The Lakeshow Review

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  • Luka’s Triple-Double Powers Lakers Past Jazz

    The Lakers returned to the hardwood last night when they took on the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. Following their ousting from the Emirates Cup tournament, the Lakers came in to last night’s contest with a glimmer of momentum after barely escaping the Phoenix Suns, in Phoenix last Sunday. The team looks to regain its footing, and last night’s game was a step in the right direction, besting the Jazz by a final score of 143-135. Defensive issues continue to show up, but the team managed to hang tough despite a hot shooting display from Utah in the early stages of the game. They managed to keep the game close, eventually outlasting their opponent in what was a flawed yet encouraging performance where LA showed encouraging signs of progress.

    The Jazz came out of the gates with every intentions of putting the Lakers away. Early in the game, Utah made every effort to exploit the size discrepancy between Jusuf Nurkic and Jaxson Hayes, as they pounded the paint in search for easy baskets. They also exploited LAs lackluster rotations, particularly early in games, as they swung the ball to great effect, opening up several quality outside looks. Utah shot a blistering 63% from the floor, and 59% from three in the first half, on their way to a 78-73 halftime advantage.

    The Lakers did a great job of keeping pace, with Luka Dončić’s 25 first half points helping LA stay afloat. Luka finished with a remarkable 45 points (on 28 shots), 11 boards and 14 assists, to go with five steals (and zero turnovers), in what was one of his better games so far and his first 40-point triple-double with the Purple and Gold. Despite porous defense, the Lakers only turned the ball over once in the first half, which is encouraging seeing as how they usually start these road contest on the slow side, giving up turnovers which lead to transition opportunities on the other side. LA did an admirable job at taking care of the basketball, coughing seven turnovers for the game to Utah’s 13. Despite the Jazz being the younger and more energetic team, it was the Lakers who got out and running, tallying 25 fastbreak points to Utah’s nine. This was key in helping them stay in the game, as they offset Utah’s early hot shooting barrage (some of which was enabled by the Lakers’ poor defensive rotations).

    LA made the right adjustments after the first half, allowing only 57 points from the Jazz on 40% shooting. LeBron James led a key stretch, playing alongside the reserves to start the fourth quarter where LA was able to reclaim the lead, and maintain it for good. LeBron was great last night, scoring 28 points (on 8-17 shooting) to go with seven rebounds and 10 assists. A productive night as a second option, particularly with the absence of Austin Reaves, where he powered the Lakers’ transition game and ran the offense during the shifts in which Luka sat. The Lakers as a whole managed to turn in solid ancillary performances all around. Jaxson Hayes was a perfect 7-7 from the floor for 16 points, starting in place of Deandre Ayton. Marcus Smart was outstanding in his second consecutive start with 17 points, on 5-9 shooting from three. Unfortunately, he encountered a rough whistle all night, fouling out with a couple of minutes left in the fourth. Fortunately, the game had been decided by then. Jake LaRavia was also productive with 12 points off the bench, and Rui Hachimura, after enduring a cold spell the last few games, notched 13 points on 6-10 shooting.

    On a night where Utah threw the kitchen sink at LA, they managed to hang on and eventually outlast their opponent in what was an encouraging road win to push their record to 19-7. Young guard Keyonte George was unstoppable all night, dropping 34 points on 9-20 shooting, along with eight dimes. Rookie forward Ace Bailey also looked good with 19 points on 7-13 shooting. LA struggled once again to contain Utah’s skilled perimeter athletes. They continue to fare poorly defending halfcourt sets, where they routinely break down via continuous screening actions. Opponents have become adept at spamming elaborate screening actions, knowing that the Lakers soft switching and poor communication will eventually give way to breakdowns and quality looks. LAs switching continues to be a problem, whether on handoffs, or drag/double drag screening action, they routinely surrender good looks from range. The team simply have to tighten up their communication, and rotations in order to limit these opportunities. On the bright side, they shot well from the floor and managed to mount sustained runs in key stretches to stay in the game and eventually win it. Against better competition though, they’ll have to fare better all around. If they can get their defensive effort to match their offensive production, then they might just find the right balance.

    LA will now make their way home to face the Clippers at Crypto Arena, before they head back out on the road starting next week. It’s a slow process, but hopefully they can continue to bring their defense up to par, without losing ground on offense. The second half of last night’s game was certainly more encouraging, but eventually one would like to see them do it for 48 minutes, especially against the better competition. Until then, the team needs to keep finding ways to win games and stay competitive within the brutal Western Conference standings. As we near the halfway point of the season, the team has to maintain their cushion so that the right moves can propel them into legit contention. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Hang On To Beat Suns

    After dropping the Emirates Cup quarterfinal at the hands of the Spurs in lopsided fashion, the Lakers travelled to Phoenix for another clash with the Suns, with Phoenix having won handily the last time both teams played each other. It was an opportunity for LA to amend both their losses against the Suns and Spurs in the past few days, and though ugly, the Lakers were able to prevail by a final of 116-114.

    For a moment, it looked as though the Lakers would suffer the same fate they did against the Spurs last Sunday, when they fell behind 36-31 after one quarter of action. Phoenix came out hot out of the gate, shooting 58% from the floor, and over 45% from beyond the arc during the the opening quarter. Phoenix made sure to employ a high pace of play from the start, getting out in transition and forcing the Lakers defense to make quick decisions and rotations. The Suns’ offense was led by Devin Booker’s 27 points (on 7-17 shooting), six boards and seven assist effort. Big man Mark Williams also contributed 20 points and six boards. Williams’ nimbleness and agility gave the Lakers fits all night, particularly on handoff actions, with LA unable to contain his swift rim-running after handing the ball off.

    Miraculously, Phoenix weren’t able to capitalize following their hot start, failing to expand on their first quarter lead, and exceptionally hot shooting. Both teams headed into the half break tied at 62 apiece. Down by eight with minutes to go in the second quarter, Luka Dončić led a mini-run to notch the game before both clubs made their way to the lockers. Luka finished with a game-high 29 points, six rebounds and six assists. He shot a sub-par 7-25 from the floor, and 2-14 from three, but converted 13-14 trips to the line. He also committed six turnovers. This wasn’t a great performance from Luka, who has not looked his best since returning from a leave of absence. Perhaps he’ll get his rhythm back, but the shot selection and carelessness with the basketball aren’t helping the team at this moment. A more committed defensive effort would also go a long way.

    The Lakers would tighten things up in the third quarter, winning it 24-15. Phoenix made just five shots to open the second half, and would miss their first nine threes. As a result, the Lakers took a nine point lead heading into the fourth. In the final quarter, the Lakers managed to balloon their lead up to 20. They lead 99-79 at one point, before Phoenix mounted a furious rally to reclaim the lead with seconds left. Dillon Brooks (who finished with 18 points) drilled a late three pointer to give Phoenix a 114-113 lead with 12 seconds. Following the play, both Brooks and LeBron James butted heads, with Brooks bumping James on his way back down the court. This resulted in Brooks’ second technical foul, thereby earning an ejection. LeBron would then brick the ensuing free throw, but managed to draw a foul during the following play, as Devin Booker committed illegal contact as James rose up for the potential go-ahead three-pointer. LeBron would make two of three free throws, giving LA a 115-114 lead with a smidge over three seconds. With the Suns out of timeouts, therefore inbounding the ball full court, the Lakers were able to secure the final defensive stop to get the win.

    This game showcased both good and bad. The Lakers found renewed defensive intensity, particularly with Marcus Smart sliding into the starting unit, in place of the ailing Austin Reaves (who will miss approximately one week due to a calf strain). Smart’s presence was immediately felt, forcing a steal which led to a layup in the opening minutes of action. Jarred Vanderbilt also found his way back to the rotation, after residing in the doghouse for the last couple of games. He too made an impact, immediately bringing back some much needed energy and hustle into the rotation. The Lakers shot poorly this game, only connecting on 38-88 shots from the field (good for 43% compared to the Suns’ 49%). This game was won at the glass, with LA outrebounding Phoenix 54-37, which included a whopping 24 offensive rebounds. Deandre Ayton was quietly rock solid, notching another 20-10 outing with 20 points and 13 boards, with six of those being offensive. Vando also racked up six offensive rebounds, as it was LAs hustle and intensity that helped them eek out the win, despite a cold shooting night.

    Lack of focus continues to be an issue that plagues the team. With a 20 point lead midway through the fourth, they allowed the Suns to muscle their way back to reclaiming the lead with seconds to go. Thankfully, LA made a series of late free throws to secure the win, but one would be remiss to not point out the disappointment in nearly allowing a late lead to slip out of their fingers. The Lakers got careless, committing five of their 21 turnovers in the final period. Furthermore, they stopped running their offense, as they struggled to hang on their lead. Instead opting to kill clock, consequently settling for bad, long shots which created easy transition offense for Phoenix. The team clearly took their foot off the gas pedal, and it nearly bit them. JJ Redick needs to employ a better strategy to end games, especially when LA has a late lead. Burning the shot clock, and settling for a contested fallback three isn’t going to cut it. But at least they got the win, and it’s good that they can find ways to win early in the year as they find their footing and avoid falling into a hole in the standings.

    Next up, the Lakers will travel to Utah on Thursday to play the Jazz. Hopefully they’ll treat this one as a loss, and try to clean up some of the glaring deficiencies that they’ve been encountering, which are mostly of the mental kind. Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt both need to stay in the rotation, in some strong capacity. The Lakers have clearly struggled to contain high-level perimeter athletes from their opponents lately, and those two give the team its best shot to remedy that. This game was won off of hustle and intensity, with those two being at the center of that effort. Hopefully they’ll maintain that effort as they try to keep racking racking up wins in the early portions of the season. You have to take them how you can get them. Go Lakers.

  • Spurs Embarrass Lakers in NBA Cup Quarterfinal 

    It was yet another one of those games for the Purple and Gold.

    The Lakers actually got out to an encouraging 15-9 lead. But it was fool’s gold, as San Antonio’s superior execution and gameplanning eventually proved too much for the Lakers to contend with. Stephon Castle’s 30 points and De’Aaron Fox’s 20 points led the way in what was a very balanced and potent attack by San Antonio, who prevailed by a final of 132-119.

    The Lakers would go on to waste a great shooting night by Marcus Smart, who netted 26 points on a hot 8-14 shooting from three, offering the rare scoring outburst by a Lakers reserve so far this year. Austin Reaves had another disappointing performance, with 15 points on 6-16 shooting. While Luka Dončić once again led the way with 35 points, and LeBron James tagged along with a 19 points and 15 rebound effort. 

    It was the Spurs however, who controlled the game from start to finish. Keldon Johnson (17 points), Julian Champagne (16 points) and Dylan Harper (13 points) all tallied double figures for the Spurs bench, who outclassed LAs reserves in what seems to be a recurring theme this year. Even without the presence of Victor Wembanyama, who continues to sit due to a calf injury, the Spurs managed to piece together the type of game that the Lakers could not keep up with.

    LA made a faint bid to cut the lead to 8, late in the fourth. But San Antonio swiftly shut down any hopes for an upset as they closed the game strongly, en route to double-digit win. With the loss, the Lakers now drop to 17-7, and fourth overall in the Western Conference. Not a terrible spot to be in, in the young stages of the season. And the early wins have definitely given the team somewhat of a cushion. But some things will need to be figured out in order to get back on a winning track.

