Five of the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason games are in the books after they took on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers’ transition game looked good early: They converted nine fast-break points in the first quarter and kept pace with Minnesota.
After that, control of the contest got away from them. Anthony Edwards and crew tightened up their defense and ignited their own running game.
Los Angeles trailed, 107-92, with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. It scored 11 unanswered points to give itself a chance, but that run was too little, too late, and it fell, 118-113.
It was a sloppy game for L.A., which committed 20 turnovers. They led to 24 fast-break points for the Timberwolves.
Nonetheless, even though there are some mild concerns, there were also several bright spots for the Lakers.
The 3-point shot wasn't the Lakers' friend
One of the concerns surrounding the Lakers is outside shooting, and tonight’s game was a prime example.
To borrow a phrase from their late, legendary play-by-play man Chick Hearn, they couldn’t throw a pea in the ocean.
L.A. went 10-38 from beyond the arc, and it especially had trouble hitting from that distance in the first half.
The biggest culprit was Kendrick Nunn, who, after playing so well in his last few games, missed all six of his attempts from downtown.
On one hand, it was simply one of those nights for the Lakers, but on the other hand, it could be a sign of things to come, at least to a certain extent.
Lonnie Walker IV had a strong showing
Some scratched their heads when the Lakers signed Lonnie Walker IV in July using their mini-mid-level exception, especially given the issues he has had with his shooting efficiency and defensive consistency in his four NBA seasons.
But on Wednesday, he was solid, especially early. He finished with 12 points in 19 minutes on a decent 5-of-11 from the field.
He did so by attacking the basket and hitting from the perimeter on occasion.
Lonnie Walker with a 🔥 finish in the lane!
T-Wolves – Lakers Live Now on ESPN pic.twitter.com/BrFOCYS2my
— NBA (@NBA) October 13, 2022
Unfortunately, he suffered an apparent ankle sprain in the third quarter and exited the game.
Still, Walker’s explosiveness and athleticism can help L.A., especially if he improves his shooting percentages on a consistent basis.
The Lakers' Big 2 looked good
Anthony Davis continued his fine play this preseason on Wednesday night, recording 19 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes while hitting 7-of-11 shots from the field.
OH YEAH, ANTHONY DAVIS IS 🔙 pic.twitter.com/pI1hzzds0u
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) October 13, 2022
Russell Westbrook lobs it to Anthony Davis for the the 2-hand slam 💥pic.twitter.com/absZ4JZgee
— LakeShow (@LakeShowCP) October 13, 2022
He looks to not only be healthy but also motivated and active, not just offensively but also defensively.
The superstar big man had two steals and two blocked shots.
If he just stays relatively healthy, fans could see a return of the Davis they saw throughout 2020 when the Lakers won the NBA title.
Meanwhile, James continued to do what he always does. He went 9-of-12 from the field and finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Pat with the clamps, Bron with the hammer 🗜🔨 pic.twitter.com/4DXIkpfsTd
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 13, 2022
Patrick Beverley showed up on D
The biggest reason the Lakers traded for veteran guard Patrick Beverley several weeks ago was his pesky defense.
He put that on display Wednesday night. He notched three steals and helped get L.A. some easy baskets.
Patrick Beverley in a nutshell. pic.twitter.com/BHLeQb7fpG
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) October 13, 2022
Offensively, Beverley didn’t have a great night. He was just 1-of-5 from 3-point range, but he scored in double figures while dishing five assists.
He earned the start in the backcourt alongside Russell Westbrook. If that holds for the regular season, Beverley’s annoying defense will help the Lakers set the right tone defensively to begin games.
