Wilt was only NBA player to ever dunk his free throws

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After a disappointing showing against the best team in the NBA, the Lakers got a chance for redemption against one of the worst.

They took full advantage, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 118–104 in a game that also counted toward the NBA Cup, where the Lakers now sit at the top of West Group B with a 2–0 record and a +19 point differential (which, yes, Deandre Ayton, does matter).

The game, much like their now 2–2 road trip, was an up-and-down affair, with some positive flashes but not enough to inspire confidence that this team has what it takes to stay close to the conference elite. However, the Lakers should get a big boost soon with LeBron James’ return, and this game might be remembered more for the lessons it provided than for the win itself.

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Today’s notes:

The valuable reps of solving the blitz

Luka’s chess game and first-half passing masterclass (VIDEO)

Bench, shooting, and turnover concerns

Ayton: high-impact offense, low-impact defense

Quick Bucks preview

1-The valuable reps of solving the blitz

Despite the Lakers finally opening the game with a strong start and building an early 15-point first-quarter lead, and even extending it to 22 in the third, this game still featured too many defensive breakdowns, sloppy turnovers, and worrying bench minutes (more on that in one of my next points) against a very inexperienced Pelicans team to take it as a sign of a real turnaround. All starters having to play 34 minutes or more, with Luka Dončić logging 40 on the first night of a back-to-back, could have been avoided with more focus on both ends.

The biggest positive last night was the Lakers getting countless reps executing their offense in 4-on-3 situations against aggressive blitzes, hedges, and other trapping coverages on Dončić for the second consecutive game.

The Lakers struggled against the super-aggressive and connected Thunder defense, but they had much more time and space last night, which made a world of difference.

A slower, more controlled game is what they needed this early in the season, and to JJ Redick and Dončić’s credit, they were ready. As we’ve seen with Dončić’s Mavericks teams in the past, opponents will change their approaches against him cyclically, and getting these reps, becoming more comfortable, and building chemistry to problem-solve in 4-on-3 situations is key for later in the season and in the playoffs.

2-Luka’s chess game and first-half passing masterclass (VIDEO)

Dončić had one of his most in-control, non-scoring-dominant first halves, finishing with 20 points and 9 assists despite being blitzed and pressed full court from the opening possession.

The Lakers did a great job punishing all the attention Dončić drew, whether it came from backcourt pressure or blitzes in pick-and-rolls. They were deliberate in attacking smaller Pelicans defenders with rim runs and seals in transition, and by stretching the floor — setting screens much higher to counter the blitz.

You could make a full highlight reel just from Dončić’s kick-ahead passes in transition from this game, which he referred to postgame as part of his chess-like moves against different defensive counters.

Dončić cooled off in the second half, looking frustrated and tired from the nonstop hounding by Herb Jones and Micah Peavy (remember him from my Late Draft Gems deep dive).

However, the attention Dončić drew created numerous advantageous situations where Deandre Ayton and Austin Reaves especially flourished. After a rough start, Redick made sure to get Reaves attacking on the move, coming off away screens and curls against smaller defenders, which resulted in a 20-point second half for Reaves.

3-Bench, shooting, and turnover concerns

The Lakers shredded the Pelicans in 4-on-3 situations when Dončić was on the floor, but struggled during both of his bench stints to the point that Redick had to end the second one early in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers were +30 in Dončić’s minutes and -16 in just eight minutes when he was on the bench, a massive 46-point net swing.

Plus/Minus breakdown (source: basketball-reference)

With James and Vincent out, bench scoring has been an ongoing problem this season. The Lakers bench ranks last in the NBA in scoring by a wide margin at just 23.8 points per game. Last night, bench units featuring three non-shooters — Smart, Vanderbilt, and Hayes — along with the struggling Dalton Knecht, were obliterated in their short stints.

Smart, who was the designated shooter the Pelicans left wide open in 4-on-3 situations, kept shooting — and missing. He went 1-of-10 from three and can’t buy a bucket from deep this season, now sitting at just 12-of-52, or 23%.

The Lakers also had another high-turnover game. Ayton and Reaves had four each, and Jake LaRavia, who showed more flashes of his signature hustle and defensive playmaking with three steals and two blocks, offset some of that with a couple of reckless passes. Smart was also pickpocketed twice by Fears, who finished with seven steals.

4-Ayton: high-impact offense, low-impact defense

Ayton has been such a polarizing player throughout his career, and watching him up close, you can see why.

He’s an amazing finisher with incredible soft touch. Last night he scored 20 points on 11 shots, missing only once. He did a great job finishing over the much smaller Pelicans and punishing them on the offensive glass with three putbacks. His 22-point, 16-rebound stat line marked just the second time this season he’s posted at least 20 points and 15 boards. He’s averaging 16 and 8 for the season, an output and efficiency that only a few centers can match.

Ayton also collected two steals and a block on defense, yet watching him you can see he’s not the disruptive rim protector or backline mistake eraser this team desperately needs. He’s prone to breakdowns, like last night in the fourth, when he first allowed an open three to Saddiq Bey by not switching, then gave up an easy layup to Derik Queen and committed an offensive foul, all in less than a two-minute span. Those kinds of stretches would prove much more costly against better teams.

5-Quick Bucks preview

The Lakers will have a quick turnaround, traveling to Milwaukee for the final game of their five-game road trip. Both teams will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Redick said he expects everyone who was available last night to be available again tonight against the Bucks. We’ll see if Milwaukee plays Giannis, who has dealt with some recent injury issues and is coming off an overtime win in Charlotte.

The Bucks opened the season 8–5 and currently rank eighth in offense and 20th in defense, showing a similarly offense-minded team profile to what we’ve seen from the Lakers this season.

If he’s available, the Lakers will have their hands full trying to bang with the Greek Freak on the final night of a long road trip. The surprising player to watch for the Bucks this season has been 23-year-old combo guard Ryan Rollins, who is having a breakout year. He leads the NBA in deflections, the Bucks in total minutes, and ranks as their second-leading scorer at 17.5 points per game while shooting 48% from three.

Rollins isn’t the only one who’s been hot from downtown. The Bucks are the second-best three-point shooting team in the NBA, with four of their top five players in three-point attempts hitting above a 40% rate.

Source: basketball-reference

With Antetokounmpo collapsing defenses and all that shooting around him, the Bucks have built the best half-court offense in the NBA, which will be very difficult to stop.

Defensively, the Bucks are far less intimidating. They lack strong perimeter and wing defense and foul at a high rate (sixth most in the league), both areas that Dončić and Reaves can look to exploit.