    The Lakers certainly displayed one of their patent low-effort performances this game, making it nearly impossible to emerge victorious against a quality opponent like the Spurs, who improved to 17-7 after the win. LAs defense continues to be a problem, with their lazy rotations unable to contain the Spurs’ hot shooting (San Antonio shot 17-38 from beyond the arc). LA continues to haemorrhage three-pointers by way of their soft switching, which is equal parts lackluster effort, and poor coaching. Overall, the Spurs’ athleticism on the wing seemed to pose all sorts of trouble for the Lakers, who fared similarly against the likes of OKC and Phoenix, both of whom pose familiar matchup issues. Right now, the only fix for the team’s defensive woes is a stronger emphasis from JJ Redick’s coaching staff, as well as a change of personnel with the starting group. The Lakers currently boast the trio of Luka, LeBron and Austin Reaves, who for all of their offensive skills, are equally as flawed on the defensive side. Add to the fact that Rui Hachimura (who scored an underwhelming eight points) is another member of the starters who doesn’t bring much to the table in the way of defense. The team can’t survive while starting four non-factors on the defensive end. As I’ve stated before, the Lakers simply need to infuse the starting group with more defensive-minded players. Either Marcus Smart or Jarred Vanderbilt have to find their way to the starting five. If not, things will go from bad to worse. 

    The Spurs opted to play drop coverage all night. This allowed them to contain the Lakers’ screen and roll action by denying lobs at the rim, and keeping the initiator in front of them at all times, effectively living with midrange shots by Luka or AR. Luka made them pay, while Austin struggled to get into any type of rhythm. It did in fact stifle LAs rhythm, as they ended up settling for mostly jumpers. The Spurs’ big advantage however, was in their speed, as their transition game was highly effective, often netting quality looks at the rim, or getting LAs defense in a scramble frenzy subsequently leading to open three-pointers. This highlights the team’s lack of discipline and commitment on the defensive end. The Lakers did not seem to have any interest in getting back in transition, often leading to 5-3 situations on the fast break, where the Spurs would capitalize for 27 points. The Lakers also surrender far too many threes in early offense situations, which means they aren’t getting their defense set and are being slow to rotate. This all comes down to effort and coaching. Finding more playing time for players with defensive reputations would be a great start. As it stands, the starting five boasts far too many turnstiles on the defensive side. 

    This was clearly one of the worst games the Lakers have played so far this season. Not as bad as the OKC game, but pretty bad. LAs bench was outmuscled 48-31, with 26 of those bench points coming from Marcus Smart. Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes, Dalton Knect and Gabe Vincent all combined to score FIVE points. The Lakers need the bench to join the party against these elite teams in order to have any shot. But more importantly, changes are due. Rui has to be slotted with the reserves, as they clearly need some scoring punch. While the starting unit needs defense, in the form of Marcus Smart or Vando. Hopefully it won’t take JJ Redick long to identify these issues, as the the team is about to enter a crucial stage of the season, where they can either win games and continue to afford themselves a cushion, or go on a funk and watch their record dwindle to .500. Let’s hope the early adversity can bring forth the sense of urgency for the team to recapture its winning habits, as they can certainly play much better than they’ve shown. There’s still plenty of season to be played, but it’s never too early to implement changes that will yield better results. Go Lakers.

  • LeBron Leads Lakers Past Sixers

    The Lakers resumed their current Eastern Conference trek on Sunday night, when they took on the 76ers in Philadelphia. After getting smoked in Boston two nights prior, albeit in a game where many key starters took the night off, the team looked to get back on the winning track. It wouldn’t come easy as the Sixers are a quality opponent, but LA managed to prevail in a competitive up and down contest by a final score of 112-108. LeBron James put forth far and away his best performance of the season, as he looks to re-assert himself into the team’s hierarchy. The Lakers will return to LA to take on the San Antonio Spurs, for some Emirates Cup action, before hitting the road again to finish their road trip. Fortunately, they’ll do so with some momentum on their side.

    Luka Dončić returned to the lineup, having missed the last two contests after attending the birth of his newborn. He wasted no time getting back into rhythm; scoring a game high 31 points, while leading the Lakers with 15 rebounds and 11 assists. The Lakers, despite a cold start to the game managed to find their way back to a 30-30 tie after one quarter of play. Philly did manage to create some separation in the second quarter, mostly on the back of guard Tyrese Maxey’s 15 first half points, as they took a small 60-53 lead prior to the break.

    LA came out strong in the second half, winning the third quarter 34-24. They unlocked a new layer of their offense by activating the two-man game of Luka and LeBron James. The Lakers were able to generate multiple touches for LeBron with Luka initiating, both on the block and at the elbows, where James converted with relative efficiency. LeBron finished with a robust 29 points, to go with seven boards and six assists. Their two-man action also gave way for players like Deandre Ayton to step in, as he scored 14 points to go with 12 rebounds on a rock-solid 7-7 shooting form the floor.

    The Lakers successfully stemmed both the pace and the momentum to their side during the second half, as their half-court execution gave them the needed separation to eventually outlast the fighting Sixers. In the fourth, it was Reaves and LeBron teaming up for some good sequences. AR finished with a subpar performance, only shooting 3-16 for 11 points. But he did connect with LeBron on several skip passes in the pick-and-roll which resulted in big baskets down the stretch. LeBron scored 12 of his 29 points in the final quarter to get the Lakers past the finish line. Defensively, the team fared much better in the second half, holding the Sixers to just 48 points in the final 24 minutes.

