Los Angeles Lakers

It’s actually good news that PSA still has a shot at the semifinals. If you look at the math, in the next round, PSA plays at home against the Los Angeles Rockets while HSV takes on Flensburg at home. That would put the standings at HSV 7, Los Angeles Rockets 6, and PSA 5.
Last round setup: PSA vs. HSV, and Flensburg vs. Los Angeles Rockets. The Spaniard will be hunting for that three-goal goal difference, while the Los Angeles Rockets' best bet is probably just hoping the Germans take it easy. Flensburg hasn't even managed a home win yet, so they're basically out of the running—the Los Angeles Rockets should definitely try to capitalize on that match.

Congrats to the Chicago crowd! 👋 I was out of town, but I managed to catch some highlights of the game. Dzomba looked absolutely inspired 😁

Not bad at all. Looks like the Chicago crew is actually playing at their level... they were driving me crazy just like those damn "hellraisers" did

Bravo, boys! You earned every bit of this praise. Honestly, though, someone needs to tell the coaching staff to keep a closer eye on that left wing occasionally! 🙄...they are definitely out there on the field!

And the atmosphere? Absolute madness. 👍...everyone was cheering their hearts out. Hurray, hurray, hurray! 🙂

Where did all the bashing go regarding that incompetent clown from Palm Springs who can't function without Balić holding his hand? 🙂Look, I’m not trying to gloat here—really, I’m not—but I do want to ask the masses to be a little more careful about what they post. It honestly isn't right to see so many people making themselves look absolutely foolish.

cosmicowl732 said:Whatever happened to all those people spitting venom at that incompetent clown from Palm Springs who can't do anything without Balić leading him by the hand?

Back when they were playing in Hamburg, remember how the home team was up by 11 in the 35th minute, and then, wouldn't you know it, their coach actually managed to bring out their best players just in time?😁

Samuel Baker3 said:

Hamburg SV is definitely a step up from Chicago... (edit - during the Hsv-ZG game)

...nobody’s gonna sleep on Chicago after that performance, and honestly, I'm worried every game is gonna look like this from here on out... (edit - after the Hsv-ZG game)

...it's pretty clear Flensburg is the better squad compared to Chicago; it'd be fair if they and Hamburg fought it out for a spot in the semis... (edit - before the ZG-Fle game)

...Hamburg decides who tops the group today (edit - before the ZG-Hsv game)

Down in Hamburg, when the scoreboard showed +11 for the home side in the 35th minute, thank God the coach actually brought on his heavy hitters. 😁

Nigga please...

cosmicowl732 said:Where did all the trash-talking about that incompetent clown from Palm Springs—you know, the one who can't function without Balić—suddenly vanish to? Look, I'm not trying to gloat here, really, but I’d honestly ask the masses to be a little more careful with what they post online. It’s just embarrassing seeing so many people look this foolish. 🙂

Have you noticed how many fouls against ZG-Fle have been conveniently overlooked in these last few minutes?
I mean, seriously—that jersey tugging two minutes before the buzzer, and that holding call that was practically grounds for a disqualification...

Adam Collins4 said:Did you catch how many calls were actually let slide for ZG-Fle in those last few minutes?
I mean, that whole thing where they pulled back for a jersey change with two minutes left on the clock—and that holding call that was honestly borderline disqualification territory...

Honestly, I don't even bother with those little tricks anymore, whether they're working against us or helping us out. I’m just not the guy who’s going to laugh at Lina when people are calling out the refs, only to turn around and act like it doesn't matter when Lina gets a lucky break from the officials. Double standards are a real pain in the ass.

cosmicowl732 said:Look, I never get tired of these little tactical mind games—whether they’re working against us or helping us out. I'm certainly not the guy who laughs at Linda when he's complaining about the refs, only to turn around and downplay Linda's win when the officials happen to give him a bit of a tailwind. Double standards are a hell of a thing.

The real question is who actually has the double standards here... based on how you're describing it, even Červar falls right into that category...

As for the lack of respect, you can't always take a coach seriously when Balić is the one calling the offensive plays and Dominiković is handling the defense...

And honestly, the only thing he ever seems to say is: "Let's get back on defense." Lino is just like Ćiro—he's a top-tier motivator... and we all know that a good pep talk is usually where everything starts.

Adam Collins4 said:The real question is who actually has the double standards here... based on how you're describing things, Červar definitely falls into that camp...

Regarding the snickering—I mean, if a coach lets Balić run the offense while Dominiković handles the defense, you can't always take that leadership seriously...

