1st: Los Angeles Lakers (⇆)
The purple and gold have something to prove this season.
After a disastrous year saw the Lakers miss the playoffs in 2019, the new-look team took the court with a new determination, featuring a lineup with fellow All-Star Anthony Davis alongside LeBron James.
The Lakers have cruised their way to a 50-14 record this season, adding the latest in the W column Thursday night against their Los Angles rivals, on the first night of the NBA restart. The slim 103-101 victory was led by a huge effort from Davis, scoring 34 points while collecting eight rebounds.
Davis was questionable going into Thursday’s game after suffering an eye injury earlier in the week, missing practice Tuesday. However, the big man seemed rather unimpaired and shot the ball well in his return.
Rajon Rondo is the only current Laker making the injured list, still recovering after having undergone successful thumb surgery that will keep him sidelined until at least September.
Aside from Rondo, Avery Bradley also did not make the trip to Florida due to personal concerns. The 3-and-D player has been a useful option for the Lakers, averaging 8.6 points per game while making the starting 5 for the team. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is likely to hold his place in the lineup.
On the bright side, Thursday was also a great chance to see the Laker’s new arrivals in official action for the first time. Over the break, the Lakers made efforts to fill in the lineup with reliable, veteran shooters to surround their star duo, signing both Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith.
Against the Clippers, Waiters was the one who saw more of the floor and did some damage while shaking off the rust, scoring 11 points in 21 minutes. Both of the dead-eyed wings have the benefit of having played alongside LeBron at different points during their respective careers and understand the role they need to play going into the restart.
During the NBA hiatus, young and upcoming player Kyle Kuzma used the time to get his jump shot back into form. After a foot injury sidelined Kuz for a significant portion of the season, the wing got back to work in the gym and hot shown flashes of hot shooting in scrimmage play. During the first game back, Kuzma’s efficiency from deep made a difference, scoring 4-7 from behind the arc.
With 6.5 games of separation at the top of the West, the Lakers are in great shape to save their energy over these seeding games and compete for the title. Los Angeles is a strong team with a lot of unfavorable match-ups for opponents. And with the playoffs looming, it may finally be time for the King to reclaim his throne.