warned lebron that the Lakers’ previous victory, against the Jazz in what was the team’s fourth straight, was misleading. He was not saying it because of the level offered by the opponent, already awaiting the end of the campaign without being shy about the fight that others are maintaining due to position, but because the duel went to extra time and the star knew what was coming next. At 38 years old, and with the reading that I play that he has when he is on the field and when he is not, he has it very controlled. Forcing the bodies in a match less transcendental than the next, this being one that arrived after a plane trip to another city and was played only a day later, was a bad sign. The result has proven him right, as expected, and losing to the Clippers not only has the obvious negative reading that the number gives, but two or three more.
His companions and he succumbed 125-118, somewhat deceptive, on the same track where they usually play as locals. This time it was handled by the Clippers. From there the Lakers come out with a balance of 41-39, out of playoffs and also tied with the Pelicans for eighth place. Because the minimum you fall asleep they take away your prize. Russell Westbrook took a little revenge by hitting the team he started the season with. The Californian point guard scored 14 points, far from being the best but stabilizing the rest from his position in a display of restraint that is worth emphasizing. Powell (27), as a substitute, and Leonard (25), as a starter, were the ones who did the most damage to the opponent in a squad that still has Paul George, another of his great talents, on leave. In the lineup but starting on the other side was D’Angelo Russell this time, contributing 15 points, with a great James (33) at his side and a little biting Davis (17).
Now lakers he finds himself in a tremendous mess from which, on the other hand, he did not expect to escape. Because there is no one who understands the West this year and blessed be. They are missing two games: Phoenix and Utah. They already have to wait for other results even if they both win. They compete against the Clippers and the Warriors. Their neighbors from Los Angeles hope to sentence their pass by beating Portland because they would already have a two difference with the Lakers and the tiebreaker is for them. The others from California, the defending champions, close with Portland, the judge of this final, and before that they face Sacramento. The top-10 spot is assured, but LeBron has also emphasized in recent weeks the importance of enjoying the bye week if additional playoffs are to be avoided, which is key for the future.
The saturation in these Lakers of the 2022/23 It does not stop even if a good level of play has been reached compared to the one at the beginning of the campaign. Because they got into a spiral, the one in the middle zone of their conference, from which no one has managed to get out alive yet. The Suns have done it because they have Durant with them, and in addition to validating this last stretch of games against those who are playing it, they are waiting for the fifth place and the one who has no choice but to wish good luck in what lies ahead. The Clippers were perfectly aware that a victory this Wednesday was going to further pierce the morale of the other franchise in the city. “It’s the first important derby we’ve played against them”, Lue said in the preview from a vantage point: he has not lost once against the Lakers, the team that wanted to sign him four years ago, since he trained Steve Ballmer’s men. This has been a severe wake-up call, the last, for Darvin Ham and his boys.
The result is misleading thanks to the art that the locals used to make the rubber during the second part. They had eaten the Lakers, they had reduced space so that they could not act naturally, and then they had to make an extra effort to be calm again. With or without Paul George, and also without counting Marcus Morris among those available, the Clippers are going to arrive with good momentum to the title series, as shown by their 11th consecutive victory in their pavilion. The others came in graceful but torn to pieces, without strength in their legs from the crush of the last appointments and the trip from Salt Lake City.
An 18-6, with open shots allowed like it was a practice session with Reggie Miller, opened fire. Westbrook contributed by moving the ball and scoring shots from medium and long distance, which he demands for the caliber that he has as a player, and everything was going great. They also played in front and they showed it as soon as they began to defend a minimum. With points and points, and Russell responding to Westbrook with his own coin, came the triple from Troy Brown that would turn (25-26) an advantage that had already been in double digits. And as they returned, they let themselves go again. And it was forever. The entry not only of Powell, to whom any rival’s mark seemed to matter, but of Hyland unbalanced. They were nerve and also success. It was also a good test for centers like Zubac or Plumlee to face Davis, this Davis, and not go out with a suit on. As the baskets fell from the side clippers The visitors began to dizzy themselves, miscommunicating the defenses and with no other ideas than blocking and continuing to finish inside, and the bleeding began. Linking the second with the third quarter, they reached +24 with 76-52.
The rubber entered there for the first time, with LeBron leading the Lakers to reduce the distance to just seven in the same minutes, and he left where he came from with the final partial of those from Lue with which they tried not to get into trouble in what was left. . Hyland had proposed another gear change at a pace that he himself adapted to also hit the shots. Protagonist of the second units, where Reaves also responded again. The Lakers forward, with his final 20 points, was one of those who made up the score in the last stretch and even made the Clippers impatient.
|
10
Eric Gordon |
|
44
Mason Plumlee |
|
33
Nicolas Batum |
|
2
Kawhi Leonard |
|
0
Russell Westbrook |
|
23
Robert Covington |
|
24
Norman Powell |
|
40
Ivica Zubac |
|
14
Terence Mann |
|
7
Amir Coffey |
|
4
Brandon Boston Jr. |
|
5
Bones Hyland |
|
fifteen
Xavier Moon |
|
25
moussa diabate |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10
Eric Gordon | 23 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 3/6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
44
Mason Plumlee | 14 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 2/2 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
33
Nicolas Batum | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2/2 | 0/0 | 1/7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
2
Kawhi Leonard | 42 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3/4 | 5/10 | 4/7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
0
Russell Westbrook | twenty | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0/1 | 4/8 | 2/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
23
Robert Covington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
24
Norman Powell | 35 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10/10 | 7/11 | 1/4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
|
40
Ivica Zubac | 33 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5/6 | 6/10 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
14
Terence Mann | 19 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 23 | 2/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
7
Amir Coffey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
4
Brandon Boston Jr. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
5
Bones Hyland | twenty | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3/4 | 1/1 | 3/6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
fifteen
Xavier Moon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
25
moussa diabate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
3
Anthony Davis |
|
6
Lebron James |
|
17
Dennis Schröder |
|
1
D’Angelo Russell |
|
5
Malik Beasley |
|
eleven
Davon Reed |
|
12
Mo Bamba |
|
7
Troy Brown Jr. |
|
4
Lonnie Walker IV |
|
2
jarred vanderbilt |
|
35
wenyen gabriel |
|
28
Rui Hachimura |
|
fifteen
austin reaves |
|
10
max christie |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3
Anthony Davis | 32 | 17 | eleven | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3/4 | 7/13 | 0/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
6
Lebron James | 35 | 33 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3/5 | 9/14 | 4/6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
17
Dennis Schröder | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 1/5 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
1
D’Angelo Russell | 39 | fifteen | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 4/7 | 2/6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
5
Malik Beasley | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 23 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
eleven
Davon Reed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
12
Mo Bamba | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
7
Troy Brown Jr. | 18 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 2/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
4
Lonnie Walker IV | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
2
jarred vanderbilt | 24 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2/4 | 3/4 | 0/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
35
wenyen gabriel | fifteen | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 3/4 | 0/2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
28
Rui Hachimura | 17 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/4 | 0/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
fifteen
austin reaves | 30 | twenty | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 3/6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
|
10
max christie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |