LAKERS -at- WARRIORS - 1-27-24 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

[DancingBarry]

Double OT and a 36-20-12 Triple-Double... The Lakers finally leaned into their lineup that closed the season last year. Each of AD, Bron, Vando, Reaves and Russell played 40+ minutes as the Lakers battled the Warriors deep into double overtime.

Early on, the defense picked up when Vando and AD were on the floor together. The Lakers pushed a 17-5 advantage on the break and a 5-point lead early in the second quarter.

In the final minute of the half LeBron went on a scoring run with some FTs, a three and a fade at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 68-63 halftime lead.

The game nearly got out of hand in the third quarter as the Warriors went on a 25-5 run to open the half. They sat Prince for Vando after that. And as AD went down with a hip injury that sent him to the locker room, the team trailed by 11.

With their center out, the Lakers rallied with a 14-0 run to reel in the Warriors again.

It wasn’t until 9 minutes left in the game until AD returned. Things were looking dire as Curry hit another three to lead 115-104. D’Angelo Russell answered right back with a three, and the Lakers would hold the Warriors scoreless over the next 3:45 as they went on a 12-0 run.

Down the stretch, AD struggled to stick with Curry on switches. As they went into overtime, Bron/AD led the charge,and Curry would find openings for scores.

Into double overtime, the game came down to the final minute. Russell knocked down a huge three in transition to make up for a couple of turnovers on previous possessions. The Lakers went up 1.

Austin Reaves was fouled with 15 seconds left up 1 and made just one freethrow. On the other end, Vando would go down on a screen. AD didn’t react and Curry buried a wide open three to go up 4.5 seconds left.

After a timeout, the Lakers setup a double screen to get the ball to Bron at the top of the lane, he attacked, got to the rim and was fouled with 1.2 left. He made the first to tie it and the second for the win. The Lakers took the game 145-144 in double overtime.


LeBron -- -- Two massively clutch FTs with 1.2 left in the game for the win. The Lakers ran a double screen action to get him the ball in the middle of the court. He attacked downhill and drew the foul at the rim. Good play call. Great job getting to the rim for the win. He had his legs under him and was able to close this game with energy in the double OT. Russell was trying to take some burden off him, but it did get a little sloppy there. Prior to those FTs, Bron also hit a long turnaround jumper to bail out a bad offensive set. You can’t defend that. He had buckets all through the overtimes. He was locked in. Defensively, great job on the boards, especially when AD was out. He made sure the Warriors were going one and out getting after the glass. Just good activity overall. He even had to spend time on Klay fighting through screens. We see this effort in the big games. But a guy his age setting a career best rebounding night with 20? That’s just crazy. Small note on the injury front since it seems to be happening every few games. He stepped on a foot shortly after AD went to the locker room, but managed to walk off the ankle twist. The Stats: He scored 36 points on 14-25 shooting (2-4 from three, 6-6 from the line) to go with 20 boards, 12 assists, 3 turnovers and 2 fouls in 48 minutes. He was a -6.

Davis -- -- He had a collision in midair midway through the third and went down in a lot of pain. That may have come to play on some of those switches with Curry late in the game where AD had to deal with his speed. He also gave up a layup to Green to start OT. He was not as disruptive as he can be with Curry and that hurt the Laker D for sure. In that injury, the Lakers were struggling in that third quarter. He went down for a long time. He hit the FTs and went back to the locker room very slowly. He’d return with 9 minutes left in regulation and play the rest of the game. At times, he’d play through some pain that seemed to flare up with his “hip spasms.” Afterward, he said he’d be fine. He and Bron were huge in the crunch time. A lot of two-man action and both scored. AD hit a couple FTs crashing the glass with 28 seconds left up 1. He missed one of his FTs with 14 seconds left (that looked almost like a flagrant from Green). In a huge play off an inadvertent whistle with a few seconds left in regulation, he didn’t win a jumpball. Good job by the team holding the fort down while he was out in the second half. The Stats: He scored 29 points on 11-24 shooting (0-4 from three, 7-9 from the line) to go with 13 boards (3 offensive), 3 assists, 4 blocks, 2 turnovers and 4 fouls in 45 minutes. He was a -2.

