The Lakeshow Review

After being trampled under foot last night in Portland, the LA Lakers returned home to face the Toronto Raptors. With Luka Dončić back in the fold , the team received a jolt of momentum, and overall put forth a much better effort on their way to a 110-93 win. After a busy week, one that saw five games played in the last seven days, LA managed to cap it off with a much needed win, as they’ll now embark on a lengthy eight-game road trip to finish the month. Tonight we saw some good things; both offensively and defensively. A proverbial step in the right direction. With that said, the Lakers are 2-5 in their last seven games, which is not ideal. How they respond throughout the next two weeks will be very telling when it comes to the fabric of this team.

The Lakers did something huge tonight. They activated Deandre Ayton, whose game-high 25 points (on a minty 10-10 shooting) and game-high 13 boards were vital to a team starved for productivity outside of their top stars. Luka Dončić was also solid, matching Ayton’s 25 points (albeit on a poor 8-23 from the floor), while adding seven assists. LeBron James bounced back with a robust 24 points and seven assists night. The Luka/Ayton/LeBron trio was enough to carry the team through this game, showcasing the type of offensive balance we need to see much more of in order to consistently compete, particularly as Austin Reaves (and his 26.6ppg) remains sidelined for the time being. The Raptors were paced by Scottie Barnes’ 22 points and nine rebounds, in addition to former Laker Brandon Ingram’s 19 points six boards and seven assists showing.

This was a much tighter affair than the final score would indicate, as LA only managed to squeeze a one-point 55-54 going into the half marker. The Lakers’ defense was shaky to start, displaying many of the lesser qualities that have contributed to their recent slide. Haphazard rotations and poor closeouts on the perimeter led to a hot Toronto start, converting on 47% of their shots, by way of 17 assists. The Lakers still break down too easily when opponents put them in ball screen situations. They often overplay screens, and remain unorganized with their switching. Their interior rotations are also shoddy, as well as execution on closeouts. To LAs credit, they tightened things up in the second half, limiting Toronto to just 25% shooting, good for 39 points. They also forced more turnovers, pressuring the ball and attacking passing lanes more aggressively. Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia are crucial in this regard, and despite not showing up on the scoresheet, their impact on the defensive end is mostly positive, especially when they play together. One of those two has to remain in the starting group, even after AR returns.

The Lakers played well on offense, and tonight they were keenly more intent on driving to the hoop and collapsing the defense. A conscious effort was made to feed Ayton down low and get him going. Luka’s aggressiveness on the ball led to several defensive rotations where DA was freed at the basket. The Luka/DA dynamic is one that the team, and head coach JJ Redick need to try to unlock more of. It opens up the offense beyond the stagnant isos. Rui Hachimura was also solid as a reserve, scoring 10 points. Though he can certainly play better, his role as a sniper on either the wing or the corner is one that he’ll excel at as long as he’s on the floor. He’s the one player on the team that can consistently make defenses pay for packing the paint, while also helping to spread the floor on screen-and-roll actions. Off the bench, he is ideal since the team badly lacks scoring in that area. As AR makes his way back to the lineup, we should continue to see this formula, with one of LaRavia or Smart (preferably Jake) slotted with the starters.

Despite it being a relatively close game for three quarters, LA managed to build a double digit advantage which they were able to expand and sustain to finish off the game. Jarred Vanderbilt (who had a quietly productive night with two points and nine boards) stole an errant baseline pass and took it coast to coast to give LA and 18-point cushion with about five minutes to go, helping to seal the win. It was the rare occasion where the Lakers won without having to frantically sweat it out in the final minutes. A comfy win for once. But it’s the type of effort we need more of, as the the team now heads out on the road for an eight-game roadie starting in Denver this Tuesday. At 25-16, their recent slide has dropped them in the standings. Therefore, it’s crucial for the Redick and his group to figure out how to scratch and claw their way to survival in these next two weeks. They can either drop out of the top six, into play-in range, or gradually surge their way back in the standings. Like I said, it’ll be very telling as to the mental makeup of this team and their desire to realistically compete in the West’s gauntlet. Until then, let’s hope we see a dignified fighting spirit. Go Lakers.