SUBJECT: L. JAMES
LEBRON JAMES
Focus: adjusting to LA, scoring/playmaking balance
TRACKING… 10/18-10/22 • @ POR, V. HOU, V. SAS
The LABron era is officially underway! Though the Lakers dropped both games over the weekend - both against established playoff teams - LA was competitive & showed signs of good things to come in the near future.
Let's take a look how LeBron’s first 2 matchups unfolded.
GAME 1 OF 3
10/18 @ POR • L, 128-119
26 pts (9/16 shooting), 12 boards, 6 dimes
Game 1 (@ Portland) was a strong test for LA’s young group.
LeBron kicked off his Laker career in impressive fashion - within the first couple minutes, he unleashed B2B tomahawks - signaling his arrival w/ signature slams.
(via ESPN)
He then cruised to 5/6 start, featuring a couple put backs & a three-point play. When Luke Walton gave LeBron his customary rest to end the first, LAL struggled from outside (0/7) & couldn’t generate clean looks.
Stint #2 proved a precursor to rest of the night: LeBron remained aggressive in spurts but made a point to get his teammates going in the middle quarters, Brandon Ingram scored 10 3Q pts, L. James found J. McGee for a few easy finishes in the paint.
To close the game, turnovers & Portland’s long-range output contributed to a loss down the stretch. A theme of the season is LAL’s ability to keep up with elite teams from deep + being able to offset any size disadvantages that come with playing small.
GAME 2 OF 3
10/20 V. LAL • L, 124-115
24 pts, 5 boards & 5 dimes
LeBron’s Staples Center debut wasn’t as statistically impressive as the opener but Los Angeles was in position to win late in the 4th quarter.
Just as LAL seemed to capture momentum with around 4 minutes left, punches thrown by Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul & Brandon Ingram marred a competitive game up until that point. Following the ejections, the Lakers weren't as engaged + didn’t execute as well on either end.
James Harden scored 11 of his game-high 36 points in the final period, while LAL mustered just 18 pts as a team.
LeBron’s 9/22 showing isn’t as bad as it appears, with his struggles mainly coming from beyond the arc (1/7). Settling for step backs/long triples isn’t ideal but it’s worse if there’s hesitation -defenses will “dare” LAL to beat them from outside.
With suspensions handed out to Ingram (4 games) & Rondo* (3 games), more lineup shuffling + combinations are on the horizon.
Look for Lonzo Ball (4 triples, 14 pts v. HOU) to get his first start alongside LeBron later tonight v. San Antonio.
*CP3 suspended for 2 games
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