5 Things: A Defining Moment

Last season’s team would have crumbled, stumbled or bumbled that win away. They would have figured out a way to blow it. Down 3 after two missed free throws and with 1-6 staring them in the face the Lakers managed to pull something off that was a rarity last season: a gritty, come-from-behind win. The heroes were Austin Reaves and his nimble cross court pass and Matt Ryan and his acrobatic three. That shot erased another bad game from Patrick Beverley (inexplicably on the floor in the 4th and crunch time), LeBron (9-23, 0-7 from three) and some uninspired offense down the stretch of the 4th quarter. Still, that W will look exactly as all the others this team manages to earn this season.

1. Audacity: a willingness to take bold risks. Well that was what that play was from beginning to end. Audacious as all get out. The pass was the one a coach cringes at as it flies over the court and through the air. Seemingly destined to be picked off or flung out of bounds. Destiny had other plans last night and Austin Reaves heave found the pirouetting hands of Matt Ryan who, somehow, managed to spin and fire an off-balance, one-legged, step-back fade away three from the absolute corner of the court. The shot isn’t one you teach, or probably even “work on”. That’s just talent and skill popping up to say ‘howdy-do!’ Toes behind the line? Check. Feet inbounds? Check. Bucket made before time expired? Check. Overtime baby.
2. The DoorDash corporate motto: At DoorDash where “Delivering Good” is our motto, we are committed to growing and empowering inclusive communities in our company, our industry, and our cities. If only Brooklyn was as modern in it’s thinking. Anyhow, Matt Ryan found himself delivering the basket of his career last night after just a year ago delivering grub for DoorDash, Uber Eats and a cemetery in Yonkers, NY. What a story for the season in a league that loves itself a good plot point.
3. LeBron’s legs. Aging superstar watching Father Time close in or older elite athlete working his way into game shape? We’re in the zone of “either one” right now. LeBron started slow last season and come mid-November found that extra gear to kick it into. Still, so far this season The King looks like another aging volume scorer where efficiency is a second thought. That’s not one of the pillars LeBron has built his legend on. Seeing Harden go out for a month, after coming into the season in “the best shape of his career” (which I actually kind of believe this time around) shows how little can separate being able to contribute and having to sit as player hit their upper 30’s. This is another reason I see a Russ trade as still unlikely to go down so early in the season. He’s insurance in case LeBron needs to sit or not play for an extended period. Especially as he (hopefully) works himself up to real game strength and speed.
4. AD playing tougher. Color me happy as a clam. Some will look at the lack of three pointers and see a problem. It’s not a problem, yet. AD is punishing teams inside the arc as well as he ever has, is an offensive rebounding machine and is creating offense by cleaning up other players garbage. That is exactly what you would want out of the center position and AD is doing it at an elite level. Would it be nice if that three ball was working? Sure, it would help many minor facets of the Laker offense but the truth is teams would rather Davis take the three, even if he makes it. We can win without AD taking 5 (or any) three pointers/game, we just saw that in back-to-back games against contending teams. What you end up with is an elite rebounder in position to do just that something that won’t happen when AD is standing in the corner. If his back is hampered that means his mobility and recovery speed is hampered. he won’t be racing down the floor after a miss to guard against leak outs, he’s going to be slowly getting the atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed and lumbering down the court. Once he gets through his back issue, should that happen, I expect to see more outside offense from AD but for now, if he can’t be fast, I’d rather he be tall.
5. The DNP crowd. Ham has made the right move in shortening his rotation and relegating Nunn, JTA, DJ and Max to the bench. Christie and Pippen Jr. are not going to be big factors this season, at least not until they’ve had some time to work on things with the coaches, get more time in practice picking up concepts, and just working out to improve their strength and stamina. Nunn looks kind of washed after his first game was a solid outing, nothing to write home about since then. Jones is like a Whiteside lite: decent defender, no offensive game beyond lobs, basically lets teams clog the paint on defense no matter what and isn’t elite at rebounding to offset like AD is. Bryant, were he healthy, will have to make shots to stick since that’s his biggest draw. When Dennis comes back and if he plays well it makes Nunn all but expendable. Which is why the Lakers should be aggressively shopping he and Beverley and, if necessary, a FRP for Turner. Russ is insurance and allows the team to rebuild next summer (even if that were to just use he and, should he end up a Laker, Turner’s Bird Rights to go over the cap). Nunn in the right situation has value, Beverley, too. Both are expiring and let a team clear a nice amount of cap space next summer. You might even be able to coax a FRP out of Pelinka since it’s his favorite itme to bring to the party.

All in all this game probably shouldn’t have required such an incredible bail out shot from Ryan. LeBron went full on tired Iso King and failed to deliver. Gabriel threw a pass into the 15th row late in the game when we really needed a bucket. Beverley guarded against excessive celebration but contributed little else down the stretch. Ham had, in my opinion, the wrong players on the floor to close the game out. PatBev can’t throw it in the ocean from anywhere. Gabriel should be waived and Melo signed into his roster spot. Russell is as good a defender and rebounder as both players combined. Still, Reaves and Ryan bailed him and the team out and a win is a win. Sometimes lucky is enough.