Los Angeles Lakers showcase playoff roster in win over Indiana Pacers

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the final weekend of the regular season with the return of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder. They faced the Indiana Pacers on the road with a chance to get out of the Play-In tournament.

The Los Angeles Lakers very nearly fumbled their way into the play-in tournament early. Thank goodness, LeBron James decided to come back to get his timing this weekend.

After the Lakers controlled the majority of the game, it took a seven-point explosion from LeBron to secure the win over the Indiana Pacers, 122-115. The Lakers swept the Pacers for the first time in a long while. More importantly, there’s still hope to get into the playoffs as a sixth seed.

All five Lakers starters finished in double figures along with a strong contribution for the bench led by Montrezl Harrell and Talen Horton-Tucker.

The good from the Los Angeles Lakers’ win:

LeBron James is back in the fold!

The Los Angeles Lakers need this dude in the lineup. This is not empty rhetoric that is thrown around the media. His presence opened up the offense and it was running like a well-oiled machine early. He had 5 assists in the first six minutes of the game. Then there was this.

In the second half, LeBron got his side step jumper going from various places on the floor. If that jumper starts falling with any consistency, the playoff run will be very interesting. When the Lakers were in trouble, he took over the game when he needed to. He finished with 24 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.

Anthony Davis…

Most would look at the 17 points (7-11 shooting!) with 5 rebounds in the AD’s box score and think it was a good tune-up for his return after a one-game absence. Umm, only one thing, that was the FIRST QUARTER! Anthony Davis DESTROYED the Indiana Pacers in the paint. Without Domantas Sabonis in the lineup, Davis was feasting on the Indiana frontline.

He was rolling by halftime leading everyone in the building with 22 points. It didn’t take him a minute before he was scoring in the second half as he finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

The others…

What was really missing with LeBron’s absence was the comfort level that he gives to the role players. His presence on the floor allows the “others” to do their thing without being near the top of the scouting reports. While Indiana was trying to figure out how to stop the “King” these players kept right on rolling…

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 13 points (5-8 shooting with three from beyond the arc!) with 2 assists and 2 steals. KCP played great perimeter defense.
• Talen Horton-Tucker: 11 points (3-5 shooting!), 2 assists and a block. Knocked down both shots from distance!
• Montrezl Harrell: 9 points (3-6 shooting!), 9 rebounds (2 offensive!). Energy and hustle. If the man did not have DNP-CDs, the Lakers wouldn’t be in this mess! 
• Andre Drummond: A double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. WOW!

The bad from the Los Angeles Lakers’ win:

The defense of the Lakers.

This is a warning for the Lakers fans to Lake Show Life. Let that narrative of the Lakers being the number one defense in the NBA go. It still needs work. For the last couple of months, opponents have gashed the Lake Show on the weak side allowing vulnerability on backside cuts for layups and offensive rebounds. It was the only thing that allowed the Pacers to stick around past halftime.

The finish of this game…

Really? Really?! The Lakers acted like they actually wanted to have the seventh seed in the last quarter. They squandered a double-digit lead allowing Indiana to go on a 12-1 run to cut the lead to three points with under three minutes left in the game. The offense was stagnant with absolutely no movement or spacing.

Kyle Kuzma evaporated… again.

22 minutes, 4 points (2-4 shooting!) with one rebound and one assist. Lake Show Life wrote this piece about Kuz last year going into the bubble about being the X-Factor…

• Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma is now the franchise X-Factor

Does anybody want to pass this reminder along to Kyle?

The story from the Los Angeles Lakers’ win:

The game mattered… but it doesn’t matter!

What mattered about this game was the Los Angeles Lakers had ALL of their players available for this game. Even though Alex Caruso did not play, he could have if this was a playoff game. The words “reaggravate” or “setback” is not in this report.

The major players needed time on the floor together in Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Andre Drummond. Let’s check on some examples to see if they are coming along, shall we?

However, if the Lake Show wants the sixth seed, they must keep going and beat the New Orleans Pelicans tomorrow and then watch a little bit of cable to see if the Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers.

If they win and the Blazers lose, they have their week off. The Blazers and Lakers are the only two teams left in the NBA, yet to know if they will be in the Play-In Tournament or not.

Kobe Bryant is enshrined in the Hall of Fame!

At 5:30 EST, Lakers icon, Kobe Bryant is entering the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Congratulations from Lake Show Life to the Bryant family. Lake Show Life does not exist without the greatness of this man.

While this is a wonderful time for Lakers Nation, please send a prayer to Vanessa Bryant and Kobe’s surviving daughters. For them, it just another painful reminder that Kobe and Gianna Bryant are no longer with us.