5 THINGS

Last night was a good test. Potential playoff team in the Phoenix Suns, albeit without two key players in CP3 and Cam Johnson. Lakers still without LeBron and AD flirting with historical numbers. In the end it was our defensive let-downs and role-players who didn’t contribute enough to push us over the hump and win the game. Just too many donuts to get it done.

1. Davis playing at another level. Sinc 1974, the year of my birth, only one other player has put up a 30+ point, 20+ board, 5 steal, and 5 blocks game. That player was none other than Bob McAdoo, more on him on down the line. AD joined all sorts of elite company last night in what was unfortunately a losing effort. When LeBron gets back we nee this level of engagement and impact from AD. If we do we got a good chance at making the playin, maybe even make some playoff noise. If we get the AD of the last couple season, if he reverts back, won’t matter what fringe moves we make or even if we make a major trade, it won’t be enough without a fully engaged and focused Davis.
2. Russ and his tightrope act. I get what Russ is doing: he’s forcing the defense to collapse on him, which is generally a good thing. It opens up wide open shots or passes to AD or Bryant which has been working pretty well the last couple games. The thing was, especially after half-time, the Suns were ready for it and Russ and the coaching staff never adjusted. The fouls that were called in the first half weren’t in the second, that was another adjustment that went left un-made. Since we shot 35 free throws to Phoenix’s 5 (which is as much a byproduct of the two teams’ style of play as anything else) can’t really complain when the whistles stop blowing. You have to adjust. The Lakers didn’t adjust to Phoenix sitting on Russ’s drives in the second half at all. In the end I still am loving Russ off the bench. The Lakers historically win when they have an elite 6th man: Bob McAdoo was once such a player, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Lamar Odom and of course Michael Cooper have all been elite 6th men for the Lakers at various points in their respective careers.
3. Couldn’t buy one from three. Lonnie Walker IV and Westbrook were the only two Lakers to hit from three (both players hit 2-6). Other than that the Lakers were dry from distance and, to their credit, didn’t over-shoot the three ball. What they couldn’t figure pout was how to chase Phoenix off the line. A good defense realizes two things: you can’t stop everything and you want to make easy shots hard. That’s it, in a nutshell. No easy shots at the rim, force those threes into long twos. The Lakers made a lot of mistakes gambling for steals rather than maintaining a tight coverage on the perimeter leading to easy baskets or open threes. You should win when you shoot 30 more free throws than the opposition. Our defensive breakdowns on the perimeter were the biggest culprit.
4. Second, however, was too many donuts. When four guys who played, three of whom logging 20+ minutes, contribute zero points you’re going to find it difficult to win. Doesn’t matter how historically one man plays, if the team isn’t playing well winning is a lot harder. Troy Brown Jr, Dennis Schroder and Patrick Beverley all brought Krispy Kreme’s to the arena and put up donuts in the scoring column. Wenyan Gabriel did, as well, but only played 7 minutes. That quartet combined to go 0-16 and were the major contributors in our shooting 42.4% from the floor, 4-22 from three (18.2% for those like numbers). Toss in Russ and his 8-20 night and five Lakers combined to go 8-36 o 22.2%. History can’t overcome that much futility.
5. The Ejection. Much is being made of Patrick Beverley’s cheap shot on DeAndre Ayton, and make no mistake that’s what it was. Was Ayton, and the un-teched Booker, taunting Reaves? Absolutely and they both should have gotten a T for it. But the real issue is what kind of impact does Beverley want to make? He’s obviously a vocal leader, helps the line up buy into defense, and does a lot of little things. He’s also a rather large sinkhole on offense these days. He’s shooting 41.1% from the field, often passes up open shots and will likely miss at least a game for the shoulder he leveled into an unsuspecting Ayton. I’m all for standing up for your guys, Auston Reaves went out of his way to make sure he knew PatBev understood that, but if the Lakers are going to make any playoff noise they need Beverley to make baskets. The other thing that rankled me was the nature of his hit. If Ayton had fallen more awkwardly and hurt himself seriously this would have taken a much darker turn. There’s no room in the game for a behind the back cheap shot like the one Beverley delivered last night. Can’t mince away the ones from your guys, they’re either bad for everyone or they’re not. The game was pretty much out of reach, the Lakers could have walked away the classier team. They didn’t.

