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Lakers Notes: Davis, Drummond, Gasol, LeBron

May 25th, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis‘ subpar game in the Lakers’ playoff opener may be linked to a lineup problem, suggests Zach Kram of The Ringer. Davis is known to be more comfortable at power forward than center, but playing alongside Andre Drummond is making him less effective, according to Kram.

Davis managed just 13 points in the Game 1 loss and shot 31% from the field, his career low for a playoff game. Kram notes that Davis played more than half his minutes at center in last year’s postseason and has been more productive at that position this season because it enables to get better shots.

The numbers since Drummond signed with the Lakers in late March are particularly bad, Kram adds. Starting lineups with Davis and Drummond were outscored by 3.5 points per 100 possessions during the regular season. Drummond’s presence forces Davis farther away from the basket, leaving him with midrange shots, where he is less efficient. Kram points out that the Suns were able to exploit spacing issues when Drummond was on the court in Game 1.

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Bill Oram of The Athletic also examines L.A.’s frontcourt situation and states that backup center Montrezl Harrell presents the same issues as Drummond. Marc Gasol, who was signed during the offseason to be a floor-spacing center, didn’t play in Game 1 and neither did Markieff Morris, who solved a similar problem against the Rockets in last year’s playoffs. “I think with the lineups, with the big lineup, we just didn’t have enough time to work on it (during the regular season),” Drummond said. “So it’s something we’re just kind of throwing out there with little time and little experience. I think we’re doing a good job of figuring it out on the fly.”
LeBron James is obviously feeling the effects of his high-ankle sprain, writes Ethan Strauss of The Athletic, who contends the Suns should probably be considered favorites to win the series. Strauss points out that James hasn’t dunked since re-aggravating the ankle in the third quarter of the regular season finale.
The NBA has issued a statement (via Twitter) explaining why James didn’t have to quarantine after violating health and safety protocols this week. The league determined that James’ appearance an event promoting his tequila brand “did not create risks related to the spread of COVID-19 and therefore no quarantine was necessary.”

Lakers Notes: Davis, James, Dudley, Vaccinations

May 24th, 2021 at 5:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Anthony Davis took responsibility for the Lakers’ loss in their playoff opener to the Suns and promises there won’t be a repeat in Game 2, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relays. Davis was limited to 13 points on 5-for-16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds.

“There’s no way we’re winning a game, let alone a series, with me playing the way that I played,” Davis said. “So, I mean, this is on me. I take full responsibility, for sure. We’ll be better Game 2.”

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Davis shrugs off detractors he plays too soft at times, writes Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. “If there are people who say that, most of them probably were never in the game,” he said. “I really don’t care.”
LeBron James turned aside a postgame question regarding his league protocols violation, per Mark Medina and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. James avoided a suspension despite attending a promotion event in which an excess of 25 people were in attendance. “I’ll be ready for Game 2,” was all that James offered to the media on that subject.
Jared Dudley takes pride in his ability to return from a torn right MCL while avoiding surgery, Goon reports in a separate piece. Dudley opted for plasma injections while dropping 20 pounds with a strict diet over the past two months. “I put this up as being the best achievement of my career,” Dudley said. “I could have been done. Now, maybe I can play another year. It means a lot that I can even be back out on the court.”
Monday marked the first day that the team was at least 85% vaccinated, Medina tweets.

LeBron James Violates Protocols, Will Not Face Suspension

May 22nd, 2021 at 9:50am CST by marksuleymanov

Lakers superstar LeBron James violated the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols by attending an event promoting his tequila brand, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.

James was reportedly one of several big-name guests at the event, which included rapper Drake and actor Michael B. Jordan, per McMenamin. Attendees were required to provide proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test.

“It’s a violation of the agreed upon protocols, and, as we have in other comparable instances around the league, it has been addressed with the team,” an NBA spokesman said to ESPN.

