Honorable Mentions
Two players that deserve some recognition for their performance against the Pelicans are Julius Randle and Josh Hart.
Randle has been the topic of discussion in the early going of the season, but not for good reasons. Randle has been unhappy about not starting and it has impacted his play negatively. He has looks unengaged, providing unproductive minutes. It looked like his night was heading in that direction again Sunday, but he picked it up in the second half.
Randle was an integral part of the Lakers comeback. He was tasked with slowing down DeMarcus Cousins and held his own. He scored 11 points, finally looking engaged and into the game. Randle could start at some point, but he thrived off the bench tonight.
The rookie Hart got his first extensive look and responded well. Hart was an integral part of the comeback attempt, as the Lakers were +21 in his 15 minutes on the court. He gave a ton of effort, especially on the defensive end. Hart ended up with five points, four rebounds and one steal in his time on the court. He should see more minutes going forward.
Both Randle and Hart were big parts of the Lakers erasing a 22-point deficit at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. Expect to see them get more minutes together going forward.