    The Lakers did not play a great team game, but the effort was there. They ran the floor with purpose and as a result produced quality shots in the transition game (they scored 11 fast break points). LeBron’s aggressiveness was instrumental in getting the team organized in the open floor. The offensive gameplan was particularly good, in that it made an effort to feature all three of its stars, despite AR having a poor shooting night. Early on, they went heavy with Luka ball screens. Whether it was straight pick-and-roll, or double drags with Ayton rolling and Rui Hachimura popping, they were able to get solid early offense looks. Rui was productive yet again, scoring 17 points as he continues to be a corner three savant. Philadelphia also did a poor job at tagging Ayton all night, which led to many lobs at the rim, once he was able to slip past the low help. Later on, as the pace slowed, LA made sure to feed LeBron in the post. Towards the end, they ran a healthy dose of two-man action with AR and LeBron, and then Luka and LeBron. Once the Sixers opted to trap Luka, he swiftly swung the ball over to LeBron, who had it going all night and was able to hit the dagger three to put the team up by five with little over a minute to play. Just smart and unselfish basketball all around.

    Defensively, many of the same issues still persist. The Lakers get broken down at the point of attack much too frequently. Tyrese Maxey had his way, scoring a team-high 28 points, to go with nine assists. He was particularly dangerous on switches, where he cooked LAs bigs all night. Outside of Marcus Smart, or Jarred Vanderbilt (who continues to reside in the doghouse) the Lakers simply lack the defensive personnel to stay in front of the Maxey types on the perimeter. LA actually lost the points in the paint battle, 38-36, but were able to salvage the loss by outshooting Philly 48% to 35% from the floor. Effectively, their defense tightened when they needed to. But the fact remains, they need the type of defensive wings that can stop the bleeding that opponents can inflict by attacking LAs defense off the dribble.

    The Lakers will now return home to take on the San Antonio Spurs, for the Emirates Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday. LA beat San Antonio earlier in the year, but that was before De’Aaron Fox returned to the lineup. With Wemby slated to come back (because they always do against the Lakers), this will be a tight contest. One where the team will need to bring forth the winning habits they’ve shown in their better outings recently. Hopefully they can keep it going and continue to rack up wins in the early stages of the season. Go Lakers.

  • Shorthanded Lakers Blown Out By Celtics

    Following an impressive road win in Toronto, that saw the team walk-off at the buzzer, the Lakers made their way to Boston to take on the bitter rival Celtics. One would have hoped that they would have preserved enough energy in the tank after the Raptors performance, but unfortunately, the team found themselves playing on fumes and couldn’t muster the energy to overcome Boston’s tenacity. The Celtics beat the Lakers handily, by a final score of 126-105, as the Purple and Gold ran out of answers. The Lakers were playing shorthanded, given the absence of Marcus Smart (still recovering from back spasms) and LeBron James (who was rested on the second night of a back-to-back). Luka Dončić also sat out for a second night, following the birth of his child. The Celtics were also playing minus their biggest star Jayson Tatum, yet it was Boston who found that extra gear and managed to pull through in front of their home crowd. The Lakers will now look to regroup, as they hopefully start to get some pieces back through the remainder of the road trip.

    Boston got off to a scorching start, as LA looked to be getting their legs back after a short turnaround from their previous matchup. It didn’t help that the Lakers were lazy with their closeout rotations all night, often over-helping while inadvertently giving up another advantage. Boston opened a quick 11-3 lead, which spelled the type of night we were in store for. They’d go on to win the first quarter 39-17, as the Lakers looked unfocused and disorganized, failing to get their offense humming early on.

    Boston would never trail in this game, as they went on to balloon their lead to 29 points at one point in the second quarter. Derrick White had himself a big night at LAs expense, scoring 19 points on five triples. While veteran star Jaylen Brown was also sensational, dropping 30 points to go with eight boards and eight assists. Boston was seemingly hitting everything, while the Lakers seemed uninterested in dialling up the right intensity or adjustments to try to cool them off. The team was clearly going through the motions, at the behest of a much more focused opponent. LA trailed big at the halftime marker, 69-46.

    Austin Reaves, following a slow start, did his best to try and get LA back in the game, with a robust 16-point third quarter. But Jaylen Brown killed off any momentum, answering with three consecutive treys to ensure Boston’s cushion was still intact. Outside of AR, no one really showed up. Guard Gabe Vincent had the odd 18 points, after he was given the starting nod. Reaves himself had another stellar 36 point, eight assist outing. Yet, LA could not get the necessary complimentary performances from the rest of their rotation, like they did versus the Raptors. Jake LaRavia, who was also slotted into the starting unit, only scored six points, while Deandre Ayton managed a disappointing six points and 10 rebound effort. Rui Hachimura scored a steady 13 points, but alas, no game-winning heroics for him tonight.

    As AR sat to open the fourth, Boston went on a swift 9-0 run, and pushed their lead up for good, effectively making it garbage time for the final minutes of action. The Lakers’ main issue all night was on the defensive side. Their drop coverage was sloppy, often allowing the roll man to get behind the play and in position for a lob. Their soft switching also continues to be an issue, as they’ve made it a habit to haemorrhage wide open threes to the opposition. Whether it’s in hand-off, or ball screen actions, the Lakers simply aren’t playing with enough force at the level of the screen in order to disrupt the action. Boston made a season-high 24 three-pointers, and LA did little in the way of adjustments in order to put out the fire. Furthermore, their tendency to flood on the strong side and over-help often puts them at a disadvantage when rotating as they don’t have the athletes on the perimeter that can quickly cover long spaces. Moving forward it’s rather evident that the team will have to upgrade their defensive personnel in order to play the type of defense where players can stay at home, and not worry too much about helping. In the meantime, an uptick in effort would go a long way. The Lakers often get caught ball-watching, becoming susceptible to off-ball cuts that lead to easy scores. Moreover, they should be more competitive in denying the switch. Often, when opponents try to matchup-hunt, LA meekly surrenders the switch. More aggression, focus and discipline are needed at the point of the screen, in order to mitigate pointless switching that only leads to bad matchups.

