A couple of tweaks for the Lakers to launch for the goal

The lakers they made good predictions and scored the victory they were really looking for. This Tuesday and Wednesday they played a double at the Crypto Arena against Clippers and Spurs in which, rightly, although having to choose one or the other should not be a valid option, they have chosen the game they had to fight well. They put all their eggs in one basket and it was for the best. The Californians are further detached from the Texans in the Western Conference and remain in the fight to enter the top ten of that classification. Having reinforcements is always easier.

Rob Pelinka, the head of the Lakers’ sports field, said in the preview of the derby against the Clippers that they will wait to transfer to the 2027 and 2029 rounds if they do not find an opportunity that makes them feel fully secure. That’s why they haven’t done anything with them yet. It is a difficult market. The manager’s warning to the fans was clear: don’t expect it. Meanwhile other deals are sought without involving those picks of draft. What was achieved was Rui Hachimura, who landed on the team leaving Kendrick Nunn for him (stage to forget, between injury and game). The Japanese made his debut in this clash, the important one, with 12 points, 6 rebounds and a multitude of samples from colleagues to fit you as quickly as possible. He was landing on his feet. The other boost, if he can qualify like that (maybe that’s what the GM expects him to do), was Anthony Davis, out since December 16 due to stress in his right foot, who came on as a substitute to play 26 minutes and sign a double-double: 21+12. With them the illusion returns. And the Lakers won 113-104, which was what they had to do.

The spurs They have lost the four confrontations they have had this season with the Lakers and it shows that they are one step below despite the intrinsic problems that those in purple and gold have. Nothing helps them improve and one of the important stops for them has no immediate return: see what they can get at the end of the market by Jakob Pöltl. This is what the painting directed by Gregg Popovich has been reduced to, whoever saw it, in recent times. They miss the Western train while in Los Angeles they are more alive than ever. The postseason goal is too sweet to let go.

In the third quarter was the main key of the game. Beverley, for example, entered as a Victorian and left a good mark there. The game had been even in the first half and the point guard had already scored nine points, but he added another seven at the beginning to put his team into orbit. The response from Spurs was what triggered the clash to go to another level. Two triples, one from Richardson and another from Johnson, and a basket from Sochan (14), put the visitors at +6 and they stayed at it until the last minute of the period, in which Davis forced two fouls, one of them flagrant from Collins (16), to reduce the distance to only one. The trend changed and the Lakers followed that inertia. Triples by LeBron, Christie and Schröder, with Bryant and Hachimura as teammates in the paint, fired at the locals to never stop. In AD’s last round on the track came a play to applaud, a double block between him and the German point guard from his team, which was the final touch on the back of Spurs. LeBron (20 + 9 + 11) was finally able to err at ease (8 of 20 and six losses) without him being the only one who had to pull the car. A new Lakers have arrived in the NBA; for whatever time, for the goal they pursue.