Russell -- -- Two big turnovers in a row down the stretch in double overtime, then he pushes the ball up on the very next possession in transition and buries a huge three. The Lakers went up by 1 with 53 seconds left. Earlier in that OT, he knocked down another three on a handoff. In regulation, Curry had knocked down a huge three with under 4 minutes to go and Russell immediately answered that with a three of his own to trail just 3. Another key make. He had struggled a bit early in this game. He missed a bunch of looks he’s been money on lately. Still, he pushed through that and despite the pressure the Warriors were putting on him, and he answered. The Stats: He scored 28 points on 8-19 shooting (5-8 from three, 7-7 from the line) to go with 3 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers and 4 fouls in 49 minutes. He was a +12.

Reaves -- -- Some key plays by Austin down the stretch: He went hard to the rack for FTs with 2:23 left to cut the lead to 2. He scored a layup in an early offense attack in the first overtime. He was fouled with 13 seconds left, but only made one freethrow. Thankfully, that didn’t cost them. Earlier in the game, he also had some nice work on the drives. He scored between a couple defenders to cap off a Laker 14-0 run. He also had a nice drive and dish, collapsing the D and setting up Vando for an And-1. Some good two-man work with AD, as well. When Vando wasn’t covering Curry, Reaves had time on him (Prince starting causes this, but Prince also was thrown on Curry). Long minutes for Reaves. In the playoffs, he mentioned struggling to keep his wind and legs up chasing Curry. Vando did a lot of heavy lifting for the team there tonight. The Stats: He scored 17 points on 4-14 shooting (1-7 from three, 8-9 from the line) to go with 2 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers and 3 fouls in 47 minutes. He was a +4.

Prince -- -- Welp. We finally leaned into the Vando lineups that closed the season out last year. With Prince in the game, everything was off. You lost your point of attack defense (we tried some Prince on Curry and Reaves). We were a -22 in 24 minutes with Prince compared to Vando’s +30. In the second half, the Lakers got drilled out of the gates. Then went to Vando and turned things around again. Early on, he didn’t box out and gave up some FTs. He was called for an offensive foul holding Green on a screen. He gave up a layup when a man cut on him. He did pick Curry with a reach at one point. Prince has been given too big a role and too many minutes this season. Ham finally reeled that in for one game. The Stats: He didn’t score on 0-2 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 3 boards, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover and 4 fouls in 24 minutes. He was a -22.

Hachimura -- -- Short minutes tonight. He helped Bron when AD went out in the third quarter to man the paint. They teamed up for a lob dunk when Bron spotted him from about half court. Rui also hit a three in the corner from Bron in transition. Good job getting down court on both of those. In the first hal,f he attacked in transition, spun and scored a layup. He also had a breakaway dunk on an outlet from Vando off a steal. Only one half court play, where he drew FTs on a power move along the baseline. The Stats: He scored 11 points on 4-4 shooting (1-1 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 1 turnover and 1 foul in 18 minutes. He was a +6.

Vanderbilt -- -- The +/- in this game is insane. In a 1-point win, he played 41 minutes and was a +30. We finally saw extended minutes of the lineup the Lakers closed last season with to get momentum into the playoffs. He was critical against Curry, making him work, making them run him off screens. But just his general defensive energy and disruption made a massive difference. He had 4 steals and a number of plays where he got stops drawing fouls fighting through screens. Late in the game, Steph hit a huge three as Vando went down on a Curry screen. (AD really needed to be ready for that on the help.) I think he had 4 more defensive plays in this one that won’t go down in his box score by drawing fouls or forcing a turnover with some pressure D. The Warriors torched the Lakers from three when he was off court. We contained them when he was on. Offensively, for Vando a lot of work in the dunker spot or duck-ins around the lane. That kept him from attempting a three. The Lakers are doing a much better job of making him a threat on help beaters in the lane when teams try to help off him. The Stats: He scored 14 points on 4-7 shooting (6-8 from the line) to go with 9 boards, 5 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers and 1 foul in 41 minutes. He was a +30.