    With that said, the Lakers will have the chance to regroup and get back to business tomorrow when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s important that they bring back the tenacity on defense that has gotten them to one of the best records in the Western Conference thus far. Xs and Os are one thing, but competition and effort are always the key regardless of the team’s skill level or personnel. So far, the team has shown a propensity to come back strong following a tough loss. This wasn’t a bad loss, per se, although any loss to Boston is by definition a bad one. However, the team was playing shorthanded, and didn’t seem to have the energy to match their opponents’ intensity. Now they’ll get their legs under them, and will presumably continue to get stronger, as they’ll get LeBron back, and possibly Luka. Either way, we should expect to see an improved effort from the team, as they’re in the midst of a road trip, where there’s no time to relax. Their last homestand ended on a sour note, so maybe this road trip can end on a good one. If the team so chooses to take the right strides. Go Lakers.

  • Rui Wins It At the Buzzer, as Lakers Rebound to Beat Raptors

    What a difference a game makes.

    After laying one of their biggest eggs of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers resumed action when they took to the road north of the border against the Toronto Raptors. In stark contrast to their previous outing against Phoenix, the Lakers actually tried last night at Toronto, and lo and behold, they actually came away with a win. The Lakers played an up and down game, and were plagued by many of the mishaps that have bogged them throughout the young season. But the the toughness, and the willingness to compete was ever-present, ultimately besting the feisty Raptors via a Rui Hachimura corner three at the buzzer, for a 123-120 final. It was good to see the team rebound after a tough loss, and show the drive and hunger that can carry them through a lengthy postseason run. Let’s hope we see more of this type of effort moving forward.

    The Lakers opened up the scoring with a set play. One that saw them feed the ball to LeBron James at the far block for a post-up, then swiftly running Austin Reaves off of two down screens on the weakside in order to free him up for a three-pointer at the wing. The play worked, and set the tone for the Lakers in the game, as they looked night and day more polished and organized than the criminal display of basketball they put forth against the Suns, two nights prior. LA continued its solid ball movement en route to a 29-26 lead after 12 minutes.

    The Raptors’ length and athleticism presented all sorts of mismatches for LA, who struggled containing Toronto’s chaotic but effective off-ball cutting. Their ability to break down LAs defense at the point of attack was also critical, as they seemingly got into the paint at will. LA, for their part, remained methodical, doing little, fundamental things such as feeding Deandre Ayton on the block, where he utilized his deft touch around the hoop. Ayton had himself another solid outing with 17 points (on 8-11 shooting) and eight rebounds; as he continues to be a steady contributor on the offensive end. Defensively, however, LA failed to keep up with Toronto’s pace, as they pushed the ball up floor following every inbound; often leading to open corner threes or uncontested drives to the rim. The Raptors’ young legs and athleticism were fully evident, as they outpaced the Lakers in points in transition 21-11. Fortunately, the Lakers managed to take a 67-58 lead into the break, thanks to their timely shotmaking (42% from beyond the arc) and lack of turnovers (five in the first half, 11 for the game).

    The third quarter saw Austin Reaves activate his scoring prowess, as the 26 year-old guard went on a tear after a relatively modest 14 points and seven assists through two quarters. AR exploded for 22 points in the third quarter, in order to give the team a much needed boost offensively, with the Raptors relentlessly breathing down their neck. Both teams traded jabs in the third, but the Lakers managed to maintain a 99-98 advantage, despite losing the quarter 40-33.

    Things slowed down a bit in the fourth, as they mostly tend to do. LA as able to find the timely offense that helped them keep the lead. Throughout the game, they received some key contributions from Jake LaRavia, whose 14 points and seven boards helped give the bench unit some much needed pop. G-League call-up Nick Smith Jr. also picked up the slack, with 12 points, which included some big buckets down the stretch to help the Lakers stave off the young Raptors. Neither team shot particularly well in the fourth quarter, with the Raptors taking briefly leads on separate occasions late in the game. Both times, LA answered with consecutive drives by LeBron James and Austin Reaves. With the game tied at 120 in the waning seconds, Reaves brought the ball up with a chance to win the game. Toronto threw a hard double at AR on the wing, who had torched them all night to the tune of 44 points (on 62% shooting), five boards and 11 dimes. AR quickly swung the ball to LeBron at top of the key, who proceeded to drive to the basket, thus triggering the help from the weakside. As the defense collapsed, LeBron spotted an open Rui Hachimura on the corner, who despite having a modest night (12 points and three boards), managed to sink the dagger three to win the game. And just like that put LA back on the W column.

    It as a great effort on the part of the Lakers, who beat a quality team on the road, after suffering a meltdown at home two nights prior. Defensively, they faced some hurdles, with Toronto’s quick-twitch brand of ball providing all sorts of breakdowns. But the effort was there, as they managed to tighten up and make just enough plays to pull out the victory. Their clean offensive effort managed to carry them through their defensive lapses, as the Lakers generally took care of the basketball, winning the turnover battle, and outshooting the Raptors from the floor and beyond the arc. Despite a relatively poor performance by LeBron James (eight points on a paltry 17 shots), the team managed to piece together a balanced assortment of contributions amidst Luka Dončić’s absence (who missed the game to attend the birth of his child). Austin Reaves showed once again why he might just be a bonafide star in this league, and let’s hope he continues to show it. It’s always good to beat a quality opponent on their home floor, much more when it’s done without your best player. It was just the type of win needed to wash away the sour taste of the Phoenix game. Let’s hope the Lakers keep up the tenacity on the second night of a back-to-back when they take on the rival Boston Celtics on Friday night. Time to get back on the winning track. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Get Embarrassed by Suns, End Homestand on Sour Note

    A game like this was inevitable.

    After weeks of getting by on their talent and starpower, the Lakers found out the hard way that you can’t overlook your opponent nor play without the requisite intensity to consistently win at the NBA level. The Phoenix Suns thoroughly beat the Lakers by a final score of 125-108, with the Lakers putting forth the type of no-show performance they’d been teasing about for weeks prior. This time, they ran into a serious opponent and did not recalibrate their focus. A final outcome of this magnitude had been brewing for LA for quite some time, as they’ve been making a bad habit out of playing down to their competition. This was arguably the team’s worst performance of the season, considering that they were at home, in Crypto, and had their full compliment of rotations (excluding Marcus Smart who has been recently sitting out due to back spasms), while playing an opponent that ill good, still eminently beatable. This was certainly a game to forget.

