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The surging Cavaliers, winners of seven straight, head out for the west coast, starting with the Lakers today at 3:30. The Lakers have stumbled out of the gate, starting 2-6. Friday night they got spanked by the Jazz at home, 130-116. The Jazz had 75 points at halftime. Markkanen and Sexton combined for 44 points. LeBron and AD were less than 100%, Davis with lower back tightness and LeBron with a sore foot. I’m sure that affected the Lakers defensively because normally they're much better.
LeBron keeps chugging along just two months shy of his 38th birthday. In 36 minutes a game he’s averaging 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. His shooting percentages are down a little, especially from deep where he’s only hitting 20.7%. His overall shooting percentage is over 7% under his career average of 50.4% and his 3-point percentage is down nearly 14%. Father Time may be starting to gain on him just a little.
Anthony Davis is averaging 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks while shooting 52% from the field. He’s also having trouble on 3’s, hitting just 23%. As a team the Lakers are only hitting 28.3% of their 3’s which has been a huge problem.
With C Thomas Bryant out with an injury the Lakers have been starting three guards (Westbrook, Patrick Beverly, and Lonnie Walker IV) and their two superstar forwards. Jarrett Allen punished the Pistons for not having a true center but he’ll probably be guarded by AD today.
Randy Beverly, age 34, is starting at PG and averaging 4.6 points on 30% from the field and 22% on 3’s. The fact that Beverly has started every game shows where the Lakers are at right now. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are listed as game time decisions. If Beverly has to guard either of them I expect the Cavs to have the advantage.
The Lakers rank 25th in scoring at 108 points per game. However, in their last three games they are averaging 119 points so maybe they are putting some things together. The Lakers are tied for 3rd in points in the paint and dead last in 3-point shooting percentage so they’ll all about getting to the rim and the mid-range. This should be to the Cavs’ advantage since they have the rim protectors in Mobley and Allen.
Surprisingly the Lakers rank 2nd in fastbreak points per game so the Cavs need to get back quickly off missed shots.
The Lakers are 29th in effective field goal percentage and they don’t get many second chance points, ranking 25th in offensive rebound percentage. The Lakers are mostly an isolation team, ranking 25th in assists.
NBA.com noted the Lakers are improving offensively:
The Lakers are making incremental improvements offensively and have moved up to 29th in the NBA in offensive efficiency on the season (the Clippers are 30th). There are several factors contributing to the team’s increased offensive output, but a key driver is the progression to the mean from beyond the arc. The Lakers have shot over 40% from distance in two of their last three games, with multiple players contributing along the way….
Westbrook, in particular, has really found his stride in recent games, highlighted by his team leading 26-point output vs. the Jazz. His command and aggressiveness coming off the bench has been a key driver of the team’s success vs. opponents’ 2nd units.
My guess is they will try to put LeVert on Westbrook and also Okoro.
Defensively the Lakers are average in point prevention. The Lakers are above average in defending the 3-point shot while the Cavs rank 2nd in 3-point percentage, so that will be an interesting battle. The Lakers don’t foul much, ranking 4th in opponents’ free throw attempts per game. They seem to be average to above average in all the defensive categories.
From nba.com:
The Lakers, leveraging their perimeter quickness and athleticism with LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing behind them as disruptors in the paint, focus on limiting shots at the rim, keeping the ball out of the paint, swarming and fronting the post, and then gang rebounding to closeout possessions. This approach leads to contested mid-range jumpers and steals as the team pressures the perimeter.
This will be the fourth game of a four-game home stand for the Lakers. They beat the Nuggets and Pelicans, both 5-3, then lost to the 7-3 Jazz. They are definitely playing better on this home stand after starting 0-5.
The Cavaliers lost to the Lakers in LA last year and they should not be overconfident going into this matinee. However, that Lakers' team had DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard at center with Carmelo Anthony coming off the bench to score 24 points in 25 minutes on 9-for-12 shooting.
A lot should depend on whether Garland and/or Mitchell can play and if AD and LeBron are hampered by minor injures. Obviously the Lakers depend almost completely on LeBron, AD, and Westbrook for their point production. But even if Garland and Mitchell are still out the Cavs can defend the paint well and that's where the Lakers get their points. The offense didn't miss a beat against Detroit even with the Cavs top two scorers out. Utah just burned the Lakers for 130 points two days ago so I'm optimistic the Cavs can singe the nets today. But watch out for AD at the rim.
