Anthony Davis
What Should Lakers Fans Be Looking For in Tonight’s Laker/Clippers Game?
Now that the four month coronavirus hiatus is finally over and professional basketball is back, here’s a short list of what Lakers fans should be looking for in tonight’s season restart game between the LA Lakers and LA Clippers:
1. Who wins the battle of the superstars?
Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis looked to be in mid-season form in the two scrimmages they played while Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard shot just 32% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. How well each team’s superstars play will likely determines who wins the last regular season matchup between the Lakers and the Clippers. The key to watch will be who on each team defends the other team’s superstars.
2. Who wins the battle of the role players?
The Lakers lost Avery Bradley to family issues and Rajon Rondo to injury but replaced them with Dion Waiters and JR Smith while the Clippers will be missing services of Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and Patrick Beverley. Should the teams’ superstars battle to a standoff, the Lakers should have a big advantage when it comes to role players considering how important Williams, Harrell, and Beverley have been to the Clippers’ success.
3. Who wins the battle of the coaching staffs?
Doc Rivers is considered to be one of the top head coaches in the NBA and has done an outstanding job juggling lineups and rotations as the Clippers deployed extensive load management for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Frank Vogel has also done an excellent job as Lakers head coach and had the team peaking with a back-to-back weekend sweep of the Bucks and Clippers before the shut down as he outcoached Budenholzer and Rivers.
4. Who cares more about winning the game?
The Lakers are going to want to even up the season series with the Clippers at two games apiece while the Clippers are more likely to see the game as not important and focus on the playoffs since they will be shorthanded. LeBron, AD, and the Lakers will want to send a message about how serious they are about winning this championship so it would not be surprising to see them make this a statement game and rout the Clippers tonight.
How Kuzma and Waiters Breaking Out Could Change Lakers’ Offseason Plans!
One’s been classified as a poor fit and future trade bait while the other was ridiculed as a bust on the way out of the league but Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters suddenly have an opportunity to change their future trajectories.
While it may be silly and presumptuous after just a couple of scrimmages to expect Kyle Kuzma’s 3-point shooting woes and Dion Waiters’ behavior issues to suddenly be solved, we’re in unprecedented, unpredictable times. The four month coronavirus hiatus has turned the sports world upside down, changed the landscape of what’s now normal, and opened doors to unexpected opportunities for struggling players like Kuzma and Waiters.
For Kyle Kuzma, the four months off allowed him to work on his body and shot, improve his confidence and shot selection, and revamp his game to better fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both on and off the court. For Dion Waiters, joining the shorthanded Lakers who lost Avery Bradley to family issues and Rajon Rondo to injury gave him a lifesaving opportunity to play a major role on a championship caliber team and redeem his career.
While Kuzma and Waiters will have to prove their contributions are not training camp mirages, the potential one or both of them might enjoy breakout playoff performances are heady spirits for thirsty Lakers fans. Short term, Kyle and Dion could be the wild cards the Lakers need to win their 17th NBA championship. Long term, they could be the missing talent the team needs to build an NBA dynasty that outlasts LeBron James.
While helping win a championship would be a huge bonus, the grand prize that would dwarf that result would be Kuzma and Waiters becoming long term components and contributors to the next Los Angeles Lakers dynasty. A pair of talented budding young stars like 25-year old Kyle Kuzma and 28-year old Dion Waiters to play with 27-year superstar Anthony Davis would dramatically extend the post-LeBron Lakers’ championship window.
Before coronavirus forced the NBA to suspend the season, the Lakers were expected to trade forward Kyle Kuzma in the offseason for a combo guard who could fill the team’s need for a third scorer and second playmaker. Should the early promise shown by Kuzma and Waiters turn out to be true, the Lakers’ offseason plans could suddenly change and team might focus on signing both players to affordable and tradeable multi-year contracts.
That would not only give the Lakers the option of keeping both players and building around them but also give them two valuable trading chips whom they might be able to include in a package to bring back a true superstar. Not only would the Lakers suddenly have a much deeper and younger roster but they might suddenly be looking to keep their first round draft pick and maybe even buy a second pick from a team looking to cut expenses.
Alternatively, the Lakers might put a package together that included Kyle Kuzma, Dion Waiters, Danny Green, Alex Caruso, and a pair of first round picks in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, or Zach LaVine. Before the coronavirus hiatus, the Lakers had zero chance of being able to put together a package to trade for a legitimate third superstar. Kuzma and Waiters enjoying breakout performances in the playoffs could change that.
There’s no question Kuzma and Waiters will have to prove themselves in the next 8 seeding games and throughout the playoffs but what’s at stake for the Lakers is more than just a championship; it’s about a future dynasty.
How Kyle Kuzma’s Fixed 3-Point Shot May Have Saved His Future as a Laker!