    LA did manage to get out to a hot start, behind yet another brilliant 20-point quarter by Luka Dončić (who finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and NINE turnovers). They took an early 15-9 lead and looked to be on their way to another solid outing. The Lakers’ effort however, was off from the get-go. Their lackluster transition defense allowed the Suns to get several easy baskets early on. The discrepancy was glaring, as the Suns produced 28 fast break points to the Lakers’ two. Unacceptable. While also very indicative of the type of effort laid forth by LA. You can’t get bamboozled in that fashion on the open court and expect to win the game.

    Despite Suns’ star Devin Booker (11 points) exiting the game early due to a groin injury, his costars were more than capable of carrying the scoring responsibilities. Dillon Brooks had a robust 33 points, on 15-26 shooting from the floor. While guard Collin Gillespie had a sterling 28 points (a career-high), on 8-14 shooting from deep, with 16 of those points coming in the fourth quarter as the Suns blew the game open. The Lakers did an incredibly poor job at running Gillespie off of the three-point line, often resulting in inadvertent fly-by closeouts that simply led to a more open look. The Suns also did a great job of moving Gillespie around off-ball, in order to keep the Lakers defense off balance. The Suns quite simply looked like the hungrier team, on both ends of the floor, and particularly in transition.

    The Suns, thanks to their hot three-point shooting, managed to push their lead to up to 21 points late in the third quarter, and they did not look back. Late in the fourth, LA pulled their starters and let their bench finish the game. But not before LeBron James stayed in to preserve his “Consecutive 10-point game streak”, shortly after which he exited the contest. That’s now 1,297 straight games that LeBron has scored at least 10 points in, as he finished the night with 10 points after connecting on a trey with a little under seven minutes to play in the fourth. All of which is utterly meaningless. The Lakers lost the game, and the fact that LeBron is trying to preserve a trivial record, amidst his team getting blown out, says a lot about his priorities at this stage. But this should come as no surprise.

    Phoenix outplayed the Lakers in every way, on both ends of the floor. The Suns outshot, out-assisted, out-hustled and out-performed the Lakers in virtually every statistical category. They took care of the basketball more efficiently, and dominated the points in the paint as well as the points in transition. It comes down to effort,. And LAs stars, namely Luka and Austin Reaves (16 points and five turnovers), failed to set the tone. LAs backcourt combined for an atrocious 14 turnover, in a performance that saw neither star bring forth the adequate intensity. Games like this are bound to happen. But the key separator between pretenders and contenders is the latter’s ability to minimize these types of games and flush them away. hopefully the Lakers can put these types of performances in the rearview mirror, as they keep progressing through the season. Tactically, the Lakers must figure out how to score effectively off of their ball screen action against heavy switching teams like the Suns (or the OKC Thunder for that matter). But philosophically the team must understand that they simply can’t expect to get by with this type of effort on a regular basis. They’ll get a chance to right some wrongs, as the team will head back out on the road starting Thursday against the Toronto Raptors. Let’s hope the short memory kicks in, and we can start seeing more of the team that’s held the second best record in the Western Conference through the young stages of the season Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Stay Hot With LeBron Out of Lineup, Beat Pelicans

    The Los Angeles Lakers resumed action last night, as they took on the New Orleans Pelicans in what was the first night of back-to-back contests for the Purple and Gold. LA sat out starting forward LeBron James as well as reserve guard Marcus Smart, while their opponent was also without some of their key players, namely Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. The Lakers, despite not playing their best game, managed to take care of business, beating the Pelicans by a final score of 133-121. The defense continues to show cracks, but the offense also keeps showing signs of promise. It continues to be somewhat of a mixed bag for the team, but they keep piling up the wins, which is the bigger goal at the moment. But as Coach JJ Redick aptly put it, there’s still room for improvement even after the team’s 15-4 start.

    The Lakers got their offense in gear early on, as Luka Dončić led the way with 20 first quarter points. The midrange jumper and stepback three were both in full bloom, as Luka gave the team yet another early offensive outburst. He finished the game with a game-high 34 points (on 9-22 shooting) to go with 12 rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. LA also did a great job of creatively moving Deandre Ayton around in their elbows sets, in order to get him some early touches on the block. Ayton had six early points in the opening quarter, on 2-2 shooting. He finished with a stellar 22 points and 12 boards. His consistency has been an incredible addition to the team. The Lakers opened up a 46-27 after 12 minutes.

    The second quarter saw the Lakers get a bit sloppy with the basketball, committing four out their nine team turnovers in the quarter. New Orleans upped their intensity by aggressively attacking the Lakers off the dribble, as they got into the paint at will. The Pels also shot a scorching 57% from three for the quarter, and didn’t cool off much more for the rest of the game, shooting 50% for the contest. With that said, LA somehow managed to win the quarter, 31-30, thanks in large part to 13 points by Austin Reaves. AR finished the game with 33 points, five boards and eight assists, to go with a steal and a block. Another terrific performance by the Lakers guard, who continues to make a strong bid for the All Star Game. LA took a big 77-57 lead into the half.

    In the third, New Orleans continued pressing, with the Lakers seemingly coasting, as the Pels won the quarter 35-31. They kept the pressure on LAs perimeter defense, which continues to show weaknesses. The team gets broken down at the point of attack far too often, leading to poor backside rotations and closeouts to shooters. Second chance points also favoured the Pels this quarter. The Lakers also went on to lose the points in the paint battle, 62-46. Much of this can be attributed to poor effort. LA has a bad habit of playing down to their competition, assuming that the proverbial ‘switch’ can be turned on or off at their behest, which can be a dangerous game to play. Especially for a team that still has much to prove. Ideally, the intensity and effort level will start to uptick, particularly as we inch closer to the tail end of the season.