If, as I expect, the NBA suspends Patrick for at least one game that will open the door for Schroder to start. Another debate is who should go to the bench when LeBron returns? My vote is Troy Brown Jr. except that he brings size and defense. Can’t have all heart and D guys in the starting 5, though. TBJr. and PatBev make it harder for your best players on offense and easier on defense. One of them probably ought not start going forward and if it were up to me it’d be Beverley. Austin Reaves has shown he belongs in the staring five, in my opinion.

If this season has a plot twist it came in the form of the white board. Coach Ham now has a meme foundation from game 1 and then AD took it a step further. Evidently he wrote “throw AD the ball” on a film session white board. While some fans had been waiting and clamoring for this version of AD it’s also safe to say nobody saw this coming. The Diesel version of AD is something special and I sure it hope it lasts. The rest of the Lakers, following their leaders sizable wake, waded in and helped finish of the hapless Spurs with ease.

1. Anthony Davis as a hammer. Anthony has never been thought of as a power player. He was finesse, skill and talent in a big body. A guard in power forward’s (sic: center) body. Last summer AD put on more muscle in his gambit to stay healthier. It may have also made his jump shot a work in progress. However it has opened up a new way for him to play. Paint monster who gobbles up rebounds and doesn’t hang out on the perimeter. I’m sure Darvin Ham wasn’t the first coach to ask for more paint touches for the Davis but he’s been the most successful in making it happen. Desperation makes uncomfortable choices more palatable. I’m sure that AD would rather play the four, take feathery step backs and fadeaway threes but we need this version of him now.
2. Thomyan Brabriel. Bryant and Gabriel are a cmobined 15-16 in the last two games providing energy, rebounding and rim running on the break leading to easy buckets. While unsustainable it des show what a big man with speed can do for your transition game…on both ends. Last season on Team AARP we got beat off the break a lot. This season these two bigs, along with Reaves, Walker and Brown, are getting back on D and leaking out faster than we were able to last season. Easy buckets make for an easy game. These two unheralded guys are answering the bell and it’s great to see.
3. The right amount of minutes. Not one player passed the 29 minute mark in the win. AD rested most of the 4th quarter. We saw extended, and productive, minutes from Nunn and Schroder. All these little thing s in and of themselves neither win nor lose the game. When they mostly break in your favor, however, it makes the overall task of winning much easier. Seeing Kendrick more aggressively hunt his shot was great, he had gotten a little trigger shy there for a few games during his slump. Can’t make ’em if you don’t take ’em and any shooter will tell you that the only way out of a slump is to keep letting them fly. In the end, a lot of guys hit the 20+ minute mark which was great to see in a win.
4. Free throw excellence. It’s been an issue in past seasons. Either we give up too many free throws or miss too many of our own. Or both. This season the Lakers are showing some solid free throw skills in their attempts and doing their best to limit opposition foul shots. That’s a pattern the Lakers need to do their best to maintain. Some of that is out of their control, the refs have a big say, and we’ve been playing younger teams still getting their feet wet. Still, make them when you’re there and it helps the cause in a big way.
5. The Lakers are shooting the three better of late. Fir the season we are still dead last in the NBA at 31.2%. In our last 5 games we’ve shot it at a 37% clip which would be good for 11th, just behind Utah and ahead of Brooklyn. I think neither extreme is sustainable but I’ll settle for that middle ground. 34-35% will get it done if AD dominates the paint like he has been. I’ve never been a huge proponent of Davis sitting at the three point line, standing in the corner, out of position for rebounds. As we’ve seen, he can be an elite rebounder on the offensive end which extends possessions and helps generate easy second chance points. Yes, AD can hit the three, his most iconic shot was the fade away there that sunk Denver in the Bubble playoffs, but he’s best used in the paint. Let the shooters shoot. Reaves has upped his efficiency, Nunn will get better, Walker has been soli. Only Patrick Beverley (who is leaving every single shot short) at 27.4% is a sink hole from three, currently. Not sure what’s going on there, he seems healthy, he’s not forcing his shot, and they generally come in the flow of the offense. PatBev struggling to score in general is my biggest reason to want to trade him or at least swap him with Schroder in the starting five.

Another little break before a better test: Phoenix. Second in the west behind the surprising Jazz, banner hopes, loaded with talent. Will we see LeBreon? Who knows, his high five game is strong but there seems to be some lingering issue with his adductor so best to let it heal as much as it can given the current strength of schedule. 3 and 2 over the next 5 feels doable with Dame out for a couple weeks.

