A Blog devoted to Lakers News, Commentary, and Analysis
To win a basketball game, it takes a combination of skill and luck. The Lakers had both elements working for them in their overtime victory over the Nuggets. Austin Reaves missed a free throw on purpose in the closing seconds of regulation, grabbed the rebound and made the shot that sent the game to overtime. […]
LOS ANGELES — During the 2020s, beating the Nuggets has become a tough task. The Lakers have experienced this firsthand over the years, with a Western Conference Finals loss to Denver in 2023, a first-round playoff exit against them in 2024 and even painful regular season losses such as their defeat during Kobe Bryant’s statue […]
The Lakers beat the Nuggets 127-125 in an overtime thriller. LA now owns the tiebreaker over Denver. Clutch plays by LeBron and Reaves sent the game into OT. While both teams played the extra five minutes with tired legs, Deandre Ayton’s four points helped Los Angeles heavily in the period. Luka put the icing on […]
During LA’s current homestand, they’ve faced some of the toughest competition in the league. They responded impressively, earning results over the Knicks and Wolves. Even more surprising is that they won these games while LeBron James was out. LA winning and Austin Reaves playing better in James’ absence led people to speculate that this team […]
It’s very clear how good Deandre Ayton can be. He was picked No. 1 in the same draft as Luka Dončić because he can dominate as a scorer, rebounder and even as a defender. When he reaches those heights, he flirts with his maximum potential. But when he falls short of that quality, it’s equally […]
The Lakers (41-25) have a crucial game to win against the Denver Nuggets (41-26) on Saturday. This is the last time these two teams meet in the regular season, they are currently even in their season series at 1-1. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets When: 5:30 p.m. PT, Mar 14 Where: […]
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. How the Lakers’ season will end is very much in flux. They can finish the year as high […]
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings. It appears that the Lakers are peaking at the right time. They have won four straight games, […]
LOS ANGELES — As the NBA’s leading scorer and one of the few players who can make an argument as the best player on the planet, Luka Dončić doesn’t need anyone to inspire him to be great. Luka’s drive is what makes him such a force of nature and a fierce competitor. When it’s being […]
The Lakers push their win streak to four with a 142-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. They now have sole possession of the 3rd seed in the Western Conference. The game began with LA scoring seven in a row. Austin Reaves put the first points on the board with a triple. He also […]
UPDATE: LeBron James will play for the Lakers in their contest against the Bulls. He missed the last three games due to his right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. With LeBron back, LA’s big three can continue working on building their chemistry and remaining undefeated during their current homestand. Original story follows. UPDATE: While […]
Trailing by eight with under seven minutes remaining, the Lakers teetered on the edge of disaster against the lowly, but finally healthy, New Orleans Pelicans. Out of a timeout, head coach J.J. Redick chose to insert Jaxson Hayes. On the next defensive possession, Hayes absorbs Zion Williamson’s force on a drive, leading to a block […]
The Lakers are winning games against the best teams in the NBA thanks to their defensive effort. They recently beat the Knicks and held them to under 100 points. LA has done that only four times this season, and in every instance, they earned a win. Against the Wolves, it was the Lakers’ defense once […]
When the Lakers traded for Luke Kennard at the deadline, the majority of the team’s fanbase let out a collective shrug. No one debated that the 29-year-old journeyman would help address a clear need as arguably the most efficient 3-point shooter in the NBA since entering the league. But the tepid reaction stemmed not from […]
After an excellent victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers (40-25) look to make it four wins in a row as they host the Chicago Bulls (27-38) on Thursday. L.A. is looking to sweep the season series. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago Bulls When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Mar 12 Where: Crypto.com Arena […]
The Lakers are finally figuring things out. After continual struggles against top teams, back-to-back wins against the Knicks and Timberwolves have not only eased worries, but created a lot of optimism about his team. While both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have been integral in the wins, a host of role players have stepped up […]
To the shock of absolutely nobody, the discourse surrounding Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game immediately reached a fever pitch basically before the game went final. The ending of the Heat-Wizard contest, specifically, has drawn the most criticism as the game devolved into something not too closely resembling basketball. Miami, aware that Bam was closing in on […]
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers had plenty of excuses ready if they lost to the Wolves. Minnesota entered the night as the third-best team in the West. The Lakers entered the night without their All-Star LeBron James for the third straight game as well as bigs Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber. But they still had […]
A week ago, the biggest question surrounding the Lakers was whether they were a serious team capable of beating good opponents. Fast forward a week and the answer is much clearer. Two games do not define a team, but the Lakers beating the Knicks and Timberwolves in back-to-back contests at this time in the season […]
After an ice-cold start to the game, the Lakers roared back to win their third straight game, knocking off the Wolves, 120-106. The win gives the Lakers a season sweep of Minnesota. All three wins came without LeBron James, who missed Tuesday’s game with both a hip contusion and left foot arthritis. LA opened the […]
In one of the more shocking performances in a long time, Bam Adebayo passed Kobe Bryant for the second-most points all-time in a single game, pouring in 83 points for the Heat in their win over the Wizards on Tuesday. With the game well out of hand down the stretch, Bam took a number of […]
UPDATE: LeBron James will miss a third straight game as he was downgraded to out roughly two hours before tip on Tuesday. While LeBron initially injured his elbow against the Nuggets before his string of absences, a new right hip contusion has since developed. Pair that with a left foot injury that has plagued him […]
The Lakers had plans for Adou Thiero this season that involved potential rotation minutes. But as the saying goes, even the best laid plans can go to waste. Thiero carried his knee injury from the offseason into the start of the campaign this year, delaying the beginning of his rookie campaign. Another injury in the […]
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings. LA is now sitting at the No.5 spot in the West after beating the Pacers and Knicks […]
Luka Dončić may have avoided a technical against the Knicks on Sunday, but he did not avoid punishment. Teetering on the edge of an automatic one-game suspension if he receives one more technical, Luka has been a toned-down version of himself with regard to the refs over recent games. However, that doesn’t mean he’s been […]