Digginbasketball (substack by Iztok Franko)

Since I got my original @iztok_franko account back, I renamed/dedicated this one to Digginbasketball. For all who followed me here thanks for your support! Iztok

From Dončić pushing to come back, to Redick’s frustrations last night. The Lakers are moving through the stages of accepting change...seems like acceptance hasn’t fully hit yet. And that’s where the real decisions begin. tinyurl.com/lakers-okc-g79

I wrote about Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves injuries and the Lakers still hoping for a playoff return. Is it worth the risk? Competitive instincts say yes. History and front office priorities say no. Lakers have a decision to make👇 tinyurl.com/doncic-injury-…

From flying high to a hard crash. Lakers get blown out in OKC, Luka injures his hamstring again, and a brutal reminder of the gap in infrastructure vs the Thunder. Plus: what this means for playoffs, awards, and more👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-thunder…

Lakers-Thunder preview 🚨 High-profile MVP matchup, a Lakers stress test against the league’s most aggressive defense, more LeBron, Deandre Ayton's positive trend and more. All you need to know in one place👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-OKC-pre…

Lakers close March 15–2. Beat Knicks, Wolves, Nuggets, Rockets twice…and now Cavs. Luka? 42/12/5 and 0 turnovers. Different team. Different vibe. Full Lakers-Cavs notes👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-cavs-g76

Lakers handled business vs bottom feeders. Now it gets real: Cavs on a B2B, then OKC. Quick notes from the Wizards game, plus a deeper dive into how Harden changed Cleveland...and what to expect tonight👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-wizards…

A lot MVP arguments lean on advanced metrics. But those metrics are built on lineup data. And lineup data is built on continuity and familiarity. New column on why Luka’s MVP case is different👇 tinyurl.com/mvp-power-infr…

Box score says blowout. Game says otherwise. Cranky Lakers, missed FTs, Nets hanging around…until Jaxson Hayes brought the energy and Austin Reaves closed it. Oh, and Luka casually drops another 40 👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-nets

Win streak ends at 9. Tired legs, poor shot-making on a long road trip, and a hold-push-shove game on Pistons’ terms. Plus a breakdown of Luke Kennard and the one trait that could put a ceiling on his playoff potential👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-pistons…

Lakers 70-game check: 12 wins in last 13, top 5 offense, Luka in MVP form. How much of it is real… and how much is shooting luck on both ends? Special 📊📈 deep-dive👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-70-game…

Lakers just keep finding ways. Another game-winner, this time by Luke Kennard. 9 straight wins. 12 of last 13. Detailed breakdown of the final ATOs, defensive playmaking, and Luka’s rollercoaster night👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-kennard…

Luka Dončić is on another planet. 60 points on a back-to-back. Another 20-point 4th quarter takeover. Lakers win 8th in a row, 11 of their last 12. And yes, that 41 old guy doing special things is awesome too. Full column about last night in Miami👇 tinyurl.com/luka-on-anothe…

Luka Dončić is closing games like the best player in the world right now. 40/10/9, total clutch takeover mode, and another win in Houston. Plus a deep dive into a VERY special LeBron game 👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-rockets…

Reed Sheppard was the main target the Lakers hunted on Monday. Per tracking data they scored at very high rate of 1.55 points per chance in 11 actions when he was involved in pick actions vs Luka Dončić. Breakdown + thoughts for the Rockets rematch👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-rockets…

Knicks. Wolves. Nuggets. Rockets. For most of the year the Lakers couldn’t beat good teams. Now they’re doing it one after another. Lakers-Rockets observations👇 digginbasketball.substack.com/p/lakers-obser…

Two games in Houston that could decide the race for the 3rd seed. Skill vs physicality and length. Half-court efficiency vs dominating the offensive glass. And a matchup that hopefully looks very different from the Christmas blowout👇 tinyurl.com/rockets-preview

Most crazy game of the year. Most important Lakers win (so far) of the season. Most fun game observations to write👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-nuggets…

Big one tonight! Lakers vs Nuggets with major standings implications. A win gives the Lakers the season-series tiebreaker and some cushion in a packed West race. Another Luka vs Jokic chess match and a validation of the Lakers’ recent surge 👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-nuggets…

"Probably not to talk to him." More on Matas Buzelis’ lesson after Dončić dropped 51/10/9. Plus, more data on Luka’s best shooting stretch in years. Ayton catching up with force and another 20/10 game...and LeBron’s return and the sacrifices needed👇 tinyurl.com/lakers-bulls-o…

Lakers had their second consecutive convincing win against a very good team...by going back to their early-season winning formula and hierarchy. My Lakers-Timberwolves observations👇 tinyurl.com/laker-wolves-g…