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South Bay Lakers having a strong start to season

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 02: Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles upcourt during the second half of a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on October 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 02: Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles upcourt during the second half of a preseason game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on October 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Vander Blue returns as the South Bay Lakers took on the Reno Bighorns at home on Thanksgiving Eve.

The South Bay Lakers, (5-1) just beat the Austin Spurs for a second time this season on the road, 113-96. The Reno Bighorns (Sacramento Kings affiliate) sit at 2-3 recently losing to a 4-4 Long Island team.

The Lakers lead the G League in three-point percentage with 43.6% (72-165) with Stephaun Branch (54.5%) and Andre Ingram (63.2%) leading the way. Ivica Zubac and Josh Hart made their way back onto the Lakers roster, and Thomas Bryant came back to the SB Lakers. I personally would have like to have seen him get minutes on the Lakers.

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Alex Caruso recently broke a record; he stole the ball seven times against the Spurs for an SB Lakers record steals. Scott Machado ranks sixth in assists in the G League. Vander Blue is 276 points away from moving up the all-time points scored list. He sits at third with 4059, Ron Howard is in second place with 4,325, and Renaldo Major is in first with 5,058.

The score at halftime was 69-65 in favor of the Lakers. The Lakers fast break points were keeping them in the game. By the third quarter, the score remained about five points apart, 100-95. An injury to Jack Cooley really hurt the Bighorns, as their big man was sidelined with an elbow to the eyeball. Blue, Branch and Machado poured it on at the end to push the Lakers up by ten points, 119-109 with under three minutes to go.

That’s when a scuffle broke out between Branch and JaKarr Sampson. Both got technicals and Branch got benched. He had scored eight points and grabbed seven boards in 19 minutes.

After a monster dunk by Caruso, which Bryant thoroughly enjoyed along with all the fans right in front of the NBA Scouts, the Lakers went on to win their sixth game, 128-117.

Highlights

  • Alex Caruso hit back-to-back three’s to start the game, scored eight points in the first three and half minutes of the game.
  • Bryant hit a dunk then a three-pointer back-to-back.
  • Stephen Zimmerman grabbed seven rebounds in the first half.
  • Caruso ended the first half with 19 points and six assists.
  • Three Lakers were in double figures as the half closed, Bryant had 11 points, Blue had 10 and then Caruso with 19.
  • The Big Horns scored three times the second chance points as the Lakers 18-5.
  • Jack Cooley (Notre Dame) is a beast on the boards, and David Stockton (Gonzaga) had scored 22 points for the Big Horns by the middle of the third period.
  • Late in the third, Machado and Branch came alive both trading baskets.
  • In the fourth quarter, Demarcus Holland hit a fallaway backward layup that was truly magnificent.
  • Caruso hit five out of eight three-pointers (62.5%).
  • Cooley, Bighorns, took one in the eye, and it must have really really hurt because his pain was vocal. He sat out the rest of the game with his face in his hands.
  • Bryant earned a double-double with 4:28 left in the game, 25 points, and 10 rebounds.
  • Vander Blue scored nine points in the fourth quarter and became South Bay’s all-time leader in games played with 146.
  • Five Lakers ended up in double figures: Caruso (28 points, seven assists, three rebounds), Bryant (25 points, 11 rebounds), Blue (21 points, nine assists, three rebounds and three steals), Scott Machado (19 points and five assists off the bench), V.J. Beachem (11 points including three triples.

Next: Lakers: Metta World Peace believes team can be 8th seed

The South Bay Lakers traveled to face the Texas Legends on Friday, November 24, the team that gave the Lakers their only loss of the season. They beat the Legends 125-112 in Texas by shooting a season-best 63.9 percent from the field and making 19 3-pointers (season-high). V.J. Beachem led the way and hit eight three’s as he logged a career-high 30 points. The South Bay Lakers are now 7-1 on the season, not too shabby. The SB Lakers next game is against Iowa Wolves is on Monday, November 27 at 5:00 pm.

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