Having lost six of their last eight games coming into Thursday’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers not only needed a win, but they also needed a powerful blowout win.
They received exactly that against a Hornets team that entered the contest with an eight-game losing streak and a dismal 7-21 record.
Early on, it looked like an upset wasn’t out of the question. The Lakers looked sluggish in the first quarter and trailed by as many as nine points. However, they clawed their way into the contest, and Charlotte wasn’t able to respond.
After leading 58-57 at halftime, L.A. methodically took control in the third quarter by outscoring the Hornets, 41-23. Without LaMelo Ball, their best player, the Hornets just didn’t have the firepower to mount any type of run, and the Purple and Gold gained a much-needed 133-112 victory.
The Lakers had seven players score in double figures, including four players off their bench. They shot 53.6% from the field and 50% from 3-point range, and they had a whopping 41 assists as they kept the ball moving throughout the evening. Defensively, they forced 19 turnovers, which helped create 20 fast-break points for them.
Los Angeles has a difficult set of back-to-back road games this weekend versus the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans before it can enjoy a large number of home games through late March.
Anthony Davis: A
Davis went to work in the paint early and often. He was the Lakers’ only offensive threat in the first quarter; all of their other starters struggled with their shooting. The big man finished the period with 10 points, and he had four blocked shots in the first half.
For the game, he scored 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and added eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 26 minutes. He had himself a dunk fest in this game against a short-handed Charlotte team.
Since the beginning of December, Davis has been playing like an MVP at both ends of the floor, and Thursday’s game was no exception.
Taurean Prince: D
Prince has been shooting very well in December, but on Thursday, he couldn’t find the basket. He missed his first five shots of the game and finished with just three points on 1-of-7 shooting, although he did contribute three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Rui Hachimura: A
Hachimura started in place of Cam Reddish, who sat out with a groin issue. He shot 7-of-12 to score 17 points in 28 minutes, and he did a good job of attacking off the dribble and using shot fakes to set up easier opportunities for himself.
After an up-and-down November in which he had two injuries that caused him to miss games, the forward has produced double figures in scoring in seven of his last 10 games.
Jarred Vanderbilt: B
Vanderbilt had a decent offensive game, and he even hit his first 3-pointer of the season after missing his first 10 attempts. He shot 3-of-8 from the field and finished with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 24 minutes.
One of his assists was a nifty one against a Hornets halfcourt trap to Jaxson Hayes for a dunk.
LeBron James: B/B-plus
James picked his spots offensively in this game, and he was more than happy to let Davis feast. He shot 7-of-13 from the floor to score 17 points while dishing off 11 assists and adding four rebounds.
Most importantly, since the Lakers turned this game into a blowout in the third quarter, James logged only 25 minutes of playing time. That will come in handy, especially given the back-to-back road games they have this weekend.
D'Angelo Russell: A
Maybe Russell has broken out of the slump he had been in for most of December. He gave the Lakers a spark shortly after he entered the game in the first quarter with eight straight points, which included two 3-pointers. He finished with 16 points on 5-of-10 overall shooting and 4-of-7 from 3-point range plus nine assists in 29 minutes.
This was the third straight game in which Russell has shot at least 50%, and it’s a development the team has badly needed given its problems on offense.
Austin Reaves: A
Reaves shot 6-of-8 from the field and 2-of-3 from downtown, giving him 16 points. He also contributed four assists, two rebounds and one steal in 24 minutes, and he is continuing to play very well in the month of December.
At one point, he ignited the Crypto.com Arena crowd with a flashy behind-the-back move on a fast break that resulted in a layup for him.
AUSTIN REAVES BEHIND THE BACK 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mcRxiLA4fd
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) December 29, 2023
Christian Wood: B
Wood stepped onto the court for the first time in a week, and he played a solid 23 minutes. He contributed by making his first two shots, both of which were 3-pointers, and he finished with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and one blocked shot.
Max Christie: A
Christie’s playing time has come and gone, but he was on the court for 24 minutes on Thursday due to Reddish not being able to play. The second-year wing scored an efficient 10 points and had seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal.
This Lakers have been hoping he would develop into a legitimate 3-and-D player, and games like this will certainly help.
Jaxson Hayes: B-plus
In just seven minutes, Hayes crept into double figures in scoring by converting five of his seven shot attempts, and he also added two rebounds.
Jalen Hood-Schifino: D
In a rare appearance (and his first since Dec. 7), Hood-Schifino attempted five shots but got only one of them to go through the hoop. He had two points, one assist and one steal in seven minutes.
