5 Things: Winning Time

The margin is shrinking, the pressure growing and time is running out. Lose tonight and we face a do or die Game 7 at the Crypt (it certainly was a silent as one in game 5…). What can the Lakers do to flip the script and earn a date with OKC in the conference semis?

1) Stop turning the ball over. This is huge because we are getting annihilated in the possession battle by nearly 100 over the course of the series. We have to control the things we can and that means no more dribbling the ball off one’s foot, no more lazy passes, no more wasted possessions.

2) Box out as a team. It’s not just on DA, who has been beyond solid, Try…just try…to keep Houston off the offensive glass and bring the possession battle closer to a draw.

3) Let Reaves, Smart and Hachimura cook more. The King can’t do it all and we need him to carry us over the finish line. He’s been gassed since game 3. With the playoff schedule preset there’s no way we’re extending the series to get Luka back. He hasn’t ramped up to contact or scrimmage, yet, so he’s still a week away…at best…so get over that delusion folks. Reaves will probably lose his legs after the half, get him points early and let him make a play with the pass late. Smart is streaky from three but can generate points better off the drive, both from playmaking and scoring as well as getting to the line. Rui needs to take the open three or take it to the hike, no more 20 footers unless the shot clock warrants it. I don’t care how well you shout then, in the playoffs they’re not good shots unless you have no time to do anything better.

4) Restore Kennard. Maybe (gasp) run a play for him from time to time? I don’t know but his natural inclination is to make “the right play” rather than force his own offense. The return of Reaves should not affect his volume jn any way. You get your best shooter shots, that sometimes requires more than a “feel” offensive set.

5) Give Vando Jake LaRavia’s minutes. Jake hasn’t shot well in 2026. Vando is a better defender and rebounder. Play the better player. It’s not fucking rocket science. We need toughness, swagger and JV has that in spades over Jake. If Jake could hit a shot I might feel differently, Heck, play them both more and give LBJ some extra minutes of rest. Need to keep LBJ fresh for the 4th so the coaches need to figure that out.

There are more ideas, like stop predictably switching everything time on the perimeter which is just creating
Lanes for the quicker/younger Rockets who we want shooting threes anyhow. Or play Ayton whenever Sengun hits the floor. If we somehow blow this it’s hard for me to see us keeping Reddick, extension or not.