I don’t want to put too much stalk into a preseason game, but again the Lakers showed some trouble in playing well on the defensive end of the floor. When the Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz at the Staple Center on Sunday night, the Lakers allowed the Jazz to shoot 60% and gave up 32 of their 54 half time points in the paint. To make things worse, the Jazz had 9 fast break points to the Lakers 0, which is unfortunate since the Lakers were able to cause 12 turnovers. At the start of the second half the Lakers were -10 in the rebound department. If you’re not playing defense or rebounding the ball it doesn’t take a genius to know you’re not going to win many games.
Fortunately, Kobe Bryant and company came out firing at the beginning of the second half and quickly cut what was once a 22-point deficit to take the lead with five minutes left in the third quarter. With three minutes left in the third quarter, Ronnie Price led the comeback by making a spectacular defensive play that lead to an emphatic dunk by Wesley Johnson.
At the start of the fourth, the Lakers had a total of 14 steals and forced the Jazz into 21 turnovers—8 of those in the third quarter alone. The second half effort definitely showed as the Lakers were able to get 17 second chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. I would like to think this effort is due to the coaching philosophy Byron Scott and his coaching staff are trying to instill.
Even though the team wasn’t playing at full health, guys were able to step up and make the most of the opportunity: The relentless Price played extremely well during the additional minutes he saw with both Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash out for the game. Rookie Julius Randle was also impressive by showing he can knock down the outside shot. If Randle can show proficiency in the short-range game, there is no doubt opposing teams will have a difficult time dealing with the many facets of his game. And even though Ed Davis didn’t check into the game until late in the third quarter, he continues to raise eyebrows with his effort and impact on both ends of the floor. Despite the first have defensive issues, it is good to see the Lakers make adjustments and earn a win at home.