This was a game the Lakers should have won…and they did! Following the blueprint they laid out in the last game (solid defense, own the paint, contributions from enough co-stars) the Lakers went out and won the free throw contest, er, basketball game against the Detroit Pistons who were without star Cade Cunningham. The Lakers, similarly, were without LeBron James. In the end Anthony Davis and the Lakers muscled their way to their 4th win.

1. Anthony Davis had no match and played like it. Sometimes, wen you don’t see a guy who can guard you, you do it for them. You take yourself out of the game because you think it’s going to be easier. That’s not how it works in pro sports, someone steps in and steps up. Las night didn’t take the opponent for granted and continued his Human wrecking Ball tour in the paint to the tune of 38 points on 10-16 shooting. He also pulled down 16 rebounds. AD took (and missed) only one three pointer so that aspect of his game is still MIA but, honestly, this is what the Lakers need right now. All the theories about this or that needs to take a back at seat (at least for the team) and focus on the one stat that matters most: Wins. When Davis controls the paint on both ends it makes a win more likely. Let success be your guide.
2. Austin Reaves coming into his own. Reaves looks like a guy who has figured something out. He doesn’t play the fastest, isn’t the strongest but his IQ and what athleticism and skills he as are enough to make a big impact. He came out of the halftime break looking like a guy who wanted to make sure got off on the right foot. Third quarters have been a riddle for this Lakers team so far this season. Austin made sure that, at least for one game, that wouldn’t be the case, again. Like Davis he was very efficient, 5-8 and 2-4 from three, en route to his 16 points but. for me, it was his 6 assists without a turnover that popped the most of the box score. Solid game from the sophomore. Who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
3. Russell Westbrook binoculars. Russ played well again off the bench and it’s good to see him just going about his business and playing hard in his new role. Honestly, not enough has been said of that and I’m sure there will be more spoken on it should the Lakers play better. The manner in which Westbrook can break apart a defensive scheme off the dribble when they know it’s coming has always been fun to watch. The dude can get to his spot it’s the force in which he arrives that often throws his shot off. It’s like an MMA fighter and a ballerina trying to co-exist in the same body. The play of the night, for me, was the inbounds pass Russ hit Lonnie Walker IV to end the half with for a wide open three. Like a quarterback throwing a deep run pass you can see on the replay he passes before Walker has arrived, trusting his guy to get to the right spot and to finish off the play. Great pass, great shot, and who can argue with the result?
4. The return of Bryant and Schroder. It’s funny but I had forgotten that Dennis never really played in front of the LA crowd when he was here. It was limited seating, masks, full on COVID protocols. So in his post gamer when he mentioned it I decided to wipe the slate clean and just start the journey over with Mr. Dennis Schroder. Of the two he had the more forgettable outing making just 1-5 shots. Thomas Bryant played his game and his role well and could be a huge boost for the team if he can keep this up. Bryant is like a better shooting version of Montrezl Harrell: high motor, very active with his hands (pros and cons on that one), but has a better jump shot. TB allows AD to slide back to the 4 on defense, he can play a small ball five role. It also allows the Lakers to play bigger once LeBron gets healthy. Bryant also missed his lone three point attempt but was otherwise effective in his minutes.
5. Wenyan Gabriel backing up his last good game with another one. First off, we just have too many players like Bryant and Gabriel. High energy guys who lack polished skill sets. However, we might have the coach best suited to figure out how to unlock those kind of players since Darvin Ham himself made a nice little career out of doing the small things right and filling the role required. Wenyan had another strong showing across the board. He’s crashing the glass, hit all his shots and playing a solid rangy style of defense that works.

Bonus point to Kendrick Nunn for hitting his shots. We needed it when it happened and he helped the team a lot. Keep it up, man. Need to string another one on the chain. If LeBron is back everyone needs to play like this: hard. Stop ball watching the King, he’ll handle his business. Just go hoop and the rest will fall into place.

This was a game I wish we could bottle up and replicate. The overall effort was great. Anthony Davis played like we wished he would all the time. The offense and the defense were in tune. We didn’t give a lead up and lose in the 4th. The bench played well. So on and so forth but, unfortunately, we can’t bottle it up so I hope, at the very least, this becomes the team’s blueprint going forward.

