How Does Harrell Match-Up vs. Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers?
Why the heavy minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers? Montrezl Harrell is the only guy on the Clippers who can “guard” Anthony Davis. I put “guard” in quotes because AD is impossible to guard.
AD is too long for opposing power forwards and too quick for centers. Only Giannis has the strength, length and athleticism to match up with him physically. And even Giannis got cooked in their two meetings!
As for Harrell, he is athletic and strong enough, but AD can still get his shot off anytime over Harrell in the mid-block area due to his superior length.
Nevertheless, AD did not go off in any of the three games. His highest-scoring game was a 30-point performance in the Lakers victory back in March. Harrell deserves credit for slowing down the one Laker the Clippers know they cannot guard.
Losing him on defense is cataclysmic to their interior defense. He is their best rebounder and low-post defender. I expect Anthony Davis to go off for 40 points and 20 rebounds tonight. Kawhi Leonard or Paul George can guard Anthony Davis in case of emergency but it will take away from their offense. Guarding the low post is very physically taxing. Harrell covers for Kawhi and PG in that respect.
His offensive skillset gives the Clippers much better vertical spacing. The other four players have more room to attack side-to-side as Harrell draws attention in the middle. With the Lakers exploiting vertical spacing does not matter as much.
In fact, the Lakers may render him an offensive liability (at least in the half-court) if their bigs can step up their on-ball defense, which they have not to date.
The Lakers’ stingy interior defense negates his ability to catch lobs on the pick-and-roll. His lack of shooting will allow the Lakers to keep two big men on the floor.
Big men who can provide horizontal spacing is far more threatening to the Lakers attack (think Kristaps Porzingis or Nikola Jokic) than rim-runners such as Harrell because big men like KP and Jokic will force Lakers centers Javale McGee and Dwight Howard away from the paint.
If only the Clippers had a player who guaranteed instant offense coming off their bench…