Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Lessons in bounce back win over Portland

The Lakers played Montrezl Harrell 30 minutes …and he delivered! 

When Davis left the lineup, it was assumed that Montrezl Harrell would get a bigger role in the Lakers rotations. Instead, Frank Vogel start dividing up AD’s minutes to Gasol and Morris, who were less effective.

Morris’ minutes were up and down during the Lakers’ four-game losing streak. In one loss, Harrell only tallied 15 minutes. In the Washington game earlier in the week, he spent the entire overtime on the bench after putting up a stat line of 26 points and 9 rebounds.

In 30 minutes, Harrell continued to stack the numbers scoring 17 points (7-12 shooting), grabbing nine rebounds (five offensive) with two assists and a block. His plus/minus ratio of +22 led everyone in the Staples Center by a country mile.

The narrative floating around the NBA media and fans mentions Harrell’s defensive issues dating back to the Clippers’ collapse in the bubble last year. Does he have issues with bigger players? Yes, but he compensates in many ways.

Harrell runs the lanes hard on the fast break. LeBron has hit him numerous times just like he did Anthony Davis before he got hurt.

Plays like these make Harrell so effective.

• Watch how Montrezl runs the weave with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at the free throw line.
• When KCP passes the ball to LeBron, Harrell goes immediately to the left baseline also known as the “Dunker’s area”.
• He slides behind Derrick Jones Jr. to get in position when the pass goes to Alex Caruso in the corner and makes a quick pass to James.
• When Caruso passes back to LeBron, Jones Jr. leaves Montrezl to rotate to LeBron leaving him wide open at the front of the rim. 
• Carmelo Anthony fails to rotate, LeBron hits Trezl with the perfect pass and Melo fouls Harrell at the rim for the basket and the free throw.

This play finished off a huge 18-4 Lakers run to take over the game that was never relinquished.

Lakers fans, this play has been solid gold for the Los Angeles Lakers all season long. None of the opposing teams have been able to stop it. Harrell has made his living all season long working the left side of the floor whether it’s this play or an isolation play for the drive or the jumper.

Vogel and the coaching staff may have to stop worrying about what Harrell can’t do (which is grow!) and worry about what he can do, which is play with energy and get buckets at a high rate.

Frank Vogel hasn’t been a popular figure around Lake Show Life these days. However, a huge defensive adjustment at halftime turned the game around defensively for the Los Angeles Lakers. Read on to see what that defensive adjustment was.