LeBron keeps chugging along just two months shy of his 38th birthday. In 36 minutes a game he’s averaging 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. His shooting percentages are down a little, especially from deep where he’s only hitting 20.7%. His overall shooting percentage is over 7% under his career average of 50.4% and his 3-point percentage is down nearly 14%. Father Time may be starting to gain on him just a little.
Anthony Davis is averaging 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks while shooting 52% from the field. He’s also having trouble on 3’s, hitting just 23%. As a team the Lakers are only hitting 28.3% of their 3’s which has been a huge problem.
With C Thomas Bryant out with an injury the Lakers have been starting three guards (Westbrook, Patrick Beverly, and Lonnie Walker IV) and their two superstar forwards. Jarrett Allen punished the Pistons for not having a true center but he’ll probably be guarded by AD today.
Randy Beverly, age 34, is starting at PG and averaging 4.6 points on 30% from the field and 22% on 3’s. The fact that Beverly has started every game shows where the Lakers are at right now. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are listed as game time decisions. If Beverly has to guard either of them I expect the Cavs to have the advantage.
The Lakers rank 25th in scoring at 108 points per game. However, in their last three games they are averaging 119 points so maybe they are putting some things together. The Lakers are tied for 3rd in points in the paint and dead last in 3-point shooting percentage so they’ll all about getting to the rim and the mid-range. This should be to the Cavs’ advantage since they have the rim protectors in Mobley and Allen.
Surprisingly the Lakers rank 2nd in fastbreak points per game so the Cavs need to get back quickly off missed shots.
The Lakers are 29th in effective field goal percentage and they don’t get many second chance points, ranking 25th in offensive rebound percentage. The Lakers are mostly an isolation team, ranking 25th in assists.
NBA.com noted the Lakers are improving offensively:
The Lakers are making incremental improvements offensively and have moved up to 29th in the NBA in offensive efficiency on the season (the Clippers are 30th). There are several factors contributing to the team’s increased offensive output, but a key driver is the progression to the mean from beyond the arc. The Lakers have shot over 40% from distance in two of their last three games, with multiple players contributing along the way….
Westbrook, in particular, has really found his stride in recent games, highlighted by his team leading 26-point output vs. the Jazz. His command and aggressiveness coming off the bench has been a key driver of the team’s success vs. opponents’ 2nd units.
My guess is they will try to put LeVert on Westbrook and also Okoro.
Defensively the Lakers are average in point prevention. The Lakers are above average in defending the 3-point shot while the Cavs rank 2nd in 3-point percentage, so that will be an interesting battle. The Lakers don’t foul much, ranking 4th in opponents’ free throw attempts per game. They seem to be average to above average in all the defensive categories.
From nba.com:
The Lakers, leveraging their perimeter quickness and athleticism with LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing behind them as disruptors in the paint, focus on limiting shots at the rim, keeping the ball out of the paint, swarming and fronting the post, and then gang rebounding to closeout possessions. This approach leads to contested mid-range jumpers and steals as the team pressures the perimeter.
This will be the fourth game of a four-game home stand for the Lakers. They beat the Nuggets and Pelicans, both 5-3, then lost to the 7-3 Jazz. They are definitely playing better on this home stand after starting 0-5.
The Cavaliers lost to the Lakers in LA last year and they should not be overconfident going into this matinee. However, that Lakers' team had DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard at center with Carmelo Anthony coming off the bench to score 24 points in 25 minutes on 9-for-12 shooting.
A lot should depend on whether Garland and/or Mitchell can play and if AD and LeBron are hampered by minor injures. Obviously the Lakers depend almost completely on LeBron, AD, and Westbrook for their point production. But even if Garland and Mitchell are still out the Cavs can defend the paint well and that's where the Lakers get their points. The offense didn't miss a beat against Detroit even with the Cavs top two scorers out. Utah just burned the Lakers for 130 points two days ago so I'm optimistic the Cavs can singe the nets today. But watch out for AD at the rim.
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