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The Cavs get a much needed two day rest after back-to-backs in Utah and Phoenix before taking on the Lakers and Clippers back-to-back in LA. This is not a good time to be playing the Lakers, who are in 9th place and two games out of 6th place and the last automatic playoff spot with five to play. The Lakers are surging to the finish, having won 8 of their last 9. In addition, they are 27-12 at home and 17-21 on the road. Only five teams have better home winning percentages.
The Lakers also have had two days off so they are well-rested. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood, both reserve power forwards, are out, but the Lakers still have Rui Hachimura and Taurean Prince to man that position.
LeBron is 18-3 in his career against the Cavs, averaging 28.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Having just turned 39 LeBron is showing no signs of slowing down, in fact, he’s hit the gas down the stretch. In 18 games since the All-Star break he’s averaging 27 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9 assists - right on his career averages. His shooting percentages are even better; 58% from the field and an insane 48.2% on 3’s. For his career he’s making just under 35% from deep.
LeBron reminds me of a distance runner who has hit the last lap in 4th place and is sprinting to try and overtake the runners ahead of him and get a medal.
Anthony Davis is averaging 24.8 points and 12.8 rebounds, hitting 55.4% of his shots but only 27.3% of his 3’s. DeAngelo Russell averages 18.2 points on 46% overall and 42% on 3’s. Austin Reaves has a line of 16/4/6 on 48.5% from the field. Rui Hachimura averages 13.3 points on 54% and 42% while Taurean Prince is shooting 39% on 3’s. The Lakers have four guys who are hitting over 39% from deep.
They don’t have much of a bench with Wood and Vanderbilt out. The backup PG, Spencer Dinwiddie, is averaging just 6.3 points and 2.4 assists in 24 minutes, shooting 38%. Cam Reddish averages 5.5 points in 21 minutes, also shooting under 40%. Max Christie, Gabe Vincent, and Jaxson Hayes average 4 points per game each.
But when you have LeBron and AD, plus Russell, Reaves, and Hachimura, you don’t need a lot of bench. That’s a great starting lineup. If the Cavs can play even with the Lakers when the Lakers’ starters are on the floor they should be able to outscore their bench.
In the Lakers’ last game they beat the 15-62 Wizards by just 5 points on the road. The Laker bench had 12 points and 4 assists in 65 minutes. The starters, except for Hachimura, all played 35-38 minutes. The game was in Washington, but still, they struggled to beat the Wizards. Dinwiddie had one field goal and one assist in 19 minutes. Vincent and Christie failed to score in 18 combined minutes. Hayes was a -24 in 10 minutes. Only Prince had a decent game off the bench with 5 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes.
I’m assuming Jarrett Allen will check AD and Mobley will take LeBron.
For the season the Lakers are 7th in scoring and 23rd in scoring defense. At home they average 119 points and allow 115. They beat the Cavs in Cleveland in November 121-115 with the Cavs at full strength except for Dean Wade. AD lit us up with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. LeBron had a relatively quiet night with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. None of the other Lakers scored more than 15. Christian Wood was key with 13 points in 17 minutes off the bench, taking just 7 shots, but he’s out.
For the Cavs Mitchell was 4-for-18 that game. Just an average game from him and we would have won. The Lakers hit 52% of their shots and outrebounded the Cavs 44-37.
Watching Allen and Mobley go against LeBron and AD will be worth the price of admission, along with the Donovan Mitchell/Austin Reaves and the Darius Garland/DeAngelo Russell matchups. Hopefully with two days off Mitchell will be moving even better.
The official NBA injury report has both LeBron and AD as “questionable”, but I’ll believe it when I see it. LeBron has an ankle problem and for Davis it’s a knee. For the Cavs Wade and Okoro are still out but Craig Porter Jr is listed as “probable”.
The Lakers also have had two days off so they are well-rested. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood, both reserve power forwards, are out, but the Lakers still have Rui Hachimura and Taurean Prince to man that position.
LeBron is 18-3 in his career against the Cavs, averaging 28.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. Having just turned 39 LeBron is showing no signs of slowing down, in fact, he’s hit the gas down the stretch. In 18 games since the All-Star break he’s averaging 27 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9 assists - right on his career averages. His shooting percentages are even better; 58% from the field and an insane 48.2% on 3’s. For his career he’s making just under 35% from deep.
LeBron reminds me of a distance runner who has hit the last lap in 4th place and is sprinting to try and overtake the runners ahead of him and get a medal.
Anthony Davis is averaging 24.8 points and 12.8 rebounds, hitting 55.4% of his shots but only 27.3% of his 3’s. DeAngelo Russell averages 18.2 points on 46% overall and 42% on 3’s. Austin Reaves has a line of 16/4/6 on 48.5% from the field. Rui Hachimura averages 13.3 points on 54% and 42% while Taurean Prince is shooting 39% on 3’s. The Lakers have four guys who are hitting over 39% from deep.
They don’t have much of a bench with Wood and Vanderbilt out. The backup PG, Spencer Dinwiddie, is averaging just 6.3 points and 2.4 assists in 24 minutes, shooting 38%. Cam Reddish averages 5.5 points in 21 minutes, also shooting under 40%. Max Christie, Gabe Vincent, and Jaxson Hayes average 4 points per game each.
But when you have LeBron and AD, plus Russell, Reaves, and Hachimura, you don’t need a lot of bench. That’s a great starting lineup. If the Cavs can play even with the Lakers when the Lakers’ starters are on the floor they should be able to outscore their bench.
In the Lakers’ last game they beat the 15-62 Wizards by just 5 points on the road. The Laker bench had 12 points and 4 assists in 65 minutes. The starters, except for Hachimura, all played 35-38 minutes. The game was in Washington, but still, they struggled to beat the Wizards. Dinwiddie had one field goal and one assist in 19 minutes. Vincent and Christie failed to score in 18 combined minutes. Hayes was a -24 in 10 minutes. Only Prince had a decent game off the bench with 5 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes.
I’m assuming Jarrett Allen will check AD and Mobley will take LeBron.
For the season the Lakers are 7th in scoring and 23rd in scoring defense. At home they average 119 points and allow 115. They beat the Cavs in Cleveland in November 121-115 with the Cavs at full strength except for Dean Wade. AD lit us up with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. LeBron had a relatively quiet night with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. None of the other Lakers scored more than 15. Christian Wood was key with 13 points in 17 minutes off the bench, taking just 7 shots, but he’s out.
For the Cavs Mitchell was 4-for-18 that game. Just an average game from him and we would have won. The Lakers hit 52% of their shots and outrebounded the Cavs 44-37.
Watching Allen and Mobley go against LeBron and AD will be worth the price of admission, along with the Donovan Mitchell/Austin Reaves and the Darius Garland/DeAngelo Russell matchups. Hopefully with two days off Mitchell will be moving even better.
The official NBA injury report has both LeBron and AD as “questionable”, but I’ll believe it when I see it. LeBron has an ankle problem and for Davis it’s a knee. For the Cavs Wade and Okoro are still out but Craig Porter Jr is listed as “probable”.