    New Orleans, by all accounts are not a great team, so the Lakers managed to put them away in the fourth, ultimately building a 20 point cushion in the final minutes. In a favorable turn of events, the team managed to rest some of their key starters including Luka (who played 35 minutes last night), in order to preserve their legs for the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. With that said, it’s important for the team to not learn all the wrong lessons after these types of games. The Lakers, for their part, played a great offensive game, shooting 48% from the field, as well as 37% from three. They’re relying heavily on the dual brilliance of Luka and AR, both whom have been terrific so far. They also recieved robust anicillary performances from Ayton and Rui Hachimura, the latter of who had 14 points, as a fourth option, and continues to show why his midrange mastery and deep corner threes are invaluable commodities to the Lakers offensive arsenal. Defensively though, there’s still much left to be desired, as rotations and lackluster effort continue to be an issue. Against the teams in the bottom brackets, these aren’t pressing issues. But against stiffer competition, it could be the difference between winning and losing. Of course, having Marcus Smart back in the lineup will help. But maybe the coaching staff should look to bring back Jarred Vanderbilt out of the doghouse, as his skillset could definitely provide the defense with a proper jolt. In any case, it’s starting to become clear that the team quite simply needs more defensive-minded players at the top of the rotation.

    LA will receive a slightly tougher test against the surprisingly competitive Phoenix Suns today. We’ll see if they’re able to get up for this game, or if they continue to surrender substantial advantages on the defensive end. The Lakers starters will be well-rested, after having a slightly reduced load Sunday night. Deandre Ayton exited the Pelicans game late, and will likely be a game time decision against Phoenix. In either case, the Lakers should look to finish their homestand with an exclamation point, before they hit the road again later in the week, where they’ll take on some of the Eastern Conference’s heavy hitters. Hopefully the team can keep the winning, and the momentum as they look to keep rolling. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Top Mavs, Stay Undefeated in Emirates Group Play

    After clinching their Emirates Cup group stage with a victory over the Clippers last Tuesday, the Lakers were back in action last Friday when they took on the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles. In their final group stage contest, the Lakers emerged victorious, following an uneven but promising 129-119 win over their Western Conference foe. LA was up and down throughout the game, but managed to turn on the jets towards the latter stages, eventually putting away the younger and more inexperienced Mavericks. With the win, the Lakers wind up undefeated in Emirates Cup group play, which is of lesser importance, but still substantial at least in the sense that the team seems to be building solid chemistry. While there’s still plenty of room for improvement, the team seems to be figuring things out on the offensive end.

    LA started the game with good energy, running their patent high pick-and-roll with Luka Dončić and getting great results. The team also got out and running early by aggressively attacking the passing lanes, while disrupting Dallas’ half-court actions. Dončić also showed some flashes as an off-ball scorer early on, as the Lakers ran a few intricate screening actions for him while LeBron initiated the play. Great to see LA start to diversify their offensive playbook more and more. The Mavs, for their part, managed to stay hot, and only trailed LA 28-22 after one quarter.

    The second quarter saw some of the Lakers’ lesser tendencies rear their ugly heads, as Dallas riled off a 40 point quarter, eventually taking a 62-60 lead after one half. Offensively, the Lakers remained sharp, managing to manipulate the defense with their crafty half-court sets. Defensively, however, the team continues to be plagued by lazy defensive rotations, as Dallas feasted on open three pointers in the first half of the game. Specifically, the backside defensive help was somewhat sloppy, as Dallas routinely broke down the first level of defense, only to quickly hit an open shooter once LA over-helped in the paint. Dallas hit 47% of their three-point looks in the first two quarters, led primarily by Klay Thompson and former Laker Max Christie. Most of these coming via haphazard defensive breakdowns.

    The Lakers’ porous defense carried over into the third quarter, which saw them give up another 32 points to the Mavs, who by the way are the worst offense in basketball thus far. Thankfully, the offense kicked it up a notch, as Luka Dončić activated his scoring prowess. Dallas opted to primarily hedge on Luka’s ball screens, to which he countered by splitting the trap and finding his way to the rim. Other times, he connected with Deandre Ayton on the short roll, who finished with a very solid 17 points and eight boards on 8-9 shooting from the court. Because Dallas was trapping Luka at the top of the key, Ayton found himself guarded by a smaller defender near the rim, and Luka smartly exploited the mismatch. In the fourth, Dallas once again reclaimed the lead momentarily. But a 13-1 Lakers push late in the game helped seal the affair, as LA ‘turned on’ the proverbial switch.

    This game showcased both good and bad elements. LAs offensive output was very balanced, with Austin Reaves leading the way with a stellar 38 points (leading all scorers) and eight boards, on 12-15 shooting and 6-8 from three. AR continues to make a strong bid for the All Star Game, and of course his eventual payday next summer. Luka was his MVP self with 35 points, five boards and 11 assists. And Rui Hachimura played a robust complimentary game with 14 points on 4-8 shooting from three. LeBron James chipped in with a useful 13 points, five boards and seven assists, on 13 shots. The bench, however, encountered another barren outing producing only 12 points. Defensively, the team can still do much better. They did hold prized Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg to just 13 points on 11 shots. But the team’s lackluster and chaotic defensive rotations keep hurting their defensive ceiling. As stated before, backside help, and scattered low man responsibilities continue to be an issue, as any breakdown of the first level of the defense usually leads to mass confusion on the interior. Off-ball defense is another area where the team struggled last night, often getting beat on backdoor cuts. Perhaps Marcus Smart sitting out (due to back spasms), and Jarred Vanderbilt’s recurring ‘dog house’ residency has stripped the team’s lineup of capable defensive minded players. In any case, LA must get whatever players are on the floor to commit to playing smart, tough and organized defense. On the positive side, the offense has seen a big resurgence. LA shot 51% (18-35) from three this game, as we are starting to see a positive reversion to the mean, following a slow start. Ball movement and offensive execution, particularly late in games, continues to be an area of strength. The team has shown they can tighten up when they need to. With this in mind, the next logical step is for the team to figure out how to sustain that level of execution, on both sides of the ball, for 48 minutes. They can get away with it against the Dallas Mavericks of the world, yet, against the elite teams in the NBA, it’s a different story.

