The Lakers let the sport go against Brooklyn tonight in l. a. . While the team was missing their big man, Anthony Davis, they still found how to be effective within the paint — outscoring the Nets 54 to 32. And while Brooklyn was without Kevin Durant, the team found other means of scoring, predominately around the arc. The team was 46% from three while the Lakers were 26%, leading to their 109-98 loss.
The STAPLES Center floor bared witness to yet one more historic night for LeBron James (32 pts, 8 rebs, 7 ast). LBJ hit another milestone in his career by officially reaching the 35,000 Point Club on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. James sits at third on the all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
This all came after the official announcement that King James would be returning to the All-Star Game as captain for the fourth year in a row. Ultimately, LeBron almost scored some extent for each minute he played tonight, but it wasn’t enough to notch the win. Frank Vogel stated within the last half, “We need another guy to intensify. LeBron’s having an excellent game, but we'd like another guy to intensify .”
In the absence of AD, Kyle Kuzma (16 pts, 10 rebs) rose to the occasion, exuding maximum vigor and energy on the ground. Seeing Kuz fulfill this role has been rewarding game after game. There’s purpose in every play he’s involved in. From diving off the court to saving a loose ball to getting crafty under the rim, Kuz’s contributions aren't only seen but felt.
Aside from three-point shooting, the opposite factor liable for the Purple and Gold’s defeat was their bench performance. The Nets’ bench significantly outscored the Lakers, which comes as a surprise. The narrative of this season has been how deep the Lake Show’s roster runs, but tonight that wasn’t the story. Overall, the team’s normal rotation took some hits with no AD thanks to a calf strain and no Dennis Schröder thanks to league health and safety COVID-19 protocols. No Dennis had an impact on the defensive performance.
While this game didn’t end the way fans had hoped, the team will keep it up and steel themselves against their next challenge happening this Saturday. For the primary time since October, the Lakers will face the Miami Heat during a greatly anticipated Finals rematch.
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