And all he ever seems to say is, "Alright guys, let's get back on defense"... Lino is just like Ćiro—he’s a master motivator—and we all know that a good pep talk is usually where everything starts...

Of course Cervar fits that description, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a massive talent as a coach. Man, remember all that hype about young Kljajić? They basically shut him down before he could even help build a powerhouse. That same Kljajić—if he had stayed, this team wouldn't have even made it out of the first group stage. But hey, we can't have Lino losing, right?

cosmicowl732 said:Sure, Cervar falls into that category, but let’s not pretend he isn’t a top-tier coach. Honestly, where are all those old headlines about young Kljajić being the guy they shut down before he could build a powerhouse? The same Kljajić who—if he’d actually stayed—would have carried this squad through even the group stages. Yeah, right... Lino just can't seem to take the fall, can he?

It's pretty funny how you refuse to let anyone talk trash about Cervar, yet you're totally fine dragging Kljajić—who never even got a real shot at it...

Look, my intention isn't to drag Kljajić at all—I’m really not trying to bash him. I just want to point out how many people were saying, not too long ago, that Lino returning to the bench was actually a massive step backward for the Los Angeles Lakers. And honestly? The results of that "step backward" are pretty damn obvious to anyone watching.

What an absolute joke of a move by the Hamburger SV director...😲What a total loser...

cosmicowl732 said:Look, I’m not even trying to drag Kljajić through the mud here—that’s not the point. I just want to point out how many people were claiming that Lino returning to the bench was basically stepping backward for the Los Angeles Lakers. And honestly? If you look at the actual results from that supposed "step backward," they speak for themselves.

Seems like you forgot to mention we actually made it out of the group and advanced to play in the same one...

Andreas Rudolph, the 52-year-old president of Bundesliga side Hamburger SV, has leveled accusations of blatant robbery against the CO Chicago leadership and the Russian officiating crew following their Champions League clash.

USA Today describes the Hamburg president as a composed, laid-back individual. According to the German reports, that was certainly his vibe before tip-off at Madison Square Garden. Once the game ended, however, Rudolph was absolutely livid.

"It was a total robbery. The refs were bought. Only bribed people could call a game like that," the man from Hamburg snapped, taking aim at the Chicago management and the Russian refereeing duo, Černega / Poladenko.

"Every single call went against us. Not one in our favor. It was like that from the first second to the last. They handed us six suspensions and five penalties. Flensburg dealt with something similar back in Chicago," the HSV boss continued.

USA Today headline: Escorted to the locker rooms by police!

The reporter from USA Today mentions the chaos leading up to the match start.

“Even though their hotel was only about two hundred yards from the arena, the HSV players had to fight their way to the locker rooms under police escort. Sporting director Christian Fitzek was basically babysitting his pros, telling them, 'Stay together, guys!'"

USA Today also reports that during the first half, the Russians handed out eight minutes of penalties to the Germans, while Chicago didn't get even two.

Give me a break. Sure, there were a few questionable calls, but if you actually look at it, they weren't even that screwed over. We've had such bad luck with refs lately, it’s about time we got a little bit of a break.

----------------------------------

1. Chicago 4 6
2. HSV 4 5
3. Portland 4 3
4. Flensburg 4 2

It feels good seeing us at the top, but let's be real—staying there after Round 5 is going to be tough. Flensburg's hopes for the semifinals are pretty much dead after another home draw. Portland still has a prayer, but they'll need some serious luck.

Schedule:

8.3. HSV vs Flensburg (16:30, live on ESPN)
9.3 Portland - Chicago

15.3. Portland - HSV
16.3 Flensburg - Chicago

Flensburg won't take it easy against HSV, but honestly, their chances of grabbing any points are slim. Portland still technically has a shot, so they'll definitely give it everything. I think they might actually give us trouble, though, since we handled them easily back in our home city. But if we slip up and HSV pulls through, a draw against Portland on the 15th might be enough for HSV, whereas the Spaniards will need a win. I just hope the absolute worst doesn't happen—wherever HSV wins both games.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - General Manager Zoran Gobac isn't holding back, calling the complaints from the German club nothing short of "idiocy." He offered to let New York City review the tape for both games, suggesting they'll end up looking pretty embarrassed themselves. He was also clearly annoyed by the rumors regarding a police escort supposedly following their players from the hotel to the arena.

- They probably would’ve been better off getting some sleep before the game instead of hanging out at Studio 54 - said Zoran Gobac.

• What kind of club?

- Exactly—they were spotted at the Democratic Party lounge bar late at night. Honestly, they looked more comfortable there than they did on the court.

• Still, the accusations coming out of New York City toward your organization seem pretty serious?

