A Blog devoted to Lakers News, Commentary, and Analysis
For some time now, the Lakers have been flirting with an unserious loss. The second half of Sunday’s game against the Pelicans served as the perfect example of how the team was coasting by on its talent and not its effort. So, when the Suns — a team whose identity is playing hard — came […]
2 months ago | 5 reads
A lackadaisical effort from the Lakers was punished by the Suns on Monday as Phoenix ran away with an easy 125-108 win, snapping LA’s seven-game win streak. After a tight first quarter, the Suns blew the game open in the second period, then road the hot shooting of DIllon Brooks (33 points) and Collin Gillespie […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
The relationship between Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves has blossomed this season off the court as much as it has on the court. While the pair is the top scoring duo in the league, they have also become great friends when the games are over, too. It’s been the subject of many an edit on […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
One year ago, there was a decent argument that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were the best duo in the NBA. Those conversations came with the caveat that both players be at full health and up to the challenge, but at their best, that pairing felt unstoppable on both ends of the floor. Fast forward […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
LOS ANGELES — On paper, Sunday’s contest against the Pelicans looked to be an easy win for the Lakers. New Orleans was playing on the second night of a back-to-back, had seven rotation players out and entered the game a woeful 3-17 on the season. And overall, it was a relatively easy win for the Lakers, […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
The Lakers (15-4) will be back in Crypto.com Arena again on Monday when they take on the Phoenix Suns. Los Angeles looks to extend their winning streak to eight and improve their division record to 3-1. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns When: 7 p.m. PT, Dec. 1 Where: Crypto.com Arena Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
The Lakers raced out to a big lead early, withstood a second-half rally and walked away victorious for a seventh-straight game on Sunday, knocking off the Pelicans 133-121. Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić each eclipsed 30 points for a second straight game to lead the way. New Orleans, on the second night of a back-to-back, […]
2 months ago | 0 reads
Even the most optimistic people wouldn’t have predicted how well Deandre Ayton would fit with the Lakers. He mentioned joining the Lakers as an attempt to “prove the world wrong” and he’s more than delivered. Ayton has been a wonderful pick-and-roll player and his play against the Mavericks was a prime example of him being his best […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
With the Lakers on the front end of a back-to-back on Sunday, LeBron James will only factor into, at most, one of the two contests. After being listed as questionable on Saturday, LeBron was ruled out for LA’s game against the Pelicans with left foot injury management. Marcus Smart, who missed the game against the […]
2 months ago | 2 reads
The Lakers will finish off the remaining two matchups in their current four-game homestand with back-to-back games against the New Orleans Pelicans (3-17) and the Phoenix Suns (12-9), starting on Sunday with the latter. L.A. looks to extend it’s winning streak to eight by the time these two games are over. Start time and TV […]
2 months ago | 7 reads
Friday wasn’t the first time the Lakers had lined up across from Anthony Davis in a Mavericks jersey or even the first time AD had returned to Los Angeles since the deal, but it was the first time both of those things occurred in the same game. Last season, injury kept Davis out of the […]
2 months ago | 6 reads
Realistically, over the remainder of his career, how many games do you think Luka Dončić will lose to the Mavericks? It won’t be double digits, but will it be more than five? Will you be able to count on one hand the number of losses he has to Dallas between now and the end of […]
2 months ago | 6 reads
After clinching their group on Tuesday with a win over the Clippers and finishing unbeaten in group play on Friday against the Mavs, the Lakers will host their quarterfinal matchup against the Spurs. The game is set for Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7:00 p.m. PT. The Thunder and Suns meet in the first NBA Cup […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
While it wasn’t their prettiest game of the season, the Lakers used incredible nights from Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić to outduel the Mavericks, 129-119. The Lakers gave up a 40-point second quarter, trailed at halftime and didn’t lead by double digits until late in the fourth, but pulled out the win all the same. […]
2 months ago | 10 reads
To some, the NBA Cup is a divisive tournament that lacks history, relevance and importance. But those who say that are simply deniers of the mystique of the NBA Cup. From the moment it launched as the In-Season Tournament, the Lakers have respected what the competition meant. Their reward for doing so was the inaugural […]
2 months ago | 3 reads
Each year, the NBA Cup brings with it some very polarizing court designs across the league. Some teams go for the more subtle route, like the Lakers, while some teams are far more audacious, like the Wolves. All of them, though, look like they’re straight out of NBA 2K, for better and more often for […]
2 months ago | 1 read
The Lakers took a lot of the buzz out of Friday’s NBA Cup group play finale with their victory over the Clippers on Tuesday. With that win, they sealed their spot in the quarterfinals, topping a group that, realistically, is about as mad as they come this season. However, that doesn’t make Friday’s game against […]
2 months ago | 4 reads
The Lakers will continue their home stint as they host the Dallas Mavericks for an NBA Cup game on Friday. This is the third time Luka Dončić will face his former team since being traded to the purple and gold last February. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks When: 7 p.m. PT, […]
3 months ago | 4 reads
A clear indicator that things are going well with the Lakers this season is that President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka made a TV appearance on Spectrum SportsNet before the Lakers hosted the Clippers on Tuesday. With the Lakers off to a 13-4 start, their best record 17 games into a season since 2019-20 when […]
3 months ago | 4 reads
While the Lakers blew out the Clippers 135-118 at home on Tuesday, the game wasn’t always a smooth one for Los Angeles. As the fourth quarter began, the Lakers were up by just five points. A bad start could’ve derailed this contest and cost the Lakers the NBA cup win, instead, they began the quarter […]
3 months ago | 2 reads
Things got heated between Luka Dončić and Kris Dunn in the NBA Cup game between the Lakers and Clippers. In the fourth quarter, Luka was pushed by Dunn and fell to the ground. He clearly thought that was a cheap shot, and as he approached him to talk about it, Dunn pushed the ball into […]
3 months ago | 1 read
The Lakers finally got their full team healthy for the first time this season, but that lasted all of one-and-a-half games. Deandre Ayton’s injury halted the team’s chance to finally see their starting five together, but it appears to only be a short-term absence as head coach JJ Redick said he expects the big man […]
3 months ago | 2 reads
LOS ANGELES – It’s hard for all NBA teams to raise their level of competition regularly, especially during the early part of an 82-game season. The NBA’s solution was to create an in-season tournament, adding some financial incentives and a competition that concluded in Las Vegas, crowning an NBA Cup champion. Through three years, it’s delivered […]
3 months ago | 1 read
There are many great things about having Luka Dončić on the Lakers — really, other teams should try having a Luka Dončić — but one of the best is his personal feud with the Clippers. Dating back to the playoff series in the bubble, Luka has gone out of his way to try to destroy […]
3 months ago | 1 read
The Lakers clinched the top spot in their NBA Cup group with a blowout win over the Clippers on Tuesday, 135-118. After a close game throughout the first three quarters, the purple and gold blew the game open in the fourth quarter, outscoring their rivals 37-24 in the final frame. The game started with an […]
3 months ago | 3 reads