    The Lakers will be back at Crypto Arena this Sunday, for the third game of their current four-game homestand when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans. At this point, we can’t expect perfection from a team that is still figuring things out, and is still getting guys back from injury. But it is important to keep finding ways to win. LA is currently riding a six-game win streak, and it’s imperative that they keep racking up the wins. This way they’re in good shape in the standings if and when they start putting things together, and at worst, they’ll have some headroom if and when they hit a rough patch. GO Lakers.

  • Lakers Roll Clippers, Clinch NBA Cup Group

    The Lakers made their way back to Los Angeles, to take on the dreaded crosstown rival Clippers. In a matchup chock full of starpower, it was Luka Dončić who rose above the crop with a dominating performance, one that saw the 26 year-old Slovenian drop 43 points, pull down nine boards and distribute 13 assists, en route to a 135-118 Lakers victory. The Lakers got off to a poor start defensively, but this was one of those rare games where the team put forth a full 48-minute effort in terms of hustle and intensity. They also produced a combined 99 points from Luka (43 points), Austin Reaves (31 points, nine rebounds) and LeBron James (25 points, six rebounds and six assists), all three of whom were able to successfully carry the offensive load throughout different portions of the game. The Lakers got a full team game last night, and these are the types of performances they should strive to produce more of.

    LA got off to a hot start offensively, as Luka Dončić poured in 24 first quarter points. Amazingly, the Lakers failed to take a lead following the opening quarter, as the Clippers, led by James Harden (29 points, five rebounds and nine assists) managed to give LAs defense all types of fits. The Lakers’ lax defensive rotations, combined with the Clippers’ relentless switch hunting (primarily with Harden on-ball), led to several defensive breakdowns. Despite Luka going off for five three-pointers in the initial 12 minutes, the Lakers still found themselves down 38-37.

    The Lakers managed to tighten things up in the second period, as both Austin Reaves and LeBron James went to work. AR continues to be a stud in high pick-and-roll scenarios, this time mostly with Jaxson Hayes and his lob partner, as regular starter Deandre Ayton sat out the game due to knee discomfort. The Clippers, however, managed to stay afloat, as Kawhi Leonard (19 points and five boards) displayed the midrange shot mastery that’s made him an elite scorer for the better part of his career. LA managed to take a 69-66 lead into the break.

    The second half saw things get even more competitive, as the Lakers opened a double-digit lead, spurred primarily by LeBron’s playmaking, as he seems to be finding a niche operating out of the post, often connecting with cutters on the weak side. We also saw LAs coaching staff implement some elbow pick-and-rolls, with LeBron as the initiator, something that’s been an LBJ staple since his second stint with the Cavs. These were able to generate some clean midrange looks, which James successfully converted. This was easily LeBron’s best game he’s played thus far, with one being able to make the case that he carried the offense in spurts, particularly when Luka sat. His playmaking was key in keeping the offense flowing during his shifts as the primary initiator.

    James Harden, however, was dialled-in offensively, and his one-on-one play kept the Clippers in the game. His step-back jumper is still a weapon, and the Lakers had no answers for the Clippers matchup hunting, often getting Harden attacking against a big, where he was able to break down the first level of the defense. The Clippers fought back to make it a one-point game late in the third, before Luka checked back in to provide an offensive lift, guiding LA to a 98-93 advantage before the final quarter. In the fourth, the Lakers seemed to have a bit more gas in the tank, as they kept running their offense, building another double-digits lead, this one they would not relinquish. Austin Reaves found some success as a spot-up man, particularly on the single side of Luka’s pick-and-rolls. LeBron also had a great night as a secondary distributor, often hitting AR or Rui Hachimura on crisp off-ball actions. Things got chippy late in the fourth, as Jaxson Hayes and Clippers’ guard Kris Dunn got into a “light scuffle”, after Hayes stepped in to stick up for Luka, which produced an ejection for Dunn. The game had been decided at that point, and the Lakers rode out the final minutes to a double-digit blowout.

    This game was the type of team effort that the Lakers should look to pattern. Even though the defense was suspect, at times, and the Lakers had no answers for Harden’s isolation play early on in the game, they still put forth the type of all-out hustle that is complementary to their starpower. LA won the rebounding battle (38-29) while also producing more team assists (29-24), fastbreak points (24-8), points in the paint (62-48) while also giving up less turnovers (11-16). Even though the Clippers threw some successful haymakers, LA eventually landed the knockout blow. The return of LeBron has also helped the offense, as opponents are weary of full-court pressing Luka, or Austin, as the LA usually has at least two elite playmakers on the floor at all times. The half-court offense has also seen an uptick, with more quality looks being consistently generated. Additionally, even with a depleted frontcourt, they still managed to swarm Clippers center Ivica Zubac, and showed impressive physicality with the players they had available. When the team plays with this type of tenacity and focus, they’re capable of beating most teams. Hopefully it continues. LA will now have two days off before they take the court against the Mavericks this Friday in LA. With the win, the Lakers have now also clinched their group stage in the Emirates Cup. But as things are shaping out, it’s important for the team to just keep winning, currently sitting at 13-4 and second place overall in the Western Conference. Hopefully, the team can finish their current homestand on a high note. Go Lakers.