Wood -- -- He had a lot of action early in the game, then they went away from. When AD was out, they went to a smaller Rui/Bron lineup with some success. For his points, Wood attacked off the three line for a layup. He scored an And-1 dunk on a pocket pass from Russell. He had another And-1 when Bron found him bodying up some smaller defenders. The Stats: He scored 8 points on 3-4 shooting (0-1 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 1 board, 1 assist, 1 turnover and 1 foul in 11 minutes. He was a -14.

Christie -- -- The Lakers shortened up the rotation as the game went along. Earlier Christie scored working the two-man game on a two-hand jam over Green for his only points. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 1 foul in 8 minutes. He was a -3.

Ham -- -- Key Moment: Great job battling back a couple of times in the second half. Coming out of the third and our starters got drilled. Vando came in, AD went to the locker room. The game was very close to getting out of hand with the Warriors 25-5 run. The Lakers rattled off run to reel them in. As big as that was, fast forward to the end of regulation. The Lakers were down big. They rattled off a 12-0 run over a 3:45 stretch.

Key Substitution: Once again, Vando was key. Tonight, however, he finally got big minutes. And they finally ran the AD, Bron, Vando, Reaves, Russell lineup for extended run. “We’re starting to turn the corner at the right time, I think,” Vando said.

Key Stats: The Lakers made 9-27 from three (33.3%). The Warriors made 23-58 (39.7%). That’s 42 more points from the three line. The Lakers made 38-43 from the line (88.4%). The Warriors 11-16 (68.8%). The Lakers with 27 more points from the line.

[CervantesRises]

Thanks DB!

Honest, uncensored opinion of Ham sabotaging our lineups. What's your take, we'd all love to read it.
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"If You're Afraid To Fail...Then You're Probably Going To Fail."
- Kobe

#BannersOverBillboards

[Hammett]

Vanderbilt +30.
Thanks DB.
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Lakers. Built different.

[Showtime88]

I hope this game convinces hamster brain to shut down TP for good
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"Everybody on a championship team doesn't get publicity, but everyone can say he's a champion."-- Earvin Magic Johnson

[A Mad Chinaman]

[bryants2hot2handle]

"Last touched by REAVES - LAKERS BALL"

^^that + 43 FTA (to GSW 16) pretty much sums up our brand of basketball

[Nobody]

I realize Steph&Klay and all the screens are a tough cover for anyone, but the DLO&Reaves combo on defense is just suicide. Add in Prince and you get those 25-5 runs.

Still a solid team win, can't be picky about those with the hole they've dug themselves into.

[A Mad Chinaman]

[pio2u]

THX DB!!

[Laker7]

Thanks DB!

[governator]

Prince disappeared, this is on the coach, not reading his players
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“The main goal for the Lakers is to win a championship. All I care about, all we care about, is to raise another banner in the rafters.“

[LakerLanny]

36 and 20?

All time NBA leading scorer and certainly a Mt. Rushmore of the NBA guy, that is amazing at his age.
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Love, Laker Lanny

[A Mad Chinaman]

[DancingBarry]

[Dr. Laker]

Thanks, DB!
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On Lakersground, a concern troll is someone who is a fan of another team, but pretends to be a Lakers fan with "concerns".

[oaktown_dimond]

Wow, who would have guessed that sticking with the lineup that got you to the western conference finals would be successful.

I bet you this MENSA member will start prince over Vando next game anyway.

[mad55557777]

[deal]

Thanks DB !
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Lakers need to build a freaking team !

[Killer_Z]

Much obliged DB!

[danzag]

Let's go!!!!!

[TDRock]

Thanks DB
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#IStillBelieveTaurean

[CervantesRises]

[TooMuchMajicBuss]

Thanks DB! Wow. Good to see another win.

[A Mad Chinaman]