The new-look Los Angeles Lakers finally took the court together in their entirety on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. LeBron James returned to the lineup after missing three games with a left foot ailment.
They employed a starting lineup that included all three players they acquired in the Russell Westbrook trade along with James and Anthony Davis. Los Angeles started quickly, taking a 17-4 lead, but that advantage was trimmed to four at halftime.
The Lakers reasserted themselves in the third quarter, reestablishing a double-digit lead they never gave up, claiming a 120-102 victory.
It was an imperfect win. L.A. shot just 27% from 3-point range and 61.1% from the free-throw line. Still, it gained itself a very important win as it heads into the long All-Star break.
Anthony Davis: A
After three or four subpar games, Davis got back to basics on Wednesday. He feasted early on multiple easy baskets that were set up by his teammates, and he made the most of his opportunities. He shot 13-of-17 from the field, giving him 28 points in 30 minutes.
Davis also grabbed 10 rebounds, dished five assists and added two blocked shots and one steal. He did a better job of attacking the basket off the dribble compared to the last few games, which is when he is most effective, as opposed to when he settles for perimeter jumpers.
Jarred Vanderbilt: B
This was a quiet game for Vanderbilt, who had six points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 28 minutes.
But he appears to be the type of player whose impact goes beyond his numbers. For instance, his mere presence dissuaded Pelicans players from shooting the ball or attacking the basket. In addition, his effort in boxing out makes it easier for his teammates to come up with rebounds.
In his first two games with the Lakers, Vanderbilt came off the bench, but tonight he was in the starting lineup. That will be something to watch moving forward as far as how head coach Darvin Ham decides to use him.
LeBron James: B-minus
James had a quiet night with just 21 points, six rebounds, six assists and one block while missing all five of his 3-point attempts. Is it possible he was taking it easy considering he’s dealing with a painful left foot ailment?
One bright spot is he played just 29 minutes. The Lakers absolutely must get James’ minutes down for the rest of regular season. With Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura available, Ham will have no excuse to not do so.
D'Angelo Russell: B-plus
In his first game at home as a Laker since 2017, Russell did rather well, going 3-of-5 from downtown and hitting 8-of-10 from the charity stripe to score 21 points. He dropped seven dimes and committed one turnover.
He brings a much different complexion than Westbrook did at the point guard position. For one thing, opponents will no longer be able to use drop coverage on the Lakers’ pick-and-rolls. Russell loves to hit 3-pointers off that type of action. Such plays should also get others, such as Davis, easy looks over time.
Malik Beasley: C-plus
Beasley got off to a decent start, but he lost steam as the game wore on. He finished 2-of-7 from beyond the arc and scored eight points, to go along with three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 23 minutes.
He is a streaky shooter, but if he has more good streaks than bad ones with the Lakers, he will be a big help for them.
Rui Hachimura: D-plus
It was a rough night for Hachimura, who missed all four of his 3-point attempts and scored just four points in 16 minutes. Three of those treys rimmed in and out, and his arc was flat on his shots.
Hachimura will likely need to tweak his jumper during the offseason to not only add some arc to it but also to eliminate his tendency to lean in on his shot release.
Troy Brown Jr.: B-plus
Brown was one of only a couple of Lakers who shot well from the outside. He converted on 2-of-3 attempts from downtown and finished with six points, four boards, three assists and one steal in 18 minutes.
Mo Bamba: C-plus
Bamba had a somewhat difficult debut in the Purple and Gold. He missed all five of his 3-point attempts and spent much of the night in foul trouble. He committed three quick fouls in his first-half stint.
On the other hand, he grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots in 16 minutes. Those are two qualities that will help his new team even when his outside shot isn’t going through the hoop.
Dennis Schroder: B-plus
In 20 minutes off the bench, Schroder scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting, although he missed three of his six foul shot attempts.
If he continues to come off the bench, he will be able to play free and easy with the second unit without having to defer to James, Davis and Russell offensively.
Austin Reaves: B
Reaves hit 1-of-2 shots (both were from 3-point land) and finished with five points, three assists and two rebounds in 22 minutes.
Lonnie Walker IV: B
As apparently the odd man out in Ham’s backcourt rotation (for now), Walker came in during garbage time and quickly got himself two buckets in four attempts, giving him four points in just three minutes.
Wenyen Gabriel, Davon Reed: Incomplete
Gabriel and Reed came in at the end with the outcome settled. Gabriel only contributed one assist, while Reed hit a trey on his lone field-goal attempt.