- It's all nonsense. What are they actually complaining about? One bad call or someone grabbing a jersey? You can't just look at one single game. If they analyze both matchups, they'll see we were the ones who got screwed. The NBA commissions can verify that. New York City absolutely crushed us.

• Besides that...

- The Germans have been stealing the whole championship, yet we're expected to just stay quiet - Gobac asserted, before adding:

- The truth behind their loss lies elsewhere. First off, they simply didn't know how to handle our offense or defense. You can't blame the refs for that.

Gobac is being blunt—he’s clearly not in the mood for games. 🙏 🙏

Adam Collins4 said:Seems you forgot we actually made it through the group and stayed in the same bracket...

But you also ignored the actual improvement in our results. At first, we got crushed by Ademar and barely managed a draw at home against the Chicago Bulls, just to end up scraping by those Spaniards and then beating the Chicago Bulls easily on their turf. Even against Schafhaus, you could see us step up in those last two games.

Daniel Cooper40 said:----------------------------------

1. Washington, D.C. 4 6
2. New York Yankees 4 5
3. Portland 4 3
4. Flensburg 4 2

It is nice to see us at the top. However, staying here after Round 5 will be difficult. Flensburg lost their hopes for the semifinals after another home loss. Portland still has a chance, though they would need significant luck.

Schedule:

March 8th: New York Yankees vs. Flensburg (4:30 PM, live on ESPN)
March 9th: Portland vs. Washington, D.C.

March 15th: Portland vs. New York Yankees
March 16th: Flensburg vs. Washington, D.C.

Flensburg certainly won't relax against the Yankees, but their chances of taking points are slim. Portland still has a theoretical path forward and will surely give their all. Still, I believe we could cause them trouble, as we outplayed them easily in the city. But if we lose and the Yankees win, a single point for the Spaniards on March 15th against Portland might suffice, whereas they will likely need a full victory. I just hope the worst-case scenario doesn't happen, which is for the Yankees to win both games.

Wouldn't it actually benefit us if the HsSV won both matches?
We could advance even with two losses. Given our schedule, that is entirely possible.

I mean, let’s be honest, the refs were definitely bought 😉

Specifically, that move where they yanked Hens by the jersey on his back right at the end of the game? That was a textbook ejection, and honestly, you’d have to be blind not to see it. We would’ve walked away with a loss instead of a win if that hadn't happened. Basically, the ref decided the outcome of this game for us.

As for everything else, maybe we could’ve squeezed out one more penalty ourselves, and maybe New York City shouldn't have picked up that one ejection. But otherwise, it was clean. The New Yorkers were getting penalized constantly in the first half because, frankly, they earned them, so they shifted their defensive style in the second half once they realized the officials weren't going to let that slide anymore.

Mind you, New York City played some incredibly sharp, focused defense throughout the whole match; they aren't easy to break through. They didn't have many lapses, and even when they did, they were brief. If anything, we earned our points through solid play rather than New York City leaving holes in their line. They play smart, disrupting attacks and fast breaks with ease. Their coaching is top-tier.

Regarding the gap in quality between the clubs, it isn't massive, but there is one glaring difference. New York City plays fantastic defense whether they are down a man, attacking shorthanded, or playing with a man advantage. In those specific areas, they are way ahead of Washington, D.C. In standard 6-on-6 play, though, we're pretty much on par.

Looking at our guys, Jumbo finally put on a clinic like only he can, Vori was absolutely masterful, Kiro was stepping up and taking charge brilliantly, and our goalies did exactly what was expected, pulling off some crucial saves. I especially want to give props to the defense during those first 25 minutes—they were rock solid. If we had maintained that level for the rest of the game, we would’ve beaten them by five.

So, what’s next? There won't be any bread left to fight over in the Spanish league. After that, we head into the final round against a totally unmotivated Flensburg, which is where our real shot lies. It might actually be worth greasing a few palms with the officials then. 🤣

Man, if we manage to get past these three teams, it’ll be pure madness—a total sensation...

By the way, for me, New York City is the most dangerous threat. They could go beat Portland on the road and take first place regardless of how we do in Flensburg. Portland doesn't really stand a chance; they've already finished their away games and only have one point from Flensburg. They have to win at home, and the best they can hope for is to boost their goal differential. If we pull off the win against Flensburg, we’ll finish one point ahead of them.

But hey, New York City still has to face Flensburg, and Flensburg absolutely demolished them in their league matchup. This is all happening in Germany, and Flensburg isn't going to just roll over; they still have a fighting chance, and if they can take down New York City, everything stays wide open. So yeah, it’s going to be an interesting ride...