Lake Show Life
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Los Angeles Lakers lose “Finals Preview” showdown with Brooklyn Nets

By Ronald Agers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 18: James Harden #13 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Staples Center on February 18, 2021 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 18: James Harden #13 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Staples Center on February 18, 2021 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers took on the Brooklyn Nets in a possible NBA Finals preview with plenty of star power. It was a reunion of sorts for Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, two players that symbolized one of the biggest “What it?” combinations this side of Kobe and Shaq from their days in Cleveland!

The hyped-up matchup never materialized with no Kevin Durant or Anthony Davis. But without AD and Dennis Schroder, the Lakers had no chance and got blown out at home!

Most teams look to pad their scoring averages when the Brooklyn Nets are on the schedule. Brooklyn gives up 114.5 points per 100 possessions. That qualifies as the fifth-worst defensive rating in the NBA.

With no Dennis Schroder or Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t score outside of (Checking the list!) LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma. The rest of the players had issues getting their own shot off much less making them. In the end, the Lakers got ran over 109-98 in their first game back from a two-game road trip.

The good from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

LeBron James passed the 35,000 point plateau for his career!

With LeBron’s 17 points in the first half, he became the third player in NBA history (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone the others!) to pass the 35,000 point mark. This just in to Lake Show Life, he can score a lot.

The strange thing is every time he passes a scoring plateau, the Los Angeles Lakers lose.

  • When he passed Michael Jordan for fourth on the scoring list in 2019, the Lakers lost the game. Not only that the Staples Center crowd booed him for missing free throws.
  • When he passed Kobe Bryant for third all-time on the scoring list, the Lakers were blown out by the Philadelphia 76ers.
  • Now that he passes 35,000? Well, let’s hope he doesn’t pass a major scoring record in the playoffs. They never seem to win!

Now let’s deal with the present. LeBron James barbecued the Brooklyn Nets scoring 32 points in every which way legal in a basketball playbook. Sadly, he only had help offensively from one guy consistently all night.

Kyle Kuzma played very well filling in for Anthony Davis!

After scoring only 7 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the coaching staff and his teammates probably urged Kuz to be more aggressive looking for his shot. The message was received. He scored in double figures in the first half on his way to 16 points and 10 rebounds. Lakers fans, Kyle Kuzma’s hidden talent is offensive rebounding. He had 5 offensive rebounds showing activity on the glass on both ends.

The bad from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

The Los Angeles Lakers are a good team.

Follow us on this one. The Brooklyn Nets are second in the Eastern Conference. However, they have lost to notoriously bad teams. Not mediocre teams, but some of the worst in the NBA.

  • Two losses to the Washington Wizards.
  • Two losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
  • A loss to the Detroit Pistons.
  • A loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
  • A loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Outside of the Hawks, these teams have no shot (Aka no plan!) to make the playoffs. The Nets seem to fall asleep against bad teams. But it’s a totally different story of focus when the championship contenders come to play. The Lakers are the best in the NBA as World Champions so one could imagine that Brooklyn came to play.

Brooklyn was shooting lights out from the land of the extra point! 

Lake Show Life has pointed out all season long that the Lakers have issues with their perimeter defense. Brooklyn was having target practice from behind the 3 point line. Led by Joe Harris’ skeet shooting 3 point prowess, the Nets were in double figures in 3 point makes before halftime. They finished 18-39 for 46.2 percent.

Dennis Schroder is in the NBA’s health and safety protocol.

The Los Angeles Lakers really needed Dennis Schroder in this game. This is a very different team when Dennis plays like he did against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Earlier this season, Alex Caruso was shooting lights out before he was sidelined in the protocol. Since returning, his shooting rhythm has not been the same. You have to feel bad for Schroder after playing his best game in a Lakers uniform.

Dennis Schroder is now the second Lakers player (Caruso), and the third member of the organization to be held out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Along with the two aforementioned players, Lakers trainer Nina Hsieh is the other to be quarantined.

Get back real soon Dennis, Lake Show Life is rooting for you to stay healthy.

The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:

The Brooklyn Nets guards not named Kyrie Irving and James Harden killed the Los Angeles Lakers!  

Coming into this game, most would have thought the reason the Lakers would struggle against Brooklyn was the high-powered backcourt of Kyrie Irving and James Harden. They got their numbers, but their teammates really were the reason the Lakers got blown out of the Staples Center.

  • Joe Harris: 21 points on six 3 point shots.
  •  Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot: 15 points on five 3 point shots.
  • Bruce Brown: 9 points while playing tough defense.
  • Landry Shamet finished with 10 points.

Oh, by the way, James Harden had 23 points and 11 assists while Kyrie Irving finished with 16 points.

Frank Vogel’s minutes selection with Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol.

Montrezl Harrell spent a long time on the bench in this game while Marc Gasol got the lion’s share of the center minutes. It was bad enough that the Nets started with a small lineup that exposes Gasol in the first place, but Harrell was 4-5 in the first half.

He was not seen again until the game was over. Gasol had 20 minutes in this game to Harrell’s 15. Lake Show Life would be cursing over this, but FanSided has restrictions on profanity.

Charles Barkley actually picked Jordan Clarkson for his list of All-Star reserves over Anthony Davis!

Look, the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers matchup was hyped to be a must-see TV event that turned out to be a bust. There will be plenty of NBA fans that would love to see these two teams in the NBA Finals. But for the next two weeks, Lakers fans will be talking about Charles Barkley and this hot take a lot longer than the outcome of this game.

Charles Barkley actually left Anthony Davis off of his All-Star reserves list and placed the Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson on it instead. Lake Show Life will allow anyone that is reading this a few seconds to let that thought sink in. (Final Jeopardy music plays now!)… Okay let’s move on.

Anthony Davis’ numbers are down this year compared to last year and he’s not playing anyway because of the calf strain suffered on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets. That being said.

There is no way on God’s green Earth that anyone can justify Jordan Clarkson who doesn’t even start on his own team getting a vote on any All-Star team over Anthony Davis. It’s not happening folks!

Lake Show Life’s more in-depth breakdowns will come in Lake Show Life Lessons tomorrow. Keep it locked for the only Los Angeles Lakers post-game report with highlights and in-depth analysis.

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