The stage was set: Luka Dončić vs. Yaxel Lendeborg. Lakers vs. Warriors. The Emirates NBA Cup. E-40 in the building. And the Lakers forgot a basketball sport lasted longer than one quarter.
Dončić returned to the lineup after lacking last sport, leaving Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr as the only Lakers out. Inconsequential scratches from the lineup? Not actually, but the Los Angeles still had much of its core rotation prepared to go against a Warriors staff they vanquished on opening evening.
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Instead, the Lakers bench mixed for seven factors on 3-of-15 taking pictures and mainly everyone not named Luka Dončić was disastrous en route to one of the worst losses in current reminiscence. The season is long, yes, but this loss will be etched in pen transferring ahead.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based mostly on expectations for each participant. A “B” grade represents the average efficiency for that participant.
Matisse Thybulle
28 minutes, 10 factors, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-5 FT, -1
This was a fairly average Thybulle sport all through. He was, as always, energetic on protection and serviceable on offense, but he did not actually have much of an impact on the sport.
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Grade: B-
Walker Kessler
31 minutes, 10 factors, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 blocks, 1 turnover, 0 fouls, 4-7 FG, +3
After a couple video games leaving much to be desired, particularly on the boards, Kessler seemed like he was going to have yet another Wilt Chamberlain-esque sport against the Warriors the means he was controlling missed photographs and deterring anything that went his means on protection, posting his first double-double as a Laker.
But then, as has been the case early this season, the physicality dissipated as the sport wore on. Kessler was mainly non-existent after the first couple of stints.
Grade: C+
Austin Reaves
37 minutes, 21 factors, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 8 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, 9-19 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, -13
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The phrase is out on Reaves: apply strain and be bodily with him when he’s the ball handler and you’ll alter his sport. After beginning the season at an All-NBA stage, his response to ball strain has been a continual ache in the neck, leaving The Bay with another high-turnover sport.
Grade: C-
Luka Dončić
37 minutes, 37 factors, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 12-27 FG, 6-16 3PT, 7-8 FT, +9
There actually is not much else Dončić could’ve completed this sport besides shoot even more. It’s evident that he had this rematch against Lendeborg circled on his calendar, and he wound up being the only participant on the roster that confirmed up.
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After erupting for 21 factors in the first quarter, Golden State adjusted and Dončić’s supporting solid merely could not maintain up its finish of issues. Luka shot just twice in the fourth quarter.
Grade: A-
Jake LaRavia
28 minutes, 10 factors, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, 3-7 FG, 2-5 3 PT, 2-4 FT, -11
LaRavia continues to be one of the Lakers’ more constant position gamers. Tonight he was just aggressive enough on protection, did just enough of the little issues, and was just good enough on offense to stand up to whatever else was going on around him.
Grade: B
Sandro Mamukelashvili
20 minutes, 4 factors, 7 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, 2-6 FG, 0-2 3PT, -23
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Mamu has absolutely seen higher days than Friday. He was half of a bench that gave the Lakers nothing, and even he seemed flummoxed for stretches of the sport.
Grade: C
Quentin Grimes
26 minutes, 3 factors, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1-3 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-2 FT, -13
Throughout the season thus far, Grimes has been in a perpetual state of indecision every time he catches the ball and a defender (no matter the distance) is closing out on him. Does he shoot? Does he go? Does he drive? Those questions are always on his thoughts and it’s evident in the means he performed tonight.
Grade: D
Jarred Vanderbilt
13 minutes, 0 factors, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 0-0 FG, -8
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Vando regained enough of JJ Redick’s trust to play in his second sport of the season and picked up proper where he left off against the Clippers in the first quarter. However, much like the relaxation of the roster, he merely disappeared in the latter three quarters.
Grade: C-
Collin Sexton
16 minutes, 0 factors, 2 rebounds, 1 help, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, 0-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, -19
Sexton could not have had a more catastrophic outing tonight after the breakthrough efficiency last sport. Tonight, it appeared he did not have a great grasp on his depth and when the staff needed it.
Grade: C-
Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Chris Mañon
James, Hardy and Mañon performed the flooring for a minute of rubbish time as Redick waved the white flag, and all still managed to be a minus-3. Hardy snagged a rebound and Bronny missed a 3-pointer.
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JJ Redick
I’m not sure if it was vehemently signaling for a problem or what his gamers did on the court that prompted him to throw his back out. Sometimes a coach is at the mercy of how his gamers carry out, and that was partly the case tonight.
Redick, though, just as simply could have made the changes vital to stop the bleeding. Like subbing Dončić back in just a little earlier in the second quarter to halt the Warriors’ momentum.
Grade: B
Friday’s DNPs: Kevon Looney
Friday’s inactives: Lawson Lovering, Arthur Kaluma, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Ziaire Williams
You can observe Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.
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