A Blog devoted to Lakers News, Commentary, and Analysis
After defending their home court in the first two games, the Lakers headed to Houston knowing they would receive the Rockets’ best punch in Game 3. And that they did. With the news they would be without Kevin Durant for the second time in the series, the Rockets played every bit like a team whose […]
A couple of weeks ago, the thought of the Lakers being lucky injury-wise was laughable. However, now that they’ve played three playoff games, LA is trending in a positive direction with its injuries, and other Western Conference teams are in trouble. The Denver Nuggets are trailing 2-1 in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and […]
A miracle close to regulation saw the Lakers force overtime before controlling the extra session to steal Game 3, 112-108, and take a commanding series lead. Houston trailed by as many as 15 in the first half but was the aggressor for the entire second half. Up six with just under 30 seconds left, the […]
For the second time in this series, the Rockets will be without Kevin Durant. After missing Game 1 with a knee contusion, KD will miss Game 3 on Friday with an ankle sprain suffered in Tuesday’s Game 2 win for the Lakers. This appears to be the play in which Durant tweaked his ankle, coming […]
The Lakers look set to get an unexpected boost this weekend with the return of Austin Reaves. In a wave of updates that have escalated quickly, Reaves seems set to return to the court this weekend and as soon as Game 3 on Friday. Prior to Game 2 on Tuesday, head coach JJ Redick confirmed […]
Luka Dončić has already had a Hall of Fame-caliber career, with this season being his best yet. He averaged a league-leading 33.5 points per game and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month in January and March. But despite the scoring prowess, dominance, and being the best player on a 53-win team, he […]
It was obvious that Luke Kennard’s importance was going to rise with the Lakers this postseason with their starting backcourt players, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out. What wasn’t known was how well he’d do in that situation. Well, two games in, Kennard is playing some of the best basketball of his career. In Game […]
The series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets shifts to the latter’s homebase on Friday. The Lakers look to take a commanding 3-0 lead in Game 3. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets When: 5 p.m. PT, Apr. 24 Where: Toyota Center Watch: Prime Video Just when everyone thought the […]
There are still some steps left, but Lakers fans can start getting excited about Austin Reaves returning. Reaves has missed all of the postseason so far, but he is now listed as questionable for Game 3 against the Rockets. He has been doing on-court work, but this is the first time he’s been upgraded to […]
Besides Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have had the rest of their roster available during the playoffs. However, they might be playing without a member of their rotation for Friday’s Game 3. After Thursday’s practice, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Jake LaRavia is dealing with an ankle sprain and is considered day-to-day […]
The Lakers don’t win Game 2 against the Rockets without Marcus Smart’s efforts. In the opening quarter, he was the most aggressive player on the court. He took seven shots and converted on five of them, including a trio of threes. Smart ended the quarter with 14 points, which was part of a 25-point performance. […]
After the Lakers took Game 1, desperation naturally had to set in for the Rockets. No team wants to fall down 2-0, as those who hold that lead go on to win 92.7% of the time. Houston was held to an abysmal 37% from the floor in the playoff opener, setting the stage for superstar […]
When a team is shorthanded like the Lakers are, the only way to not only survive but thrive is for everyone who is available to step up. The Lakers have gotten that during this postseason from Marcus Smart. One of the ways he’s stepped up is as a vocal leader. As a 12-year veteran and […]
Playoff basketball demands a higher level of intensity. The stakes are raised, which means every possession matters more, every game can swing a series and the focus on physicality has to be elevated. If there’s a player on the Lakers who knows this and is capable of it better than most, it’s LeBron James. At […]
When Marcus Smart joined the Lakers, the hope was that he could remain healthy and become a defensive anchor for this team. After seasons with the Grizzlies and Wizards, he could come to Los Angeles and play better basketball at higher stakes. Well, he’s done all that and more for the Lakers. He’s been a […]
The path to seeing Luka Dončić back on the floor with the Lakers is long and unknown. Ever since he went down with a hamstring strain against the Thunder back in early April, he’s done everything possible to return, including traveling to Spain to get treatment on his injury. Luka remains out indefinitely and isn’t […]
LOS ANGELES — As news broke on Tuesday night that Kevin Durant’s status had been upgraded to available, the collective tension in Crypto.com Arena rose. The tone of seriousness, implications, and magnitude of the game completely changed. Durant was an inferno in the first quarter, hitting every pull-up jump shot, but the purple and […]
LOS ANGELES — Back in March, the Lakers were winning games thanks to an incredibly potent offense. One month later, they’re winning playoff games on the back of their defense. A necessary change following injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the Lakers are suffocating the Rockets. In Game 2, that defense forced 15 turnovers as […]
The Lakers can write a hearty book of all the role players who have stepped up in big moments throughout the franchise’s history. When you win 17 NBA titles, that list is pretty long, in fact. While Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard are not quite at the levels of the elites in Lakers lore, what […]
With Kevin Durant back in the fold and the Rockets desperate to push as hard as possible to take a split back to Houston, the Lakers were able to match the Rockets’ physicality and fend them off down the stretch to hold on for a 101-94 victory and take control of the series with a […]
In a rock fight of a Game 2, the Lakers did just enough to go ahead 2-0 in the series with a 101-94 win over the Rockets. Offense was a precious commodity throughout the contest, a change of pace from the opening game of the series. As the game went on, the defenses took over, […]
For years, LeBron James and Marcus Smart have shared the court. However, it’s often been on opposing sides. Smart, a longtime Celtic, faced off against James when he was a Cavalier for countless regular-season games and in the postseason during the 2010s. Cleveland got the better of Boston during those battles, winning the Eastern Conference […]
When Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić went down with their injuries, head coach JJ Redick said it was the team’s responsibility to keep winning long enough for them to come back. Saturday’s victory in Game 1 against the Rockets was the first step in doing just that. The good news is that one of those […]
In the extensive list of stories that could have come out about the Lakers during the postseason, Jaxson Hayes becoming Slovenian could not have possibly landed on anyone’s radar. And yet, on Monday, Hayes confirmed that he had secured his Slovenian passport, making good on a story that popped up earlier in the season. Now, […]
Following the first matchup of any playoff series, both teams, win or lose, return to the drawing board and strategize what they can take forward in future contests. For the Lakers, missing their star shot creators in Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves means the offense will be a journey every night. The regular season numbers […]