The Lakeshow Review

The Lakers resumed action on Friday, as they travelled to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies in what was their second game of a brief two-game road trip. It was also the team’s first game of Emirates Cup action. The Lakers opened Group Stage play with a victory, prevailing 117-112. They were led by Luka Dončić, who made his way back to the lineup after missing the last three contests due to a leg contusion. The Lakers played a solid all-around game, as the offense continued to click in another efficient performance.

LA couldn’t find their shot early, as Memphis raced to an early 5-0 lead, then 10-4. But eventually, the Lakers’ half-court offense settled in, and they started to take control of the game. They took a 31-27 lead after the opening quarter. But a lazy and sloppy effort in the second quarter saw them give up their lead, as the Grizzlies outscored them by 18 (42-24). The Lakers calmly reclaimed the lead early in the third quarter, only to lose it again shortly before the end of the quarter in a replay of the first half. The fourth quarter saw the team tighten up and secure a lead, which they were able to maintain the rest of the way. Playing in his third game of the season, Luka Dončić led the team with a game-high 44 points, on 14/27 from the floor, to go with 12 rebounds and six assists. He becomes the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to start the season with three consecutive 40 point games, surely a historic start for the Lakers superstar.

LAs half-court offense, and their pick and roll continued to make great progress. Marcus Smart’s return to the lineup was also a factor, as his playmaking gives the team a third ballhandler capable of initiating actions both in transition and in the half-court. His 12 points and four assists were a healthy stimulus for the offense, which didn’t fall apart when Austin Reaves or Luka weren’t on the ball. Deandre Ayton continues to thrive as a pick-setter and roll man, as he had good moments scoring the ball on ball screen actions. Unfortunately, Ayton exited the game due to back spasms in the first half, but he did contribute 9 points in 17 minutes, and continues to excel in the pick and roll. This time, even with Marcus Smart initiating. LA also got 21 points from Austin Reaves, who after a string of high scoring nights, naturally took a back seat amidst Luka’s return. Jake LaRavia also played a strong game, with 13 points off the bench, to go with six boards and a pair of assists.

Forward Rui Hachimura had himself an off night, scoring nine points to go with three rebounds in 38 minutes of play. It’s becoming clear that when Rui isn’t scoring the basketball, his game is fairly one-dimensional, as he doesn’t impact the game significantly on the defensive side. He also isn’t crashing the glass at the adequate rate of a player his size. With that said, the Lakers were able to produce enough team defense to hold their own on that end. They outshot Memphis 51% to 44%, and generally looked comfortable generating offense in the half-court, when they were dialed in. At times during last night’s game, the team’s focus waned, as they clearly played to their competition versus an inferior Grizzlies team (Memphis turned the Lakers over 15 times, to only 11). But at least they were able to clamp up late in the game to secure the win. They also showed some more creative looks on the half-court, often running Luka off-ball on curl actions. This is the luxury of having ancillary ballhandlers in the form of Smart and AR. Luka was able to catch the ball in stride and in space where he can be efficient at collapsing the defense thus creating for himself or others. This is better than the dreaded iso-ball any day. Luka also went to work on the block late in the game, to make up for the absence of Ayton, displaying some good offensive versatility. This game certainly did not showcase the peak of their offensive potential, but they were able to find a way to get the job done.

Through six games, the Lakers have shown commendable progress. They’re currently 4-2, and 3-0 on the road. The offense is trending in the right direction, and the team is generally taking advantage of their talents in the half-court. Not to mention, they’ve had multiple players in and out of the lineup, with LeBron James yet to make his debut. At this stage, maybe it’s better if LeBron sits out until the All-Star break, as he could obviously use the rest, and this team is finding an identity without him. They’re playing hard, for each other and are finding ways to win. The added opportunities have also showcased the full range of capabilities of players such as AR, who has proven more than capable of running a team for sustained stretches. The Lakers need to know precisely what they have with this group sans LeBron, in order to have a clear picture of the types of moves they’ll need to make next summer and beyond. But for now, the team is playing good basketball and finding ways to keep their head above water, with what looks to be substantial room for improvement. The Lakers will now head back home to take on the Miami Heat on Sunday, who are always a very formidable and disciplined team. They’ll need the same effort they’ve put forth the last couple of games in order to keep piling up wins early on in the season. Go Lakers.