5 Things: Davis shines in win over Spurs

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.