FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Nets - Game 53

FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs. Nets – Game 53

FranchiseSportsMedia.com

 

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their road trip with a primetime matchup against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Although they were once again short-handed without LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol and Wesley Matthews, the Lakers had their most impressive win of the season.

 

That didn’t seem to matter, though, as the Lakers put together one of their best performances of the season to earn a convincing 126-101 victory.

The Lakers played inspiring basketball against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Nets in Brooklyn, jumping out to an early 18-7 lead. Talen Horton-Tucker, Dennis Schroder, and Markief Morris all knocked down 3-pointers, while Andre Drummond picked up five early points to force the Nets to call timeout.

Landry Shamet provided an early spark off the bench for Brooklyn though, knocking down a pair of threes of his own to get back within five at 23-18. Despite five turnovers in the first quarter, the Lakers were able to outrebound the Nets, 13-7, and kept their distance, leading 33-25 going into the second.

While the Nets roster is filled with current and former NBA All-Stars, the one knock on the team is their defense, particularly in the interior. Schroder made sure to exploit that early, drawing switches onto their big men and attacking the rim time after time in the first half.

Unfortunately, though, Schroder hurt his back by taking a charge on Blake Griffin, and although he was able to stay in the game, he was clearly feeling the effects of the fall. That allowed Irving to get going offensively, and before long, the game was tied at 52 late in the second quarter.

 

The Nets even took a 4-point lead after a 17-3 run, but credit to the Lakers for weathering the storm and closing the half strong to take a 61-58 lead into the locker room.

 

While their point guards led both teams in the first half, there were forced to be without them in the second as Schroder and Irving were jawing at each other early in the third, resulting in two technicals each and ejections for both.

The Lakers didn’t use that as ab excuse to fold, though, and after a pair of threes and a layup by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they built their lead up to 15. After a Brooklyn turnover, Talen Horton-Tucker found Markieff Morris for a dunk to make it a 17-point lead, causing the Nets to call timeout.

The blowout continued into the fourth quarter, where the new Laker, Ben McLemore, made his presence known by catching fire and hitting four 3-pointers to extend the lead to 22, effectively putting the game out of reach.

With a number of tough games on the horizon and no set return date for either James or Davis, the Lakers will take any win they can get, and this was a big one against another championship contender on the road.

 

 

Lakers News and Notes:

 

The Los Angeles Lakers released a set of guidelines for season-ticket holders to acquire tickets as well as in-arena rules as the team prepares to welcome limited fans to games starting April 15th against the Boston Celtics.

Before putting tickets on sale for the public, the Lakers will first allow their season-ticket holders to have a chance to purchase individual games. A lottery of sorts will be done — with longer-time ticket holders getting first dibs — to give approximately one game per month to fans. From April 15th, there are nine home games remaining in the regular season.

Once tickets are purchased and distributed, there are a strict set of guidelines for entry to Staples Center. First, all game attendees must show proof of final vaccination — two weeks removed from a second shot or first if receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine — or they must provide proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test within 72 hours of the game.

In addition to one of these two forms of proof, all attendees must bring a California ID/Driver’s License. On-site testing will not be done at Staples Center, meaning a health care provider must conduct tests.

There will be a no-bag policy with medical and child care bags excluded from that for the remainder of the regular season.

Once fans actually get into the Staples Center, there is another set of rules fans must adhere to. First, all concessions will be ordered via a mobile app instead of at the counters to avoid lines forming. Food and drink will be consumed in designated areas and will not be taken back to the seats under any circumstances.

All attendees over the age of 2 must wear a mask that covers the nose and face at all times, likely with the exception of eating in the designated areas. Single-layer cloth masks, neck gaiters, bandanas, and masks with valves or vents will not be permitted.

Finally, all guests not within the same “seating pod” must remain six feet apart from one another at all times.

All of these rules — while seemingly strict — are meant to provide the safest possible environment for fans who want to attend games. If fans can adhere without issues, it will make it easier to increase capacity.

 

Los Angeles Lakers forward Montrezl Harrell is still feeling the consequences of the altercation that occurred in the 110-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

 

Harrell had to leave the game in the first quarter after joining the scuffle between OG Anunoby and Dennis Schroder. The German guard committed a common foul on the Raptors forward, who, having fallen to the ground, grabbed the Lakers playmaker and threw him onto the floor.

Harrell stepped in, pushing Gary Trent Jr. away after the Raptors wingman got involved in the incident. His reaction earned him the ejection and a $20,000 fine, the NBA announced on Thursday. But Schroder said the 27-year-old forward doesn’t need to worry about the charge.

“We’re going to take care of that,” he said. “He had my back, so we’re going to take care of that for sure.”

After the game, Harrell said he couldn’t understand why he had been thrown out of the game. “That’s not the way you do things… It’s wrong,” he said. “I don’t really think I did anything wrong to be ejected, but it is what it is.

“My teammate was sweep from off his feet, one-legged after holding somebody up and dropped on his back, so my beef was with anybody that wasn’t wearing a white jersey.”

And Schroder said he appreciated Harrell’s support after an “unnecessary” provocation from Anunoby, adding that the kind of move the Raptors forward pulled on him belongs in the WWE ring. “With Trezz, I would do the same thing for everyone in this locker room,” Schroder said.

“We’re all brothers, family. After it happened and he got ejected, I went into the locker room during the game, and I told him that I appreciate him and I would do the same thing for him. I’m really thankful for that one.”

 

The Lakers will remain in New York and will take on the New York Knicks in the Mecca, Madison Square Garden Monday evening. Tip-off is at 4:30 nd the game can be seen on Spectrum SportsNet.

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-Joe Arrigo – Franchise Sports Media

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