Thought Starter...
The Lakers arrived in Memphis struggling to find some kind of rhythm, having lost three of the first four games of this five game road trip.
Then they lost Rui Hachimura (illness) and Anthony Davis (foot), for one night, at least.
Then they lost again, this time to the Grizzlies.
That the result wasn’t surprising (that last game of a roadie is brutal, even under the best of circumstances, and these weren’t that) doesn’t make it any less frustrating. The Lakers, who left LA with so much excitement following a 3-0 start, return home with a .500 start and the team’s best player in street clothes. Davis did warm up, so it seems possible he could be there Friday for a Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia team, but it’s nonetheless a worrisome moment for the Lakers.
There were a couple things to like about Wednesday’s loss: LeBron James played very well, carrying the Lakers as far as they could realistically go, finishing with 39/7/6. It’s good to see him potentially rounding into form. Christian Koloko made his Lakers debut, which is nice on a human level (Koloko coming back from blood clots after well over a year off an NBA court). Cam Reddish was again active, moving enough on the floor to make himself available for a couple easy finishes from James, and generally raising the team’s intensity level.
But it wasn’t enough. Or really even close to it.
Three Questions...
1. If Dalton Knecht and Jaxson Hayes are banged up, too—both suffered injuries Wednesday—is it even possible for them to tread water?
2. Could a couple late buckets turn Max Christie around?
3. Can the Lakers reverse the vibe switch following a 1-4 roadie?