It was just a scrimmage but Kuzma’s 25-point performance with 5 of 7 from deep versus the Magic not only backed up Frank Vogel’s statements Kuz had been dominating practices but could also end up saving his Lakers’ career.
It’s one thing to see LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing like they were in midseason form but watching Kyle Kuzma confidently and smoothy drain 10 of 13 shots including his first four three-pointers was a special surprise. Kuzma was the last of the ‘Baby Lakers’ left after the blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis, a talented 25-year old whose disappointing last two seasons dimmed his bright promise and destined him as trade bait this offseason.
While that’s a lot to take away from a scrimmage and two weeks of practice, there are reasons to be optimistic. To start with, Kuzma is finally completely healthy after struggling through the season with multiple ankle injuries. The four months off not only allowed him time to work on his body and shot but also to consider his situation with the Lakers and figure out how he could succeed playing with superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
In addition to tweaking his shot mechanics, Kyle appears to have changed his shot selection, specifically to take more spot-up and corner threes, which are the type of shots for which he has always shot a high percentage. Before the season hiatus, Kuz was shooting 50% (26 of 52) on corner threes versus just 24.2% (44 of 182) on above-the-break threes. Above the break, he was shooting over 34% on spot-up threes versus just 15% off the bounce.
While Kuzma’s improved shooting from deep has partly been the result of working on his shot mechanics, it’s obvious the adjustment to improve shot selection and take higher percentage shots has been equally as important. That improved shot selection was clearly evident in the Magic game as the four threes he drained in the first quarter were either open catch-and-shoot or corner threes as opposed to above-the break threes off the bounce.
Turning 25, being in what could be his first serious relationship, and facing the reality he might not be able to control where he ends up playing next season could have contributed to Kyle maturing and learning how to relax. He certainly looked like a different player on the court in these scrimmages, more confident and mentally under control, more patient and willing to let the game come to him, playing with precision and less wasted motion.
While the Lakers don’t want to limit Kuzma to being just a spot-up shooter, there’s little question those are the kinds of shot opportunities that are created playing with superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel reported that “Kuz has been one of our best players since this restart in these practices, he’s had a couple of stretches where he just dominated the floor and it’s been really encouraging to see…”
Success breeds confidence and Kuzma’s mental Achilles heel has always been his three-point shooting. Taking more of the shots he usually makes and fewer of the shots he usually misses seems like a simple adjustment. Truthfully, it’s the adjustment most unsuccessful players find the hardest to make, learning to optimize their strengths. Hopefully, it’s an adjustment that could help fix Kyle Kuzma’s broken shot and save his Lakers’ career.
Whether Kyle can continue his breakout play and become the deep threat the Lakers need on the floor with LeBron James and Anthony Davis will impact the Lakers’ decisions this offseason and Kuzma’s future on the team.
5 Things from Lakers and Mavs First Scrimmage After Four Month Hiatus
Looks like this is happening. OK, well then, let’s do this.
1) The game 1.0. Smooth first half saw both teams scoring to type, not too many beats being missed. Starting five? As expected, James, Davis, McGee, Green and Caldwell-Pope. First rotation got pretty much starter minutes. Kuzma was the first man off the bench, Cook was second after KCP took a quick trip to the locker room to get a rolled ankle re-taped. Waiters came in and made it happen. LeBron and Davis were solid, second unit was ready to do their job, and our defense was pretty locked in. For a preseason game our starters and rotations looked solid even with news that Caruso was out earlier today.
2) No AD or LBJ or Danny Green for the second half. Was nice to get extended looks at some guys, nobody really flipped their script. Kuz was still Kuz. Dudley is a savvy vet. Quinn Cook looked good. Dwight will be Dwight and looked good. J.R. Smith looks pretty. Waiters cooled but I like what he brings. All and all, more of an outlier than a predictor. The guys on the court for the second half won’t really ever be asked to do play the roles they were in.
3) The COVID-19 thing. Masks on most of the staff and masks on pretty much all the folks in attendance. Refs and players, even on the bench, were not masked. Very spaced out bench, as well. Plexiglass in front of pretty much every seat on the side line except the benches.
4) The broadcast was interesting. Black Lives Matter across the middle of the court, prominently displayed. Didn’t see any message jerseys but it was only a scrimmage. On Spectrum Sports Net they deployed the entire pregame team at times to do it’s game calling. Came off as more conversational which I enjoyed for the scrimmage. No camera guys on the baseline must be nice for the players. Less to worry about falling on or tripping over. Loved the mood lighting.
5) Nobody got seriously hurt. It’s a scrimmage, this team has bigger fish to fry. The things that need to look good looked good. The second half will never happen when the games matter unless it’s a blow out. Move on, the big guns will ramp it up every game.