After getting off to a 19-21 start last season, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was able to remake the team before the trade deadline. He’ll face the same challenge this year as L.A. has an identical record at the 40-game mark following Saturday’s loss at Utah.
The difference, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times points out, is that the Lakers were already moving in the right direction by the middle of last season, winning five in a row to reach 19-21. Saturday’s loss was their 12th in their last 17 games as they’ve fallen into 11th place in the Western Conference.
“I don’t remember last year at the 40-game mark,” Anthony Davis said. “But I think for us right now, we’re not in a bad spot. It could be worse. Just our injuries just piled up over and over. As soon as we think we get a couple guys back, guys go down. So that’s the toughest thing, but we still have enough to win basketball games. Even though (LeBron James) doesn’t play, we have enough to win. But we just got to keep going — 40 games, 42 left. We got to make a push. These next five or six games at home are going to be a big stretch of games for us.”
The latest injury issue involves James, who missed his fourth game of the season Saturday due to pain in his left ankle. Davis took on more play-making responsibilities in James’ absence, posting his second career triple-double with 15 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, but he still felt like he didn’t do enough.
“Everyone did their job except me. I didn’t do my job,” Davis said. “Obviously, Bron was out and everyone has to step up and those guys did. Except myself. So this one’s on me.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- D’Angelo Russell returned to the starting lineup Saturday, making his first start since coach Darvin Ham shook up his rotation 10 games ago, Turner writes. Russell responded with his best game of the season, delivering 39 points and eight assists while shooting 15-of-26 from the field and 6-of-11 from three-point range. “I mean, it’s just fun. Just hoopin’, as simple as that,” Russell said. “They had some coverages that tried to take AD out the game, allowed us to play off the catch-and-attack closeouts all game. We missed some. We made some. I thought we had a lot of good looks. Just try to take this aggression and add it to the next game.”
- Rui Hachimura returned after missing five games with a strained left calf and didn’t wear the mask he had been using since undergoing nasal surgery, Turner adds. Hachimura talked to Dave McMenamin of ESPN about the need for more energy in the first quarter because rival teams are so focused on beating the Lakers (video link).
- Cam Reddish had to leave the game in the second half due to soreness in his left knee, tweets Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Knee pain also forced Reddish out of Thursday’s game, and Ham said the team will have a “definitive plan by Monday going forward” on how to handle his condition.
Winning the in season tourney might have been the worst thing for this team
Why? At least they won something this season. They still would have tons of injuries and a bad record. IST was all regular season games…
Say they didn’t win the tournament, how does that benefit them today and going forward?
Trade idea
Lakers get DeRozan and Caruso
Bulls get Rui, DLo, first rounder picks and filler
And why would bulls want that garbage offer for Zach , let alone 2 players w more value than him?
They can get a lot more if they decided to trade those 2 players. Nobody want D’lo. Rui is a bench player. DeRozan can bring back a 1st round pick by himself and so could Caruso.
Rui is a quality bench player who fills a need for the Bulls, at least, but otherwise nah. DLo’s value isn’t good and the Bulls don’t need him. The Lakers should stay locked on trying to get Murray from the Hawks. DeRozan isn’t a good fit for them anyway, even if Caruso is.
lakers are not getting Murray because they don’t have much to trade. Rui doesn’t even come close to Murray in a bidding war with other teams. Lakers would need to put Reeves in the trade to get Murray and a few draft picks.
Depends; the Lakers future firsts are more likely to be valuable than other teams in the bidding war because they’ll be worse as soon as LeBron leaves to play with Bronny. And if they have to trade Reaves, they will. Not their preferred move, but it is a viable one.
Murray doesn’t move the needle for the lakers if they are just replacing Reaves. Lakers are in the same position as the warriors 1 player doesn’t make them that much better.
Better to wait until after labron is gone until than stay put, would Be nice if labron asks for trade
Nobody wants Zach lavine lol, Bulls need to give a 1st round pick just to take his contract and match salary hope Lakers don’t make that mistake
Bulls playing to win now Imo/No firesale
I always thought going back to LA. Would light a fire under Russell. Seems all it did was reclassify again that this just a business. You can’t make players shoot for the stars. To some lasting 10 plus yrs. Is the HOF. Financially set for life. Mamba mentality is not for everyone.
I don’t see any move that gets Lakers into contention.
Id be looking to poach Rui if I was another team
Lakers clearly don’t value him