The Los Angeles Lakers have been through significant adversity over the last two years, but they have come out of it in one piece. Now they have a shot at returning to the NBA playoffs.
They ended their regular season on Sunday by defeating the Utah Jazz 128-117. Although it wasn’t pretty, they finished 43-39.
When Los Angeles started the season 2-10, plenty of people doubted it would finish with a winning record, but that is what it has done — in spite of multiple injuries to key players.
The team played in spurts on Sunday against a Jazz team that was without several of its best players, and, at times, the Lakers looked disinterested. But LeBron James put his foot on the accelerator just enough to make sure the Jazz wouldn’t have a chance of pulling out an upset in the end.
The Lakers fell short of their goal of bypassing the play-in tournament and finishing sixth in the Western Conference. However, if they do win the play-in tournament, they will be a very dangerous team in the postseason — as long as they’re fully focused and motivated while not taking anything for granted.
Anthony Davis: B-minus
Davis didn’t get the ball as often as he is used to. When he did, he was fairly effective, scoring 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, although he attempted only two free throws.
However, he was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds, and he made a strong impact on the defensive end with three steals and four blocked shots. Quite often this season, when Davis has been lackluster offensively, he has maintained his intensity and production defensively and on the boards.
But the Lakers will need him to be his old self offensively if they are to make the playoffs and do some damage there.
Jarred Vanderbilt: B-minus
Vanderbilt did a very good job of getting open at or near the rim, and it resulted in multiple open dunks in the first half that were set up by his teammates. Overall, he scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting while getting four rebounds in 19 minutes.
However, on the defensive end, he couldn’t stop Kelly Olynyk, who shot a sizzling 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from downtown to score 23 points.
The Lakers could use more defensive intensity and some more rebounding from Vanderbilt as they head into the play-in tournament and perhaps the playoffs.
LeBron James: A
After looking fatigued and perhaps a bit disinterested on Friday against the Phoenix Suns, James had energy and lively legs versus Utah. He put up a game-high 36 points on 13-of-25 shooting plus six assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block.
The 3-point shot has been a problem for him all season; he came into this contest shooting 31.1% from beyond the arc. But against the Jazz, he converted 8-of-14 from that distance, which was a sign he had his legs under him.
James appears to have plenty left in the tank, not just for this postseason but also for next season and perhaps beyond. Managing his minutes will be the key for him. He played 33 minutes on Sunday, which is about right for him at this point in his career.
D'Angelo Russell: B-plus/A-minus
Russell has greatly transformed the complexion of this Lakers team since arriving in the Russell Westbrook trade two months ago. Like Westbrook, he can play fast, but he is very much under control, not to mention a smooth and fluid player.
On Sunday, he tossed in 6-of-13 shots overall and 3-of-8 from downtown to finish with 17 points. He contributed five assists and dropped some sweet dimes to teammates for easy layups and dunks while turning the ball over just twice.
Austin Reaves: B
Reaves was somewhat quiet offensively against the Jazz, but he was efficient as usual, going 3-of-5 overall and 3-of-4 from 3-point land. He finished with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds.
At one point, he appeared to injure the thumb on his left hand, and he played the rest of the contest with a wrap around it. This may be something to monitor.
Rui Hachimura: C-plus/B-minus
Hachimura shot 5-of-14 from the field on Sunday, but a few of his shots rimmed in and out or just spilled off the rim, which may be a product of the flat arc on his jumpers. Still, he scored 12 points and added five rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes, as well as a big blocked shot with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter on Olynyk as he threatened to cut the Lakers’ lead to one.
Wenyen Gabriel: B
In 16 minutes on Sunday, Gabriel got four rebounds and scored four points on 2-of-3 shooting.
It will be interesting to see what happens to his minutes; the Lakers are reportedly adding veteran big man Tristan Thompson to their roster the rest of the way.
Troy Brown Jr.: C
This was not an efficient game for Brown. He went 2-of-5 overall, 1-of-3 from 3-point range and 1-of-2 from the free throw line, giving him six points plus four rebounds and an assist in 18 minutes.
Malik Beasley: B-minus
Beasley was aggressive offensively, getting up 10 shot attempts in 27 minutes, but he made just four of them and went 3-of-9 from downtown, as well as 2-of-4 from the charity stripe. He scored 13 points, but he also contributed in other departments with six rebounds and three assists.
Cole Swider, Mo Bamba, Max Christie: Incomplete
Swider, Bamba and Christie got about one minute of playing time at the end of the game, and all three went scoreless while Bamba contributed one defensive rebound.
