Coming out of the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers needed to start what they hope will be a furious push toward a playoff spot with a convincing win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
They did exactly that. They built an early lead and continually extended it to notch a runaway, 124-111, win at Crypto.com Arena.
Golden State was without Stephen Curry, who is still recovering from a lower leg injury, and Andrew Wiggins, who was out due to a personal matter, and the Lakers took advantage.
They played their style and tempo. They got out and ran to the tune of 29 fast-break points. Despite struggling with their 3-point shooting the last two seasons, they hit 16-of-30 from downtown while also outrebounding the Warriors by 10.
Along with the team’s last game, a 120-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, this contest was evidence that L.A.’s new additions are working well and that it has the potential to be a very good team once it gels together as a unit.
Anthony Davis: C
It was another subpar game for Davis, who only managed five shots, making three of them, while hitting 6-of-8 from the free-throw line to score 12 points in 26 minutes.
However, he grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots, which was a sign of a decent amount of effort and activity.
Nonetheless, the Lakers will need the dominant version of Davis, which was on display for an extended stretch before his right foot stress injury, if they’re to make the playoffs and do some damage there.
Jarred Vanderbilt: A-minus
Vanderbilt spent a good deal of time matched up defensively against Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors’ second-year forward, and Klay Thompson. He held Kuminga to 4-of-12 shooting, while Thompson went 8-of-19.
The Lakers’ new forward also grabbed nine rebounds in 18 minutes while scoring two baskets and adding two assists.
He may not be an elite defender, at least not yet, but his ability and activity on that end of the floor have already proven to be big assets for the Lakers.
LeBron James: D
This was simply one of those nights for James in which he couldn’t get his shot to fall. He went 5-of-20 from the field and scored just 13 points, which means that his streak of 37 consecutive 20-point games ended.
He did, however, have nine rebounds and eight assists to help his team win.
It speaks to the Lakers’ newfound depth and firepower that they can win in blowout fashion even with James shooting 25% from the field and Davis only managing 12 points. In addition, that depth allowed James and Davis to play 26 minutes apiece, which will help preserve them and put less stress on their injured feet.
D'Angelo Russell: Incomplete
Russell played nine minutes and went 1-of-3 from the floor to go along with four rebounds and three assists before being forced to exit with a sprained ankle.
X-rays on his injured ankle were negative, and he reportedly will not undergo any further imaging, so perhaps this was a relatively minor ankle sprain.
Malik Beasley: A-plus
This was the type of game that showcased how Beasley can raise the Lakers’ ceiling and add a new dimension to their offense. He not only shot 9-of-16 from the field, but he also went a scorching 7-of-11 from 3-point range to finish with 25 points in just 26 minutes.
Beasley can not only hit open 3s, but he can also knock down contested treys, which is one big difference between a good and great outside shooter at the NBA level.
He also added three steals, three rebounds and one assist.
If this is the Beasley the Lakers are getting more often than not, their offense will become more explosive than it has been in many, many years.
Rui Hachimura: A-minus
Coming off the bench for the second straight game, Hachimura went 5-of-9 and scored 14 points in 25 minutes. He largely stuck to his strengths, which are the mid-range game and getting layups and dunks in transition.
Los Angeles could use improved defense from him, as well as more accurate 3-point shooting (he didn’t attempt a single trey tonight). But the benefit of bringing him off the bench is the fact that he won’t have to defer to James or Davis as much, which will allow him to play his natural game and get the ball in his sweet spots more often.
Troy Brown Jr.: C-plus
Brown hit a 3-pointer shortly after he checked into the game in the first quarter, but that was it as far as scoring for him. He added four rebounds and one steal in 18 minutes.
Mo Bamba: A-minus
After an uneven offensive performance in his Laker debut last Wednesday, Bamba showed off his shooting touch by hitting 2-of-4 from downtown against Golden State. Most impressively, he grabbed 13 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Bamba did not block a shot, however, and he was in foul trouble for a significant part of his first-half stint. But he is clearly proving he is a valuable part of the Lakers’ improved bench.
Dennis Schroder: B-plus
Forced to play a little more than head coach Darvin Ham planned, Schroder had 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting while hitting his lone 3-point attempt and all four of his free throws, and he also dished six assists in 27 minutes.
Defensively, he had one steal and one block, and he did a good job of staying on Warriors guard Jordan Poole and forcing him into a 3-of-13 clunker.
Schroder’s ability to harass opposing ball-handling guards will be key for the Lakers moving forward, especially now that they’re starting two guards in Russell and Beasley who aren’t known for their defensive prowess.
Austin Reaves: A-plus
This was a fantastic game for Reaves, who made all six of his shot attempts and all four of his free throws to score 17 points, along with four assists, two steals and two rebounds in 19 minutes. He spearheaded an L.A. bench that scored an amazing 68 points and kept the pressure on the Warriors.
Lonnie Walker IV: A
With the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, Walker came on and lit it up, hitting 4-of-7 overall and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc to score 10 points in just eight minutes.
Wenyen Gabriel, Davon Reed: Incomplete
Both Gabriel and Reed also came in during garbage time. Both went scoreless in seven and eight minutes, respectively.