Despite the violation, James will not be suspended, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). James’ attendance at the event did not rise to “a threat level of virus spread” and he will be available for the team’s first-round series against the Suns, which tips off on Sunday.

As McMenamin notes, James has declined to outright state whether or not he has yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Teammate Dennis Schröder recently told German outlet N-TV last month that he and James both had not been vaccinated, but later amended that statement, telling reporters, “I’m the only guy that didn’t get vaccinated. I’ll just leave it at that.”

The Lakers as a team have yet to reach the 85% threshold for fully vaccinated players and personnel, which would loosen several health and safety protocols.

“We have not reached it yet, but we’re still hopeful,” head coach Frank Vogel said recently. “And I think there’s obvious benefits from the standpoint of us being able to do more things with each other in the cities that we’re going to. Something that’s been absent leaguewide in terms of team building and team bonding for all of us. “

Play-In Tournament Notes: LeBron, Curry, Grizzlies, Ratings

May 20th, 2021 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

After two lopsided games on the first night of the NBA’s play-in tournament, the league got the drama it had been hoping for on Wednesday. The Grizzlies defeated the Spurs by four points in an elimination game, then the Lakers and Warriors delivered an instant classic with LeBron James posting a triple-double and Stephen Curry scoring 37 points.

The outcome was in doubt until the final play, and the game-winner turned out to be a desperation three-pointer that James hit from about 30 feet away with 58 seconds remaining. James had been poked in the eye moments earlier and said his vision was blurry on the shot, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

“After (Draymond Green‘s) finger to the eye, I was literally seeing three rims out there,” he said. “I just shot for the middle one.”

Sources tell Shelburne that the NBA’s competition committee had discussed the idea of a play-in tournament for five or six years before trying it out last year in the Orlando bubble. The original plan was to have the ninth- and 10th-place teams meet for a chance to face the eighth team for the final playoff spot. That never happened, but last year’s setup was so successful that the league expanded it to include four teams in each conference.

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The Warriors won 15 of their last 20 games to finish eighth in the West, but they now face a must-win game Friday night against the Grizzlies to avoid an early elimination. Curry promises the team will “come out swinging” with its season on the line, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. “We’ve had to do it the last 20 games, so it’s no different,” he said. “It is a win-or-go-home scenario, but we’ve had a high confidence and put together a string of wins and had a tough loss and had to bounce back, so we’ve been there.”
Memphis is also very confident heading into Friday’s game, states Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. The winner will travel to top-seeded Utah for the first two games of a first-round series. “Our plan is to pack for a three-game road trip,” Ja Morant said after Wednesday’s win. “No matter who we’re facing … our goal is to go out and win.”
The first night of the new tournament was a success in the ratings, according to Sports Media Watch. The Hornets-Pacers matchup averaged an 0.8 rating and had 1.39 million viewers, and the Wizards-Celtics game had a 1.5 rating with 2.5 million viewers, making it TNT’s most-watched game since opening night.

Pacific Notes: Curry, LeBron, Walton, Ibaka

May 17th, 2021 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

While Nikola Jokic is considered the odds-on favorite to win this season’s NBA MVP award, Lakers forward LeBron James has endorsed a division rival for the honor, telling reporters on Sunday night that Warriors guard Stephen Curry would get his vote.

“I mean, just look at what he’s done this year,” James said of the NBA’s leading scorer (link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). “I don’t know anything else if you’re looking for an MVP. If Steph is not on Golden State’s team, what are we looking at? … We get caught up in the records sometimes. We get caught up in the, ‘OK, who has the best record?’ instead of just saying who had the best season that year. And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year.”

Curry has won two MVP awards, but his performance this season may have been his most impressive yet, considering the Warriors didn’t have high-scoring options like Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant available to draw attention away from him. Despite facing double-teams and traps for much of the season, Curry averaged a career-best 32.0 points per game on .482/.421/.916 shooting in 63 games (34.2 MPG). His 5.3 three-pointers per game also represented a new career high.

