Los Angeles Sports Roundup - March
By Peyton Schultze
The Lakers have been red-hot since the All-Star Break, led in large part by phenomenal play from King James (via The Ringer).
Hello there, and welcome to the newest edition of Los Angeles Sports Roundup. During this monthly series, we’ll dive into some of the biggest news in the world of sports, all of which surround the teams found within the Los Angeles community. From basketball to hockey, this series will vary in its coverage from month to month so that it can evolve with the ever-so-changing landscape.
There has been an abundance of action over the course of the last few weeks in Los Angeles, especially in professional sports. Whether it is the Lakers’ and Clippers’ fight for Western Conference supremacy, the start of baseball’s Spring Training down in Arizona, the anticipation of the offseason for the Rams and Chargers, or the Kings’ bold trades at the deadline, there has been plenty of news surrounding LA’s finest home teams.
With that being said and without further ado, here’s the March 2020 Edition of our coverage of sports news within the Los Angeles community.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers pulled off one of their biggest wins of the season about a week ago in a primetime matchup versus the rival Celtics (via NBC Los Angeles).
LeBronland, California
LeBron James has had an exceptional season in the 17th year of his professional career, but February may have been one of his most impressive individual stretches since becoming a Laker in the summer of 2018. In the midst of organizational turmoil based on the tragic off-the-court news surrounding former Laker great Kobe Bryant, LeBron and the Lakers were able to purely dominate the month of February, building up a sizable lead as the top seed in the Western Conference and pulling off some impressive wins against quality opponents such as Denver and Boston. Now, as the playoffs begin to get closer and closer, the Lakers will likely turn their focus toward winning some big games against teams they could see in the playoffs and getting their star players some needed rest at the tail end of the season.
One of the most spectacular aspects of James’ dominance this season has not only been his exquisite passing (he leads the league at 10.6) and constant ability to create his own shot in halfcourt sets, but his intense and engaged focus all year long. This has been obvious on both ends of the floor, where James has especially ramped up his efforts on the defensive end to create more transition opportunities and get his other teammates involved. This encouraging trend once again makes it clear that the Lakers are truly LeBron’s team, even in the latter stages of his career. Anthony Davis will have his time soon enough if he ends up re-signing with the team in the long-term, but King James has shown almost no signs of slowing his game down that would hold the Lakers back from being a title contender. Many people around the league still have their doubts about the Lakers (for whatever reason, especially since they have cruised in the West all season), but one thing is quite clear: LeBron is going to do whatever it takes to try to secure his first championship with the Purple and Gold this season.
It’s a rare trait for a basketball player to be able to age like a fine wine, but James has proven that he is as good as ever with his dynamic and versatile skillset. As the Lakers prepare for exciting action coming up against quality opponents like the 76ers, Bucks, and Clippers, all eyes around the league will be on LeBron and Los Angeles to truly prove their validity as possible favorites in the Western Conference. But will they rise up to the occasion? That remains to be seen, but absolutely anything is possible right now with how well the Lakers have been playing as of late.
Los Angeles Clippers
Even though they have struggled a little bit in recent weeks, the Clippers seem like they have begun to turn the corner on the injury front (via NBC Los Angeles).
Staples’ Scoundrels
The Clippers have had their fair share of ups and down over the course of the regular season, but one thing remains clear: they’re certainly a top three title contender in the league when healthy. And even though Los Angeles surely hit some of their lowest points of the season around mid-February, the Clippers have bounced back recent with solid recent play that has led them on a four-game winning streak heading into the month of March.
Now that the Clippers are starting to get healthy and roll out their rotation that should be around during the playoffs, their play has seemed to quickly improve. Although superstar Kawhi Leonard has continued to dominate for most of the season, it has been some of his supporting actors that have dominated headlines and placed this team at the position they are in the West. With that being said, with the recent additions of solid veteran players that are ready to contribute right away such as Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris, Doc Rivers’ squad has put up a massive amount of points late that have helped the Clippers close out games in shootout fashion. Adding to their exceptional cast of characters are former All-Star Paul George and two 6th Man of the Year candidates in Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, all of whom help the team put up major scoring numbers nightly. Yet what has plagued the Clippers somewhat recently has not been their ability to score whatsoever, but their ability to stop teams defensively and in one-on-one situations. This is very shocking to say the least, especially since many people figured that the Clippers would be an elite defensive team heading into the season with so many great individual talents. But the Clippers lack a ton of size inside and their inability to limit presence in the paint and block shots has become their most obvious problem, which is a troubling sign if the Clippers end up matching up with dominant big men in the playoffs such as Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis.
