When the Lakers built their team with more depth this offseason, a game like this was probably what they had in mind.
At the start of five games in seven nights and the second night of a row, the Lakers rested Luka Dončić with Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr all out. But they still had plenty of quality players – and a very, very bad opponent – to rely on.
It wasn’t a pretty game by any means, but the Lakers’ defense and talent carried the day. Guys like Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton showed exactly what you hoped for with Luka sidelined. These are the types of games you hope to be in over the course of an 82-game season where you give your stars some rest and turn to your depth.
In the first test, the Lakers passed with flying colors.
So let’s dive into victory. As always, ratings are based on each player’s expectations. A “B” rating represents that player’s average performance.
28 minutes, 15 points, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 5-6 FG, 4-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, +0
Before Sexton’s explosion in the third quarter, it looked like Thybulle was going to be the star of the night. He was perfect in the first half and this looked to be safely his best game of the season so far.
34 minutes, 2 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1-2 FG, +3
After a rather lackluster game on Tuesday, LaRavia had an excellent bounce-back game. Five offensive rebounds and five plays showed how hard he played. You can more easily forgive missteps if someone is playing hardball.
26 minutes, 11 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 fouls, 4-7 FG, 3-5 FT, -7
Kessler had a much calmer game against the Clippers this time around. Still, it had an impact when big blocks or steals were needed. He’s still finding his rhythm and timing on offense and that showed at times on Wednesday. But it’s still a solid game.
38 minutes, 23 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 7-15 FG, 0-3 3PT, 9-11 FT, +10
Another player who responded after poor performances against the Blazers with big games on Wednesday. Grimes looked a lot more like himself attacking the basket and getting to the line. I hope he can translate that into games with Luka as well.
30 minutes, 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 foul, 8 turnovers, 6-16 FG, 1-6 3PT, 3-4 FT, +7
Chip Engelland is basically considered the shooting doctor of the modern NBA. Whatever the dribbling equivalent is, Austin has to work with it.
The Clippers were sending multiple guys to him virtually every time he had the ball with less than 10 seconds left in the shot clock and he wasn’t handling it well.
30 minutes, 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, 6-15 FG, 0-5 3PT, 1-1 FT, +21
Mamu’s game was not effective, but he was very active. And given the way the game played out, that might have been the better of the two options.
21 minutes, 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 6-11 FG, 4-7 3PT, 5-8 FT, +23
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect showcase of what the Lakers wanted when they signed Sexton. He got to the rim relentlessly, mixed in some 3-pointers and took over in the third quarter to really put this game to bed.
21 minutes, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 0-1 FG, +22
Welcome back, Vando. He may not be the long-term answer at backup center, but he’s the answer for now and that’s more than enough. Playing him alongside Mamu in the frontcourt gives the backup unit plenty of pace, speed, and intensity.
In nine minutes, Hardy made six shots, including five threes, and missed them all. There are guys like Vando who make the most of their opportunities and work their way into the rotation, and then there’s this.
Redick finally pulled the parachute on Kevon Looney at backup center and turned to Vando with great aplomb. I also liked how long he kept Sexton and Grimes with Reaves on the bench. Austin ended up only playing 30 minutes, a lot of those low-intensity minutes in the fourth.
Friday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Kevon Looney, Chris Mason
Friday inactives: Lawson Lovering, Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Luka Doncic, Ziaire Williams, Arthur Kaluma
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
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