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Bill Shea of The Athletic explores what life after basketball might look like for LeBron James, who will turn 37 later this year. The Lakers star, who has already ventured into the media and business worlds during his playing career, also aims to one day own an NBA franchise.
After expressing last week that he was “very confident” about keeping his job as the Kings‘ head coach, Luke Walton explained on Sunday why he’s not worried, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. “It doesn’t weigh on me because it’s the same thing I always talk about — it’s control what you can control — the same message I give my players every day,” Walton said. He added that he felt the story of Sacramento’s season should be the growth of the team’s young players. “I’m excited about this group and excited about our future,” the Kings’ coach said.
Having returned on Friday after missing two months due to a back injury, Clippers big man Serge Ibaka told reporters that he has played with back pain since the start of the season, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s a nerve issue, according to Ibaka, who admitted he’s still not back to 100%.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Schröder, Playoff Rotations

May 15th, 2021 at 5:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

After having to delay his return earlier this week, LeBron James was back on the court this afternoon. Playing for just the third time since suffering a high-ankle sprain March 20, James posted 24 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in 28 minutes as the Lakers topped the Pacers to stay alive in the race for a top-six seed and a chance to avoid the play-in tournament.

Coach Frank Vogel was encouraged by what he saw out of James today, tweets Mark Medina of USA Today. “He’s looked really good,” Vogel said, adding that “obviously it’s going to take time before he gets to be 100%.”

James called today’s game “a complete 180” from the last time he tried to play, which was May 2 against the Raptors, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. His ankle stiffened up at halftime in that game, but today there was just “a tiny bit” of soreness.

“I still got some more room for improvement as far as my ankle and my mobility and my strength,” James said. “But I’m 10 times better than I was in that Toronto game and I believe I can get five-to-ten times better in the future. The more games that we have, the more opportunity that I get to really just continue to strengthen it, strengthen everything around it.”

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L.A. needs a win Sunday in New Orleans and a loss by the Trail Blazers against Denver to finish in sixth place. With the stakes so high, there may be temptation to have James test out his ankle in a back-to-back situation, but he wasn’t able to offer any clues as to whether he’ll play, Medina adds (via Twitter). “It’s up to the coaching staff and training staff,” James told reporters.
Dennis Schröder played his first game today since clearing the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but his post-game answers left reporters confused, Goon notes in the same story. Schröder said he never tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted being the only Laker who didn’t get the vaccine. “At least I can’t get it no more in the playoffs, so that’s probably the best thing,” he added. Schröder became frustrated when pressed for an explanation and refused to comment any further.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic examines the Lakers’ potential playoff rotations to determine which combinations will work best around James and Anthony Davis.

James, Davis, Schröder To Play On Saturday

May 15th, 2021 at 11:10am CST by marksuleymanov

The Lakers‘ trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schröder will play on Saturday for the team’s afternoon tilt against the Pacers, head coach Frank Vogel announced.

Los Angeles has seen the aforementioned threesome all miss extended stretches as James and Davis dealt with injuries while Schröder was recently cleared from the NBA’s health and safety protocols. At 40-30, the Lakers occupy the seventh seed in the Western Conference and will need to win their remaining two games to have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament.

Schröder entered the safety protocols in early May, causing the Lakers to be without their starting point guard during a critical stretch. He has averaged 15.5 PPG and 5.8 APG across 59 contests.

Davis missed the Lakers’ last game against the Rockets on Wednesday but has otherwise been a regular for the Lakers since returning from a two-month absence due to right calf strain and tendinosis. Davis has been limited to just 34 games this season, averaging 21.9 PPG and 8.0 RPG for the defending champions.

As for James, he suffered a high ankle sprain on March 20 and returned on April 30, but then reaggravated the injury just days later on May 2. He has not played since and has seen his return pushed back on several occasions. James was in the midst of an MVP-caliber season before his injury, averaging 25.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 7.8 APG in 43 games.