The Clippers have filled out their team with a deep lineup full of veteran talent ready to win now, but it is clear that this team is not quite as perfect as many originally thought. However, that is not to say that the Clippers still can’t get all the way to the NBA Finals, especially since Kawhi Leonard has proven to be a different type of beast during the playoffs in his illustrious career. The Clippers have a long ways to go until the regular season to find themselves as their best possible version, but their solid recent play could definitely be a sign of great things to come in April, May, and possibly even June.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The potent outfield combination of Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts figures to form one of the best baseball duos in recent history (via Yahoo! Sports).
Camelback Crushers
Several months ago, the Dodgers suffered what many originally thought was one of their most disappointing postseason defeats in franchise history at the hands of the Washington Nationals. However, what has happened since then has been nothing short of stunning, especially when it comes to the Houston Astros’ shocking sign-stealing scandal and the Dodgers’ acquisition of former MVP Mookie Betts. Now, as the Dodgers prepare for the 2020 regular season, expectations are as high as ever once again as the Boys in Blue look to bring a title back to Los Angeles for the first time since 1988.
With nearly all of the organization booting up for the regular season over in Arizona at Camelback Ranch, many have started to point toward some major stories that could define the Dodgers’ 2020 season. Although there are many candidates in this regard, it is clear that the performance of Dodgers’ outfielders Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts will be at the forefront of many headlines this season. By deploying recent MVP winners nightly at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles has found a way to create perhaps the most potent 1-2 combo in all of Major League Baseball heading into the season. With exceptional field abilities, plenty of pure speed, and a knack for hitting bombs 400 feet or more, both Bellinger and Betts figure to do plenty of damage this season. Another major storyline to watch will be if Clayton Kershaw can bounce back this season after a strange 2019 season. Although Kershaw was an All-Star with a typically low ERA a year ago, it was clear that early injuries and a lack of velocity on his fastball really limited the left-hander from dominating on the mound in any regard. So far this spring, Kershaw has shown a bit of an increased velocity on his fastball and was very sharp in his only start so far, so all signs seem to be trending upward for the legendary Dodgers’ lefty.
With a little less than a month left till the start of the season, the pressure on the Dodgers to perform and finally secure a World Series win this season is already beginning to mount. This is nothing new to fans that travel to Chavez Ravine almost nightly over summer, but this external factor is something that has seemed to strain the Dodgers in big time moments over the past several seasons. With winter quickly turning into spring and baseballs finally being tossed around amongst teammates, one thing is becoming quite clear: it’s almost time for Dodger baseball.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Shohei Ohtani figures to be a major contributor on the diamond for Anaheim when he returns from a devastating injury (via ESPN).
A Spectacular Sho’ at the Magic Kingdom
For the first time in a while, the Angels have some fairly high expectations heading into the 2020 season, especially with a big offseason in Anaheim and plenty of controversy facing the previous favorite in the AL West. With a clear door beginning to open for the Angels to make a run in the American League, there seems to be an increased sense of urgency in the building this year at Spring Training. Maybe this is due to the fresh and new arrival of former World Series winning manager Joe Maddon, or maybe it is due to the pressure to finally get the world’s greatest player back into postseason play. Whatever the case may be, the Angels need to find a way too overcome this added noise and maintain their composure in what is expected to be a very exciting 2020 season.
Another reason for Angels’ fans to feel even more hyped for 2020 is the upcoming return of wunderkind Shohei Ohtani. The young superstar was forced to miss last season with Tommy John surgery, but has shown some promise to return to his former level as one of the game’s most unique talents. Although the exact return date of Ohtani is unclear, as is his role that varies between pitching and taking his spot as a designated hitter, it is clear that Anaheim is playing it safe with him right now so that he can return to full strength and contribute nearly right away. If Ohtani can return to the Angels’ lineup as their primary DH when he is not pitching, he’ll join a potentially elite lineup full of studs such as Mike Trout, Justin Upton, Andrelton Simmons, and newly acquired Anthony Rendon. With this, the Angels have a chance to rank among the game’s best on offense at full strength with such an impressive collection of All-Star talent on the game’s highest level.
It is hard to predict exactly how this Angels’ season will go, but it is clear that they should take a major leap forward from last season with so many new faces in the building. With plenty of polished figures with championship experience now in the Anaheim clubhouse, the Angels’ organizational approach seems to be becoming clearer and clearer by the day. It’s now or never for the Halos to have a great regular season once again and finally get back to October baseball, and it looks like the entire organization is buying into the notion that this is their best chance to do so with Trout at the center of things.
Los Angeles Rams/Los Angeles Chargers
The Rams have plenty of questions to answer this offseason, but none more important than figuring out if Todd Gurley has a clear future with the organization (via LA Sports Hub).
