Game Preview: Lakers vs Wizards (Scrimmage)
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This upcoming Laker game follows the Laker’s last scrimmage game against the Orlando Magic, in which Kyle Kuzma recorded 25 points while shooting 76.9 percent from the field. He was five for seven from the three-point line, so it won’t be surprising if the Lakers test out more ways to use him, especially from beyond the arch.
This next game also follows a solid performance from Dion Waiters, who put up 12 points, shooting two for four from the three-point line. Even though he put up a solid performance from shooting the last game, he had four turnovers, so we expect him to use this game against the Wizards to practice taking care of the ball. A huge surprise from the last game was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who put up 17 points shooting at 87.5 percent.
All these standout performances mean the Lakers will find more ways to utilize them before the season starts, and this next game against the Washington Wizards is the perfect time to do so. They will most likely work on strategies to get Kuzma and Waiters open for threes such as utilizing more plays with screens specifically for them. They will most likely watch Waiters game closely to see if the turnovers are still an issue heading into the 8-game season continuation.
They will also utilize Caldwell-Pope more to see if he just had a hot hand or if this kind of performance can be more consistent during the season. Lastly, two of the Lakers’ big men, Dwight Howard and Javale McGee, will most likely play around 20 minutes, just like they did last game.
Another player to look at is J.R. Smith. He was signed right after Avery Bradley opted out of the season restart in the Orlando bubble. Last game, Smith shot one-for-five from the field and had two turnovers. Even though he put up nine points, it’s concerning that he shot that poorly with 20 minutes of playing time. If Smith plays like this during the season, the lineup will have to go through some changes before the playoffs begin next month. The Lakers will probably give Smith another 20 minutes of play this scrimmage game to see if he changes or improves before the season.
Since this is the final scrimmage game and the NBA is heading into the 8-game season continuation, there’s no reason for LeBron James to play heavy minutes.
With Anthony Davis not playing due to being poked in the eye last game, James will not get the chance to play with him this game. James hasn’t played too many minutes during these sets of scrimmage games, and there’s no reason he should. He has proven himself to be consistent and at his best with the previous performances. Expect no more than 25 minutes from the King.
Davis only played 9 minutes last game but managed to produce nine rebounds and one block. The few minutes of practice is not a concern; he proved he is ready for the season and will use the time to recover his eye. The Lakers will have him rest this scrimmage game to make sure he is entirely healthy coming into the 8-game season continuation.
All things considered, this next scrimmage game against the Wizards will be used to see if Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, and Waiters can bring their previous performances into this game and during the season. It will also be used to see if they can get Smith going and give James some more practice minutes heading into the season. Davis will use this valuable time to heal up his eye before the season.
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-Kyle Randolph – Franchise Sports Media
