking the team that is worse because you'll get a line that is worse than this one (currently +2.5 Lakers) and you won't get the carry-over effect of bouncing back IMMEDIATELY (and that is very powerful to respond the very next game, especially at home) from Rock Bottom due to the loss the previous game. 

#2 And what was that loss? A 133-96 curb stomping at the hands of the Thunder on Wednesday.

So what were the quotes? How did the players react? Did they say it was Rock Bottom? Pretty much!

Kyle Kuzma calls out his teammates: "Today was five steps back....I don't, I pray something needs to change for sure...Basket after basket there was no resistence on the defensive end and no response on the offensive end. We just flat out gave up....They killed us. To lose by almost 40 is an embarrassment."

The man is praying. He DIRECTLY says his team quit. It's embarrassing he says.

These are WONDERFUL words for the ROCK BOTTOM ANGLE to come to fruition the next game. Like poetry.

Luke Walton: "We need to have grit whether things are going for us or not...Our fans deserve better"

A coach calling out the team for its lack of toughness. Saying the fans deserve better and guess what?...they get a chance to give the fans something as they stay home to play a 14 win Hornets team.

Now LOOK at all the above in terms of a ideal bounce-back spot (A rock bottom bounce-back making it ten times better).

But I'm not done:

If you take the Lakers you also get:

1) Brook Lopez back at center to mitigate Dwight (perfect timing)

2) Lonzo Ball is expected to return. Even on limited minutes he's a godsend as the Lakers went 0-6 without him.

3) A great line saying out home, entering a soft spot on the schedule against a below average team, of 2.5 points. So you don't even have to WIN the game outright in a squeaker.

I pulled all of the 3 above off twitter so I'm assuming it won't change. It might but that is something I'll have to contend with. Even if Ball doesn't return (and I really hope he does) this is still a play.

If all the above doesn't help you, I can't either. The Rock Bottom angle is like a Sasquatch: Hiding deep in the recesses of the petrified forest and when it peeks its head out, have your 8mm camera ready to record!

The pick:

Lakers +2.5 over Hornets

like always nice write up

been waiting on this laker game for days. Hopefully it works out.

scal. 

Won’t them losing to the Hornets AND Hawks be the real “rock bottom” (that makes 10 in a row, also Hawks are one of the real bottom feeder, hornets are dcent) which will make the game against the Kings the “perfect spot”

YOu all forget the other team...just focused on the LA’s situation but Hornets are now complete, play good game and for sure hope for the playoff (even if nobody believe in)... i play hornets...

The first post has a period because I am having major issues posting on this site. Otherwise I’d be responding to everyone.

Gwc, keep my record. You’re more than welcome to if you take issue with focusing on picks vs. quibbling over a one game difference in record (something I did endlessly last year).

Papa, that is a legitimate counter. I wanted to ask you if you are interested in getting Fedor +150 over Mir at the end of February. I’m not done capping it but so far like like Fedor and at +150 I’m getting a good price (Yes I saw his last fight and I saw Hunt deck Mir). Offer some blurbs here if you are planning on betting it or not.

To the other guys thanks. I know some people want to wait. That is fair. Lakers are not going to lose out on this homestand. I think the best price is right here in a game  we needn’t even win. The hawks line will not be this good particularly if the Lakers win tonight. The Kings line will not be this good either. And yes the losing streak is intimidating but sometimes to get the best number you have to be willing to buck it

Oh yes, the avatar is a bit “tough guy” yes. BUT it incorporates the NBA, the “I’ll be back” mantra (I was gone for a while), and race. But I’ll likely change it (but will keep it for good luck for now).