Offseason Oddities
For both of Los Angeles’ football teams, the rumors have began to fly all over the place about what each squad will do in free agency and at the draft. Both teams are desperate to return back to major success with such loaded rosters, and may be forced into some drastic decisions as they look to significantly improve their rosters in their first season in the luxurious SoFi Stadium near LAX. Things seem to have always been messy when it comes to football in the City of Angels, and this offseason could truly be a deciding factor to see of that trend continues.
The Rams enter the offseason with one of the most puzzling situations on their hands with a true lack of cap room and draft picks. With the Rams facing a massive amount of limitations to improve on paper for next season, they may be forced to get creative in order to fill their roster with more talent to compete with San Francisco and Seattle in the division. One thing that they must immediately address is the status of running back Todd Gurley, who truly took a dip in the numbers department last season. If the Rams decide to part ways with Gurley in order to pile up a fair amount of draft picks, Los Angeles could find a way to move up quite a bit in a draft loaded with offensive playmakers. Yet this decision could also backfire in a major way, especially with Gurley’s immense superstar potential and the Rams not having a clear replacement in their core running back group currently on the team. Otherwise, the Rams must focus on providing some protection to Jared Goff up front on the offensive line, which truly struggled to block some of the NFC’s best defenses a season ago. This is an area the Rams should, and likely will, go toward in the draft with their early round picks in order to keep Goff clean and healthy in the pocket, as well as open up running lanes for whoever is running the ball next season. There’s a lot on the line for the Rams this offseason and things will only become more critical toward their total 2020 success in the coming weeks.
Even with the Rams fitting the bill as Los Angeles’ primary football team at the moment, the rumors surrounding the Chargers have been almost daily news for about a month now. As previously touched upon, the Bolts have had some serious connections to plenty of major quarterback names such as Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and, of course, Tom Brady. While it is still unclear if the Chargers can find a way to make a deal with any of those players, it is instead obvious that longtime legend Philip Rivers will not be back with the team as their starting signal caller. With that being said, the Chargers can opt to go in the direction of a veteran (free agency) or a young prospect (the draft) to become their next quarterback, if they don’t decide to just stay in-house and roll out Tyrod Taylor next season. Yet quarterback is not the only position of curiosity to the Chargers, as running back voids have opened up with Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon about to hit the market. While Gordon is near-lock to head in another direction in free agency, things are a little less clear for Ekeler, a restricted free agent who had a huge season in 2019. As one of the Chargers’ greatest strengths, it would probably be wise for them to do all that they can to re-sign the versatile receiving back, as his presence could become very comforting for whoever their new quarterback becomes. Things are unclear right now for the Chargers, but could quickly get exciting in the coming weeks with free agency and the draft.
Los Angeles Kings/Anaheim Ducks
The Kings were forced to trade some key veteran players over the past week, but have played somewhat better hockey as of late against quality opponents (via Jewels from the Crowd).
Closing Chapters of a Previous Era
With poor results that have both teams looking toward the offseason, change is officially underway in Los Angeles’ hockey scene. With the Kings and Ducks sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference and without a clear sense of direction for the future of both organizations, both Pacific Division rivals decided to part ways with some longtime favorites who have been key contributors for a long while. For the Kings especially, Los Angeles decided to ship away longtime fan favorite players such as Tyler Toffoli and Alec Martinez, both of which have Stanley Cup experience earlier in their careers. Toffoli has had some exceptional moments as a King, including a hat trick in last month’s Stadium Series versus the Avalanche, but will surely be missed in the goal-scoring department. Martinez, however, will be missed even more by fans due to his iconic moments that he has single-handedly created within the history of the franchise. In addition to a Game 7 goal on the road versus the Blackhawks that sent the 2014 Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals, Martinez was the overtime goal-scorer in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Rangers that officially gave the Kings their second Cup in franchise history.
Meanwhile, Anaheim made several big moves as well by trading away key figures such as Devin Shore and Ondrej Kase. While both players did not have immense success with the team in the same way that the Kings’ players did, the move signals a transition for the team that was unprecedented heading into the season. With the Ducks completely outside of the playoff picture and with so many dominant teams near the top of the Pacific Division, it was clear that Anaheim needed to make some big moves in order to possibly stay relevant in the near future as the Ducks look to get back into the Stanley Cup for the first time since their title-winning year in 2007.
Whatever the case may be for both teams, hockey in Los Angeles has certainly had a rough year after a decade of success and dominance. However, these growing pains appear to be ultimately necessary if the teams plan on returning to the top anytime soon, especially since both teams will have very high picks in this year’s draft and plenty of available space on their roster for young and unproven players or veteran free agents. It is a tough time for Ducks’ and Kings’ fans to say goodbye to some fan favorite players, but these bold decisions may eventually prove to be great choices in the future if both organizations can return to the top of the West.