Los Angeles Lakers Report Card: Game 4 vs. Phoenix Suns

SG. Los Angeles Lakers. KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE. C. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had his best outing of the season so far… by scoring 14 points on 42.9 percent shooting in 33 minutes. KCP also struggled to find his stroke from behind the arc as he finished the night 1-for-6 from deep. Caldwell-Pope’s expectations were not high for this game based on his performance so far this year, but he still barely met those expectations. Fortunately, however, KCP performance came off the bench and the Lakers would gladly accept 14 points off of the bench. It is too early to tell, but it may be in the team’s best interest to start Josh Hart and use Caldwell-Pope’s experience from the bench.

Lonzo Ball had another great outing and is looking much more like a number-2 pick. He finished the night with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in 28 minutes. Zo did not have the same fire in his three-point jumper, but he still manage to hit one out of three. He looked much more comfortable on the floor overall, however, and shot 55.6 percent for the game. It seems that Lonzo has made an impact big enough for him to be considered for the starting point guard position. Before that can come though, Zo needs to focus on tonight’s game. His matchup against Jamal Murray will definitely be one of the most important of the night.. PG. Los Angeles Lakers. LONZO BALL. A-

Josh Hart played another solid game. As expected, he started over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and played well with that unit. Hart finished the night with 15 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 26 minutes of action. Of his 15 points, 12 came from behind the arc as Hart led the team with four three-point makes. Hart played well all around, but he did have some foul trouble and finished the game with four fouls. Although he is not a “stat-filling” player, Josh’s IQ; hustle; and unselfishness are what make him the quintessential shooting guard for the Lakers.. SG. Los Angeles Lakers. JOSH HART. A-