1. Anthony Davis in full on Beast mode. I have to admit while I loved watching AD dominate both ends of the floor it also annoyed me more than a little. Where is this on a game to game basis? The aggression, the intensity and the full game effort are the thing Davis is questioned about the most. For at least one game they were all on display for the entire contest. How dominant was AD? He took 25 shots (almost all in the paint) and made 15 en route to 37 points, grabbed 18 rebounds (10 offensive which was basically the difference in the game) and he stayed engaged throughout the whole contest. In more than a few games already this season we’ve seen AD check out after the half. Yes, he’s out there, playing and running and stuff but he’s been prone to losing the impact he creates after the first two quarters or down the stretch in the 4th. Not last night, this has to be the AD we see on a nightly basis going forward for this team to have a shot at anything at all.
2. Lonnie Walker IV making me a believer. Not going to lie here, I was not all that excited when we signed LW4. It was hard for me to wrap my head around 2 things: why the Spurs didn’t see fit to retain his services and why no other team offered more than our pittance. While the answers to those questions are left on the table somewhere what is undeniable is Lonnie finding a really solid role on this team as secondary go-to iso scorer as well as three point release valve. Last night he was efficient (9-15 overall but an absurd 4-5 from three), aggressive in looking for his own shot when the situation called for it, and had good impact on defense. If he continues this trajectory in a major role this season it’s another good example of why we shouldn’t tie ourselves to players whose contracts don’t expire after this season. LW4 will be getting a raise next season (he’ll be an unrestricted free agent) and we need players on the upswing of their careers more than ever. If this is the kind of player Lonnie is going to be he’ll have as much, if not more, impact than Malik Monk did and well worth holding onto.
3. Russell off the bench is working and working well. The single biggest reason the Lakers won’t pull the trigger on a Westbrook trade is because Westbrook works coming off the bench with or without LeBron. You can, if you want, point to his 4 turnovers and -14 plus/minus. A lot of that -14 comes from sharing the floor with “The Human Black Hole On Offense” known as Kendrick Nunn and he’s also on the floor herding the less effective line ups, as well. His ability to collapse the defense and make a play was one of the keys to the win. There is a world where the Lakers don’t trade Russ, sorry LT, but rather sign him to multi-year deal (likely with player options aplenty) using his Bird Rights simply because we lack resources to acquire high-impact talent. I’m sure Russ will test free agency, wherever he ends up, but I won’t be surprised if that scenario does indeed unfold.
4. Austin Reaves and an aggressive mentality. There are two versions of Reaves: passive and aggressive. Passive is when he comes down and spots up, hangs out, and gets back ably enough on D. Aggressive is when he moves, cuts and collapses the defense. Reaves had the pass of his NBA life last night where he took it strong to the hole, found a shred of daylight to whip a left-handed wrap around to an open shooter who canned the trey. That’s Russell Westbrook 101 right there and we need more of it. If Reaves can play like that…consistently…he makes a Russ trade more likely. As it stands only LeBron, when he chooses to which isn’t often anymore, can collapse the D like Russ can. Russ is the only player on the team with both the vision, ability and acumen to pull plays like that off. Reaves had one of his better games last night and makes a win a lot more possible when he plays with aggression.
5. Getting none outta Nunn. I honestly feel for the guy but he looks toast. Another donut and you can see him thinking about everything out there. He made a couple plays with the pass that were nice but otherwise it was yet another forgetful outing from last season’s MLE signing. A signing that has produced exactly 52 points in 2 seasons to date. This doesn’t look to be working. At all. Of all the players on the roster Nunn tops my personal list of players we have to move on from. It’ll take a pick and Patrick Beverley’s salary to get back someone with impact (Bogdanovich from Detroit, maybe?) but Nunn looks like a player who has lost confidence in just about everything. Well past time for the Lakers to move on and for Nunn to see if a change in scenery or role can help build him back up.

Four days off and a stretch of winnable games except maybe Phoenix. San Antonio is having a surprising start to the season, not unlike Utah, but if we play like we did last night we can win those games. We should beat Detroit and if we don’t that may be the end. Beat Detroit and you’re 4-10 with a decent shot at getting back to .500 before November ends. Lose and the mountain grows ever higher, confidence continues to wane, and the front office…well…I expect the front office to do nothing and be paralyzed by their own ineptitude so don’t expect me to post anything positive about them at all. They’re terrible at their jobs is what I think. No help coming from there.

