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Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Takeaways from blowout loss to Golden State Warriors

By Ronald Agers

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 21: Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors and Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers seen on court following the game on January 21, 2019 at STAPLES Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 21: Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors and Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers seen on court following the game on January 21, 2019 at STAPLES Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram both need LeBron James in the lineup

Believe it or not, there were Lakers fans that were trying to sneak the narrative that the Lakers could survive without LeBron James…

Right…okay. Security!!!!

The ongoing debate (Which by the way is dumb!) of who is the number two guy is or who needs to be traded for a big time free agent needs to cease. NOW!

What gets lost by a lot of fans is the fact that the Lakers played a very soft schedule in the beginning of the season. Teams that are tanking, in transition or have less talent.

Against these teams, these two can really shine. Now the Lakers have to play the big boys. It doesn’t stop with the Warriors.

Let’s look at a couple of points…

Number one…Brandon Ingram is not a point guard. Let’s let that go!

This is not to say that Ingram did not try, because he did. But the man does not have the instincts of Ball, James and Rondo. Simple. He’s just wired different. He is a guy that makes moves in the flow that he sees.

Brandon Ingram scored 17 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 3 assists. The Lakers point guards have to get at least 8 assists before we can start talking about effective point guard play. Lonzo Ball had 11 assists in the first half before he got hurt. If Ingram wants the point guard position, the balance has to be better going forward.

Kyle Kuzma still has a way to go before being a legit number two guy on this team.

Kuzma regressed big time against the champs. He scored 16 on a team-high 18 shots. But that is not the problem. He didn’t take the bull by the horns and play with the energy needed to help the Lakers last night. He was just another player.

At this point, Kuzma is considered the guy after LeBron James. Well, LeBron James is out right now so that makes him the main guy. Every NBA player has off nights, but Kuzma did nothing of real substance that the main guy does in these situations.

Where was the challenge of trying to stop Klay Thompson? That’s something he needed to take personal and step up and accept the job of trying to slow him down. Is it fair for a young guy like Kuzma? No. But it’s what he signed up for when he became a name attached to the Lakers when have gave Detroit 40.

Good teams are going to challenge these two going forward and they will have the targets on their backs until LeBron James comes back to take the heat off.

Now they have to accept the challenge.

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