If practice makes perfect, the Lakers should be in good shape for Game 2 of their first-round series against Minnesota. The Lakers had their best practice in months, coach JJ Redick said on Monday, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Los Angeles lost by 22 points on Saturday. The Lakers will look to even the series on Tuesday.
“Hopefully, we can just right our wrongs,” guard Austin Reaves said. “We played bad, they shot the ball really well. They’re obviously a really good team that’s physical. We got to match that. Tomorrow it’ll be different story.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- How has Jeff Van Gundy impacted the Clippers as an assistant coach? He’s been a major reason why their defense was strong enough to make the postseason. “He loves us being aggressive, attacking the ball,” Clippers guard Kris Dunn told the Sporting News’ Stephen Noh. “We’re not playing back on our heels. We’re being the aggressor and trying to dictate the game.”
- Jimmy Butler had a huge game as the Warriors grabbed a 1-0 series against the Rockets on Sunday night. Butler supplied 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. He scored six points in the last 1:43 to put the game away, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk notes. “He has that impact every game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the team’s blockbuster midseason addition. “He calms things down. He’s very confident. He’s very poised. He always believes we’re going to win. Jimmy is — he’s one of the best players in the league, and that’s what the best players in the league do. It’s not just about scoring or stats. It’s about settling the game down, having the presence and the nature to compete and win games like this.”
- The Rockets, despite their record, have been subpar in the halfcourt this season. The Warriors believe they can win the series by preventing Houston from getting easy baskets, Anthony Slater of ESPN writes. “But we’ve got to recognize that we don’t need to take chances in this series,” Kerr said. “We need to be clean with our execution in transition. We don’t need to dribble through traffic. We don’t need to throw lob passes to try to get a dunk. We’ve gotta be rock solid. If we’re rock solid, smart and tough, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
- If the Suns deal Kevin Durant this offseason, which veteran players could they try to acquire in return? Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic takes a look at 10 potential targets.
Warriors defense in game 1 was the best defense any team has played all year – including Steph Curry playing lockdown D on Jalen Green, holding him him to 3-15 shooting.
I thought Curry was guarding Dillon Brooks ?
He did both! What a guy!
Gary what did you think when they bought out the 1-3-1 ???
Houston doesn’t have the outside shooting to beat a 1-3-1.
Kinda makes the best D played by anyone all season look a little off, no?. Outside shooting, Bingo.
You’re ridiculous Davey. Best defense any team has played all year even though they have the worst coach in the league… according to you. Pick one. You’re so bi-polar. Or maybe the word is wishy-washy. Or maybe just a joke.
Lol.
Its really Steve Kerrs burner where he vents all his self loathing!
The Warriors biggest issue against the Rockets is turnovers. They turned the ball over 20 times, in 1st lose to Houston, which led to 30 Rockets points, and lost by 1.
They also need to get better at loose-ball rebounds. They fell off in the 2nd half of the season.