The upstart Utah Jazz came into town on their “Go Ahead and Count Us Out” tour and promptly showed the league exactly why we should not count them out. Again. If you’re still surprised at the Jazz start or the Lakers’ record, don’t be. These are two perfect storms colliding in totally different ways. One is a storm of fresh starts and new opportunities for guys who have been relegated to something lesser, the other a storm of age, expectations and desperation. I’ll let you decide which is which. One thing became crystal clear last night: this Laker team needs to leave no room for error and become perfect margin walkers.

1. LeBron vs. Father Time: Round 8. Victor? Father Time. LeBron didn’t make a three for the 2nd straight game. Looked, for the most part, uninterested in playing defense or forcing the action into the paint. He also tweaked the ankle of his already injured left foot all while playing 34 minutes. It’s not this his jumper is fading late as he works his way back into shape it’s that it’s not there at all, yet. This version of LeBron spells nothing but doom. Trade anyone you like, it won’t fix issues stemming from the King’s lack of explosiveness. He went to his bully hall game, eventually, but found the defense loaded. One wrinkle I would have liked to see was re-inserting Matt Ryan at some point in the second half. He hit a three, had one wiped off by a bad call on LeBron and might have helped unclog the paint more than Troy Brown Jr. or Patrick Beverley (more on him later). At any rate it won’t really matter if threat of LeBron from three doesn’t exist. Which doesn’t currently exist.
2. The Incredible Vanishing AD. 20 points and inspired play in the first half. I would be flummoxed if asked how he scored his last two points. Free throws? Outback? Layup? Couldn’t tell you because in the second half AD left his game and energy in the locker room. This game was one for both the diehard AD supporters and the fine with AD basically crowd. You got both versions! I’m one game! Conveniently split up by halves. In his defense, when they went big we should have gone big and matched up better because we don’t really have an effective small ball line up. Not will we anytime soon. Jones could have helped keep Kessler and the Jazz off the offensive glass as a lot of those rebounds were just a guy playing big.
3. Mr. MVP. You heard, I heard and I personally loved it. I have never once bought into the idea that the issues with the Lakers start and end with Russ. The man plays hard as f$&@. He’s embraced a role he likely despises. sTA-er-…Crypto….dot com…arena showered him (and not LeBron or AD) with MVP chants. He deserves that. Why? Because he’s the best player the Lakers have right now. Go ahead and read that again if you have to but it’s true. He’s the one applying pressure, being coachabke, and showing up with purpose. AD took the entire 2nd half off, LeBron is either still working his way into game shape r old. Russ is taking a ragtag group of nobodies and has-been an and going in 25-14 runs, getting the crowd pumped and doing his job. His entire vibe is night and day from last season. I love it.
4. Patrick Beverly is gun shy. You can’t pass up open shots and you can’t just be a cheerleader or stop Matt Ryan from celebrating the biggest shot of his life. We need him to apply some kind of pressure on the defense and he seems incapable or unwilling to do so. At this point I expect him to lose his starting job the second Schroder is cleared to play because we sorely lack someone other than Russ and (when he chooses to) LeBron collapsing the defense. Pat needs to up his aggression. Honestly, that was a weird thing to type but I think it’s true.
5. When the other team gets 20 more field goal attempts and you walloped them in free throws made and taken you know who was playing harder. The free throws were legit, Utah forces the whistle with aggressive play in both ends for a full 48. The Lakers play “The Ref” game and aren’t focused on getting back, boxing out, or running guys off the three point line. This was a truly winnable game had LeBron had more of an impact, AD showed up in the second half or anyone took on the task of boxing out or denying threes. Nobody did, that’s why we’re 2-6 instead of a momentum building 3-5. Still, this team has shown me something on this homestand. I just question that it’s enough.
   
   There are a lot of challenges this season. Must first year coaches are like Will Hardy, given rebuilding projects with extremely low expectations except to see a lottery ball with the number 1 on it. Ham has a legendary franchise with unrealistic expectations and the tools are suspect. One night Russ is off, AD is in and out both physically and mentally, and James is old. The rest of the roster are 10-15 bench players on a lot of teams. This was always going to be a challenge. Good thing all parties involved came in with eyes wide open.