Two days after dropping the first game of their regular season to the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to rebound versus the Los Angeles Clippers.
In some ways, the Lakers got vastly outplayed, as they got outrebounded 58-38 and shot just 35.1 percent from the field and 20.0 percent from 3-point range.
However, despite falling behind by double-digits twice, they were competitive, as they made the Clippers huff and puff to come away with a 103-97 win.
Once again, the outside shot was the Lakers’ downfall. On the other hand, they played spurts of strong defense, as they forced 21 turnovers and held the Clippers to 31.0 percent shooting from downtown.
The Purple and Gold had a chance to win by getting out and running in spurts to the tune of 15 fast-break points. But the team’s lack of outside shooting and frontcourt size and length ultimately resulted in a loss.
Anthony Davis: B+
Davis took a nasty fall that resulted in him being in pain and having to leave the contest for a brief period. But he returned, and although he was ailing, he ended up playing 32 minutes and scoring 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds.
He even managed to hit 2-of-4 from 3-point land.
The Lakers had trouble getting the ball into Davis inside when the game slowed down, but he still managed to get some solid numbers versus the Clippers’ swarming defense.
Russell Westbrook: D
It was a frustrating night for Westbrook, as he missed all 11 of his shot attempts, including six 3-pointers. At times, his shot selection from the outside seemed hasty and impulsive, but he wasn’t the only one, as several of his teammates had the same issue.
On a positive note, Westbrook helped his team’s cause by playing solid defense. He came up with five steals, and he also added four assists while committing only one turnover.
LeBron James: B-
When James took the ball into the paint and attacked the basket, good things happened for him. When he settled for outside shots, he was not effective.
Overall, he was 7-of-17 from the field and 2-of-8 from downtown for 20 points, along with 10 rebounds and six assists.
In recent years, the Clippers have made James struggle, and this was yet another example.
Patrick Beverley: C-
As he did versus Golden State, Beverley struggled offensively, going just 1-of-7 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3-point land. He has been a very good 3-point shooter throughout his career, and if he doesn’t return to that type of marksmanship, the Lakers will be in trouble.
Defensively though, Beverley made his mark with two steals and two blocks. His effectiveness and leadership on that end of the floor are already noticeable.
Lonnie Walker IV: A-/B+
Walker’s energy and explosiveness are palpable, and he could be poised for a career-best year if his offensive efficiency is strong on a consistent basis.
He went 9-of-21 from the field and 2-of-9 from downtown, which wasn’t great in terms of efficiency, but his ability to get through seams, attack the basket and score helped the Lakers when their halfcourt offense got stuck. His ability to attack in transition will also be an asset for a team that wants to turn games into a track meet.
Kendrick Nunn: F
After playing very well on Tuesday, Nunn couldn’t get anything to go his way versus the Clippers. He missed all seven of his shots, including four from beyond the arc.
Juan Toscano-Anderson: B
Toscano-Anderson’s impact may not be noticed by casual fans, but he made some contributions in multiple facets of the game on Thursday.
He played some good defense at times, scored eight points in 22 minutes, granted four rebounds and dished off three assists.
For about 15-18 minutes a game, Toscano-Anderson can be an effective role player.
Austin Reaves: B-/C+
Reaves is another man who casual fans may disregard as a zero-impact player, but he can be a bit of a Swiss Army knife.
He only took two shots, hitting one of them, but he had four rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes while committing zero turnovers.
Reaves served up the highlight play on the night when he led a fast break and threw an alley-oop pass to Walker to give the Lakers a brief fourth-quarter lead.
SHOWTIME IN LA ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/N4khxCovMD
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 21, 2022
Matt Ryan: B+
Ryan played 13 minutes and did his job in solid fashion, hitting 1-of-2 from downtown and finishing with five points.
He has shown the ability to attract gravity as a 3-point shooter, which can open things up for his teammates closer to the hoop.
Damian Jones: C
Jones played seven minutes and had minimal impact. He scored one basket and grabbed one rebound while also notching two assists.