Dennis Schröder Clears Protocols; LeBron James Questionable For Saturday

May 14th, 2021 at 1:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers guard Dennis Schröder has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Schröder will be eligible to play in the final two games of L.A.’s regular season — Saturday at Indiana and Sunday at New Orleans — but coach Frank Vogel hasn’t decided whether to use him.

Schröder first entered the protocols on May 2, forcing the Lakers to get by without a key backcourt piece during an important stretch of the season. L.A. is currently in seventh place with a 40-30 record and will need to win its final two games to have a chance at avoiding the play-in tournament.

Schröder is averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 assists through 59 games while shooting 44% from the field and 34% from three-point range. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Vogel also said “there’s a chance” LeBron James will play Saturday, McMenamin adds. James had hoped to return from his ankle injury on Tuesday or Wednesday, but had to delay it. James is officially listed as questionable. Anthony Davis is listed as probable, although he didn’t practice today.

Pacific Notes: Haliburton, T. Davis, A. Davis, LeBron, Ibaka

May 12th, 2021 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries limited Tyrese Haliburton to 58 games during his rookie season, but he still looks like a major steal in last year’s draft, writes James Ham of NBC Sports California. The Iowa State guard slid all the way to the 12th pick on draft night, delighting the Kings, who had been hoping to get their hands on him.

“We had even been trying to move up and secure him,” general manager Monte McNair said in a recent TV interview. “When he ultimately fell to No. 12, obviously you never know how it will turn out, but in that moment, we were extremely excited. … I think we may have made a record-setting quick call to the league to lock that pick in. Like I said, he’s even exceeded those expectations and we had very high expectations of him through all of our draft prep and everything.”

Haliburton made a strong case for a spot on the All-Rookie team, averaging 13.0 points, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. A hyperextended left knee ended his season early, but Ham states that the Kings are confident he’ll be ready for a full summer program with the team in preparation for next season.

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Terence Davi s had a short stay in Toronto, but it sounds like he wants to be with the Kings a lot longer, notes Jason Jones of The Athletic. The Raptors traded Davis to Sacramento in March, and he likes his new situation enough that he’s leaning toward re-signing when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer. “It’s definitely looking like that,” Davis said. “It’s looking really good for me. I would say this is some of the best basketball I’ve played in my career, even in college, this is a stretch of some of the best games I’ve played in my entire life.”
The Lakers continue to be careful with their stars as the season winds down. According to an ESPN story, Anthony Davis will sit out tonight against the Rockets after experiencing tightness in his left adductor during Tuesday’s game. He will join LeBron James, who announced earlier today that he will delay his return until at least Saturday. James visited an ankle specialist last week, sources told ESPN, and was able to practice Monday without having difficulty with making sharp cuts and jumping.
Serge Ibaka has already been listed as out for Thursday’s game, but the Clippers remain hopeful he can return before the regular season ends Sunday, writes Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Ibaka, who has missed the past 29 games with lower back tightness, is traveling with the team on its current road trip.

LeBron James Won’t Return Tonight

May 12th, 2021 at 4:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James has confirmed that he will take a few more days to rest his injured ankle. The Lakers star had been targeting tonight’s game against the Rockets for his return to the lineup, but he has decided against trying to play.

“Getting close but I won’t be in the lineup tonight,” James tweeted, “but more importantly I will be there to put that CHAMPIONSHIP banner in the rafters at Staples Center in front of our fans!!”

L.A.’s next game is Saturday at Indiana. The Lakers will finish the regular season Sunday at New Orleans, and it’s unlikely that James will attempt to play on back-to-back nights.

James is still dealing with the effects of a high-ankle sprain he suffered in a March 20 game. He returned to the lineup on April 30, but aggravated the injury in a May 2 contest and hasn’t played since.

The Lakers may be headed for the play-in tournament, which begins next Tuesday, and James will want to make sure his ankle is in good shape for the start of the postseason.