Picture this if you will. The Los Angeles Lakers were without Kyle Kuzma, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis on Saturday night as they squared off against the red-hot Brooklyn Nets in the Barclays Center.
The Lakers also lost Dennis Schroder as he got into a skirmish with Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who was also ejected. James Harden did not suit up as well. I don’t think many could have predicted what went on last night. In short answer, the Lakers made the Nets look silly.
It was a great example of just how fine of a team the Los Angeles Lakers Lakers are.
This was also a great example of the Lakers’ depth on their bench as well as a great example of how great a job Frank Vogel and the Lakers coaching staff has done this season. I would say that it was one of the best performances I have seen from them all season long as they looked like the lethal weapon they are.
The Lakers played fearlessly and never backed down one bit. They came into Brooklyn not as a team hurting from the many injuries that have occurred, but as a team on a mission to make a statement, and what statement they made.
Two things came from the win. One was that the Lakers are a legit squad, proudly sporting the crown of royalty in the NBA. (I don’t care what anyone says, especially Stephen A. Smith!) The second thing was that the Brooklyn Nets are a highly overrated team. Yes, I did just say it!
The Lakers received wonderful contributions from newly acquired center, Andre Drummond who led the way with 20 points and eleven rebounds. Ben McLemore, who was also recently acquired, was on fire like Hell Boy as he scored 17 points and hit 5 out of ten three-point shots.
Talen Horton-Tucker looked amazing as he razzled and dazzled scoring 14 points and dishing out 11 assists, looking like the next great point guard for the team and at the young age of 20, playing far beyond his years and looking much better than certain other players in the league such as ex Laker D’Angelo Russell. There is something very special about this kid!
Dennis Schroder scored 19 in 20 minutes, Markieff Morris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each had 14, Montrezl Harrel and Alfonzo Mckinnie both had 10.
The Nets, of course, got solid play from the great Kevin Durant, who seems to have bounced back nicely after his horrid and unfortunate Achilles tendon injury. Kyrie Irving also scored 18 points before getting ejected.
Other than LaMarcus Aldrige scoring 12 points, that was really it for Brooklyn. They looked lifeless in the second half. The Los Angeles Lakers physically beat the life out of them. Steve Nash was outcoached by Frank Vogel and looked lost as he had no answer for the Lakers.
The Brooklyn Nets, while having some great talent in Durant, Harden, Irving, and Joe Harris, are by far a very overrated team. They can’t even get their big three on the court at the same time plus, their reserves, or lack of, don’t even operate well and that falls on the head coach.
They lack experience of playing together. The Lakers bench is better than or just as good as some teams starting lineups. Yes, the Nets have a very good record, but so what? When it comes down to it, they are going to have to play against much deeper teams similar to the Lakers.
Teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat seem to have more depth than the Nets. They also are a victim of playing in the Eastern Conference, where there is far less power. Let’s face it all, the west is where it is at.
This was a very important victory for the Los Angeles Lakers. I can’t wait for when they face off against the New York Knicks (Another team I hate with a passion and I live in New York!) on Monday night.
One thing is for sure, the great city of Brooklyn got a taste of the wrath of the Lake Show yesterday. Now, onto Madison Square Garden. A place some call the Mecca of sports.
I always felt that was a laughable and incorrect statement because after all, how many championship banners do the Knicks have hanging in the rafters? A bit drafty up there.